Die Hard Sports Fan

The Washington Redskins will face the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
TV Info:
Game: Washington Redskins (3-1) @ Philadelphia Eagles (2-2)
TV: FOX (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman)
Radio: ESPN 980 (Larry Miller, Sonny Jurgensen, Sam Huff, Rick “Doc” Walker)
Time: October 5, 2008; 1:00 p.m. ET

Game Notes:

• Jim Zorn is 3-1 in his first four games as head coach. He is aiming to lead the Redskins to their third winning season in the last four years. He is looking to become the seventh Redskins head coach to record a winning record in his first year at the helm.

• Like Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid, Jim Zorn made the jump from quarterbacks coach to head coach.

• The Redskins are tied for the NFL lead with a +6 turnover ratio. They have intercepted five passes and recovered two opponent fumbles, while the Redskins’ lone turnover was a fumble on a punt return.

• Washington is the only NFL team without an offensive turnover and Jason Campbell is the only starting quarterback to have not thrown an interception.

• In playing the Giants, Saints, Cardinals and Cowboys in the first four weeks, the Redskins have faced the NFL’s fourth-, third-, fifth- and second-ranked offenses, respectively. They have held each of those teams to their lowest scoring and yardage output of the season.

• Jason Campbell has been one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks in 2008, his first season in the West Coast offense at the pro level. In the last three games, he has posted QB ratings of 108.4, 112.2 and 104.1, the first time a Redskins quarterback has had three straight games with a passer rating higher than 100.0 since Mark Rypien did it in games 13-15 in 1991.

• Santana Moss’s 27 catches are tied for third in the NFL and tied for first among NFC wide receivers. In addition to his receiver yards, Moss has a 27-yard rush, giving him 448 total yards from scrimmage, a figure which ranks sixth in the NFL.

• Clinton Portis is tied for fourth in the NFL and tied for second in the NFC with 369 rushing yards. His 86 carries are the third-most in the league.

• The line: Philadelphia is favored by 6. Over/under is 42 1/2.

Injury Report:

Redskins - Out of Game: DE Jason Taylor (Calf). Doubtful: T Stephon Heyer (Shoulder). Questionable: LB Marcus Washington (Hamstring), CB Sean Springs (Calf). Probable: DE Andre Carter(Non-injury related), OG Randy Thomas (Toe).

Eagles – Doubtful: WR Kevin Curtis (hernia), DE Victor Abiamiri (wrist). Questionable: RB Brian Westbrook (ankle), TE L.J. Smith (back). Probable: QB Donovan McNabb (chest), S Quintin Demps (knee), RDT Dan Klecko (hand).

Quote of the week:

“I play on a defense. I’m trying to hit him…And if I’m on the Redskins, I’d have the chance to get back at him two times a year for the 22 years he’s been punishing me since I was a baby.” –CB Byron Westbrook on his brother, RB for the Eagles, Brian Westbrook

Open Thread:
Please feel free to comment below or in the tag board in the sidebar to chat with Redskins fans from around the world.

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The Washington Redskins offense we saw that Thursday night that opened up the 2008 NFL Season against the New York Giants is forgotten and long gone.  After that week, out of no where, QB Jason Campbell and the rest of the Skins offense has gone through a metamorphosis, if you will, and has evolved into one of the NFL’s most consistent and steady offenses. 

Week 1, Campbell looked lost.  Campbell came into the season with a lot of pressure, due to learning yet another system in his young career.  However, this time, after 4 weeks, it looks like he has mastered the beginning stages of his journey into his new offensive education.  In 4 games, he has yet to turn the ball over.  He looks cool and collective; progressing through his reads and calmly getting rid of the ball or dumping it off to a short receiver when being hurried.  It looks as if the game has slowed down for him and he can see things before they happen.

With that said, the Eagles defense will bring an entire new test to his journey of learning Redskins Head Coach Zorn’s offense.  The Eagles rotate an almost an infinite amount of Defensive Ends and Tackles to wear down opposing Offensive Lines and get constant pressure on the other team’s Quarterback.  If the Redskins focus too much on pass rusher DE Trent Cole, then it will free up a Juqua Parker or even a Darren Howard.

The Redskins offensive weapons could present dangerous challenges to the Eagles defense.  If TE Chris Cooley is allowed to run free, underneath, and around the line of scrimmage, he could become Campbell’s safety valve, and help the Skins keep McNabb and company off the field.  To date, the Eagles have not been the greatest at shutting down the other team’s Tight End.  Cooley has the advantage as I don’t believe anyone on the Eagles can consistently cover him and effectively make him a non-threat.

WR Santana Moss is a speedster but a quality possession receiver as well who can take a 3-yard underneath pass and turn it up field for bigger gains.  Although he is dangerous, and will have his moments, I think CBs Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown, and Lito Sheppard will be able to keep his involvement and productivity relatively low.  If the Eagles pass rush and blitz packages can get to Campbell often, it will help limit Moss’s effectiveness.  Moss isn’t the big, strong, and physical receiver that causes more issues for this core of CBs.  However I do expect him to come up with one or two big plays, even one for a long TD if he sneaks by a CB, deep down field.  I can’t expect the Eagles trio of CBs to completely take him out of the game.

The goal for the Eagles should be a steady list of the following combination:  Stay true to their position and hold their gaps to frustrate RB Clinton Portis.  Send the world and blitz to try to confuse Campbell on third and long passing plays.  Be mindful of the underneath routes run by TE Chris Cooley and WR Santana Moss.  The Eagles need to force the Skins into 3^rd and longs, by taking away the run and the short passing game.  If they are successful in the aforementioned, I like their odds, more times than not.

Tomorrow- Die Hard Sports Fan’s version of the Redskins-Eagles Pre Game notes and comments.

With that said, “E-A-G-L-E-S!!  EAGLES!!”

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The Die Hard Eagles Fan, known as “Vedder,” agreed to return the favor and allow us some insight into the mind of an Eagles fan regarding their season, the team, and the matchup this weekend.

How did you become an Philadelphia Eagles fan?

That one is easy.  My dad has been a die hard Eagles fan forever.  He was an usher at the famous 1960 Eagles-Packers championship game and I have been hearing about it since I was probably 5 years old.  Add in the factor that I started following sports at age 6, when the Eagles went to the Superbowl (lost to the Raiders), and it made it easy for me to get interested.  When I was a bit older, in the mid-80’s, some of the home games were blacked out.  So my dad and I would jump in the car and go scalp 2 tickets and watch.  Being at the Vet as a kid was exciting but scary.   For some sick reason, the experiences at the games as a kid helped me become a fan.

As a child, I grew up in Redskins country. But, I still followed the Eagles running back, Wilbur Montgomery. Who is your favorite Eagle from your lifetime of experience? 

There were plenty of players I loved over the years.  Seth Joyner was awesome.   “Arkansas” Fred Barnett was a favorite of mine.  All time though, it has to be Safety Brian Dawkins.  He is everything and anything you would want in a Safety.  He’s a leader.  He’s a ball hawk.  He’s a hitter.  A future Hall of Famer in my opinion.

The Eagles have played in two Super Bowls, yet have failed to win. How do you feel about the season thus far? 

I feel that they are a good team but not a great team.  I feel they have the potential to be in the NFC championship if they could learn from their mistakes and apply those lessons successfully.

I’ve read some commentary that is calling for Andy Reid to resign and/or retire, especially after last week’s loss to the Bears. What do you think? 

Those callings are because Eagles fans are emotional and in dire need for a championship.  They are passionate and let their emotions get to them.  Coach Reid definitely has a lot of flaws, and I will be the first to call him out.  If he doesn’t win the big one soon, he will go down as a good coach for planning during the week, but a bad game day coach who was too stubborn and too ignorant to learn from the past.

I’m not certain, but Reid is probably the winningest coach in Eagles history. Are the fans being fair to be so down on him right now? 

I would say some fans are definitely down on him but if they consider the alternative, such as some of the junk coaches out there, they should be somewhat grateful for what he brings to the table.  Again, if he could work on his flaws, then the sky would be the limit with this team.  Unfortunately, time is running out.

I have lived in the midst of the fans of the Philadelphia Eagles for over 10 years now. I attended and graduated from Temple University in Philadelphia. I remember Buddy Ryan and the days of that defense with Reggie White, Jerome Brown, and others. It was a ferocious team. How do you compare today’s Eagles to those of yesteryear? 

That core of players from that era (late 80’s-early 90’s) was something special and nothing can compare to them, not the 2004 Eagles Defense nor this current Defense.  Defenses like that probably only come around once every 10-20 years.  I still have my old VCR tapes of the 1991 season and every summer I watch the “House Of Pain” game as well as the “Body Bag” game.  Sorry Warmontco, but with you being a Die Hard Skins fan, I had to bring up the “Body Bag” game!

The city seems to be split on their opinion regarding Donovan McNabb. How do you feel about him as a QB? 

I am pro McNabb.  His career currently reminds me of the 1st 10 years of the trials and tribulations John Elway went through out in Denver, only to a smaller degree.  Obviously Elway was a ton better, but the parallels are the same.  McNabb has a rifle arm, is mobile, and uses his ability to step up and around the pocket to make big plays.  I don’t blame McNabb not bringing us a championship on McNabb like others do.  It is not his fault that the team refuses to give him a consistent running attack.  It is not #5’s fault that they refuse to address the WR position with the exception of bringing in TO in 2004.  I believe Reid has wasted his opportunity with McNabb and blew it, not taking advantage of his skills and complimenting them with the right offensive philosophy.

Do you believe it is fair to compare him to Randall Cunningham? Why, or why not?

There’s really nothing to compare besides they were both quarterbacks here.  I mean, sure, both were athletic and impressive quarterbacks.  McNabb is intelligent and can read defenses.  Randall just went out there and used his athletic ability to get him by.  Randall didn’t have anyone coaching him for most of his career here.  McNabb will go down as the Eagles best QB in my book.  So no, its not fair as I believe McNabb earned the right not to be compared to another QB who didn’t win much here.  

Many speculate that McNabb could be traded after this year to the Chicago Bears. Is this the last year for McNabb in Philadelphia?  It very well may be and I certainly hope not.  I think Eagles fans who want Kevin Kolb in there are suffering from “don’t know what you got until its gone” syndrome.  Kolb might be good sometime in the future, but McNabb brings so much more to the table.

Brian Westbrook, when healthy, can dominate a game. Why isn’t he featured more in the offense? Is it because he has trouble staying healthy?  Possibly but I say no.  I believe it’s because Andy Reid’s stubbornness to having a balanced attack.  Can you imagine the numbers Westbrook could put up if Reid didn’t come out throwing 50 times a game?  

With the exception of the acquisition of Terrell Owens, why, in your opinion, do the Eagles seem so reluctant to acquire a top-rated WR’s for McNabb?

I believe its all part of Andy Reid’s philosophy to prove to the world and the rest of the NFL how brilliant he can be.  It’s no coincidence that the only year the Eagles brought in a true stud, star WR, they went to the big dance.

Many people, including me, believe that if T.O. was still with the team, the Eagles would have won a Super Bowl by now. Do you agree? Why, or why not?  

If TO was still here, this team would be in the toilet.  He is a cancer and a time bomb, waiting to explode and break up a team. 

I believe the real issue that set off T.O.’s immature emotional stability was McNabb’s refusal to acknowledge T.O. as the MVP of the team. What do you think? 

I disagree.  I think TO’s a selfish, child who may be bi-polar.

This week the Redskins come to town. What is your prediction, and why?  

My prediction is both teams feel each other out in the first half where it will be a defensive struggle.  I think one team adjusts better than the other in the 2nd half and it opens up the scoring.  I think the Eagles come out in a close game, winning 20-16.  I think the Redskins are put in a tough position, having two road games in a row and might be still flying high and living off the past weekend with their victory over the Cowgirls instead of focusing on the present and the Eagles.

You must have noticed that the Redskins are playing with more confidence and effectiveness. What concerns you most about the Redskins offense? 

Lots of things.  They like to grind it out, wearing down the opposing defense while keeping the ball and thus the other team’s offense off the field.  The Eagles for years have been killed by other teams’ Tight Ends and this year is no different.  TE Chris Cooley makes me nervous.  QB Jason Campbell’s athleticism makes me worry.  The Eagles have been troubled in the past by QB’s who are athletic.  They need to contain him and make him throw off his back foot.  WR Santana Moss will be successful in getting behind the Eagles CBs which makes me nervous.  How many times he is successful at it will probably help determine the outcome.  RB Clinton Portis is a concern but if the Eagles continue to fill their gaps and be agressive at the line of scrimmage, they can limit him and hopefully put the Redskins in 3rd and long positions.  If that happens frequently, with the aggressive nature of the Eagles Defense, it would only be a matter of time until they force QB Jason Campbell into making a mistake.

The Redskins defense is playing extremely well, also. In the past three games, they have been effective in minimizing three powerful offensive teams in the New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals, and Dallas Cowboys. What will the the Eagles game plan against this surging Redskins defense?

It depends on if Westbrook plays and is at 100% or not.  If he’s there and back 100%, I would expect the Eagles to set up some screens to Westbrook, especially with some misdirection and fake reverses.  The Cowboys still moved the ball downfield many times in the air last week, so I would expect Reid and company to attack in the same fashion.

Who do you think will have the better game: Donovan McNabb or Jason Campbell? 

It depends which McNabb comes out in the beginning of the game.  He can come out, over pumped and hyped up, throwing balls into the ground and at the feets of receivers or over their heads.  This will lead to the sound of the early boo birds which only will feed into McNabb’s performance.  If he comes out calm, cool, and collective, then I believe McNabb has better odds of having a better game.

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Vedder:  Thank you for joining us today Warmontco.  This is a very important game this week between the Deadskins, I mean The Washington Redskins, and The Philadelphia Eagles.  With the NFC East being the best and toughest division in the NFL, as well as the most competitive, would you say that this is a must game for both teams?

Warmontco:  No, I don’t believe this is a must game for either team beyond the idea that each must defeat their rival. NFC East games are a cut above anything else you can identify in the NFL. It doesn’t matter if one team is perfect with zero wins, and the other perfect with zero losses. On game day, nothing else matters in an NFC match-up beyond the fact that the mindset is to win! There is no trophy, or big, blanking ring for being first in the division.

I recall as a kid we used to play a game called “King of the Hill.” It’s a popular game that I’m sure many can identify with. Playing in the NFC East is more like that game, year in and year out, than any other division in the NFL.

Vedder:  The Giants the only remaining undefeated team in the NFC East.  To date, their fans (especially a co-blogger of ours on www.diehardsportsfan.net) seem to have delusions of grandeur.  They did beat the Redskins and the Redskins beat The Dallas Cowboys in Dallas.  Do you think The Giants are currently the best team in the NFC East?   After all, I think I could have beaten the Rams and Bengals.  How pathetic that the Bengals took them to OT in the Meadowlands!

Warmontco:  Get real!! The Giants!?  Ha!  Not on your life. That said, I’m not comfortable stating who is the best team. I made this point in an earlier post leading up to the Cowboys game. Just because the Giants beat the Redskins (mostly because the Redskins weren’t ready in the first half of the game), and the Redskins beat the Cowboys, does NOT mean that the Giants can beat the Cowboys, or the Eagles. I believe this is a key fact that most people that don’t follow the NFC East never fully appreciate. All games, regardless of the perceived stature of the other team and the predictions of what they will achieve for the season, begin from base zero.

Most pundits who will try to offer their analysis would not put the Giants at the top of the hill right now, anyway. Why? Well, it’s simple. Who have they played. They beat a Washington team that wasn’t quite ready to begin the season and a mere shadow of itself today, the St. Louis Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Giants need to beat a team that is clicking on all cylinders before they can honestly be given king of the hill. But again, I remain reserved in that assessment because as I mentioned earlier, it doesn’t matter who is king of the hill today, tomorrow, next week, or at the end of the regular season. If the Giants taught us anything last year, it was that the only game that matters is the next one, until it’s the last one.

Now, that said, let me also say that I do believe the Redskins are playing very strong right now. For that, I also believe that the Redskins will give any NFC East team a very strong challenge. The Redskins defense did to the Dallas Cowboys what the Philadelphia Eagles defense couldn’t do. Still, in truth, we were more successful because were able to watch the tape of the Eagles/Cowboys game. 

Vedder:  The Redskins have been questioned around the league as being run by an owner who needs to stick his nose out of things.  Do you think owner Daniel Snyder has learned how to own the team without treating it as his own personal fantasy football team?

Warmontco:  Dan Snyder, in my humble opinion, has matured. He is acting, and operating the team, with prudence and forethought. It is well known, and he has even spoken of his early exuberance. But, for anyone to criticize him for that is shallow, at best. This is a man that has created success. Through that success, he was able to buy his most favorite childhood professional sports franchise. Now, in any other metropolitan outside of the D.C. metro area, that might not seem like very much. But, to Mr. Snyder, and to me, and to so many others that are a part of Redskins nation, you’d have to admit: what a rush that must have been to buy the team you love so much. So, naturally, he was exuberant and wanted to win…badly. I believe that has not changed. But, unlike his early years, I believe he now manages the team with the wisdom that can only come from experience. It’s the difference between knowledge and ‘know-how.’ Mr. Snyder now knows how to run the Redskins.

Vedder:  A few years ago, the Redskins dealt Pro Bowler CB Champ Bailey and a 2^nd round pick to the Denver Broncos for RB Clinton Portis.  At the time, Washington was criticized for giving up too much for Portis.  Now that a few years have gone by, as a Skins fan, how do you now evaluate this trade?

Warmontco:  I’m a huge Clinton Portis fan. I’m glad he is on the Redskins team. I’m glad that we are going to keep him a Redskin for the foreseeable future. I do not believe that there is no clear difference and/or drop off between having Portis in the backfield as compared to our other running backs. In my mind, there is a huge drop off. But, while I acknowledge and accept the value that CP has on the team, I would rather we not made that trade, except for one key factor. To me, it is more valuable to have a lock down cornerback than it is to have a top flight running back. Defense is what wins championships. That said, Champ Bailey wanted out. He wasn’t happy. So, because of that, we should have traded him. I don’t believe on making players stay where they don’t want to be. I think we paid too much for Clinton, but I’m most happy that we got him. 

Vedder:  Over the last few weeks, we have seen the first stages of the evolution of QB Jason Campbell take place.  Critics jumped on him early saying his delivery was too slow for the West Coast Offense or he wasn’t the right QB period.  What are those critics saying now?

Warmontco:  There has been a thundering silence from Jason Campbell’s critics. Very early on, I wrote about us needing to be patient. I believe most of the noise was created by those who are just interested in having Colt Brennan play. They’re not mature fans, in my opinion. While it was fun to watch Brennan in the preseason playing against guys that aren’t even in the league today, it’s something altogether different to expect him to play, and play effectively right now. Even Coach Zorn has said as much. In fact, I agree with Matt Terl of The Official Redskins Blog in how he put it towards the end of the preseason. He said that he liked watching Colt play, but he didn’t want him taking another snap until the start of next preseason…in 2009!

As for the ‘professional’ critics, well that’s their job. They get paid to create and/or feed controversy. So, they appear to have moved on to find controversy elsewhere, i.e. T.O.’s latest issue in Dallas.

Vedder:  During the off-season, one of the Redskins weaknesses appeared to be their WR core.  They addressed that need by using the draft in selecting WR Devin Thomas and WR Malcolm Kelly.  However, after 4 weeks, neither has barely seen the field.  Are you as a fan disappointed with their involvement and contributions to this point?

Warmontco:  Well, once again, it’s a question of how much value a rookie can actually have at a skill position. It is truly rare, in my opinion, where a rookie can step in and add value right away. On those occasions, the team has found someone special. In our case, I can’t really speak to either one of the three receivers we drafted; Thomas, Kelly; and Davis. Davis has it tough because he plays behind a highly underrated TE in Chris Cooley. Thomas and Kelly had an opportunity to play more by pushing Randle-El and James Thrash to reserve roles. I still believe that may happen by the end of the year for Thomas, as long as he stays healthy. As for Kelly, well you can’t make the highlights if you’re sitting in the tub. No player has control over injuries. But, to a degree, I believe that Kelly in particular may have enjoyed a better transition to the NFL if he had a stronger off-season training program. That said; they kept him off of IR because they thought he might contribute this year. And, he just may…later. But even if he doesn’t, no worries…they’ll get him in shape for next season.

Vedder:  What player on the roster excites you most so far this season?  You have been pretty clear on your past Die Hard Redskin posts that you are enjoying the play so far of Safety Chris Horton.

Warmontco:  “The Predator” is fierce. I love watching him play. Aside from him, I have to be honest and say that I am most thrilled watching Jason Campbell come into his own. I only hope that he continues in his progression and takes a place among the leagues elite QB’s.

Vedder:  Regarding DE Jason Taylor, does he have anything left in the tank and are you concerned the Skins gave up too much to acquire him? 

Warmontco:  Contrary to what many believe, there is a HUGE difference in how to play LEFT defensive end, as opposed to RIGHT defensive end. Taylor created his legend playing Right DE. He played it for a number of years. In doing so, he got comfortable…more than comfortable. It’s a completely opposite technique that must be employed on the Left side. It sounds easy, i.e. just put your opposite hand down, and move your opposite foot forward in your stance. But, that couldn’t be further from the truth. So, I don’t believe he will be as dominant playing on the Left side as he could be playing on the Right side. That said, I still think he will be better than many Right side DE’s in the league. He still has ‘gas in the tank.’ Although he hasn’t registered many sacks yet, he is still impacting the game with his smart, head’s up play. We had a need. He was available. It was a good trade.

Vedder:  If you could change one thing now to improve the Redskins even further, what would that be?

Warmontco:  I had to think about this for a minute. In my mind, we need the biggest improvement in our Punt Return game.  Randle-El has been effective in the past, but I believe that either he needs to do it exclusively without playing receiver, or the coaches need to allow someone else to do it. I don’t think any team is afraid of punting to us because Randle-El is not the threat that he may once have been.

Vedder:  I think the Redskins shocked the NFL last week with their performance and victory against the Dallas Cowboys.  When the 2008 Redskins season is over, do you think you and other Skins fans will look back and say that this was the game that set the tone for the rest of the year?  Are you worried now that the Redskins won this game, they will be content with their achievement and ‘fall asleep at the wheel’ for less provocative match-ups?

Warmontco:  No such thing in the NFC East, with one exception. Last year, the New York Giants benefited from a goal line stand against the Redskins. That one game instilled a sense of renewed determination and the proper mindset which allowed them to win it all. That exception aside, and generally speaking, I don’t believe any one game between NFC rivals amounts to season changing trends. However, if T.O. implodes in Dallas, as recent comments and indicators suggest, then we may all sit back and look at last weeks game as the one that took the heart out of the Cowboys.

Vedder:  What match-ups this week favor each team?  What concerns do you have as a Redskins fan playing against Philly?

Warmontco:  There is no other team in the NFC East that concerns me more than the BEagles. The match-ups are across the board. Our offense against the BEagle defense, and vice versa. I believe this will be a very defensive ‘flavored’ match-up. That said; it will be fun for me to watch the match-up on the outside between DeSean Jackson and our secondary, in particular LaRon Landry who will cover against the deep pass. Landry is only a step or two slower than Jackson. But, he can bring the pain and make any receiver second guess how much to extend for the ball. 

Vedder:   What is your prediction for this week’s heated match-up between my beloved Philadelphia Eagles and your stinky, smelly Redskins?

Warmontco:  I’m an optimist. And when it comes to the Redskins, I’m a biased optimist. Redskins win 13-7.  

Vedder:  Thanks for joining us today Warmontco.  I have one final thing to say to you as we look forward to Sunday’s game:  “”E-A-G-L-E-S!!  EAGLES!!”

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Let’s get it done!

They deserve it.

Jason Campbell and Clinton Portis are up for FedEx Air and Ground Player of the Week, respectively. In order for Campbell to win, we have to overcome the the unbelievable ’sick’ performance of Brett Favre this week.

Head Coach Jim Zorn is nominated as Motorola Coach of the Week.

And “The Predator,” Chris Horton is nominated as the Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Week.

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Everywhere I go, at work, at home, in the car, when I am awake and when I am asleep, I have one vision in my head and I cannot shake it from my thoughts.  The harder I try, the more it keeps replaying, over and over again.  That image is Eagles RB Correll Buckhalter being stuffed at the Bears 1 cm line in Sunday’s loss to the Bears.  I want to yell at Buckhalter to reach the ball over the goal-line while you are getting stacked up.  I want to jump into the vision in my head myself and help backup TE Matt Schobel block Bears DE Alex Brown.  In my vision, I want to run onto the field, over to the sidelines and beg Head Coach Andy Reid to run his 230 pound quarterback on a QB keeper.  I want to tell him to get his head out of his arse and run a bootleg or some kind of quick hitter instead of the slow, developing running plays to Buckhalter that they called. 

The NFC East is up for grabs.  It will probably come down to the final week of the NFL season.  With the development and improvement of QB Jason Campbell of the Redskins and their upset victory over The Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, there are now a total of four teams in the NFC East that could win the division.  Just a week ago, we thought it would only come down to The Giants, Cowboys, and Eagles.  Not so fast and now we face the Skins this Sunday in what is looking like a must win game.  Now I fear The Eagles loss to The Bears on Sunday may just come back and bite us in the rear come the end of the season where that we will look back and say “what if we only dialed up the right play calling when the game was on the line that September evening in Chicago?”

You think I am being too hard on Coach Reid?  Check out this article and let me know your thoughts (click here)

With that said, “E-A-G-L-E-S!!  EAGLES!!

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I had the opportunity to interview another Die Hard Redskins Fan, Lindsay King, recently. Enjoy.

1. How did you become a Redskins fan?

I’ve been a redskins fan since I was a little girl.  Literally, my grandparents have pictures of me and my sister holding a Redskins pennant with our fists in the air…I think I was 5.  But it’s funny because the person I would say that I have to thank for being a Redskins fan would be my old step dad.  Most of my family grew up Baltimore Colt fans and after they left town, the Redskins were the home team to root for.  My Grandpa was on the season tickets waiting list for Washington for about 20 years…and the year he was finally offered tickets, he declined because he was on his way to becoming a fan of a new team….hello Baltimore Ravens.  Needless to say, the majority of my family has followed in his foot steps as Ravens supporters and I pretty much stand alone in my burgundy and gold.  Lots of people claim it’s ‘wrong’ to be a Redskins fan while we’re living in Maryland because of taxes, this that and the other…in my opinion, it’s wrong to switch the team you like based on location.

2. What is your favorite Redskins / Cowboys game that you’ve watched? Tell us about it.

The Redskins/Cowboys rivalry is one of my favorites (naturally) and I look forward to seeing a good game every time they meet.  An NFC match up will always come down to who wants the win more and who plays best that day, regardless of records. I would have to say my favorite Redskins/Cowboys experience thus far would be last years first meeting.  Granted, we took the loss, but I organized a trip for myself along with 14 of my friends to fly to Dallas and attend the game. We tailgated with Chief Zee, Clinton Portis‘ mom, Rock Cartwright’s family and every Washington Redskins fan in the Dallas area.  And it was quite the experience to be sitting in the Cowboys endzone, just ten rows from where the majority of T.O.’s touchdown saga went down.  It was a VERY back and forth meeting, despite what the numbers may say and the Skins were never really out of the game at all.  Matter of fact, we were on our feet screaming the entire game and irritating the surrounding Cowboy fans until Jason Campbell’s interception to Terence Newman with 1:39 that pretty much would send us back to D.C. with a loss. Oh well. And like I said, we may have taken the loss but it was an experience of a lifetime.

3. Before the game yesterday, what were you most concerned about as a Redskins fan?

My number one concern walking into the game this week was our offense, but especially our offensive line.  We’ve been producing the last few weeks, yes, however the Cowboy’s secondary is phenomenal.  Demarcus Ware is probably the greatest linebacker in the league and Jason Campbell needs protection from that.  Chris Samuels went on to play a great first half, but Campbell slipped away from Ware multiple times post half time.  If Samuels and the rest of the line work on pass protection in particular, I don’t see why or how Philly’s defense should be a problem next week.

4. In your opinion, what is the number one thing we did right yesterday?

In the game yesterday, I would have to say the number one thing we did right would be utilizing the West Coast Offense to the best of its capablities.  Zorn was calling the pass and rush quite strategically, which was a very critical part of us winning the game.  Now that our offense is seriously starting to click, implemention of the new offense is beginning to show and we are utilizing our weapons to the best of our capability!

5. Conversely, what is the number one thing we need to fix before the Eagles next week?

Above all else…. we need our boys to be HEALTHY going into next week!!!! Between losing Jason Taylor after our win over the Cardinals last week, followed by Fred Smoot and Marcus Washington coming off the field yesterday, I am a little bit concerned about a McNabb/Westbrook show next Sunday.  As I’m trying to remain optimistic, I think the reality should be to try and add depth so that we don’t run into serious problems if Washington and Smoot aren’t 100% next week.

6. If you could tell Coach Jim Zorn one thing after today’s game, what would it be. Please explain.

The one thing I would say to Jim Zorn after the win today would definitely be congratulations. He is the only Redskins coach in the history of the franchise to be undefeated in Texas stadium.  Considering the fact we had only won one of the last twelve match ups in Dallas going into this game, coming back to Washington with a win is HUGE.  Not only did we defeat the ‘best’ team in the league thus far , but we did it to them at home.  Not only did we hold Marion Barber to 26 yards on the ground, but we also didn’t allow any passes longer than 18 yards throughout the game.  This win was absolutely vital for the Redskins to be considered with the rest of the ‘elites’ in the division and now we’re sitting pretty in second place with a quarter of the season under our belts!

7. Who do you think deserves the Die Hard Redskins Fan game ball. Why?

And the game ball goes to…Jason Campbell! He had 231 yards yesterday, 145 of which were connecting with Santana Moss, a man who is known for playing well in Dallas.  He also managed to lead the Skins down the field to score on four consecutive drives over the second and third quarters.  He threw two touchdowns and is proving himself week after week to be the leader of this team.  My biggest complaint about Jason Campbell would be his tendency to linger in the pocket, but he managed his time well yesterday and knew when it was time to throw the ball. The man has yet to throw an interception this year and has a 102.2 passer rating.  When Campbell was first added to the team, we were told he was the future. It seems the future is closer than anyone thought, and he is doing a great job proving everybody wrong that doubted him being able to adapt so quickly to the West Coast Offense.

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I don’t know about the rest of Redskins nation, but I slept like a baby!! There is nothing better to start of the work week than a good, resounding victory. Even more so, a victory over the hated Dallas Cowboys.

Any style of victory would have suit me just fine. But, the manner in which the Redskins beat the Cowboys has me floating on a cloud. Consider for a moment the key indicators.

The High Powered Offense of the Cowboys -

I’m not going to make any disparaging remarks about their offense. I respect them. They have some talented players. But, most importantly, I believe their offensive line is top notch. That said however, our defense stepped up huge yesterday. First, and foremost, we shut down their run game. They knew it. And, in short order, they abandoned that aspect of their game. In the end, Marion Barber ran for only 26 yards on eight carries. It was noted here earlier in my PreGame Thoughts that when Barber gets more than eleven carries, the Cowboys are an incredible 22-1.

So, the question is already being asked amongst the pundits. Why did Dallas abandon the running game? Well, let me offer my two cents. Marion Barber is a beast. He is a big, strong back with a very high sense of balance. But, he’s slow. Our defense ran him down. More specifically, except on one or two occassions, he couldn’t generate enough momentum to break through the line and gobble up the yards, like he is capable of doing. If the Cowboys start to play Felix Jones more as the season progresses, they will add a dynamic to their offense at the running back position that all teams need: SPEED!

Terrell Owens, naturally, has a different perspective. During his interviews after the game, he seems to be in late season form suggesting that the Dallas offense is all about him.

“It’s no secret, when I get involved, we move the chains. When I don’t, we’re more stagnant in our offense,” Owens said.

Well, what T.O. is not acknowledging is that Shawn Springs played his ‘boohooty’ off yesterday. When he left the game with leg cramps, I admit that I cringed. On television, they had a close up of T.O. speaking to Tony Romo. It was possible to read his lips when he said, “I got him,” speaking of Carlos Rogers. He was licking his chops to go against Rogers.

Well, that didn’t work out for T.O. either. On one drive, late in the game, they attempted three consecutive throws to T.O.; all fell incomplete. T.O. is great receiver. But sometimes, his emotion, or more accurately, the lack of attention his emotion perceives, takes him out of the game. In the end, he only had 71 yards on seven catches.

Matt Mosley reports today that T.O. may have created a new drama in Dallas.

After the game, a Cowboys starter on offense said he thought the team tried too hard to involve T.O. in the second half. It’s not good when a player senses that coaches are calling plays in order to keep a teammate happy. It’s not time to panic if you’re a Cowboys fan, but I’d certainly keep your eye on that situation. It’s a slap in the face to Jason Witten, Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin — and especially rookie Felix Jones to freeze them out in order to please T.O.

Tick tock, tick tock…I’m waiting for the explosion to come to big ‘D’.

The Quality of Play of Jason Campbell -

WOW! I also admit that I was a bit nervous for Jason Campbell going into this game. I remember reading how Jim Zorn told Campbell that he had to trust him. Campbell shot back that Zorn needed to trust him, too. Well, it’s time for all of us fans to trust Campbell, even those that were advocating putting a rookie, Colt Brennan, in as the starting QB.

It’s easy to point to Campbell’s yardage and his touchdown throws yesterday. But, by doing so, we would miss something else: his growing ability to move in the pocket, keep the play alive, and make a play to move the chains or, specifically to yesterdays game, exploit Terence Newman downfield.

Campbell played like a QB that was fully focused on the task at hand. He was the field general that the Redskins needed.

Other Things That Made Me Smile -

Watching Terence Newman try to keep up with James Thrash in motion only to slip and the third change of direction. Campbell saw it and hit Thrash in stride for the Redskins first touchdown.

Watching Terence Newman get beat down field by Santana Moss, time after time. He had to consoled on the sidelines by his teammates.

Watching Clinton Portis find some running room (121 yards on 21 carries) and ripping off a nice 31 yard scamper.

Chris Cooley; that man can catch a football! He’s awesome.

Shawn Springs and the difference he makes in the secondary.

Chris “The Predator” Horton, along with Greg Blache that designed the play, running underneath the pass pattern for the only interception of the game. What a great story he is.

The offensive line met a formidable foe in the front four of the Cowboys defense. They gave up two sacks, but it could have been a much longer day. Well done.

Seeing Jon Jansen play again. He’s the best back up tackle in the league.

Jim Zorn. His arrival as a head coach may not have come as early as he would have liked, but from a Redskins perspective, it was right on time.

Things That Made Me Cringe -

Casey Rabach. Seriously?!?! Two nullifed touchdowns in a row on the same drive. What’s up with that?

Hail to the Redskins!

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Both teams showed their defensive strength early in the game. It was nothing short of an NFC East knock down fight with the Redskins emerging victorious.

1st Quarter -

Redskins first drive stalls after a false start penalty by Lorenzo Alexander, follwed by a dropped pass by Santana Moss. Cowboys first drive begins at their 10-yard line with a couple of first downs before they are forced to punt. Both teams continued to show high energy. But, defense set the tone.

On the Redskins third possession, the Cowboys entire defensive line met at the quarterback, Jason Campbell, for the second sack of the game. On the Cowboys ensuing drive, Patrick Crayton catches a long ball against Carlos Rogers to drive deep into the Redskins territory. On a subsequent play, Carlos Rogers is called for holding, which gave the Cowboys another set of downs. On the very next play, Tony Romo connects with Jason Witten for a touchdown down the middle over Marcus Washington.

Score: Cowboys, 0-7

2nd Quarter -

Redskins drive deep into the Cowboys territory. They finish the drive with a touchdown pass from Jason Campbell to James Thrash to tie the game.

After a short series and punt by the Cowboys, the Redskins drive inside the Cowboys five-yard line. On third-and-goal, Jason Campbell avoids the pass rush and throws a touchdown to Antwaan Randle-El to take the lead.

After another three-and-out series by the Cowboys, the Redskins open up their series with a long pass completion to Santana Moss from Jason Campbell placing the Redskins inside the Cowboys ten-yard line. On third-and-goal from the two-yard line, fail to convert and settle for a field-goal.

With under two minutes left in the first half of the game, the Cowboys drive the length of the field for a field-goal with five seconds remaining.

Score: Redskins, 17-10

3rd Quarter -

The Dallas Cowboys tie the game on their first series of the second half with a quick slant to Terrell Owens from Tony Romo.

On the Redskins next series, Clinton Portis rips a 31-yard run on third-down and two in order to keep the drive alive. After another big catch by Santana Moss, take the ball to the Cowboys 6-yard line. A touchdown run by Portis is negated by Casey Rabach, which put the Redskins all the way back to the 16-yard line. On third and goal, a touchdown pass by Jason Campbell is negated, once again by Casey Rabach. On third and goal, the Redskins fail to convert. They barely make the field goal.

The third quarter finishes with a nice interception by Chris “The Predator” Horton to give the ball back to the Redskins.

Score: Redskins, 20-17

4th Quarter -

Chris Cooley has two key catches to keep the Redskins drive alive. On third and four, at the Cowboys 15 yard line, Santana Moss can’t hold on to the rocket pass from Jason Campbell. Redskins kick a field goal to extend their lead.

After another strong defensive stand and subsequent punt by Dallas, the Redskins advance the ball down the field on the back of Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts. On third and two from the Cowboys 19 yard line, Ladell Betts gets another first down for the Redskins with less than five minutes left in the game.

After taking seven minutes off the clock, the Redskins extend their lead with a field goal by Shaun Suisham.

Cowboys take the ball at their 14 yard line and drive the length of the field for a touchdown pass from Tony Romo to Miles Austin. The Cowboys were unable to convert an onside kick. The Redskins kneel to run out the clock.

Score: Redskins, 26-24

Wrap-Up:

• Jason Campbell was 20/31 for 231 yards and two touchdowns. His QB rating was 108.4
• Clinton Portis rushed for 121 yards on 21 carries; almost six yards per carry.
• Santana Moss was the leading WR of the game. He had eight catches for 145 yards, but no touchdowns.
• Shaun Suisham was 4/4 on field goals. His longest was from 33 yards out.
• Durant Brooks punted very well. His average was over 46 yards, which includes a 60 yarder, and two punts inside the 20.
• Carlos Rogers led the team in tackles. The Redskins scored no sacks against Tony Romo.
• London Fletcher forced one fumble.

NFL.com Game Center Post Game is attached.

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I’ve grown tired of the commentary provided about the Skins / Cowboys matchup this week by those that don’t fully understand the nature of the NFC East rivalries. They seem to believe that the game can be “analyzed” as if it was just any other game. My comments below in response to the ‘Game of the Week’ matchup analysis at CBS Sportsline.

The story:

The Redskins haven’t lost in two weeks. The Cowboys haven’t lost, period. This is a barometer of the NFC East to see if we’re really missing something when we don’t include Washington among the division heavyweights.

We’ve heard this all week. I personally don’t think one game between bitter rivals tells anyone anything. Back in the 80’s and early 90’s, the NFC East defied all logic. The New York Giants, coached by Bill Parcells seemed to be able to defeat the Redskins, more times than not. The Redskins, led by Coach Gibbs, seemed to be able to handle the Philadelphia Eagles more times than not. Now, if ‘A’ equals ‘B’ and ‘B’ equals ‘C’, it is most logical to think that ‘A’ would equal ‘C’ as well. Or, more simply stated, if the Giants could beat the Redskins, and the Redskins could beat the Eagles, the Giants should also beat the Eagles. But that is not what took place. More times than not, the Eagles defeated the Giants. It was very strange. The only logical explanation is that when it comes to the rivalry of the NFC East, all logic takes a back seat. This is football at its very best.

The problem for the Redskins is that to beat Dallas you must slow down Tony Romo, and to slow down Tony Romo you must pressure the pocket. Sounds like a job for Jason Taylor … only Taylor isn’t playing. So that’s a concern.

The idea of pressuring Tony Romo is flawed to a degree. Yes, if given too much time, Romo can place the ball where it needs to go. But, on the other hand, pressuring him without control, opens up the defense to his amazing antics that can’t be predicted. Rather, we need to get pressure by collapsing his pocket, while at the same time keeping his receivers on lockdown coverage. By doing so, he will hesitate to throw, get off his rhythm, and hopefully fall into the arms of our four DLs.

The good news is the Redskins don’t make silly mistakes, with a plus-5 turnover ratio. If Jason Campbell plays as he did the past two weeks, they have a chance. Of course, if Romo plays the way he did the past three weeks, they don’t.

Memo to Washington’s Greg Blache: While you’re trying to figure out how to defend Romo, try stopping Marion Barber and Felix Jones, too. Wait a minute, I almost forgot about Terrell Owens and Jason Witten and … Miles Austin?. There are too many weapons here to count, and that could confound the Redskins.

Again, the Redskins chance in this game is solely and directly related to their ability to execute their game plan. It has nothing to do with Romo or Terrell Owens, or anyone else on their offense. They will get their yards, etc. The Philadelphia Eagles played the Cowboys to the very end of the game. They lost because of mistakes by Donovan McNabb. So, in that regard, there is much truth in the notion that Jason Campbell must continue his trend of protecting the football.

Something to consider: When Barber has 11 or more carries the Cowboys are 22-1.

Again, this is not a regular football game. This is an NFC East battle royale.

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