Die Hard Sports Fan

This has been a decision I’ve been contemplating for about 24 hours now.  How do you decide who gets the game ball when the team as a whole pretty much won us the game?  Both sides of the ball were executed phenomenally, however my Die Hard Redskins Fan game ball goes to…Chris Cooley.

While I was quite impartial, debating between Cooley and Clinton Portis, I decided to go with Chris Cooley for a number of reasons. One, he had his first touchdown of the season yesterday, an 18 yard option toss from WR Antwaan Randle El that gave us the go-ahead in the third quarter.  Which, by the way, was the first visiting team touchdown scored at Lincoln Financial Field since last season. Two, he had a career-high 109 yards versus last weeks #9 power ranked Philadelphia Eagles.  Three, with the biggest concern for the Eagles defense being tight end coverage, Chris Cooley walked into the game ready to eat it up!

He credits “Tana Man” Santana Moss for his production in his official blog today.

“I finally put a touchdown on the stat sheet. I knew I was going to have a great opportunity to help the offense this week and really I felt it was a compliment to Santana Moss. Although he was catch-less, he opened up all kinds holes for the rest of us.”

Now, let’s move onto grading the team.  Beginning with the defense, I am handing out a B+.  Granted, Brian Westbrook isn’t healthy, but his presence did offer the Eagles their only touchdown in the game on Sunday.  Our defense was missing three key starters- Marcus Washington, Shawn Springs and Jason Taylor, however as a whole, they only allowed 58 yards on the ground.  DE Andre Carter recorded six tackles in the game, a team record so far this season.  And despite the mishap in the first quarter where WR Desean Jackson returned a kickoff for a touchdown, the most notable performance by the Redskins defense was when the Eagles pushed to the two yard line, followed by a no-gain second down and a 3 yard loss on third down, both on the account of Brian Westbrook. Ackers came in for the field goal where the Eagles were finally able to put up points after the Skins had posted 23 unanswered points.

Onto the offense. CLEARLY I am going to give the big O an A for their performance Sunday.  Between 204 yards on the ground against the #1 rushing defense in the league, along with a career-topping performance by Cooley, a brief taste of what may be to come with WR Devin Thomas, and the distraction methods used by Santana Moss, our boys worked together as a whole and executed beautifully in this win.

K Shaun Suisham racked up the points in field goals the first half yesterday, scoring us 9 points.  While at the time we were probably squirming a bit trying to catch up to the 14 points Philly scored early, those critical field goals won us the game in the end.  And they were all LONG balls too, and therefore I will be giving special teams an A as well.

CONGRATS TO COOOOOOOOOOOOLEYYYYY for having your best game yet in your career and scoring the Die Hard Redskins Fan game ball!

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In what looks like a must win game for The Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field; let’s take a look at how they match-up offensively versus the defense of The Washington Redskins:

The Eagles offense will have to be ready to go physically with the Redskins defense.  The Redskins play a physical, team defense that is stingy but can give up yardage.  Part of their team philosophy is to keep their defense off the field with a ball possession attack on offense which keeps their defense fresh and hungry when they return to the field.  Although the Redskins defense is not full of star, pro-bowler type players, they play well as a team defense, complimenting each other, knowing their roles and how each person’s responsibility and performance helps the others on the defense.

The Eagles have one advantage where Redskins starting DE Jason Taylor will most likely be out another game.  Over his career, he has been a special player, able to rush the quarterback as well as being strong against the run.  With him out, the Eagles have one less thing to game plan.

The Redskins front four is solid but not spectacular.  DT Cornelius Griffin may cause match-up problems for Eagles Center Jamaal Jackson.  DE Andre Carter is a speed guy who could cause problems going against the Eagles aging and slowing Tackles.  The Eagles would be wise to put a Tight End on Carter’s side to chip him on important passing plays. 

Against the run, they are nicely supported by their Linebacking core, where LB’s Marcus Washington, London Fletcher, and Rocky McIntosh are tackling machines.  The Redskins also benefit from these 3 LB’s being skillful in the art of dropping back into pass coverage.  The play of the Redskins Secondary will probably determine how well the Eagles do or do not do on Offense.  When CBs Shawn Springs, Carlos Rogers, and Fred Smoot play as one unit with Safeties LaRon Laundry, Reed Doughty, and “The Predator” Chris Horton, the Redskins defense is very successful at limiting opposing offenses to scoring chances.  However, this unit can be taken advantage of as Springs is a bit long in the tooth, Rogers is still trying to recover from a knee injury, and Smoot can be inconsistent. 

I look for the Eagles to come out spreading the field with WR’s DeSean Jackson, Reggie Brown, Jason Avant, and Hank Baskett.  The Redskins defense does best when they work together, swarming the ball, in numbers.  The Eagles will have the advantage if the field is spread and thus opening up things on the ground and in the air for RB Brian Westbrook (assuming he plays).  Westbrook is the wild card here.  If the Redskins have to focus on him, it will free up everyone else and take pressure off Eagles QB Donovan McNabb.  If the Redskins don’t worry about Westbrook, he very well may repeat his performance against them as he did last year where he single-handedly destroyed them with 183 total yards and 3 TDs.

The conclusion here is that although the Redskins defense is solid, they can be exploited.  They were only on the field a small portion of the game last week against Dallas but still gave up some yardage and big plays.  The Eagles need to be smart with the ball, create mismatches in open space, and keep the Redskins defense on the field as long as possible.  The Eagles know what to do; it is just a matter of how successful they will be at doing it.  Tomorrow, we will take a peak at how the Eagles defense matches up against QB Jason Campbell, RB Clinton Portis, and the rest of the Redskins offense.

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

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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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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’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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The Redskins overcame a big play and some mental errors to win the game against the Cardinals. 1st Quarter The Redskins drove the length of the field going six for six for 37 yards. Clinton Portis finished the drive with a nifty short yardage run that required him to keep his head up and see the lanes. The Cardinals opened up the game with their first series ending in a punt, mostly due to a delay of game penalty on an intended fourth down and inches attempt. After the penalty, they decided to punt instead. Ladell Betts missed a blitz pickup and the resulting sack stalled the Redskins second drive. Thus, Durant Brooks started off the game with his first punt going for only 35 yards. 2nd Quarter Redskins open up the quarter with the ball after recovering a fumble by Edgerrin James. Shaun Suisham connected on a 46 yard field goal after the drive stalled, again. The Cardinals put together a long, 84 yard drive, assisted by a pass interference penalty on Carlos Rogers that resulted in a touchdown pass from Kurt Warner to Anquan Boldin against Fred Smoot. After another stalled drive by the Redskins, Durant Brooks unleashed a 56 yard punt and pinned the Cardinals deep in their own territory. On the ensuing possession by the Cardinals, with just a 1:11 minutes left in the half, the drive stalled for no points. Score: Redskins lead, 7-10. 3rd Quarter Cardinals open the 2nd half and drive 80+ yards with the help of a personal foul penalty on Fred Smoot, and an offsides penalty. Redskins defense saves against a touchdown however on the play of LaRon Landry and Jason Taylor; both of them breaking up key plays of the drive. On the next series, the Redskins get their first 1st down since the 1st quarter with a short pass to Chris Cooley. Devin Thomas got into the game for a 16 yard misdirection play. Antwaan Randle-El, on a trick play, passed to Chris Cooley to bring the Skins to the Red Zone. Cooley caught a screen and ran all the way to the two yard line. Todd Yoder completed the touchdown drive with a 2 yard reception from Jason Campbell from a formation that looked like a short yardage package. Cardinals come right back with a 62 yard touchdown pass from Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald against Reed Doughty and LaRon Landry. On the next drive, Jason Campbell keeps the drive going early with a scramble out of the backfield. After another short pass to Randle-El, the quarter ends. Score: Tie, 17-17 4th Quarter Redskins open the quarter needing 7 yards for a 1st down, but only pick up 4. Durant Brooks hits a good punt to place the Cardinals inside their 20 yard line. On 2nd and eight, Kurt Warner attempted to go long again only to have the ball interecepted by Carlos Rogers. He returned the interception into the Red Zone. The Redskins quickly convert the turnover to a touchdown pass on a WR screen pass from Jason Campbell to Santana Moss. Cardinals next possession was harrassed by the Redskins blitz package and a sack by Rocky McIntosh. For a moment it appeared that Devin Thomas had his first career TD. But, it was nullified by a personal foul penalty by Stephon Heyer. Nevertheless, the Redskins put a number of first downs together in methodical fashion; for a while. The drive stalls at the Arizona 32 yard line. Shaun Suisham hooks the ensuing field goal attempt wide left to get the ball back to the Cardinals. Cardinals go three and out and punt the ball to Randle-El and the Skins. Redskins get the ball back deep in their territory and effectively run out the clock. Score: Redskins, 17-24 Wrap Up Jason Campbell finished the day with a 112 QB rating, passing for 193 yards on 22 completions from 30 attempts, and two touchdowns. Surprisingly, Campbell was also the Redskins second leading rusher of the game with 26 yards from scrimmage. Clinton Portis finished the day with only 68 yards rushing. But, he scored the opening drive touchdown of the game. Santana Moss and Chris Cooley each had seven receptions for 70+ yards. Moss scored a touchdown on a WR screen catch and run. It is the first time a Redskins receiver has caught a touchdown pass in six consecutive games since Bobby Mitchell did it in 1961. The defense was prepared for the Cardinals. For the most part, with the exception of a long pass for a touchdown, the Cardinals were held in check. Specifically, the Redskins defense held Kurt Warner to under 200 yards passing, and only 116 yards rushing. Shaun Suisham went 1 for 2 in FGs, missing one long attempt wide left. He was perfect on extra points. Durant Brooks, the rookie, punted four times for an average of nearly 43 yards. His longest of the day was a 56 yard boomer. What should be noted here is that Brooks was able to get enough air under the ball which essentially limited the Cardinals from effective punt returns. In fact, the Cardinals had two punt returns. One was stopped for no yardage. The second was for only 3 yards. Download a detailed Game Summary.

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Maybe it’s just me, but it seems almost too quiet leading up to the game this weekend. Other than a ’tissy’ fit between Clinton Portis and Brian Mitchell, and the hiring of Ken Harvey to be a Director of Responsibility (what are the qualifications required for that job), not much is happening…except of course that it looks like we’re only going to have three WR’s to play this weekend. Still, relative silence can in truth, be a good thing. It could mean that the team, players, and fans are focused on the Arizona Cardinals. You know, like the Mel Gibson movie line, “No games. Just sport.” I hope that’s the case. Matt Terl reports that Jason Taylor is looking stronger and faster on his bum knee. And he also reported that Jason Campbell is looking faster and more confident in the pocket. All these things point to a focused team that is getting ready to play. So, why does it feel so eerie? I think what’s making me nervous as we approach the game, even though I haven’t found any mention of it in the blogosphere is that we, players and fans alike, are looking past the Cardinals towards both the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. It would be very easy to do. I admit it. I enjoy an NFC East showdown more than any other type of game, including the Super Bowls. For example, I actually stayed up and watched the entire Monday Night Football game this past week. It was a great game. I was pulling for the Eagles because after the Redskins, my next favorite team is anyone that is playing against the Cowboys. But, the Eagles seem to have perfected the skill of the ‘let down.’ I read a great post and comment over at Die Hard Eagles Fan that essentially confirmed my assumption about what all Eagle fans feel. Flipp says:

It hurts… yes we live and die by McNabb… I love it when he takes us down the field like he did… I love it that he knows this offense like Andy Reid they could do it in their sleep…. but when you have pressure / injury / fatigue the situation asks for the extra-ordinary and McNabb does it sometimes… but when we need him the most - he comes up short… Believe me as a season ticket holder for over 25 years I have enjoyed the last 10 years more than the first 15…. but come on now dig down deep and give us what we need man! I’m sick of seeing him huffin and puffin when we need him to settle the team and get it done… NFC Championship at the VET, NFC Championship at the new Linc… Superbowl …. now the Dallas game felt allot like those games - shoulda coulda woulda….. LET GO DONOVAN ! GET IT THE HECK DONE for us for you !

You know what’s funny, though? I can’t ever remember Donovan McNabb getting tired while playing against the Redskins. WAIT! What am I doing? As much as I’d like to talk about the games coming up, I try to find the discipline to stay focused on the Cardinals. After all, I don’t want to drop the ball before it’s time. Hmmm…seems like I recall something like that happening on the field, recently. Beat the Cardinals! Hail to the Redskins!

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1st Quarter

Very first impression: I love the fact that the New Orleans Saints allowed us to have the ball first. I know what Coach Sean Payton was thinking. He wanted to shut our offense down in the first possession. But, that didn’t happen. We got more first downs in the opening drive than we did the entire game last week against the New York Giants. I don’t what happened on the field goal attempt, but at the very least, we have improved.

As for the defense: Chris Horton!!! Wow. The kid got the start today over Reed Doughty, who called out sick today. Horton simply comes in and has a fumble recovery, and interception, and a key tackle. The rest of the squad played exceptional in my opinion. We’ve thus far shut down both Drew Brees and Reggie Bush. In fact, the Saints finished the quarter with zero yards rushing. It’s just one quarter, but I’m excited. Clearly, we’ve improved.

However, if I may, as I said last week, our running game still has vast room for improvement. I don’t like it.

2nd Quarter

Jason Taylor gets his first sack!!!

The euphoria didn’t last as we shot ourselves in the foot with a Antwaan Randle-El fumble on a punt return. That, in return, allowed the Saints to get their first score. On our ensuing possession, we once again failed to get a touchdown. And, just like a “young” team, we muffed our second field goal of the day. Still, it’s encouraging to not look as inept from the week before. It’s not enough, though. By any measure of the word, it’s definitely not enough.

Chris Cooley has shown up today. And, as I predicted, thus far he is outperforming Jeremy Shockey. Specifically, Cooley’s had a few catches and a good, tough run after the catch. The last offensive drive of the half by the Skins however, was puzzling. Not just to me, but it was also puzzling to the commentators of the game. Either Coach Jim Zorn is still trying to figure out the right play to call in the two-minute offense. Or, the offense is still struggling to execute the plays. Or maybe, it’s a little bit of both.

Jason Campbell looks so much better this week. But, he’s still holding on to the ball a bit too long on occassion. He should take notes from Brees. He is such a good QB. With less than a minute on the clock, Brees took the Saints down the field in order to kick a 49 yard field goal. Saints take the lead, again: 10-9.

Overall, this game, from the Redskins perspective, can be summed up thus far as lost opportunities. We’ve had a number of opportunities to score touchdowns. But, as it stands, we’re only three of five for field goals.

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In order to not just win the game on Sunday, but to place ourselves on the right track, we need to keep our hearts and minds on the following key areas of the game when the Saints come marching in.

1. Offensive line – Without a doubt, this is perhaps the most important key to the game this Sunday. If we can’t control the line of scrimmage, Jason Campbell will have a very long day. That said, Campbell needs to trust the education he’s been receiving in this offense and not hold on to the ball. Tempo, tempo, tempo!In addition, we need to help our QB by getting Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts through the running lane and into their secondary. If we do that, we have a chance to make yardage in chunks. Thus, Campbell will find it easier to settle down.
2. Guard against the big play – Drew Brees can strike his WR’s at anytime on the field. With Marques Colston out for this game, and the next four weeks, one of his weapons is former Redskins receiver David Patton. I don’t know what caused Patton to falter in his play while he was with us, but he seems to have figured it out.On the other side is Devery Henderson, who can flat out play ball. Believe. These two guys can make like difficult for either of our CB’s. Shawn Springs, Carlos Rogers, and Fred Smoot will be running up and down the field all day. That said, after the first half of the Giants game, we seemed to shut Plaxico Burress down. Whatever scheme Greg Blache called to make that happen, needs to be called again this week.
3. Get to the QB - To help the defensive secondary, we have got to get to Drew Brees, quick, fast, and in a hurry! We need Jason Taylor, Erasmus James, Andre Carter, and company to get penetration and put Brees on his behind. That is the most effective way to keep him from taking over a game.
4. Trim the Bush – I can’t emphasize this enough. It appears that over the course of the spring and summer, Sean Payton has come to realize what everyone else has known for some time. Reggie Bush, getting the ball in space with opportunities to make people miss, is an extremely scary concept to consider for a defense. I don’t know of anyone of our team that can run with Bush. He’s an amazing talent when used properly. And, based on what I saw last week, the Saints appear to get it. Our best defense against him is to keep him from getting the ball. Short of that, I hope our defense remembers that real basic concept that they teach in pee-wee ball; everyone run to the ball. No doubt, Bush is gonna get the ball. How we respond is the key.
5. Shadow Shockey – Jeremy Shockey is one of those guys who likes to have fun and runs his mouth. He’s a very good option for Drew Brees and if we’re not careful, he can keep the chains moving for the Saints all day.

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Pre-Game Jitters - -

Right from the start, I’m concerned. Shawn Springs is out of the game. He’s not even activated for the game. So, Carlos Rogers and Fred Smoot have to play. Right now, my optimism is a bit strained with the prospect of Rogers being left alone out there on the island…

First Quarter - -

Giants receive the ball first. On their first drive, they march right down the field for a touchdown. Two big plays, back to back…It’s gonna be a long night if they don’t figure out how to protect Rogers on the corner against Plaxico Burress. Fred Smoot contributed with a pass interference call. But, right now, all we can hope for is that the Redskins offense can answer the bell and respond.

Skins First Offensive Series

Well, Skins fans, all I can say is quicksand. Everything that could go wrong on the first series, is going wrong. Zorn recognized it. Called a draw play on 3rd and 20. Perhaps it’s best to get them off the field and try to regroup. Jason Campbell is still holding on to the ball too long.

Second Giants Offensive Series

They start off running right at Jason Taylor. I think they’re testing his knee. My opinion, JT was success in extending his consecutive starts. Now, it’s time for him to sit down. It’s a long season.

3rd down, and the Skins defense have yet another opportunity to get off the field. [Commentary: Football was more fun before commercials] Nope. another first down; again running right at JT. Okay…you’ll see it on NFL Replay, Brandon Jacobs ran right over LaRon Landry. And now, Landry is out of the game. Another third down, and SUCCESS!! We stop them seven yards away from another touchdown.

Score: Giants up; 0-10.

Our Turn, Again

This is starting to look real silly…three and out! Wait, we get another chance thanks to roughing the punter.

Well, it looks like Zorn is trying to get a running game. But, the Giants ain’t havin’ it. At least not yet. Another three and out!

I’m still an optimist.

END OF 1ST QUARTER

2nd Quarter, Giants Ball

Santana’s little brother just torched Fred Smoot for about 30 yards. It was sick. He almost broke Smooty’s ankles. The real bad news was that play came on yet another third down. Before the game, it was announced that Plaxico got a new $35 million contract. He’s playing like he’s thankful tonight. Right now, this looks like the USC Trojans playing against the Montgomery Blair Blazers (Sorry, Blazers. But, I graduated from there. So, I’m taking liberties).

WOW…success, again. We stopped them short of another touchdown. This time, JT made a play by not allowing the G-Men to get a screen off.

Score: Giants up; 0-13.

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