Die Hard Sports Fan

Wednesday morning; time to get back to work. We have a game this weekend against the St. Louis Rams. The Redskins are 4-1; the Rams 0-4. It sounds like a cake walk.

So, why is Redskins nation so nervous?

At half-time, during the New York Giants game to start the season, you could smell the rubber burning as all Redskin nation fans had their mind racing back and forth about so many things, like is Jason Campbell the right QB for this team, or was the offensive line getting too old, or was Clinton Portis fighting a losing battle trying to run against eight-man fronts. But, that was a long time ago.

Today, all Redskins fans, and especially the owner, Dan Snyder, are feeling euphoric, over four straight wins.

Moreover, because those wins came against the dreaded rivals of both the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles, fans far and wide have rejoiced in unison. In the past 24 hours, this Die Hard Redskins Fan site has seen fans come from as far east as Melbourne, Australia and as far west as Honolulu, Hawaii, as well as points in between, including Oman, Greece, and Spain. Everyone, it seems is ready to believe.

But, here come the St. Louis Rams.

The St. Louis Rams have a new coach after firing the one they began the season with. They have their QB, Marc Bulger, back in the starting position after he was benched in desperation by the aforementioned former coach. They, and the rest of the team, remain perfect in a winless season with one very key, and common denominator: they all have something to prove.

The offensive world of the St. Louis Rams revolves around Stephen Jackson. He is their leading rusher *and* receiver. Thus, naturally, he leads their team in total yardage. Conventional wisdom would suggest that the Redskins defense should focus on stopping Jackson and the Redskins would win the game.

But, this Die Hard Redskin Fan says, “not so fast.”

Given a moment to think about it, every Redskins fan can remember who the offensive coordinator for the team was for the past two years; Al Saunders. This is the same Al Saunders who is now the offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams.

For two years, day after day during practice sessions, he became, by the nature of repetition, an expert in the defensive coverage skills of each of our entire secondary. I’d bet dollars to donuts that he could rattle off the five key flaws of Shawn Springs, Fred Smoot; maybe even ten for Carlos Rogers. Further, I’d be even more confident that he knows exactly how to move LaRon Landry out of position to create a deep strike down the field.

If the Redskins key on Stephen Jackson, Al Saunders will most assuredly attack deep down field. Though the Rams may not have been successful as of yet against other teams, Al Saunders has much more experience and knowledge of the Redskins that would enable him to call a more effective game, and find our vulnerabilities.

In short, this week’s game will be a challenge. Not just because of Saunders knowledge of our defense, but also because of the natural human tendency for the Redskins to take a mental holiday.

I recall, in college, graduate school, and even here in Corporate America, preparing for a big test, or a presentation to executive management. There is a palpable rush of energy that fills each of us when faced with challenging situations. It’s often referred to as the “adrenaline rush.”

The Redskins have had four straight weeks of the adrenaline rush that culminated last week with a huge win against the Philadelphia Eagles, in Philadelphia!

So, now what?

It’s called the “adrenaline FLUSH.”

After climbing the mountain, or escaping the attack of the mountain lion, human beings experience the adrenaline flush, which is a malaise of physical ability to move and respond. It is more commonly referred to as fatigue; specifically in this case, “emotional fatigue.”

The measure of Jim Zorn as a coach will be determined this week, more so than any of the other five weeks. Along those lines, the players speak about staying “medium.” I understand.

But, show us!

Hail to the Redskins.

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CP takes some time to speak about the team, Jason Campbell, Coach Zorn, and the mindset of the Redskins.

Good stuff!

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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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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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Woulda…coulda…shoulda…

That’s what the conversation would be today if we hadn’t won the game last week. Jason Campbell seemed to put it all together in the second half, and specifically in the last couple of drives of the game. But, if we hadn’t won, naysayers, far and wide, would be calling once again for Campbell to be replaced. In fact, I can still hear them!

For what it’s worth, I find it to be atrocious that fans can be so acrimonious towards Campbell, or any player. They are Redskins. We’re supposed to be Redskins fans. While it’s one thing to have an opinion, it’s completely different when the voicing of that opinion becomes rude and destructive. A house divided against its self can not stand.

That aside, and in all honesty, Campbell was not playing as well as we would have liked in the first half. There were five drives that stalled. Why? Simply put, Campbell missed the open receiver because he was locked in on his primary receiver that was covered.

Head Coach Jim Zorn said:

We left some things on the field that I was hot about, and he knows it because I was jumping up and down…I was telling him the reason I was jumping up and down - I was trying to get to his eye level so I could actually look him in the eye.

The good news is that he didn’t throw the ball and get it intercepted, which he did frequently in key situations last year. The great news is that he seemed to have internalized the lessons in the second half and executed them on to the field to the delight of all of us, and especially Zorn.

Trust

While last week was great, it was in fact, last week. This week, we need to trust Campbell to give us more of the same. Zorn says it best:

We kind of liked his improvement…Now we want [is] to put these things back to back. I want to see even better play in the weeks to come.

The Cardinals defense is one to be taken lightly. The defensive line held to very good running backs in Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown to a measly 72 yards last week against the Miami Dolphins. Moreover, they were exceptional at sliding over and covering the backs as they came out of the backfield for screens and short passes. Thus, the Cardinals line is comprised of athletes that can dominate a game all by themselves by taking the RBs out of the game completely.

The Line Backers are underrated. But they are fast and strong. And, more importantly, they move sideline to sideline. The secondary is solid as well. They held the Dolphins to 122 yards receiving. But, half of those yards came in the last drive when the result of the game was already decided. Plus, the Cardinals defensive secondary is one that likes to tackle. In fact, they made a number of tackles that created negative yardage for the Dolphins.

In short, Campbell says it best.

Arizona has some great players on defense…They really get after the ball. They’re fast.

In the words of Zorn, let’s hope for some good play from Campbell, “back to back.”

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Sean Payton, head coach of the New Orleans Saints came out from watching film today, and according to the The Baton Rouge Advocate, praised our physicality during the game. In short, using Jim Zorn’s words, the team played violent.

I didn’t think we were the most physical team yesterday and that concerns me some,” Payton said. “When you watch the film from the end zone copy, I thought they played more physically than we did and when you start looking at the numbers, I think it indicates that, starting with rushing yards.

The Road to the Super Bowl comes through the NFC East this year!!

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The prevailing thoughts of the day continue to surround Jason Campbell’s ability to seek and find his secondary receivers. In an article today in the Washington Post, Jim Zorn is quoted as such:

“It’s a really good thing,” Zorn said of the diversity in the passing attack. Campbell “did some different things this week that he didn’t do the week before, as far as finding that second receiver. He made some strides that way.”

9 to 5 - -

In addition, the stats machine has been most active in the aftermath. We now know that nine different players caught passes against the Saints. In the first week, only five players caught passes. Moreover, in all of last year, the Redskins never had nine players catch at least one pass in a single game.

To say the least, we should all be encouraged. Yet, we should all remain grounded in patience. To be sure, Campbell had a great game. His passer rating was 104.1; most impressive. But, it’s only one game. We could and should hope that more of the same continues. However, we need to be realistic and understand that he will continue to have some growing pains.

In the coming weeks, we have a very tough schedule. To say it will be a challenge for Campbell and the rest of the team is a major understatement. Still, let us all say…

Hail to the Redskins!

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Matt Terl’s update on the Official Redskins Blog captured my attention.

I have been navigating my way through the work day, picking and choosing my words and my thoughts of replacing Antwaan Randle-El as our primary punt return specialist.

“Zorn also acknowledged that they’re considering making a change at punt returner, mentioning Santana Moss and James Thrash as possibilities, although also emphasizing that Antwaan Randle El “isn’t just some [guy] back there.”

I agree with coach Zorn. Randle-El is no longer “special” when it comes to punt returns. While I respect his accomplishments in the past, I’m thinking that it’s time for us to move on. This idea has nothing to do with his fumble yesterday. Anyone can fumble the ball. Even John Riggins fumbled the ball…once, or twice. Rather, this has everything to do with his skills, abilities, and speed. While Randle-El is exceptional at catching the punt, I struggle to see any explosiveness after the catch.

Today, in his press conference, Jim Zorn admitted that he and the coaching staff have been seeing, or more accurately, not seeing the same thing. Zorn mentioned both Santana Moss and James Thrash as possible alternatives. Well, allow me to pontificate my opinion: Thrash is not the answer we need to return punts. I don’t think he’d be any more effective at the job than Randle-El.

With that said however, the idea of putting Moss back there makes me nervous. I can’t personally recall if Moss has those skills from his college days, or early NFL days. But, that aside, I do know that he is our primary weapon at WR these days. In fact, without him, and regardless of how Jason Campbell plays, Clinton Portis will be complaining about eleven in the box, instead of eight or nine.

Let’s face it: Until our rookie WR’s step up and step into the game, we don’t have any other deep threat.

So, I would encourage Zorn and Vinny Cerato to seek other alternatives. Until our rookie WR’s can step up, we need to step off the idea of putting Moss back there.

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