Die Hard Sports Fan

For all of you Giants fans who still have a man-crush on Jeremy Shockey, I am pleased to inform you that he will be out 3-to-6 weeks getting surgery because of a sports hernia according to the AP. Ahhh…poor baby. I’m sure that this is another injury that he will blame on Tom Coughlin for making him block because he is a child in a man’s body who whines and screams and blames the world for everything that happens to him. So Shockey would be out for 6 weeks again if he was still in New York.

He had 16 receptions for 151 yards during the Saints’ first three regular season games. He always has good numbers, but they don’t include the dumb penalties in the red zone that negate the reception and back them  up even more.

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Hello and welcome back to the site.  Like promised I am back to give you the rest of the NFL picks.  However, I am still a little bit under the weather (like yesterday, which is why I didn’t finish the picks in the first place) so the post today will just be the picks.  Sorry no insight for today.  Let’s get it started.  I’ll run down all of the pick (including yesterdays).  My picks are in bold.

Oakland Raiders (+9.5) @ Buffalo Bills

Arizona Cardinals (+3) @ Washington Redskins

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3) @ Chicago Bears

Kansas City Cheifs (+6.5) @ Atlanta Falcons

Houston Texans (+5) @ Tennesse Titans 

Cinininati Bengals (+13.5) @ New York Giants

Miami Dolphins (+13) @ New England Patriots

Carolina Panther (+3.5) @ Minnesota Vikings

 St. Louis Rams (+10) @ Seattle Seahawks

New Orleans Saints (+6) @ Denver Broncos

Detriot Lions (+4.5) @ San Francisco 49ers

Jacksonville Jaguars (+5) @ Indianapolis Colts

Pittsburgh Steelers (+3.5) @ Philadelphia Eagles

Cleveland Browns (+3) @ Baltimore Ravens

Dallas Cowboys @ Green Bay Packers (+3)

New York Jets (+8.5) @ San Diego Chargers

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The countdown to kickoff has begun.  Only 4 days away until the Bills return to the Ralph to take on the Oakland Raiders.  Similar to last week, instead of breaking down a match up today I invited another guest to the site.  Matt Loede joins the website today.  He is the senior editor at billsgab.com and nflgridirongab.com.  NFLGridrongab.com brings together all of the teams in the NFL.  It is a great site to go to for opinions and news on any NFL team.  Matt has been covering the sports world for over 13 years and this week he is heading to Blog World 2008 this weekend in Las Vegas.  He was gracious enough to stop by and chat a little bit about the Buffalo Bills and the entire NFL (NOTE: Just like last time, my questions are in bold while Matt’s answers are in normal font).  

What are your thoughts on the Bills through their first 2 games?  They beat the Seahawks badly, 34-10 and they came through when they had to against the Jaguars 20-16.  That is two wins against playoff teams from last year.  Sure both of these teams have injuries, but they looked pretty good in both of them.  This is the first time since 2003 that the Bills have started 2-0 to begin a season.

I think the Bills have looked solid through two weeks.  The one thing that has impressed me is the maturity of Trent Edwards, as well as the ability of the defense to make stops when they need to.  Edwards and the offense really came through Sunday when the team was trailing and had two great drives to take the game back over.  Injuries or not, many felt Seattle and Jacksonville would be, and could still be playoff teams.

How do you like the Bills offense through the first 2 games?  It is similar to a west coast offense with some different formations.  It let’s the young QB Trent Edwards make quick decisions and they air it out when the defense starts cheating up.  Not to mention Edwards spreads the ball all over the place.  Everyone gets involved, something as Bills fans we haven’t seen in a while.  Plus they have Lynch that they can ride all day too if needed.

As I said above, Edwards and the offense has looked very good.  Turk Schonert has done a very good job in two games as the new offensive coordinator in putting Edwards and the offense in a position to succeed, and Trent has taken advantage of it.  Marshawn and the running game has been good, and credit also has to be given to the O-line for doing a good job up front.

How do you see the AFC East playing out?  The Patriots looked pretty much like the same team (just less scoring) and the New York Jets looked pretty bad.  The Bills and the Pats are both 2-0 so far this season.  Do you give the Bills a shot?

The Bills have a shot, but injuries and how other teams shape up will determine just how much of a shot Buffalo has come playoff time.  The big difference is they started slow last year and caught their stride midway through the season.  This year they have already started fast, and now need to not have a letdown, as the Pats will not be going away easily as we saw last week vs. the Jets.

What are your “surprises” so far this year?  A lot has caught me off guard so far.

• Titans at 2-0, I’m surprised with.  I didn’t see that team doing anything this year. 
• Colts at 1-1!  What surprises me with that is Peyton Manning doesn’t look like himself (except for the one throw to Wayne ). 
• Broncos at 2-0.   I thought Denver would be fighting for a wild card spot not leading the division (although some calls by refs in your favor help).
• Chargers at 0-2!  Chargers get beat by last second plays two weeks in a row but their defense does not look right to me (and Shawn Merrian is out for the year).
• Vikings 0-2!  Vikings were supposed to be going to the Superbowl according to some experts.
• Jags 0-2.  Jags went 11-5 last year, although they do have some injuries.    

There has been plenty of surprises to go around, some good, and of course some bad.

For the Good - the Bills have to be high on the list, along with the Carolina Panthers, who look like they are going to contend with the Saints for the NFC South Title.  Pittsburgh looks for real in the AFC, and Jay Cutler and the Broncos look like a team that is going to give a lot of teams issues.

On the Bad side - The Browns and Vikings have to top the list.  These two teams were the “sexy” picks by many to get deep in the playoffs, and now they are both having to fight just to not find themselves 0-3 after Sunday.  The Chargers have had a tough start, and the Colts may be 1-1, but they look like they have aged a bit.  Seattle and the Jaguars look like two teams that are going to never be able to overcome already the injuries they have encountered.

While we are on the entire NFL, I have to ask this question early in the season. What are your predictions for the rest of the season (division leaders, playoff teams, Superbowl champs, etc.)?  Sorry if you have gotten sick of this one.

Division Champs:
AFC - New England, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Denver
NFC - Dallas, Green Bay, New Orleans, Arizona
Wild Cards - AFC: Tennessee, San Diego NFC: NY Giants, Philadelphia
Super Bowl: Dallas vs. Pittsburgh - Dallas 24-20

Back to the Bills now.  What are your keys to the game for them to beat the Raiders?  The #1 on my list is to stop the run.

Stopping the run is by far and away the most important.  This team ran for 300 yards last week, so yes, that is the biggest key.  On offense, they can’t make mistakes to think the Raiders can sneak out a win in Buffalo.  Take the lead early, pressure Russell and force him to have to win the game

How about them rookies?!?  We say both of them play roles in todays game.  2^nd rounder James Hardy caught the go ahead touchdown pass and even 1^st round pick Leodis McKelvin got into the game a little bit with two returns.  What role do you see the two of them playing the rest of the season?  I don’t see McKelvin beating out Jabri Greer anytime soon for the starting spot.  

I see Hardy and McKelvin playing the roles they have already played, which is to get in the games at various points, but also for Dick Jauron and the staff not to force them into situations to fail.  I like that neither have had to play a lot, but when they have played they have been able to be successful.

A big part of the Bills offense is Lee Evans.  Do you think he gets a contract extension and stays with the Bills for the foreseeable future?

Edwards and Evans finally seem on the same page, which concerned me entering the season.  Yes, I see Evans and the team getting together on a deal that will pay him like the #1 WR that he is quickly showing he can be week in and week out.

How about another WR?  Every year we hear how the Bills are going to get the ball into Roscoe Parrish’s hands.  Do you think this will come true this year?

Right now Parrish is still a mystery as to how much he’ll be used.  He only has four catches in two games, and Edwards seems more comfortable with Evans and Robert Royal.  Parrish will at some point get a shot to make a play, but those may be few and far between.

Where did Aston Youboty come from?  I didn’t even have this guy making the roster before preseason. 

Just goes to show that some players that are not great in preseaosn and practice can show up when the lights are brightest.  That’s the case with Ashton, who seems to have relished his role with the team, with 11 tackles and a sack in two games.  For now, he’s been a welcome surprise.

Prediction time.  What is the score for the game between the Oakland Raiders and Buffalo Bills?

I think the Bills will win, I say 24-13.  They can’t take the Raiders lightly, as this is a team that lost 41-13 two weeks ago only to come out
and physically dominate the Chiefs in a place they rarely win.  Look for the defense to have its moments, and for Edwards and Evans to make a few big plays to secure the win.

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There is a sense of NFC East pride to see that three teams of the division are in the top five. But, it ain’t enough. Both ESPN and CBS Sportsline have the Redskins in, or near the bottom third of the rankings. Is that fair? I realize that we played a very bad first half of the New York Giants game. I realize that the first half of the New Orleans Saints game was not as effective as it should have been, with specific regards to scoring. Still, if this was college ball, the Skins would be in the top five too; or at a minimum the top ten.

Before the game last week, the Saints were Power Ranked at number three or four in both polls. Or, more simply said, we beat a top five ranked team in the nation. This week, the Saints are ranked 12 and 13. In all fairness, shouldn’t the Skins be ranked higher than 19 or 23?

Initially, I thought the poor showing might have something to do with our record. Nope! That ain’t it. The Jacksonville Jaguars are 0-2 and still ranked higher than us in both polls.

Where is the love?

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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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You know, when I was growing up in Silver Spring, MD, we used to say all the time, when the Skins when, it makes the upcoming week go so much better. Well, not much has changed.

There is much I could say about the second half. I could talk about how it appears Jason Campbell took a major step forward. Naysayers would say, no he didn’t. He just had the opportunity to have Santana Moss playing against a rookie. But, it was a huge heads-up play to audible at the line of scrimmage when he saw the matchup he wanted, and executed it even while under strong pressure from the Saints rush. You could almost see a sense of relief from Jason as the ball fell safely from the sky into the waiting arms of Moss. It was beautiful. I wonder if he heard his coaches words in his ear during the play: “Avoid, reset, and throw.” He was 24 of 36 for 321 yards, a touchdown, and no turnovers!! Hail, Jason.

I could also speak about Clinton Portis. He had a strong game. He has not had the flashy, home run scamper yet. But, where Ladell Betts would get a few yards, Portis has the vision to get a few and more yards. He had 21 carries for 96 yards and two touchdowns; both of which were fantastic examples of using his vision and agility. Hail, Clinton.

And, I should also mention Chris Cooley. Remember, earlier this week I said it would be Cooley to win the matchup against Jeremy Shockey. Mission accomplished. Cooley had five receptions for 72 yards. As for Shockey, two catches for 22 yards, less a critical fumble to start the game. Cooley is a weapon that we should continue to showcase.

The defense was fantastic today. They held the Saints to 55 total yards rushing, and only 216 yards passing. If my math skills haven’t faded too bad since graduating from Montgomery Blair H.S., Campbell had more yards than the entire Saints team. That is a testament to some serious thumping from our defense.

LaRon Landry played some really good defense too, especially on two back to back pass plays that denied the Saints of extending their lead. But, more so than anything else, the one thing I must speak about is Chris Horton. The rookie was all over the field today with interceptions, recovering fumbles, and making a key tackle to stop the Saints short of a first down in the fourth quarter, and thus forcing them to punt. I’m sure Greg Blache will find something wrong with his game tomorrow.

But today, Chris Horton gets the Die Hard Redskins Game Ball.

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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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The Washington Post published an interesting article today that featured a number of quotes from Clinton Portis. For instance:

“I wish I could go to a team for one week with the best offensive line, or the team with the best scheme, and switch places with their back and see how others would do in this system,” Portis said, sitting on a couch the other day at Redskins Park. “I get a lot of touches with nowhere to run. I could see if I got all those touches and had some lanes, but there’s nine or 10 men in the box. “You know, I’m dodging all the people in the backfield, fighting just to get back to the line of scrimmage, and people [are] looking around like, ‘Oh, he just missed it.’ I’m dodging people getting the handoff, because nobody’s really respecting us as a passing team.”

WOW! I wonder, when I read that, if he really intended to slam his QB and offensive line like he did. But, a moment later, he expresses confidence in Jason Campbell by saying, “I believe in him.”

Lightly speaking, perhaps Portis was interviewed after watching tape of Reggie Bush from last week. That aside, without a doubt, his comments will spark another round of Jason Campbell criticism. But, in this context, I do believe Portis has a valid point. He’s right. He is being asked to do what is inherently unsuccessful in this league; run successfully against eight, nine, or even ten defenders in the “box.”

When Portis arrived in D.C., it was the start of the second Joe Gibbs era. They tried to make a slash and dash RB into John Riggins or any of the other big, bruising backs we’ve had. And, as late as last week, we were still trying to run some of those “legacy” run plays that Joe Bugel loves so much.

Clinton Portis is not a bruiser. Though he ran with “violence” last week, and will do whatever is needed, which includes putting his head down and fighting for three, maybe four yards per carry, Portis is best used in space.

I realize that we are trying to gradually phase in the “new” by maintaining some of the “old.” But, unlike my willingness to be patient with Jason Campbell, I’ve grown tired of our running game. I love Joe Bugel. He’s a great guy, based on what I know of the man. I loved watching the Hogs back in the day and dominating the opposing team with John Riggins. But, that was then. This is now.

We need to allow Jim Zorn and Sherman Smith to implement a running game that will create the space Portis needs to flourish, much in the same way that the New Orleans Saints are doing with Reggie Bush. Still, as he said during the interview, it begins with a healthy passing game; one that is respected by the defense.

And, yes, I concede that a healthy passing game begins with our QB, Jason Campbell. Our offense is predicated upon a quick drop and release. If Campbell continues to hold on to the ball too long, the entire offense suffers. Given that to be the case, Portis will continue to have a career that is inherently limited by the lack of opportunities to run to daylight.

I’m not an individual that likes to dwell on the question of, “what if…” And apparently, neither is Portis. But, it’s hard to not wonder what his career would look like today if he’d been able to continue doing what he had in Denver. All other considerations included, such as avoiding serious injury, his growth as a person and a leader of the team, his willingness to train in the offseason, Portis would be having an NFL Hall of Fame career.

As it stands now, we’re just shortening his career.

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As the final preparations are made for the New Orleans Saints this weekend, I’m drawn to the TE production stats from last week that was provided by Chris Cooley. And, more specifically, I’m thinking of the match up between him and the legend of his own mind, Jeremy Shockey.

Last week, Shockey caught nine passes for 54 yards; average of 6 yards per catch. But, if you take that one catch that was over 20+ yards away, and exclude it from his stats, his average drops to five yards, or less. Now, overlooking the fact that Cooley only had one catch the entire game against the New York Giants, he had a seven yard average!

Hmmm…I conclude that Cooley is the better TE and that he will win the match up this weekend.

Now, I realize there are some who would question the completeness of my analysis and projections. To them I say, I’m an optimist…and biased too. Get some wood, build a bridge, and get over it.

Hail to the Redskins!!

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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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