Redskins Playoff Bound!

Unbelievable game. Frankly, an unbelievable month for the Redskins. The last four games have been must win games for the 'Skins and they have won all four with two of them coming on the road. Yesterday, they pounded the Cowboys. I know the Cowboys rested a couple of their injured starters but other than that, they played their starters for at least the entire first half and we still dominated them. We held their rushing attack to 1 yard of rushing for the entire game. CP rushed for more than 100 yards against the Cowboys. It's the first time in 17 games the Cowboys have allowed a RB to rush for more than 100 yards on them. Todd Collins again had a great game. In three of the four games he has played his passer rating has been over 100.0. The defense as a whole was fantastic. Again, their play against the run was huge but even the pressure on the QBs and the pass defense were big. What's also been very key is the play of our playmakers. All of a sudden Moss and Portis are coming up big. When we have needed them most, they have stepped up.

I have been so impressed and proud of this team for this stretch and for what they have endured this season. Over the course of this 4 game win streak, they just seem like a different team/organization. It seems like they have all come together and are all playing with extreme confidence and desire. Gibbs seems to be coaching with absolute certainty and confidence. It also looks like everyone believes in each other and in their coaching staff. As a fan, it's really fun to watch.

I know the Vikings and Saints both ended up losing yesterday so it didn't really matter whether we won or lost as far as us getting in the playoffs but you don't want to back in to the playoffs that way. We came out and spanked the Cowboys. Again, we have played tremendous ball over the last month and are looking pretty dangerous. We have to be considered one of the hottest teams going into the playoffs. Frankly, many of the teams that are playoff bound have not played that well in recent weeks so it could get interesting. It's a new season now and everyone is 0-0 so lets see what happens.

Of interest was that we beat Dallas by 21 points (Sean Taylor's number). I know it is a little corny but many of the players felt like that was not by coincidence and that Sean Taylor has been with them during this run. Heard Shawn Springs and Gregg Williams talk last night in a post game interview how on Saturday night at the end of their defensive meetings, Williams put up a picture given to him by Phillip Daniels. It was a picture of Sean Taylor that he had autographed in training camp. He signed it and after his signature wrote, "We want Dallas!" Springs actually got a little emotional talking about it but apparently it served as a huge motivator for the team.

Again, there is something special about this team right now and hopefully we can keep it going. We have a tough game against Seattle this weekend. It will be particularly tough as we have to travel across the country and prepare in a short week (the game is on Saturday) and Seattle is a very difficult place to play. Also, Seattle is very much a pass oriented offense and presents different problems for our defense than the other teams we have played recently. You can probably expect Hasselbeck to throw 50 times so our secondary will have to really step up.

Again, I am very proud of this team and hopefully we can keep this thing going.

HAIL TO THE REDSKINS!!!

Where in the world is RobsObs and Deepie?

Here are some possibilities:

1. I scared them off.

2. They have run off together and are currently making sweet love to each other.

3. They stuck each of their heads in the other's respective arse in above mentioned love making attempt and have asphyxiated each other.

4. They are arguing over which of the two will go in for gender reassignment surgery so they can have a "normal man/woman" relationship.

5. RobsObs is training Deepie to become the next Muay Thai fighting champion of the world. Given that RobsObs knows nothing on Muay Thai fighting this could present a challenge.

6. RobsObs collapsed and Deepie has been feverishly performing mouth to butt resuscitation...RobsObs collapsed 3 days ago and Deepie has been going at it ever since.

7. They have engaged in a jerkoff war. Given that neither has a dong large enough to be seen by the naked eye, it is hard to tell who is winning.

Knowing what I know of the two of them, all of these are viable possibilities. I will continue to wait to hear from either one of them for their dropoff.

American Gladiators is BACK!

Unbelievable! This is gonna be awesome! The only thing better would be to bring back Nitro as a gladiator.

What I loved about the original one is that you had these huge gladiator dudes with their stupid names (Nitro, Malibu, Tornado, etc.) and then they would bring in these guys much smaller and weaker than them. It's like sending RobsObs or Deepie into the competition. Essentially, it's like sending a woman into the competition. If you want true competition, why bother sending a woman when you should be sending in a gladiator? I guess if you like to see the little guy get pummelled than this is the show for you.

I'd just like to see guys the same size as the gladiators get a crack at them. I'm sure I'll watch just out of curiosity. Nitro used to bug me because he wasn't that big but because he never faced anyone that big, he thought he was some kind of super hero. I would have loved to train for 3 months and taken on Nitro head to head in every competition. In fact, I would have loved to beaten him so badly that I would take over his gladiator job and become SUPER NITRO!!!

Huge game. HUGE WIN!!!

What can you say? The Redskins came in to the Metrodome facing a Viking team that had won five games in a row with both teams fighting for their playoff lives. The Redskins played in my mind, their best game of the season. They stuffed the vaunted Viking running game and they dominated the first half and put together an impressive 32-21 victory. In my mind, it was a great gameplan put together by the coaches and great execution by the players.

I also have to say that, maybe it is just me, but it appears that there is a determination and resolve on this team after all they have been through to come together and fight. I am really proud of this team for what they have done.

Still, we have one more game to win to ensure that we get into the playoffs. As great a victory as the Viking game was and as happy as everyone is and knowing the Cowboys have already locked up home field advantage throughout the playoffs, we have not won anything yet. We have to prepare as if the Cowboys are fighting for their playoff lives as well. I'm sure T.O. will be out but other than him, the Cowboys may very well play many of their starters. The Cowboys will be off the following week and I'm not sure if they will want their players basically taking 3 weeks off before playing again. We'll see what they do. The good thing is that we now control our own fate. A win and we are in. Also, we are playing at home and I'm sure there will be 90,000 fans cheering loudly.

Another good thing is that Todd Collins has been playing very well. I was saying that he would have a good game against the Vikings because he has such good knowledge of the offense and I think he can command and control the offense when he doesn't have to deal with external factors that could impact his game (e.g., bad weather, poor field conditions, etc.). He does not have the best physical skills but to put him in a more controlled setting like a dome, I think he could do very well. Hopefully we have decent weather on Sunday as I think it will be key for Collins to play well. I also like that the 'Skins seem to be more aggressive with their play calling in general but in particular with Collins in there. I'm certain Saunders is more confident with Collins driving the car and is giving him more latitude. Heard something on sports talk this morning that resonated with me. With Collins in there it's not like we are just having him try to hold down the fort. Rather we are attacking with him. It's also good to see guys like Moss and Portis step up and make some much needed plays that they have not been making all year.

Anyways, we got one game to go. It's been pretty exciting the last few weeks with these must wiin games. We got another one at home against the Cowboys. Should be a good one. Again, I like the way this team has come together. Hopefully there is no let down after the Viking victory and knowing the Cowboys are not playing for anything.

HAIL TO THE REDSKINS!

Lord of the Dance WINS!

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- A woman who accused dancer Michael Flatley of sexual assault has been ordered to pay him more than $11 million for making false allegations to extort money from him, according to documents obtained Monday.

Michael Flatley is best known for his work in "Riverdance," "Lord of the Dance" and "Celtic Tiger."

Superior Court Judge Michael L. Stern found that real estate agent Tyna Marie Robertson had defamed and intentionally inflicted emotional distress upon Flatley, 49, who appeared in "Riverdance," "Lord of the Dance," "Feet of Flames" and "Celtic Tiger."

Robertson had alleged Flatley raped her in a Las Vegas hotel in 2002 and threatened to sue unless he agreed to pay a "seven figures" settlement, according to court papers.

Police declined to press criminal charges, and Flatley said the sex was consensual.

Robertson then filed a $33 million lawsuit in Illinois alleging sexual assault, but it was dismissed.

Flatley countered with a lawsuit against Robertson and her lawyer D. Dean Mauro claiming extortion, intentional infliction of emotional distress and defamation.

What I find most interesting is that Robertson is the former girlfriend of Brian Urlacher. Just find it interesting that Urlacher and the Lord of the Dance have the same taste in women.

Vikings win.

Not sure if this helps or hurts the Redskins. I know it doesn't matter in that when we face off next week, it's a must win for both teams. However, if the Vikings lost, they may have come out with more desperation next week. A win might have them feeling overconfident. Whatever. We have to strap it up next week and it's winner take all. Should be a good one.

Again, the defensive game plan should be pretty simple...stop A. Peterson. Let Tavaris beat us. If we stop the running game and Tavaris beats us, I can accept that. However, if we let Peterson run for 150+ yards and let him score a couple of TDs, that will be tough. Stopping that running game is only going to be tougher now that we lost Rocky McIntosh for the year with torn knee ligaments. He will be replaced by either Godfrey, Blades, or Campbell.

As for the Bears, again it is surprising how far they have fallen. No one would have expected such a collapse. Many had them returning to the Super Bowl. Now they are just fighting to stay out of the cellar of their division. They have a host of problems and I don't think they will be able to correct all of them in the off season. Again, their running game is pathetic. This is a result of poor O-line play, poor RB play, and poor QB play.

Enough about the Bears, I am really looking forward to the Redskin/Viking game. It's essentially playoff football.

'Skins playoff hopes alive!

It wasn't pretty. The wind wreaked havoc but the 'Skins came out victorious. The big story was that wind. It was pretty amazing what it was doing to some of the passes and especially the field goal attempts. A couple of Suisham's kicks didn't look like they would even be close when he first made contact but he played the wind well and got them to curve in.

Have to give alot of credit to the O-line for keeping Collins pretty well protected against NY's two DEs. Also Portis had a solid game. It was good to see the ground game back on track. We really needed it when there is that kind of wind and you know the passing game is going to be interesting. Collins only completed 8 passes but they were all pretty key plays. He had a tremendous week with the birth of his son and then a victory last night. Have to give Danny boy some credit for arranging Collins to have use of his personal plane and then had a limo waiting at the airport to give Collins a ride to the hospital to be there for the birth of his child.

Defensively, it was a good performance. They came up big when we needed them and despite losing McIntosh, they were able to overcome.

Bottom line, it was a must win game in a hostile environment and we came out on top. Playoff hopes are still very much alive. All I wanted was to win this game so that we can set up the game against Minnesota this coming Sunday. It is pretty much a playoff game as both teams need that victory. It will be in prime time again and should be a good one. The Giants have to be a little concerned as they need to win one of their remaining two to clinch a Wild Card berth. They face Buffalo next week which won't be easy and then they will play NE who most likely will not be resting their players as they most likely will be 15-0 at that point and will be pushing for an undefeated season. The G-men better hope they beat Buffalo. They will have to try and win without Shockey who is lost for the season with a broken leg.

For me, I am proud of what this team has done given the issues this team has faced this season. There has been alot of adversity with injuries but more with the death of a teammate and leader in Sean Taylor. It's nice to be this late in the season and be playing for something. There seems to be alot of pride and camraderie in the locker room and, as a fan, you like to see/hear that. Key for this week's game is pretty simple...stop Adrian Peterson. We'll see what we come up with.

HAIL TO THE REDSKINS!!!!

Had a physical!

So yesterday I had a physical for the first time in like 15 years. At 35 years of age and now having a family, I figured I was due to get checked out and see how bad a condition I was in. Fortunately everything checked out. I haven't gotten the blood test results back yet but otherwise I am healthy as a horse as they say.

I did get a little nervous as I was lying on my back and the doctor was checking out my junk. After doing that, he asked that I turn on my side. I reluctantly complied. However, there was a brief moment when I felt VERY vulnerable and had this terrible fear that he was going to jam something hard'n'deep right up into my no no place. Fortunately, nothing of the sort took place and my deepest fears were never realized. Thank goodness for that and thank goodness all appears to be in check. MERRY XMAS!

Cubbies land FUKUDOME!!!!

Kosuke Fukudome is coming to the Cubbies. He is a power hitting, left handed batting, right fielder which is just what the Cubs need. He has 192 homers and a .305 batting average and .397 on-base percentage over nine seasons with the Chunichi Dragons. He is also supposed to be a decent fielder. If he pans out, the Cubs have a solid roster. I imagine the lineup to look something like this:

1. Soriano, LF
2. Theriot, SS
3. D. Lee, 1B
4. Rami, 3B
5. Fukudome, RF
6. DeRosa, 2B
7. Soto, C
8. Pie, CF
9. Pitcher

Pretty good lineup. If the pitching can play like they did last year, they should be fine.

Seriously, how can you lose when you have a guy on your team named FUKUDOME!!!! It's a marketing manager's dream!!!!

On a side note, the Cubs released Mark Prior. Hopefully he can bounce back somewhere but too bad that such a phenom that looked like he had such potential has had the injuries he has had. Kind of ironic too as alot of people said his delivery was perfect much like Tom Seaver; however, he has still had are problems.

Well, at least we have FUKUDOME!!!!!!

Bobby Petrino is a loser.

I have no affiliation with the Falcons but I think what Petrino did is just bad business. If you want to quit, why not just wait until after the season? There are only three games left. He quit on his team.

I understand this was his first year there and he thought he would have the opportunity to work with Michael Vick but I just don't like leaving your team high and dry like that. Clearly, he realized that he was not suited for the pro game. It appeared that he could not control his locker room and certain players. Sure, it has been a tumultuous season but that is why you are the coach and that is why you are paid the big bucks...to LEAD! He couldn't do it and I think it is just poor character to abandon your team and the owner that gave you an opportunity with only three games left.

Orton to get the start.

Probably a smart move. Rexy is out. Griese is not the long term answer. The season is over. You might as well see what you have in Orton. The Bears will have a decision to make at QB next year. Will they commit to Rexy and give him a contract? Does Rexy even want to stay with the Bears? Griese is fine as a backup. What do you have in Orton? If a top QB is available in the draft, will they draft that person?

It will be interesting to see which way they go.

Vick sentenced and is ruined.

Michael Vick was sentenced this morning and was ordered to serve 23 months in prison. Tough for him as he is already 27 years old and he will be scheduled for release in October 2009. He will be 29 and in the middle of a football season. He won't be able to catch on a team until the following year when he will be 30. Who is going to want a 30 year old QB that has pretty much relied on his speed and athleticism as opposed to an accurate arm that has been out of the league for 3 years.

He deserved the punishment. I don't really feel sad for him but I do feel sad that the situation took place in the first place. He was an athlete at the top of his game and this would have been the prime of his career and he has thrown it all away. Not to mention his financial woes. According to court documents, the Atlanta Falcons are attempting to recoup bonus money from his 10-year, $130 million football contract, Vick is in default on a $1.3 million bank loan for a wine store, and two other banks have filed suits seeking repayment of a $4.5 million in loans and lines of credit.

He threw it all away.

Redskins control their own destiny.

Good week in football. Obviously, the 'Skins beat the Bears which was great on so many levels but even better the Lions lost and the Cardinals lost putting the 'Skins just one game behind the Vikings for the final playoff spot.

There are 3 games left and essentially every game is a playoff game at this point. The bad part is that the Vikings are one of the hottest teams in the NFC right now and they have an easier schedule. The Vikings play the Bears, Redskins, and Broncos. We play the Giants, Vikings, and Cowboys. Anything can happen but I would love to see the Redskins win next week setting up a huge game against the Vikings the following week. That game could quite possibly be the decider for who gets into the playoffs.

I know you can't count out the Cards and Lions and a couple other teams but I am just looking at the 'Skins and how they control their own destiny which is what you want.

One interesting thing is that Todd Collins will be starting this week. I know everyone is all high on him right now because of his performance last week and also during the preseason. However, we have to remember that Collins is a 36 year old perennial backup for a reason. Yes, he understands the Al Saunders offense very well however, he has some physical limitations. This could be a concern against the Giants defense as they have a pretty good pass rush. It will also be tough playing in the Meadowlands. Still, I like our team and Eli has not been playing particularly well which is typical in the second half of the season. We'll see what happens.

I will be rooting hard for the Bears this weekend.

Redskins WIN!

In what was essentially a playoff game for both teams, the 'Skins came out victorious! It was a pretty strange game with the number of injuries and the number of penalties but as I always say, there is only one stat that counts at the end of the game and the 'Skins got the win. Here are a few thoughts:

The Good: 'Skins defense came up big against a pathetic Bear running game. Todd Collins had a great game coming in for the injured Jason Campbell. The coaching was pretty good on all fronts. I liked that Williams had the defense blitzing 95% of the game and putting pressure on both Grossman and Griese. We got a couple of sacks and a couple of INTs. Springs came up big in his play especially considering it was even certain he was going to play in the game because of his back. I also liked the play of Landry at free safety taking over for Taylor. He had the late hit personal foul on Muhammad which was a bad play on his part but he was pretty aggressive out there. He made good hits and had a couple of opportunities at INTs and just in general seemed to be flying around out there.

The offense was very aggressive in the play calling (almost to a fault). We did a lot of passing even at the end when we typically seem content with trying to run the ball and wind down the clock. I was a little surprised when we got the ball with like 6 and a half minutes remaining and the score was 17-13 and we came out passing. First, we hit a 13 yarder to Moss and the next play was a 12 yarder to Randle El. Even our first TD was a bit of a surprise. Springs ran back the INT deep into Bear territory and there was only like 30 seconds left and I thought we would be content with just running the ball and getting a FG so that we could get some points going into half time. However, we let Collins pass to Todd Yoder of all people for the score. Great call.

Special teams was decent in that they kept the ball away from Hester. The one thing I did not want to have happen was to give Hester the opportunity to run the ball back for a TD. He is the Bears best player and I did not want to have him beat us. Still, Suisham missed a couple of FGs which was disappointing but we still got the victory.

The Bad: Our running game was bad. Our O line did not create any holes for Portis. This was a bad Bear run D and we couldn't muster much. I understand they were crowding the box but still we have to do better. I suppose it opened up the passing game but again, we need better production. It's tough that JC went down. At least it doesn't appear to be any ligament damage so hopefully it won't be too long a rehab but we probably can't expect him to come back this year. John Eubanks sucks. I know we are already shorthanded at CB. With Rogers out, and Macklin out as well, we were forced to play Torrence (who wasn't bad) and Eubanks who was getting beat time and time again. If I were the Bears, I would have just kept going to Hester against Eubanks on every play.

The Ugly: Pretty simple...the Bears. They suck! It is hard to believe that they were the NFC Champions last year. They don't look anything like they did last year. The number of false starts and delay of games was ridiculous. I liked Collinsworth statement after the Bears just had two false starts and a delay of game penalty. He said something to the effect that there is professional football and there is unprofessional football and the Bears are downright embarrassing. Also, Urlacher looks like a shell of what he used to be. I remember watching a couple of games last year where he changed the whole complexity of the game. It was almost as though he won the games himself. I know he has an arthritic back but yesterday he was pretty much a non factor. He just looked like he was a step slow.

Anyway, all in all a great game as it keeps us alive in the playoff picture (although we have a tough road ahead). We basically ended the Bears season. We got a nice home win on national tv. Finally, I win the wager with RobsObs so that's a bonus.

Redskins vs. Bears Tonight!

We marked this date at the beginning of the football season. The day has finally arrived. It has been an emotional week for the 'Skins with the loss of Sean Taylor, then having to play on Sunday, then fly down for his funeral, and then hurry to get back to get ready for the Bears in the short week. They didn't get the win against the Bills on Sunday but hopefully we can get the win against the Bears tonight. Interesting note that Sean Taylor is the featured Redskin on the game ticket. Hopefully they can pull the game out for Sean.

As both teams are 5-7, this is essentially our Super Bowl. RobsObs and I have a wager every time these teams meet so there is even more at stake. Since we started the wager a few years back, I believe we are 2-2 in the games they have played. I hope for a good game. I wish RobsObs and the Bears the best of luck but I hope the Redskins win. The one thing I hope doesn't happen is that Devin Hester beats us.

HAIL TO THE REDSKINS!

Redskins Tribute to Sean Taylor

Here is the link that shows the tribute video the Redskins showed before the game yesterday. There are some other really good videos on the site.

http://video.redskins.com/Multimedia/MultimediaCenter.aspx?id=206

Sean Taylor's funeral.

Pretty touching celebration of Sean Taylor's life. Roger Goodell, Jesse Jackson, Joe Gibbs, Clinton Portis, LaVar Arrington were just some of the speakers. I think it does help to bring some closure to this tragedy.

I have to also give credit to the entire Redskins organization, coaches, and teammates for the way they have handled this tragedy. From the mini tributes they set up for fans at the park and the stadium, to the fund Dan Snyder set up for Jackie Taylor, to the tribute at the stadium prior to the game yesterday, to the 10 men on defense on the first defensive play, to the way the teammates spoke of Sean, to the entire team going down for the funeral...it truly makes me proud to be a Redskin fan.

Tough day, tough loss.

It was a very emotional week and a very emotional day yesterday. Apparently, the team was pretty quiet in the locker room. There were some tears in the locker room, during the tribute, and even during the game by some players for Sean Taylor. Sounded like it was a pretty poignant tribute prior to kickoff and the way we started our defense with 10 men on the field was another nice tribute for Sean. I actually liked London Fletcher explaining after the game that there wasn't 10 guys out there, there was 11. The 'Skins went through a lot this week and it would have been nice if they could have won yesterday. Especially knowing they have to go to the funeral today. I'm sure they would have liked to have been at the funeral knowing they could have at least won the game for Sean.

I am disappointed in the loss. Mostly because I would have liked for them to pull it out for Sean. However, for as bad as I feel, I am sure the team feels much worse. No one really knew what to expect from the game. No one really knew how the guys would have come out. I am proud of the way they were able to come out. Still, just disappointing we couldn't get the win. I don't really care about being in the playoff hunt. I wanted to win yesterday to honor Sean. Tough way to lose too. We are winning for 59+ minutes and we lose on a last second field goal. It's also interesting that the play that set up the field goal was a pass over the middle right in Sean Taylor territory. Kind of reminds you how much we will miss him playing safety back there. I know Gibbs will take a lot of heat for his mistake in the end but honestly it should have never gotten to that point.

There were flaws in the game yesterday. I don't really feel like analyzing too much since it was a very atypical week. Emotions were running high and again, it was not your normal week. It was not your normal game. Hopefully the funeral today brings some peace to the team and to everyone else.

Some thoughts on Sean Taylor...

Now that the four individuals have been arrested and more details are coming out on the murder of Sean Taylor it looks to be truly a perfect accident. It looks as though Sean Taylor's house was targeted for burglary but there was no intent to ever kill him. When you think about it, Sean Taylor was not supposed to be there. He was probably going to leave very early Monday morning to get back for treatment at Redskin Park. The burglars did not think the house was occupied. That is probably why they were as noisy as they were when they broke into the place. The individual(s) who bust into Sean's bedroom were probably startled by seeing anyone there much less Sean holding a machete. He probably panicked and shot two rounds one catching Sean in a perfect spot that severed his femoral artery. It was all a perfect accident. It truly is unfortunate. If Sean isn't there, if he left Sunday night, if he isn't holding the machete, if he just announces that he is there and lets the burglars take what they want, if the bullet hits a quarter of an inch some where else on the leg, if so many different things, Sean is probably alive today. Still, it all happened perfectly.

What I think is it is truly a tragedy but it's almost so perfect that I can't help but think that it was God's will that this was supposed to happen. God works in mysterious ways and this is just another example of His work and how we have to accept His order.

I am saddened by this tragedy but it was supposed to be. Now one life is gone and for these other kids they have ruined their own lives. Again, I will miss watching Sean play and seeing what type of player he could have become but we have to accept it and move on. I wish Sean's family peace and I hope these individuals get punished to the fullest extent of the law and hopefully this story can serve as an example of how lives can be thrown away for nothing.

Sean Taylor 1983 - 2007

There are a lot of tribute videos out there but I kind of liked this one.

My thoughts on the Redskins season moving forward.

Kind of strange. The rest of the season has kind of lost its meaning to me. It would be great to win but honestly it will be a little hard to watch knowing that we will never see Taylor on the field again. For me, this season will always be known as the season that Sean Taylor was murdered.

It's just a strange feeling for me personally because I normally get excited about the Redskins game all week but I am just not feeling it. I am not trying to sound corny or anything but it is a little difficult to watch knowing he won't ever be out there again.

Sean Taylor Dead at 24.

Pretty shocking and sad. Not a whole lot more to say. Last night it sounded a little more promising as it seemed like he showed some signs of improvement with some reported facial expressions and response to a hand squeeze.

Just kind of hard to believe that we won't see Taylor back there making plays in the secondary for the 'Skins. Every time he was in the game at any moment you felt like he could change the course of the game. He was a true playmaker that was having probably the best year of his career. He was shaping up to be a perennial Pro Bowl type player.

Again, just sad that a young man with all the promise in the world and who was the father of a little girl was gunned down in what looks like a burglary attempt. I'm sure more details will come as the investigation continues but today is just pretty shocking and sad.

TURNOVERS!!!! I HATE THEM!!!!!!

Redskins lose another heartbreaker. Six turnovers are ridiculous. You can't expect to win by turning the ball over six times. Worse is that there were four in the first half and all of them were deep in our territory. Kudos to our defense for only letting them score 16 points on those turnovers. They actually kept us in the game.

The other thing that is ridiculous is that why can't we put together a solid performance for a full 60 minutes? We actually got it backwards this week. Typically, we fall apart in the second half. This week we started out horrendously but came out hard in the second half.

We completely dominated the second half in terms of yardage and time of possession. The problem was that we were never able to get points on the board (a result of INTs and loss of downs). The defense only gave up 15 yards of offense in the entire second half. Doesn't really matter though because we lost a much needed game.

Another big disappointment was for the second week in a row JC has a very good game but blows it by throwing a costly INT. In yesterday's game, he did it twice. I know he is young and he is looking to make a play but he has to be better in those situations. He played very well all game but both INTs were bad. I think the second one he thought he could force in there but it just didn't happen. Whatever. The only thing is that we lost.

We are now 5-6 and in the middle of a lot of teams fighting for a wild card berth. The good thing is that the Lions and Cards both lost. The bad thing is that we didn't take advantage and there are a lot of other teams (like the Bears) who are now in the mix.

We have blown 3 straight games and we have lost 4 of our last 5. We need to find a way to get a win. We are always one or two plays away from getting the win but we keep falling just short. Again, we can't seem to get a solid effort from the entire team for a full 60 minutes. We have talent and capability. If we could just pull it all together for a full game, we would be fine.

The sad part is that a once promising season is looking more and more bleak. Now with the situation with Sean Taylor it might serve as a major distraction. I understand football takes a back seat to a teammate's life. It's just disappointing how the season is unfolding right now. We'll see if the team continue to crumble or rally and put together a couple of victories.

Sean Taylor shot and is in critical condition!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3127928

You may have seen/heard/read about it already. Not too many details at this point. Hopefully he will be okay.

JC Week 11

Here's the latest:

Ranking: 20 (minus 1)

QB Rating: 80.7 (plus .08)

Completion percentage: 60% (plus .02)

Yards: 2083 (plus 348)

TDs: 11 (plus 2)

INTs: 8 (plus 1)

Yards per attempt: 6.61 (minus .04)

Sacks: 15 (plus 1)

Another very good game for JC. He is proving that if you give him the keys to car, he knows how to drive. The team seems to really be rallying around JC and he is becoming more and more the leader of the team. I like what I see more and more from JC and it's interesting that everyone in the D.C. media seems to want him to consistently throw more in games. Last year people wanted to be a physical running team. This year it is more that that style is antiquated and passing is the way to win in today's NFL. Found it almost comical how much Troy Aikman and Joe Buck lauded all over JC. Actually, thought it was a little over the top. Still, JC continues to prove he can be a good QB for years to come and is showing that we finally have a solution at our QB. Hopefully he can continue his progress over the coming weeks.

JMU in the playoffs.

James Madison's football team Sunday was named an at-large selection to the NCAA Football Championship playoff field. The Dukes, who completed the regular season with an 8-3 record, will play Saturday (Nov. 24) at Appalachian State at a time to be determined.

We're playing the two time defending national champions and the team that beat Michigan earlier this year and it's on the road so no question we will have our hands full. Still, you got to beat the best to be the best and the road starts Saturday.

Can someone cover T.O.?!!!!

Heartbreaking loss. Contrary to RobsObs thinking, the Redskins did show up and played in a very competitive and exciting game. RobsObs thought we were wasting jet fuel by going down there, that we would lose by at least 20, that the 'Skins were a down and out bunch and most did not believe we even had a chance.

We played hard and came very close to pulling it out in the end. JC had a strong game and it was good to see Moss get back to playing the way he did two years ago. I like that the coaches are recognizing the offensive tools that we have and have allowed Campbell to spread the field some. Our offense seems much more dynamic over the past two weeks. Again, very good effort by our offense yesterday.

For the second straight week, the defense let us down. They played strong in the first half but the secondary breakdowns in the second half are inexcusable. The mental errors are crushing.

I have no problem with the first TD. It was good coverage but it was a good route run by T.O. and a good pass from Romo. Not much you could do on that. The second TD was horrendous. It is 3rd and 19 and if there is one guy you need to cover it would be T.O. Instead there are blown assignments and he is left alone running down the hashmark for an easy TD. The third TD had to be another blown assignment by a safety. Cover 2 and T.O. is left running down the middle of the field with only London Fletcher covering. There needed to be safety help but I think the safety (I believe Landry) got caught up trying to cover the WR on the outside. Finally, the last TD where T.O. caught it on the sideline...again, blown coverage. Looked like Springs should have followed T.O. further since there was no one coming into the flat. Also, Prioleau has to get over there and at least make the tackle or push him out of bounds.

Interesting to see the very calm secondary coach, Jerry Gray, get as upset as he did. He let Springs have an earful on the sidelines. It was just horrible secondary play and the Redskin players knew it.

Sure, there is some consolation that we competed hard and had an opportunity to win the game against what most people would believe is the best team in the NFC. However, as I always say, at the end of the game there is only one stat that matters and we came out with the L. Hurts as we are now 5-5. We are still very much in the mix as far as the playoffs but we have to put together a string of victories and get back on the right track. We'll see what happens.

3 Days and Counting!

It's Dallas Week!!!!

Time to forget about the Eagles. Time to focus on Dallas!

Redskins lose to the Eagles!

This kind of sums up how I felt on Sunday evening.

JC - Week 10

Here are the updated stats:

Ranking: 19 (plus 6)

QB Rating: 79.9 (plus 5.1)

Completion Percentage: 59.8% (plus 1.2%)

Yards: 1735 (plus 215)

TDs: 9 (plus 3)

INTs: 7 (no change)

Yards per attempt: 6.65 (minus 0.05)

Sacks: 14 (plus 1)

Very good game by JC. It was nice to see the game plan open up a bit. The no huddle was a nice change of pace. JC has kind of been held back but he showed that if you give him some opportunities, he can make the plays. All year, his decision making has been good and that is what is hard to teach. I don't mind mistakes here and there or some growing pains but if he constantly makes the same mistakes and if they are bad mistakes, that is what is unacceptable to me. I like JC and I have thought he has played well this year. We had a nice balance of run vs. pass last week and hopefully that is what we continue to do.

Devastating Loss!

Truly heartbreaking. With a 22-20 lead and a first and goal with around 5 minutes remaining, the 'Skins seemed to have the game in hand. They found a way to blow it. There were SO many times when the 'Skins just needed to make one play and they did but just in a detrimental way. The many plays that truly hurt include and are unforgivable:

1. Having it first and goal starting at the 4 yard line and not being able to punch it in.

2. Eagles have it 3rd and 21 in their territory in the third quarter and they pick up a 20 yard pass play making it 4th and inches which they eventually convert on route to a TD scoring drive.

3. Eagles 2nd and 20 and Springs gets called for illegal contact giving them an automatic first down.

4. McNabb's deep TD pass to Reggie Brown who is double covered but Fletcher falls down and Prioleau (subbing for the injured Sean Taylor) gets spun around and can't make the play. It was a poorly thrown ball but our defenders blew it.

5. Westbrook's 50 yard go ahead screen pass TD. First, another half second and we get to McNabb but then the poor tackling on that play. Especially Prioleau who took a HORRIBLE angle at trying to make that play.

Bottom line is we lost. It hurts as 5-4 is a WHOLE lot worse than being 6-3. We needed to win that game at home. We are still in the mix but we led most of the way and to give it up there in the end really hurts.

The positives are that the running game was strong again (outside of that goal line situation in the 4th quarter). Also, the game plan seemed to have opened up a bit and it gave JC some opportunities to make some plays and he had a good game. Again, his decision making was good as it has been all year. It was just nice to see the offense become more dynamic. As you could see, the passing game helped the running game and vice versa. We will need more of that in the next several weeks if we want to make a run for the playoffs. The downer is that the defense struggled. They couldn't make a play when they needed to and it cost us. Hopefully Taylor can return quickly because Prioleau isn't a starter. He is a good nickel/dime back but he made some bad plays out there.

We head to Dallas and it will be very hard to win there. I suppose the good thing was that they beat the Giants. At this point, it might be asking too much for the 'Skins to win the division so we are really aiming for a Wild Card berth. Hard to believe we are already 10 weeks into the season. The good thing is best is yet to come.

JC - Week 9

Week 10 is almost here but wanted to get the updates in:

Ranking: 25 (minus 1)

QB Rating: 74.8 (minus 2.4)

Completion Percentage: 58.6 (minus 0.7%)

Yards: 1520 (plus 142)

TDs: 6 (no change)

INTs: 7 (plus 1)

Yards per attempt: 6.70 (minus 0.06)

Sacks: 13 (plus 1)

Slight dip in the numbers but overall we have all agreed that the coaches have had too conservative a game plan with JC. They need to allow him to open it up a little bit to both see what they have in him AND to make the offense more dynamic. JC has always shown promise and we have the tools to make him successful, the coaches just need to make it happen. We'll see what happens this week versus Philly.

Congrats to UVA

I have been pretty critical of UVA and Al Groh this year but I will say they pulled out a big win this week against Wake. Sure, Wake had an opportunity to win it there at the end but they missed the FG and bottom line they lost. I will say it is the first time this year that I believe UVA is a solid team. I still don't think they are in the elite of college football. However, they are deserving of their ranking and a pretty good football team.

Redskins Squeeze By

Decent game. Sure, it was closer than I would have liked but the bottom line is we came out with the victory and are now 5-3. Seeing how we only won 5 games total last year, I am very happy with where we are right now.

As far as the game is concerned, I was very happy to see the running game get going again. CP had nearly 200 yards rushing and stated that he wants to carry this team. I like CP and would like for him to get more carries. JC was okay. I'm not sure what the deal is but I don't understand why we don't throw it downfield more. I want to be a running football team but all of our passes in the first half were screens or shorter passes in the flat or underneath. We need to get our WRs involved more. It can only help our running game. As an observer and a fan, it seems like it is the game calling. It was nice to see coming out after halftime that we actually started throwing downfield a bit. We need to do that more. Put some more trust in Campbell. Again, JC was okay. Made the plays he was asked and had a good scramble for a key first down. Still, he missed that deep ball to Moss which would have been the equivalent of a walk off home run. I just want to see more of those medium range passes over the middle to the WRs.

A lot of people were saying Moss isn't the same guy as he has been and his injuries are still nagging him. I don't know if that is the case or not but he excels at making those catches over the middle and running for more yardage. I would love to see more of that.

Defense was okay. Run defense was solid and even the pass defense wasn't bad. Still, they had to do a better job of containing Clemens. When he got outside the pocket was when he was most dangerous. He was able to run for nearly 50 yards and he was able to find receivers open when he scrambled. We just have to do a better job of containing the QB. This will be even more critical as we will be facing McNabb and Romo in the coming weeks. Still, the defense only gave up 13 points yesterday.

Special teams was okay. Suisham was huge. Made several long FGs including the game winning kick on OT. However, they allowed the opening kickoff to be run back for a TD.

Again, my biggest issue is with the coaching and the ultra conservative play calling. Let JC open it up a little bit. Lets not be scared of him making mistakes.

Still, there is only one statistic that matters and we came away with the "W." A win is a win and I'll take it. I will take a very ugly win over a very beautiful loss any day. Again, we are 5-3 and in the thick of the divisional and playoff races.

HAIL TO THE REDSKINS!!!!

JC - Week 8

Updated numbers:

Ranking: 24 (up 1 slot)

QB Rating: 77.2 (minus 1.3)

Completion Percentage: 59.3% (minus .2%)

Yards: 1378 (plus 197)

TDs: 6 (plus 1)

INTs: 6 (plus 1)

Yards per attempt: 6.76 (minus .27)

Sacks: 12 (plus 3)

Overall, probably JC's worst game as a pro. As mentioned several times, the fumbles were inexcusable. Outside of the fumbles, don't really have much of a problem with his play. JC couldn't have won this game even if he played the game of his life. It was a total team beat down. The team needs to pick itself up and they need to allow JC to open up the field a little bit and take some shots downfield. I am not saying they should abandon the run and forget "Redskin football" but take some shots. It's a must win this week against NY Jets. A loss would almost put an end to the season.

DREADFUL!!!!!

I am thoroughly disappointed with the Redskins performance on Sunday against the Pats. I wasn't foolish enough to believe we were going to win the game but I hoped that we could compete and we were dominated in every sense of the word. Now I don't believe we are as bad as that performance. However, we just did not represent. Offense, defense, and special teams were just outplayed.

The defense just couldn't stop Brady and company. It's disappointing our defense couldn't step up and do a better job. That was the strong point of our team but you wouldn't have guessed it by that performance. You can be certain that our #3 ranking will go WAY down.

The offense couldn't do much better. They started out with a decent opening drive as we were able to move the ball and get a few first downs before the drive stalled but that was about it. Campbell was bad. Sure he is facing what looks to be one of the best teams in history but I just as the rest of the team, I was hoping for more. What was really disappointing was the fumbles. He had time and he should have sensed the pressure and he just lost the balls. There isn't much excuse for that. His passes for the most part were fine but he has got to work on protecting the ball. I can understand if he is hit on the blindside or if the pocket just collapses immediately but that wasn't the case. The only thing I can hope for with Campbell is that he can learn from this game. Hopefully he takes it that way. There are a number of lessons to be learned for him and hopefully he grows from it.

We are 4-3 and have to go on the road again against the Jets next week. It will be interesting to see how we bounce back from this loss. Given the strength of our division, next week's game is a must win. Hopefully the team can put this loss behind us and get back on the winning track. A loss next week would be crushing. We'll see what happens.

Again, I am thoroughly disappointed in this performance.

Jason Campbell - Week 7

Ranking: 25 (down 5)

QB Rating: 78.5 (minus 2.6)

Completion percentage: 59.5 (plus 0.8)

Yards: 1181 (plus 95)

TDs: 5 (no change)

INTs: 5 (plus 1)

Yards per attempt: 7.03 (minus 0.21)

Sacks: 9 (plus 1)

Not a great game but JC played within the game plan. The plan was to be conservative and run the ball and do short, quick passes. JC accomplished this. It would have been nice for the coaches to allow their young QB open it up and spread the ball a little. Just a couple of deep balls would have helped to spread the defense. At least we got the win and there wasn't anything JC did that would warrant great praise or great criticism. On to NE.

'Skins survive!

It wasn't pretty but the 'Skins managed to hold on for the win. Campbell didn't do much and the running game wasn't great. The second half the offense did pretty much nothing. The playcalling was pretty conservative and the injuries to the line seemed to catch up to us this week. There were a number of times that Campbell had someone come up right through the center just as he had the ball snapped. Not sure if Pucillo was missing assignments or what. The Cards weren't even blitzing. I know the coaches adjusted the game plan due to the injuries on the o line but we still have to be more aggressive than that. We hardly threw the ball downfield. Campbell's completion percentage was decent (12 of 18) but he only had 95 yards of passing. We should probably get Rabach back next week and that should certainly help. Outside of being a good center, he is apparently the anchor of the o line and helps the other linemen in understanding their assignments.

Conversely, I continue to be happy with the play of the defense. They play with passion and are aggressive. There were a number of times where the Cards tried to beat the 'Skins with their speed to the outside but you would see 3 or 4 'Skins in hot pursuit. London Fletcher has been a HUGE acquisition. He is a leader and is a coach on the field. Not to mention he has great instincts and is always near the ball. Was pretty much impressed with most of the defense as there was a lot of pressure on them to win this game for us since the offense didn't do much. I will say that I was disappointed with the Cards second scoring drive. Landry's late hit was questionable. I didn't like the call but I can accept it. Fletcher's taunting penalty was terrible. I like his inspired play and like to see the swagger but he should know better. That penalty hurt bad. It's interesting because Sean Taylor used to do a lot of showboating but you don't see that at all anymore. He is playing very well out there but his quiet, solid play has seemed to deflect some of the negative attention he used to receive. Before, it seemed like refs used to look to call him for penalties and he would not get the benefit of the doubt but he seems like a more mature player now.

Anyway, it got dicey there at the end. The Cards score then get the onside kick and take it down the field and have an opportunity to win the game with one of the better FG kickers in the league. Honestly, I thought we were going to lose the game. Fortunately, he missed and we escaped with a VERY important win. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. It may have been ugly, but at the end of the day there is only one stat that counts and that's the wins and losses and we got the "W." I'll take an ugly win over any hard fought loss any day of the week.

Next up is the Patriot machine. Right now, the Pats have to be considered the best team in the league and perhaps one of the best teams all time. They are rolling up on everyone and Brady has been unbelievable. I would almost be happy to keep the Pats under 35 points. I don't think they have scored less than that in a game this season. For now, I will enjoy being 4-2.

Joke of the Day - Love Stinks!

What happened to the blind skunk?

He fell in love with a fart.

Kili Lefotu released.

RobsObs mentioned that we had a mini Tank issue with Lefotu (a guy on the practice squad who had an isolated incident). How did the 'Skins take care of it? They cut him. Does that satisfy you, RobsObs?

What happened to the Bears D?

If you look at the differences between this year's Bear defense after 6 games compared with last year's defense after 6 games, it's pretty obvious why they are 2-4:

•They have given up an average of 24.8 points, compared with 9.8 points a game after six games in 2006.

•Opponents are averaging 134.2 rushing yards, compared with 72.5 a year ago.

•The Bears have allowed 227.2 passing yards per game, compared with an average of 155.3 yards six games into last season.

I know RobsObs will say that they suffered a number of injuries but he also was raving that they had TREMENDOUS depth. I don't see it. Seeing how RobsObs is a numbers guy, the numbers don't show it either. Nice to see Lovie get rid of Rivera and bring in his boy Babich.

Conversely, RobsObs was very critical of the 'Skins O line (the starters) and said that they had no depth. The 'Skins have lost 2 starters (Jansen and Thomas) and have had injuries to 3 additional linemen (Rabach, Wade, and Heyer) but we they are still performing at a solid level. The numbers will support that as well.

I know RobsObs will come up with some defense as he refuses to admit he is/was wrong. He also blindly loves his team. I can't wait to hear/read his defense.

Jason Campbell - Week 6

Here are the updated numbers for JC:

Ranking: 20 (down 3 slots)

QB Rating: 81.1 (down 3.2)

Completion Percentage: 58.7 (down 0.6)

Yards: 1086 (up 217)

TDs: 5 (up 1)

INTs: 4 (up 1)

Yards per attempt: 7.24 (minus 0.45)

Sacks: 8 (up 3)

Tough game. JC was solid and deserved a lot of credit for his play. The numbers would have been a lot better if his receivers had held on to the ball (8 dropped passes). Also, 2 of the sacks came late in the game when we were forced to pass and we had backup O-linemen coming in for the backups. Still, the numbers are what they are but I am pleased with JC's play (both in the GB game and on the season as a whole).

'Skins let another one slip away.

Tough loss. We had the game in hand but it was a case of missed opportunities. Moss admittedly had the worst game of his career. He fumbled leading to the 57 yard recovery TD that put GB ahead. Worse, on the ensuing drive, he dropped a 30 yard strike that was right in his hands. Moss had 4 dropped passes ('Skins had 6 dropped passes total) and pulled himself from the game in the 4th quarter. However, like Moss, I am not making any excuses for the loss. A loss is a loss and we are now 3-2.

The good news is that Campbell continues to shine. He had another solid performance and his numbers would have been much better if the receivers had held on to the ball. His decision making is good and he continues to mature. Not bad for a guy making his 12th NFL start.

Also, the defense continues to play well. We are actually getting turnovers and sacks this year which was completely lacking last year.

The bad news is that the offensive line has been decimated by injuries. First we lose Jansen and Thomas, now we lose Rabach for perhaps an extended period. Wade is hurt with a pulled groin (seems less severe and hopefully he can play). Also, Stephon Heyer seems to have hurt his hamstring. We'll find out later today the extent of those injuries. That's five injuries to the O line. This could become a HUGE issue for the 'Skins. We were already playing a makeshift line and it will become even more makeshift now.

Each week brings another test. I am disappointed with the loss. Again, it was a game that we let slip away. However, I am happy that we played well enough to win and we are showing that we can compete and, perhaps outside of the Cowboys, it looks like we can compete against anyone in the NFC.

What has happened to the Bears (especially the defense)?!

The Bears lose to the 1-3 Vikings at home. Horrible divisional loss. What's worse is that they gave up nearly 450 yards of offense to the VIKINGS!! The Bears D looks like a shadow of itself. They have a number of problems but it's still a long way to go and we'll see if they can pull it together.

Question for RobsObs, now that the Bears are losing, is the organization gouging their fans?

Redskins DOMINATE!!!

Redskins totally dominate the Lions. Great victory in many ways. Obviously, because it takes us to 3-1 but to dominate the Lions is a great way to come out of the bye week especially after the tough loss to the Giants. Also, we have not won game where we have blown out the opponent in some time. It's good to see improvement each week and you can feel the confidence and momentum building. If they can continue, there is a lot of potential for this team.

Nice to see a domination in all phases of the game -- offense, defense, special teams, AND coaching. Obviously, JC had a HUGE game. Keep in mind this is only his 11th start but he is looking very poised back in the pocket. The line has continued their solid play not allowing a sack and giving good opportunities to the backs. Sellars is getting more touches and deservedly so. He is proving to be another offensive weapon that is very versatile. Defensively, great game plan against one of the better offenses in the league. Williams basically played a lot of coverage schemes relying on the speed of the LBs and secondary to contain the passing game forcing them to run or do shorter passes and the D line provided good penetration getting 5 sacks including a safety. Nice to see Rogers actually hold on to the ball for the INT for a TD. It's just good to see all of these pieces coming together. It's also good to hear the players hungry for more and not just being satisfied with a single victory.

Encourage RobsObs to view the video. It is a little bit longer but hopefully it gives him some idea of how much the 'Skins dominated and that the defense is decent and that our O line is solid. Also, that JC is a talent and becoming a solid QB.

We have a big game against GB next week and no doubt GB will be bitter at the game they let go to the Bears. The Packers loss to the Bears was much like the 'Skins loss to the Giants. The Bears didn't win the game, the Packers lost it. No question they will be hungry and not want to lose 2 games in a row - especially at home. It could be a good statement game for the 'Skins. We'll see what happens.

JC - Week 5

Week 5 and JC had a HUGE game against the Lions. I will no longer compare him to Rexy since Rexy is no longer the starter. Also, there was no Week 4 update since the 'Skins had a bye week.

That said, here is where JC ranks:

Ranking: 17 (up 10 slots)

QB Rating: 84.3 (up 14.7)

Completion %age: 59.3% (up 6.9%)

Yards: 869 (up 248)

TDs: 4 (up 2)

INTs: 3 (no change)

Yards per attempt: 7.69 (up .30)

Sacks: 5 (no change)

Huge game equals huge improvements. Certainly, things can change drastically if he has a bad game but you have to love that he has been improving every week. He has only had 11 starts in his career but you can already sense the team gravitating towards him. He has confidence in himself and the team feels it and is feeding of that confidence. He is quickly making this his team and with continued stellar play, he will become the face of the team. JC also just seems like a good, down to earth guy. Looks like we have finally found ourselves a QB.

Hopefully his strong play will continue.

JC vs. Rexy - Week 3

Latest Stats:

Ranking:

JC 27 (up one slot)

Rexy 33 (down one slot)

QB Rating:

JC 69.6 (plus 3.6)

Rexy 45.2 (minus 9.9)

Comp. %age:

JC 52.4 (minus 3.6)

Rexy 52.8 (minus 3.3)

Yards:

JC 621 (plus 190)

Rexy 500 (plus 195)

TDs:

JC 2 (plus 1)

Rexy 1 (no change)

INTs:

JC 3 (no change)

Rexy 6 (plus 3)

Yards per attempt (new stat for this week):

JC 7.39

Rexy 5.62

Sacks (new stat for this week):

JC 5

Rexy 9

JC made a small improvement in most categories. Rexy tumbles.

JC vs. Rexy

Given that we have had so much "discussion" on the QBs, I thought we should compare the two over the course of the season in the major statistical categories. That said, here is where we stand:

Ranking:
JC 28
Rexy 32

QB Rating:
JC 66.3
Rexy 55.1

Comp. %age:
JC 56
Rexy 56.1

Yards:
JC 431
Rexy 305

TDs:
JC 1
Rexy 1

INTs:
JC 3
Rexy 3

After two weeks, it is pretty close but JC has a slight edge.

Redskins 2-0!

Great win last night. Especially, given that Philly was coming off of a tough loss, it was a divisional game, Philly was playing at home, and it was Monday Night Football in front of a national audience.

Campbell looked good. He had some mistakes but all in all he is showing that he has tremendous upside and he is fully qualified to be an NFL QB that can lead his team. He showed poise and good decision making. His mistakes are largely correctable. I feel really good with him leading our team.

Other general thoughts on the game include:

1. Running game was solid.

2. O line is a real concern. It is basically a makeshift line now with 3 of the guys new (Kendall, Wade, and Fabini). Still, they did a great job and can hopefully keep it up. You really want to give a young QB all the help he can get.

3. Defense as a whole was pretty solid.

4. D line is good at run defense but they struggle in pass rush. Carter is always going really wide to get around the tackle. Not sure why he does this. I will say it was nice to get a few sacks although these were basically coverage sacks. Which in a way is good since we made a big investment in DBs during the offseason.

5. Love McIntosh. Linebacker play as a whole is solid.

6. Good to see Springs in there. You didn't hear his name much during the game and that is a good thing. Rogers was also decent most of the night. DBs solid.

7. Special teams was good.

8. Coaching was good EXCEPT for when they botched it right before the half. It was just a nightmare down there. We were lucky to get the TD. I'll take it but the coaches really screwed that up.

All in all there is only one stat that really matters and that is the wins and we got one last night.

You can really feel like the team is generating some confidence and momentum. It will be really good if we can beat a struggling Giants team next week and head into the bye week at 3-0. I think we will really start turning some heads.

HAIL TO THE REDSKINS!!!

Is Rexy a "Mental Midget?"

After beating the Bears, the Chargers took some jabs at some of the Chicago players. Charger linebacker Matt Wilhelm stated that Coach Ron Rivera advised his players they could rattle Grossman because he was "a mental midget."

Additionally, linebacker Shaun Phillips said RB Cedric Benson was "soft."

The Bears have been challenged we will see if they step up. I hope Benson does since he is on one of my fantasy teams.

I expect both of them to have good games this week against KC. The Bears are coming off of a loss, they are back at home, but most importantly they are playing KC who SUCK!

Skins sign Reche Caldwell

Pretty good pickup. Lloyd is useless and probably the biggest mistake in Redskin history. His lack of effort in going for the deep ball against the Dolphins leading to an INT and then susequent lack of effort to run down the DB pretty much ruined any chance he had of seeing the field.

Caldwell is a proven veteran who had 61 catches last year and led the Pats in receptions. He should be a solid #3 WR.

Joke - Rate it.

What do you get when you cross a donkey with an onion?

A piece of ass that will bring tears to your eyes!

Redskins and Bears this weekend.

Redskins:

I expect the 'Skins to win 20-13 this week against Miami. The defense's solid play from the preseason will carry over into the season opener. They will get at least one sack and one turnover. JC will have a solid game and the 'Skins will win this "must win" game at home.

Bears:

It's a good game with two of the better teams in football. However, the Chargers will prove too much for the Bears. Rexy will have at least one turnover. The Bear running game will struggle and the Bears D won't be able to stop the Charger offense. Bears lose 24-17.

Haugh's latest article for RobsObs

Very complimentary on Dvoracek, the team/organization, and even Rexy. http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/askthewriter/cs-070906askhaugh,1,2033013.column?page=1&coll=cs-bears-headlines

Second Joke of the Day - Rate (1-5)

An old man was in bed with his wife when suddenly he let out a loud fart. He yelled, "7 points!"
His wife looked at him and said, "What the hell are you doing?"

He simply replied, "Just playing bed football."

Ten minutes later the wife let a loud one and said, "Tie game - 7-7."

The husband's competitive side kicked in and he started starting straining... when suddenly he crapped his pants! His wife looks over and said, "Now what's the score?"

He said, "Still 7-7. End of quarter switch sides!!!"

Haugh's latest article on the Turners (Ron and Norv).

A nice piece commending the two brothers. It notest the differences between the two but all in all it is very complimentary. Bottom line, it is far from Bear bashing.

Joke of the day - Rate it on a scale of 1-5

A lady goes into a bar with her goose. Then the bartender comes up to her and says, "Why did you have to bring the pig in with you?" Then the lady answered, "Excuse me, I think this is a goose."And the bartender says, ''Excuse me, I was talking to the goose.''

Haugh's last two articles - on the O line and T. Harris

These two articles are far from bashing.

The first article on the line (http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/cs-070902haugh,1,3485129.column?coll=cs-bears-headlines) talks about the injuries to Hester and Olsen put a little bit of a damper on the passing game and also mentions that the running game has not performed well in the preseason (this is a fact) but it goes on to say that the O-line is a solid group of veterans. Yes, they are old but they are good. That is the underlying theme of the article.

The second article is about Tommie Harris and his wanting to get after Rivers for talking trash during the filming of an LT Nike commercial (http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/cs-070903haugh,1,3878346.column?coll=cs-bears-headlines). Additionally, he also gives a lot of credit to the Bears personnel department for being able to bring in quality players.

Again, contrary to RobsObs views, Haugh is not a hater. RobsObs has been so wishy washy on what Haugh is that he has confused even himself.

Haugh's latest article.

It's far from hating. The article discusses former Bear QB coach Wade Wilson's involvement with HGH and some speculation that it could have involved Bear players. Haugh lets it be known that the involvement ended with Wilson and no other Bears were or should be implicated. (http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/cs-070901haugh,1,3091912.column?coll=cs-bears-headlines).

If Haugh was truly the hater that RobsObs believes him to be, he could have easily cast doubt on the Bear team and "implied" that some of the Bears were involved in the taking of HGH as well. Haugh defends the Bears and the staff and makes sure it is known that Wilson acted on his own. He is also somewhat defensive of Wilson saying that he only took it for treatment for his diabetes and that he did it on his own seeking the drugs on the internet as opposed to the Bears doctors/trainers because he is a very private individual.

I am sure RobsObs will view the article differently and because he is ULTRA sensitive when it comes to his Bears, he will find some tiny nugget in the article that is WAY down in the weeds that somehow will loosely imply that the article is negative and that Haugh is Bear hater #1.

Groh is on the HOT seat!

UVA lost badly to the powerhouse of Wyoming in its opener and do not look good. They lost 23-3 but worse they were dominated. They only mustered just over 100 yards of total offense (6 yards rushing for the game) and gave up nearly 500 yards of offense to Wyoming.

Maybe it was a bad week but it was bad. Not good for Groh who's job has to be on the line. He has been at UVA for several years and they are getting worse. He has been a good recruiter but that has not translated to wins on the field.

RobsObs is convinced that UVA will win 9 games this year and fortunately they only play one team ranked in the top 25 (VA Tech) but I still don't see how they pull out 9 wins. We'll see but I see them winning maybe 6.

UVA deserves better.

Redskins - Fight for 53

Redskins got down to their 53 man roster and no real surprises in the final cut. Renaldo Wynn was let go. He was old and sucked but was a decent representative of the team and seemed like a pretty good locker room guy. Still, he sucked. The thing that always got me was last year after every game, Wynn was the guy that was always being interviewed and had a lot to say but he never played. Whatever, he is gone.

Ade Jimoh was cut as well. No real loss. The only other key names cut were Omar Stoutmire, Jordan Palmer, Dallas Sartz, and Byron Westbrook (brother of Brian Westbrook). Again, no real losses here.

We did keep both Collins and Brunell but there is no decision yet on who is the #2 QB. Doesn't really matter to me. They are one and the same and capable but I am just glad JC is starting.

The other piece of news was that we signed Cooley to a long term extension and didn't have to break the bank on the guy. RobsObs was saying that everyone wanted out of D.C. and we would have to purge all our core guys. Didn't seem to happen in this case. Cooley is a good player and also a quality guy on the team. He enjoys being a 'Skin and seems to be a good team guy. All in all, I am pretty happy with the decisions the team made this year. I feel like we came a LONG way from the decisions we were making last year. We still don't have all the pieces together but still we seem like a far better team than we were last year and that is a positive sign.

Redskins Preseason Game #4

Pretty good. The starting offense played one series and had a near flawless drive (granted, it was against the Jags second team defense). Campbell was 5-5 for 55 yards and a TD to Randle-El. The only flaw was a 5 yard penalty on the second play of the game. Kendall looked much better than Pucillo or Wade so that was positive. We had some better runs which was also encouraging. Still, I was very pleased with Campbell. He showed maturity and patience. A couple of times he stepped up in the pocket and hit his receiver in stride (Cooley heading for the sideline). I also liked one play he wanted to go deep but it wasn't there so he checked off and hit Betts who was wide open as his safety valve. Betts ended up getting a nice gain out of the play. It was a nice way for Campbell to finish and head into the regular season.

The second team defense played pretty well. Kept the Jags to 10 points in the first half. Byron Westbrook missed a tackle and let in a Jag WR for a TD right before the half which may have cost him a spot on the roster. Brunell was solid in his play 4-5 for a TD in the first half. It will be interesting who gets the backup QB job. I don't particularly care. Collins and Brunell seem like one and the same to me.

Palmer came in to play QB in the second half and struggled. I didn't watch much of the second half which was pretty much everyone fighting for the final few special team jobs. Doesn't seem like we did that well as the Jags took control.

Still, all in all, I was pleased with the effort and now it's time to get ready for Miami. Can't wait.

Redskins Preseason Game #4 (Pregame)

The Redskins have suffered several injuries already in the preseason (thankfully none too serious). Namely, Jason Campbell, Marcus Washington, Chris Samuels, and Clinton Portis.

The final preseason game typically is meant for all the backups and to find out who is going to make it to the final 53 man roster. Campbell did not play in preseason game #3 due to injury and says he wants to play in the final game. I am a little apprehensive as I don't want the knee injury to be aggravated. It is of concern because the left side of the line is still far from solidified (Samuels won't be playing and who knows who will be playing at LG). On the flip side, it would be good if he could get some reps in to better prepare him for the regular season. Hopefully, he can play a series or two and get out of there with no further injury.

Also, I know CP doesn't want to play and wants to wait until the regular season but it would be good to also see him for a series or two just so that he can get a little action before the season. It is not critical because at this point a series or two is not going to make any difference for his conditioning but it would still be good to see him get out there.

Anyway, we'll see what happens tonight but again the game is primarily for the backups and to see who will make the final roster.

NFL Power Rankings.

ESPN has come out with their first power rankings list (see http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/powerranking?season=2007&week=1). They have the Bears ranked at 4 and the 'Skins at 19. Frankly, I was a little surprised that the 'Skins were ranked as high as they were but I based on previous ranking discussions, I think we all agree that you can't put too much into the rankings.

Joke of the day *08/29).

What is the definition of agony?

Agony: a one-armed man hanging off a cliff with itchy balls.

LETS GO CUBBIES!!!!

Cubs were down 3-0 to the Brewers yesterday in the first game of a big series but came back to win 5-3. It's a huge win as it pushes us 2 games in front of second place St. Louis (2.5 games ahead of the Brewers). We have our ace in Big Z going today against Milwaukee's ace, Ben Sheets, who is coming off of a finger injury and hasn't pitched since July.

The Cubbies got Soriano back in the lineup yesterday who is coming off of a hamstring injury so that is good news. He went 0-4 yesterday but just his presence has to inject some excitement into the team.

We are coming down the stretch here and hopefully the Cubs can hold on to the division lead. We all know that the playoffs are a second season and it doesn't matter what your record was in the regular season...anything can happen.

Thoughts on Vick.

First, let me say that I in no way support what Michael Vick did. His involvement in the dogfighting scandal and killing of dogs is disgusting and wrong on so many levels. He is an idiot for even participating in the scandal and associating himself with those involved. Moreover, the fact that he lied to his employer, to the commissioner, and to his fans is reprehensible. He is deserving of the punishment that he receives.

That said, he did genuinely seem contrite, embarrassed, disappointed, and apologetic when he spoke yesterday after his guilty plea. Hopefully, he can do what he said and spend his time off improving Michael Vick the person. We'll see if he ever makes it back to the NFL whether it is in 2 or 3 years. It will be interesting to see what he can do at that time and which team will open up to him. The interesting thing is that whenever he comes back, we will have somewhat forgotten about him but at the same time, I'm sure we will all hope to see the same athletic and flashy Vick that we remembered. We'll see what he will produce.

The thing that I find so interesting is how much attention this story has gotten. With all the serious issues this country and world faces, the number one story that we hear about is Michael Vick. As reprehensible as Vick's involvement in dogfighting is, does this story supercede the issues we face in Iraq? Or our economy? Or the number of other more serious crimes that take place on a daily basis? This society is so backwards. Our fascination with stars falling is ridiculous. Why do we care so much about Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, etc. and their drunkeness and stints in rehab? I suppose in some perverse way we like to see stars fall and it somehow makes our lives more interesting but in truth, it's sad. We follow these stories but people don't even understand the basics of what is taking place in the world and here in our country. The President can simply make claims and people will take those claims as truth because the majority of people will not do the minimal about of investigative reading to determine whether those claims are true or not. Instead, we want to hear all about Michael Vick. Again, I am not condoning his actions and believe he is deserving of jail time but this story has gotten worldwide attention and Michael Vick has become public enemy #1.

There is a good article by Jemele Hill on ESPN's site about this whole issue (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hill/070827).

She mentions that even some of the previous athletes who have committed serious crimes have not been vilified like Vick. Namely, Ray Lewis who was once accused of being involved in the murders of two people or Leonard Little who killed someone while he was driving drunk. Their punishment was minimal compared to what Vick is going through.

The whole Vick story is sad. I do not pity him. Still, it is sad that he potentially threw his career away for nothing. He has embarrassed himself, his family, and his team by his actions. Again, I hope that he can better himself and learn from this mistake and that he can come back one day and be a player. No question he was fun to watch. The only other person I have seen who can single handedly take over a football game the way Vick can is VY (especially in the national title game against USC). Vick is an unbelievably spectacular player. I truly wish him well.

Equally important, I wish that our society could get it straight in terms of what is truly important in this world. Educate yourself. Understand what is taking place in the world. We need to make a return to news and not tabloid news. Sadly, this may be too much to ask for.

Lamborghini registered to Briggs found abandoned - Weird.

A damaged black Lamborghini registered to Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs was found abandoned early Monday alongside the Edens Expressway on the city's North Side, authorities said.

Illinois State Police officials said the 2007 Roadster, which had crashed into a light pole, was discovered around 3:15 a.m. on northbound I-94 near the Devon Avenue exit. "(The) registration comes back to Lance Briggs, however we don't know who was driving the car at the time," Master Sgt. Kyron St. Clair said.

Briggs contacted the Illinois State Police on Monday, and officers planned to meet with him later in the day, Master Sgt. Luis Gutierrez said. He said he did not have details about when or where the meeting would take place.

Bears spokesman Scott Hagel said Briggs was not injured, but declined to say if Briggs was in the vehicle when it crashed. He declined to say anything else about the incident.

Seems kind of weird to walk away from a $350K car that you just wrecked.