Solid performance. Here are some thoughts:
1. JC was solid. Would rate his performance as a "B." This would have been an "A" had he hit Moss on the bomb. Still, he played with confidence and was smart with the ball. He directed a couple of scoring drives and threw the ball downfield which is what we all wanted to see. I like JC. Unfortunately, people still demand perfection with him and he even joked around in post game interviews that the fans will still complain about him missing Moss on the bomb.
2. Disappointed with the defense. We played a lot of man to man and that's fine when you get pressure but we were inconsistent in that and that led to some big plays for the Pats. I like being aggressive and think we will have success against most teams during the season but the Brady and the Pats are smart at recognizing defenses and adjusting at the line and make the correct play. Defense will just have to play better.
3. Again, too many penalties. Need to be more disciplined.
4. Really like Marko Mitchell. Solid play and seems to be very humble and hard working. I know many people want him to be a starter but lets not get carried away with the guy. We need to keep in mind that he is going up against guys that most likely won't make the final roster.
5. The Colt train seems to have derailed. The love fest with him has faded and he did not do anything in my mind to separate himself from Daniel. Looks like that competition will come down to the final preseason game when both of them will get plenty o action. I think it will end up being Colt just because he has been in the system longer and he seems to get along with a lot of the guys.
Giants on Sept. 13. Can't wait!
HAIL TO THE REDSKINS!!!
34 comments:
I was very happy with the performance on Friday...Now I'm itching for the regular season to start.
To your points:
1. I agree about JC. He was solid and he showed that he can make the plays necessary to move the team downfield. When we fell behind 17-7 after a few 3-and-outs, I figured I'd have plenty to complain about JC. He turned it around though and tied it up. It was good to see. I hope this game helped him gain some much needed confidence.
2. I have mixed feelings about the D. We went up against probably the most explosive O in the league. Brady to Moss is as dynamic a combination as the league has ever seen. I'm not too concerned about D. Hall on Moss. I think the coverage schemes will improve as we go into the regular season...especially when Rogers comes back. I was a little disappointed in the not-so-impressive pressure the D-line applied. Haynesworth looked all-world for a few plays, then fizzled out. Also, even when he was double-teamed, the ends weren't getting to Brady. I'd like to see our front four be able to do more on its own, but the Pats' O-line and QB are great, so it's hard to complain.
3. The penalties sucked...especially D.Hall's facemask call. He reacted like he knew it was a bad play. Hopefully he takes getting burnt by Moss seriously and works on his technique. If he starts getting frustrated, we're in trouble.
4. Marko Mitchell looks good. Maybe we should only draft guys in the 1st and 7th rounds. We don't seem to have much luck with our picks in the middle rounds.
5. Colt never impressed me much. He's got a quick release and he usually gets rid of the ball quickly, but his arm strength and his mental blunders will cost him. If Daniel plays well against J'Hole this week, it'll be interesting to see who becomes the 3rd QB. I hope it's Colt because he seems like fiery leader...and Daniel is too short. In the end though, it depends on who makes consistent and smart plays.
HAIL 'SKINS!
As mentioned, I feel sorry for JC because he is under a microscope and fans/media are demanding perfection with him. It's not about the plays he made, it's about the plays he didn't make (even if it's not his fault). He said in the in game interview with Nantz and Simms that he understands that when things go bad everyone will point at the coach and the QB. However, it's not that simple. Like you said, we hit a dry spell after the first drive but what about Moss dropping that easy first down slant in that would have kept a drive alive? Moss dropped several passes last year. He dropped the one in the last game and he almost dropped another one on I think it was a screen set up for him. Point is that JC and Zorn both seem confident with where he is and lets give him a chance. This is a big year for him and I think he will be solid.
Not too worried about the D. Again, will wait for the regular season. Honestly, I got a whole new appreciation for Tom Brady watching that game. He doesn't have the greatest physical abilities but he more than makes up with it in his intensity and understanding of the game. You can see when he comes on the field the respect he garners and then, similar to P. Manning, being able to recognize the defense and making the necessary changes at the line to get a successful outcome. This comes with age, and being able to play in the same system with the same people for an extended amount of time. Hopefully JC gets the same opportunity here in D.C.
I don't think D. Hall intentionally tried to facemask the guy. I think his reaction was more that he knew he did it and he knew that it sucked.
I'm happy for Mitchell because he seems like a good guy.
I don't care much for Colt either but again, I think he has the inside track because he gets along with the players and coaches. Still, he did nothing to really separate himself against the Pats.
Another story that's caught my interest is the RB situation...mainly because Marcus Mason keeps looking like he belongs on the team (also the Alridge guy looked explosive as well). I think we may be in for a surprise when the final roster is set. Mason can obviously fill in at RB and with Devin Thomas looking like a truly explosive kick returner, Rock Cartwright may become expendable.
I know Rock is a beast on kick coverage...that's the one place where neither Mason or Thomas can fill Rock's shoes...But there comes a point where going with youth and inexpensive players becomes more important than sticking with the wiley veterans.
Also, where does Betts fit into all of this? If he's only marginally better than Mason, does keeping him and his multi-million dollar contract make sense?
It'll be interesting to see how this pans out.
Good point on the RBs. I agree that there could be a surprise. Aldridge looks more like the Sproles type of back.
Your rationale was similar to why we let Fincher go. Fincher has been a solid special teamer but the team felt that Fincher had reached his ceiling and we had similar players in those two LBs we drafted but they had more of an upside and potential.
Look, the reality is the Redskins suck and have no real chance. Just face it!
Look, Robs, Jeff Cutler is not going to show up at your door dressed in a Chicago Bear mascot outfit fitted with a 24" fully engorged dong ready to give you that Chicago butt pounding you so desperately crave. Just face it!
OK, OK, in reality here is what I say. It was good to see JC have a good game. I don't think it will silence his critics, but if he gets some consistency that will help keep them at bay.
The O-line seems to be playing fairly well. That is good.
The Redskins should stop trying to make Malcolm Kelly or Devin Thomas the #2, and give Marko a chance. The guy seems to be able to play.
It seems like Colt responded pretty well after his "pick 6" the other way. Those things happen.
This weekend's games are for the scrubs and won't really tell us much about anyone. It is time to get the season going.
I think Kelly could be a solid #2 WR.
I like Mitchell but would like to see him against first teamers. He's a rookie and he is showing a lot of promise but again, there is a big difference b/t 1s and the caliber of guys he is going against.
Agree that JC will have his critics and they won't really go away unless he strings together good performances that lead to victories. That is the only way he will silence all the haters.
Colt is okay but he will still need to perform in the final preseason game as will Chase. The final game is basically to see who will round out the 53 man roster so it will be played largely by 2nd and 3rd stringers.
Kelly is not aggressive enough. He doesn't seem to have any heart and his knees are too fragile.
He has the body of a receiver but not the toughness to play at a high level. I don't remember if it was this week or last week, but he totally wussed out on a jump ball toss from JC near the end zone. He twisted his body wrong and made a weak effort.
Maybe it was just one bad play - I don't watch him enough to know - but it looked weak.
It was this past week when he didn't position his body correctly for the jump ball. It's not a heart issue so much as a technique issue. It had nothing to do with being scared or wussing out. He just positioned himself wrong. That is easily correctable.
From all accounts in camp, he has been solid and has shown great hands. He has not had any knee or other injury issues in camp and has been totally healthy. In fact, it has been Thomas who has sat out practices with a sore hamstring so I'm not sure why you say that he doesn't seem to have any heart and his knees are too fragile. That just seems totally unfounded. If you have proof, please share it.
Take it easy Tiger!
If he is so great - where is he? I never see or hear of him making any plays.
They don't want him and Thomas to be washouts so they are trying to get one of them to emerge. Maybe he/they will, we'll see.
We weren't talking about him showing up. I agree that he (and Thomas) should have more production.
You were questioning his heart and that his body was breaking down. I have not seen any evidence of either of those issues. Was asking you for the proof. Seems like you don't have any so we will put the matter to bed.
I don't have any - it is just my opinion. Relax, he can prove me wrong.
Opinions based on nothing don't mean much.
Good day, sir!
They are opinions - nothing more, nothing less. I'm not claiming otherwise.
True but it's always better to have opinions based on something. I could have the opinion you go to sleep every night with your thumb up your ass. I may not know and it may not be based on anything but it's my opinion.
Hey, I heard that there is a Redskin that lives in a nice Ashburn community that has been seen hitting his teenage son with a bat above the knee and in the rib cage. A neighbor of his (she wouldn't say who it was) said she saw it and called the cops. She said that they told her that they would take care of it. They are keeping the whole thing hush hush.
She said that no one in the neighborhood likes him because he's always playing his music too loud outside and drinking with his friends. I find no issue with that, but hitting the kid with the bat is concerning. Perhaps that was one of Zorn's alternative training methods similar to having the quarterbacks slide on slip and slides. Is the putting the thumb in the rectal area one of Lovie Smith's alternative training methods?
What are you talking about the Redskin hitting his son with a bat? Never heard of this.
It was on Elliot in the morning this morning when I drove in. As I said, they lady said that the police were keeping it quite.
It was on Elliot in the morning this morning when I drove in. As I said, they lady said that the police were keeping it quite.
My opinion is based on what I see and the stats - just like yours are.
We'll see what happens during the season. My guess is that Malcolm Kelly won't deliver.
As for this Redskin hitting his son with a bat - it sounds a little fishy. Frankly, I don't believe it. But, stranger things have happened.
Where have you read/saw/heard this year that Kelly has suffered injuries to his body? Where have you read/saw/heard that Kelly has no heart?
You said that your opinion is based on what you see. Where have you seen those things? How can stats measure heart?
I watch the guy play!!! He looks like he can't play at a high level in the NFL.
He doesn't have any stats to contradict my opinion that he cannot play.
He has a history of knee problems.
We'll see if my opinion of him is correct or if yours is.
I think Rob has a good point about Kelly. We've been watching Hard Knocks this season and there are some really good tidbits about player evaluation that I have been picking up. The receiver position in this system is quite interesting. As you know, they need to be making the same reads as the quarterback and they have to be heads up for opportunities to block downfield. These two aspects of this system are mentally challenging to most receivers. They say Thomas and Kelly have more speed than Randle El, but if they are not anticipating and working themselves into the right position, they come across as being slower. I don't get it, but Thomas looks like he is slower this year than last year. At the end of the day, if the Skins let Brandon Marshall be traded to the Jets, which is being speculated, they will regret their decision to keep both of these guys. I also heard that Tavaris Jackson may be on the trading block. I don't think the timing is right for that move as his perceived value is probably lower than it should be.
Robs, you contradict yourself and change the argument so as not to admit your wrong.
You just said, "I watch the guy play!!! He looks like he can't play at a high level in the NFL."
However, earlier in the the posts you said, "Maybe it was just one bad play - I don't watch him enough to know - but it looked weak."
Again, you have questioned his heart/toughness and his fragile body but it is not based on anything. He hasn't even had a chance to play in the NFL. He was one of the most prolific WRs at Oklahoma. If you are going to pull stats, use those stats because that is when he played.
You say, "He has a history of knee problems." He suffered a knee injury in the Fiesta Game the season before he was drafted. He was still trying to recover from that injury last year in training camp and that slowed his development in learning the offense so when he was healthy, he wasn't ready to play because he didn't understand the offense. This is not like a Dusty Dvoracek who suffers a season ending injury getting a cup of Gatorade so I'm not sure why you think he is so brittle. He was completely healthy in high school and college until that injury. He was one of the few receivers to stay healthy all camp. So, again, not sure what argument you have that "his knees are too fragile."
Again, your original accusations were questioning his heart/toughness and his fragile body. We are not talking about whether he will become an All Pro. I'm not sure how good he will be. I just don't know how you can throw out opinions that have no merit.
Frankly, I cannot shape a good opinion on his toughness as I haven't seen much of his play. I did not watch him in college and he hasn't had an opportunity in the NFL yet. The one play you cited in my mind wasn't an issue of toughness but rather technique. Also, it was ONE PLAY!
He has a history of knee problems (the last year and a half).
I saw the play in question and was not impressed. I am not breaking film down of the guy. What little I have seen of him gives me the impression that he is not that great. He doesn't have any stats to make me think otherwise.
What is your problem? Are you the president of the Malcolm Kelly fan club?
It was ONE injury he suffered last year. That's it! It took a little while to rehabilitate but he's all better and has remained healthy all of mini camp, training camp, preseason.
Again, we're not talking about if he is going to be the second coming of Jerry Rice. You said he has no heart. You watched one play and are willing to make that claim. So if he comes back and makes a good catch diving over the middle in traffic, is he all of a sudden the most fearless WR in the history of all mankind?
Lets give the guy a chance before you start making unfair and unfounded accusations.
Malcolm Kelly had microfracture surgery during the offseason. It was needed due to bone fragments and incomplete healing of that knee injury he experienced in college that kept him out last year. It's a tough surgery to recover from, but from all accounts, he's doing well. This will be the first season we can evaluate him as an NFL receiver. Describing him as having no heart and/or having weak knees is premature. Most receivers take 2-3 years in the NFL to establish themselves. Those coming off of microfracture surgery should be given at least the same window of opportunity before being written off.
Looks like Deeps joined the Malcolm Kelly Fan Club. Now at least the meetings won't be just JKD sitting in a corner with his thumb up his arse while watching Malcolm Kelly's college football highlight reel.
It will be JKD sitting in a corner with Deeps thumb up his arse while watching Malcolm Kelly's college football highlight reel.
Robs...you should just worry about who your Bears' #1 receiver is going to be...and where to find another feather...That last one has got to be soiled by now given how much you've tickled your own arse-hole with it. And for Jobu's sake, get your ankles out from behind your head and put some pants on.
OK.
Robs,
All Deepie and I are saying is let the guy actually play before you form an opinion.
You seem willing to form an opinion based on one play.
Make a deal with you...I'll take my finger out of my arse if you take your head out of yours. Deal?
Naw, I know you wouldn't keep your end of the bargain.
Look, don't worry about my opinion about Kelly. He'll either perform or not - we'll see.
Just an excuse to keep your head up your ass. Enjoy!
Post a Comment