Deepie already put out some of his thoughts in the previous post but wanted to share my overall thoughts since my thoughts are better. : )
1. Good performance: Just an overall solid effort by the team. Like the calmness and athleticism of the team. We are much younger and it shows with guys appearing hungrier and faster. Also, coaches seem to have this team under control and everyone seems to be working from the same page. These are all huge positives.
2. Strong running game: Hightower seems to be a great fit for this team. He runs hard and can hit the hole well. The patented Shanny running game/zone blocking scheme seems to have taken effect. Saw some great blocking that created large holes for Hightower. Hightower has been impressive in each of the preseason games and he is running like a guy that is out to prove something. He is also playing for his hometown team. Again, all positives and hopefully this will continue into the regular season.
3. WRs seem to be fleshing itself out: It's clear that Moss and Gaffney are the starters with Armstrong being the third WR. Hankerson will make the team because of his upside (size and talent). The guy that is really creating a buzz in my opinion is Terrence Austin. He is a strong kick/punt returner and can also contribute as a WR on the offense. I'm not sure he is the guy that can break it like Banks so there may still be a spot for him but Austin can certainly be a contributor. Pretty certain this is the end of the road for our beloved Malcolm Kelly and not sure Stallworth will make the squad either. They don't add anything more than what we have in the other guys I mentioned.
4. Jarvis Jenkins: HUGE loss with his injury. He was having a great camp and was expected to be a big contributor to the defense so his loss hurts. You have to feel badly for him. The only thing you can hope for is a smooth recovery and his ability to come back next season strong (physically as well as mentally).
5. Defense: Very good effort. We were able to apply consistent pressure. D. Hall scored on a pick six. However, he also gave up a big TD pass. That's the thing about him. As a risk taker, he will make plays but he will probably give up some as well. You just hope that he makes more good plays than bad ones. Still, I like him and feel good with him back there. Kerrigan had a pretty good game but he had two offside penalties called on him that made 3rd and longs into 3rd and shorts. Those are easy mistakes to be corrected. All in all, good effort by this group.
6. QB play: Saved this for last. This is obviously the most pressing topic. Rexy got the start but both players played equal amount of time. I thought both players were largely even. I did like the drive that Rexy engineered ending with the TD to Moss. I would give the edge to Rexy but just slightly. Beck entered the game and his first pass was a deep fly to Armstrong. Each of them had some decent passes but each missed a couple of easy ones that could have kept drives alive. Again, don't think either one separated themself during this game. I still like Rexy as I think he gives us the best chance to win. Either way, I don't expect either one of these guys to last the entire season (whether it be due to injury or ineffective play) so I think both QBs will get their chance this season. Will be interesting to see who ultimately gets the nod. I will support whoever is chosen.
All in all a very good effort in what is considered the dress rehearsal to the regular season. Don't expect to see much, if at all, from the starters in the final preseason game. Regular season is just a week and a half away!
NFL...I LOVE THIS GAME!!!!
HAIL SKINS!!!!
30 comments:
Deadskin fans actually have hope for the future - unlike most years. That said, I think there is an unrealistic amount of optimism for this team. It is going to be an 8-8 team at best.
Pre-season results very rarely translate into similar regular season results.
The running game does look pretty good, but there is no defensive scheming yet. I think the O-line will have trouble with pass protection. Lictensteiger and Montgomery are not all of a sudden going to become real NFL starters.
The defense is old/slow at linebacker and will have coverage problems. I do like Kerrigan and Orakpo, and Cofield may be a player. However, the problem that I see for them is that with the front 7 they have, they are going to be worn down by halftime because of the lack of quality depth beyond those three guys.
Rexy should start. Glenn Beck will not win games for the Deadskins in the regular season.
But at least they are making some progress.
I agree with a portion of your comments.
I agree that preseason results are not an accurate indicator of regular season results. However, there is a clear difference in the improvement of the current team vs. previous years in terms of youth and speed and competitiveness. That is a HUGE step in the right direction.
We'll see how well the O line gels/performs. I am pretty happy with what they have accomplished thus far. Frankly, most teams have issues with their O lines so I am okay for right now.
Defense is "old/slow at linebacker." WHAT?!!! Osakpo and Kerrigan are very young and fast. Fletcher is older but runs better than most guys half his age and has gone to the Pro Bowl the last two years (albeit in as an alternate). He still flies around and will probably lead the team in tackles again as well as be a top tackler in the league. Either Rocky McIntosh, Keyaron Fox, or Perry Riley will assume the other LB spot and all are under 30 years of age. None are spectacular but all are solid so not sure how you can say that the LB are "old/slow." That's where you lose us, Robs. That's where your comments are discounted.
The front 3 are solid but the loss of Jenkins REALLY hurts. We could use more depth there but our personnel at those spots is INFINITELY better than what we had.
Sure, there is little defensive scheming in preseason but there is little offensive schemin as well. Now I recognize the Skins apparently did some more scheming for the Ravens game and it showed. I was pleased with the effectiveness of our offense against a quality defense. Sure, you can say that they didn't scheme at all but this is football and the Ravens have quality players that got beaten.
LaVar said it best (and I assume you would agree that he knows more than you about professional football and the locker rooms) saying that these games don't count but they do matter. You want to see effort and players play with emotion and pride and there is no doubt that we are seeing that in these preseason games.
I don't have delusions of grandeur but I do like the direction of the team and hopefully it continues on its current (war)path.
I have to agree with JKSD regarding Robs' extreme views on the quality of the Redskins' LBs. McIntosh is a solid linebacker who recorded over 100 tackles last year. He is probably the weakest link in the group due to being undersized for the 3-4. Kerrigan is a rookie, which may present some problems for the unit, but that's to be expected. To say the unit is old and slow is pretty ignorant. Fletcher IS old, but even Robs' would love to have him on his team. The dude can flat out play.
Losing Jenkins really hurts. He was looking like one of the more athletic DEs on the team. I am concerned about the depth at DE now, but not at NT. Cofield looks like the real deal and he'll have Bryant backing him up. I have complete confidence in having those two rotate in and out.
8-8 is still being optimistic. There are a bunch of new guys and, like Robs said, some are not starters on other teams. There are still some holes to fill. Regardless, the team looks hungry and they're getting on the same page. The current status of the team is much better than one could have imagined a month ago. I can't wait to see how we do against the Gigantics on 9/11.
OK, so you agree that 7-9 is where they are probably going to be. We may quibble a bit about linebackers - Kerrigan and Orakpo are rush linebackers, but we'll see if they are quality cover guys. McIntosh and Fletch are old and will be too slow to the ball.
The O-line may gel, but I don't think much of Lictensteiger and Montgomery. They are good backup guys, but are not likely to be particularly strong this year.
Doughty?
Not really sure what the point is about LaVar and preseason. Sure they can help build confidence but if you look at history there is no correlation between preseason records and season records. Last year the 49ers were 4-0 and dominated their preseason games - they sucked. The Bears were 0-4 and did not look particularly good. They won the North and ended up in the NFC title game. The Colts were 0-4 and had a pretty good year.
You guys are ripping on me on a small point about linebackers, but on the bigger issues of where the Deadskins will end up we are in total agreement. Don't focus on the small details - let's find common ground on the big things (which we seem to have).
I would probably agree that we will be in the 7-9 win range. Again, you can't expect everything to change overnight. The main point Deepie and I are trying to make is that the Skins appear to be headed in the right direction and continuing in that direction will lead to better results.
"Quibble a bit about linebackers?" Seems to me that we are more than "quibbling." What is your definition of old? McIntosh is 28 years old. Fletcher continues to play at a high level as proven by his Pro Bowl appearances and his play in the preseason. Frankly, Urlacher looks to be showing his age much more than Fletcher. Briggs will be turning 31 in a couple of months and is unhappy about his contract and will probably demand a trade at the end of the season. Then there is Nick "cock"Roach.
Yes, Kerrigan and Orakpo are rush LBs. It's called the 3-4. DeMarcus Ware is a LB. Terrell Suggs is a LB. Mario Williams is a LB. Their strong points are not pass coverage. Yes, they have to do it but their primary skills are to rush the QBs and be play makers. I imagine Kerrigan will struggle with pass protection as he is still learning the position. He reminds me of Orakpo as a rookie but Orakpo looks much more comfortable out there. I imagine Kerrigan will make the same improvements as Orakpo.
I'm not in love with Montgomery or Lichtensteiger but again you can only change so much in one offseason. These guys have performed pretty well in preseason so lets see how they hold up.
What about Doughty?
What is your point about LaVar? I already agreed that preseason success does not guarantee regular season success. So what's your point? Did you read what I wrote? Appears not but we are used to that.
Ripping on you? How so? Again, doesn't seem like a small point on LBs. You seem to think that 28 years of age is old. We seem to be in totally disagreement on the state of the LBs
Again, we seem to be in agreement on the number of wins. What I am not sure if we are in agreement with is the state of the team. Not sure if you think it is more of the same whereas Deepie and I recognize the difference in play and attitude and helps lay the foundation for future success. We have not seen this type of youth movement in years.
I've said there is hope.
Kerrigan and Orakpo play the same position. They will be exploited in pass coverage. You don't need two rush linebackers in the 3-4.
Fletch is old and Rocky is fragile like an old guy. The Deadskin linebackers will be a liability. Let's just wait and see.
Oh yeah, and about LaVar. I read what you wrote, but most teams/players play with effort and emotion - they are working for jobs. I don't see anything different for the Deadskins than any other teams.
Remember when Spurrier was coach and his preseason resulted in 30+ points per game? Plenty of emotion, plenty of effort. Regular season - NOTHING!
What about Doughty? He is going to be the de facto starter because of injuries. He is a major liability, and he is symptomatic of what is wrong with the Deadskins - a general lack of talent.
Look - we agree on 7-9 - so we are generally in agreement. If the Deadskins have enough talent they will be 9-7 or better. We'll see.
Robs got me thinking...
QBs - a weakness. Beck or Rex, the QB's job will be not to lose games. All we can hope for is a serviceable QB who improves over the course of the season.
RBs - a strength. Hightower backed up by Helu is a HUGE upgrade over the past few seasons. Young and Sellers at HB are very good as well.
WR - meh. Moss is a legit #1 or #2. Everyone else is a #3. Someone needs to step up. I hope it's Hankerson because his speed and size are impressive. Too bad his hands aren't.
TE - a strength. I don't think you can ask for much more production out of the position than what Cooley and Davis bring.
OL - a work-in-progress. Protection has been pretty good during the pre-season, but that's not saying much. Brown looks healthy at RT. Williams will continue to improve. The interior is suspect and I'm not sure about the depth.
Overall, the offense gets a B-/C+.
DE - Losing Jenkins is a huge blow. Depth is an issue now. A healthy Carriker helps. I'm not sure how good Bowen is yet...haven't seen enough.
DT - I said this yesterday. Cofield and Bryant are a strength. They look good.
OLB - Awesomeness! Osakpo's coverage skills are improving by all accounts and Kerrigan looks fast and strong on the other side. He'll blow a few coverage assignments, but I'll take it.
ILB - Fletcher is great. No question there. McIntosh is solid and deserves the starting job. It looks like Riley is the heir apparent and he looks fast. Depth is an issue though with McIntosh's knees and Fletcher's age.
CB - Hall is a top 10 CB in the league. I hate seeing him get burned once in while, but he makes up for it with good tackling and by creating turnovers. The new guy from B'more is a bit of an unknown to me. He didn't play well against the Steelers, so I'm not sure. Buchanon at the 3rd spot is solid.
S - With a healthy Landry...Awesomeness! With Doughty...Uh oh. Doughty blows. I commend him for his scrappiness and tenacity, but that doesn't change the fact that he blows. Otogwe is a huge upgrade.
Overall D - a solid C. If healthy, it's a solid B.
Special Teams - Hopefully Gano can kick field goals this season as well as he's kicking off. The punter seems adequate. Kick coverage is great.
Overall ST - B-
I see this team as having a bunch of B- grades. This should translate to 7 or 8 wins. Luck with the team's health and some pleasant surprises out of the QB spot could mean a playoff push. Let's hope for the best.
Hail Skins!
I largely agree with Deepie's assessment.
The point is that there have been huge strides this offseason and we are a much better football team. We were never going to correct all of the deficiencies but this is a good starting point.
We need to continue on this path and hopefully in another year or two we would be very competitiive. Time will tell.
Also, personally, I don't feel too bad about Doughty. The guy certainly cannot play FS as he does not have the speed to cover the field but at SS particularly playing closer to the line, he is okay. Obviously, I would much rather have Landry but I can live with Doughty.
Robs comment about the LBs being "old" still mystifies me. Not really sure how he can consider a squad with the ages of 23, 25, 28, and 36 (who is arguably the best of the bunch) can be considered old. Also, McIntosh has played in nearly every game since 2007 (when he became a starter) so it's not like he is Malcolm Kelly-esque in fragility.
It boils down to how we play on the field. I don't expect to be an unbelievable team this season. What I do expect to see is heart and competitiveness week in and week out and improvement specifically on defense. If that happens, I will be happy.
I said "old/slow at linebacker and will have coverage problems." You just seem to have narrowed all of your focus on the word "old" for some unknown reason.
Fletch is old and I am no big fan of Rocky. We'll see if they can actually hold down the fort at the inside backer positions. Basically Kerrigan and Orakpo are rush ends who I think will have trouble in space and with coverages.
That said, we all agree that this is a mediocre team at best. Sad that they have fallen so far that even with their huge strides they will likely be .500 or worse.
Okay so you are saying only Fletch is old and the rest are slow. Based on what? Orakpo has gotten much more comfortable at his position. I expect growing pains from Kerrigan in learning the position similar to what Orakpo faced as a rookie. The thing is he's a gifted athlete and willing to work. Will these guys be unbelievable in pass protection? Of course not but I imagine they will continue to improve but they will really show their strengths in putting pressure on the QBs. So I still don't understand your old/slow comment. If you are saying can they keep up with a WR, than I would agree. However, if you are asking can the inside LBs cover the TE streaking down the seam or the outside LBs covering the flat, I would disagree with you.
What do you mean "sad?"
You more than anyone recognized (and were all to happy to point out) the deficiencies with the team in previous years. It's obvious we had older players, lack of depth, and last year had a number of guys playing out of postion. Do you honestly expect that to get all corrected in one offseason? If so, than you really don't understand football/sports.
The point is that by ridding themselves of major distractions and releasing older/more expensive vets and focusing more on the draft and bringing in guys that better suit the system, we have taken steps in the right direction and improved the team. That said, you truly cannot expect the team to turn things around over night. There will be some transition time and growing pains but you can only hope that the sense of order, positive outlook by the organization, and hunger/desire the team is showing continues. This is how you can build a competitive team.
Even guys who got cut (Rabach) commend Shanny and the organization for the direction they are going in.
This is not same ole, same ole. That much is clear. However, all the pieces are not here yet. We have just started laying the foundation as opposed to trying to do patch work with band aids over large gashes which is what we did in the past.
Let me spell it out for you:
1. Fletch - old and slow
2. Rocky - slow
3. Orakpo/Kerrigan - suspect in pass coverage
Because Orakpo and Kerrigan basically play the same position - rush linebacker - and do not seem to have coverage skills, I think the linebacking corps will be suspect.
I've said there is actually hope for the future. That is the first thing I wrote.
The "sad" comment is that you think they have made quantum leaps and all you expect is 7-9. That shows how far the once great (pre-Snyder) franchise has truly fallen. TO ME THAT IS SAD.
Okay. Thank you for spelling it out for me.
Other than the fact that Fletch is 36 years of age, what proof do you have of him and McIntosh being slow? It is purely your opinion and not based on much.
Fletch is consistently one of the league's top tacklers and is constantly flying around the field. He does a good job of covering TEs down the seem as well. Doesn't seem like you have anything other than your opinion.
Great. You say that there is hope for the future so why is 7-9 wins so sad? Again, you have to walk before you can run. I can live with the 7-9 wins this year, if it means we have laid the foundation for improving more next year. Again, with all the issues we had the last few years, we weren't going to resolve all of them in one offseason. To think that could be done, is ridiculous. The hope is that you are building for the future and in a couple of years have a strong playoff team. Why is it sad to take steps in the right direction?
It is my opinion - just like pretty much everything that is ever written on every blog ever developed (including this one).
I expect Fletch and Rocky to be a step slow regularly. We'll see if I am correct.
It is sad that a once great franchise has made quantum leaps this off-season and because of those leaps you think they will go 7-9. That is what the Cincy fans hope this year. That is what Lions fans dream of most years.
Look at where the Deadskins now find themselves - oh how they have fallen from the greatness of the JKC era.
Even with all of the hope that you have, I think you would agree that there is more of a chance that they will end up 4-12 than 10-6. A lot has to go right for them to get to .500.
"Sad" is the perspective that a non-fan/hater takes. Robs is dwelling on the years of ineptitude caused by Snyderatto. This is the 2nd year of a rebuilding process that begins with the core of the organization. By all accounts, Snyder is far less involved with football operations. Shanallenhan is in charge and it's starting to show in the make-up of the team. It will take some time, but we're clearly headed in the right direction. The recent history of the team may be sad, but the current organization is far from sad. I like where we're going and I'm going to enjoy the ride.
Hail Skins!
Boo Bears Fan!
I agree that things seem to be improving. If Glenn Beck is the QB, I think you can pretty much be sure the Deadskins will end up 5-11. Would that be sad?
I'm just curious on the over/under number that you would use to define "sad."
I think we can agree on this:
The Redskins 1993-2009 = Sad.
The 2010 Redskins = purging and extricating = growing pains = Hope
The 2011 Redskins = professional, young, hungry, improving talent = Promising.
The hope and promise will have to translate into greater positives to further shed the sadness factor that seems to be consuming Robs when he describes the Skins. All we can do is wait and see, but all signs point to improvement and that's not sad.
To answer your question...I think 6-10 would still be sad. 7-8 wins would be highly positive. Anything more would be the result of the Skins finally being on the receiving end of some good luck, which happens to good franchises.
OK, if they win more than 8, I will be impressed. 7-9 would be a positive step, then we can see if Shanny can reverse his reputation as being iffy on personnel choices in the past.
That was ultimately his downfall in Denver.
As is normally the case, I largely agree with Deepie and pretty much disagree with Robs.
BTW - not that I'm a Beck fan but the Glen Beck references really doesn't work.
I get Jeff Cutler or Jay George or Sexy Rexy or Good Rexy/Bad Rexy but Glen Beck has no context and doesn't work but you're free to write what you want. That's the beauty of America.
It's actually GlenN Beck.
So far the redskins lbs have done nothing and dont spell fear into any top offense. They def are improved with orakpo and kerrigan on the ends even if they cant cover they can make up in rushing the qb but its likely fletchs play will decline given his age and mac isnt great. He had lots of tackles because there was a none existant front 3. Still their defense isnt the problem. Its very clearly the offensive line they have. I cud be wrong but based on previous performance the O line will be a huge weakness that most will exploit. In preseason Defenses dont attack like they will in the regular season. Do you actually think in a regular season game that the Ravens vaunted first team defense would have given up that many scores to a fledgling skins offense?
Really there were always high hopes for the redskins of the past. Evrey year it was superbowl or bust. Hence the known extreme optimism of redskins nation. Dan Snyder has the reputation for winning the superbowl in free agency signing big name guys and getting fans worked up in the offseason. Even as recently as last year. Remember last years "are you in" campaign. The result was indeed sad. I just dont know how this is any different. Sure it appears that they are trying build a core group of guys...and the meddlesome dan snyder is taking a back seat bit the question is for how long will he stay tamed. its year two for shanny... and its very simple he has to get to 8 wins (not likely) or he is in trouble and danny will sabotage another hall of fame coachs plans for bringing this franchise to greatness. Most of Skins nation is ready to explode with superbowl or bust predictions after a meaningless preseason. I am not convinced until there are some real results. 6-10 7-9 means zero. There needs to be results. Its not until they can threaten for atleast a playoff spot that ill really say yeah shanny was a success or thatt he is taking the team in the rite direction. They have done nothing for 20 years. Whether they change remains to be seen. So far since we dont live in the 80s the redskins performance is not one i would correlate with a good franchise catgory..
I do believe they are better off this year than last year...and there is reason for optimism. Again my main question is can dan the man see this through. I mean it may not happen this or next year... variables lik injuries are hard to predict. there have been improvents made on paper almost across the board. After 20 years of bad luck the skims are due for some much needed good fortune. Maybe the offensive line gels better than expected
.. maybe kerrigan becomes the next clay matthews... maybe the defense becomes a top 5 defense. Im eager to see if it translates on the field.
Cant wait for sept 8.
MK was cut. JKSD, are you going to survive? I'm waiting for your eulogy posting on this MAJOR development.
Its about time... ofcourse hell go sign with some other team and become a pro bowler
JSR, the defense isn't a problem? They were the worst ranked defense last year. If that's not a problem, not sure what is. Frankly, that is the side of the ball I want/expect to see more improvement given the focus we seemed to take during the offseason (Cofield, Bowen, Jenkins, Kerrigan, Atogwe, etc.).
Sure, O line play will need to improve and hopefully another year in the system for these guys will help them gel.
As mentioned a number of times, preseason success doesn't guarantee anything but you cannot discount it either. You think the Ravens defense didn't care whether they gave up points? You think the Redskins offense is that anemic? Give the Skins a little bit of credit. A proud and talented group like the Ravens is still going to try and keep the Skins out of the end zone. Sure, there is little game scheming on both sides of the ball and much of the play is vanilla. However, at the core, it is football and it comes down to blocking and tackling and execution and you have to like the way the Skins played.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not on the bandwagon saying "Super Bowl!" However, as a fan, you have to like the approach taken this offseason compared to previous offseasons where we did go after the older, higher priced, more name recognized FAs. We overspent on these guys thinking we weren't far away from greatness. Whether it was blindness or attempts to market the team/brand more who knows. The thing is we seem more focused for the longer haul. Build from within. Start with an overhaul and scrap the older, slower vets and get younger and faster. That is not going to all happen in one offseason. Look at your beloved GB, they went to the 3-4 and struggled when they made the switch because they didn't have the personnel. They got younger and built around core guys and ultimately became a perennial strong team. I think most within the organization recognize that this is a rebuilding year and the focus will be less on getting to the Super Bowl and more on making sure we are making progress and guys are competing week in/week out as we continue to build and strengthen the team.
Danny Boy certainly seems to be moving away from football operations which is a good thing and we'll see if he continues or if he decides he can't stand that anymore and brings back Pepper Rogers and Cerrato and the rest of his buddies.
As far as the marketing campaigns like "Are you in?" Who cares? This is a business and like any business, you want to make money. Every team has their slogans or campaigns to try and generate sales/revenues. That is the NFL today.
Bottom line is that I think we all agree that the organization has been run poorly for the last several years but there appears to be optimism for the first time in a long time. We'll see how things translate on the field. I think more hopeful/less knowledgeable fans will expect greatness this year. I don't care about them. I consider myself pretty educated on football/sports and recognize that 7-9 wins this season and showing heart and toughness and improvement this year will be a success as we can build off of that and then hope for further improvement next year.
The real question is when Danny Boy loses patience and brings back Vinny.
Snyderatto III - CAN'T WAIT!
I def agree they have to show something positive this year. Whether its a 7-9 record... a four gam win streak at the end of the season, or an impeoved defense. But if they dont, the franchise is in serious trouble because of danny. I dont think the defense will be a problem this year assuming no major injuries. They have vastly improved the talent and most if the guys are in their second year in this defens. Its the offense that concerns me. And it starts with the offensive line. I cant judge how the offense has performed in the preseason because no defense they have played against is playing to their potential. But yeah the skins do seem more focused and there is a better attitude. I hope they play well and surprise us and win more than 7 games.
The loss of Jenkins really hurts but injuries happen to all teams and they have to move on.
JSR, from what you say, you can't judge any team's offense in the preseason because no defense is playing to their potential.
For what it is, you have to be impressed with what the offense has accomplished in the preseason. Again, that doesn't guarantee success in the regular season but you like that they are building confidence and trust in each other and that is big.
It will be interesting to gauge the Skins (and the Pears and Packers) once the regular season starts.
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