It's an interesting game in that the Rams were expected to be a much improved team coming into this season. However, they now find themselves at 0-3 and coming off of a thrashing against at home against the Ravens. There is no doubt that they can't afford to fall to 0-4 and take back to back losses at home. Should that happen, playoffs will be hard to attain, the fans will be very upset, and there will be talk of Spags being fired. I fully expect them to come out and play tough.
On the other side, the Skins are coming off of a tough loss against the Cowboys. We have a short week and have to travel again this time to St. Louis. The Skins have shown great energy and aggressiveness all season. I expect that to continue against the Rams. For the Skins, if they have any intentions of doing anything this season, this is a must win game. Experts are talking that they are much improved. Fans see them as improved. The team talk as though they are improved. If they truly believe they are what they are, they have to win this game and honestly do so in convincing fashion. It can't be a lucky play or this or that. They have to come out and take over this game. Also, the Skins have largely played disciplined football. That needs to continue. Winning this one and improving to 3-1 and holding on to the top spot in the East heading into the bye week will be huge.
Also, this is another opportunity for Rexy to show what he can do on the road. I mentioned that he looked tentative against the Rams. He needs to have that swagger and throw the ball with purpose. He didn't have his best game against the Cowboys and he will need to do better on Sunday.
In the end, I expect the Skins to handle the Rams. The Rams run defense is suspect so I expect Hightower and Helu and the O line to control the game against the Rams. The offense will control the clock and line of scrimmage. We will rush for at least 150 yards. I also expect the defense to be aggressive and get to Bradford a couple of times. The tough part is Bradford is good on the run. Guys have to stay home and be sure handed in their tackles because if he gets on the run, he can make a play. Still, I think we will force him into at least one turnover. Skins will win this one 24-13.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Cutler and Cavallari back together?
They have been texting recently. Great. More drama for the Pears and their QB.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Jeff Cutler isn't comfortable
Sacked 14 times thus far, Cutler seemed to describe the process of a quarterback becoming shell-shocked from sacks, pressures, and extraneous hits after the throw.
"You talk to any quarterback. Whenever you're getting a lot of pressure and you're getting flushed, and you're getting hit a lot, that clock in your head is gonna be tinkered a little bit," Cutler said. "It's gonna start ticking a little bit faster. Even sometimes when you do have a good amount of time, you're gonna be feeling it even if it's not there."
Perhaps the phenomenon Cutler described explains his inaccurate showing in Sunday's loss to the Green Bay Packers. Cutler suffered just three sacks in that game, but reverted to shoddy mechanics -- such as throwing off his back foot -- and misfired on several attempts, despite having what seemed like plenty of time to throw.
As I had mentioned, it was clear watching that Cutler wasn't comfortable and he doesn't trust his O line. I believe Robs has said that it is a good group. I don't see it. The numbers don't support it. The QB is saying it. However, I believe Robs still maintains his position. Whatever.
"You talk to any quarterback. Whenever you're getting a lot of pressure and you're getting flushed, and you're getting hit a lot, that clock in your head is gonna be tinkered a little bit," Cutler said. "It's gonna start ticking a little bit faster. Even sometimes when you do have a good amount of time, you're gonna be feeling it even if it's not there."
Perhaps the phenomenon Cutler described explains his inaccurate showing in Sunday's loss to the Green Bay Packers. Cutler suffered just three sacks in that game, but reverted to shoddy mechanics -- such as throwing off his back foot -- and misfired on several attempts, despite having what seemed like plenty of time to throw.
As I had mentioned, it was clear watching that Cutler wasn't comfortable and he doesn't trust his O line. I believe Robs has said that it is a good group. I don't see it. The numbers don't support it. The QB is saying it. However, I believe Robs still maintains his position. Whatever.
Sox and Rays down to the wire
So unless the Cubs are in the race, I typically don't care too much about baseball. However, the Sox are in the midst of a monumental collapse. They led the wild card race by a number of games but just as they started the season, they are finishing in horrible fashion and have allowed the Rays to climb back into the race. These two teams find themselves tied for the Wild Card spot after 161 games of baseball.
I do find this interesting that after so many games, it all comes down to one game tonight. The Sox will start their ace Jon Lester tonight against the O's in Baltimore while the Rays start their ace David Price against the Yankees. The interesting part is the Yankees, who hate the Sox, have a say in who is going to go. They could rest their starters and lighten up on the Rays and allow them to win.
Again, not a huge baseball fan but I do have some interest in what happens tonight.
I do find this interesting that after so many games, it all comes down to one game tonight. The Sox will start their ace Jon Lester tonight against the O's in Baltimore while the Rays start their ace David Price against the Yankees. The interesting part is the Yankees, who hate the Sox, have a say in who is going to go. They could rest their starters and lighten up on the Rays and allow them to win.
Again, not a huge baseball fan but I do have some interest in what happens tonight.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
ESPN Power Rankings - Week 4
Pack hold on to the top spot.
Pears drop 8 spots to #18.
Skins drop 1 spot to #16.
Pears drop 8 spots to #18.
Skins drop 1 spot to #16.
Skins lose a heartbreaker to Cowboys
Final score 18-16. Tough loss but hard fought game. We led much of the game but just couldn't hang on there in the end. As with most games, there is always good and bad. I'll start with the good:
1. Good defense: All in all a very good effort. Thought we did a pretty good job of mixing things up and disguising blitzes. By in large the DBs did pretty well. Kerrigan was better than I thought in pass coverage as he had to run with Witten which is hard for even the best cover LBs. I felt like this group did enough for us to win the game.
2. Good O line play: Dallas likes to attack and send at least 7 guys in the box. Again, for much of the game, Rexy had time to throw. Running game was okay. Looked like it was getting better as the game went on which is what you hope for/expect.
3. Gano: Made all the kicks that he could including a 50 yarder. His kickoffs were all deep and to the left. He did a lot this game to better entrench him as the kicker.
4. Dirty 30: World of difference with him out there. He's fast and aggressive and made a number of plays that Doughty would have no chance at making. He's a force and certainly makes our defense that much better.
5. Coaching: This one is debatable. However, outside a few questionable calls, I was happy with the coaching. We committed to the run and had good balance. I was comfortable with the coaching, we just need to execute better.
Now for the bad:
1. Rexy: He wasn't horrible but I can't say that he was good. He looked tentative out there and looked like he was lacking his confidence and didn't seem to have much zip on his passes. His INT was horrible. Not only did it seem like he didn't see Lee but the pass was soft and underthrown...an easy pick. His fumbles are annoying. When he scrambles, he is SO concerned about getting hit and he keeps looking back. Just tuck the freaking ball and run! Even on the play in the 4th where it looked like he fumbled but they just called it a sack, he wrapped the ball up but he lets go of it and puts his hands down to brace for the fall. He has to hold on to the ball! Still, it wasn't a horrible game by him. He did have some nice passes but we needed him to do a little more. Come up with one or two more plays and he couldn't do it. Again, I am more bothered with what I thought was apprehension and lack of confidence in him.
2. 3rd and 21 call: I REALLY didn't like the all out blitz. I could deal with it on 2nd down but I was saying to myself that on 3rd down Romo will have isolation on a WR and just throw a fly for a jump ball. When we were showing it, I was REALLY hoping we were faking and guys would back out of it in coverage. The blitz was high risk/high reward and we didn't get immediate pressure and Romo backed up a fair amount and rolled out and 9 times out of 10 the WR will make that play. People are all on D. Hall but that is a very difficult play for a DB to make.
3. Turf: What was up with the turf? Our RBs were slipping left and right. They couldn't cut and it clearly affected some of our runs.
4. Muffed snap: The botched snap could have been the difference in the game. Rocca is proving to be a very good punter but the botched snap hurt. In a close game, a FG can be the difference and that one hurt.
5. Skins fans: I have already mentioned that Rexy wasn't great but was watching some Comcast post game and the texts coming in were ridiculous. Before the game, the texts were super supportive of the Skins and some for Rexy but after it was all doom and gloom. Get rid of Rexy and D. Hall and this and that. It's great that Skins fans are passionate but by and large they are idiots.
It was a tough loss. We had a chance to get a tough divisional win on the road and move to 3-0 but it wasn't to be. Romo did a great job of directing the victory. He had a lot of adversity with WRs not knowing where to line up and an inept C who fell prey to the defense barking fake snaps and releasing the ball when Romo wasn't ready. It's too bad that just one of those bad snaps didn't go our way. Still, we fought hard and guys really seemed upset with the loss. I like that. There is an expectation to win that we have not seen in some time. I thought Rexy was a little too down. In the post game press conference, he looked really upset. He, along with the team, is going to have to pick themselves up and get ready for St. Louis on a short week.
St. Louis has been pretty disappointing this season as I think many people expected them to be an improved team. They are coming off of a Ravens thrashing so I imagine they will be pumped up. Basically, have to dust this one off and move forward.
HAIL SKINS!!!
1. Good defense: All in all a very good effort. Thought we did a pretty good job of mixing things up and disguising blitzes. By in large the DBs did pretty well. Kerrigan was better than I thought in pass coverage as he had to run with Witten which is hard for even the best cover LBs. I felt like this group did enough for us to win the game.
2. Good O line play: Dallas likes to attack and send at least 7 guys in the box. Again, for much of the game, Rexy had time to throw. Running game was okay. Looked like it was getting better as the game went on which is what you hope for/expect.
3. Gano: Made all the kicks that he could including a 50 yarder. His kickoffs were all deep and to the left. He did a lot this game to better entrench him as the kicker.
4. Dirty 30: World of difference with him out there. He's fast and aggressive and made a number of plays that Doughty would have no chance at making. He's a force and certainly makes our defense that much better.
5. Coaching: This one is debatable. However, outside a few questionable calls, I was happy with the coaching. We committed to the run and had good balance. I was comfortable with the coaching, we just need to execute better.
Now for the bad:
1. Rexy: He wasn't horrible but I can't say that he was good. He looked tentative out there and looked like he was lacking his confidence and didn't seem to have much zip on his passes. His INT was horrible. Not only did it seem like he didn't see Lee but the pass was soft and underthrown...an easy pick. His fumbles are annoying. When he scrambles, he is SO concerned about getting hit and he keeps looking back. Just tuck the freaking ball and run! Even on the play in the 4th where it looked like he fumbled but they just called it a sack, he wrapped the ball up but he lets go of it and puts his hands down to brace for the fall. He has to hold on to the ball! Still, it wasn't a horrible game by him. He did have some nice passes but we needed him to do a little more. Come up with one or two more plays and he couldn't do it. Again, I am more bothered with what I thought was apprehension and lack of confidence in him.
2. 3rd and 21 call: I REALLY didn't like the all out blitz. I could deal with it on 2nd down but I was saying to myself that on 3rd down Romo will have isolation on a WR and just throw a fly for a jump ball. When we were showing it, I was REALLY hoping we were faking and guys would back out of it in coverage. The blitz was high risk/high reward and we didn't get immediate pressure and Romo backed up a fair amount and rolled out and 9 times out of 10 the WR will make that play. People are all on D. Hall but that is a very difficult play for a DB to make.
3. Turf: What was up with the turf? Our RBs were slipping left and right. They couldn't cut and it clearly affected some of our runs.
4. Muffed snap: The botched snap could have been the difference in the game. Rocca is proving to be a very good punter but the botched snap hurt. In a close game, a FG can be the difference and that one hurt.
5. Skins fans: I have already mentioned that Rexy wasn't great but was watching some Comcast post game and the texts coming in were ridiculous. Before the game, the texts were super supportive of the Skins and some for Rexy but after it was all doom and gloom. Get rid of Rexy and D. Hall and this and that. It's great that Skins fans are passionate but by and large they are idiots.
It was a tough loss. We had a chance to get a tough divisional win on the road and move to 3-0 but it wasn't to be. Romo did a great job of directing the victory. He had a lot of adversity with WRs not knowing where to line up and an inept C who fell prey to the defense barking fake snaps and releasing the ball when Romo wasn't ready. It's too bad that just one of those bad snaps didn't go our way. Still, we fought hard and guys really seemed upset with the loss. I like that. There is an expectation to win that we have not seen in some time. I thought Rexy was a little too down. In the post game press conference, he looked really upset. He, along with the team, is going to have to pick themselves up and get ready for St. Louis on a short week.
St. Louis has been pretty disappointing this season as I think many people expected them to be an improved team. They are coming off of a Ravens thrashing so I imagine they will be pumped up. Basically, have to dust this one off and move forward.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Shift in balance in the NFL
We are almost through week 3 in the NFL and teams are beginning to fall into place. A few of the more surprising early season happenings:
1. The Lions and Bills are looking more and more legit. Both are 3-0 and certainly with the Bills knocking off the Pats yesterday, they cannot be overlooked. Oakland is also looking pretty good at 2-1 and having just knocked off the NY Jets. Happy for JC. The Skins look pretty good but tonight's game is a big test so don't want to throw them out there just yet.
2. Eagles have issues: After the acquisitions in the offseason, a lot of people thought they were going to be front runners. After week 3, they find themselves at 1-2 and Vick is getting beaten up left and right. Their O line is a concern and the players do not seem have gelled. They also look like a team that thought they would be able to run over everyone. We'll see if the slow start gets them to refocus and play well.
3. Falcons are looking desperate: After their success last year, they figured they were a step or two away from the Super Bowl. They paid a steep price for Julio Jones but now they find themselves at 1-2 and don't look like the team from last season.
Other early season notes:
1. NFC West still looks sucky: The Seahawks, Cards, and Rams still look pretty weak. The 9ers are better but still seems like this is the weakest division in football.
2. The Pears are in trouble.
3. Puckers look strong and look like they're still hungry.
Most of the other teams are where you would think they would be. It's still very early in the season and there is a lot of football yet to be played and things can change very quickly.
1. The Lions and Bills are looking more and more legit. Both are 3-0 and certainly with the Bills knocking off the Pats yesterday, they cannot be overlooked. Oakland is also looking pretty good at 2-1 and having just knocked off the NY Jets. Happy for JC. The Skins look pretty good but tonight's game is a big test so don't want to throw them out there just yet.
2. Eagles have issues: After the acquisitions in the offseason, a lot of people thought they were going to be front runners. After week 3, they find themselves at 1-2 and Vick is getting beaten up left and right. Their O line is a concern and the players do not seem have gelled. They also look like a team that thought they would be able to run over everyone. We'll see if the slow start gets them to refocus and play well.
3. Falcons are looking desperate: After their success last year, they figured they were a step or two away from the Super Bowl. They paid a steep price for Julio Jones but now they find themselves at 1-2 and don't look like the team from last season.
Other early season notes:
1. NFC West still looks sucky: The Seahawks, Cards, and Rams still look pretty weak. The 9ers are better but still seems like this is the weakest division in football.
2. The Pears are in trouble.
3. Puckers look strong and look like they're still hungry.
Most of the other teams are where you would think they would be. It's still very early in the season and there is a lot of football yet to be played and things can change very quickly.
CEAFOD - Week 3
My team SUCKS!!! I am an embarrassment to my fans, my opponents, and myself!!!
I am like the Eagles. I came into the season with much fanfare because of my previous success. My draft was solid. I am consistently one of the highest projected teams week in/week out but then my team blows it on Sundays!!! I score barely half of my projected points. I lost to the freaking Rookie Brits who has never played this freaking game and isn't even from this country!!! They took the freaking Philadelphia D with their first pick (#2 overall). EMBARRASSING!!!!
I'm about to cut the entire team and get guys that want to play!!!
I am like the Eagles. I came into the season with much fanfare because of my previous success. My draft was solid. I am consistently one of the highest projected teams week in/week out but then my team blows it on Sundays!!! I score barely half of my projected points. I lost to the freaking Rookie Brits who has never played this freaking game and isn't even from this country!!! They took the freaking Philadelphia D with their first pick (#2 overall). EMBARRASSING!!!!
I'm about to cut the entire team and get guys that want to play!!!
Friday, September 23, 2011
Rexy believes the Skins have the best WRs
So I enjoy Rexy's confidence and I know that is a big reason the players and coaches like him but he can really go off some times. Now Rexy is saying that he believes that the Washington Redskins have the best wide receiving corps in the NFL.
Surveying the unit, which is led by Santana Moss, Jabar Gaffney and Anthony Armstrong, Grossman said he finds himself surrounded by one talented wideout after another and noted that he shares a strong bond with all of them, which the quarterback said makes a big difference for a quarterback.
“I trust all of them,” Grossman said. “This is the best receiving wide receiving corps in the league, in my opinion, from top to bottom. Everybody’s a great player. Anthony Armstrong can do special things. He’s fast, so he gets people off him. He can make big plays, Santana’s great, Jabar’s great. So, everybody has a role and collectively, they’re one of the best.”
I think it's great that he has trust and built chemistry with them. It does go a long way and they genuinely seem to have a bond with each other so his comment isn't so far fetched. You look at Ocho Stinko in NE and he still has talent but he doesn't have the bond with Brady. Hopefully this chemistry shows itself on Monday.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Surveying the unit, which is led by Santana Moss, Jabar Gaffney and Anthony Armstrong, Grossman said he finds himself surrounded by one talented wideout after another and noted that he shares a strong bond with all of them, which the quarterback said makes a big difference for a quarterback.
“I trust all of them,” Grossman said. “This is the best receiving wide receiving corps in the league, in my opinion, from top to bottom. Everybody’s a great player. Anthony Armstrong can do special things. He’s fast, so he gets people off him. He can make big plays, Santana’s great, Jabar’s great. So, everybody has a role and collectively, they’re one of the best.”
I think it's great that he has trust and built chemistry with them. It does go a long way and they genuinely seem to have a bond with each other so his comment isn't so far fetched. You look at Ocho Stinko in NE and he still has talent but he doesn't have the bond with Brady. Hopefully this chemistry shows itself on Monday.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Skins vs. Cowboys prediction
Good NFC East matchup on MNF. Cowboys are suffering injuries to Homo, Austin, and Jones. Looks like Homo and Jones will play but Austin will be out allowing that reality star, Holley, and opportunity to play.
Skins may be getting Landry back which would be big. He is still limited in practice and I'm sure the coaches want to take their time with him as they don't want him to suffer any setbacks.
The Skins will certainly be bringing pressure to try and get a few hits on Homo. Frankly, Kitna is a good backup and I wouldn't mind seeing Romo in their for the duration. I think we will get to the QB a few times and force a couple of turnovers.
Offensively, it's a HUGE game for Rexy. He seems to save his worst games for national tv. People around the league are talking about his solid play, this is an opportunity for him to prove to his critics he is a legitimate starter in this league. I have grown to enjoy watching Rexy play and I love his confidence. I think he will do well and move the ball down the field spreading it out to all receivers. I expect Davis to get more balls as he creates big mismatches and seems to have supplanted Cooley as the #1 TE. I also expect strong running from the Hightower/Helu combo.
A big key will be red zone offense for the Skins. I think the Skins are really excited about this matchup. It's interesting because Rexy kind of epitomizes the Skins. Just as he wants to show what he can do, the Skins will want to show what they can do. 27-17 Skins.
Skins may be getting Landry back which would be big. He is still limited in practice and I'm sure the coaches want to take their time with him as they don't want him to suffer any setbacks.
The Skins will certainly be bringing pressure to try and get a few hits on Homo. Frankly, Kitna is a good backup and I wouldn't mind seeing Romo in their for the duration. I think we will get to the QB a few times and force a couple of turnovers.
Offensively, it's a HUGE game for Rexy. He seems to save his worst games for national tv. People around the league are talking about his solid play, this is an opportunity for him to prove to his critics he is a legitimate starter in this league. I have grown to enjoy watching Rexy play and I love his confidence. I think he will do well and move the ball down the field spreading it out to all receivers. I expect Davis to get more balls as he creates big mismatches and seems to have supplanted Cooley as the #1 TE. I also expect strong running from the Hightower/Helu combo.
A big key will be red zone offense for the Skins. I think the Skins are really excited about this matchup. It's interesting because Rexy kind of epitomizes the Skins. Just as he wants to show what he can do, the Skins will want to show what they can do. 27-17 Skins.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
D. Hall targeting Romo's rib
Answering a question about targeting Romo's rib, D. Hall responded with, "Absolutely. I want to get a chance to put my helmet on whatever's hurt," Hall said. "Romo's ribs -- I'm going to be asking for some corner blitzes. If I know Felix Jones' shoulder's hurt, I'm not going to cut him. I'm definitely going to try to hit him up high, so that's just part of it.
"If you know something's wrong with an opponent, you're going to try to target in on that. We're going to try to definitely get as many hits on that team as possible."
Hall was asked if Romo should just go ahead and put a target on the rib that was broken.
"He ain't got to," Hall said. "I already know where it is. We'll be all right. We find it. I'll find it."
This can come across as dirty but he is only saying what all players do. When ever an opposing player has an injury, there is no question opposing players go after that guy with intent to aggravate the injury. If anyone believes otherwise, they are just naive.
"If you know something's wrong with an opponent, you're going to try to target in on that. We're going to try to definitely get as many hits on that team as possible."
Hall was asked if Romo should just go ahead and put a target on the rib that was broken.
"He ain't got to," Hall said. "I already know where it is. We'll be all right. We find it. I'll find it."
This can come across as dirty but he is only saying what all players do. When ever an opposing player has an injury, there is no question opposing players go after that guy with intent to aggravate the injury. If anyone believes otherwise, they are just naive.
Cutler says he can't last the way things are
After being sacked 11 times in the season's first two games, Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler said Wednesday he's unsure he can last the season at this pace.
"I don't know," Cutler said in a raspy voice, the result of a kick to the throat early in the third quarter of Sunday's 30-13 loss to the New Orleans Saints. "I don't know."
I don't blame the guy. He's been abused last season and can expect more of the same this season. I'm sure he hates it particularly coming from Denver where he was rarely hit.
There's no question Clay Matthews and Co. will be coming after Cutler. They are ranked 4th in sacks and if Cutler gets hit early, he will tune out. It's a tough predicament to be in. The Pears only hopes are to run and be successful at it and/or set up short screens to other people besides Forte.
"I don't know," Cutler said in a raspy voice, the result of a kick to the throat early in the third quarter of Sunday's 30-13 loss to the New Orleans Saints. "I don't know."
I don't blame the guy. He's been abused last season and can expect more of the same this season. I'm sure he hates it particularly coming from Denver where he was rarely hit.
There's no question Clay Matthews and Co. will be coming after Cutler. They are ranked 4th in sacks and if Cutler gets hit early, he will tune out. It's a tough predicament to be in. The Pears only hopes are to run and be successful at it and/or set up short screens to other people besides Forte.
Here comes Dirty 30!
Landry says that he is starving to get out there. He is practicing this week and it is in the coach's hands on whether he will play on Monday. Assuming he is going full speed, we will probably see him out there Monday night. It's a great game to get him back and obviously a HUGE upgrade over Doughty.
The only concern is that it being Dallas and MNF, the already super intense Landry may go nuts and not stay within his assignments. Still, I would rather see a super intense Landry than Doughty any day.
The only concern is that it being Dallas and MNF, the already super intense Landry may go nuts and not stay within his assignments. Still, I would rather see a super intense Landry than Doughty any day.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
ESPN NFL Power Rankings - Week 3
Pack hold on to the top spot.
Pears drop 3 spots to #10.
Skins climb 4 spots to #15.
Pears drop 3 spots to #10.
Skins climb 4 spots to #15.
London Fletcher
So Robs has never given much respect to London Fletcher and said before the season started that he was old and slow. It just is not the case. Fletcher has been one of the best at his position for years and is again having a strong season.
From ESPN's Dan Graziano, "Fletcher was all over the field Sunday, making five tackles, hitting Kolb twice and collecting an interception. He blitzed out of the Redskins' shifting, confusing defensive fronts as if he'd been playing in them his whole career. The Redskins' linebackers were the stars of the defensive show as the banged-up secondary kept losing players to injury, and Fletcher led them."
In fact, if you look at the numbers of Fletcher and Urlacher they are comparable and have been comparable over the last several years. In fact, it appears that Fletcher's numbers are better than Urlacher's.
For whatever reason, similar to the "experts," Robs doesn't give respect to Fletcher. It's similar to Robs case with Rexy. The numbers do not lie.
Again, Fletcher is one of the best at his position. The numbers do not indicate how big of a leader he is on the defense both in terms of coaching guys and motivating his entire team. There is no stat for that.
From ESPN's Dan Graziano, "Fletcher was all over the field Sunday, making five tackles, hitting Kolb twice and collecting an interception. He blitzed out of the Redskins' shifting, confusing defensive fronts as if he'd been playing in them his whole career. The Redskins' linebackers were the stars of the defensive show as the banged-up secondary kept losing players to injury, and Fletcher led them."
In fact, if you look at the numbers of Fletcher and Urlacher they are comparable and have been comparable over the last several years. In fact, it appears that Fletcher's numbers are better than Urlacher's.
For whatever reason, similar to the "experts," Robs doesn't give respect to Fletcher. It's similar to Robs case with Rexy. The numbers do not lie.
Again, Fletcher is one of the best at his position. The numbers do not indicate how big of a leader he is on the defense both in terms of coaching guys and motivating his entire team. There is no stat for that.
Monday, September 19, 2011
CEAFOD
I was a freaking 50 point favorite this week against RookieBrits but because of Maclin's 42 point performance and Brandon Lloyd not playing this week, I am going to freaking lose!!!
I have like an 8 point lead but he has Bradford going tonight. I can only hope Bradford either takes a shot and has to leave the game or just blows all together.
My team SUCKS!!!
I have like an 8 point lead but he has Bradford going tonight. I can only hope Bradford either takes a shot and has to leave the game or just blows all together.
My team SUCKS!!!
Skins beat Cards!
It went down to the wire but the Skins pulled out the win. We dominated the first half but for a variety of reasons the score was close. The Cards took the lead in the fourth and we had to fight back. What you love to see is that in previous years, the Skins would find ways to lose games and yesterday we found a way to win. A huge change in mindset and play and a great comeback win. It's these types of victories that help shape a team. Here are some of the keys/highlights:
1. Running game on track: Both Hightower and Helu had great games as they combined for 170 yards rushing. Helu is quickly becoming a fan favorite as the crowd cheered him with a Hel-UUUUUUUU after each of his carries. He had great vision and ran hard. Hightower was also very good at hitting the holes and running hard. They both did well in picking up the blitzes.
2. O line was very good: By and large the O line was very good as the Cards were coming early and often with the blitzes. Rexy had good protection most of the day and only took one sack. As mentioned, the running game was awesome and the line deserves much of the credit for creating some good holes. A much better performance over last week.
3. Fred Davis: He seems to quickly becoming a favorite target for Grossman. As mentioned last week, he has slimmed down and is more of a receiver type and can create good mismatches with those that try to cover him. He led the team in catches and had himself another TD.
4. Grossman was solid: Started out shaky as his INT in on the five yard line was a bad throw. Looked like it was going to shape up to be Bad Rexy but he came back and had himself a decent game. He had a number of balls tipped which was scary but he made the throws when he needed to and none bigger than the 4th and 3 TD pass to Moss in the fourth quarter. Wasn't as good as last week but certainly a solid performance. His second INT was neither his nor Armstrong's fault as Armstrong's shirt was grabbed and he wasn't able to get both hands on the ball resulting in Armstrong tipping it up and getting picked.
5. KERRAKPO!!!: Kerrigan and Osakpo each came away with their first sacks of the season. Both played extremely well. Kerrigan is quickly becoming a force on the defense. Love the tandem.
6. Defense: Great defense. We put Kolb under good pressure much of the game. Fletcher was solid on blitzes and had the INT. Outside the one deep TD to Fitz, he was largely in check. Another solid performance by a D that was ranked last in the NFL last season. As I mentioned, much of the offseason/preseason, with the moves the Skins made in the offseason, this is really where you wanted to see improvement.
7. Red Zone offense needs to improve: We dominated the first half in time of possession and yardage but could not get TDs. We have to learn to put some of these away. I am confident this will come but that certainly is an area that will have to improve.
Gano did have one FG blocked but it wasn't his fault. He ended up making the game winner but every time he is out there, I am holding my breath. It will take some time for me to get comfortable with him. Also, Banks was very good. He is a game changer as he had good kick and punt returns giving us much better field position. Gone are the days of Randle-El hopping around in place and then hitting the deck before anyone touches him. HUGE improvement.
Good victory that is character building and it's back to work today (that one is for you Robs). The win coupled with the Eagles loss last night puts the Skins in first place in the East. It also sets up a Monday night showdown against the Cowboys in Dallas. Loved that the crowd started chanting "WE WANT DALLAS!"
HAIL SKINS!!!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Skins vs. Cards prediction
So everyone is all hot on Grossman and the Skins after their performance last week. It was a very good performance but it will be meaningless if we come out and play poorly on Sunday. I do not expect that to be the case and expect the Skins to win by at least 10 points. Here are my general predictions:
1. Rexy will continue his solid play. Cam Newton threw for over 400 yards last week and I believe the Cards are shifting to a 3-4 defense this season. That being the case, they are going through similar growing pains that come from installing a new defense that the Skins faced last season. I expect Grossman and the Skins to take advantage of this and he will have a similar type of game as last week.
2. Hightower will be much better. All players want to play well against their former teams. Hightower was traded for very little (V. Holliday and a late round conditional pick). He will want to show the Cards what they passed on. He will also want to rebound from an okay game last week. I expect him to do much better and score at least one TD.
3. Defense is a concern. Doubt we'll see Landry back this week and Orakpo is hurt but hopefully will be able to go. Don't like that Doughty will be in there with L. Fitz. D. Hall may be locked up on Fitz all day but Doughty will struggle in coverage. All the more reason why we will need to get pressure on Kolb. I expect Fitz to get 6-7 catches for 100+ yards. It will be difficult to stop him but we have to minimize him and then stop the other guys. Similar to Rexy, the defense was impressive last week and that needs to continue this week. Kolb is still relatively new to starting and certainly new to the Cards and their system so I expect to see at least one pick this week.
4. Gano better perform. He really can't afford to miss any makeable FGs. He was good in the preseason and it was only one miss last week but he hasn't shown himself to be a top tier kicker and he will need to be more consistent if he plans on staying here long term.
5. Fred Davis. He lost 12 lbs. and is more like a WR. He can create mismatches with LBs trying to cover him. With Cooley still nursing injury, I expect Davis to have another solid game.
In the end, I expect the Skins to win 24-13.
HAIL SKINS!!!
1. Rexy will continue his solid play. Cam Newton threw for over 400 yards last week and I believe the Cards are shifting to a 3-4 defense this season. That being the case, they are going through similar growing pains that come from installing a new defense that the Skins faced last season. I expect Grossman and the Skins to take advantage of this and he will have a similar type of game as last week.
2. Hightower will be much better. All players want to play well against their former teams. Hightower was traded for very little (V. Holliday and a late round conditional pick). He will want to show the Cards what they passed on. He will also want to rebound from an okay game last week. I expect him to do much better and score at least one TD.
3. Defense is a concern. Doubt we'll see Landry back this week and Orakpo is hurt but hopefully will be able to go. Don't like that Doughty will be in there with L. Fitz. D. Hall may be locked up on Fitz all day but Doughty will struggle in coverage. All the more reason why we will need to get pressure on Kolb. I expect Fitz to get 6-7 catches for 100+ yards. It will be difficult to stop him but we have to minimize him and then stop the other guys. Similar to Rexy, the defense was impressive last week and that needs to continue this week. Kolb is still relatively new to starting and certainly new to the Cards and their system so I expect to see at least one pick this week.
4. Gano better perform. He really can't afford to miss any makeable FGs. He was good in the preseason and it was only one miss last week but he hasn't shown himself to be a top tier kicker and he will need to be more consistent if he plans on staying here long term.
5. Fred Davis. He lost 12 lbs. and is more like a WR. He can create mismatches with LBs trying to cover him. With Cooley still nursing injury, I expect Davis to have another solid game.
In the end, I expect the Skins to win 24-13.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Power Rankings - Week 2
Pack hold on to the top spot.
Pears climb 6 spots to #7.
Skins climb 9 spots to #19.
Pears climb 6 spots to #7.
Skins climb 9 spots to #19.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Skins beat the Giants!
Great game yesterday. Great overall performance. It was an obviously emotional day but I really liked what I saw. Here are my specific thoughts on the game:
1. I LOVE REXY!!! Yes, Robs! I am a believer!!! Actually, I don't want to go that far but I wanted Rexy to start and he got off to a little rocky start but quickly settled down and played very good football. He was under pressure a number of times as the Giants seemed intent on blitzing (particularly on 3rd and longs) and did a good job for the most part to get the ball out effectively. He didn't play mistake free football as his fumble was one where he clearly saw Pierre-Paul and should have just tucked it away and taken the sack (BTW - Williams did his matador impression on that play allowing Pierre-Paul to come right on through). He also took a VERY bad sack losing 16 yards and taking us well out of FG range. Still, he made some very good throws including the two TD passes (one to Armstrong and one to Gaffney). They were spot on. Really liked his performance and if he can be more consistent like that, he could do very well. Again, I love his confidence. It's probably one of the bigger reasons the team likes him and it certainly works for me.
2. Defense was huge. Particularly in the second half. Put good pressure on Eli and he struggled. Play of the game was the trifecta by rookie Ryan Kerrigan - tipped, picked, TD. Great play for the rookie in his first NFL regular season game. Backup NT Chris Neild also came up big with two sacks. Nice to see new comer Bowen get a sack. Secondary was solid EXCEPT for Doughty (will comment on him separately as I have a number of thoughts on him).
3. Doughty sucks! I have stood by Doughty but he was pretty terrible yesterday. He got blown away on the 3rd and long deep ball from Eli that set up their first TD. B Mitch said it best saying that it's not Doughty's fault -- he's just not athletic enough. Doughty has pretty good fundamentals but he just can't compete in those situations. What was worse was that he was juked out by Bradshaw on their second TD. Doughty finished with the most tackles on the team but he just wasn't that great and it will be a huge upgrade getting Landry back in there.
4. Fred Davis was huge! The guy came into camp 12 lbs. lighter and he's already very athletic. Seems like the Shannys recognize that they can create good mismatches with him and use him more effectively than previous coaches. Davis had a couple of great catches and nearly all of his catches were critical third down completions or receptions for first downs. Will be interesting to see how Davis does this year and also how it affects Cooley's status. My own impressions are that Cooley is going to be phased out a bit but he will always be a fan favorite.
5. Gano scares me. He won the competition in preseason/camp. He was pretty solid from what I saw but he missed a 39 yarder that came after the Skins drove the ball pretty effectively and would have made the game 7-3. That is unacceptable. An NFL kicker needs to make FGs inside 40 yards 95% of the time. It's one kick but he really needs to step up his game.
6. O line needs to improve. They were okay but still Rexy was under quite a bit of duress. This was mostly a result of the regular blitzes they sent but still have to do better. It was also coming against many second stringers as the Giants were w/o Umenyiora and Tuck and two of their starting LBs.
7. Good job of coaching. I liked the mix of run vs. pass although I was getting a little concerned in the fourth quarter when it seemed like the run game faded and we were getting one dimensional in just a passing attack. Still, I like the mix of short, intermediate, and deeper routes. We missed on a few of the deeper balls but I like that we had those opportunities and we'll connect on some of those this year. I would like to see the screen set up a little more. Hightower seems like he could be very effective with that.
All in all a very sound victory. A great way to start the season. It's one game so you can't get over excited. You really can't figure out how good/bad your team is until about week 4 or 5 but for what it was, it was good.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Friday, September 9, 2011
Great game last night
What a way to kickoff the 2011 season. Two great teams battling it out to literally the final second.
It seemed as though GB had the game in hand all night but Brees and Co. found a way to crawl back in the game. With about 4 minutes left and down by 15 points, Brees engineered a scoring drive with about 2 and a half minutes left. BTW - didn't really care for that NO TE mocking Rodgers with his TD celebration. One, I don't even know who that TE is and two, they were still down at that point. Pretty unnecessary. I'm sure he was hoping to do that all week.
Anyway, the Saints had one timeout and the 2 minute warning and opted to try the onside kick. GB recovered but the NO D held and Brees got it back with under a minute having to drive the length of the field. They took it down to inside GB's 10 yard line with 3 seconds left for one last play. Brees rolled out and was looking and fired it into the end zone incomplete but a pass interference on AJ Hawk led to a first and goal at the 1 yard line for a final play. With all of NO's weapons and trickery and pass options, I expected play action or even a straight up pass but they stacked the line and went with Ingram up the gut and he was stuffed. What a game and again, what a way to start the season.
A few notes:
Rodgers looked awesome! Great talent and confidence.
GB's offense looks stacked with all the weapons (Jennings, Finley, Nelson, Driver, Grant/Starks), they look really good. These guys all seem to be working on the same page which benefits them.
GB looks like the top team in the NFC.
Saints looked really good on offense as well.
Saints defense is suspect. They picked up where they left off in the loss to Seattle last year. They will really need to step it up if they plan on contending.
Sproles was a huge pickup for NO.
Great game and again, thank God football is back!
It seemed as though GB had the game in hand all night but Brees and Co. found a way to crawl back in the game. With about 4 minutes left and down by 15 points, Brees engineered a scoring drive with about 2 and a half minutes left. BTW - didn't really care for that NO TE mocking Rodgers with his TD celebration. One, I don't even know who that TE is and two, they were still down at that point. Pretty unnecessary. I'm sure he was hoping to do that all week.
Anyway, the Saints had one timeout and the 2 minute warning and opted to try the onside kick. GB recovered but the NO D held and Brees got it back with under a minute having to drive the length of the field. They took it down to inside GB's 10 yard line with 3 seconds left for one last play. Brees rolled out and was looking and fired it into the end zone incomplete but a pass interference on AJ Hawk led to a first and goal at the 1 yard line for a final play. With all of NO's weapons and trickery and pass options, I expected play action or even a straight up pass but they stacked the line and went with Ingram up the gut and he was stuffed. What a game and again, what a way to start the season.
A few notes:
Rodgers looked awesome! Great talent and confidence.
GB's offense looks stacked with all the weapons (Jennings, Finley, Nelson, Driver, Grant/Starks), they look really good. These guys all seem to be working on the same page which benefits them.
GB looks like the top team in the NFC.
Saints looked really good on offense as well.
Saints defense is suspect. They picked up where they left off in the loss to Seattle last year. They will really need to step it up if they plan on contending.
Sproles was a huge pickup for NO.
Great game and again, thank God football is back!
And the winner is...
SA Octoberfest!!!
It's Super Delicious and will help make Octoberfest a ROCKTOBERFEST!!! YEAH DAWG!!!
It's Super Delicious and will help make Octoberfest a ROCKTOBERFEST!!! YEAH DAWG!!!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
New Keg options
So it's that time again to get a new keg just as the football season is ready to kick off. The finalists include:
1. Sam Adams -
2. Sam Adams Oktoberfest - The first thing you notice when pouring a glass of this seasonal beer is the color. Samuel Adams® Octoberfest has a rich, deep reddish amber hue which itself is reflective of the season. Samuel Adams Octoberfest masterfully blends together five roasts of malt to create a delicious harmony of sweet flavors including caramel and toffee. The malt is complimented by the elegant bitterness imparted by the Bavarian Noble hops. Samuel Adams Octoberfest provides a wonderful transition from the lighter beers of summer to the heartier brews of winter.
3. Sierra Nevada - Our most popular beer, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, is a delightful interpretation of a classic style. It has a deep amber color and an exceptionally full-bodied, complex character. Generous quantities of premium Cascade hops give the Pale Ale its fragrant bouquet and spicy flavor.
Sam Adams is a safe pick. I like Sierra Nevada and had it around this time last year. I have not tried the S.A. Oktoberfest but I do like their products. I grabbed a bottle of each yesterday and will be conducting a taste test tonight. Results will be disclosed after the tasting.
1. Sam Adams -
2. Sam Adams Oktoberfest - The first thing you notice when pouring a glass of this seasonal beer is the color. Samuel Adams® Octoberfest has a rich, deep reddish amber hue which itself is reflective of the season. Samuel Adams Octoberfest masterfully blends together five roasts of malt to create a delicious harmony of sweet flavors including caramel and toffee. The malt is complimented by the elegant bitterness imparted by the Bavarian Noble hops. Samuel Adams Octoberfest provides a wonderful transition from the lighter beers of summer to the heartier brews of winter.
3. Sierra Nevada - Our most popular beer, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, is a delightful interpretation of a classic style. It has a deep amber color and an exceptionally full-bodied, complex character. Generous quantities of premium Cascade hops give the Pale Ale its fragrant bouquet and spicy flavor.
Sam Adams is a safe pick. I like Sierra Nevada and had it around this time last year. I have not tried the S.A. Oktoberfest but I do like their products. I grabbed a bottle of each yesterday and will be conducting a taste test tonight. Results will be disclosed after the tasting.
Are you ready for some football?!!!
2011 football season kicks off tonight with a great game putting the last two Super Bowl winners together. New Orleans will be traveling to Green Bay for a Thursday night matchup. Both teams should be playoff contenders and strong teams.
I like Green Bay as they are at home and are younger and have more overall talent.
Should be a loo loo.
Thank God football is back!
I like Green Bay as they are at home and are younger and have more overall talent.
Should be a loo loo.
Thank God football is back!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Ovie and the Caps
With the NHL season kicking off in about a month, Ovie is in town early to get the Caps ready for another run at the Cup. He actually just signed a large endorsement deal with Bauer and Nike and he looks good.
There were pictures/videos of him a few months back where he looked terrible. Looked like he had a big gut and looked far from being an elite athlete. It was good to see him yesterday in shape and ready to go.
Last season was another disappointment and anything short of the Stanley Cup this season will be failure. The good news is the Caps seemed to have gotten a little better this offseason. The bad news is that other good teams (Philly, TB, and Boston) seem to have gotten better as well.
Looking forward to the Caps kicking it off and Ovie having a better season than last year.
There were pictures/videos of him a few months back where he looked terrible. Looked like he had a big gut and looked far from being an elite athlete. It was good to see him yesterday in shape and ready to go.
Last season was another disappointment and anything short of the Stanley Cup this season will be failure. The good news is the Caps seemed to have gotten a little better this offseason. The bad news is that other good teams (Philly, TB, and Boston) seem to have gotten better as well.
Looking forward to the Caps kicking it off and Ovie having a better season than last year.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
NFL Power Rankings - Week 1
ESPN has the Pears at #13 in their weekly power rankings. They have also put the Skins at #28. As our new starting QB Sexy Rexy would say, I love where we are at. Under the radar and no one is talking about us. Not sure I would go so far as to say that we are going to win the East but I like being there are the bottom ready to surprise.
Rex in Effect!
Rex is the man. He wins the starting job over Becks. Funny because as critical as I was of Rex while he was with the Pears, I was pulling for him here in D.C. It's not so much that I love Rexy but more that I don't really care for Becks.
I do believe Rexy gives us the better chance to win as he seems more capable, he has been a starter in the league and has experience, he has been in the system longer, and very importantly he is backed by his teammates. I'm actually very interested in watching the guy play. There is no question he has talent. I have maintained that position even when he was with the Pears. The real question is can he be consistent. It's not that he makes mistakes. It's that his mistakes are very bad (throwing an INT into double or triple coverage, fumbling and bumbling snaps, etc.). He also needs to have better pocket awareness. A guy like him needs to be able to feel when the pocket is collapsing and either take the sack or throw the ball away. This is where he gets into trouble. Hopefully he has learned from his mistakes and has grown into a better QB.
I liked what I saw of him in preseason and I am really looking forward to the game and his play on Sunday. It's a great game for him to show what he has. It's a divisional game at home and a marquee match at 4 pm. It's also the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and it's NY vs. Washington. It's going to be fun and like I always said before when Rexy played, whether he is good or bad, he is going to make for a great story. He really has a chance to win or lose this crowd and hopefully for him and the Skins, he does well.
The other interesting part of his selection as starter is this is pretty much the last opportunity he will get to be a starter. We brought him back this season on a one year, lower salaried contract. The guy is 30 years old. If he proves himself, he will be the starter for the next couple of years and he will get a multi year/multi million dollar contract. He understands that. If he struggles, he will pretty much relegate himself to a journeyman, career backup. Again, he makes for a great story.
HAIL SKINS!!!!
Skins get down to final 53
No real surprises. A few interesting notes though:
1. Chris "The Predator" Horton was cut. He came in to the league as a relatively unknown 7th rd pick out of UCLA. He was forced into action as a rookie because of injury and played very well receiving national attention including I believe NFC defensive player of the week or month or something like that. Looked like we had found a late round gem. However, the guy had some injuries and never seemed like the same guy after that rookie campaign. Looked a bit chubbier too and just seemed slow. Not a real surprise that he is gone.
2. H.B. Blades cut. Guy came into camp flabby and out of shape. With the addition of Fox and Riley in his second year, Blades didn't have much margin for error. Disappointing given that Blades was not a starter and never was guaranteed a roster spot so for him to come into camp out of shape is just dumb.
3. Anthony Bryant cut. A little surprised here. The Skins opted to go with Chris Neild. I liked the way Bryant played when he was in there last season. If Neild won the job then so be it.
4. The Skins will go with 2 QBs. It's Rex and Becks. Hopefully we don't lose both QBs in one game. It's unlikely but you never know but I'm good with the decision.
5. We'll carry 8 receivers. Guys like Banks and Austin came on strong so the decision was made to carry 8 of them. I think it was clear that Moss, Gaffney, Armstrong, and Hankerson were pretty much locks to make the squad. Austin had a great preseason and Banks really secured his spot with the punt return for a TD in the last preseason game. Little surprising that Stallworth and Paul made the squad but Stallworth is a solid vet and Paul apparently had a good camp. We'll see if all these guys stay on the team all season.
We have our final 53 and now it's time for the regular season.
HAIL SKINS!!!
1. Chris "The Predator" Horton was cut. He came in to the league as a relatively unknown 7th rd pick out of UCLA. He was forced into action as a rookie because of injury and played very well receiving national attention including I believe NFC defensive player of the week or month or something like that. Looked like we had found a late round gem. However, the guy had some injuries and never seemed like the same guy after that rookie campaign. Looked a bit chubbier too and just seemed slow. Not a real surprise that he is gone.
2. H.B. Blades cut. Guy came into camp flabby and out of shape. With the addition of Fox and Riley in his second year, Blades didn't have much margin for error. Disappointing given that Blades was not a starter and never was guaranteed a roster spot so for him to come into camp out of shape is just dumb.
3. Anthony Bryant cut. A little surprised here. The Skins opted to go with Chris Neild. I liked the way Bryant played when he was in there last season. If Neild won the job then so be it.
4. The Skins will go with 2 QBs. It's Rex and Becks. Hopefully we don't lose both QBs in one game. It's unlikely but you never know but I'm good with the decision.
5. We'll carry 8 receivers. Guys like Banks and Austin came on strong so the decision was made to carry 8 of them. I think it was clear that Moss, Gaffney, Armstrong, and Hankerson were pretty much locks to make the squad. Austin had a great preseason and Banks really secured his spot with the punt return for a TD in the last preseason game. Little surprising that Stallworth and Paul made the squad but Stallworth is a solid vet and Paul apparently had a good camp. We'll see if all these guys stay on the team all season.
We have our final 53 and now it's time for the regular season.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Friday, September 2, 2011
Briggs wants to be traded
Briggs was going to wait until after the season to ask to be traded but after speaking with Angelo, he wants to be traded now.
It seems that Briggs wants to flip the payment structure of his current contract where instead of making $3.9M this year and $6+M in the final year, he wants that in reverse.
He has no leverage on anything but still not the news you want from one of your best players/leaders right before the regular season.
It seems that Briggs wants to flip the payment structure of his current contract where instead of making $3.9M this year and $6+M in the final year, he wants that in reverse.
He has no leverage on anything but still not the news you want from one of your best players/leaders right before the regular season.
Skins final preseason game results/thoughts
Skins pulled out the victory - not that it mattered much but there were a few things to take note of in the game:
1. Beck was borderline bad. He started the game and played the entire first half. He played with the starting O line and backup WRs and RBs and was given the opportunity to separate himself. He did...just in the wrong direction. Thought he was pretty bad. He fumbled a snap on the TB's goal line. He missed a pretty open Armstrong on a deep throw to open the game. He threw a bad INT off his back foot in the end zone. He had two really bad throws that could have easily been picked off. He missed a couple of open receivers on short routes. What he does do VERY well is sell the play action and roll out well. He had a couple of decent passes but don't think he did anything that would have him pull away from Rex in Effect. Interestingly, Rexy didn't play at all (although he was dressed). I believe that the starting nod will go to Rex but we'll find out next week for sure.
2. O line not great. The starting O line went up the TB back up D line and did not look great. Becks was under duress more often than he should have so this was disappointing. They will have to pick it up against the G men.
3. Banks solidified his spot on the team. Guy has been out the last couple of weeks but came back yesterday and ran back a 90+ yard punt for a TD although he almost botched it by celebrating early and letting go of the football before crossing the plain of the goal line. Fortunately, instant replay showed he scored before releasing the football. I suppose it is a good lesson to learn in preseason. I doubt he will ever do something like that again. TB punted away from him the rest of the game but he showed that he continues to be a special teams weapon.
4. D looked good. Mostly backups playing but I still loved the pressure they put on. Thought the LBs (Jackson, Riley, Fox) all played well. They created pressure and turnovers which we haven't seen in quite some time.
5. The Love Torain. Good to see him back and he ran hard. He's a big back and had some nice runs. Will be interesting to see the RB depth chart. No question Hightower will be the starter. Seems like Helu is the backup. I know Shanny likes Torain and Royster and both had solid games last night so will be interesting to see what we do with those guys.
All in all, a pretty good game for many of the backups. The tough decisions now have to be made as the final roster will be set in the next couple of days. Bruce Allen commented a few times that he thinks there will be some trades made. We'll see what happens but preseason is all over and the regular season starts in less than a week.
HAIL SKINS!!!
1. Beck was borderline bad. He started the game and played the entire first half. He played with the starting O line and backup WRs and RBs and was given the opportunity to separate himself. He did...just in the wrong direction. Thought he was pretty bad. He fumbled a snap on the TB's goal line. He missed a pretty open Armstrong on a deep throw to open the game. He threw a bad INT off his back foot in the end zone. He had two really bad throws that could have easily been picked off. He missed a couple of open receivers on short routes. What he does do VERY well is sell the play action and roll out well. He had a couple of decent passes but don't think he did anything that would have him pull away from Rex in Effect. Interestingly, Rexy didn't play at all (although he was dressed). I believe that the starting nod will go to Rex but we'll find out next week for sure.
2. O line not great. The starting O line went up the TB back up D line and did not look great. Becks was under duress more often than he should have so this was disappointing. They will have to pick it up against the G men.
3. Banks solidified his spot on the team. Guy has been out the last couple of weeks but came back yesterday and ran back a 90+ yard punt for a TD although he almost botched it by celebrating early and letting go of the football before crossing the plain of the goal line. Fortunately, instant replay showed he scored before releasing the football. I suppose it is a good lesson to learn in preseason. I doubt he will ever do something like that again. TB punted away from him the rest of the game but he showed that he continues to be a special teams weapon.
4. D looked good. Mostly backups playing but I still loved the pressure they put on. Thought the LBs (Jackson, Riley, Fox) all played well. They created pressure and turnovers which we haven't seen in quite some time.
5. The Love Torain. Good to see him back and he ran hard. He's a big back and had some nice runs. Will be interesting to see the RB depth chart. No question Hightower will be the starter. Seems like Helu is the backup. I know Shanny likes Torain and Royster and both had solid games last night so will be interesting to see what we do with those guys.
All in all, a pretty good game for many of the backups. The tough decisions now have to be made as the final roster will be set in the next couple of days. Bruce Allen commented a few times that he thinks there will be some trades made. We'll see what happens but preseason is all over and the regular season starts in less than a week.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Pear contract issues
Pears seem to have a few players unhappy with their current contracts and wanting to get new deals.
There's no secret that Briggs wants more compensation; however, he has very little leverage. He still has multiple years on a deal he signed in 2008 and at 31, he can't expect to get big time money. He's been a great player but it ain't going to happen.
Forte is in the final year of his rookie deal and looking to be paid like one of the top RBs in the league. He has put up very good numbers in the last couple of years and is deserving of a bigger payday. The Pears put forward an offer but doesn't seem like it is good enough for Forte as he didn't sign it. With the regular season luming, I'm sure both sides will want to get this done soon.
The new center Roberto Garza is well underpaid. There are backups being paid more or equal to what he makes. If the Pears are committed to him, they should do right by him and pay him accordingly.
Other guys that will have to be considered include Earl Bennett, Kellen Davis, and even "Jackass" Johnny Knoxville. Should these guys have big years, they will end up costing more.
There's no secret that Briggs wants more compensation; however, he has very little leverage. He still has multiple years on a deal he signed in 2008 and at 31, he can't expect to get big time money. He's been a great player but it ain't going to happen.
Forte is in the final year of his rookie deal and looking to be paid like one of the top RBs in the league. He has put up very good numbers in the last couple of years and is deserving of a bigger payday. The Pears put forward an offer but doesn't seem like it is good enough for Forte as he didn't sign it. With the regular season luming, I'm sure both sides will want to get this done soon.
The new center Roberto Garza is well underpaid. There are backups being paid more or equal to what he makes. If the Pears are committed to him, they should do right by him and pay him accordingly.
Other guys that will have to be considered include Earl Bennett, Kellen Davis, and even "Jackass" Johnny Knoxville. Should these guys have big years, they will end up costing more.
Skins final preseason game tonight
The game would normally not have much interest as many of the starters typically sit particularly in light of what happened to Jenkins last week. However, there still appears to be a number of positions up for grabs. Namely the QB spot. I'm sure the Shannys have an idea on who they think the starter is but I expect both to play if for no other reason than to throw the Giants off and have them have to prepare for both QBs in the season opener.
Other jobs that are open are the WR position where Terrence Austin has really come on and RB where Torain will see his first action. Outside of that, we will most likely see backups and rookies fight to try and make a special team job.
Only one week until the regular season begins. I'm trembling!
Other jobs that are open are the WR position where Terrence Austin has really come on and RB where Torain will see his first action. Outside of that, we will most likely see backups and rookies fight to try and make a special team job.
Only one week until the regular season begins. I'm trembling!
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