Transcripts of voice mail messages and text messages left for the Miami Dolphins' Jonathan Martin by teammate Richie Incognito indicate a pattern of racial epithets and profane language.
Multiple sources confirmed to ESPN that the following is a transcript of a voice message Incognito left for Martin in April 2013, a year after Martin was drafted: "Hey, wassup, you half n----- piece of s---. I saw you on Twitter, you been training 10 weeks. [I want to] s--- in your f---ing mouth. [I'm going to] slap your f---ing mouth. [I'm going to] slap your real mother across the face [laughter]. F--- you, you're still a rookie. I'll kill you."
I get rookie hazing and stuff. That's been around forever but first Martin is not a rookie and second this stuff goes way beyond what is normal/acceptable. Incognito has had his issues in the past but he owes Martin and the team a very sincere apology. Also, where was the Dolphin leadership in all of this? Don't tell me that they didn't know that some of this stuff was going on. Shame on them for not recognizing this situation and addressing it before it blew up like it did.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Skins beat Chargers in OT
Game shouldn't have ever gotten that close as the Skins had a 10 point lead deep into the fourth and had a number of plays that if any one of them go their way, it's an easy win. Still, give credit to the Skins for stopping a 1 and goal from the 1 foot line and forcing the Chargers to a game tying FG and then taking the ball the length of the field in OT to win it.
I thought the Skins were certainly the better team in this game. A very good balance of run and pass. The stars shined as RG3 passed well and ran effectively when needed. Garcon got 172 yards receiving including a couple of very nice one handed grabs. Morris ran for over 120 yards. Jordan Reed had himself another nice game. Game ball probably has to go to DY Darrell Young for his 3 TD performance including the game winner.
Defensively a very solid effort stopping a very good Charger offense. Thought David Amerson had himself a very nice game making a great INT. This guy looks to be a very solid pick for us and will be able to take the CB spot for years to come. Would have liked to have gotten a little more pressure on Rivers but all in all a good effort capped with the tremendous goal line stand at the end of regulation.
Again, the big concern is special teams. It seems that every aspect of special teams in an adventure each game. The Skins first drive of the game started inside of their 5 yard line and they drove it the length of the field and took up a lot of clock. It was just the kind of drive you want to start the game. Unfortunately we couldn't punch it in and had to settle for a chip shot FG and it was blocked. A big momentum shifter. Again, it just seems like every game there is something in our special teams that fail us.
In the end, it was a very entertaining game and I'm glad we came out with the win. Next up is the Viqueens who look to be playing a little better with a desperate Ponder back at the helm trying to get hold of the starting QB spot. A win there and we are a game out of first and picking up some momentum. I do believe the Skins are playing better with each week and I expect that to continue and we are starting to look like the team we expected to be.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Skins - Chargers preview
Skins are still looking to put a complete game together. For the second week in a row, the defense was outstanding for the first half but cracked in the second half. What was more difficult to take was the offense in the last game. Seemed to me a combination of problems with RG3 not going through his progressions, to guys dropping passes, to the coaching running less and going for home run balls. I had difficulty understanding the play selection but I can only speak as a fan watching the game. Would like to understand what the game plan was there in the second half.
I didn't expect to beat the Broncos in Denver. However, when we were up 21-7 in the third expectations did change and was disappointed in the last quarter and a half.
Whatever, on to this week and a chance to bounce back against the Chargers. Here are my keys:
1. RUN - Alfred Morris has yet to carry for more than 20 times in a game. Running is our bread and butter and he has been effective. We just need to stick with him more. Also, RG3 was effective running in the Dallas and Pear games but did very little of it in the Broncos game. This is part of our offense and we need that to be successful.
2. Stop Rivers and Gates - these guys are both having a good year and we have to slow them down. Gates presents some matchup problems for us but if we can get to Rivers a few times, he will make mistakes. This is the key. Haslett needs to draw up some blitzes and get after him as he will make the mistakes. Also, the defense needs to stop the screens to the RBs and the bubble screens to WRs. Denver crushed us with those and we need better contain and pursuit. The Chargers coach is a good offensive minded coach so no doubt he will come in with a good game plan. We just need to be prepared for him.
3. Take advantage of being at home - It's difficult for teams to travel cross county and perform. We have to take advantage of them traveling cross country and then give our crowd something to get excited about and keep them excited. This can be a huge advantage for us.
We have been looking better each week but we have to put an entire 60 minutes together. I believe we will get back on track this week and the we pull out a 27-17 win.
HAIL SKINS!!!
I didn't expect to beat the Broncos in Denver. However, when we were up 21-7 in the third expectations did change and was disappointed in the last quarter and a half.
Whatever, on to this week and a chance to bounce back against the Chargers. Here are my keys:
1. RUN - Alfred Morris has yet to carry for more than 20 times in a game. Running is our bread and butter and he has been effective. We just need to stick with him more. Also, RG3 was effective running in the Dallas and Pear games but did very little of it in the Broncos game. This is part of our offense and we need that to be successful.
2. Stop Rivers and Gates - these guys are both having a good year and we have to slow them down. Gates presents some matchup problems for us but if we can get to Rivers a few times, he will make mistakes. This is the key. Haslett needs to draw up some blitzes and get after him as he will make the mistakes. Also, the defense needs to stop the screens to the RBs and the bubble screens to WRs. Denver crushed us with those and we need better contain and pursuit. The Chargers coach is a good offensive minded coach so no doubt he will come in with a good game plan. We just need to be prepared for him.
3. Take advantage of being at home - It's difficult for teams to travel cross county and perform. We have to take advantage of them traveling cross country and then give our crowd something to get excited about and keep them excited. This can be a huge advantage for us.
We have been looking better each week but we have to put an entire 60 minutes together. I believe we will get back on track this week and the we pull out a 27-17 win.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Meriweather going after knees
Brandon Meriweather, who served a one-game suspension Sunday for the way he hits, vowed to begin targeting players' knees. Meriweather has received numerous fines over the years for his helmet-to-helmet hits. After two more incidents against the Bears on Oct. 20, the NFL suspended Meriweather for two games until an appeals process reduced the ban to one.
"I guess I just got to take people's knees out," Meriweather said Monday morning in the Redskins' locker room. "That's the only way. I would hate to end a guy's career over a rule, but I guess it's better other people than me getting suspended for longer.
"You just have to go low now, man. You've got to end people's careers. You got to tear people's ACLs and mess up people's knees. You can't hit them high anymore."
I'm sure he is not intending to end people's careers but I do think he may take his hits lower. I get that the NFL is trying to make the game safer but the game is inherently violent. There are going to be violent collisions. There will be helmet to helmet hits as guys are crossing the middle and jumping and a DB is trying to make a play. DBs are reacting and intentional or unintentional, there will continue to be helmet to helmet hits.
I will say Meriweather's hit on Jeffery was deserving of a penalty/fine but the one on Marshall looked more like a reaction and there was contact. Meriweather has a history and no doubt calls will come against him because of his reputation. I do believe there are times he is lunging in with his helmet and he needs to be more aware that he has to go in with his shoulder and wrap up. Frankly, basic tackling is a lost art in the NFL as more guys are looking to just hit and knock the other guy down without wrapping up.
I just find it interesting how the NFL is trying to balance safety with inherent violence of the game. Guys are getting bigger, faster, and stronger and there are reactionary plays that happen in the game and guys are taking penalties for it.
"I guess I just got to take people's knees out," Meriweather said Monday morning in the Redskins' locker room. "That's the only way. I would hate to end a guy's career over a rule, but I guess it's better other people than me getting suspended for longer.
"You just have to go low now, man. You've got to end people's careers. You got to tear people's ACLs and mess up people's knees. You can't hit them high anymore."
I'm sure he is not intending to end people's careers but I do think he may take his hits lower. I get that the NFL is trying to make the game safer but the game is inherently violent. There are going to be violent collisions. There will be helmet to helmet hits as guys are crossing the middle and jumping and a DB is trying to make a play. DBs are reacting and intentional or unintentional, there will continue to be helmet to helmet hits.
I will say Meriweather's hit on Jeffery was deserving of a penalty/fine but the one on Marshall looked more like a reaction and there was contact. Meriweather has a history and no doubt calls will come against him because of his reputation. I do believe there are times he is lunging in with his helmet and he needs to be more aware that he has to go in with his shoulder and wrap up. Frankly, basic tackling is a lost art in the NFL as more guys are looking to just hit and knock the other guy down without wrapping up.
I just find it interesting how the NFL is trying to balance safety with inherent violence of the game. Guys are getting bigger, faster, and stronger and there are reactionary plays that happen in the game and guys are taking penalties for it.
Snyder meets with Goodell regarding Redskins name
Danny boy met with Goodell yesterday to discuss the Redskins name one day in advance of Goodell meeting with members of the Oneida tribe to discuss the same subject.
Apparently the meeting was not about changing the name but about the strategy to defend the name amongst critics.
Again, I like the name as it is the name I have grown up rooting for but I am okay with a name change as long as it keeps with the spirit of the tradition as there is a long and storied tradition with this franchise. I would be fine with Washington Warriors and keeping everything else the same. Still, it doesn't look like the name with change in the very near future.
Apparently the meeting was not about changing the name but about the strategy to defend the name amongst critics.
Again, I like the name as it is the name I have grown up rooting for but I am okay with a name change as long as it keeps with the spirit of the tradition as there is a long and storied tradition with this franchise. I would be fine with Washington Warriors and keeping everything else the same. Still, it doesn't look like the name with change in the very near future.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Skins beat the Pears
Exciting game. High scoring and some back and forth. Still, it felt like the Skins were going to win the game. Here are a few thoughts:
1. RG3 is coming back. I've said it ALL season. Everyone wanted to get all over the guy that he didn't look good and this and that and the Skins stink. IT TAKES TIME!!! All you could hope for was that he would look better each week and that has been the case. In the Pear game, he looked more like the RG3 that we all remember. I expect him only to get better and have more games like the last one.
2. Jeff George injury. Looked like a pretty benign hit from Chris Baker but ended up a groin tear. Probably a good thing for the Pears that day as George looked bad. He had an INT (not his fault) and two other passes that should have been picked by D. Hall. Josh McClown came in and had a really good day and not sure if George would have done any better.
3. Special teams gives up another punt return for a TD. I get that it is Hester but another TD is a REAL concern. I will say that it looked like a push in the back on the Chicago return team but it also looked like our guys didn't stay in their lanes and once Hester headed towards the sidelines, the Pears had a nice seal protecting him from any Skins tacklers. This has to improve!
4. A tale of two halves for the defense. The first half the D was fantastic. The second not so much. When you saw the stats of the two halves, it was completely different. I will say that the Pear O line looked pretty good and we couldn't get a whole lot of pressure on McClown. Our D has had times when they have been pretty good but it's too bad we couldn't play the second half like the first. As a side note, Meriweather needs to tackle smarter. The hit on Jeffery was dangerous. The one on Marshall not so much. I thought that that was more of a reaction type play but he got called because of his reputation. Still, he has to be smarter. As a side note, the Pears have been crying about Meriweather WAY too much and should just focus on their own issues.
5. The Pears are part of the muddled middle. It's like I have been saying, they aren't special. Their D is horrible. They haven't gotten turnovers to mask all the yards/points they give up but they can't rely on that all season. They are just too porous.
In the end, good/exciting game and it's nice to see progress. You could see what the offense could/should be. It will get better.
HAIL SKINS!!!
1. RG3 is coming back. I've said it ALL season. Everyone wanted to get all over the guy that he didn't look good and this and that and the Skins stink. IT TAKES TIME!!! All you could hope for was that he would look better each week and that has been the case. In the Pear game, he looked more like the RG3 that we all remember. I expect him only to get better and have more games like the last one.
2. Jeff George injury. Looked like a pretty benign hit from Chris Baker but ended up a groin tear. Probably a good thing for the Pears that day as George looked bad. He had an INT (not his fault) and two other passes that should have been picked by D. Hall. Josh McClown came in and had a really good day and not sure if George would have done any better.
3. Special teams gives up another punt return for a TD. I get that it is Hester but another TD is a REAL concern. I will say that it looked like a push in the back on the Chicago return team but it also looked like our guys didn't stay in their lanes and once Hester headed towards the sidelines, the Pears had a nice seal protecting him from any Skins tacklers. This has to improve!
4. A tale of two halves for the defense. The first half the D was fantastic. The second not so much. When you saw the stats of the two halves, it was completely different. I will say that the Pear O line looked pretty good and we couldn't get a whole lot of pressure on McClown. Our D has had times when they have been pretty good but it's too bad we couldn't play the second half like the first. As a side note, Meriweather needs to tackle smarter. The hit on Jeffery was dangerous. The one on Marshall not so much. I thought that that was more of a reaction type play but he got called because of his reputation. Still, he has to be smarter. As a side note, the Pears have been crying about Meriweather WAY too much and should just focus on their own issues.
5. The Pears are part of the muddled middle. It's like I have been saying, they aren't special. Their D is horrible. They haven't gotten turnovers to mask all the yards/points they give up but they can't rely on that all season. They are just too porous.
In the end, good/exciting game and it's nice to see progress. You could see what the offense could/should be. It will get better.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Skins fall to Dallas 31-16
Pretty disappointing game coming off of the bye week. The Skins looked ill prepared. Here are a few thoughts on the game:
1. Special teams were far from special. This group SUCKED! Allowing a punt return for a TD and a long kickoff return and a missed FG. Not to mention that our special teams coach was flagged for a penalty for standing too close to the field and making contact with an official (not that it mattered much as the play still resulted in a TD). This group has been mediocre at best all season. Now we lose our long snapper for the year with a meniscus tear. B Mitch, being a former special team standout, pointed out how important it is to have guys that are fearless and aggressive and want to make plays. This is a place for young guys looking to make a name for themselves. Lorenzo Alexander was a big loss for us. He wanted to stay. We wanted him to stay. We just didn't have the money to pay him. He was that guy. He was a captain and a guy that led by example on special teams. Shanny mentioned Alexander by name in yesterday's press conference and how we need someone else to step in to fill those shoes. Some one has to step up and lead this group and it has to get better.
2. Defense was good. Thought the defense played well in particular thought D. Hall was tremendous. It seems when he has to lock on to a WR for the game, he plays his best. Still, thought the D as an entire group played their best game.
3. Offense struggled. There were three problems I had with the offense: a) RG3 looked his most comfortable and looked much more mobile; however, he struggled with his passes. He had several throws that were just bad spirals and missed the mark. While disappointing, I chalk it up to a bad game. He is still working back into the flow and the passes will come as he gets more time. I also thought he should have run more. The Cowboys were filling the box and playing man to man and there were several times when he side stepped defenders and had room to run down the field given that only DBs were back covering WRs. I'm not saying he should have been looking to get to the end zone but pick up 5, 7, 10 yards and hit the deck. He did it a couple of times but I thought he had many more opportunities to get easy yards with his legs. This would have also made Dallas alter their defense.
b) WRs needed to get separation in man to man coverage. This was more frustrating as our WRs were losing their one on one battles. They need to do a better job of beating man to man coverage. In many of the plays/replays I could see, they were not getting open. This bothered me.
c) Offensive coaching. This area probably bothered me the most. Okay, we get the defense that Dallas was playing. We see that our WRs are not getting separation. Make some adjustments. I'm not an O coordinator but Kyle Shanny gets paid big bucks to make something happen. Cris Collingsworth suggested that the Skins use some bunch formations to have the DBs back off the line and create some confusion for them. I'm not aware of the game plan and whether there were any adjustments made but for the common man watching on tv, it didn't look like it and this is what gave me the most heart ache.
In the end, I felt it was a game we could have won. I'm not devastated. This is not a floundering franchise (i.e., JAX). Problem is that while the rest of the NFL is in midseason form, our offense is still trying to get to speed. RG3 is looking better week to week but he/the offense is still not there. Again, my hope is that the improvement continues and we start to see later this season what we showed last season. If we can do that and not suffer any injuries, we will improve. We have a solid young group (QB, WRs, RB, TE) that if given a full offseason to train and with the cap penalty lifted, we can make big strides. On to the Pears.
1. Special teams were far from special. This group SUCKED! Allowing a punt return for a TD and a long kickoff return and a missed FG. Not to mention that our special teams coach was flagged for a penalty for standing too close to the field and making contact with an official (not that it mattered much as the play still resulted in a TD). This group has been mediocre at best all season. Now we lose our long snapper for the year with a meniscus tear. B Mitch, being a former special team standout, pointed out how important it is to have guys that are fearless and aggressive and want to make plays. This is a place for young guys looking to make a name for themselves. Lorenzo Alexander was a big loss for us. He wanted to stay. We wanted him to stay. We just didn't have the money to pay him. He was that guy. He was a captain and a guy that led by example on special teams. Shanny mentioned Alexander by name in yesterday's press conference and how we need someone else to step in to fill those shoes. Some one has to step up and lead this group and it has to get better.
2. Defense was good. Thought the defense played well in particular thought D. Hall was tremendous. It seems when he has to lock on to a WR for the game, he plays his best. Still, thought the D as an entire group played their best game.
3. Offense struggled. There were three problems I had with the offense: a) RG3 looked his most comfortable and looked much more mobile; however, he struggled with his passes. He had several throws that were just bad spirals and missed the mark. While disappointing, I chalk it up to a bad game. He is still working back into the flow and the passes will come as he gets more time. I also thought he should have run more. The Cowboys were filling the box and playing man to man and there were several times when he side stepped defenders and had room to run down the field given that only DBs were back covering WRs. I'm not saying he should have been looking to get to the end zone but pick up 5, 7, 10 yards and hit the deck. He did it a couple of times but I thought he had many more opportunities to get easy yards with his legs. This would have also made Dallas alter their defense.
b) WRs needed to get separation in man to man coverage. This was more frustrating as our WRs were losing their one on one battles. They need to do a better job of beating man to man coverage. In many of the plays/replays I could see, they were not getting open. This bothered me.
c) Offensive coaching. This area probably bothered me the most. Okay, we get the defense that Dallas was playing. We see that our WRs are not getting separation. Make some adjustments. I'm not an O coordinator but Kyle Shanny gets paid big bucks to make something happen. Cris Collingsworth suggested that the Skins use some bunch formations to have the DBs back off the line and create some confusion for them. I'm not aware of the game plan and whether there were any adjustments made but for the common man watching on tv, it didn't look like it and this is what gave me the most heart ache.
In the end, I felt it was a game we could have won. I'm not devastated. This is not a floundering franchise (i.e., JAX). Problem is that while the rest of the NFL is in midseason form, our offense is still trying to get to speed. RG3 is looking better week to week but he/the offense is still not there. Again, my hope is that the improvement continues and we start to see later this season what we showed last season. If we can do that and not suffer any injuries, we will improve. We have a solid young group (QB, WRs, RB, TE) that if given a full offseason to train and with the cap penalty lifted, we can make big strides. On to the Pears.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Washington Warriors?
So there has been some increased discussion recently about the Redskins name. A few native American leaders have been camped out at the same hotel as the one the NFL owners are meeting at this week conducting their own meetings regarding the name. Even President Obama mentioned that if he was the owner, he would consider a name change.
That said, I don't think the name is going to change any time soon. However, if it were to change, I actually like the Washington Warriors. Still, not sure if the logo needs to change. Seems like it is only the term "Redskins" that is being asked to change. Frankly, if the logo is being asked to change than I would imagine the Chicago Blackhawks logo would have to change as well since it is nearly identical.
Again, I would be fine with the Washington Warriors and keeping everything else the same. I like the name Redskins and view it as a positive term and a tribute to native Americans but I am not a native American and I certainly don't want to disparage or hurt people. Will be interesting to see if the native Americans can gain any more traction and if anything comes from it.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Redskins O line
So there are some that have said the Skins O line is terrible. I have disagreed.
The Redskins’ offensive line is much maligned by many in the fan base and while some of it is deserved the reputation of the unit has yet to catch up to its improved performance over the last couple of years. They’re not the ’82 Hogs but last year they performed well enough for the Redskins to lead the NFL in rushing yards. How are they doing this year?
The Redskins are currently 16th in the NFL in rushing yards but the scoreboard has dictated fewer rushing attempts this year. When they do run, however, they are getting it done; the team has averaged a very respectable 4.8 yards per rushing attempt, fifth in the league. And despite trailing for all but about 20 minutes this season, the line has allowed just seven sacks despite blocking for a less-mobile version of Robert Griffin III. Only four teams have allowed fewer sacks. Other than Trent Williams none of the members of the line are Pro Bowl candidates but they perform better than the sum of their parts.
The O-line is the least of the Redskins’ problems at the moment. As a collective, they’ve opened holes for Morris (5.3 yards per attempt), provided Robert Griffin III with ample time in most situations and done a solid job neutralizing some of the game’s top pass rushers. In fact, Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley, Connor Barwin and Clay Matthews all failed to register a sack against the group.ProFootballFocus.com ranks the Redskins’ line as one of the NFL’s top units, having allowed 38 quarterback pressures (sacks, hits and hurries) through four games. Only seven teams, according to PFF, have allowed fewer.
Again, people are entitled to their opinions but it is nice if opinions are based on something. I have never said that the O line is a stellar group but it has been solid and when you look across the league, I would like to know what people consider to be a good O line so that we have something to compare the Skin O line to.
The Redskins’ offensive line is much maligned by many in the fan base and while some of it is deserved the reputation of the unit has yet to catch up to its improved performance over the last couple of years. They’re not the ’82 Hogs but last year they performed well enough for the Redskins to lead the NFL in rushing yards. How are they doing this year?
The Redskins are currently 16th in the NFL in rushing yards but the scoreboard has dictated fewer rushing attempts this year. When they do run, however, they are getting it done; the team has averaged a very respectable 4.8 yards per rushing attempt, fifth in the league. And despite trailing for all but about 20 minutes this season, the line has allowed just seven sacks despite blocking for a less-mobile version of Robert Griffin III. Only four teams have allowed fewer sacks. Other than Trent Williams none of the members of the line are Pro Bowl candidates but they perform better than the sum of their parts.
The O-line is the least of the Redskins’ problems at the moment. As a collective, they’ve opened holes for Morris (5.3 yards per attempt), provided Robert Griffin III with ample time in most situations and done a solid job neutralizing some of the game’s top pass rushers. In fact, Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley, Connor Barwin and Clay Matthews all failed to register a sack against the group.ProFootballFocus.com ranks the Redskins’ line as one of the NFL’s top units, having allowed 38 quarterback pressures (sacks, hits and hurries) through four games. Only seven teams, according to PFF, have allowed fewer.
Again, people are entitled to their opinions but it is nice if opinions are based on something. I have never said that the O line is a stellar group but it has been solid and when you look across the league, I would like to know what people consider to be a good O line so that we have something to compare the Skin O line to.
Caps win home opener
GREAT win last night for the Caps in their home opener. They got down early 3-0 in the first period. They pulled Holtby for Neuvy and things changed from there.
In the second period, Connor Carrick took a BAD penalty. I like the kid but he is raw and he has committed a couple of bad penalties already. However, he made amends as once his penalty was over, he exited the box behind all the Calgary defenders and MoJo found him for a great head man pass allowing for a breakaway. He made some nifty moves and got his first NHL goal against Ramo. Problem was a couple of minutes later, Calgary got a cheapie goal on a puck misplayed by Neuvy making it 4-1. After that it was all Caps.
Ovi got two goals and Backstrom got the equalizer with about 6 minutes left. Went to OT and Grabovski and Ovi netted their chances and Neuvy shut the door to win it. HUGE come from behind win.
Again, I really like this team. I think we have a lot more speed and there is less pressure on these guys as expectations are not has high as in previous seasons. That coupled with the maturity of the core players makes for what could be a very interesting season.
A couple of other notes:
1. The Power Play is almost automatic. These guys were number one in PP last season and there is no sign of a let up. In fact, it seems more powerful than ever and you almost expect a goal every time they get a PP chance. I thought they would lose something with no Ribeiro as he had great stick handling and patience but they haven't missed a beat. Not sure what their percentage is but it's got to be something like 75% right now. Of course, it's skewed having played only two games but still in those two games they have like 4 PP goals.
2. No Ribeiro, no problem. I was a disappointed to not bring back Ribeiro as he was a good player and seemed like a good teammate. However, I did very much understand that the Caps just didn't (and shouldn't have) signed the guy for what he was asking. Enter Mikhail Grabovski. This guy has been unbelievable so far. A hat trick in game 1 and then nets a shootout goal last night. He plays with a fire and speed that fits well with the team. He seems like a gritty guy that is looking to prove he is a very good player in this league. Hopefully he will continue and hopefully we can resign him.
3. What's up with Holtby? He started out last season rocky and seems to be doing the same thing this year. He's made some good saves but he has let in some that he definitely should have had. Against the Blackhawks, the game winning goal was a shot going well wide and he tried to glove it and ended up sweeping it into his own net. On the other side, Neuvy was very sound yesterday. He had the one big mistake but otherwise played a great game. There is no doubt Neuvy can play but what I like more about him this season is that he seems MUCH more mature and willing to accept whatever role he is given as long as it's in the best interest of the team. In previous years, he sulked if he didn't start and was pretty immature and selfish and even outspoken in his beliefs that he was the best goalie on the team. I don't see that anymore and if he plays it smart, he may very well end up being the #1 goalie. Will be interesting to see who starts for the Caps on Saturday.
Finally, too bad for Jack Hillen last night. I like the guy and it looked like he suffered a pretty serious injury last night. Hopefully he will make a fast recovery. The good news is that we still have Steve Oleksy that can fill the spot and we just picked up Alexander Urbom for depth.
Really looking forward to this season.
In the second period, Connor Carrick took a BAD penalty. I like the kid but he is raw and he has committed a couple of bad penalties already. However, he made amends as once his penalty was over, he exited the box behind all the Calgary defenders and MoJo found him for a great head man pass allowing for a breakaway. He made some nifty moves and got his first NHL goal against Ramo. Problem was a couple of minutes later, Calgary got a cheapie goal on a puck misplayed by Neuvy making it 4-1. After that it was all Caps.
Ovi got two goals and Backstrom got the equalizer with about 6 minutes left. Went to OT and Grabovski and Ovi netted their chances and Neuvy shut the door to win it. HUGE come from behind win.
Again, I really like this team. I think we have a lot more speed and there is less pressure on these guys as expectations are not has high as in previous seasons. That coupled with the maturity of the core players makes for what could be a very interesting season.
A couple of other notes:
1. The Power Play is almost automatic. These guys were number one in PP last season and there is no sign of a let up. In fact, it seems more powerful than ever and you almost expect a goal every time they get a PP chance. I thought they would lose something with no Ribeiro as he had great stick handling and patience but they haven't missed a beat. Not sure what their percentage is but it's got to be something like 75% right now. Of course, it's skewed having played only two games but still in those two games they have like 4 PP goals.
2. No Ribeiro, no problem. I was a disappointed to not bring back Ribeiro as he was a good player and seemed like a good teammate. However, I did very much understand that the Caps just didn't (and shouldn't have) signed the guy for what he was asking. Enter Mikhail Grabovski. This guy has been unbelievable so far. A hat trick in game 1 and then nets a shootout goal last night. He plays with a fire and speed that fits well with the team. He seems like a gritty guy that is looking to prove he is a very good player in this league. Hopefully he will continue and hopefully we can resign him.
3. What's up with Holtby? He started out last season rocky and seems to be doing the same thing this year. He's made some good saves but he has let in some that he definitely should have had. Against the Blackhawks, the game winning goal was a shot going well wide and he tried to glove it and ended up sweeping it into his own net. On the other side, Neuvy was very sound yesterday. He had the one big mistake but otherwise played a great game. There is no doubt Neuvy can play but what I like more about him this season is that he seems MUCH more mature and willing to accept whatever role he is given as long as it's in the best interest of the team. In previous years, he sulked if he didn't start and was pretty immature and selfish and even outspoken in his beliefs that he was the best goalie on the team. I don't see that anymore and if he plays it smart, he may very well end up being the #1 goalie. Will be interesting to see who starts for the Caps on Saturday.
Finally, too bad for Jack Hillen last night. I like the guy and it looked like he suffered a pretty serious injury last night. Hopefully he will make a fast recovery. The good news is that we still have Steve Oleksy that can fill the spot and we just picked up Alexander Urbom for depth.
Really looking forward to this season.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
ESPN Power Rankings - Week 5
Skins up two spots to #25.
Pears drop five spots to #9.
The idle Puckers hold steady at #12.
Pears drop five spots to #9.
The idle Puckers hold steady at #12.
NHL opens tonight - Caps vs. Blackhawks
Best time of the year as the football season is right in the thick of things and now the start of the NHL season begins. It's an interesting time for the Caps as expectations aren't quite as high as they have been in previous years. However, I think this group is going to surprise. They enter the season in the newly aligned Metropolitan division with tough teams like the Penguins, Rangers, Islanders, and Flyers. No longer will they have the easier Southeast division to beat up on.
I do really like the makeup of the team this season. I also like Adam Oates and think having a fully offseason/training camp/preseason with him will really benefit the team. We all know the Caps started out slowly in the strike shortened season last year and they were trying to adjust to Oates' style on the fly but by the end of the season they were arguably the hottest team in hockey. I think they will pick up where they left off at the end of last season and be a very tough team to play.
I also like the makeup of the team. We still have our core group of guys in Ovi, Backstrom, and Green all of which I expect a solid year from. We've added some young guys and then a couple of FAs to complete the mix. Unfortunately, we weren't able to hold on to Ribeiro which sucks because both sides wanted to work out a deal but Ribeiro was really asking too much from the Caps and I understood them not signing him. To replace him, the Caps picked up Mikhail Grabovski. A talented guy that is VERY passionate and who had a down year in Toronto and really fell out of favor with the coach. He signed a one year deal and there is no doubt he has a chip on his shoulder and has something to prove. He was very solid in the preseason and was an assist machine. I'm looking to him as someone that could really make a difference.
The other interesting guys I will be looking at are:
Eric Fehr who looks like he will be making the move to center. He had a tremendous preseason scoring five goals and may have found a new position that better suits him.
Brooks Laich who has been battling injuries the last couple of seasons. Hopefully he can stay healthy because when he is, he is one of the better two way players in the game. He is also a great locker room guy.
Tom Wilson is the young 19 year old who is big and strong and will be playing on the checking line. He deserves the roster spot and will be interesting to see him grow.
Connor Carrick who came out of no where to pick up a defenseman roster spot. The guy is in the mold of Mike Green in that he can skate and control the puck and has a strong shot that is able to find the net. He will have a hard time getting on the ice but from what I have seen in preseason, he may eventually take over some one else's spot for more ice time.
Neuvy/Holtby - I think Holtby is coming in with great confidence but Neuvy is coming in accepting his role (unlike the previous couple of years) and both played very well in camp. Goalie should not be a problem for us.
Finally, I think the expectations from the experts are lower for the Caps this year. I think that is a good thing. I don't believe they feel the same type of pressure as in previous seasons and it will work to their advantage. I do think the Caps will surprise people and end up having a very good year. The question is will it be good enough. I think this is a good group of guys that genuinely care for each other and there is a quiet commitment from this group to perform. It's got all of the makings of a very good team. We'll see what happens. It all starts tonight against the defending champion Blackhawks. Should be a good one.
LET'S GO CAPS!!!
I do really like the makeup of the team this season. I also like Adam Oates and think having a fully offseason/training camp/preseason with him will really benefit the team. We all know the Caps started out slowly in the strike shortened season last year and they were trying to adjust to Oates' style on the fly but by the end of the season they were arguably the hottest team in hockey. I think they will pick up where they left off at the end of last season and be a very tough team to play.
I also like the makeup of the team. We still have our core group of guys in Ovi, Backstrom, and Green all of which I expect a solid year from. We've added some young guys and then a couple of FAs to complete the mix. Unfortunately, we weren't able to hold on to Ribeiro which sucks because both sides wanted to work out a deal but Ribeiro was really asking too much from the Caps and I understood them not signing him. To replace him, the Caps picked up Mikhail Grabovski. A talented guy that is VERY passionate and who had a down year in Toronto and really fell out of favor with the coach. He signed a one year deal and there is no doubt he has a chip on his shoulder and has something to prove. He was very solid in the preseason and was an assist machine. I'm looking to him as someone that could really make a difference.
The other interesting guys I will be looking at are:
Eric Fehr who looks like he will be making the move to center. He had a tremendous preseason scoring five goals and may have found a new position that better suits him.
Brooks Laich who has been battling injuries the last couple of seasons. Hopefully he can stay healthy because when he is, he is one of the better two way players in the game. He is also a great locker room guy.
Tom Wilson is the young 19 year old who is big and strong and will be playing on the checking line. He deserves the roster spot and will be interesting to see him grow.
Connor Carrick who came out of no where to pick up a defenseman roster spot. The guy is in the mold of Mike Green in that he can skate and control the puck and has a strong shot that is able to find the net. He will have a hard time getting on the ice but from what I have seen in preseason, he may eventually take over some one else's spot for more ice time.
Neuvy/Holtby - I think Holtby is coming in with great confidence but Neuvy is coming in accepting his role (unlike the previous couple of years) and both played very well in camp. Goalie should not be a problem for us.
Finally, I think the expectations from the experts are lower for the Caps this year. I think that is a good thing. I don't believe they feel the same type of pressure as in previous seasons and it will work to their advantage. I do think the Caps will surprise people and end up having a very good year. The question is will it be good enough. I think this is a good group of guys that genuinely care for each other and there is a quiet commitment from this group to perform. It's got all of the makings of a very good team. We'll see what happens. It all starts tonight against the defending champion Blackhawks. Should be a good one.
LET'S GO CAPS!!!
Monday, September 30, 2013
Skins beat Raiders 24-14
Wasn't the prettiest win and The Raiders didn’t have their starting quarterback and lost their star running back early in the second half but I am not going to apologize for any victory and the Skins found a way to win their first game 24-14 against Oakland.
Didn't look good early as the Skins gave up a blocked punt in their end zone recovered by the Raiders giving them a quick 7-0 lead. Oakland engineered another drive making it 14-0 in the first quarter. However, borrowing the Iggles playbook, the Skins went no huddle and quickly drove down the field to inside the Raiders five yard line but an intentional grounding call on RG3 killed the drive and we settled for a FG. On the ensuing Raider drive, perhaps the play of the game, when rookie David Amerson stepped in front of a Raider WR crossing over the middle and got a pick six to make the score 14-10 and the momentum had quickly shifted.
The rest of the game, SURPRISINGLY, the Redskins defense took over. They stopped the run and put consistent pressure on Matt Flynn sacking him seven times total with quiet superstar Ryan Kerrigan in on three of them which included knocking the ball out with a Barry Cofield recovery. The Skins offense did enough to score two more TDs (a short RG3 to Garcon pass for a TD and a good run by Helu to seal the game).
Again, it was pretty but a win is a win and we needed it. It does boost morale and motivation going into the bye week. The other great part is that all the other teams in the NFC Least lost allowing the Skins to only be one game out of first with our next game against divisional leader and rival Dallas Cowboys. A win there and all is grand in Redskin land.
A couple of notes:
1. Morris had to leave the game with what was described as a bruised rib. I suppose the injury comes at a good time with the bye week coming but Roy Helu certainly seems capable of handling the load should Morris be out for an extended amount of time.
2. Kerrigan is a superstar. The guy is the most unassuming star I have ever seen. Just seems like a nice guy that goes out and plays hard each and every week and makes big plays. I am happy for him.
3. Special teams needs to improve. We've had some issues this season and the blocked punt didn't help. Danny Smith left the Skins to go to his hometown Steelers and we brought in T.C. Williams grad and for Denver Broncos special teams great Keith Burns. This group has to improve. Our return game is minimal and short/blocked punts has to improve.
4. RG3 was okay. He did some scrambling and I think he is still trying to get his legs back but it's good to see him move around more. Again, I expect better play week to week.
5. Offensive coaching questions. One thing I have noticed a lot of in the first few games is that opposing teams are blitzing a lot. Maybe it's because they want to see how healthy RG3 is and make him beat teams with his arm. That's fine. However, seems like we need to have more shorter passes called to address the continual blitzing. I noticed that guys are still in their routes as the blitz is coming and it puts RG3 in a vulnerable position. I may be wrong on this but would like to see the game film to see what's going on.
6. I like Amerson. He seems like a keeper. The guy is big, physical, and athletic. He's made some mistakes but by in large, I think he has played pretty well so far this season. He came in known as a playmaker and he had a huge one yesterday. I expect good things from him over the years.
7. Help coming for the defense. The bye week also brings the return of Jarvis Jenkins and Rob Jackson to the Skins as they finished serving their four game suspensions. These two guys should help out so it's good to be getting them back for our next game.
In the end, we did what we needed to do and we are right back in the thick of things. Funny how much can change in one week. The Skins should get some time off to rest and then it's back to work to prepare for the Assboyz.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Didn't look good early as the Skins gave up a blocked punt in their end zone recovered by the Raiders giving them a quick 7-0 lead. Oakland engineered another drive making it 14-0 in the first quarter. However, borrowing the Iggles playbook, the Skins went no huddle and quickly drove down the field to inside the Raiders five yard line but an intentional grounding call on RG3 killed the drive and we settled for a FG. On the ensuing Raider drive, perhaps the play of the game, when rookie David Amerson stepped in front of a Raider WR crossing over the middle and got a pick six to make the score 14-10 and the momentum had quickly shifted.
The rest of the game, SURPRISINGLY, the Redskins defense took over. They stopped the run and put consistent pressure on Matt Flynn sacking him seven times total with quiet superstar Ryan Kerrigan in on three of them which included knocking the ball out with a Barry Cofield recovery. The Skins offense did enough to score two more TDs (a short RG3 to Garcon pass for a TD and a good run by Helu to seal the game).
Again, it was pretty but a win is a win and we needed it. It does boost morale and motivation going into the bye week. The other great part is that all the other teams in the NFC Least lost allowing the Skins to only be one game out of first with our next game against divisional leader and rival Dallas Cowboys. A win there and all is grand in Redskin land.
A couple of notes:
1. Morris had to leave the game with what was described as a bruised rib. I suppose the injury comes at a good time with the bye week coming but Roy Helu certainly seems capable of handling the load should Morris be out for an extended amount of time.
2. Kerrigan is a superstar. The guy is the most unassuming star I have ever seen. Just seems like a nice guy that goes out and plays hard each and every week and makes big plays. I am happy for him.
3. Special teams needs to improve. We've had some issues this season and the blocked punt didn't help. Danny Smith left the Skins to go to his hometown Steelers and we brought in T.C. Williams grad and for Denver Broncos special teams great Keith Burns. This group has to improve. Our return game is minimal and short/blocked punts has to improve.
4. RG3 was okay. He did some scrambling and I think he is still trying to get his legs back but it's good to see him move around more. Again, I expect better play week to week.
5. Offensive coaching questions. One thing I have noticed a lot of in the first few games is that opposing teams are blitzing a lot. Maybe it's because they want to see how healthy RG3 is and make him beat teams with his arm. That's fine. However, seems like we need to have more shorter passes called to address the continual blitzing. I noticed that guys are still in their routes as the blitz is coming and it puts RG3 in a vulnerable position. I may be wrong on this but would like to see the game film to see what's going on.
6. I like Amerson. He seems like a keeper. The guy is big, physical, and athletic. He's made some mistakes but by in large, I think he has played pretty well so far this season. He came in known as a playmaker and he had a huge one yesterday. I expect good things from him over the years.
7. Help coming for the defense. The bye week also brings the return of Jarvis Jenkins and Rob Jackson to the Skins as they finished serving their four game suspensions. These two guys should help out so it's good to be getting them back for our next game.
In the end, we did what we needed to do and we are right back in the thick of things. Funny how much can change in one week. The Skins should get some time off to rest and then it's back to work to prepare for the Assboyz.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Friday, September 27, 2013
Skins vs. Raiders preview
So this is about as much of an early season must win game there is for the Skins. They can ill afford to go drop to 0-4. While I expect the Skins to win, I don't think this will be an easy game by any means. The Raiders have shown some flashes and it is always hard for a team to travel cross country to play. Still, I won't make any excuses. The Skins have to win this game. Keys are as follow:
1. More running: The run game is our bread and butter and when we have run this season, we have been effective. Unfortunately, because we have been down, we have been forced to pass much more. This isn't our game. We need to get Morris going and ride that as much as we can. I'm sure Morris wants it and the O line would love to run block all day.
2. Defense: We blitzed a lot in the Lions game and relied on man to man coverage. It appeared to be more successful. Will be interesting to see if we employ the same strategy this week. I say might as well as it is more high risk/high reward as we could give up big plays but we could also create big plays for our defense.
3. Who is the Raiders QB?: I don't think it matters too much. Pryor looks better than I thought in the little I have seen from him but he is coming off of a concussion and Matt Flynn was supposed to be the guy. I think each guy will present their own challenges and each guy will definitely want to impress if they are in there as there doesn't seem to be a strong hold on the QB position. I expect Pryor to play and all the more reason to send pressure and force the kid to make plays.
4. RG3: Have to throw him in there as you just want to see improvement week to week. I've seen that so far and want to see another step this week. Per #1 above, I don't want to see him throw 50 times but would rather see a better selection of passes but I would prefer the focus to be on the run to take pressure off of RG3. Still, I'm sure he will have to make his share of plays and I'm expecting continued stronger play from him.
5. Kickoff/Punt returns: We need better production from this group. Looked like Josh Morgan picked up for Chris Thompson on the kickoff returns. Thompson hasn't done much but it's still early to make a definitive decision on him. He seems fast but seems more linear and less quick and able to make guys miss. However, the bigger problem I have with him is his decision making. He will catch the ball on punts when he should let it drop or try and run a ball 9 yards deep in the end zone. I appreciate a young guy wanting to make plays but not at the cost of hurting his team. Will be interesting to see how well we do in the return game.
In the end, I expect a determined group to come out and win the game 31-17. I think we will run the ball effectively and create two turnovers that will help bring us our first win.
HAIL SKINS!!!
1. More running: The run game is our bread and butter and when we have run this season, we have been effective. Unfortunately, because we have been down, we have been forced to pass much more. This isn't our game. We need to get Morris going and ride that as much as we can. I'm sure Morris wants it and the O line would love to run block all day.
2. Defense: We blitzed a lot in the Lions game and relied on man to man coverage. It appeared to be more successful. Will be interesting to see if we employ the same strategy this week. I say might as well as it is more high risk/high reward as we could give up big plays but we could also create big plays for our defense.
3. Who is the Raiders QB?: I don't think it matters too much. Pryor looks better than I thought in the little I have seen from him but he is coming off of a concussion and Matt Flynn was supposed to be the guy. I think each guy will present their own challenges and each guy will definitely want to impress if they are in there as there doesn't seem to be a strong hold on the QB position. I expect Pryor to play and all the more reason to send pressure and force the kid to make plays.
4. RG3: Have to throw him in there as you just want to see improvement week to week. I've seen that so far and want to see another step this week. Per #1 above, I don't want to see him throw 50 times but would rather see a better selection of passes but I would prefer the focus to be on the run to take pressure off of RG3. Still, I'm sure he will have to make his share of plays and I'm expecting continued stronger play from him.
5. Kickoff/Punt returns: We need better production from this group. Looked like Josh Morgan picked up for Chris Thompson on the kickoff returns. Thompson hasn't done much but it's still early to make a definitive decision on him. He seems fast but seems more linear and less quick and able to make guys miss. However, the bigger problem I have with him is his decision making. He will catch the ball on punts when he should let it drop or try and run a ball 9 yards deep in the end zone. I appreciate a young guy wanting to make plays but not at the cost of hurting his team. Will be interesting to see how well we do in the return game.
In the end, I expect a determined group to come out and win the game 31-17. I think we will run the ball effectively and create two turnovers that will help bring us our first win.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
ESPN Power Rankings - Week 3
Skins drop three to #27.
Pears climb five to #4.
Puckers tumble seven to #12.
Again, I'm fine with the rankings. Pears are generating some buzz. Would like to see them play some stiffer competition to see if they are truly deserving of the ranking.
Puckers looking vulnerable and need to find a way to get on track.
Pears climb five to #4.
Puckers tumble seven to #12.
Again, I'm fine with the rankings. Pears are generating some buzz. Would like to see them play some stiffer competition to see if they are truly deserving of the ranking.
Puckers looking vulnerable and need to find a way to get on track.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Skins fall to Lions 27-20
It was a better performance than the previous two weeks but not enough to get the job done. The game pretty much boiled down to a couple of plays in the fourth quarter. They include:
1. With the game tied 17-17, RG3 scrambled and ran for a 25 yard gain and dove head first with the intent of declaring himself down. When he hit the ground, the ball popped loose and was recovered by the Lions at the Lions 30 yard line. It's unfortunate as the intent was clear but the rule is if you dive head first and lose the ball, it is live. If you slide feet first and lose the ball, you are down by contact. Unfortunate but the rule is the rule and it should have been Lions ball.
2. With the score 20-17 Lions, RG3 throws a brilliant 57 yard bomb to Aldrick Robinson who caught it as he was crossing the goal line. When Robinson hit the ground, the ball was bobbled. While it looked like his hand was underneath the ball at all times, it was still bobbled and ironically the Calvin Johnson rule took effect as he did not maintain full possession for the entirety of the catch. That one hurt as it went from a potential 24-20 lead to us having to punt. There was a lot of energy/emotion/momentum shifts in that call. I didn't see enough replays to see if he maintained control but it certainly looked like it was bobbled and it was most likely the correct call.
Despite the defeat, the positives you have to take from the game was that it was a better overall performance. RG3 looked better than the previous week. Again, I have said in previous posts that he is playing catch up and he is trying to shake the rust off and I wanted to see him improve week to week. I thought that was the case this week as he looked solid. Special teams was better as Rocca was much better in punting and Potter converted his two FG attempts. The punt/kick return game still needs to improve and each week, Chris Thompson isn't showing me much. Doesn't seem to have the speed or quickness needed for that role. Still, it's amazing the difference field position makes as we were much better in our punt game.
While the defense was better, this is still an issue. Thought D. Hall did a good job on Calvin Johnson. No team will ever stop CJ but Hall was locked up on him the entire game and played him pretty well even recording and INT for a TD. Thought Amerson was good at the other CB spot. Looked like we brought much more pressure this week and allowed our CBs to lock up man to man. This seemed like a better strategy. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get the necessary stops we needed on third downs particularly in the fourth quarter. There were also some continued cases of poor tackling. However, the strategy seemed better as it is probably better to send the additional pressure to force quicker decisions by the opposing QB and hope for a mistake.
In the end, I'm not thrilled with the loss but I do feel like it was a better performance and I think this team is still trying to play catch up. It's early in the season and a lot will change, we need to see continued improvement week to week. I believe that will happen. It's not how you start but how you finish. There's a lot of football left and I don't think anyone will run away with the division so no need to panic. I will say next week's game against Oakland is a must win and if you can get one and build some momentum, it makes things easier. Losing is contagious but so is winning and we need to get that first "W."
1. With the game tied 17-17, RG3 scrambled and ran for a 25 yard gain and dove head first with the intent of declaring himself down. When he hit the ground, the ball popped loose and was recovered by the Lions at the Lions 30 yard line. It's unfortunate as the intent was clear but the rule is if you dive head first and lose the ball, it is live. If you slide feet first and lose the ball, you are down by contact. Unfortunate but the rule is the rule and it should have been Lions ball.
2. With the score 20-17 Lions, RG3 throws a brilliant 57 yard bomb to Aldrick Robinson who caught it as he was crossing the goal line. When Robinson hit the ground, the ball was bobbled. While it looked like his hand was underneath the ball at all times, it was still bobbled and ironically the Calvin Johnson rule took effect as he did not maintain full possession for the entirety of the catch. That one hurt as it went from a potential 24-20 lead to us having to punt. There was a lot of energy/emotion/momentum shifts in that call. I didn't see enough replays to see if he maintained control but it certainly looked like it was bobbled and it was most likely the correct call.
Despite the defeat, the positives you have to take from the game was that it was a better overall performance. RG3 looked better than the previous week. Again, I have said in previous posts that he is playing catch up and he is trying to shake the rust off and I wanted to see him improve week to week. I thought that was the case this week as he looked solid. Special teams was better as Rocca was much better in punting and Potter converted his two FG attempts. The punt/kick return game still needs to improve and each week, Chris Thompson isn't showing me much. Doesn't seem to have the speed or quickness needed for that role. Still, it's amazing the difference field position makes as we were much better in our punt game.
While the defense was better, this is still an issue. Thought D. Hall did a good job on Calvin Johnson. No team will ever stop CJ but Hall was locked up on him the entire game and played him pretty well even recording and INT for a TD. Thought Amerson was good at the other CB spot. Looked like we brought much more pressure this week and allowed our CBs to lock up man to man. This seemed like a better strategy. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get the necessary stops we needed on third downs particularly in the fourth quarter. There were also some continued cases of poor tackling. However, the strategy seemed better as it is probably better to send the additional pressure to force quicker decisions by the opposing QB and hope for a mistake.
In the end, I'm not thrilled with the loss but I do feel like it was a better performance and I think this team is still trying to play catch up. It's early in the season and a lot will change, we need to see continued improvement week to week. I believe that will happen. It's not how you start but how you finish. There's a lot of football left and I don't think anyone will run away with the division so no need to panic. I will say next week's game against Oakland is a must win and if you can get one and build some momentum, it makes things easier. Losing is contagious but so is winning and we need to get that first "W."
Friday, September 20, 2013
Iggles offense
The NFL is funny and how quickly fans/media will react. Many people were curious about Chip Kelly's offense coming into this season and how his high tempo, quick paced offense would translate in the NFL. Obviously, the first game it looked good. Although now the question is how much of those results were because of the Eagles offense being good or the Redskins defense being bad? Whatever the case, after that game, the Eagles offense became national news and everyone thought Kelly was bringing this cutting edge style of offense that would revolutionize the game.
Two weeks later and it's funny how tunes change. I don't think people have given up on the offense but certainly the excitment has dwindled. In fact, a poll in Philadelphia asking who's offense was better Kelly's or Andy Reid's and 70% felt Reid's was better. I'm sure the results are skewed with fans still smarting from the fresh loss to KC. Point is that fans change their tunes with the drop of a hat. Wins and all is wonderful. Losses and everyone's a goat.
My thoughts are that Kelly certainly brings a new wrinkle to the game which is interesting. Not sure it is sustainable. As teams get more game film on the offense, they will have more opportunities to study it and plan against it. The up tempo also means that both teams are tiring out. Not sure the Iggles offensive players can sustain the pace. If the losses mount, it will be funny how quickly the fans will say Kelly is nothing more than a college coach and can't handle the pro game. It's what fans/media do.
Last year when Schiano took over in TB. People commended him for his hard nose, no nonsense approach. Now people are saying that that doesn't work in the NFL and he's too strict for the professional player. When Zorny started out hot, his coach ratings were very high. People loved his unorthodox, relaxed, "hip hip hooray" coaching style. Once things turned, people said he was a push over and the Skins needed more discipline.
Will be interesting to watch Kelly's offense unfold over the course of this season. Will he be revolutionary or will the offense just be a fad that putters out over the course of the season? We'll see.
Two weeks later and it's funny how tunes change. I don't think people have given up on the offense but certainly the excitment has dwindled. In fact, a poll in Philadelphia asking who's offense was better Kelly's or Andy Reid's and 70% felt Reid's was better. I'm sure the results are skewed with fans still smarting from the fresh loss to KC. Point is that fans change their tunes with the drop of a hat. Wins and all is wonderful. Losses and everyone's a goat.
My thoughts are that Kelly certainly brings a new wrinkle to the game which is interesting. Not sure it is sustainable. As teams get more game film on the offense, they will have more opportunities to study it and plan against it. The up tempo also means that both teams are tiring out. Not sure the Iggles offensive players can sustain the pace. If the losses mount, it will be funny how quickly the fans will say Kelly is nothing more than a college coach and can't handle the pro game. It's what fans/media do.
Last year when Schiano took over in TB. People commended him for his hard nose, no nonsense approach. Now people are saying that that doesn't work in the NFL and he's too strict for the professional player. When Zorny started out hot, his coach ratings were very high. People loved his unorthodox, relaxed, "hip hip hooray" coaching style. Once things turned, people said he was a push over and the Skins needed more discipline.
Will be interesting to watch Kelly's offense unfold over the course of this season. Will he be revolutionary or will the offense just be a fad that putters out over the course of the season? We'll see.
Skins vs. Lions preview
Big early season game as the Skins can ill afford to go down 0-3. Obvious pressure on many parts and individuals on this team. No doubt they will be put under the microscope. Namely RG3 (which is pretty much always the case) and the entire defense. No doubt we can't afford to get down big early as we have done the last two weeks.
Lions have the best WR in the game in Calvin Johnson and Stafford, when on, can be a very dangerous passer. The addition of Reggie Bush (assuming he plays) gives the Lions another playmaker that can turn small catches into big yards.
That said, here are the keys:
1. DEFENSE NEEDS TO IMPROVE: This is a given. The defense has been horrendous the first two games and they can't get much worse. The key will be to slow down Calvin Johnson. Don't think it is possible to stop him so we just need to make sure we don't let him go nuts and have a career day. Tackling will also need to be better particularly in the case of Reggie Bush so that we don't allow him to get a ton of YACs. Have to find ways to put pressure on Stafford and make him uncomfortable. He's a QB if given the time will tear you apart. However, he hasn't shown he is elite and can be forced into making mistakes. Just in general we need defensive improvement.
2. RG3: What to expect from him? It's obvious he is shaking off the rust. He mentioned this week the possibility of running more. Not sure if this is a good or bad thing. I want RG3 to be RG3 but I don't want him to put pressure on himself and force something trying to create a play and hurting himself. He's a competitor which you love to have but he can't be reckless. The other thing I want to see is assuming the score remains relatively even, will be interesting to see him operate our normal offense as opposed to the two minute offense which we have been forced to do early in the game the last two weeks.
3. Establish run game: The run game is there. Morris has been limited in his carries to due to us getting down big early. Have to be able to get him going and create longer sustaining drives.
4. Convert 3rd downs: We have had a number of 3rd and shorts but have not been able to convert the third downs. We need to correct this in order to keep drives alive and keep the opposing offenses off the field.
5. Better Special Teams play: This group needs to play smarter. I think the talent is fine; however, it a group that has hurt the team with bad penalties and poor decisions in the punt/kickoff return game. I'm assuming this gets fixed.
It's an interesting game as many people will, fairly or unfairly, be put under the microscope. A win and all is well. A loss and the pressure mounts. This is typically the situation for all teams in the NFL. I feel like it's a bounce back game for the Skins and we pull out a 27-24 win at home.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Lions have the best WR in the game in Calvin Johnson and Stafford, when on, can be a very dangerous passer. The addition of Reggie Bush (assuming he plays) gives the Lions another playmaker that can turn small catches into big yards.
That said, here are the keys:
1. DEFENSE NEEDS TO IMPROVE: This is a given. The defense has been horrendous the first two games and they can't get much worse. The key will be to slow down Calvin Johnson. Don't think it is possible to stop him so we just need to make sure we don't let him go nuts and have a career day. Tackling will also need to be better particularly in the case of Reggie Bush so that we don't allow him to get a ton of YACs. Have to find ways to put pressure on Stafford and make him uncomfortable. He's a QB if given the time will tear you apart. However, he hasn't shown he is elite and can be forced into making mistakes. Just in general we need defensive improvement.
2. RG3: What to expect from him? It's obvious he is shaking off the rust. He mentioned this week the possibility of running more. Not sure if this is a good or bad thing. I want RG3 to be RG3 but I don't want him to put pressure on himself and force something trying to create a play and hurting himself. He's a competitor which you love to have but he can't be reckless. The other thing I want to see is assuming the score remains relatively even, will be interesting to see him operate our normal offense as opposed to the two minute offense which we have been forced to do early in the game the last two weeks.
3. Establish run game: The run game is there. Morris has been limited in his carries to due to us getting down big early. Have to be able to get him going and create longer sustaining drives.
4. Convert 3rd downs: We have had a number of 3rd and shorts but have not been able to convert the third downs. We need to correct this in order to keep drives alive and keep the opposing offenses off the field.
5. Better Special Teams play: This group needs to play smarter. I think the talent is fine; however, it a group that has hurt the team with bad penalties and poor decisions in the punt/kickoff return game. I'm assuming this gets fixed.
It's an interesting game as many people will, fairly or unfairly, be put under the microscope. A win and all is well. A loss and the pressure mounts. This is typically the situation for all teams in the NFL. I feel like it's a bounce back game for the Skins and we pull out a 27-24 win at home.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Should RG3 be benched?
The question is nonsense. I know there are media and fans mentioning that RG3 should be benched. Theses are the same guys that thought Kirk Cousins should continue playing after his one start against Cleveland last season.
If RG3 was injured and he was risking further injury or if he was throwing 4-5 INTs a game, I could better understand the question. However, most of the people bringing this issue up are morons that have kneejerk reactions to everything and think real football is fantasy football where you can swap guys in and out whenever you feel like.
RG3 has not been the problem. Sure, he hasn't played his best football the last two weeks but it's also not hard to understand why that is the case. He is coming off of a major injury and didn't get any work in preseason. Last season, Peyton Manning looked rough to start the season coming off of a major injury but we all know how he finished. Also, last time I checked, RG3 is not playing defense and isn't giving up 30+ points a game. He isn't playing special teams and shanking punts or making dumb penalties or poor decision in punt/kickoff returns resulting in us being pinned back deep in our zone.
Sure, he looks a little rusty but to shake the rust off the guy has to play. Unfortunately, the last couple of games are the work we would have hoped he would have gotten in preseason. I expect him to improve week to week and he will do that by playing. Putting in Cousins would be a mistake on many levels. Aside, from the fact that RG3 is better, putting in Cousins has further implications as it would tick off RG3 and disrupt the team and then if Cousins wasn't good, it would be even more disruption to go back to RG3. Plain and simple, it doesn't make sense.
While I wish people would just shut up with the bench RG3 talk, I recognize that is what people do and it is part of the game. The funny part is the strongest proponents to bench RG3 would be praising him should the Skins win on Sunday. It's the nature of sports fans.
If RG3 was injured and he was risking further injury or if he was throwing 4-5 INTs a game, I could better understand the question. However, most of the people bringing this issue up are morons that have kneejerk reactions to everything and think real football is fantasy football where you can swap guys in and out whenever you feel like.
RG3 has not been the problem. Sure, he hasn't played his best football the last two weeks but it's also not hard to understand why that is the case. He is coming off of a major injury and didn't get any work in preseason. Last season, Peyton Manning looked rough to start the season coming off of a major injury but we all know how he finished. Also, last time I checked, RG3 is not playing defense and isn't giving up 30+ points a game. He isn't playing special teams and shanking punts or making dumb penalties or poor decision in punt/kickoff returns resulting in us being pinned back deep in our zone.
Sure, he looks a little rusty but to shake the rust off the guy has to play. Unfortunately, the last couple of games are the work we would have hoped he would have gotten in preseason. I expect him to improve week to week and he will do that by playing. Putting in Cousins would be a mistake on many levels. Aside, from the fact that RG3 is better, putting in Cousins has further implications as it would tick off RG3 and disrupt the team and then if Cousins wasn't good, it would be even more disruption to go back to RG3. Plain and simple, it doesn't make sense.
While I wish people would just shut up with the bench RG3 talk, I recognize that is what people do and it is part of the game. The funny part is the strongest proponents to bench RG3 would be praising him should the Skins win on Sunday. It's the nature of sports fans.
ESPN Rankings - Week 2
Skins drop another five spots to #24.
Pears hold steady at #9.
Puckers climb two spots to #5.
Seems reasonable.
Pears hold steady at #9.
Puckers climb two spots to #5.
Seems reasonable.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Skins defense SUCKS!!!!
First, let me give JSR credit for predicting the score. He predicted 38-21 and it was 38-20 so good job JSR.
Now let me get into the game. Defense SUCKS!!! I am obviously not part of the film and coaching sessions but it seems like a combination of poor coaching and execution. I say coaching because for much of the first half the Puckers are doing short passes left and right and we just aren't in position to make the plays. I say execution because there were several plays where just poor tackling allowed for many extra yards for the Puckers. I like Kerrigan but he isn't getting much consistent help from anyone else. Meriweather was okay but he's an idiot that can't stay on the field. He has a helmet to helmet with Lacy knocking Lacy out of the game and then follows that up with another helmet to helmet knocking himself out of the game. Haslett has to figure this out ASAP otherwise they need to fire his ugly arse. I get that Rodgers is arguably the best QB in the game today and they have plenty of weapons but we were shredded and it looked too easy for them. That has to change.
Offense is okay. Problem is that for the second week in a row we couldn't sustain drives in the first half. We had a lot of difficulty converting third downs. The good thing is that I feel a whole lot better about where we are with the offense and feel like that is close to being successful. RG3 looked a bit more comfortable this week compared to the previous week. Morris ran for over a 100 yards on very limited carries so the run game will be there. Jordan Reed is looking more and more like a solid weapon although what has happened to Fred Davis? Imagine Davis will be let go at the end of the year especially if he is eyeing a big contract. Garcon had a big game (150+ yards receiving). The big problem with the offense was not being able to convert first downs in the first half but that will come so not too worried about our offense. As RG3 gets more comfortable, things will click just fine.
Special teams was subpar. I am not a fan of Chris Williams as a kick/punt returner. He doesn't seem to have the quickness we need and I think he is trying to hard to make a play at the detriment of the team. Niles Paul headbutt was dumb. We had a chance to pin the Puckers back at their 10 yard line and he gets an unsportsmanlike penalty. Just dumb. Harry Potter sucks. Sav Rocca had another shank. Can't understand how a punter shanks punts. They get paid big bucks to kick the ball. In practice, they have nothing else to do but kick the ball. While there have been issues with special teams, I am not too concerned about this area as well.
The real issue is defense which is offensive. I'm not seeing much there. While it is bad, I'm not at the point of panicking. In fact, I'm far from it. However, this week we go up against Stafford and CJ and if we get torched again, I will be very concerned. The following week is Oakland and we get torched there, I'm putting up the alert to Def Con 5 and go into full blown panic mode with imminent implosion expected. Right now, I'm not happy but it's still early and I'm not going to overreact. Again, comfortable that the offense will work itself out but think the defense has bigger issues. The players say that they practiced hard but didn't execute. We'll see if there is better results next week.
Now let me get into the game. Defense SUCKS!!! I am obviously not part of the film and coaching sessions but it seems like a combination of poor coaching and execution. I say coaching because for much of the first half the Puckers are doing short passes left and right and we just aren't in position to make the plays. I say execution because there were several plays where just poor tackling allowed for many extra yards for the Puckers. I like Kerrigan but he isn't getting much consistent help from anyone else. Meriweather was okay but he's an idiot that can't stay on the field. He has a helmet to helmet with Lacy knocking Lacy out of the game and then follows that up with another helmet to helmet knocking himself out of the game. Haslett has to figure this out ASAP otherwise they need to fire his ugly arse. I get that Rodgers is arguably the best QB in the game today and they have plenty of weapons but we were shredded and it looked too easy for them. That has to change.
Offense is okay. Problem is that for the second week in a row we couldn't sustain drives in the first half. We had a lot of difficulty converting third downs. The good thing is that I feel a whole lot better about where we are with the offense and feel like that is close to being successful. RG3 looked a bit more comfortable this week compared to the previous week. Morris ran for over a 100 yards on very limited carries so the run game will be there. Jordan Reed is looking more and more like a solid weapon although what has happened to Fred Davis? Imagine Davis will be let go at the end of the year especially if he is eyeing a big contract. Garcon had a big game (150+ yards receiving). The big problem with the offense was not being able to convert first downs in the first half but that will come so not too worried about our offense. As RG3 gets more comfortable, things will click just fine.
Special teams was subpar. I am not a fan of Chris Williams as a kick/punt returner. He doesn't seem to have the quickness we need and I think he is trying to hard to make a play at the detriment of the team. Niles Paul headbutt was dumb. We had a chance to pin the Puckers back at their 10 yard line and he gets an unsportsmanlike penalty. Just dumb. Harry Potter sucks. Sav Rocca had another shank. Can't understand how a punter shanks punts. They get paid big bucks to kick the ball. In practice, they have nothing else to do but kick the ball. While there have been issues with special teams, I am not too concerned about this area as well.
The real issue is defense which is offensive. I'm not seeing much there. While it is bad, I'm not at the point of panicking. In fact, I'm far from it. However, this week we go up against Stafford and CJ and if we get torched again, I will be very concerned. The following week is Oakland and we get torched there, I'm putting up the alert to Def Con 5 and go into full blown panic mode with imminent implosion expected. Right now, I'm not happy but it's still early and I'm not going to overreact. Again, comfortable that the offense will work itself out but think the defense has bigger issues. The players say that they practiced hard but didn't execute. We'll see if there is better results next week.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Skins vs. Puckers preview
Pretty big early season game for both teams and both are looking to avoid going 0-2. Puckers will be playing their home opener so no doubt their stadium will be excited and their players pumped. Skins are looking to rebound from an unbelievable first half last week against the Iggles. They showed signs in the second half of the game but we will need a better all around effort to beat the Packers. Keys to the game are as follows:
1. Get ground game going: Once the Skins fell down big to the Iggles, Morris was a non factor as the Skins were forced to pass nearly every down. We have to establish the run game this week. Our best defense will be our offense and controlling the clock and keeping Rodgers off the field. The best way to do this is get the run game going.
2. RG3: Unfortunately, he is still trying to work his way back and get comfortable. I don't doubt that in a few weeks he'll be the RG3 that we all know and expect but it shouldn't come as a big surprise if he still looks uncomfortable out there this week. The hope I have is that he gets better with each week and that he looks more comfortable this Sunday compared to last Sunday.
3. Secondary: No doubt they will have to be ready to go as they face arguably the best QB in the game right now. Reports are that we'll have Meriweather back but he hasn't played much over the last year and a half and we will need solid play from him. I'm okay with the CBs. They won't be perfect but who is against Rodgers. Rambo is still the X factor. He needs to get better. I am not sold on the guy but we don't have many options right now and if we are going to commit to him, I'm glad we are sticking with him and allowing him time to learn and hopefully get better. Still, he needs to be better in both coverage and tackling.
4. Get to Rodgers: To help the secondary, we need to be able to get pressure on Rodgers. Fortunately, Kerrigan didn't suffer a concussion and will be back. He is a quiet superstar and I expect him to be disruptive but we need Orakpo to step up and equal the play of Kerrigan. GB's O line is less than stellar so we need to make Rodgers uncomfortable. This will be critical this week.
5. Contain Matthews: Clay Matthews is one of the premier pass rushers in the game and it's good that GB got to play SF just a week ago as Kaepernick is in the same mold as RG3 so GB has been practicing against a running QB for a few weeks now. That will be to their benefit. We have to make sure we account for Matthews and buy RG3 enough time to make plays. Again, RG3 is working himself back in the game so things are coming as quickly to him as they normally would so buying a little extra time for him is critical.
I think it will be a good game and we'll show improvement but in the end, we will fall short 27-24.
HTTR!!!
1. Get ground game going: Once the Skins fell down big to the Iggles, Morris was a non factor as the Skins were forced to pass nearly every down. We have to establish the run game this week. Our best defense will be our offense and controlling the clock and keeping Rodgers off the field. The best way to do this is get the run game going.
2. RG3: Unfortunately, he is still trying to work his way back and get comfortable. I don't doubt that in a few weeks he'll be the RG3 that we all know and expect but it shouldn't come as a big surprise if he still looks uncomfortable out there this week. The hope I have is that he gets better with each week and that he looks more comfortable this Sunday compared to last Sunday.
3. Secondary: No doubt they will have to be ready to go as they face arguably the best QB in the game right now. Reports are that we'll have Meriweather back but he hasn't played much over the last year and a half and we will need solid play from him. I'm okay with the CBs. They won't be perfect but who is against Rodgers. Rambo is still the X factor. He needs to get better. I am not sold on the guy but we don't have many options right now and if we are going to commit to him, I'm glad we are sticking with him and allowing him time to learn and hopefully get better. Still, he needs to be better in both coverage and tackling.
4. Get to Rodgers: To help the secondary, we need to be able to get pressure on Rodgers. Fortunately, Kerrigan didn't suffer a concussion and will be back. He is a quiet superstar and I expect him to be disruptive but we need Orakpo to step up and equal the play of Kerrigan. GB's O line is less than stellar so we need to make Rodgers uncomfortable. This will be critical this week.
5. Contain Matthews: Clay Matthews is one of the premier pass rushers in the game and it's good that GB got to play SF just a week ago as Kaepernick is in the same mold as RG3 so GB has been practicing against a running QB for a few weeks now. That will be to their benefit. We have to make sure we account for Matthews and buy RG3 enough time to make plays. Again, RG3 is working himself back in the game so things are coming as quickly to him as they normally would so buying a little extra time for him is critical.
I think it will be a good game and we'll show improvement but in the end, we will fall short 27-24.
HTTR!!!
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
ESPN Power Rankings - Week 2
Skins take the biggest tumble of any team falling nine spots to #19.
Pears climb five spots to #9.
Puckers drop two spots to #7.
Fair rankings for now. Again, it takes 3-4 weeks for teams to normalize in the league and then you can get a better picture of who is real.
Pears climb five spots to #9.
Puckers drop two spots to #7.
Fair rankings for now. Again, it takes 3-4 weeks for teams to normalize in the league and then you can get a better picture of who is real.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Skins lose to Iggles
So there was obviously a ton of hype with the return of RG3. Unfortunately, the Skins came out flat. Just a nightmarish first half. It happens. I don't like it. I don't know how to explain it but those things happen. Nothing seemed to go right for the Skins in the first half. Give Chip Kelly, Vickles, and the Iggles credit. They came out with their up tempo offense and the Skins couldn't find an answer until later in the game. Still, the question is how much of it was the Iggles offense or the Skins ineptitude in the first half? The answer is probably some where in the middle.
Skins continually shot themselves in the foot with turnovers, bad/untimely penalties, and just poor execution. The good news is that those things are correctable. It was good to see them come back from a 33-7 deficit and make a game of it to finish 33-27. I understand the Iggles game philosophy changed when they were up but still it wasn't like the Iggles gave the Skins points or didn't try to score anymore so the Skins do deserve credit for not quitting and continuing to fight.
This pretty much sums up the Skins first half: their first seven plays: lost fumble by Alfred Morris, 3-yard loss by Morris, penalty for illegal shift, screen to Morris that got back some yards, interception thrown by Griffin into triple coverage, pass dropped by fullback Darrel Young, safety that occurred when Morris bobbled a pitch in the end zone. Not a recipe for success.
Along with these miscues, the Skins had terrible field position the entire first half. I believe the average starting position for the Skins was at the 10 yard line compared to the Iggles starting from their 35 yard line. It's a huge difference.
Rookie PR/KR Chris Thompson made a number of mistakes catching punts inside the 10 yard line and trying to return kickoffs sent deep into the end zone. I understand he is a rookie and wants to make a play but it didn't work out and cost us valuable field position. Other rookie Baccari Rambo needs to play better. He does not break down in open field tackling allowing guys to get right by him. I also think he was out of position at times in coverage. On the flip side, I thought rookie David Amerson was solid at CB. Rookie Jordan Reed had himself a nice game with several catches.
As far as RG3 is concerned, I know many people are saying that he didn't look 100%. For me, he looked 100% but he just looked a bit rusty. It shouldn't be a surprise that some of his passes were off and his timing was off a bit. He never got a chance to play in the preseason and that hurts. In the end, I thought it was a solid first game back all things considered. It will take him another game or two to get back into the rhythm but I don't have any doubts about him. The tough part was that we got down so big so early that we were forced out of our running game and had to pass. In this game, our best defense was going to be our offense as we needed to keep their up tempo offense off the field . It just didn't work out that way.
Will be interesting to see how well the Chip Kelly offense is over the course of the season. This is one game so you can't get too high or low on anything. We seem to say this every season but it takes 3 or 4 games before everything normalizes and you can weed the contenders from the pretenders. I will say that our defense seemed much more effective against Vickles when we sent additional pressure. We'll see how other teams decide to defend against them.
In the end, I'm disappointed but far from concerned. As mentioned, it's one game and we have to learn from it and move on. Next week is the Puckers who present their own set of challenges. Rodgers will definitely put our suspect secondary to the test. With both teams losing their opening games, no doubt both will be fighting to stave off an 0-2 start.
HTTR!!!
Skins continually shot themselves in the foot with turnovers, bad/untimely penalties, and just poor execution. The good news is that those things are correctable. It was good to see them come back from a 33-7 deficit and make a game of it to finish 33-27. I understand the Iggles game philosophy changed when they were up but still it wasn't like the Iggles gave the Skins points or didn't try to score anymore so the Skins do deserve credit for not quitting and continuing to fight.
This pretty much sums up the Skins first half: their first seven plays: lost fumble by Alfred Morris, 3-yard loss by Morris, penalty for illegal shift, screen to Morris that got back some yards, interception thrown by Griffin into triple coverage, pass dropped by fullback Darrel Young, safety that occurred when Morris bobbled a pitch in the end zone. Not a recipe for success.
Along with these miscues, the Skins had terrible field position the entire first half. I believe the average starting position for the Skins was at the 10 yard line compared to the Iggles starting from their 35 yard line. It's a huge difference.
Rookie PR/KR Chris Thompson made a number of mistakes catching punts inside the 10 yard line and trying to return kickoffs sent deep into the end zone. I understand he is a rookie and wants to make a play but it didn't work out and cost us valuable field position. Other rookie Baccari Rambo needs to play better. He does not break down in open field tackling allowing guys to get right by him. I also think he was out of position at times in coverage. On the flip side, I thought rookie David Amerson was solid at CB. Rookie Jordan Reed had himself a nice game with several catches.
As far as RG3 is concerned, I know many people are saying that he didn't look 100%. For me, he looked 100% but he just looked a bit rusty. It shouldn't be a surprise that some of his passes were off and his timing was off a bit. He never got a chance to play in the preseason and that hurts. In the end, I thought it was a solid first game back all things considered. It will take him another game or two to get back into the rhythm but I don't have any doubts about him. The tough part was that we got down so big so early that we were forced out of our running game and had to pass. In this game, our best defense was going to be our offense as we needed to keep their up tempo offense off the field . It just didn't work out that way.
Will be interesting to see how well the Chip Kelly offense is over the course of the season. This is one game so you can't get too high or low on anything. We seem to say this every season but it takes 3 or 4 games before everything normalizes and you can weed the contenders from the pretenders. I will say that our defense seemed much more effective against Vickles when we sent additional pressure. We'll see how other teams decide to defend against them.
In the end, I'm disappointed but far from concerned. As mentioned, it's one game and we have to learn from it and move on. Next week is the Puckers who present their own set of challenges. Rodgers will definitely put our suspect secondary to the test. With both teams losing their opening games, no doubt both will be fighting to stave off an 0-2 start.
HTTR!!!
Monday, September 9, 2013
Skins vs. Eagles - it starts tonight!
So it begins. Starting the season doesn't get much bigger than with a divisional rival at home on Monday night. It also marks the return of RG3. That said, I'll get right into the keys of the game:
1. RG3 - he needs to stay in control. He can't let his emotions get the best of him. It's been a long road to recovery. He hasn't seen any preseason action so he needs to stay focused. Given how well he has handled everything to this point, I don't think it will be a problem for him to enjoy the moment but recognize the task at hand. I think the bigger concern is RG3 is a player and he is natural tendencies are to try and make something happen where there isn't anything there. It's good to a point. He has to learn to protect himself. There is no reason for him to fight for an extra yard if it means he is going to get hurt. Will be very interesting to see if he slides and/or heads out of bounds or throws the ball away when he needs to. Still, I think he is going to have a very good game tonight.
2. Morris/running game - The O line has only gotten more comfortable with the zone blocking scheme. I expect the running game will be strong tonight. Morris is a hard runner that won't go down with one tackler and I expect him to have a big game.
3. Defense - This is a concern. Not sure if Meriweather is playing. If not, that means we have rookie Baccari Rambo paired with Reed Doughty at the safety positions. This is a concern. I like Doughty but he is more of a special teamer and not a starting safety. Rambo has shown flashes of talent but he has also made some mistakes in preseason. He too has to remain focused and can't allow a guy like DeSean Jackson blow by him. I do like David Amerson as he has good size and ability but he needs to better understand zone coverage as he has been caught in no man's land a couple of times. Not sure how much he'll play though as E.J. Biggers seems to be the nickel back. The other part of the D to watch is the return of Orakpo. No doubt he will be pumped but he needs to stay at home and play his position. With the shifty Vick and LeSean McCoy it will be even more critical for him to follow his assignment and not try and get creative to make a big play.
4. Slowing down the Kelly's fast paced offense - Read that the Skins have a plan to do this. Will be interesting to see what it is. I expect Vick to make some mistakes tonight and the fast paced offense could be the Eagles downfall. If we can control the clock and wear the Eagles D down with the run and if the Eagles come out and go three and out quickly, the Eagles D will be done quickly.
In the end, I expect a big win to start this season. I expect a 31-13 win tonight as RG3 and Morris roll up on the Eagles and Vick, Chip Kelly struggle trying to get the fast paced tempo going.
HTTR!!!
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Caps playoffs start tonight
Caps and Rangers tonight. Really looking forward to this series. After a miserable start, the Caps finished the season on a tremendous tear and it was led by Ovi who had himself a tremendous season. It’s interesting because there does seem to be more of a maturity and determination and business like attitude with this season than previous seasons. Makes sense as the “Young Guns” are no longer that young. I really like this team and have some bigger expectations for them. I have said for several weeks now that this may not be the most talented team the Caps have had but it may be the best one they have had. It really feels like the players have bought into Oates’ system and are really playing for each other.
Not sure how I feel about drawing the Rangers. Frankly, I wouldn’t feel comfortable with anyone as all the teams are pretty tough. The interesting thing about the Rangers is obviously we are familiar with them in the playoffs as we have faced them 4 out of the last 5 years. They were the ones that eliminated us last season so there is a lot of history there. The key to this series is to be able to win 5 v 5. We are outstanding on the PP but they have taken the fewest number of penalties this year so we can’t count on winning on the PP. Also, they are very good on defense and blocking shots. We are going to have to be physical and grind out some difficult and ugly goals. It will definitely be doing the little things that will get us goals. The good news for our offensive guys is that the Rangers should be without Staal and Girardi who are two guys that are typically matched up on Ovi. Hopefully this will make things a bit easier for our offensive guys.
On the other side, NY finished their season scoring a lot more than they did at the beginning of the year. They couldn’t buy goals at the start of the season but Nash has really come alive and Brad Richards is finally starting to play the way he was expected when the Rangers traded for him. Throw in solid production from Stepan and Callahan and they suddenly have two quality scoring lines that we need to defend. I do like our defensive pairings and am glad Schultz and Poti are out. The concern with our defensemen particularly Green and Carlson is if they make their offensive runs and lose the puck. It can lead to odd man rushes. It’s high risk/high reward but they really need to be careful when they decide to creep up.
In the end, I expect a tough series with goals tough to come by and strong, physical play. Mistakes will be the difference. I like the Caps in this series to win in 6.
UNLEASH THE FURY!!!
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Caps win again!
Another great game. This time against a very tough Montreal team played in Canada. Caps owned the first part of the first period and just dominated. They are starting to look really good. This team may not be as talented as the teams a few years back but this looks to be the better team. Guys really seem to have picked up on Oates' system and are thriving on it. There seems to be a good mutual trust between the players and coaches and it all seems to be clicking.
The Caps are the hottest team in hockey and Ovi is the hottest player. The puck keeps going in for Alex Ovechkin. The league's co-leader in goals finished a spectacular play with a tricky shot that fooled Montreal goalie Carey Price on Tuesday as the Washington Capitals beat the Canadiens 3-2 to extend their winning string to five games.
Ovechkin said getting the win was bigger than the goal he scored to tie the game at 1 in the second period. It helped the Capitals stay two points ahead of Winnipeg atop the Southeast Division, with a game in hand.
"It's big two points for us right now," said the two-time Hart Trophy winner, whose level of play looks to be back near its peak after dipping the last two seasons. "We beat a team in front of us (in the standings).
"We know we can play against good teams. If we play hard and play our system it gives us results."
When told Stamkos had scored, Ovechkin said "good for him." LOVE IT! Ovi doesn't seem to care what anyone else is doing only that he does his job. For the first time, I do feel like he is maturing and doing what the coach is telling him to do and trusting Oates in that he has his best interests in mind. Ovi is starting to really thrive on the right wing and he is doing well camping out in front of the net. He is a big boy with offensive skills and will command extra attention in front of the net thus freeing up other guys to get better shots.
I just feel like this team has a confidence building as opposed to cockiness and recognizes the opportunity at hand whereas before I think they took winning and playoffs for granted. Hopefully they can keep this up and get healthy as I don't think anyone will look forward to playing the Caps in the playoffs.
The Caps are the hottest team in hockey and Ovi is the hottest player. The puck keeps going in for Alex Ovechkin. The league's co-leader in goals finished a spectacular play with a tricky shot that fooled Montreal goalie Carey Price on Tuesday as the Washington Capitals beat the Canadiens 3-2 to extend their winning string to five games.
The Capitals are a perfect 5-0-0 in April and Ovechkin has eight goals in that span. The center on his line, Nicklas Backstrom, picked up two assists and has 11 points, all helpers, in the same five games.
"It's big two points for us right now," said the two-time Hart Trophy winner, whose level of play looks to be back near its peak after dipping the last two seasons. "We beat a team in front of us (in the standings).
"We know we can play against good teams. If we play hard and play our system it gives us results."
Eric Fehr and Jack Hillen also scored for Washington, which is 6-0-1 in its last seven.
Ovechkin's 26th of the season left him tied for the league lead with Steven Stamkos, who got the winner in Tampa Bay's 3-2 victory over Ottawa.
I just feel like this team has a confidence building as opposed to cockiness and recognizes the opportunity at hand whereas before I think they took winning and playoffs for granted. Hopefully they can keep this up and get healthy as I don't think anyone will look forward to playing the Caps in the playoffs.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Caps beat Canes - right back in playoff mix
Alex Ovechkin had two goals and an assist, and the Capitals rallied to beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 on Tuesday night. Mike Green scored two goals, Joel Ward added a goal, Nicklas Backstrom matched a career high with four assists and Braden Holtby made 31 saves.
Washington trailed 2-0 early but needed just 11 shots over the first two periods to score all five goals. With the win, the Caps take over second place in the SE division and find themselves only two points behind division leading Winnipeg. The win marks the Capitals seventh win in 11 games and they are 5-1-1 over the last seven. Ovi has been on fire in this stretch and the Caps look like they could actually do some damage should they make the playoffs.
Big game on Thursday against NY Islanders who are three points ahead of the Caps and hold the eighth spot in the East. Another must win for the Caps. Then its games against TB and FLA this weekend. We need these games as the last few games of the season are against tougher opponents so we need to take advantage against some of the weaker teams.
As a side note, will be interesting to see if the Caps make any moves before the 3 pm trade deadline today now that they are in the thick of the playoff race. They certainly could use an offensive winger to help out down the stretch.
Hopefully they can keep this going.
Washington trailed 2-0 early but needed just 11 shots over the first two periods to score all five goals. With the win, the Caps take over second place in the SE division and find themselves only two points behind division leading Winnipeg. The win marks the Capitals seventh win in 11 games and they are 5-1-1 over the last seven. Ovi has been on fire in this stretch and the Caps look like they could actually do some damage should they make the playoffs.
Big game on Thursday against NY Islanders who are three points ahead of the Caps and hold the eighth spot in the East. Another must win for the Caps. Then its games against TB and FLA this weekend. We need these games as the last few games of the season are against tougher opponents so we need to take advantage against some of the weaker teams.
As a side note, will be interesting to see if the Caps make any moves before the 3 pm trade deadline today now that they are in the thick of the playoff race. They certainly could use an offensive winger to help out down the stretch.
Hopefully they can keep this going.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
RG3 running on the field next week!
WHAT?!!! This guy is a machine.
RG3 could begin running on the field as soon as next week, the quarterback’s father confirmed to CSN Washington.
Griffin has been running in the pool and on a treadmill, Robert Griffin Jr. told The Washington Post, which first reported on the quarterback’s progress Monday afternoon.
“But they’re just about ready to take it out on the field,” the newspaper quoted the elder Griffin as saying.
Griffin Jr. later told CSN’s Chick Hernandez that “it would be feasible” for RG3 to begin running next week. He did, however, note that he had not spoken directly to Redskins trainers.
The team has not commented much on the progress Griffin has made since undergoing surgery after the season, other than Coach Mike Shanahan saying on a few occasions that the reigning offensive rookie of the year is rehabbing six to eight hours a day and remains ahead of schedule.
Griffin had the ACL, LCL and meniscus in his right knee repaired by Dr. James Andrews on Jan. 9.
Two weeks ago, Andrews described Griffin’s recovery as “superhuman” and the quarterback himself said his target is to be on the field for Week 1.
RG3 could begin running on the field as soon as next week, the quarterback’s father confirmed to CSN Washington.
Griffin has been running in the pool and on a treadmill, Robert Griffin Jr. told The Washington Post, which first reported on the quarterback’s progress Monday afternoon.
“But they’re just about ready to take it out on the field,” the newspaper quoted the elder Griffin as saying.
Griffin Jr. later told CSN’s Chick Hernandez that “it would be feasible” for RG3 to begin running next week. He did, however, note that he had not spoken directly to Redskins trainers.
The team has not commented much on the progress Griffin has made since undergoing surgery after the season, other than Coach Mike Shanahan saying on a few occasions that the reigning offensive rookie of the year is rehabbing six to eight hours a day and remains ahead of schedule.
Griffin had the ACL, LCL and meniscus in his right knee repaired by Dr. James Andrews on Jan. 9.
Two weeks ago, Andrews described Griffin’s recovery as “superhuman” and the quarterback himself said his target is to be on the field for Week 1.
Skins bring back D. Hall
From ESPN - It looks as though the Washington Redskins are serious about not letting their salary cap penalty break up their 2012 division champion team. A few weeks after cutting veteran cornerback DeAngelo Hall for cap reasons, the Redskins have agreed on a deal to bring Hall back to their secondary. He was going to cost them $8 million for 2013 under his previous contract, but obviously this one-year deal will be for considerably less.
Hall is not without his flaws as a cornerback, but the Redskins know him and like him and have seen him have success in their defensive system. They prefer to sign younger free agents to longer-term deals, but their salary cap problems this year have limited their ability to do that, and their best option in the secondary at this point is to sign a veteran to a one-year deal and then address the situation in a longer-term way next offseason. They courted free-agent cornerback Antoine Winfield, and some reports Monday night were saying they were still in the running for his services, but it's hard to imagine how they can pay him and Hall.
Assuming no further additions at corner, it's likely they'd use Hall and Josh Wilson as starters as they did last year and that Hall would move inside to cover slot receivers when opponents go to three-receiver sets, with E.J. Biggers filling the outside cornerback role Cedric Griffin filled last year. They still need to find a free safety (a role for which I actually think Hall would be well suited if he'd be willing to make the move), but it's likely they'll address that need in the draft later this month. They don't have a first-round pick, but most draft analysts believe the draft is deep at safety and that starters will be available in the second round.
What's remarkable at this point about the Redskins' offseason is how little they've lost from their 10-6 division champion team. With Hall back, reserve linebacker and special teams captain Lorenzo Alexander is the only significant loss they have suffered in free agency. Part of the reason is that the market didn't take off the way guys like Hall or tight end Fred Davis may have hoped it would, and another part of the reason is that they were able to convince several of their current players and restricted free agents to do deals that helped them fit others under the cap.
I like the move. Hall is a known commodity and while he has a big mouth, he is a decent CB. He wasn't worth the money he was getting but a one year deal is good for both sides. It allows the Skins to bring back a known guy and it allows Hall to prove that he is deserving of one more bigger deal. Question is if the Skins are still looking to sign Winfield. We may have gotten tired of waiting but I wonder if Danny Boy has a trick up his sleeve and will try and get Winfield. Would be interesting if we got him and if we tried to move either Hall or Winfield to FS. We'll see but as the article mentions, it's pretty good that the Skins have been able to keep their team largely in tact outside of Alexander. Given the cap penalty, I really like what the Skins have done this offseason.
Hall is not without his flaws as a cornerback, but the Redskins know him and like him and have seen him have success in their defensive system. They prefer to sign younger free agents to longer-term deals, but their salary cap problems this year have limited their ability to do that, and their best option in the secondary at this point is to sign a veteran to a one-year deal and then address the situation in a longer-term way next offseason. They courted free-agent cornerback Antoine Winfield, and some reports Monday night were saying they were still in the running for his services, but it's hard to imagine how they can pay him and Hall.
Assuming no further additions at corner, it's likely they'd use Hall and Josh Wilson as starters as they did last year and that Hall would move inside to cover slot receivers when opponents go to three-receiver sets, with E.J. Biggers filling the outside cornerback role Cedric Griffin filled last year. They still need to find a free safety (a role for which I actually think Hall would be well suited if he'd be willing to make the move), but it's likely they'll address that need in the draft later this month. They don't have a first-round pick, but most draft analysts believe the draft is deep at safety and that starters will be available in the second round.
What's remarkable at this point about the Redskins' offseason is how little they've lost from their 10-6 division champion team. With Hall back, reserve linebacker and special teams captain Lorenzo Alexander is the only significant loss they have suffered in free agency. Part of the reason is that the market didn't take off the way guys like Hall or tight end Fred Davis may have hoped it would, and another part of the reason is that they were able to convince several of their current players and restricted free agents to do deals that helped them fit others under the cap.
I like the move. Hall is a known commodity and while he has a big mouth, he is a decent CB. He wasn't worth the money he was getting but a one year deal is good for both sides. It allows the Skins to bring back a known guy and it allows Hall to prove that he is deserving of one more bigger deal. Question is if the Skins are still looking to sign Winfield. We may have gotten tired of waiting but I wonder if Danny Boy has a trick up his sleeve and will try and get Winfield. Would be interesting if we got him and if we tried to move either Hall or Winfield to FS. We'll see but as the article mentions, it's pretty good that the Skins have been able to keep their team largely in tact outside of Alexander. Given the cap penalty, I really like what the Skins have done this offseason.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Caps weekend recap
A tale of two stories. On Saturday, the Caps had a great come from behind win against the Sabres. We outplayed them for most of the game but still found ourselves down 3-1 in the third. Brouwer cut it to 3-2 on a shorthanded goal and then Green tied it up with under a minute as we pulled Holtby and Green hit a slap shot off the post that ricocheted off the Sabres goalie's back and into the net. No goals in OT and on to shootout. Sabres missed their first shot. Hendricks (the Paralyzer) put on his patented move and froze the goalie and scored. Sabres missed their second shot. Ovi finished them off to win the game. Great come from behind victory and a much needed two points.
Sunday we faced the Flyers and in a 2-2 third period, the Caps got a four minute PP. We ended up scoring on both ends of that PP to make it 4-2 with 10 minutes left. The Flyers cut it to 4-3 with seven minutes remaining. They pulled their goalie in the final minute and we could not clear and they scored with 9.5 seconds left. Pretty frustrating. A minute and a half in OT the Flyers found the net to win it. It was still good to come away with a point but we really could have used the two points. Still, the games on the weekend were similar and we experienced both ends of the spectrum in the two games.
I believe we have 12 games remaining and we are 5 points out of the divisional lead and 2 points out of the 8th spot. Essentially the playoffs have already started for us and every game is a must win. Tomorrow is a critical game against the Hurricanes. In fact, the next four games are pretty critical as they are against some of the weaker teams in the conference. Given that the Caps end the season against some of the tougher teams, we need to get some wins in our next few games.
GO CAPS!!!
Sunday we faced the Flyers and in a 2-2 third period, the Caps got a four minute PP. We ended up scoring on both ends of that PP to make it 4-2 with 10 minutes left. The Flyers cut it to 4-3 with seven minutes remaining. They pulled their goalie in the final minute and we could not clear and they scored with 9.5 seconds left. Pretty frustrating. A minute and a half in OT the Flyers found the net to win it. It was still good to come away with a point but we really could have used the two points. Still, the games on the weekend were similar and we experienced both ends of the spectrum in the two games.
I believe we have 12 games remaining and we are 5 points out of the divisional lead and 2 points out of the 8th spot. Essentially the playoffs have already started for us and every game is a must win. Tomorrow is a critical game against the Hurricanes. In fact, the next four games are pretty critical as they are against some of the weaker teams in the conference. Given that the Caps end the season against some of the tougher teams, we need to get some wins in our next few games.
GO CAPS!!!
Nats opening day
I'm not a huge baseball fan but I suppose this season is a bit more exciting given the buzz and expectations surrounding the Nats. Anything short of a World Series victory is a disappointment for this team. The window is open wide and as the Caps know, those windows start to close a little more with each passing year.
They have the star power and are strong on offense and in pitching so they have every reason to believe they will win it all. SI projects them to win it all but they have to prove it.
It all starts today against Miami. Strasburg is going so it should be fun. Hopefully they get started out on the right foot.
Go Nats!
BTW - I'm still a Cubs fan but expectations are pretty low for them. Maybe next year (HA!).
They have the star power and are strong on offense and in pitching so they have every reason to believe they will win it all. SI projects them to win it all but they have to prove it.
It all starts today against Miami. Strasburg is going so it should be fun. Hopefully they get started out on the right foot.
Go Nats!
BTW - I'm still a Cubs fan but expectations are pretty low for them. Maybe next year (HA!).
Friday, March 29, 2013
Skins re-sign Fred Davis and add Darryl Tapp
HUGE signing for the Skins. Davis, when healthy, has been one of the stronger offensive weapons for the Skins. Even better is that it is a one year deal that appears to make solid sense for both sides. It’s a low-risk move for the Redskins, who have said they want to monitor Davis’ recovery. And for Davis, he’s essentially betting on himself. If he returns healthy, puts up impressive numbers and stays out of trouble, he’ll be set up for a more lucrative, longer term deal in Washington (or elsewhere) in 2014.
And although he flirted with other teams, Davis made it known that he hoped to remain a Redskin. “This is the team I got drafted to. This is all I know,” Davis said. “And we’re finally starting pick it up, get all the right pieces to [contend.]”
Additionally, the Skins add Darryl Tapp. He's a VA Tech product and a solid backup. He will help with depth on the defensive front.
Now we just need to sign Winfield and draft a solid safety and we are in pretty good shape.
And although he flirted with other teams, Davis made it known that he hoped to remain a Redskin. “This is the team I got drafted to. This is all I know,” Davis said. “And we’re finally starting pick it up, get all the right pieces to [contend.]”
Additionally, the Skins add Darryl Tapp. He's a VA Tech product and a solid backup. He will help with depth on the defensive front.
Now we just need to sign Winfield and draft a solid safety and we are in pretty good shape.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
ANNOYING!!
I am working in a conference room with a team of folks and the guy next to me is in constant conversation with himself talking about how he should attack his work. He is animated and it's pretty distracting. Kind of weird.
JMU and VCU routed
JMU was just overmatched against Indiana. Indiana is obviously better than JMU but it clearly wasn't JMU's best game. We were down by as many as 30 points. The only guy that looked like he was fighting was Nation who seemed like the only guy scoring for us. Still, it was a good season and hopefully something to build off of.
Added VCU in here for JSR's sake. After demolishing Akron they took their own beating against Michigan. I like Shaka Smart and VCU and think he is doing a tremendous job over there. Would be cool to have a VA school win it all. VCU has certainly gotten better over the years starting with Capel and Smart seems to be taking them to the next level. Moving to the A-10 helps them with recruiting and attention so hopefully they will continue to grow.
BTW - my bracket is BUSTED! I am embarrassed at how bad it is.
Added VCU in here for JSR's sake. After demolishing Akron they took their own beating against Michigan. I like Shaka Smart and VCU and think he is doing a tremendous job over there. Would be cool to have a VA school win it all. VCU has certainly gotten better over the years starting with Capel and Smart seems to be taking them to the next level. Moving to the A-10 helps them with recruiting and attention so hopefully they will continue to grow.
BTW - my bracket is BUSTED! I am embarrassed at how bad it is.
Urlacher done in Chicago
It's the sad side of sports. Aging veteran who has given his all is overpriced and can't be afforded by his team and is forced out. I don't blame Chicago. Urlacher is older and slower and has had his fair share of injuries.
What I don't like is that the Pears should have just told him outright that he wasn't coming back. Urlacher thinks he can still play and wanted a 2 year deal and gave a higher number knowing that it could be negotiated down. The Pears countered with a 1 year offer for not much money. It was an insult. That leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. Just be transparent and say that it's best to just part ways.
Anyway, will be interesting to see where he lands and it will be strange to see him wear a different uniform. My guess is that he won't be that good transitioning to a new team and defense and will look like a shell of himself. He was Lovie's guy and it will be hard on him to move on. He'll have some moments but his heart is in Chicago so not sure what a team that signs him will get.
What I don't like is that the Pears should have just told him outright that he wasn't coming back. Urlacher thinks he can still play and wanted a 2 year deal and gave a higher number knowing that it could be negotiated down. The Pears countered with a 1 year offer for not much money. It was an insult. That leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. Just be transparent and say that it's best to just part ways.
Anyway, will be interesting to see where he lands and it will be strange to see him wear a different uniform. My guess is that he won't be that good transitioning to a new team and defense and will look like a shell of himself. He was Lovie's guy and it will be hard on him to move on. He'll have some moments but his heart is in Chicago so not sure what a team that signs him will get.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
JMU vs. LIU Brooklyn
JMU faces LIU Brooklyn tomorrow evening. The good news is I expect to win. The bad news is that a win gives us the right to play Indiana. It's all got to start somewhere.
GO DUKES!!!
GO DUKES!!!
Friday, March 15, 2013
Redskins move so far
I like them a lot. Feel like the Skins are being very smart in what they are doing. I have agreed with all the moves thus far outside of hoping we could have kept Lorenzo Alexander. Cutting D. Hall made perfect sense. I like that we have resigned all the blue collar guys that make things run. I mentioned this before but we also resigned LB Kehl which is even more important given that we lost Alexander.
Key now is to get a CB and there are still plenty of them out there. I'm sure we want to buy our time which is smart. It is clearly a buyers market with CBs and there is no reason to rush and overspend. Buy time and wait for prices to drop and we should be able to get a solid CB. How could we do it with our cap situation? The first thing they would have to do is create some cap space, probably by restructuring a contract or two. A simple restructure is a fairly routine procedure as the player usually doesn’t give up any money and gets a chunk of his annual salary up front and guaranteed. Then the team and the agent for the player they are going to sign have to negotiate a contract that is cap friendly in the first year.
For example, the contract Reggie Bush signed with the Lions. He received a four-year, $16 million contract that included a $4 million signing bonus and a $1 million base salary in 2013. So Bush will be paid $5 million in cash in 2013 but will count $2 million against the cap (a $1 million base salary plus $1 million prorated). With higher base salaries in future years, his cap number will rise to $4.5 million in 2014 and 2015, and $5 million in 2016.
Key to this is that you can only do this for a few guys otherwise, you will run into some VERY serious cap problems down the road.
Bruce Allen isn't so much a talent evaluator but one of his real strong points is he is very good at managing the cap and if can be done, he'll do it.
Should be interesting to see if we are able to bring Davis back and add a quality CB.
Key now is to get a CB and there are still plenty of them out there. I'm sure we want to buy our time which is smart. It is clearly a buyers market with CBs and there is no reason to rush and overspend. Buy time and wait for prices to drop and we should be able to get a solid CB. How could we do it with our cap situation? The first thing they would have to do is create some cap space, probably by restructuring a contract or two. A simple restructure is a fairly routine procedure as the player usually doesn’t give up any money and gets a chunk of his annual salary up front and guaranteed. Then the team and the agent for the player they are going to sign have to negotiate a contract that is cap friendly in the first year.
For example, the contract Reggie Bush signed with the Lions. He received a four-year, $16 million contract that included a $4 million signing bonus and a $1 million base salary in 2013. So Bush will be paid $5 million in cash in 2013 but will count $2 million against the cap (a $1 million base salary plus $1 million prorated). With higher base salaries in future years, his cap number will rise to $4.5 million in 2014 and 2015, and $5 million in 2016.
Key to this is that you can only do this for a few guys otherwise, you will run into some VERY serious cap problems down the road.
Bruce Allen isn't so much a talent evaluator but one of his real strong points is he is very good at managing the cap and if can be done, he'll do it.
Should be interesting to see if we are able to bring Davis back and add a quality CB.
Caps pull out win against the Caniacs
A MUCH needed win last night. Wasn't the greatest performance but a win is a win and the Caps needed it in a big way.
Caps fell down early in the first period 2-0 and it looked like another lackluster performance. However, newcomers Aaron Volpatti set up Joey Crabb with a great feed right in front of the net for a one timer to make it 2-1 in the second period.
The Canes took a high sticking penalty right at the end of the second period giving the Caps a PP to start the third and Ovi made them pay by taking a great feed from Brouwer and burying it into the back of the net.
With time dwindling away in the third, Carlson had the puck on our blue line and you could see he was waiting for lines to switch. Ovi hopped on the ice and skated hard towards the Canes net. Carlson made a perfect pass and Ovi threaded between two defenders to receive the puck for a breakaway. He actually lost the puck but it worked out as the Cane goalie committed. It would have been an easy goal for Ovi but he didn't get enough stick on it but it was enough for it to richochet off the near post and slide right along the goal line behind the goalie where Ribeiro was crashing the net for the put back.
HUGE win as a regulation loss would have put us 12 points behind the Canes and pretty much out of the division. Instead, we are 8 points and while still a climb, with 22 games left, it can be done.
Up next are the Bruins tomorrow afternoon and then at home Sunday against the Sabres then it's Shatsburgh and back to back with Winnipeg. Honestly, we need 4 out of the next 5. I could take a split with Boston and Pittsburgh but we need all the other games.
A couple of other notes, stinks that Kundratek got hurt. Looked pretty bad but hopefully just a sprain. Good thing that Erskine is expected back on Sunday. Hopefully Green and Laich will be able to play soon. Both are nursing groin injuries which are tricky because it may feel fine when walking or doing some easy skating but you can reinjure it when skating hard and making cuts so I'm sure they want to play it safe with those guys.
Also, it's interesting that Ovi seems to be passing way more than he used to. While I kind of like some of the passes, he is a scorer and needs to take the shot as opposed to making that extra pass. There were a couple of times last night where he faked out even his own teammates by passing on the shot and trying to set someone else up. SHOOT DAMMIT!!! Also, we are still giving a lot of odd man rushes.
I'll take the win and will move on to Boston. Will be a tough game in Boston as they are one of the best teams in the league and will know doubt want to exact revenge for the last time we met when Boston jumped out to a 3-0 lead only to lose 4-3 in OT. Hopefully we can rise to the occasion.
Caps fell down early in the first period 2-0 and it looked like another lackluster performance. However, newcomers Aaron Volpatti set up Joey Crabb with a great feed right in front of the net for a one timer to make it 2-1 in the second period.
The Canes took a high sticking penalty right at the end of the second period giving the Caps a PP to start the third and Ovi made them pay by taking a great feed from Brouwer and burying it into the back of the net.
With time dwindling away in the third, Carlson had the puck on our blue line and you could see he was waiting for lines to switch. Ovi hopped on the ice and skated hard towards the Canes net. Carlson made a perfect pass and Ovi threaded between two defenders to receive the puck for a breakaway. He actually lost the puck but it worked out as the Cane goalie committed. It would have been an easy goal for Ovi but he didn't get enough stick on it but it was enough for it to richochet off the near post and slide right along the goal line behind the goalie where Ribeiro was crashing the net for the put back.
HUGE win as a regulation loss would have put us 12 points behind the Canes and pretty much out of the division. Instead, we are 8 points and while still a climb, with 22 games left, it can be done.
Up next are the Bruins tomorrow afternoon and then at home Sunday against the Sabres then it's Shatsburgh and back to back with Winnipeg. Honestly, we need 4 out of the next 5. I could take a split with Boston and Pittsburgh but we need all the other games.
A couple of other notes, stinks that Kundratek got hurt. Looked pretty bad but hopefully just a sprain. Good thing that Erskine is expected back on Sunday. Hopefully Green and Laich will be able to play soon. Both are nursing groin injuries which are tricky because it may feel fine when walking or doing some easy skating but you can reinjure it when skating hard and making cuts so I'm sure they want to play it safe with those guys.
Also, it's interesting that Ovi seems to be passing way more than he used to. While I kind of like some of the passes, he is a scorer and needs to take the shot as opposed to making that extra pass. There were a couple of times last night where he faked out even his own teammates by passing on the shot and trying to set someone else up. SHOOT DAMMIT!!! Also, we are still giving a lot of odd man rushes.
I'll take the win and will move on to Boston. Will be a tough game in Boston as they are one of the best teams in the league and will know doubt want to exact revenge for the last time we met when Boston jumped out to a 3-0 lead only to lose 4-3 in OT. Hopefully we can rise to the occasion.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Caps do or die tonight
Caps are 10 points behind the division leading Hurricanes. They have been horrible over the last three games and now they go to Carolina for a must win tonight. Even with a win, things are tough but a loss and the season is almost a wrap. At this point, I just want to see some heart and some commitment and some solid play that you can be proud of even in a loss. Here's to hoping that the Caps can unleash even the slightest bit of fury.
Lorenzo Alexander to the Cards
Alexander signed a 3 year deal with the Cards yesterday. Too bad as he was the special teams captain and a good locker room guy that had been with the Skins for several years. Liked the guy because he did everything that was asked of him. He was an O lineman, D lineman, LB and special teamer. He also was willing to give the Skins a home town discount. The fact of the matter was that at 29 years of age and coming off of his first Pro Bowl season, he was looking to cash in and the Skins just didn't have the money.
I'm happy for him and a bit disappointed for the us but he wasn't critical to the Skins success so it's fine.
Meanwhile, the Skins continue to restructure contracts including Moss, Carriker, Meriweather and others to try and get some cap relief. It looks more and more like we won't be able to go after Fred Davis which kind of stinks but we didn't have him for much of the last two years so it's not a huge change for us. Will need to get as much cap space as possible to sign a FA or two in our secondary and our draft picks. The good news is that there are a number of FA DBs and the draft is deep in DBs so we should be able to get some help. I'm sure the Skins are waiting for the market to dip and be patient with the DBs and then try and pick someone up on the cheap.
It's a tough situation and we got to get through this season with hopefully a decent roster. Next offseason will be much better for us although I'm sure we will want to extend RG3 and he will likely be the highest paid player in the league. That will be interesting as we see what is happeing to the Ravens. Flacco cashes in but at the expense of the entire team as the Ravens are purging and have already lost Boldin and five defensive starters from last season and perhaps will lose Ed Reed. Gotta love the cap.
I'm happy for him and a bit disappointed for the us but he wasn't critical to the Skins success so it's fine.
Meanwhile, the Skins continue to restructure contracts including Moss, Carriker, Meriweather and others to try and get some cap relief. It looks more and more like we won't be able to go after Fred Davis which kind of stinks but we didn't have him for much of the last two years so it's not a huge change for us. Will need to get as much cap space as possible to sign a FA or two in our secondary and our draft picks. The good news is that there are a number of FA DBs and the draft is deep in DBs so we should be able to get some help. I'm sure the Skins are waiting for the market to dip and be patient with the DBs and then try and pick someone up on the cheap.
It's a tough situation and we got to get through this season with hopefully a decent roster. Next offseason will be much better for us although I'm sure we will want to extend RG3 and he will likely be the highest paid player in the league. That will be interesting as we see what is happeing to the Ravens. Flacco cashes in but at the expense of the entire team as the Ravens are purging and have already lost Boldin and five defensive starters from last season and perhaps will lose Ed Reed. Gotta love the cap.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
JMU - CAA CHAMPS!!!
Great win! Pretty much ran away with it from the get go. Jumped out to a 22 point lead in the first half and never looked back.
It did get a little interesting at the 9 minute mark of the second half as Northeastern started pressing and we had difficulty dealing with it and had a few turnovers cutting the lead to 10 but after a timeout and some calming down, we regained our composure and finished them off.
First time we won the conference since 1994. On to the big dance!
Monday, March 11, 2013
Caps thoughts
Last week, the Caps were looking pretty good. They had won 5 of 6 capped off with a thrashing of division rivals Florida. Things looked good. They had climbed back into the playoff picture and things finally looked to be clicking for this team.
Then comes this weekend and back to back games against the Islanders and Rangers. I was thinking it'd be great to win both games but a split is fine. They took the loss on Saturday against the Islanders which put some pressure to beat the Rangers on Sunday. It was a nationally televised game and we were back at home so thought it was even more important to get the win. The Caps started out good and scored within the first three minutes on Steve Oleksy's first career goal. I like this guy Oleksy and was glad he got the goal.
However, after about the first 10 minutes of the game, we were beaten. Just a boring game. Didn't see much life from the team and outside of a few chances late in the second period and a couple in the third, we were beaten and took the 4-1 loss.
Frankly, we need to get Mike Green, John Erskine, and Brooks Laich back. I like Tom Poti but he sucks. Not a big fan of Jeff Schultz either. Offensively, we need to get some type of production from Jason Chimera. He needs to get a goal and get that monkey off his back. Newcomer, Aaron Volpatti, is fine but we don't have enough scorers to make great use of that guy. MoJo and Backstrom have got to get some goals as well. I think Ovi is trying his best and most games he is playing really well but the Rangers game he seemed to be hot dogging it. He did a fly by on a Ranger at center ice in the first period that resulted in a the Rangers first goal. Just a bad play. Not sure what he was thinking. Then he took a couple of penalties that resulted in a NY PP goal. The only guys on offense who I have been consistently happy with are Ribeiro and Brouwer as I see these two guys giving max effort night in/night out. They are deserving of better play around them.
All that said, we have back to back games against division leaders Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday and Thursday this week. The season hangs in the balance on these two games. Two losses would make things very difficult in terms of winning the SE division but two wins and we are right back in the thick of the divisional race.
If the Caps can't get up for these two games, they don't deserve the playoffs. Hopefully they show something this week.
Then comes this weekend and back to back games against the Islanders and Rangers. I was thinking it'd be great to win both games but a split is fine. They took the loss on Saturday against the Islanders which put some pressure to beat the Rangers on Sunday. It was a nationally televised game and we were back at home so thought it was even more important to get the win. The Caps started out good and scored within the first three minutes on Steve Oleksy's first career goal. I like this guy Oleksy and was glad he got the goal.
However, after about the first 10 minutes of the game, we were beaten. Just a boring game. Didn't see much life from the team and outside of a few chances late in the second period and a couple in the third, we were beaten and took the 4-1 loss.
Frankly, we need to get Mike Green, John Erskine, and Brooks Laich back. I like Tom Poti but he sucks. Not a big fan of Jeff Schultz either. Offensively, we need to get some type of production from Jason Chimera. He needs to get a goal and get that monkey off his back. Newcomer, Aaron Volpatti, is fine but we don't have enough scorers to make great use of that guy. MoJo and Backstrom have got to get some goals as well. I think Ovi is trying his best and most games he is playing really well but the Rangers game he seemed to be hot dogging it. He did a fly by on a Ranger at center ice in the first period that resulted in a the Rangers first goal. Just a bad play. Not sure what he was thinking. Then he took a couple of penalties that resulted in a NY PP goal. The only guys on offense who I have been consistently happy with are Ribeiro and Brouwer as I see these two guys giving max effort night in/night out. They are deserving of better play around them.
All that said, we have back to back games against division leaders Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday and Thursday this week. The season hangs in the balance on these two games. Two losses would make things very difficult in terms of winning the SE division but two wins and we are right back in the thick of the divisional race.
If the Caps can't get up for these two games, they don't deserve the playoffs. Hopefully they show something this week.
GO DUKES!!!
JMU Dukes find themselves in the CAA finals tonight facing top seeded Northeastern. A win means our first conference title since 1994 and a trip to the Big Dance.
With wins over rival W&M on Saturday and a close game yesterday against Delaware in which we won on two last second free throws, it sets up a chance to finally win the conference for the first time since I was at JMU.
GO DUKES!!!
Skins moves
So the Skins don't have lots of money to work with given the $18M cap penalty they take this season. The good news is that we are still taking care of some blue collar performers that are needed. I like the re-signings of Logan Paulsen, Rob Jackson, and Durell Young and even LICHTENSCHTEIGER!!!!
They let Fred Davis hit the open market so will be interesting to see what happens with him. Would love to keep him as he is a good offensive weapon; however, he has had his share of injuries and off the field issues which have kept him from playing the last couple of years.
We are going to need to find some cap room to help sign our draft picks and even try and get a FA for the secondary. An option being discussed is getting rid of D. Hall. I would be okay with that. I like D. Hall and think he is vastly underrated/under appreciated here. I think that is in large part to his mouth. I don't think he is deserving of his salary. He gets paid top dollar for his position and in reality, he is an average CB in the league. I could see them getting rid of him or certainly trying to restructure his deal.
Moss is another option. I think Moss would be much more amenable to restructuring as he doesn't have too many options left in his career and frankly I don't think he wants to go anywhere else at this point.
Still, I like that they kept those blue collar guys that are necessary to keeping this team moving in the right direction. I also like that all those guys are quality character guys.
FA starts tomorrow pm. Should be interesting.
HTTR!!!
They let Fred Davis hit the open market so will be interesting to see what happens with him. Would love to keep him as he is a good offensive weapon; however, he has had his share of injuries and off the field issues which have kept him from playing the last couple of years.
We are going to need to find some cap room to help sign our draft picks and even try and get a FA for the secondary. An option being discussed is getting rid of D. Hall. I would be okay with that. I like D. Hall and think he is vastly underrated/under appreciated here. I think that is in large part to his mouth. I don't think he is deserving of his salary. He gets paid top dollar for his position and in reality, he is an average CB in the league. I could see them getting rid of him or certainly trying to restructure his deal.
Moss is another option. I think Moss would be much more amenable to restructuring as he doesn't have too many options left in his career and frankly I don't think he wants to go anywhere else at this point.
Still, I like that they kept those blue collar guys that are necessary to keeping this team moving in the right direction. I also like that all those guys are quality character guys.
FA starts tomorrow pm. Should be interesting.
HTTR!!!
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
The return of Semin
HUGE game for the Caps tonight as the division leading Hurricanes come for a visit. It's a chance for the Caps to continue their solid play and also climb further back into the hunt. It also marks the return of Alexander Semin to Verizon.
Old friends Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin planned to get together for dinner Monday night, ahead of the Washington Capitals' big game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. It's safe to say Troy Brouwer would not be joining them.
While Ovi has said that he missed having Semin on the team I think both from a talent perspective as well as having a fellow Russian on the team, Brouwer took a few potshots at Semin's work ethic after Monday's practice, reviving the reputation that dogged the talented but enigmatic Russian's seven seasons in Washington. The Capitals finally said goodbye to Semin last summer, and he signed with the Hurricanes as a free agent.
"It was tough to lose his scoring ability, when he wanted to play," Brouwer said. "But all in all I think we've been doing well without him. ... Some nights you didn't even know if he was going to come to the rink. It's tough to play alongside guys like those because you don't know what you're going to get out of 'em."
For good measure, Brouwer also said the Capitals had a "very lackadaisical" culture under former coach Bruce Boudreau. The streak of candor highlighted an eventful day of news good and bad that comes just as Ovechkin and the Capitals are finding themselves with a chance to ride some momentum and get out of last place.
I really like Brouwer. Frankly, he is deserving of the "C" on his jersey. The guy is a leader on and off the ice. He is vocal and constantly puts maximum effort night in/night out. I think he also knows how to get his teammates motivated.
His comments on Gabby were also interesting. He wasn't here during Gabby's hey day so he more caught it when Gabby tried to alter styles while here which was a mistake for everyone. He seems to really like Oates' style and I think the team looks like it is finally starting to come around.
With the extension given to Holtby, the Caps are putting their trust in that kid and if we can get a healthy Green and Laich back and if Backstrom can return to form, this could be a pretty good team.
Again, a VERY important game tonight. A win puts us right back into the thick of things and keeps the momentum going. Will be interesting to see what type of reception Semin gets. Should be a good one.
UNLEASH THE FURY!!!!
Old friends Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin planned to get together for dinner Monday night, ahead of the Washington Capitals' big game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. It's safe to say Troy Brouwer would not be joining them.
"It was tough to lose his scoring ability, when he wanted to play," Brouwer said. "But all in all I think we've been doing well without him. ... Some nights you didn't even know if he was going to come to the rink. It's tough to play alongside guys like those because you don't know what you're going to get out of 'em."
For good measure, Brouwer also said the Capitals had a "very lackadaisical" culture under former coach Bruce Boudreau. The streak of candor highlighted an eventful day of news good and bad that comes just as Ovechkin and the Capitals are finding themselves with a chance to ride some momentum and get out of last place.
I really like Brouwer. Frankly, he is deserving of the "C" on his jersey. The guy is a leader on and off the ice. He is vocal and constantly puts maximum effort night in/night out. I think he also knows how to get his teammates motivated.
His comments on Gabby were also interesting. He wasn't here during Gabby's hey day so he more caught it when Gabby tried to alter styles while here which was a mistake for everyone. He seems to really like Oates' style and I think the team looks like it is finally starting to come around.
With the extension given to Holtby, the Caps are putting their trust in that kid and if we can get a healthy Green and Laich back and if Backstrom can return to form, this could be a pretty good team.
Again, a VERY important game tonight. A win puts us right back into the thick of things and keeps the momentum going. Will be interesting to see what type of reception Semin gets. Should be a good one.
UNLEASH THE FURY!!!!
RG3 "way ahead of schedule"
Redskin fans received more good news on the Robert Griffin III injury front. Dr. James Andrews said Friday the quarterback is recovering rapidly.
"His recovery is way ahead of schedule so far," Andrews told NFL Network. "We don't have to do much except try to hold him back."
It was announced last week that the Redskins were holding out hope that RG3 could be available Week 1.
Don't think the focus should be on starting week 1 rather it should be to just get healthy. If that means he is ready by week 1 than great. Good news is that this guy is a physical freak and has a tremendous work ethic. Two key ingredients for a quick recovery.
Friday, February 15, 2013
RG3 to start week 1?
Although it is only a little more than a month since Robert Griffin III underwent reconstructive knee surgery, Washington Redskins officials are encouraged enough with his recovery to believe he has a legitimate chance to start in the 2013 opener, according to team and league sources.
The Redskins know there still is a long way to go, and they're hardly going to rush Griffin. But they also know that based on what they've seen so far, it is well within the realm of possibility that Griffin will be the team's starting quarterback in Week 1.
I will say that he looked great at the NFL awards ceremony. Not at all what I expected him to look like. He walked with no visible limp and appeared in good spirits. I don't want to rush the guy. His long term health is WAY more important than playing in a few extra games this season. However, if the doctors clear him and there is no greater risk of him playing in Week 1 than in Week 10, why not play him? We are still several months away from the start of the season and I'm sure there will be much more discussion/updates on RG3's health along the way so we'll see but at least it's encouraging to see/hear that he is doing well.
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