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!!!
Monday, September 30, 2013
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!!!
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