Miami at Washington
1 p.m. at FedEx Field
It's the first week of the season and I'm already having trouble keeping up so this will be a streamlined post.
The games finally count so now we get to see what the Skins look like with guys like Clinton Portis, Marcus Washington, and Chris Samuels returning to the lineup this team looks good on paper. But then again it seems like they always look good on paper so hopefully this team will translate well to the field.
Hail to the Redskins.
Showing posts with label Marcus Washington. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marcus Washington. Show all posts
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Preseason Game 2 recap
Observations from Saturday's 12-10 loss to Pittsburgh:
1. How many times are we going to watch stars go down with injuries in meaningless games before a different approach is taken. Luckily it looks like the Jason Campbell injury isn't too serious but losing Marcus Washington could be almost as big. Washington's loss wasn't felt too bad last night but if he misses any regular season games, the defense may have a hard time trying to erase last season's struggles.
2. Speaking of the defense, it looks really good considering the competition at this point but anyone who thinks this defense will be like last year's is going to be sadly mistaken. London Fletcher seems to be a great addition in the middle and seems to be providing a much needed spark.
3. Again, it's only the preseason but Todd Collins looked good when he came in for Campbell and marched the offense down the field for a score while Mark Brunell again looked old. Brunell moved the offense somewhat in the final drive and it wasn't his fault that last pass was intercepted - he can't control his receiver tipping it to a defender - but where he threw the ball was what concerned me. With no timeouts and less than 20 seconds, a long pass down the middle of the field was probably not the right place to throw the ball in the first place. If that pass had been caught, I find it hard to see the offense getting set up and stopping the clock with a spike before time ran out. He should have gone to the sidelines in hopes of being able to get the field goal team on in time.
Despite the loss things seem to be encouraging but we won't have any idea how much impact this work in the preseason will have until the first games are played. The battle for I-95 is up next.
1. How many times are we going to watch stars go down with injuries in meaningless games before a different approach is taken. Luckily it looks like the Jason Campbell injury isn't too serious but losing Marcus Washington could be almost as big. Washington's loss wasn't felt too bad last night but if he misses any regular season games, the defense may have a hard time trying to erase last season's struggles.
2. Speaking of the defense, it looks really good considering the competition at this point but anyone who thinks this defense will be like last year's is going to be sadly mistaken. London Fletcher seems to be a great addition in the middle and seems to be providing a much needed spark.
3. Again, it's only the preseason but Todd Collins looked good when he came in for Campbell and marched the offense down the field for a score while Mark Brunell again looked old. Brunell moved the offense somewhat in the final drive and it wasn't his fault that last pass was intercepted - he can't control his receiver tipping it to a defender - but where he threw the ball was what concerned me. With no timeouts and less than 20 seconds, a long pass down the middle of the field was probably not the right place to throw the ball in the first place. If that pass had been caught, I find it hard to see the offense getting set up and stopping the clock with a spike before time ran out. He should have gone to the sidelines in hopes of being able to get the field goal team on in time.
Despite the loss things seem to be encouraging but we won't have any idea how much impact this work in the preseason will have until the first games are played. The battle for I-95 is up next.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
2007 Previews: Redskins defense
The second part of my two part series previewing the Redskins, here are 3 keys on the defensive side of the ball that will need to take place if Washington is going to head back the playoffs.
1. LaRon Landry needs to prove he was worth the pick. Washington set franchise lows in sacks and with fans clamoring for the addition of a(nother) pass rusher, the Skins used their first pick on Landry. Washington also had a tough time forcing turnovers and the thought process here has to be that adding Landry will help force more turnovers, which in turn will aid the pass rush. The normal thought process is usually the other way around but then again, when have the Skins gone with the traditional way of thinking? Gregg Williams always has a unique way to use his personnel and he should have a lot of fun adding Landry skills to a defensive backfield that already includes heavy-hitting Sean Taylor.
2. Speaking of a pass rush. With no major changes to the defensive line, Andre Carter and company have to prove that they can get to the QB this season. Carter was last year's high priced pickup and other than recording a sack in each of the last 3 games, he was mediocre at best. Aging vets Phillip Daniels and Renaldo Wynn probably don't have much left either and with the DT's used more as run stuffers, the DE's will need to give it everything they have left to help this defense get back to being one of the best in the league.
3. Please stay healthy. Losing pro bowlers Marcus Washington, Shawn Springs and Cornelius Griffin at different points last year obviously hurt the performance of this unit and Washington is hoping that the additions it made and the maturation of young players will compensate for the loss of any players to injury this year but the Skins cannot afford to lose its stars on defense again this year. Every team has certain losses it can overcome and certain losses it can't and obviously last year's losses were ones Washington couldn't absorb. If these guys go down again, it is quite possible the defense will stall again.
1. LaRon Landry needs to prove he was worth the pick. Washington set franchise lows in sacks and with fans clamoring for the addition of a(nother) pass rusher, the Skins used their first pick on Landry. Washington also had a tough time forcing turnovers and the thought process here has to be that adding Landry will help force more turnovers, which in turn will aid the pass rush. The normal thought process is usually the other way around but then again, when have the Skins gone with the traditional way of thinking? Gregg Williams always has a unique way to use his personnel and he should have a lot of fun adding Landry skills to a defensive backfield that already includes heavy-hitting Sean Taylor.
2. Speaking of a pass rush. With no major changes to the defensive line, Andre Carter and company have to prove that they can get to the QB this season. Carter was last year's high priced pickup and other than recording a sack in each of the last 3 games, he was mediocre at best. Aging vets Phillip Daniels and Renaldo Wynn probably don't have much left either and with the DT's used more as run stuffers, the DE's will need to give it everything they have left to help this defense get back to being one of the best in the league.
3. Please stay healthy. Losing pro bowlers Marcus Washington, Shawn Springs and Cornelius Griffin at different points last year obviously hurt the performance of this unit and Washington is hoping that the additions it made and the maturation of young players will compensate for the loss of any players to injury this year but the Skins cannot afford to lose its stars on defense again this year. Every team has certain losses it can overcome and certain losses it can't and obviously last year's losses were ones Washington couldn't absorb. If these guys go down again, it is quite possible the defense will stall again.
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