Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Daniel Snyder, I Hate You
A Dallas Cowboy fan.
It was that bad.
Daniel Snyder brought us to this point. I can't think of a curse bad enough for the rat *censored*. As bad as we think Jerry Jones is, at least he has three Lombardi Trophies in his time as owner. Snyder can't even field a winner two years in a row.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
The #Redskins Tackle Dilemma
It isn't.
One would think that the Offensive Tackle question would be addressed by mass signings as has the Defensive Line question. The Skins have signed and acquired through trade an entire defensive front even without Albert Haynesworth and therein lies some clues as to the strategy in Ashburn. One mammoth clue: Haynesworth. They want to move him. There has evolved a quiet bidding war of sorts between his former team and his former coach. The Lions are interested in Haynesworth in addition to the Titans.
That all sounds nice but the Lions' interest presents a speed bump on the road to assembling a line to protect new QB Donovan McNabb. The Lions, if they acquire Haynesworth, will take an Offensive Tackle instead of Defensive Tackles McCoy or Suh. The Lions pick ahead of the Skins at #2 and want Okung to protect second year QB Stafford. And Tampa has also been looking at adding one of the top Left Tackle prospects at #3 instead of one of the two big name Defensive Tackles.
That would leave the Skins either going elsewhere with the #4 pick or reaching for an offensive tackle. And that leaves the Redskin strategy to form an offensive line in tatters... The Skins are left walking a fine line between getting value for the disaffected Haynesworth and making sure they get the player they want with this year's #4 draft pick.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
FREE AT LAST! CERRATO IS GONE!
Every Redskin fan just began weeping for JOY at this news:
In breaking news out of Washington Redskins VP of Football Operations Vinny Cerrato has resigned.
Whether it was of his own design or forced upon him the one thing that is certain is Redskins Fans everywhere are happy.
thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou
This is a GREAT Christmas!
[UPDATE] It gets better! Reports abound that Bruce Allen has been hired as the Redskins' Executive Vice President and General Manager.
Friday, October 16, 2009
This Hurts

#Redskins .
From MSNBC:
The Redskins have been under Snyder’s thumb for a decade now, and to celebrate this anniversary in fitting fashion, they snapped the Detroit Lions’ losing streak, just hired an offensive consultant who was spending his days playing bingo, apparently overpaid for another free agent or two and certainly over-reached for a head coach. Once again, Snyder’s grand plans are fluttering about, like a Billy Kilmer pass, taking legions of hopes along for what promises to be another ridiculous ride.Painful, but it has no real sting.
Until the writer ends with this:
Owners never sell unless they lose money or interest, and Snyder has plenty of that. He is owner for life, and chew on this, Redskins fans: He’s not even 44.
We are doomed.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
A (Slim) Case For Hope
The Redskins have a very slim window to have a successful season. Here are a few things that could work out to make it so:
1) The defense is still ranked #4 despite the Week Three debacle.
2) Left Tackle is Heyer's natural position. If he has any talent
perhaps this is where it will emerge.
2a) Mike Williams does have talent and size. Perhaps the technique
will also emerge here at Right Tackle.
2b) W. Montgomery has enough to be a serviceable Right Guard.
2c) Perhaps Rabach, as the ranking vet on the line, will rise to the
challenge of leadership.
3) Jason Campbell, despite not having any semblance of a professional
line in front of him, a #2 WR, support from a running game, and
handicapped by less than adequate game planning or play calling from
the sideline, is still among the best in the NFL statistically.
4) They have one more week to get well against a winless and decrepit team.
There's hope, but it is fleeting.
Zorn has two weeks to make his case to last beyond the bye. If he can
swallow his pride and put in a game plan* that maximizes the talent he
has on offense and gets the maximum support from teams and defense he
can beat the Chiefs and will have a decent shot at unending the Eagles
on MNF. Odds are against it, but he has a shot. If he makes the
shot, then he has even odds to get a run post-bye that might erase
enough of the first five weeks' for the rancor to subside.
*Shotgun/no huddle with a little wildcat mixed in!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
State of the Skins
Curly R says it all...
It is said that when the end of days comes the world shall turn upside down and everything you know shall be unknown to you. After three weeks portent it came this week to the Redskins. The team hired a consultant to help with the offense, but the guy has been out of football for four years and has no charter or defined role or goals with the team. The defensive coordinator up and abandoned his duties dealing with the media, this of course being the man that represents the only part of the team that is performing, albeit not spectacularly and to make matters worse his underling and replacement was not aware it was going to happen. And then tailback Clinton Portis turns on his lead blocking full back over what Clinton said was poor blocking two games ago. It's cats and dogs, living together. Oh if only the Redskins owner were brave enough to face the fans and media and explain how the margins of bad management have gotten thinner every year to the point where the entire organization looks like a corrupt banana republic government.
The fall of the Redskins has been long and hard to watch, now the team has broken the cloud layer and the ground is in sight and rushing up to meet us. Dan Snyder you have taken the team you loved growing up and destroyed it. How does that feel?
Friday, October 2, 2009
Inevitable
You knew this was coming...
Fire Jim Zorn!
Cerrato is not immune, either. There's a petition to fire our cousin Vinny.
Maybe they can both take a vacation to Six Flags.
And take Dan Snyder with them.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Why Zorn Should GO NOW
Listen to the players...
London Fletcher: “Maybe guys tend to think that, and that you can just
show up,” Fletcher said. “That’s not the case. We’re struggling to win
ballgames. We’re going to be in tough ballgames, week-in and week-out.
“We’re not a great football team—never have been since I’ve been here—
and it hasn’t been in a long time, since, what, the ’80s? It’s been a
long time since the Redskins have had a great football team. We have
to come in here with a workmanlike attitude, with the mindset that we
must work to win.”
DeAngelo Hall: “We’ve got a lot of people in here that think they’re
better than they are. You can look at it and tell. They’re not
practicing. This isn’t the preseason; this is the real deal.” -and-
“It’s surprising to me that we as a team couldn’t come out and pound
and jump on these guys from start to finish,” Hall said. “It puzzles
me, too. I’m mind-boggled as well.”
You know, Hall was one of the only CBs that had a decent day after his
first two awful games.
And then read the comments of Zorn later in the item. He needs to go
now. He simply doesn't get it.
I'm not saying that it is all Zorn's fault. Indeed, it almost seems
that the Front Office is sabotaging him with $5mill in cap space available and
no action to fix Right Tackle. But the guy doesn't even know the mood of his
own locker room. The "captains" are going to fix it? Well, that was
a captain saying that maybe some of the players think they can just
show up. Someone has to get a grip on this team right now or we're
going to lose a lot of talent to malaise and it will be just that much
harder to fix.
I've heard that the players quit on Sunday. I didn't see that by and
large. Haynesworth (defying his reputation), Fletcher, and Orakpo all
came back from injuries that have kept other players on the sideline.
Horton was fighting all day, even on that interference call in the end
zone. Doughty had a heck of a game. Campbell ended up with a 92.5
QB rating despite running for his life on most plays. Not all of them
quit. A leader among the coaches must emerge or they WILL quit. So
far, that isn't Zorn, and that is why he must go now. Not for the
win-loss record, but for the survival of this team as a viable unit
for the rest of this season and next year.
Other Reaction:
Really, Coach Zorn?
Zorn: "We're Getting Better." AT WHAT?
Mentally Soft: "After a week of essentially having their collective manhood challenged by their fans and by media near and far, the Redskins went out and proved all of the critics right."
Official Blogger Spin
Pappas: "The presser bore a very strong resemblance to the final scene in the movie Animal House, where while chaos is breaking out all around and Kevin Bacon’s character calls for everyone to “remain calm, all is well."
hailRedskins.com: “You either want it or you don’t. A lot of these guys don’t want it,” Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall said. “They want the other stuff.” - NBC Sports.com
Fire Blache
Blache's Discipline Failure, O-Line Stinks, Campbell Not The Problem
Blow It Up!
Worst. Redskins Game. Ever.
Monday, August 31, 2009
#Redskins Musings - Mason, Fincher, Defense
He is what he is. Fincher, as a veteran, and is now what he ever will be. There is no realistic expectation that he will suddenly blossom into a starter after four years as a journeyman. The youngsters do have that upside possibility. Today, the WaTimes quoted Zorn as saying the same:
"I don't want to take anything away from Fincher, because he's worked really hard and he has improved," Redskins coach Jim Zorn said. "But to us, there was kind of a ceiling there on him, compared to some of the other guys that are coming on.
"He may have been more seasoned, but sometimes with a younger guy there is a potential that you like in speed or a flash that I think coaches are looking at. You kind of give those guys a little bit longer look."
At this point in his career, Fincher had to show more separation and ability. He didn't.
Defensive Systems and Hybrids
Here's a good item from the NY Times on how defense and defensive players are evolving in NCAA. It has some echos for the NFL both in the type of players that will be coming out of NCAA and in how we've seen the NFL adjust to wide open offenses. I'm reminded of how the Skins this year are using Orakpo and Wilson, and the several hybrid formations Blache uses such as the Cobra, et al...
When the item started about getting players with speed I immediately thought of the Dallas era of the early Nineties - and presto - there's Wannstedt being interviewed. Wannstedt and Johnson used speed and athleticism better than almost any other staff to produce terrific defenses with the Hurricanes and then in the NFL at Dallas.
We've had our chances at using speed on defense. Lavar Arrington and Sean Taylor both embodied freakish speed for their body types. Orakpo and some of the other recent additions show the Skins have found a realization that this trait is essential and their experimentation with variations on their Cover Three like the Cobra and moving Orakpo/Wilson around are examples of the right course.
The Skins must be watchful for a decline in speed/athleticism in these players, though. Watching the Bears/Broncos last night I was astounded at how much Urlacher has lost from a couple years ago. Urlacher used to rule the middle of the field from the line to the end zone with his speed and prowess in the Cover Two. Now backs and receivers just blow by him.
Will Mason Make It?
In one item at Redskins Insider Offensive Co-ordinator Sherman Smith was quoted as saying:
"Might as well not be concerned about it [Portis missing time], because it is what it is," Smith said. "He hasn't gotten a lot of reps this offseason, but he usually doesn't. It's just one of those situations where you say, 'Hey, let's see how it works out.' What we're doing is we're just trying to get ready, inevitably. If he does go down, Ladell, Rock, Marcus -- those guys will be ready to play."
Now that sounds as if Smith thinks Mason will be available in the RB mix. Today the following was quoted in Insider from Special Teams coach Danny Smith:
"This is just my opinion, you guys use this as you see fit, and I love Marcus Mason," Smith said. "But Marcus Mason has never played in an NFL football game. And he's been on three teams. Let's not name him the MVP today. He's never played in an NFL football game. He's been on three teams. Okay?"
First, this is the coach of the Teams group that should have nothing to do with the word "special." Second, Mason was on the roster of those other two NFL teams last year after having been plucked from our practice squad. Third, no one is talking MVP, we're talking making the 53 man roster. Get a grip, Coach, and try getting something special from our special teams, for a change.
Look, the Redskins have shown a marked inability to get into the end zone or make the tough yards on 3rd or 4th and short over the past several years. Here comes this kid showing the ability to make the most of the slightest crack to get six points or the first down, and a fluidness and hard hitting style that gets yards when the line doesn't make much room - an ability the Skins haven't seen for a while in a backup RB. Mason brings a toughness at running back that Betts hasn't shown for almost three years. The kid is a gritty running back and we need that quality backing up and spelling Portis.
Hey, Danny Smith, that's something special. Get the point?
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Reaction to Redskins-Ravens
After watching a replay of the Ravens practice game last Thursday a couple (or more) things stand out...
- Brian Orakpo needs to be at DE full time. He has one move - which is exciting - and needs to develop into a starting DE that will vie each year for the Pro Bowl. The kid can start now. Please forget about the SAM backer experiment. Orakpo needs to be at DE. Let Wilson continue the experiment...
- The Skins are loaded at DE. Jarmon is everything that the Skins could have hoped. Even Skolnitski made an arguement for roster consideration. It's hard for me to find a spot for Wynn with the new guys, Carter, and Daniels on the team. That's a shame. I've liked Wynn every since we got him from the Jags in a de facto trade for Marco Coleman.
- The Skins look to be good at TE, too, even with Davis having dropsie/fumble problems. Agnone looked good late and Yoder is solid. Cooley is the perennial All Pro. Even with Eddie Williams listed at FB one of the TEs will be cut.
- We have some good young safeties, too. Grant, Holmes, Moore, and Doughty are going to give the coaches fits at cut down time.
- Antonio Dixon has to have a place on the final roster.
- Justin Tryon is not all that. At least he wasn't Thursday. Pegging him with the Toast award would be too kind.
- Neither is Anthony Montgomery. For a guy that is 6'6" and 330lbs he sure plays soft. Between Tryon and Montgomery all the first half points can be assigned...
- Nor is Devan Clark or D'Anthony Batiste or Will Montgomery or Scott Burley. Lord help us if we have injuries. There ain't no depth on the Offensive Line.
- The defense has several weaknesses. The Linebackers are sub-standard even with Fletcher in the middle. MacIntosh is brittle, Blades is a solid backup, Wilson is learning, Orakpo is out of place... None of them can cover. Henson, Fincher and Thomas show promise. They can't cover, either. Without Haynesworth in the middle the Skins are soft up the middle.
Of course, this was one practise exhibition. Three more to go... As it looks now we have a wealth of talent at DE, TE, and Safety. We'll cut some players there that will play on other teams. The offensive line, however... Ah, crap. Sign a veteran OT quickly, Cerrato.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Redskins Release Jansen: Goodbye, Rock.

One of the most beloved current players - and the longest tenured player on the roster - in the Redskin Nation has been released. Jon Jansen came to us last century from Michigan in the draft and formed one the NFL's best tackle tandems for the first half of this decade with Chris Samuels. In recent years Jansen has been dinged up and has suffered major injuries. The Skins think that his decline is steep enough to eat about $6 million of this year's cap to release him.
Rich Tandler has a very good look into why this came about at this time. JLC has Zorn's account of how he told Jansen that the days of #76 on the roster were over and then Zorn's evaluation of the candidates at Right Tackle as of now.
I tell you, this hurts. Jansen has been a favorite of mine since his first year where he grabbed the RT position and didn't look back. We knew this was coming as fans, but most of us thought we had another year of seeing Jansen wear the #76 in Burgundy and Gold. As of now, it looks like he will finish things up with the Lions.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Three Things the Redskins Should do NOW...
1) Sign either Ray Willis or Khalif Barnes to play RT.
From LT to RG the Skins are set for this year. They have no starting RT. Heyer and Jansen are NOT it for a team that is a contender. Willis would be the answer to the RT position for years. Barnes would fit nicely at RT this year and until Samuels retires... Which should be in a year or two. Along with a move for Willis or Barnes (Can I have both, Daddy?) are plans Zorn and Co. have announced about trying to get Kendall back in a reserve role.
This would give us a line of Samuels - Dockery - Raback - Thomas - Willis/Barnes with Kendall (or another C/G free agent), Heyer, and Rinehart in reserve.
2) Sign Igor Olshansky to play LE/LT. Right now he is a 3-4 DE, but at 6'6" 309 Lbs he would be a run stopping DE that would shift to DT on passing downs. This would work great with the way the Skins have stated they want to move Haynesworth around. As an example, look at how the Giants have killed QB's by moving and mix-matching big DLs and quick Ends. Forget about running by the left end. Olshansky will absorb and destroy most of the blocking in that direction.
This would give us a d-line of Carter - Haynesworth - Griffin - Olshansky with reserves of Golston, Alexander, Wilson, and Jackson. There's a drop off there at DE, but I think #13 is a great place to pick up a DE this April.
3) Sign LBs Kevin Burnett and Khary Campbell. Khary needs to come back as he is a great fit for this team as a back-up and teams player. Burnett is on the rise as a LB in Dallas and would be a great fit at the SAM. Plus, he's an SEC alum, albeit from the East side of things. And the Skins have a desperate need for LBs. They're gonna have to sign at least three.
Starting LBs would be (W-M-S) McIntosh - Fletcher - Burnett with Campbell and Blades (and who else?) in reserve. I have to say that the LB situation scares the crud out of me. McIntosh has a very suspect injury history in college and the NFL, Fletcher showed his age at the end of the year in 2008, and there is no starting SAM on the roster at the moment.
Will the Skins be able to do all three, or even two of these things? Maybe only in fantasy. But they should be able to accomplish at least one of them and in the process go a long ways to ensuring that Zorn has a decent shot at success in his second year.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Sunday, November 9, 2008
A Problem at the Half Way Point
For Bye Week appraisals of the Skins, I suggest:
On to the problem I see...
With the bye week comes word that the Skins have signed the just released DeAngelo Hall and released our own Leigh Torrence. For more on the questions about Torrence being waived to make room for Hall I'll point readers to Rich Tandler:
This move is somewhat surprising. One would think that if a cornerback was going to get cut it would the rookie Justin Tryon. The fourth-round selection has played sparingly while Torrence has served ably as a nickel back while Shawn Springs has been hobbled by various injuries this year and after Carlos Rogers suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2007.I have a problem with the Hall signing that is not related to Hall or the CB he replaced and was released, or indeed the fact we signed him.
The fact that Tryon made the 53-man roster in September raised some eyebrows and the fact that he was kept over a fairly well-established nickel back will raise some more. Apparently the thinking was that Tryon had more upside potential than did Torrence and that justified keeping him as the fifth CB.
My problem is that the Front Office has been seemingly oblivious to the one problem that will keep the Skins from being a Super Bowl contender...
The Tackle spots on offense.
Watching the Skins progress during the season has seen this position as one that has deteriorated instead of improving. All other units have worked out the kinks and are progressing: Pass protection for Campbell has dropped dramatically and was exposed for the liability it is against the Steelers. Put simply, there is no excuse for this display of non-competitiveness.
Heyer, who coming into the season was seen as a successor to one of the OTs -- and initially took the RT gig away from Jansen -- has been merely adequate in pass protection at RT and far below average in run blocking. In his one game subbing for Samuels at LT in a return to action after his own injury Heyer stunk. Jansen has cemented his reacquisition of the RT spot with his old steller run blocking, but he is still lacking when it comes to protecting Campbell. Samuels has had his moments when healthy, but was completely exposed last week in his return from injury. An injured Samuels is light years better than a healthy Heyer.
If the FO can find the Jameses, Taylors, and Halls from the reject pile, they could find a tackle or two that would at least be competent enough to keep Campbell off the IR. If the level of play we have seen continues, that is where he is headed, and the Skins won't even compete for a playoff berth.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Skins Trapped by Rams, Fall 16-17

The Rams were winless in four tries, had fired their coach, benched and then unbenched their starting QB, and had shown no defense at all to this point.
Trap.
And the Skins fell right in. They lost three fumbles, their first turnovers of the year, including one for a TD off a Kendall reception of a tipped pass... Knock the ball DOWN next time, Pete.
Sheeeesh.
Portis, who had two TDs for six on the season, stated that the Skins took the Rams lightly. "I think the headlines got good," Portis said. "Guys started high-fiving and yelling, 'We here!' "
Trap -- Sprung.
Learn the lesson, guys.
Cross Posted at Pax Parabellum.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Redskins Pluck Eagles
Two road games against two division rivals...Two wins.
Portis over powered what had been a top ten rushing defense for 145 yards and a TD to whollop the Eagles -- in their house -- 23-17. It was not that close...
After the game Philly's QB Donovan McNabb was complaining that the "best" team didn't win.
I was embarrassed these last two weeks. I mean to two teams we shouldn't have lost to. When you make mistakes and you don't capitalize on opportunities things like this happen. There is no way that you can look at this game and say that, and not taking anything anyway from them, but there is no way that this team is better than us. The same went for last week and then you find yourself here wondering why.You wonder why? You think you have the better team? The Skins beat Dallas in Dallas. You lost to Dallas in Dallas. The Skins just stomped you in YOUR house. The Skins have won four straight, You have lost two straight.
McNabb has a funny idea of what constitutes a better team...
Cross Posted at Pax Parabellum
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Redskins: Fassel Blames YOU! Yeah, YOU!

Jim Fassel knows why Daniel Snyder didn't hire him (this time). See, last time, back in 2004, The Danny jilted JimmyPooh for The Legend, Joe Jackson Gibbs. I mean, who wouldn't? Why date Plain Jane (er, Jim) when The Belle of the Ball can be had? So,
Four years later... The Danny promises to take JimmyPooh to the Prom. Except, the Clique decides JimmyPooh is so uncool. The Danny must be cool. The Clique forces The Danny to choose another, more popular date. At least that's what JimmyPooh and his tender fender feelings want us to believe. Dan Steinberg tells us what happened according to JimmyPooh and lists the Clique for us:
I believe Jim Fassel to be a great guy, and I think he probably got treated poorly over the past month, and I would have been fine with him as head coach, but just today the real culprits behind his non-hiring emerged. Their names? Mister Irrelevant, Unsilent Majority, Hogs Haven, and the Curly R. From Fassel's interview with the John Thompson Show this afternoon:
When I got the New York Giants job I remember telling my family that, 'You know, you cannot hold the lead in these jobs in major markets.' Because you've got bloggers, and they're saying, 'No, this isn't the right guy, and that ain't the right guy,' and you can't hold the lead, because you are going to take the hit. I mean, when you're the lead dog, you're going to take the hit. And I think the longer it went, the longer it went, the longer it went....
Man, you guys in the Clique are so mean. I bet you were texting each other and saying mean things about JimmyPooh that never made it to your blogs.
You MEANIES!
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Redskins: ZORN AGAIN!
Daniel Snyder and Vinny Cerrato may have just hired the next Joe Gibbs for the Washington Redskins. Something about this hire/promotion simply smells right. The options after Spagnuolo rejected the job looked fairly bleak... Mooch, Fassel, Meeks. None of them had that "it" factor one looks for in a head coach. Spags had it but stayed away.Zorn has it. He was an over achiever as the first QB of the expansion SeaHawks. He is, as is Joe Gibbs, a 'character' guy that looks for character in his players. Zorn is a leader that, after 19 years of coaching, knows how to follow. The guy knows offense, and his results with QBs speaks volumes as to his ability to coach and communicate his ideas.
I tell ya, I gotta feeling, a real good feeling about this coaching decision. Snyder may have made the best decision as an owner he has or ever will make.
From the Press Release:
Zorn began his NFL coaching career following nine years as a quarterbacks coach or offensive coordinator at Boise State, Utah State and the University of Minnesota. He joined the Seahawks in 1997 as an offensive assistant.
The next season he moved to the Detroit Lions as quarterbacks coach, where he was instrumental in the development of rookie quarterback Charlie Batch. In his rookie season, Batch's 88.3 passer rating ranks as the fourth-highest rookie mark in NFL history.
Holmgren brought Zorn to the Seahawks as quarterbacks coach in 2001, where he coached current Seahawk quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, Trent Dilfer and Brock Huard.
In 2002, Dilfer began the season as the starter, with Hasselbeck stepping in to complete the season. That year, Seattle's passing attack ranked third in the NFL and Hasselbeck finished the season ranked first in the NFC with a 63.7 completion percentage and second in the NFC with a 87.8 passer rating.
With Hasselbeck entrenched as Seattle's starter, Zorn has worked with Holmgren in implementing the team's offense while also continuing the development of the quarterback.
Hasselbeck, now a perennial Pro Bowler, continues to rank among the NFL's best quarterbacks. Similarly, the Seahawk's offense regular ranks among the NFL elite.

