****OFFICIAL 2008 Washington Redskins Thread**** (1 Viewer)

[Marvelous]

Holy crap!

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Gus Frerotte is the only quarterback to face the Lions this season who did not set a career high in passer efficiency rating.Washington's Jason Campbell set his person best with a 127.4 -- topping his career-best against Detroit last year.

Wow the Lions are awful!

Gus gets another chance to set his own record!The Redskins receivers were ridiculously open yesterday.

I was surprised the Redskins did not throw the ball more. Cambell could do no wrong. And after the first drive, the Lions were defending the run decently.

 

[Assani Fisher]

Wins and losses are measured by points, not by winning time of possession or yards gained. This team is consistently doing self-defeating things to prevent it from scoring points, and the disparity between the yards/time of possession differentials and the point differentials week to week proves that.

This should have been a ~35-10 ball game.

Last week vs the Browns should have been at least a 14-3 ball game.

The week before vs. the Rams should have been a ~28-9 ball game.

The reason those games (universally considered the softest part of the schedule) were close was because of turnovers, penalties and mental errors, usually on the offense. That has to stop. This team will lose early in the playoffs with that sort of effort, that is if they even get there given the relatively tough remainder of their schedule.

The good news is that the Dallas and Philly wins showed us that they're capable of doing this against good teams, but playing down to your opposition's level for three weeks in a row is really bothering me. There is no freaking way that I'm going to accept a tie score against the Lions at the end of that game but for a Santana Moss PR TD. They have work to do.

Football Outsiders has a ranking method known as DVOA. Basically its a very in depth stat which greatly favors a team who totally outplays an opponent even if they lose on the scoreboard. And yes you are correct that games are won based upon points and not stats. However, and heres the important part: Historically DVOA has shown to be a better predictor of future success than W/L record. That is to say that if two teams meet on a neutral field, one having a higher DVOA but worse W/L record and the other having a lower DVOA but better W/L record that the former team would be more likely to win.The Redskins were ranked 5th in DVOA going into last week, and I'm almost positive they'll move over Pittsburgh who was #4 after going into this week. NYG is #1, Ten is #3, and very surprisingly Philly is #2.

So basically I 100% disagree with the sentiment of your bolded sentence. Yes, of course as a fan I want to get the W more than any other "stat." However, theres a lot of luck and variance in sports, and other stats can more accurately measure a team than W/L record. I always love the "OMG how is this team with a great record an underdog according to Vegas when they're playing this team with a poor record???!!!! type of threads that spring up here from time to time.

Btw I highly encourage people to read FO more. Especially if you bet NFL games, their info is vital(although I suspect that the LVSC heavily uses them or methods similar to theirs for coming up with their lines).

 

[Swing 51]

Greg Blache, brilliantly, said that his defense "played like the south end of a northbound skunk."Zorn On Greg Blache's phrase: "Well I heard that statement, I heard that statement. So Greg and I had a long conversation this morning because I didn't to know on video what did that mean, what did that really look like....Just like little things irritate me, little things irritate Greg or Sherman [smith] or even Danny [smith]. It's just the little things that are keeping us from playing a very solid game. We haven't played a solid game yet. I think he's trying to create some urgency on the football team on the defensive side of it....That's a great phrase. You know, it's that hunting phrase. I told him to come up with a great hunting story, I wanted to hear a good hunting story."

 

[Assani Fisher]

Wins and losses are measured by points, not by winning time of possession or yards gained. This team is consistently doing self-defeating things to prevent it from scoring points, and the disparity between the yards/time of possession differentials and the point differentials week to week proves that.

Sorry didn't see this post when I posted the above(although you may have stole it from me as I'm constantly preaching it and I think I've mentioned it before in this thread regarding the Eagles when people were insinuating that the Skins should easily beat them).

 

[Assani Fisher]

The Skins of this year remind me of the Cowboys last year.

Meh, I'm sure you could find a ton of teams who were very good but didn't put away teams and played a ton of close games and it ended up costing them in the playoffs.I could also list a ton of teams who did the same but who came through in the playoffs. The first example off the top of my head is the 2001 Pats.Either way, listing one example doesn't prove anything.

 

[Assani Fisher]

btw I agree with most that the Skins suck at catching INTs except for Horton. Zorn should dedicate an entire segment of defensive practice to this imo.

 

[Bizkiteer]

btw I agree with most that the Skins suck at catching INTs except for Horton. Zorn should dedicate an entire segment of defensive practice to this imo.

I disagree, Shawn Springs is the best at catching a tweak, sprain, pull or twist of his own bady part every other week. He plays one game...then can't play the next.

 

[T Bell]

btw I agree with most that the Skins suck at catching INTs except for Horton. Zorn should dedicate an entire segment of defensive practice to this imo.

I disagree, Shawn Springs is the best at catching a tweak, sprain, pull or twist of his own bady part every other week. He plays one game...then can't play the next.

I wish that wasn't funny . . . but it is. He's already been ruled out of the Pittsburgh game too.

 

[Bizkiteer]

btw I agree with most that the Skins suck at catching INTs except for Horton. Zorn should dedicate an entire segment of defensive practice to this imo.

I disagree, Shawn Springs is the best at catching a tweak, sprain, pull or twist of his own bady part every other week. He plays one game...then can't play the next.

I wish that wasn't funny . . . but it is. He's already been ruled out of the Pittsburgh game too.

I know, I love him when he plays, but that is becoming far and few between these days.

 

[fatness]

Anyone catch Zorn's angry response to some reporter's question in the post game presser? WTF was that all about? I want to see the uncut presser but it's not up on redskins.com yet.

Full, un-cut post-game presser up on redskins.com now.The outburst really starts around the 8:15 mark. Good stuff.

"Why am I frustrating you!?"

O'Halloran's blog on the blowup.

Confession time, since I'm told Jim Zorn's mini explosion was generating some buzz: I was the eye roller.

The end of the story first: After Jim's press conference, he talked to myself and Times columnist Dan Daly about the sequence we/I was trying to ask about and chalked it up to a misunderstanding.

Some background: Dan first brought it up and I agreed -- the Lions helped the Redskins get the late first-half field goal by calling timeout with 36 seconds remaining. Zorn had just called a Clinton Portis draw play on second-and-27 from the Redskins' 9-yard line. Translation (we thought): The Redskins are running out the clock and will go to halftime down 10-3. But the Lions wouldn't allow that and called timeout. The Redskins subsequently marched down to get a field goal to make it 10-6. I thought that was a semi turning point. After a penalty-filled first half, the Redskins at least cut into the lead.

I haven't listed to the tape of the Zorn exchange or watched the video. And I won't. I tried to ask about the momentum gained by getting the three on the board and whether Detroit helped the Redskins out and whether Zorn was going to run the clock out.

Zorn thought the subject was about the previous drive (which ended with a Shaun Suisham missed field goal) and his use of timeouts. At the time, I had no idea what he was talking about.

Anyway, I tried to re-phase it more clearly but to no avail. Another reporter asked it more bluntly and Zorn answered.

And I rolled my eyes out of frustration that it took 3-4 questions for us to figure out what sequence he was talking about.

Zorn didn't like this -- obviously. I told him we could chat afterward and that was that. We chatted, looked at the play by play sheet and got on the same page. That entire conversation was off the record so it didn't appear in the Times' coverage.

What I believe: Zorn was frustrated that he couldn't answer my question. And I was frustrated that I couldn't get him to understand my point.

Again, no big deal. I'll be directly to his left, next to the Coke

 

[dgreen]

I'm seeing some "Vote the Redskins Ticket" signs on some roadway medians like they do with regular voting/election signs.

 

[Sebowski]

Great article on our boy, Clinton Portis.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/stor...&id=3668510

Rest assured, Portis has been the MVP so far

By Seth Wickersham

ESPN The Magazine

(Archive)

Updated: October 28, 2008

Clinton Portis leads the league in rushing with 944 yards, far ahead of Adrian Peterson (684).

You want a midseason MVP? I'll take the guy on one knee. Clinton Portis does that often, you know. He rests every chance he gets. It has become a humorous point for his Washington Redskins teammates, who notice that during a fourth-quarter timeout or two-minute warning, Portis is down on bended knee, catching his breath.

Portis' act goes against football machismo, which suggests players are never supposed to openly display fatigue, but he doesn't care. He actually likes looking tired, then proving he's not. And he and the Redskins -- even after their ugly 25-17 win over the winless Lions -- have proven a lot so far. Nobody thought Portis would be closing so many wins in the fourth quarter. Not this year, at least. Not in the NFC East, football's toughest division, where the Redskins were supposed to stare up at the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles. Well, guess what? Washington is 6-2, a half-game behind first-place New York. And Portis is the NFL's leading rusher, with 944 yards and five straight 100-yard games. And, with all due respect to Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger and Albert Haynesworth, he's also the league's midway MVP.

Few thought that at age 27, in his seventh year in the NFL, the 5-foot-11, 228-pound Portis would experience such a career ascent. He's at the age at which most backs level off. At various times, Portis himself has been uncertain of his long-term future. Heck, he forced a trade from Denver in 2004 because he knew his shelf life could be short. "The window for a running back is only open so long," Portis told me on the day he was introduced as a Redskin. "Right now is my time to get what I'm worth."

The Redskins have helped keep Clinton Portis, left, fresh in the fourth quarter by giving backs such as Shaun Alexander, right, carries earlier in the game.

Nobody was exactly sure of his worth. He'd played well in Denver, where nearly every running back does. And this decade hasn't been kind to the notion of the bank-breaking superstar tailback. Their typically short career span has forced teams to invest top dollars elsewhere and rely on late-rounders and tandems to supply the ground game. And so when Portis was given a $17-million bonus from Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, it seemed less a wise investment and more an expensive Band-Aid, for which the impulsive Snyder is notorious.

But Portis has earned his money. Only LaDainian Tomlinson has rushed for more yards since Portis entered the league in 2002. But that doesn't mean it has been easy. He has suffered an array of injuries the past two years, showing the kind of wear and tear that often derails a back's career and lends credence to those GMs who refuse to invest major money in them. Portis' diligence in rehabbing was questioned, as was his commitment to being a team leader, seeing as how he spent offseasons training in Miami with his boys from The U.

Portis' contract was redone this past offseason, with financial incentives to be present at the Redskins' offseason workout program. Once he was there, two veterans, receiver James Thrash and linebacker London Fletcher, implored the ever-social Portis to trade some of his partying for harder work at the team complex. "I just respect those guys so much," says Portis. "It was more taking life seriously. Training with those guys, they're the type of guys who I actually look up to."

Another reason Portis has staved off decline is that he has been used differently than ever before. He's carrying the ball more than any other year (23 attempts per game in 2008, compared to his career average of 20) but is being spelled more often in the first three quarters so that he's fresh in the fourth. Twenty-eight percent of his carries this season have been in the final quarter, as opposed to 20 percent during his previous six years. "That's why you get the big bucks," Portis says.

He's had a lingering ankle injury all year. And against the Lions, he got into a shouting match with head coach Jim Zorn after Portis missed a few plays with an equipment issue and reinserted himself into the game without telling anyone. But it's no surprise that when asked to name the moments of which he's most proud, Portis doesn't cite his five straight 100-yard games, or his eight carries of 20-plus yards (he had three last season) but instead three fourth-quarter drives. On the first, against the Saints on Sept. 14, Portis had three straight carries to put the game away. On the second, against the Cowboys on Sept. 28, he had 33 yards rushing on a 12-play, 6-minute, 54-second drive that led to a game-clinching field goal. And on the third, against the Eagles on Oct. 5, his five carries on a 13-play, 7-minute, 18-second drive helped secure another win.

"I'm proud that we stay on the field," Portis says. "In previous years, we hurt ourselves in those situations. Now we stay on the field for seven, eight minutes."

Even if a few of them are spent on one knee.

Seth Wickersham is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine and a columnist for ESPN.com

 

[Ripleys]

Portis has been the MVP so far. Deserves a LOT more praise nationally than he gets.

 

[T Bell]

Portis has been the MVP so far. Deserves a LOT more praise nationally than he gets.

The funny thing is that while Portis has been outstanding and certainly should be recognized, I'm not sure that he's been more important to the Redskins' success than Campbell has. Campbell's lack of INT's get all the attention (and they ARE a huge reason why the team is 6-2), but he's also combining a 66% completion rate with 7.6 ypa. He's simply making plays and doing the things necessary to keep drives alive. There's not a single throw that I'm seeing him fail to make consistently. He's been awesome.

 

[Bankerguy]

Portis has been the MVP so far. Deserves a LOT more praise nationally than he gets.

The funny thing is that while Portis has been outstanding and certainly should be recognized, I'm not sure that he's been more important to the Redskins' success than Campbell has. Campbell's lack of INT's get all the attention (and they ARE a huge reason why the team is 6-2), but he's also combining a 66% completion rate with 7.6 ypa. He's simply making plays and doing the things necessary to keep drives alive. There's not a single throw that I'm seeing him fail to make consistently. He's been awesome.

While I don't disagree that this might be true. There is no way Campbell would ever get the "MVP" recognition based on his yards and TD totals. Agree?

 

[T Bell]

Portis has been the MVP so far. Deserves a LOT more praise nationally than he gets.

The funny thing is that while Portis has been outstanding and certainly should be recognized, I'm not sure that he's been more important to the Redskins' success than Campbell has. Campbell's lack of INT's get all the attention (and they ARE a huge reason why the team is 6-2), but he's also combining a 66% completion rate with 7.6 ypa. He's simply making plays and doing the things necessary to keep drives alive. There's not a single throw that I'm seeing him fail to make consistently. He's been awesome.

While I don't disagree that this might be true. There is no way Campbell would ever get the "MVP" recognition based on his yards and TD totals. Agree?

I agree completely. NFL MVP is about perception as much as it is true contribution to winning, maybe moreso. (The irony of course is that many NFL purists put down on the fixation of fantasy football types on stats, but that's exactly what's at work here.) Campbell is helping this team win the way that Aikman helped the early 90's Cowboys win, which is moving the ball, converting 3rd downs, avoiding big mistakes and turnovers, and making plays when the team needs him to. It's more subtle than racking up yards and TD's the way a guy like Brees does, but it's no less impressive or important. The way that Campbell has played so far in that offense, a INT is worth more than a TD, so the lack of INT's is really a big deal. I'd much rather his TD/INT ratio be 8/0 than 12/4 or 16/8, especially given the way that Portis is running. What has me excited is that the way that that offense is moving the ball overall, I expect him to break out with more of the TD passes at some point. This passing offense has absolutely not yet reached its potential.

 

[Sidewinder16]

Marcus Mason signs with the Jets.

To replace RB Jesse Chatman (IR), the Jets signed RB Marcus Mason from the Ravens' practice squad. Mason (5-9, 218) led the NFL in preseason rushing, running for 317 yards and a 4.8 average for the Redskins, but he was released by the Skins at the end of the preseason. The Jets thought about claiming him on waivers, according to Mangini, but he wound up on the Ravens' practice squad.

 

[dgreen]

I've been a little down on Campbell's lack of TDs. But, now that I think about it, I can't think of many TDs he's missed that he should have hit. (Of course, we don't have the pleasure of reviewing game film with a view of the whole field.) The only I can possibly think of is a pass to Moss in Dallas. But, it would have been an exceptional display of arm strength for him to have put that deep ball out in front of Moss for a TD after avoiding the rush and stepping up in the pocket. Unfortunately, that drive ended in a FG. And, don't forget he's had two TDs called back due to penalty (neither of which affected the outcome of the play). He hit Devin Thomas for a TD on Heyer's personal foul against Arizona and a pass to ARE in Dallas was called back because Rabach's second TD-killing penalty.

 

[Sidewinder16]

Santonio Holmes will play Monday. Willie Parker might. Ryan Clark is doubtful.

Blache should put Smoot on Holmes Monday night. As much as he talks I'm sure he can get in Holmes' head about the possibility of an impending NFL suspension.

 

[Sidewinder16]

Samuels, Griffin and Horton practiced today.

Springs, Taylor, Betts and Kelly are the only players already ruled out for MNF.

 

[fatness]

Good article on Greg Blache

Two decades later, Blache sees the same kind of self-study habits in the Washington Redskins' locker room, a work ethic led by veterans Cornelius Griffin, Santana Moss, London Fletcher and the entire offensive line.

"By far the most studious and most professional group I've been around," Blache said.

Said coach Jim Zorn: "That's how they work. They see that it's work that pays off. They just don't show up and play."

For most of the players, work begins Tuesday, the only day off of the week. Although the players don't meet with the coaching staff, a steady stream arrives at Redskin Park - first for treatment, then to pick up a DVD of the next opponent (either the full game or the "cut-ups" divided by down-and-distance or formation) to watch at home or in a separate meeting room.

When the players arrive Wednesday morning to receive the game-plan binder and a briefing from the coaching staff, the veterans are ready to discuss concepts.

"I have a staff that gives them phenomenal information," Blache said of his four assistants. "I have excellent teachers, and the players recognize that. If you give them a piece of information, they take it, and [if] it helps them be successful, they're going [to] stick their hand back in there another time. Guys are willing to listen more and more."

A veteran sets the example in each position group. Blache said Shawn Springs has counseled Fred Smoot and Carlos Rogers, Fletcher was a leader from the day he signed as a free agent in 2007 and the young defensive linemen have great respect for Griffin. On offense, Moss is mentoring the young receivers, and each starting offensive linemen is a veteran.

"The locker room generates an atmosphere and a culture," Blache said. "Our locker room, we have that on both sides of the ball."

Peter Lockley / The Washington Times Defensive coordinator Greg Blache said the Redskins are “by far the most studious and most professional group I've been around.”

Asked what it would be like if players did the bare minimum and didn't serve as influences to younger players, Blache interrupted.

"Seen it. ... Seen it," he said.

And?

Blache shook his head and said: "If you've got a bad culture, you better get out because it's a leech that will devour you."

 

[Sebowski]

More Blache from JLC's blog

Blache: Team 'Couldn't Sack Groceries'

Defensive coordinator Greg Blache delivered a few verbal beauties during his press conference (he's the best quote in the building), and continually talked up the importance of Monday's game, and how huge it would be to enter the bye at 7-2.

"This is the biggest game we've played since I've been here," Blache said, which may seem like hyperbole, but the man was intense when he said it.

He said the team is beat up and tired and looked "like the Confederate army going home" on Sunday night leaving Detroit. So the coaches are trying to keep them as fresh as possible, practicing out of pads, and Blache knows his defense must be sharper, more intense and more focused that it was against the Lions, or the Steelers will make them pay.

"I get disappointed when we don't work up to our standard," Blache said.

Blache said the Skins have to be hard-working if nothing else, likening them to an, um, unattractive woman looking for a date. "We've got to wash our face, put on our makeup and comb our hair, or nobody's going to ask us out," he said.

Blache was livid after that game and said the players knew they were not up to par as the game was going on, but likened it to a golfer trying to correct his swing mid-round. Now he is urging the players to play all out Monday and the other seven games of the season, telling them that their goals are in range and they could be do something great this season if they pull together every week.

He's also asking his defense to "be the big brother" this week and help out the offense, knowing the Skins are facing the league's top-ranked defense. The defense needs to take some pressure off the offense by "trying to create short field." The Steelers have allowed 23 sacks, but Blache remarked that his defense isn't showing the ability to get to the passer much this season.

"We applied for a job at Giant and couldn't get it because we couldn't sack groceries," Blache said.

He praised Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's toughness and willingness to absorb punishment to make plays, playing through a shoulder injury this season and making big plays. "You hit him as hard as you can, and he's going to help you up and say, 'Bring it again.' " Blache also expects the Steelers to have feature back Willie Parker back Monday from a long absence.

 

[T Bell]

I love Blache.

 

[Sidewinder16]

Portis has been the MVP so far. Deserves a LOT more praise nationally than he gets.

The funny thing is that while Portis has been outstanding and certainly should be recognized, I'm not sure that he's been more important to the Redskins' success than Campbell has. Campbell's lack of INT's get all the attention (and they ARE a huge reason why the team is 6-2), but he's also combining a 66% completion rate with 7.6 ypa. He's simply making plays and doing the things necessary to keep drives alive. There's not a single throw that I'm seeing him fail to make consistently. He's been awesome.

While I don't disagree that this might be true. There is no way Campbell would ever get the "MVP" recognition based on his yards and TD totals. Agree?

I agree completely. NFL MVP is about perception as much as it is true contribution to winning, maybe moreso. (The irony of course is that many NFL purists put down on the fixation of fantasy football types on stats, but that's exactly what's at work here.) Campbell is helping this team win the way that Aikman helped the early 90's Cowboys win, which is moving the ball, converting 3rd downs, avoiding big mistakes and turnovers, and making plays when the team needs him to. It's more subtle than racking up yards and TD's the way a guy like Brees does, but it's no less impressive or important. The way that Campbell has played so far in that offense, a INT is worth more than a TD, so the lack of INT's is really a big deal. I'd much rather his TD/INT ratio be 8/0 than 12/4 or 16/8, especially given the way that Portis is running. What has me excited is that the way that that offense is moving the ball overall, I expect him to break out with more of the TD passes at some point. This passing offense has absolutely not yet reached its potential.

Apparently, Jaws made the statement on Mike and Mike this morning that he thought Campbell was the league's MVP at this point. Mel Kiper later agreed with him, too.

 

[T Bell]

I don't know if you guys watch a lot of these videos, but NFL Network does some very cool analysis with their "Anatomy of a Play" series. They apparently were thinking like I was when they compared Campbell's last TD throw to Moss @ Detroit with the one he threw in week 2 vs. New Orleans. Check it out..

Here's a great supplemental segment by Jansen on the blocking scheme and the on-the-fly adjustments the O-line made on that Detroit play.

They've also got a great breakdown of Moss' punt return TD.

 

[buster c]

I don't know if you guys watch a lot of porn videos

They've also got a great breakdown of Moss' punt return TD.

I nominate this as the 1st half play of the season. 80 yard plays get me a little juiced

 

[H.K.]

Who is starting for Moss on Monday if he can't go?

 

[T Bell]

Who is starting for Moss on Monday if he can't go?

ARE would probably fill Moss' role, and Devin Thomas and James Thrash would likely fill in for ARE's spot. Everything I've heard/read is that this is a minor hammy tweak and that he'll be full speed for this game.

 

[H.K.]

Who is starting for Moss on Monday if he can't go?

ARE would probably fill Moss' role, and Devin Thomas and James Thrash would likely fill in for ARE's spot. Everything I've heard/read is that this is a minor hammy tweak and that he'll be full speed for this game.

Thanks, hope you are right. I thought it was minor initially, too, but now it's a GTD and he didn't practice at all this week so my concern has grown:

(KFFL) Ryan O'Halloran, of The Washington Times, reports Washington Redskins WR Santana Moss (hamstring) did not participate in practice Friday, Oct. 31. He will be a game-time decision for the team's Week 9 game.

The 'Skins depth chart has Thrash behind Moss and Thomas behind ARE, but wasn't sure if that mattered....of course this is a MNF game and if Moss is a scratch, choices will be limited for those needing a replacement.

 

[Swing 51]

Nice article today in the Wash Post about the "Midwest Coast offense".

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...8103103275.html

"It certainly looks like the Gibbs offense to me," said one NFL executive who has scouted the Redskins several times this season. "It's the old Gibbs concepts -- protecting the quarterback, trying not to expose him to turnovers, using the run to set up the pass, play-action, then taking the deep shots. You have to give Zorn a lot of credit for adapting to his personnel."

As the season evolved, Zorn has given the players a larger stake in the offense. Campbell preferred deeper drops and going to the shotgun more; Zorn has some philosophical aversion to that formation but granted Campbell the freedom to use it any time. The Redskins have thrown from the shotgun 53 times this season; Seattle did it just 69 times all of last season. Campbell has already attempted five passes on which the ball traveled 41 yards or more; Seattle attempted just six such passes all of last season.

"With Coach Zorn, it's about the best of what the receivers can do, and what I can do," Campbell said. "When it comes to me, is it always going to be a three-step drop, or are we going to let him utilize his arm to make throws to the whole field? I think that's Coach's whole mind-set."

Tight end Chris Cooley asked that he be able to move more before the snap, rather than take the stationary three-point stance of most tight ends in the West Coast system. Zorn has actually taken to using Cooley more as an H-back in recent weeks -- a position that was a staple of Gibbs's offense but does not exist in the West Coast offense.

"Zorn said when he came in that I haven't ever had a tight end who can do what you do, and I have to learn," Cooley said. "And I think if you go back and watch our offense over the last eight weeks you'll see that every week more and more I'm in different places and moving around, and it's become a lot more like what I've done in the past. I can't believe how much lead blocking I'm doing, but I'm having a blast."

Portis requested more draw plays -- including one that clinched a win at Philadelphia -- and more pitches to the outside when the Redskins run "gut" plays, which have resulted in some big gains. "It's not like, 'We do the coaching; you do the playing,' " offensive coordinator Sherman Smith said. "If they suggest stuff, we'll listen."

 

[dgreen]

Nice article today in the Wash Post about the "Midwest Coast offense".

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...8103103275.html

"It certainly looks like the Gibbs offense to me," said one NFL executive who has scouted the Redskins several times this season. "It's the old Gibbs concepts -- protecting the quarterback, trying not to expose him to turnovers, using the run to set up the pass, play-action, then taking the deep shots. You have to give Zorn a lot of credit for adapting to his personnel."

As the season evolved, Zorn has given the players a larger stake in the offense. Campbell preferred deeper drops and going to the shotgun more; Zorn has some philosophical aversion to that formation but granted Campbell the freedom to use it any time. The Redskins have thrown from the shotgun 53 times this season; Seattle did it just 69 times all of last season. Campbell has already attempted five passes on which the ball traveled 41 yards or more; Seattle attempted just six such passes all of last season.

"With Coach Zorn, it's about the best of what the receivers can do, and what I can do," Campbell said. "When it comes to me, is it always going to be a three-step drop, or are we going to let him utilize his arm to make throws to the whole field? I think that's Coach's whole mind-set."

Tight end Chris Cooley asked that he be able to move more before the snap, rather than take the stationary three-point stance of most tight ends in the West Coast system. Zorn has actually taken to using Cooley more as an H-back in recent weeks -- a position that was a staple of Gibbs's offense but does not exist in the West Coast offense.

"Zorn said when he came in that I haven't ever had a tight end who can do what you do, and I have to learn," Cooley said. "And I think if you go back and watch our offense over the last eight weeks you'll see that every week more and more I'm in different places and moving around, and it's become a lot more like what I've done in the past. I can't believe how much lead blocking I'm doing, but I'm having a blast."

Portis requested more draw plays -- including one that clinched a win at Philadelphia -- and more pitches to the outside when the Redskins run "gut" plays, which have resulted in some big gains. "It's not like, 'We do the coaching; you do the playing,' " offensive coordinator Sherman Smith said. "If they suggest stuff, we'll listen."

A) I think a lot of people confuse a philosophy with a system. I agree that Zorn has used somewhat of a similar philosophy as Gibbs did, but that doesn't mean anything about the system being used.B) It's great to hear that Zorn is adjusting to his player's strengths. That's one mark of a great coach.

C) As mentioned, Zorn has done some things similarly to Gibbs. And, some of those things, like having players suggest plays, are things Gibbs was bashed for at times. Of course, Zorn is praised for it. I hope at some point many people will look back and see how unfairly they criticized Gibbs 2.0.

 

[buster c]

Nice article today in the Wash Post about the "Midwest Coast offense".

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...8103103275.html

"It certainly looks like the Gibbs offense to me," said one NFL executive who has scouted the Redskins several times this season. "It's the old Gibbs concepts -- protecting the quarterback, trying not to expose him to turnovers, using the run to set up the pass, play-action, then taking the deep shots. You have to give Zorn a lot of credit for adapting to his personnel."

As the season evolved, Zorn has given the players a larger stake in the offense. Campbell preferred deeper drops and going to the shotgun more; Zorn has some philosophical aversion to that formation but granted Campbell the freedom to use it any time. The Redskins have thrown from the shotgun 53 times this season; Seattle did it just 69 times all of last season. Campbell has already attempted five passes on which the ball traveled 41 yards or more; Seattle attempted just six such passes all of last season.

"With Coach Zorn, it's about the best of what the receivers can do, and what I can do," Campbell said. "When it comes to me, is it always going to be a three-step drop, or are we going to let him utilize his arm to make throws to the whole field? I think that's Coach's whole mind-set."

Tight end Chris Cooley asked that he be able to move more before the snap, rather than take the stationary three-point stance of most tight ends in the West Coast system. Zorn has actually taken to using Cooley more as an H-back in recent weeks -- a position that was a staple of Gibbs's offense but does not exist in the West Coast offense.

"Zorn said when he came in that I haven't ever had a tight end who can do what you do, and I have to learn," Cooley said. "And I think if you go back and watch our offense over the last eight weeks you'll see that every week more and more I'm in different places and moving around, and it's become a lot more like what I've done in the past. I can't believe how much lead blocking I'm doing, but I'm having a blast."

Portis requested more draw plays -- including one that clinched a win at Philadelphia -- and more pitches to the outside when the Redskins run "gut" plays, which have resulted in some big gains. "It's not like, 'We do the coaching; you do the playing,' " offensive coordinator Sherman Smith said. "If they suggest stuff, we'll listen."

A) I think a lot of people confuse a philosophy with a system. I agree that Zorn has used somewhat of a similar philosophy as Gibbs did, but that doesn't mean anything about the system being used.B) It's great to hear that Zorn is adjusting to his player's strengths. That's one mark of a great coach.

C) As mentioned, Zorn has done some things similarly to Gibbs. And, some of those things, like having players suggest plays, are things Gibbs was bashed for at times. Of course, Zorn is praised for it. I hope at some point many people will look back and see how unfairly they criticized Gibbs 2.0.

 

[thayman]

Nice article today in the Wash Post about the "Midwest Coast offense".

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...8103103275.html

"It certainly looks like the Gibbs offense to me," said one NFL executive who has scouted the Redskins several times this season. "It's the old Gibbs concepts -- protecting the quarterback, trying not to expose him to turnovers, using the run to set up the pass, play-action, then taking the deep shots. You have to give Zorn a lot of credit for adapting to his personnel."

As the season evolved, Zorn has given the players a larger stake in the offense. Campbell preferred deeper drops and going to the shotgun more; Zorn has some philosophical aversion to that formation but granted Campbell the freedom to use it any time. The Redskins have thrown from the shotgun 53 times this season; Seattle did it just 69 times all of last season. Campbell has already attempted five passes on which the ball traveled 41 yards or more; Seattle attempted just six such passes all of last season.

"With Coach Zorn, it's about the best of what the receivers can do, and what I can do," Campbell said. "When it comes to me, is it always going to be a three-step drop, or are we going to let him utilize his arm to make throws to the whole field? I think that's Coach's whole mind-set."

Tight end Chris Cooley asked that he be able to move more before the snap, rather than take the stationary three-point stance of most tight ends in the West Coast system. Zorn has actually taken to using Cooley more as an H-back in recent weeks -- a position that was a staple of Gibbs's offense but does not exist in the West Coast offense.

"Zorn said when he came in that I haven't ever had a tight end who can do what you do, and I have to learn," Cooley said. "And I think if you go back and watch our offense over the last eight weeks you'll see that every week more and more I'm in different places and moving around, and it's become a lot more like what I've done in the past. I can't believe how much lead blocking I'm doing, but I'm having a blast."

Portis requested more draw plays -- including one that clinched a win at Philadelphia -- and more pitches to the outside when the Redskins run "gut" plays, which have resulted in some big gains. "It's not like, 'We do the coaching; you do the playing,' " offensive coordinator Sherman Smith said. "If they suggest stuff, we'll listen."

A) I think a lot of people confuse a philosophy with a system. I agree that Zorn has used somewhat of a similar philosophy as Gibbs did, but that doesn't mean anything about the system being used.B) It's great to hear that Zorn is adjusting to his player's strengths. That's one mark of a great coach.

C) As mentioned, Zorn has done some things similarly to Gibbs. And, some of those things, like having players suggest plays, are things Gibbs was bashed for at times. Of course, Zorn is praised for it. I hope at some point many people will look back and see how unfairly they criticized Gibbs 2.0.

The expectations for Gibbs 2.0 were unrealistically high. When I think back to the team Spurrier left, to the team Gibbs left.......I challenge anyone to say Gibbs 2.0 was a failure.

 

[Sebowski]

Great Moss article:

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nfceast/0-5-1/F...under-Moss.html

Former Redskins great lit fire under Moss

November 2, 2008 11:19 AM

Geoff Burke/US Presswire

A speech by former Redskins receiver Gary Clark proved to be a wake-up call for Santana Moss (89).

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss was in the midst of the worst season of his career in 2007. Injuries to his groin and heel led to an awful start by his standards. And the shooting death of his close friend and teammate Sean Taylor on Nov. 27 would change his life forever.

After the 2004 season, the Redskins traded receiver Laveranues Coles for Moss, and he rewarded them with a monster season in which he caught 84 passes for 1,483 yards and nine touchdowns. The two touchdowns he had against the Cowboys on "Monday Night Football" in Week 2 of the 2005 season helped put Moss on the map as one of the most dangerous receivers in the league.

But as the Redskins dealt with a tragedy that no team could ever prepare for, Moss admits that he'd lost the swagger that he gained as a playmaker at the University of Miami.

"I was just going through some stuff mentally," he said via phone Saturday as the Redskins prepared to play the Steelers on Monday night. (He's listed as questionable with a hamstring injury, but expects to play.) "I'd been nicked up, and I was worrying too much about how I was being used in the offense. And then Sean's death was devastating."

It took until Week 11 (against the Cowboys) for Moss to have his first 100-yard game and touchdown catch. The Redskins dropped their fourth consecutive game, against Buffalo on Dec. 2. In trying to somehow rally his players, Joe Gibbs invited one of his favorite guest speakers to practice: Gary Clark. The 5-foot-9 wide receiver had been the heart and soul of Gibbs' teams from 1985-92, and he helped lead the team to two world titles. And when Clark showed up to practice last December, he delivered a fiery message.

After singling out several players, Clark finished his talk by basically calling out Moss. With Moss kneeling just a few steps away, Clark told him, "[Your teammates] know what you can do. You know what you can do. So just do it!"

The speech had a dramatic effect on Moss. He said Clark's emotional words were exactly what he needed to hear.

"That woke me up," he said. "I took it as a blessing. I wasn't producing, and he basically told me to go catch the ball."

In the final three games of the season, Moss had a combined 15 catches for 261 yards and two touchdowns. Offensive tackle Chris Samuels walked up to Moss after the regular season and said, "Do you realize you've been on fire since Gary Clark came to practice?"

SANTANA MOSS

Wide Receiver

Washington

Profile

2008 Season Stats

Rec Yds Avg Long

TD

42 658 15.7 67 5

"I'm not sure I ever told Gary how much his talk meant to me," Moss said. "Sometimes there are things you're supposed to hear, and he was the messenger."

Moss added another touchdown in the playoff loss to the Seahawks and he's carried over his confidence into the 2008 season. Heading into Monday's game against the Steelers, Moss is ranked fifth in the league with 658 receiving yards and tied for second in touchdowns with five. In last Sunday's 25-17 road win against the Lions, he had a 50-yard touchdown catch and an 80-yard punt return for a touchdown.



Antwaan Randle El normally returns punts, but Moss said that coach Jim Zorn walked up to him in the fourth quarter and said, "You got a punt return in ya?"

Moss said yes, and 80 yards later the Redskins were putting the finishing touches on the Lions. Gibbs didn't want to risk losing Moss to injury, so he held him off the punt return unit. But before this season, the receiver said he felt compelled to let Zorn know he could be a threat in the return game.

Like any wide receiver, Moss wouldn't mind seeing 10-15 balls thrown his way each week. But unlike a certain receiver in the NFC East, Moss keeps his thoughts to himself.

"I don't care who the coach is," Moss said. "When you open your mouth, what if it comes your way the following week and you're not ready? I'd rather have a coach saying, 'Well, it wasn't his day today, but we're still going to go to him.'"

Moss, who actually went to Miami on a track scholarship, said he wanted to transfer from Carol City (Miami) High School to Miramar after his sophomore season because he finished with three catches. His father wouldn't let him switch schools because he wanted him to learn about perseverance.

"I had all these bad thoughts in my head because everyone was telling me to play in a passing offense," Moss said. "But you can't run from things."

At a time when we read about blue-chips basically going on high school recruiting visits, it's refreshing to hear from a guy like Moss. He's relatively shy, but he became animated when I asked about the arrival of Zorn. He respects the first-time head coach because "he didn't come in here with a bunch of rah-rah stuff. He has a formula for how our offense should run, and so far, it seems like a pretty good one."

Moss has made his reputation as a deep threat, but Zorn has emphasized getting him the ball on a variety of screens and crossing patterns. And you might be surprised to hear the former Big East 60-meter champion say that he's not particularly fond of the deep ball.



"This offense allows us to put players in good situations," he said. "I don't like to go deep all the time. In [former offensive coordinator] Al Saunders' offense, most of the routes were deeper. I definitely like what we're doing."

And I'm pretty sure Redskins fans would agree.

 

[thayman]

Nice article on Moss

Cant wait for the game today. A win would really put pressure on the Cowboys and Philly.

 

[dgreen]

11 MORE HOURS!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sylira21]

It's not too early to show up to tailgate yet, is it?

 

[Sidewinder16]

I'm seeing some "Vote the Redskins Ticket" signs on some roadway medians like they do with regular voting/election signs.

With just a stop by the FedEx Field ticket office, you too can get out the vote.Be like Casey Rabach; do not shirk your civic duty. :(

 

[Sidewinder16]

Another good article shining light on why Zorn is succeeding. The following quote from Blache seemed especially telling and, of course, put in a way that could only come from Blache.

During games, Zorn is in contact with Blache about major decisions -- whether to kick an extra point or go for two, whether to punt or try a long field goal, asking whether his defense is up to stopping the opponent, even on a short field, should an aggressive call backfire. But occasionally, an odd sound will crackle into Blache's headset. "I'm sorry," Zorn will say. "We shouldn't have put you in that position."

"Most guys in that top position, they'll kind of be the last man standing," Blache said. "If a bear charges, they're going to put you in front of the bear. I honestly believe that, having been around Jim and having watched him, if a bear charges, he's going to step between me and the bear."

 

[Grahamburn]

Nice article on MossCant wait for the game today. A win would really put pressure on the Cowboys and Philly.

Any news on Santana's status tonight?

 

[buster c]

I bet many "stars" would have bristled at being called out like Clark did to Moss. For the most part, Moss goes about his business and I like that. Hell, even his celebrations have a subtle under tone.

I say he goes deep tonight

 

[dgreen]

Anyone think we'll finally see some Portis screens or swing passes to help slow down Pitt's blitzing? As a fantasy owner, Portis lack of receptions is the only disappointment so far this season.

 

[T Bell]

Anyone think we'll finally see some Portis screens or swing passes to help slow down Pitt's blitzing? As a fantasy owner, Portis lack of receptions is the only disappointment so far this season.

They don't seem to run the RB screen very well at all, which is odd given that they run the TE screen beautifully. I don't see why that would change tonight. I think you'll see lots of draws (some with the pump fake), TE screens, WR screens (esp if Moss plays), an end-around or two possibly with an option run-pass with ARE, all to compliment the run game and play-action we'll also be seeing. I'm presently not sure who I'd more hope to have playing if I had to choose one, Moss or Samuels. We may be with neither tonight.

 

[fatness]

"Most guys in that top position, they'll kind of be the last man standing," Blache said. "If a bear charges, they're going to put you in front of the bear. I honestly believe that, having been around Jim and having watched him, if a bear charges, he's going to step between me and the bear."

:(

 

[T Bell]

"Most guys in that top position, they'll kind of be the last man standing," Blache said. "If a bear charges, they're going to put you in front of the bear. I honestly believe that, having been around Jim and having watched him, if a bear charges, he's going to step between me and the bear."

Zorn's a unique guy, but he's clearly got a plan that the team and the coaching staff have bought into. He's the right mix of genius and flake. I like that he's his own guy.

 

[Bizkiteer]

Reminded me of Gibbs 2.0! The most conservative play calling we've had this year, other than maybe the NYG game. I give play calling a grade of F. Our blocking stunk too, Jansen regressed and became a turnstile again.

 

[T Bell]

Reminded me of Gibbs 2.0! The most conservative play calling we've had this year, other than maybe the NYG game. I give play calling a grade of F. Our blocking stunk too, Jansen regressed and became a turnstile again.

Yeah, I didn't like the play-calling either, and I saw no adjustment. End around's down? How about play-action? The screens worked - why not call more of those? I also thought that they did a poor job protecting Jansen. We all know he's a better run blocker than pass blocker, so how many times does it take for your QB to get killed by a guy Jansen clearly can't block 1:1 before you adjust?

 

[ChrisCooleyFan]

Reminded me of Gibbs 2.0! The most conservative play calling we've had this year, other than maybe the NYG game. I give play calling a grade of F. Our blocking stunk too, Jansen regressed and became a turnstile again.

I also thought that this was Zorns worst game. I thought he wanted to show that he could pass vs the Steelers. However with this loss, I'm very happy with this team upto this point. Vs Cowboys ??W

@ Seattle W

Vs Giants L

@ Ravens L

@ Bengals W

Vs Eagles L

@ 49ers W

Gotta go 4-3

 

[Assani Fisher]

Eh, I dunno...I think you guys may be a little too harsh on playcalling and not harsh enough on the players from time to time. Theres not too many plays that work when you the other team consistently wins the battle in the trenches.

 

[T Bell]

Eh, I dunno...I think you guys may be a little too harsh on playcalling and not harsh enough on the players from time to time. Theres not too many plays that work when you the other team consistently wins the battle in the trenches.

There's a lot of truth to this, but continuing to put five guys out into routes and expecting an overmatched line to somehow change what it's been doing all night is also unreasonable. That was a poor effort all around. Campbell was bad, and more inaccurate than he had been all year.The line was terrible pass blocking.The receivers couldn't get open much.The play-calling was not good.There were no adjustments.Carlos Rogers' drop caused a 14-point swing in the first half when the game was still a contest.The team had a punt blocked. Awful. They lost as a team.