D-line, Cartwright make Skins worth watching

by sofutomygaha on Oct 27, 2009 3:33 PM EDT Comment 18 comments

Observations from last night:

When you add it all up, the Redskins are a horrible football team. Mosley made the observation that the Redskins are starting three offensive linemen who probably shouldn't even be in the NFL. What I was surprised to realize last night is that with a functional O-line, this would be a shockingly different team. If you swapped our O-line for that of, say, the New York Jets, Washington would actually have a wildcard contender again this year. With Heyer and Williams at the flanks, though, and Jason Campbell under pressure from above to take more risks, expect at least two turnovers per game at the QB position from here on out.

The coming out party for Fred Davis, though, is a step in the wrong direction. Jaworski lauded Davis' natural athleticism and abilities. Among the abilities I saw Davis demonstrate last night:

1. the ability to catch 80% of the passes that hit him in the numbers.

2. the ability to belly-crawl like he's in 'Nam for a yard with no one around him instead of getting up and running with the ball.

3. the ability to keep his feet after a blitzer has brushed him aside like a bead curtain.

4. the ability to celebrate a garbage-time touchdown like it was the last out of the world series.

Davis got open a few times and Campbell found him, but Davis can't block and couldn't pull down the circus catch that would have kept the skins in the game instead of eventually fumbling at 4th and goal. Going forward, if we're still playing to win with Cooley out, we will need to see a lot more Todd Yoder.

Things to like:

1. Jaworski actually made a decent football point about a football player named Albert Haynesworth (Football!). There is a reason why Andre Carter is suddenly a sack machine and Kyle Vandenbosch is suddenly average. Haynesworth is earning his money. The skins D-line is applying pressure without the blitz for the first time in a very long time. It's starting with our hundred million dollar man.

2. Rock Cartwright is playing like a man possessed- he is shaking off defenders in the open field and delivering devastating hits in kickoff coverage. Clinton Portis, who has no explosiveness left, knows how to follow his blockers, but the Redskins have no blockers apart from Sellers. They need someone carrying the ball who can elude a few would-be tacklers. When the Skins realize this and start handing off to Rock, he is going to make some plays.

3. Without an uncharacteristic choke by Antwaan Randle-El and three bad snaps by usually consistent Casey Rabach, the Skins would have been in this game. Outside of Stephon Heyer holding for dear life on to anything he could, the Skins also committed very few penalties.

4. Jason Campbell threw accurate passes all day. Yes, he held the ball too long, got stripped, and looked awful in the pocket. His ball, though, was beautiful. He completed 67.4% of his passes and watched four perfect strikes bounce off the hands and chests of his jittery receivers. There was no run game and no protection, yet Philly still couldn't harrass him into chucking a prayer for a pick.

The sad truth is that instead of Hogs, JC jas piglets on roller skates. If the Skins hoped to contend at all this season, they should have done any deadline deal they could for help on the line. They didn't. Left Tackle having become a marquee position, I'm betting Snyder figures out a way to trade for an over-the-hill name like Walter Jones in the off season. The headliner can hopefully lead a fresh group with at least two lower-profile free agent vets (think Chad Clifton, Ben Hamilton, Chester Pitts) and two rooks. Unfortunately, neither of those rooks will be named Okung or Williams, because the skins will let JC go and take a new 1st rounder instead of resigning him cheap and building him a house.

Though it's painful to watch, there is STILL a lot to like about the Washington Redskins. Having judged them completely unwatchable last week, I am optimistic now that loyal watchers are going to be rewarded with some fun flashes going forward. Redskins fans haven't had an exciting defensive line to watch for more than a decade. This line is electric (and we'll see a lot of it).

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wow

this is one of the most complete, thought out and straight to the points posts I’ve read here in a while.

SpotieOtieDopalicious

by Rekka on Oct 27, 2009 4:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, real nice work here.

I definitely agree that the D-Line is really fun to watch. I love it when they put Haynesworth at DE and he just explodes through the tackle. I’m still shaking my head about the deep bomb to Jackson on 3rd and 23 though, yeah it was a four man rush but McNabb had way too much time and Rogers just got embarrassed.

I have to disagree about Campbell playing well all night. He throws behind or above his receivers pretty consistently. But in fairness he literally had less than 2 seconds to make a play on every snap. The pocket didn’t hold once all night and he couldn’t bail out and run like he normally does because he hurt his ankle.

The game really could have been so much closer. Philly did not drive down the field at will on any possession like our defense has been known to allow. The Randle El muff was the ugliest thing in the world, coming right after a score and dominating defensive stop. Skins killed themselves, just like they have every game. (Except maybe Detroit, they got owned in Detroit)

by Boo. on Oct 27, 2009 4:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Overall ok

A lot hard on Davis
A lot soft on JC
and a little soft on ARE
Bench ARE, Portis, Sellers and others who seem to have lost the desire to get it done and to do it right.
Run Rock, Yoder as Fullback, Davis, Kelly Thomas

And the team is stuck with JC, because collins wouldn’t help or hurt much…

by dr WNC on Oct 27, 2009 4:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Don't forget

Marko Mitchel – don’t know why he is in someone’s doghouse. Rather have him activated then go out for another TE like Zorn intimated. Our TE’s tend not to block anyway, so put in a potentially exciting receiver.

Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

by Scott E on Oct 27, 2009 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

speaking of JC

Did anyone else notice the moony-eyes JC started flashing in the fourth quarter?

JC ran like twice in the game – in the first half, he stop-drop-and-rolls three yards upfield of Witherspoon. In the fourth quarter, though, lurching about on a bad ankle with the ghost of Gus Frerotte screaming in his ear, he ducks his shoulder and throws himself head-on into contact.

Were you noticing the shots of him on the sideline after the 4th and goal fumble? I have seen that look before. That’s the unmistakeble look of man who is going to score a touchdown some day, and then he is going to headbutt a wall.

JC might be the blandest guy in the NFL, but he is cracking folks. He’s going to be Man on Fire before this season is over.

by sofutomygaha on Oct 27, 2009 11:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He didn’t run because he had a bad ankle, hurt on their second play from scrimmage. He’ll be running on those plays after the bye week.

by d_c_guy on Oct 28, 2009 12:15 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You are right...

it has been interesting to watch the D when they play hard. Still the element of morbid curiosity when our D-backs get involved on deep passes or are asked to tackle, but…it can only get better, right?

Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

by Scott E on Oct 27, 2009 4:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It did feel good to see the D-line be so dominant

and Thomas and Davis make contributions.

by BayAreaBullet on Oct 27, 2009 4:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Great Post

I could nto agree more about Rock, watched my first Skins game of the season last night (we get very few NFL games in Australia so have been stuck with Sonny and Sams ‘descriptions’ of what is happening on the Radio, but I was very very impressed with Rock Cartwright

That hit he put on the Kick Return after our first TD was just awesome and also probably a TD saver too even though it was on the Philly 30.

Plus it appears to me that when Portis hits a hole in the O-Line his instant reaction is to dive forward for an extra yard instead of exploding through the gap, I dunno its hard to explain what I mean, but it is like he runs into the ground or runs in a manner to gain an extra yard as he falls rather than bounce off a defender and run an extra 10, Cartwright runs for gaps, not for tackles if that makes any sense…

And our Defense is really fun to watch, they hit hard, they almost always seem to cause some sort of problem for someone and I dont care what anyone says, Gruden and Sofu here are right, BIg Al earns his Defensive Ends money for them, hes a star

I thought this based on the sack stats this year compared to last but all year I have just listened to Sonny and Sam bag (criticise) him on the Radio, now I see him in person, he is one personell decision we cant rip into Vinny and Dan about

O for the O-L:ine version of Big Al to be signed next year

Pommylee

by Pommylee on Oct 27, 2009 5:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You are

all over the CP vs Cartwright running “styles.” CP just doesn’t seem to have it in him anymore, whether he is worn down or mentally worn out, or both.

Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

by Scott E on Oct 28, 2009 8:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Number of 100 yard rushing games:
Marcus Mason = 0
Rock = 1

by BayAreaBullet on Oct 27, 2009 5:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Number of career carries...

Marcus = 1?
Rock = 30?

Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

by Scott E on Oct 28, 2009 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good analysis

You should give Fred Davis some credit, though.

"One-on-one? You can't." -Gilbert Arenas
JC Bandwagon all day!

by kseandoyle on Oct 27, 2009 8:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Great Post.

I believe we led the league in dropped passes last year so i’m not too surprised about that.

I kinda like the idea of starting the younger guys that some people have mentioned here, probably set a fire under the vet’s asses. Then again, it’ll probably cause some damage in the locker room but I’d rather have people that are going to give it their all instead of half assing it.

The past few games I’ve been way too drunk to really pay attention and know what’s going on during the game so I appreciate reading everyones thoughts, thanks. To be honest I didn’t even know Cooley got hurt till this morning, and I was at the game, thats pretty sad. Since the season is lost I’m just making it my job as a season ticket holder to make visiting teams fans as UNWELCOME as possible.

I like the positive outlook though, I’m still drinking that kool aid.

Does anyone have game footage or know where to find some showing me all these receivers that Campbell is overlooking? I hear people talking about it all the time but when i’m actually watching the game I’m not seeing it. Was it just me or did Campbell seem a lot more calm than he was against the chiefs?

by travisjh86 on Oct 27, 2009 10:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

+50 and ditto all of above.

Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

by Scott E on Oct 28, 2009 8:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Fun post to read...

…detailing all of the reasons for hope.

However, the putrid results achieved to date has been posted against the worse teams the NFL has to offer, the last six teams you’ve played have a 8 wins against 31 losses (.258) record, or in other words the NFL’s easiest schedule.

As a Saints fan, I do hope you can turn things around enough to knock off some of the competition we’ll face for home field advantage in the playoffs (i.e. Giants, ’Boys, Eagles). Plus, you play our division rival, the Falcons, after the break.

Admittedly, it’s hard to pull for NFL teams headed by dictatorial hands-on owners (Redskins, ‘Boys, Raiders) who piss on their fans while expecting blind loyalty. But it’s equally painful to watch your competition reduce you to scout team status and toy with you towards the end of a game.

Given the round-the-clock coverage of your coach’s emasculation it will probably be difficult for opposing teams to get up for games against you. Frankly, I’m a little worried about the 12/6 game against the Saints for just this reason. Plus, Albert has a habit of injuring real NFL quarterbacks.

So, with a tongue in cheek cheer, I wish you good luck for the rest of this season, and will wish for financial calamity to befall your enslaver, the Boy King, your temporary omnipotent Sun God ruler, Dan Snyder.

by TigerPaw on Oct 28, 2009 10:05 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs