Joe Theismann rolls to his right as well as his left in our interview at FedEx Field. Image via www.tristarproductions.com

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As I said earlier this week, we can't simply reserve our complaints about the current debacle surrounding our team for weeks when we lose. However, during Dallas Week, we can tone it down slightly so that the focus of the week remains firmly where it should be--on the reviled Cowgirls.

I had a great opportunity to interview Joe Theismann at a recent event at Fed Ex Field. The event was a Health Awareness program for veterans, sponsored in part by GlaxoSmithKline. In the beginning of the interview, I gave Joe a chance to speak about both the event itself as well as how he came to be a part of it. I had the opportunity to mingle around with some of the veterans' groups that had set up booths, and I have to tell you it was great to talk to so many folks who are doing so much to help both our current troops as well as former members of the military. I'd like to say a special thank you to the folks at Cohn & Wolfe for coordinating this interview with Hogs Haven and Joe Theismann. Video after the jump...

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Hopefully we'll be seeing a lot of this on Sunday (via blogs.tampabay.com)

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David Halprin, who is the lead blogger for the Cowboys' SB Nation website, Blogging the Boys, and I had a brief gmail chat talking about the big game. 

We talked about what their 2 major injuries mean (Colombo and Hamlin), why they refuse to run the ball, and if the DAL/WAS rivalry is still big in DAL (it's not). I tried throwing in some jabs to rile him up, but he didn't bite:

Kevin: What are your thoughts this Sunday? You have a lot of big injuries. Lets start with Doug Free replacing RT Marc Columbo...is he going to be able to handle [Andre Carter]? He's never started a game before

David: That's the question we all want answered. We've had Free for a few years now but never had the need to start him. Now we do. Free actually played well against the Packers and wasn't one of the problems our offense had in Green Bay. He's got great athleticism and did well in pass protection, we'll just have to see how he measures up this week. 

Kevin: Did Witten have to stay in more to help pass block? That would help the Skins out a lot.

David: Not at all, Free was left on his own for most of the game in pass protection and only had a few bad plays in that area. They would probably use a different TE (Bennett or Phillips) or one of the backs if they give him help.

Kevin: What about Hamlin's replacement? I know he's one of the verbal leaders on that D.

David: That's a tough one, Alan Ball will replace him, he was originally a cornerback but he worked at safety most of training camp this season. He's not the biggest guy and not having Hamlin QB'ing the secondary will hurt some. Our safety play has improved a lot this season, but without Hamlin it's a little worrying.

Kevin: What's to worry about? Santana Moss never does any damage in Big D! 

David: ha

Kevin: Flozell and Kosier going to be OK or gimpy? Haynesworth was still in a boot yesterday but expected to play.

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Well, it's Cowboys week and if there's ever a time to stay medium, this is the week. Vegas opened the line with Cowboys as 13 point favorites, which America bold-heartedly disagrees with as the line has moved down to -11. In my weekly routine of combing over the opponent's offensive stats, the Cowboys are damn impressive. They average a 2^nd best rushing yards per carry (5.1), but only rank 24^th in the league in rushing attempts. Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett has been catching a LOT of heat this week in Big D for abandoning the run, so I expect the Skins D to face a lot of rushes early.

Their passing game is equally as scary with a league leading 11 passing plays that have gone for 40+ yards, while Romo has only given up a measly 6 INTs so far. November is Romo's month, 15-2 for his career, but alas....one of those losses was against the burgundy & gold.

Whichever  team runs the ball well is going to win, and looking at the rushing statistics, it's clear Albert Hanyesworth is without doubt the key to this game.  He was wearing a protective boot for his sprained ankle yesterday, but is expected to play. Special thanks to HH member PommyLee for putting the following graphs together.

This chart visualizes the power runs, which is the % success  rate rushing the ball on 3^rd or 4^th down with under 2 yards to get the 1^st down. Dallas has a 100% success rate running right in short yardage situations while Stephon Heyer and the Redskins have a 0% success rate running the same way:

Even though the Cowboys have a lot of success running right in short yardage situations, their success is running the ball left and up the middle. This next chart shows the number of rushes for each team left, right, and up the middle. Just under half of the Cowgirls' big play rushes are to the left. Phillip Daniels has his work cut out for him as this chart shows:

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via nbcsportsmedia1.msnbc.com

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In the previous Redskins Coach watch posts, we discovered that Mike Holmgren would not be a good fit in D.C., and Russ Grimm is worth at least a hard look. 

Dan Snyder has quite the conundrum now doesn't he? Zorn is building some momentum, and at the same time two premier coaches, Shanahan and Cowher, have publicly rejected their desire to be the ringleader of this circus. We all know Snyder is the ultimate salesman using his wallet to do the talking. As we learned with Joe Gibbs return, there's nothing Snyder can't do in regards to acquiring personnel. 

What's disconcerning is that Shanahan and Vinny Cerrato are still really close. Vinny was the Director of College Scouting in San Francisco during Shanahan's three-year stint (1992 to 1994) as the 49ers' offensive coordinator. They still keep in touch with Shanahan recommending RB Anthony Alridge.  So, if Shanahan does come aboard, he more likely than not would be OK with Vinny retaining his title and the two working together. EESH!!!

I spoke in length with former Denver Bronco, Karl Mecklenburg, about Shanahan:

Hogs Haven: What are your thoughts on Mike Shanahan as the next coach in D.C.? I know things ended badly in Denver with three straight years of failing to make the playoffs.

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via Shy Nightlife and dcfab.thefabempire.com/

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Via the Queen on the Scene, Miss DC Fab posted her recap in pictures form of Devin Thomas' b-day party at Club Lima after the big win over the Broncos. Lima had to be bumping at another notch given the Skins first win in over a month. If we beat Dallas, I will not be looking NEARLY as sober, in fact, I won't be making it to work (crap, I hope my employer doesn't read this site). Happy Birthday Dev and keep up the good work.

More pics after the jump, including CP,  Fred Davis, and future defensive Rookie of the Year, Brian Orakpo.

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In case you missed it, the Tennessee Titans owner was filmed giving Buffalo Bills fans the ol' bird from his perch on Sunday. If you aren't a Bills player, fan or employee--or Roger Goodell--you probably laughed your ass off. Goodell dropped a $250,000 fine on Bud Adams today...which leads me to my headline...because if Snyder does not fire Cerrato, he will be essentially flipping the entire Redskins fanbase the middle finger, and should be fined at least the same $250,000 amount.

Ten Yard Fight - 10 Chances To Make One Good Point

It's Dallas Week, so this week, instead of covering the league, I got 10 great memories of involving the hated Cowgirls. This is not an exhaustive list, nor is it any particular order. Feel free to add to this collection in the comments section below.

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Book available via Amazon.com

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I had the fortune last week to speak with former Broncos great, Karl Mecklenburg, after his literary publicist contacted me regarding his debut book,  Heart of a Student Athlete: All Pro Advice for Competitors and their Families. Per Karl's website,  the former Denver Broncos' captain and All-Pro, Karl Mecklenburg rose from being a college walk-on and a 12th round draft pick to a pro career that included six Pro Bowl and three Super Bowl appearances.  Considered the NFL's most versatile player, Karl played all seven defensive front positions. Karl divides his time between his ongoing charity involvements and his motivational speaking for student athletes, parents, and corporate team-building.

Motivation and leadership has been a huge concern for me in regards to the Washington Redskins, and Karl delivered some great advice. The specific topics we covered include:

- Is it imperative to have vocal leaders in the locker room?
- What do high-priced free agents do to a team's chemistry? (Portis)
- Why Jay Cutler is not a leader and DEN wanted him out
- How does a leader fix motivation and focus problems (missed tackles and dropped balls)?
- How does a player stay motivated when the front office is mis-managed?
- Thoughts on Mike Shanahan as the next Skins Coach/GM (this post coming tomorrow)

Hogs Haven: Before getting into your book, I thought I'd start with a question Redskins' Nation would appreciate. Do you still see Timmy Smith and Doug Williams in your nightmares?    

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Miss Fedex challenger, Dannia, (on the right).

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Back by popular demand, it's time to meet our first challenger in the Miss Fedex 2009 competition, Dannia.This past Sunday's game at Fedex was a glorious day. I went 5-2 in tailgate beer pong (which is not that great), the Skins won, the Redskins band did their post-game jam (every win outside section 111), and of course the weather was warm, which means lots of Miss Fedex candidates. Let's meet Dannia (more pictures after the jump):

Hogs Haven: How long have you been a Redskins fan and what is your favorite Redskins moment?

Dannia: I'm pretty sure I was a Skins fan in my mother's womb. My favorite Redskins moment was last season when we beat the Cowboys IN Dallas for the first time in forever - Campbell threw two touchdown passes and Portis ran for 121 yards.

Hogs Haven: Who is your favorite Redskins player and why?

Dannia: Tough question! I love the way London Fletcher leads the team's defense, but Chris Cooley exerts the most effort and has a huge impact on the team's success.

Hogs Haven: If you could go on any date with a Redskin, who would it be and where would you go?

Dannia: Jason Campell is a hottie and seems like a sweetheart... completely my type. I am not sure how well the date would go seeing as how he does not take criticism very well. He complains in the papers about all the criticism he gets... would I be able to correct his table-manners? Could I correct his acts of chivalry... or lack-thereof? I am not high maintenance. An ideal date for me would be a chill sports bar where we can kick it, throw back some ice cold bruskees and eat some buffalo wings. 

Maybe Campbell will read this and dump his current girlfriend, Miss DC 2007 for me. Can you see it now? REDSKINS QUARTERBACK JASON CAMPBELL DUMPS MISS DC 2007 for MISS FEDEX FIELD 2009!

Hogs Haven: What should happen to Coach Zorn at the end of the year?

Dannia: Well, they have already stripped him of some key duties and the chances of the Redskins continuing with the same situation next year is unlikely. He needs to get the boot. Call me crazy, but I'm all for bringing Joe Gibbs back for a trillionth time.

Hogs Haven: If you got to meet Dan Snyder, what would you say to him/want to talk about?

Dannia: How bout... "Your the worst thing that ever happened to Washington, DC". No but really, I'd want to talk to him about what career he plans on pursuing after he steps down next year (wishful thinking!!). I would also tell him he needs to hire a better publicist, i.e. myself - www.mokimedia.com.

Current reigning Miss Fedex: Sabrina [click for pics/profile]

More pictures of each candidate after the jump...

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More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

Hunter Smith and Shaun Suisham have been two of the brightest spots on this team this season. They led the way again against the Broncos.

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Listen...at 3-6, I am not digging around for the keys to the bandwagon. In fact, as much as I want to talk about our strong finishes down the stretch in recent years, the sting of last season's 2-6 finish is still too painful. So I am going to do the best thing I can think of--enjoy the hell out of a home victory and lose myself a little in the euphoria.

There is certainly something to the fact that the Broncos are in a big-time rut right now. They brought in a raw, tentative Chris Simms in the second half and that was helpful to our defense ( to say the least). And for whatever reason, they decided not to throw it to Brandon Marshall on every play (huge mistake). For these reasons and others, I am going to refrain from overblowing the value of the win in NFL terms.

But for Washington fans and players alike, the value of this win is priceless. We have crammed a whole season's worth of drama, intrigue, and shenanigans into 9 weeks. The mounting losses this year have shifted attention to areas and topics away from the field. For better or worse, the win brings the focus of this city right back between the whistles. Despite any of those things I mentioned above with regard to this game, the Redskins actually played well enough to win the game. The game was not handed to them. The numbers don't lie--we dominated our opponent this week. Worthy of a second glance: two penalties, and zero turnovers.

Team Stat Comparison
1st Downs	14	22
Passing 1st downs	8	13
Rushing 1st downs	6	9
1st downs from Penalties	0	0
3rd down efficiency	5-12	8-16
4th down efficiency	0-2	1-2
Total Plays	56	70
Total Yards	305	388
Passing	185	214
Comp-Att	14-31	18-27
Yards per pass	6.0	7.9
Rushing	120	174
Rushing Attempts	22	40
Yards per rush	5.5	4.4
Red Zone (Made-Att)	0-1	2-4
Penalties	4-45	2-19
Turnovers	2	0
Fumbles lost	1	0
Interceptions thrown	1	0
Defensive / Special Teams TDs	0	0
Possession	24:17	35:43

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Strike up the Bandwagon! The Redskins offense is 6-9 in their last 3 red zone trips, which I certainly did not see coming given the porous start against all those cellar-dwelling, winless teams. The key thing is the Redskins need to stay Medium. The secret is definitely out on their trick plays, all of which have come at high stake moments. With the momentum from the win, the Redskins need to get their offense going early and consistently. to avoid situations where trick plays are needed to bail their offense out. Live by the sword, die by the sword. I'm sure McDaniels will be catching a lot of heat for botching that trick play even after the Skins showed their cards:

"They were setting up something -- we knew it," defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday said. "They came back, and I think they may have even yelled out on their sideline, 'Let's just punt it. Let's just punt it.' And I guess we just bought into it, because we didn't lock in on the play and what was going on. It seems like it took forever to unfold. You've got to know coming into a game like this, with a team like this, to expect it."    

The Skins' red zone defense has been quite solid last year, although it is a bit misleading since they've given up 3 deep balls over the last 3 games. 

I cannot imagine the heat Zorn and Fred Davis would be dealing with right now if that punt trick failed. Thank the Lord it worked out because I'm exhausted from covering poor play calls and missed opportunities.

This post is sponsored by Comcast's NFL RedZone Channel, which allows you to see all the action from inside the 20 for every NFL game.