Random Commanders Thoughts

[Henry]

So I ran across this nugget when I was looking for another video, had to watch it again...

[video]http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/0ap2000000119790/GameDay-Cowboys-vs-Redskins-highlights[/video]

Alfred Morris ran for 200 yards and 3 TD's.

Huh. I forgot it was Hatcher that got called for the hit to the head at the end.

I remember they mic'ed him up and hearing him saying "I didn't hit you high!" and Bob saying "You're right, you're right."

 

[McD5]

I only marked down two "sure" wins before the season began. New Orleans and Buffalo.

I expect us to put up 35 points or more against them. Kirk should have a field day.

The last time Jay coached against Rex Ryan, the score was 49-9. Rex called it "the worst defeat of his coaching career."

Then a few weeks ago, we got his brother fired in a huge blowout.

He's put more time into studying Rex Ryan than he has for any other team in the league. He knows Rex better than anyone.

 

[McD5]

Fins Up!

I doubt they will help us tonight, but it sure would be nice to be 1 1/2 games up on New York with only 3 to play.

Let's go Miami.

 

[TomE]

Keim talks defense, reminding all that where we are now is not where we thought we'd be at the beginning.

I get a kick out of what some people expect from this defense. Here’s what I know: Of the 11 players who started Sunday, eight were not starting at the beginning of the season. And three of them weren’t even on the roster. Three other players were likely starters at some point: Bashaud Breeland, Chris Baker and Preston Smith. So five of the 11 were never in the plans to start.

Redskins' D helped by Terrance Knighton, Will Compton - Washington Redskins Blog- ESPN

 

[Fear The Spear]

He's put more time into studying Rex Ryan than he has for any other team in the league. He knows Rex better than anyone.

How so ?
The whole time Gruden was in Cincy, Ryan was in a different division, at NY.
And when Ryan was in Baltimore, and the same division as Cincy, Gruden wasn't there.
So, I'm curious what gave those two an especially close competitive connection ?

 

[Elephant]

Keim talks defense, reminding all that where we are now is not where we thought we'd be at the beginning.



Redskins' D helped by Terrance Knighton, Will Compton - Washington Redskins Blog- ESPN

What I want to see? I want to see this defense do the same thing mid to late 4th quarter it did to help get them in a position to win many of the games this year, instead...we see them go soft into a zone that gets burnt like toast. It's disgusting to watch that defense crush the opponent, get turnovers like crazy from aggressive play early in the game, turn into Cinderella in the 4th quarter.

 

[Om]

Of the 11 players who started Sunday, eight were not starting at the beginning of the season. And three of them weren’t even on the roster. Three other players were likely starters at some point: Bashaud Breeland, Chris Baker and Preston Smith. So five of the 11 were never in the plans to start.

Add to this the revolving door from week to week with guys like Robinson, Breeland, DHall, Riley ... and it's clear Barry has operated with one hand tied behind his back since opening day. Given how hard the guys he does have at his disposal have been playing lately, unless the defensive wheels come off entirely over the next three weeks, at this point I'm thinking he's earned at least another year to show what he can do with a reasonable game day roster to work with ... including not just the guys he was supposed to have this year, but the addition of targeted acquisitions for next year.

 

[fansince62]

What I want to see? I want to see this defense do the same thing mid to late 4th quarter it did to help get them in a position to win many of the games this year, instead...we see them go soft into a zone that gets burnt like toast. It's disgusting to watch that defense crush the opponent, get turnovers like crazy from aggressive play early in the game, turn into Cinderella in the 4th quarter.

that'll happen from time to time when the offense doesn't capitalize on turn-overs. deflates morale and all that.

 

[fansince62]

Keim talks defense, reminding all that where we are now is not where we thought we'd be at the beginning.



Redskins' D helped by Terrance Knighton, Will Compton - Washington Redskins Blog- ESPN

eh.....not a very interesting argument by Keim. the defense was substantially overhauled anyway during the off-season....i.e., there was no stability to start with. "starters"....means less in this context. I will say this...everything said and done...I expected the secondary to be a whole lot worse than it has turned out to be. yea......still too many plays where we get toasted...but the gap has closed somewhat. the biggest problem on defense, IMO, is the temporary state of many of the players. this was a "get us through the year" defense until we can restock over several drafts.

every team deals with injuries. it's the norm for professional football these days. just watch the news tickers week to week.

 

[TomE]

the biggest problem on defense, IMO, is the temporary state of many of the players. this was a "get us through the year" defense until we can restock over several drafts.

every team deals with injuries. it's the norm for professional football these days. just watch the news tickers week to week.

Agree there is a 'get us through' element to the defense.

Don't recall anyone particularly grousing about the short term, team friendly 'show me' deals those temporary guys signed back when.
Unfortunately, some didn't even get on the field or were injured shortly thereafter so they had no chance to even 'show me'.

Sure every team deals with injuries, we all know that already and they've dealt with reasonably well to the point that our D doesn't get rolled over as much as we expect. That's what is a little surprising to some of us.

We still wonder tho, what could have been if the injuries had been less substantial particularly to those with the highest expectations of contribution. Maybe some of those guys could have been a little more than a stop gap and contributed for several more years at a high level.

 

[Elephant]

that'll happen from time to time when the offense doesn't capitalize on turn-overs. deflates morale and all that.

I get that part, the reality is more in tune with the style of defense being called late in the game when trying to protect a lead...the aggressive style that got the turnovers, turns into a soft zone that Matt Friggin Cassell picked apart.

 

[TomE]

Skins sign TE Alex Smith

 

[Fear The Spear]

Game against the Bills is crucial, not just to maintain a tie or create a lead in first.
But also, in the event of a 2 or 3-way tie for first, at the end of the season, the Bills represent a common opponent - and record against common opponents is #3 on the tiebreaker list - and both the Eagles and Giants have beaten the Bills, so if we lose to them, that weakens us in the tiebreaker category, even though it likely won't resort to #3 on the tiebreaker list.

 

[McD5]

Skins sign TE Alex Smith

Bravo Scot. He's old (33) but he's also huge. If he can come in and block for the remainder of the season, this is worth a shot.

Honestly, this probably should have been done 6 weeks ago. But better late than never.

 

[Fear The Spear]

Bravo Scot. He's old (33) but he's also huge. If he can come in and block for the remainder of the season, this is worth a shot.

Well hopefully, he's more than huge.
Because we had Devin Mahina in camp this year, who was even more huge, at 6-6, and he couldn't even stay on a roster that was practically devoid of Tight Ends.
Hard to be optimistic about a guy who's been an NFL drifter for the past decade.
I realize there's slim pickings at this point of the season, but at the same time, expectations for the guy should be rational.
On another note, Hamm and McCoy must have been major disappointments

 

[fansince62]

El.....yea....agree. just noting one other prominent factor. in synch with your larger point.

 

[fansince62]

Agree there is a 'get us through' element to the defense.

Don't recall anyone particularly grousing about the short term, team friendly 'show me' deals those temporary guys signed back when.
Unfortunately, some didn't even get on the field or were injured shortly thereafter so they had no chance to even 'show me'.

Sure every team deals with injuries, we all know that already and they've dealt with reasonably well to the point that our D doesn't get rolled over as much as we expect. That's what is a little surprising to some of us.

We still wonder tho, what could have been if the injuries had been less substantial particularly to those with the highest expectations of contribution. Maybe some of those guys could have been a little more than a stop gap and contributed for several more years at a high level.

only change I'd like to have seen was Gallete. that wld really have changed things IMO.

 

[Fear The Spear]

Veteran Guard Todd Herremans, just released by the Colts.
We could use a veteran Guard.
All 6'6. 323 pounds of him.
Sounds like a good blocking tight end.

 

[Miles Monroe]

Veteran Guard Todd Herremans, just released by the Colts.
We could use a veteran Guard.
All 6'6. 323 pounds of him.
Sounds like a good blocking tight end.

Takes too long to get guys on the field, so unless this guy can learn our offense in a few days, I doubt he'd see the field before the last game of the season if at all. Could be good for a playoff run I suppose. Even the signing of Smith... it's more insurance then anything else. Even having played for the Gruden brothers in the past, guys aren't plug and play.

 

[Chris]

And the Colts oline is worse than ours yet he couldn't get on the field.