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Burner's Burning Questions: Weekly Grades, Evaluations, Questions - 2017

Burgundy Burner

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Greetings to everyone. Sorry for the delay in getting the in-season blog going again, but we are back on track and will be posting the Week Two Grades, Evaluations, Questions shortly.

In a couple of days we will post the Week One version.

We will use this thread to post the weekly updates instead of creating a new blog after each game. Confusion (solely by the BBQ blogger himself) over this new forum software caused the delay, but we are back on track now.

As always, feel free to post your own grades, evaluations, and opinions (most, if not all, are probably better than mine and likely make more sense :) ).

Thanks for being patient.
 
Week Two Grades, Evaluations, Questions​

Greetings from BBQ. It feels good to have one in the win column. We hope you had a good weekend and are starting off the week proudly celebrating a win.

Week two is in the books and now we take a look at how the entire team fared against the Rams. Everyone is feeling better about the team and a road win is fueling those positive vibes. It wasn't perfect, but we will try to make some sense of it all as BBQ hands out grades, evaluations and questions. Feel free to offer your own grades, evaluations, questions, and opinions.

Let's take a look at week two.

Quarterbacks:
Question: Does Kirk Cousins' early season struggles continue in the coming weeks?
Answer: We just don't know. Cousins had a rough start the last two years and finished with the two finest seasons ever for a Redskins quarterback. Let's see where things stand at the bye.
Grade: C-

Running Backs:
Question: Quite a turnaround from the first game – will it continue?
Answer: It was impressive and against a defense that is highly respected. Rob Kelley, Chris Thompson, and Samaje Perine had a terrific day. It's the first time since 1957 that the Redskins have had three running backs gains more than sixty-five yards in the same game. Let's hope it continues.
Another Question: With Rob Kelley getting injured, how will Samje Perine respond?
Answer: BBQ thinks he will seize the opportunity and become a trusted starter.
Grade: A+

Wide Receivers:
Question: Is Ryan Grant now the best starter for the Redskins at wide receiver?
Answer: He is off to a good start this season and is quickly becoming very dependable – nothing more, nothing less. Josh Doctson and Terelle Pryor need to step up – and very soon.
Grade: C

Tight Ends:
Question: How much longer can Jordan Reed last?
Answer: No one knows, but Vernon Davis did a great job of blocking on Sunday and had a key first down in the second half. The coaches should try to get Jeremy Sprinkle in the mix a little more.
Grade: B-

Offensive Line:
Question: Quite a change from last week, wouldn't you say?
Answer: They went from playing like a bunch of has beens the week before to feasting on the Rams defensive line.
Grade: A

Defensive Line:
Question: What grade would you give their effort against the Rams?
Answer: Matt Ioannidis has gone from draft pick to practice squad member, then to the roster of fifty-three and budding star. Jonathan Allen was an unsung hero and did a good job in the trenches.
Grade: B

Linebackers:
Question: This was another solid game for the backers, wasn't it?
Answer: Precisely. Ryan Kerrigan continues to be in “Beast Mode 2017” and Preston Smith is bringing the heat. The Redskins need to make signing Zach Brown to a long term deal during the bye a priority. Mason Foster sealed the win with an interception.
Grade: A

Cornerbacks:
Question: Is it true – do the linebackers have more interceptions after two games than the cornerbacks?
Answer: Yes, it is true. A strange stat, but it is only two games. We can't overlook the importance of Josh Norman's ability to strip the football from an offensive player and we still can't get the picture of Todd Gurley leaping over Bashaud Breeland out of our heads.
Grade: B

Safeties:
Question: Does the defense seem to be playing better without Su'a Cravens?
Answer: It sure seems that way. The safeties had a decent day, but there were a couple of longer pass plays that eluded them. We still can't fault the overall effort.
Grade: B

Special Teams:
Question: Nearly perfect, would you say?
Answer: Dustin Hopkins and Tress Way earn high grades and we could nitpick with a long field goal miss, but both of them were solid. The returns were nothing to brag about, but there were no glaring mistakes as we saw in the previous week.
Grade: B+

Coaching:
Question: What can we say about the coaches for this second game of 2017?
Answer: Offense. The running backs were spectacular. The quarterback still needs a lot of work. It's still obvious they miss Sean McVay, but the offense proved that a rushing offense is very important.

Defense. Greg Manusky and Jim Tomsula can be proud of the effort from this unit after two games. Matt Ioannidis is a budding star. Ryan Kerrigan is off to a great start. Montae Nicholson looked very good in limited duty. Preston Smith is regaining his impactful play from two years ago. BBQ thinks this unit could get better as the season continues.

Special teams. A definite improvement over last week.
Grade: B

How would you grade each position and the coaching staff? Do you feel better about this team after the opening season loss? Does the play of the defense encourage you about how this unit will fare in 2017? Will Jordan Reed ever shake the injury bug? Is Josh Doctson a bust? Is it time to move on from Su'a Cravens and trade him for a low round pick? How will the team fare against the Raiders? On to week three. We'll see you next week with grades, evaluations, and questions.

Hail to the Redskins!
 
Can't see anything I'd disagree with hugely here to be honest. Pretty much in line with my thoughts. :D

Comments...

Quarterback.
I can see a C- but I personally could go to a C or C+.
He was calm under pressure, didn't turn the ball over and Made some throws when it counted. It was a much more level performance I thought than last week. Not a star performance worth the money he's getting yet, but solid. He was off target a few times, but not to the extent of last week, and I'm still wondering how much f it is to do with the receivers, especially Pryor.

Running Backs
Can't disagree with an A here. I feel so sorry for Kelley getting that injury when he looked like he was about to have the game of his career. Thompson is starting to look increasingly like a game changer and Perine (once he settled down) looked really good too. I like that we have three good running backs on this roster, I feel like we can keep throwing fresh legs at a D if we need to.

Receivers
Can't disagree with a C. While Crowder and Grant drag the grade up, Doctson and Pryor drag it down. In some respects I don't think they were helped by some of the play calling (the Fades specifically)

O-Line
Returned to where we thought they were last year. Agree with the A. Along with the RB's they were the driving force of this win.

D-Line.
Can't disagree with you here. B it is.

Linebackers
Hmmmm I think A is a bit high for me. I agree with your question in that I think they were solid. For them to get an A in my grades I'd have like to have seen them get home to the QB more often. Just like in week 1 there are times when the opponent QB has way too much time and it's those plays that worry me. We bring the pressure and collapse the pocket but pursuit of the QB is still hit and miss for me. I'd go with a solid B to B+ here myself.

Cornerbacks
Not sure... Again maybe a little high. Breeland got hurdled.... twice. Norman was on the ball though. I'd like to see and Interception or two though. Currently our LB's have more interceptions than our CB's.

As an aside, looking at the stats this morning, we're still 26th in Pass Defence, so still languishing down in the bottom quarter of the League and that's against Wentz and Goff. On the flip side our Run defense has been stout though, currently ranked 9th and that's playing against Gurley and Sproles. In order to improve the Pass Defense we need to get to the QB faster and cover those receivers. I do suspect that maaaaaaaybe the Rams benefited this week from McVay's knowledge of the way we play, but even so I don't think I'd bo above a C+ for our Corners.

Safeties
I'm happy with your grade. :D

Special Teams
Ditto.
Not gonna beat up Hopkins over bouncing a 50+ yarder off an upright. If he starts missing short kicks then I'll worry. Tress Way was fantastic. Especially on that punt he had to re-kick due to penalty. Nailed it twice in a row.

Coaching
Solid.
McVay has been on our system for years so he would have had the Rams WELL prepped for this one. Our boat started to rock a little when we got hit by all the injuries, but credit to the coaches they steadied the ship and got the team playing well on both sides of the ball down the stretch for the win.
Happy with a B.

That's my tuppenth worth. Look forward to your grades next week. :D
 
Fine grades BB. Maybe a little high for the ST, since they gave up the fake punt.

Knight, as to the fade issues. I think they lay squarely on the shoulders of our current starting QB. He does not know how to throw the ball on a fade. He never has.
Unless the coaches have failed, miserably, to teach him how. He's too worried about throwing a pick. He never throws the fade in a way that gives the receiver any chance to make a play. He still seems to be worrying about his stats messing with a LTD, instead just playing the game.
 
Fine grades BB. Maybe a little high for the ST, since they gave up the fake punt.

Knight, as to the fade issues. I think they lay squarely on the shoulders of our current starting QB. He does not know how to throw the ball on a fade. He never has.
Unless the coaches have failed, miserably, to teach him how. He's too worried about throwing a pick. He never throws the fade in a way that gives the receiver any chance to make a play. He still seems to be worrying about his stats messing with a LTD, instead just playing the game.

I'd forgotten that fake punt! You're right Ax. They should have seen that coming, they were talking about it on the broadcast before hand.

You're right about Kirk, the Fade isn't his forte by a long stretch, but I wasn't sure if it was the play calling that had him throwing to Grant and Crowder etc rather than out bigger targets like Pryor and Doctson.

Plus at that point we'd been ramming the ball down their throats to the tune of 6 yards a pop. Other than trying to catch them off guard with a fade I didn't see why we weren't just going with the smash mouth approach. Weren't we on their 6 yard line at one point? We had to settle for the 22 yard FG where I really think our best chance there had been to keep running at the Goal Line rather than Run-Fade-Fade. I think we'd have had 7 there. We were all screaming about it in chat as being bad playcalling.
 
Pretty sure the fade was to Doctson. Next play wasn't a fade, according to Gruden.

But I agree, after running over them to get down there, we should have continued to run. At least on 1st and 2nd down.
 
Definitely feel we need to bring Sprinkle on a little quicker than planned. Reed won't hold up all year.

Seems the long passes we've given up have come off scrambles. Maybe the secondary needs to work on their scramble drills.

For once would love to see us get a big lead and keep it, so in the 4th QTR I am not sweating it out and about to have a coronary.
 
Well we can't push a rookie any quicker than he's able.
We have the luxury of a Niles Paul, who can do just about anything on offense, and is an able-bodied replacement, if Reed lands back in the Repair Shop again. Paul drew a key PI call, that gave us a nice chunk of yardage on Sunday, so even in limited action, we could see he was a difference maker. I feel comfortable with Davis/Paul, if Reed is injured and Sprinkle is too raw, assuming we have somewhat decent production from the wideouts.
 
Maybe the secondary needs to work on their scramble drills.

For once would love to see us get a big lead and keep it, so in the 4th QTR I am not sweating it out and about to have a coronary.


You and me both!!!!!

And yeah that scrambles drill was something I was alluding to when I was saying our pressure needs to get home faster and more often. We've been burnt two weeks in a row now with scrambling QB's who had way too much time and found an open receiver.
 
Pretty sure the fade was to Doctson. Next play wasn't a fade, according to Gruden.

You could be right, I'd have to watch again to see who it was. Somehow I thought it had been Crowder or Grant because I was staring at the screen befuddled on why they'd fade to our shortest receivers.

I do remember them throwing a fade to Doctson at some point who got tangled up and never got behind the corner and Kirks throw was long by a couple of yards at least.

Either way they've never worked for us so I don't know why we persist with them. Are they really an indispensible staple part of an offense? What did we do the year before last when we were shit hot in the redzone? I don't remember a bunch of fades that year... My memory ain't what it used t be though.
 
It was Doctson and then Thompson on that ill-fated series.
 
Until the current starting QB learns to throw a fade, it doesn't really matter who he's throwing it to.

Even if Doctson came free off the line, the ball was uncatchable in bounds. Turrable.
 
Until the current starting QB learns to throw a fade, it doesn't really matter who he's throwing it to.

Even if Doctson came free off the line, the ball was uncatchable in bounds. Turrable.

Hopefully, they spend like 30% of offensive practice, perfecting that throw.
Then change the personnel who he's throwing it to.
I remember Pryor had an incredible one-handed TD on a fade in Training Camp.
So, somehow that needs to translate into a game.
Not to mention, there are other higher-percentage ways to score from about the 5 yard line -
the bootleg, the screen, the read-option, to name a few.
 
Last edited:
A running play is a good thing on first and goal. A fade on second down only is preferred. Just my $0.02.
 
Week One Grades, Evaluations, Questions​

We had planned to post this blog entry last week, but confusion over the forum software prevented it from being placed in the forum (that was totally on me). We present it now, but minus the extra questions. Thanks for your patience.

Greetings from BBQ. It was an eventful offseason. We hope you had a good summer and will have an even better fall.

Week one is in the books and now we take a look at how the entire team fared against the Eagles. Everyone is upset and confused with another opening season loss and there is plenty of blame to go around. In our first week back for the regular season we will try to have honest assessments. Somehow, someway we will try to make some sense of it all as BBQ hands out grades, evaluations and questions. Feel free to offer your own grades, evaluations, questions, and opinions.

Let's take a look at week one.

Quarterbacks:
Question: Does it seem like Kirk Cousins hits a reset button every year instead of building on his experience?
Answer: Yes. Cousins looked like this was his first season as a starter on Sunday. There were some good moments, but the poor plays were enough to doom the offense.
Grade: D

Running Backs:
Question: What happened to the running game?
Answer: Running game? What running game? If there is little commitment to the running game, then drafting Samaje Perine wasn't necessary.
Grade: F

Wide Receivers:
Question: How much did the team miss DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon on Sunday?
Answer: When your best receiver for the game was Ryan Grant, the answer would be “a lot”.
Grade: D

Tight Ends:
Question: Is the Jordan Reed injury hindering the team?
Answer: This is the same question that we asked in week fifteen of last year. It is likely hindering the team, but the tight ends struggled with blocking as well against the Eagles.
Grade: F

Offensive Line:
Question: What in the world happened?
Answer: Trent Williams played like a warrior, but even he had a few issues. Overall, this was the worst unit on Sunday.
Grade: F

Defensive Line:
Question: What grade would you give their effort against the Eagles?
Answer: It was solid effort and they were the unsung heroes in this game. The unit opened up gaps for the linebackers, held the running game in check, and put pressure on the quarterback.
Grade: B

Linebackers:
Question: Ryan Kerrigan was overlooked during the offseason, wasn't he?
Answer: Absolutely. Kerrigan is still a beast, especially with the pick six. The linebackers had a superb game as Kerrigan, Zach Brown, Mason Foster, Preston Smith, and Junior Galette had solid performances.
Grade: A

Cornerbacks:
Question: Why can't the corners seem to haul in catchable interceptions?
Answer: Lack of concentration? The coverage was good and was certainly aided by the pressure up front. However, the corners need to haul in those interceptions.
Grade: B-

Safeties:
Question: How much did the team miss Su'a Cravens on Sunday?
Answer: Not at all. Yes, the safeties could've done a better job in coverage, but the absence of a player who doesn't want to be here is a non-factor.
Grade: C

Special Teams:
Question: It was a mixed bag, wasn't it?
Answer: Dustin Hopkins and Tress Way earn high grades, but the return game suffered. Watching Jamison Crowder jump straight up to catch a punt was strange – and part of a series of mistakes.
Grade: C+

Coaching:
Question: What can we say about the coaches for this first game of 2017?
Answer: Offense. With the exception of one drive, it was a disaster. It was obvious they missed Sean McVay, but they will get a chance to see him this week.

Defense. This was a good first game and while we don't know if it will continue, Greg Manusky and Jim Tomsula are off to a really good start.

Special teams. The punting and kicking was solid, but the returns were a head scratcher for a multiplicity of reasons – that needs to rapidly improve.
Jay Gruden looked lost in his first game calling the plays. The emperor seemed to be badly exposed without his former play caller. The offense has been struggling since game one of the preseason and nothing has changed since.
Grade: D+

General Manager:
We had an evaluation of the GM following the final game of last season and now we do one to start the 2017 campaign. Bruce Allen has been under a very heavy microscope from fans and media in recent months, some of it is fair and some of it is unfair. BBQ is perplexed about taking a running back in the fourth round when there is no real commitment to that aspect of the offense. Getting a big defensive tackle in the fourth round and having that player make an impact on defense would've been a much better option. It could've been even better for this defense on Sunday.
Grade: D+

We'll be back on track next week after game three.

Hail to the Redskins!
 
Week Three Grades, Evaluations, Questions​

Greetings from BBQ. Welcome to fall as we celebrate a dominating win this week. It feels good to have such a performance on display during a primetime television audience.

Week three is in the books and now we take a look at how the entire team fared against the Raiders. Everyone seems to be absolutely giddy this week and a huge win over a highly rated team is fueling those feelings. We will try to make some sense of it all as BBQ hands out grades, evaluations and questions. Feel free to offer your own grades, evaluations, questions, and opinions.

Let's take a look at week three.

Quarterbacks:
Question: How does he go from struggling one week to Sammy Baugh a few days later?
Answer: For three straight years, Cousins has struggled in the opening weeks and then he suddenly becomes All-Pro. It typically takes four or five games, but it was reduced to three this season. He was on fire Sunday night.
Grade: A

Running Backs:
Question: Was this the only weak link to the offense against the Raiders?
Answer: No, not at all. The commitment to the running game paid dividends later in the game. Samaje Perine faced one of the best defensive lines in the NFL and did a good job, even if he did fumble. However, the real story is Chris Thompson and you know why. Mack Brown needs to be active on game day.
Grade: A-

Wide Receivers:
Question: Ok, was this the weakest link to the offense against the Raiders?
Answer: Josh Doctson helps the grading this week. Ryan Grant and Jamison Crowder helps to keep it steady. It's time for Terrelle Pryor to step up.
Grade: B

Tight Ends:
Question: Did the team miss Jordan Reed on Sunday night?
Answer: Not this particular game, but having Vernon Davis step up is a nice bonus. BBQ thinks Reed is out until after the bye. The team will need him. Niles Paul struggled somewhat against the Raiders.
Grade: A-

Offensive Line:
Question: Are they finding their groove?
Answer: It wasn't perfect, but the last two games have been stellar. We're still early in the season, but the offensive line is looking like a determined and cohesive unit.
Grade: A-

Defensive Line:
Question: What grade would you give their effort against the Raiders?
Answer: If BBQ could give the highest grade ever to a unit since the inception of this blog, then today would be the choice and to this group of players.
Grade: A+

Linebackers:
Question: Just how fast is Zach Brown?
Answer: It's a tossup between Brown and lightning. We give the nod to Brown. Another great game from Preston Smith, Ryan Kerrigan, and even Martrell Spaight who replaced the injured Mason Foster on Sunday night.
Grade: A-

Cornerbacks:
Question: How nice is it to have a shutdown corner and another corner who has really turned it around completely?
Answer: The top two receivers for the Raiders had two catches total – one for six yards and the other one for seven yards. Let that stat sink in for a few days.
Grade: A+

Safeties:
Question: How many of us thought Montae Nicholson was a waste of a pick in the fourth round?
Answer: Everyone at BBQ raises their hands. Perhaps the Redskins have found the right combination at safety with D.J. Swearinger playing strike and Nicholson at free
Grade: A

Special Teams:
Question: What's with Jamison Crowder?
Answer: BBQ thinks it is time for another solution at punt returner – at least for a few games. Dustin Hopkins needs to hit some of his longer field goal attempts. Tress Way is still solid.
Grade: C+

Coaching:
Question: What can we say about the coaches for this third game of 2017?
Answer: Offense. We could nitpick somewhat and talk about the rushing offense, but you take what is given to you. A dominating performance over a highly respected defense is nothing to ignore or simply dismiss with a shrug of the shoulders.

Defense. Domination. Complete and total domination. That's more than enough.

Special teams. Needs improvement, but it didn't affect the outcome of the game.
Grade: A

How would you grade each position and the coaching staff? Do you feel better about this team after a dominating performance against one of the better teams in the league? Will the defense continue their impressive start? Is Josh Doctson ready to turn the corner and how much of a confidence boost will he get from that touchdown? How will the team fare against the Chiefs? On to week four. We'll see you next week with grades, evaluations, and questions.

Hail to the Redskins!
 

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