 }})
After watching the game today, I went back to my blognostication to see how my analysis stacked up with the final result. Other than naming the wrong QB, which I obviously didn't know at the time, much of it held up.
When the Redskins have the ball.
Blog: Our O-Line will have to fend off what will likely be a fierce pass rush. Winning the field position and time of possession battles will be key.
Result: Rex was sacked 5 times and knocked down countless others yet the O-Line actually gave him time to throw on numerous occasions, considering he threw the ball 43 times. We didn't really win the field position battle and Dallas had the ball almost 11 minutes longer than the Skins.
Blog: That means Ryan Torain will need to be able to run the ball effectively enough to allow play-action to work. Once in the Red Zone, the Offense will HAVE to score TD’s, and NOT FG’s, in order to win.
Result: Torain only carried the ball 11 times but averaged 4.8 YPC, enough to keep the Dallas D from teeing off on Rex more often. Four TD's and NO field goals DEFINITELY gave us a chance to win. GREAT Red Zone execution.
Blog: Kyle Shanahan’s playcalling will need to be a hell of a lot more imaginative than it has been and he’d better have a few tricks up his sleeve. Donovan McNabb simply CAN’T turn the ball over and give Dallas a short field.
Result: Hard to tell if it was the playcalling or Rex's execution that made things look better. The reverses and fake reverses early on prevented Dallas from overloading and forced them to stay home. That gave Rex a little extra time. The calls in the Red Zone seemed better this week. While it wasn't McNabb, Rex gave Dallas a short field on two occasions, once on a pick and once on a fumble. Those proved to be costly.
When the Evil Empire has the ball.
Blog: Jason Garrett has committed to running the ball and effectively mixing in play-action.
Result: Dallas ran the ball 31 times and passed 37 times. This allowed Kitna to effectively use play-action.
Blog: Jon Kitna is deadly in the 3-step drop and has really developed a fondness for Jason Witten. If T.O. was jealous of Tony Romo’s affair with him, he’d downright HATE Kitna.
Result: Kitna used the 3-step drop extensively today and connected with Witten 10 times out of 15 looks (if I counted correctly). Several times, the Skins extended those 3-step drops and forced Kitna to look elsewhere. That was enough to disrupt things at times.
Blog: Our D-Line will have its hands full as it needs to not only stop the run but try to pressure Kitna. Almost 75% of his pass attempts are ten yards or less.
Result: I wasn't able to keep accurate track of this stat but it looked to me like the 75% number held true this game as well, other than the few times he went downfield to Witten. Those 3 and 5-step drops made it difficult to pressure Kitna as he was only sacked twice. Orakpo going out may have had something to do with that. As for stopping the run, well.....31/134 and 4.3 average is NOT stopping the run.
Blog: Our LB’s will have to keep Witten from getting open down the middle of the field while our secondary has to keep everything underneath and prevent the big play while limiting the number of plays over 20 yards. That means eliminating YAC (yards after catch) and the way our secondary has been tackling lately, that’s a major concern.
Result: This was huge. Witten was able to get open pretty much everywhere, including down the middle. He had three catches of over 20 yards while the Boys equaled the Skins 5 plays over 20. While our Defense was able to keep things underneath for the most part, and the tackling was pretty good, one poor decision by Deangelo Hall to go for the pick instead of the tackle, on the TD pass to Witten, was the difference between a TD and a FG.
Special Teams.
Blog: Prevent big returns and keep Dallas as deep in their own territory as possible. Eliminate stupid penalties and mistakes and give Banks a chance to make a play that counts.
Result: This proved costly in the first quarter as our Special Teams made Brian McCann look like a Pro Bowler. We WERE able to eliminate stupid penalties. Those actually fell on the Boys this time. Quite the surprise since they just don't get called for that stuff at home. Unfortunately, we weren't able to give Banks a chance to make a play since McBriar only punted twice and David "Ferris" Buehler's strong leg prevented the big kickoff return.
Out on a limb prediction – We will see a trick play from our Special Teams and no, it won’t be the swinging gate.
Result: Cutting Hunter the Punter ensured that wouldn't happen.
More likely prediction – One of McNabb’s passes will be returned by the Dallas secondary for a TD.
Result: It wasn't McNabb, but Grossman's pick in the first half was an "almost".
Even more likely prediction – As is usual with almost ALL Dallas home games, penalty flags, lack thereof, and disputed/controversial calls will go the home team’s way. We will all initially be angry but will shake our heads when we come to the conclusion it’s simply par for the course this season.
Result: Wasn't even CLOSE on this one which is a bit of a shock. Boys has 9 penalties for 70 yards while the Skins were only flagged 3 times for 25 yards, although the roughing the QB call was total BS.
I predicted a 27-16 victory for the Boys. While the result was correct, we had a much better shot than I expected. Ultimately, two costly turnovers (I won't count the last one), a costly drop by Santana and that crappy 3-4 Defense and no pressure on the QB did us in.
I was proud of the comeback though. Even though we lost, I don't have as bad a taste in my mouth as I originally thought.
The last three games might even be interesting.
When the Redskins have the ball.
Blog: Our O-Line will have to fend off what will likely be a fierce pass rush. Winning the field position and time of possession battles will be key.
Result: Rex was sacked 5 times and knocked down countless others yet the O-Line actually gave him time to throw on numerous occasions, considering he threw the ball 43 times. We didn't really win the field position battle and Dallas had the ball almost 11 minutes longer than the Skins.
Blog: That means Ryan Torain will need to be able to run the ball effectively enough to allow play-action to work. Once in the Red Zone, the Offense will HAVE to score TD’s, and NOT FG’s, in order to win.
Result: Torain only carried the ball 11 times but averaged 4.8 YPC, enough to keep the Dallas D from teeing off on Rex more often. Four TD's and NO field goals DEFINITELY gave us a chance to win. GREAT Red Zone execution.
Blog: Kyle Shanahan’s playcalling will need to be a hell of a lot more imaginative than it has been and he’d better have a few tricks up his sleeve. Donovan McNabb simply CAN’T turn the ball over and give Dallas a short field.
Result: Hard to tell if it was the playcalling or Rex's execution that made things look better. The reverses and fake reverses early on prevented Dallas from overloading and forced them to stay home. That gave Rex a little extra time. The calls in the Red Zone seemed better this week. While it wasn't McNabb, Rex gave Dallas a short field on two occasions, once on a pick and once on a fumble. Those proved to be costly.
When the Evil Empire has the ball.
Blog: Jason Garrett has committed to running the ball and effectively mixing in play-action.
Result: Dallas ran the ball 31 times and passed 37 times. This allowed Kitna to effectively use play-action.
Blog: Jon Kitna is deadly in the 3-step drop and has really developed a fondness for Jason Witten. If T.O. was jealous of Tony Romo’s affair with him, he’d downright HATE Kitna.
Result: Kitna used the 3-step drop extensively today and connected with Witten 10 times out of 15 looks (if I counted correctly). Several times, the Skins extended those 3-step drops and forced Kitna to look elsewhere. That was enough to disrupt things at times.
Blog: Our D-Line will have its hands full as it needs to not only stop the run but try to pressure Kitna. Almost 75% of his pass attempts are ten yards or less.
Result: I wasn't able to keep accurate track of this stat but it looked to me like the 75% number held true this game as well, other than the few times he went downfield to Witten. Those 3 and 5-step drops made it difficult to pressure Kitna as he was only sacked twice. Orakpo going out may have had something to do with that. As for stopping the run, well.....31/134 and 4.3 average is NOT stopping the run.
Blog: Our LB’s will have to keep Witten from getting open down the middle of the field while our secondary has to keep everything underneath and prevent the big play while limiting the number of plays over 20 yards. That means eliminating YAC (yards after catch) and the way our secondary has been tackling lately, that’s a major concern.
Result: This was huge. Witten was able to get open pretty much everywhere, including down the middle. He had three catches of over 20 yards while the Boys equaled the Skins 5 plays over 20. While our Defense was able to keep things underneath for the most part, and the tackling was pretty good, one poor decision by Deangelo Hall to go for the pick instead of the tackle, on the TD pass to Witten, was the difference between a TD and a FG.
Special Teams.
Blog: Prevent big returns and keep Dallas as deep in their own territory as possible. Eliminate stupid penalties and mistakes and give Banks a chance to make a play that counts.
Result: This proved costly in the first quarter as our Special Teams made Brian McCann look like a Pro Bowler. We WERE able to eliminate stupid penalties. Those actually fell on the Boys this time. Quite the surprise since they just don't get called for that stuff at home. Unfortunately, we weren't able to give Banks a chance to make a play since McBriar only punted twice and David "Ferris" Buehler's strong leg prevented the big kickoff return.
Out on a limb prediction – We will see a trick play from our Special Teams and no, it won’t be the swinging gate.
Result: Cutting Hunter the Punter ensured that wouldn't happen.
More likely prediction – One of McNabb’s passes will be returned by the Dallas secondary for a TD.
Result: It wasn't McNabb, but Grossman's pick in the first half was an "almost".
Even more likely prediction – As is usual with almost ALL Dallas home games, penalty flags, lack thereof, and disputed/controversial calls will go the home team’s way. We will all initially be angry but will shake our heads when we come to the conclusion it’s simply par for the course this season.
Result: Wasn't even CLOSE on this one which is a bit of a shock. Boys has 9 penalties for 70 yards while the Skins were only flagged 3 times for 25 yards, although the roughing the QB call was total BS.
I predicted a 27-16 victory for the Boys. While the result was correct, we had a much better shot than I expected. Ultimately, two costly turnovers (I won't count the last one), a costly drop by Santana and that crappy 3-4 Defense and no pressure on the QB did us in.
I was proud of the comeback though. Even though we lost, I don't have as bad a taste in my mouth as I originally thought.
The last three games might even be interesting.
