Random Commanders Thoughts

[Dead Money]

So is Hurt cut or on IR for the year? Didn't he play some tackle for us?

Hurt is recovering from offseason knee surgery. I don't believe they cut him or put him on IR, with the release of pashos and trueblood you have to imagine that they are hoping he gets healthy quick.

 

[Bulldog]

Hurt played one game last year at OT with the TE, Paulsen, lined up to help him on most passing downs. He really is not an answer on the outside and the worst of it to me is that I really don't think Hurt has any upside on this team. Whereas you can see a raw Xavier Nixon perhaps being a better player down the road I don't see after the past couple of years a trajectory for Hurt beyond what he has already done. We need to move on from him.

 

[Bulldog]

Hopefully we will pick up additional depth at OT and perhaps CB once the Pat White situation is resolved.

 

[servumtuum]

The preseason doesn't really mean anything. I know that. You know that. Everybody knows that.

But.....

You knew one of those was coming didn't you?

I got to looking around some nfl stats. (You probably knew that was coming too.)

I wasn't looking for anything definitive, just looking around for interesting things-especially interesting things that might make me go "Hmmmm......that looks good".


Stuff I could chew on like a nice hors d'oeuvre before a fine meal, sending a tingle of anticipation through my stomach and alerting my taste buds for the pleasures to come...

Stuff that would make a Redskins fan coming off the most uplifting season in a long time and suddenly not just wanting even more but thinking more could actually be coming feel an "Oh yeah, baby! It's gonna happen!" sizzling around in their brain like morning bacon in the pan.

The NFL keeps stats on preseason games and, in spite of their collectively acknowledged lack of ultimate meaning it's hard as hell not to find a gem or two that raise my eyebrows and sit up straight and think "Oh wow."



This list of preseason leaders comes as no surprise, it was pretty obvious to everyone watching.




Of course, we were running over people. Through people. Around people.


One interesting stat that just made me feel good-Roy Helu led the league in the preseason among RBs with 9 or more carries per game with an average 5.8 yards per carry. If you're curious, Royster averaged 4.8 on 8.3 carries per game.


The next two did come as somewhat of a surprise. Our defense looked better but this....?




BTW,the Redskins opponents averaged a QB rating of 66.4 against us over the four preseason games.


Yards per pass attempt given up by the defense? 5.2. The Jets equaled that. The 49ers managed 4.6. everybody else was worse.

Our defense hasn't been nice to them at all.

You know what that gives me? Hope. Hope that our defense is starting to head in the direction of being on par with our offense-when that happens? Look out rest of the NFL.


I know all the caveats, all the "yeah but so-and-so looked crappy in coverage" or "so-and-so got faked out of his jock by (fill in the blank)", or "we didn't stop that TD return"...etc. I know all of that.

I know something else. I know the Redskins have had a consistent problem with depth for a while. Team after team-even if our starters could stay with or out-play theirs-when the second half came and our back-ups went against their back-ups theirs almost always looked better, played better, our D suddenly lost containment, our offense was suddenly stymied.

Well, the preseason is mostly back-ups playing back-ups. Second and third stringers and trying-to-make-the-roster wannabees on both sides going at it. Sure, the starters had reps but mostly it's a war of depth.

Four battles. Four victories. Sure, none of the four teams we played is a likely playoff team to be honest, but in the past even the teams we were beating seemed at times to be at least our equal when the second and third stringers were out on the field.

Not this time.

Except for that opener against the Titans we have pretty much dominated our opponents. 24-13, 30-7, 30-12.


With Rex Grossman and Pat White mostly.

Let that sink in for a second.

Without Griff, without Cousins, we have had enough by the rest of the team to decisively beat our last three preseason opponents.

I have heard it said that really good teams decisively beat weaker teams-not squeak by wins but wins where the other team never had a real chance.

Our depth decisively beat their depth. This is something I haven't seen the Redskins do in a loooong time.



So, am I cherry-picking numbers to make my case? Hell yes, I am-without apology. The numbers are reflecting things that give me reason to think that some areas the team hasn't been where it should be are turning around and heading in the right direction. Yes, there are still fixes to be made, shortfalls to be remedied but I am taking what I've seen in this preseason-now verified by measurement-as the first bite of a dinner that will both please the palate and satisfy the hunger for an even stronger and more fearsome Redskins team than last season.


Hail.

 

[Burgundy Burner]

The last two teams we played were very deficient at QB and that probably help the numbers a bit. However, the D did keep Jake Locker and Ben Rothlisberger in check - the Oline for the Steelers did Big Ben no favors though. The numbers are encouraging.

Not surprised at the rushing numbers, but to do that kind of production with very little input from Alfred is what impresses me the most.

 

[DieselPwr44]

So, am I cherry-picking numbers to make my case? Hell yes, I am-without apology. The numbers are reflecting things that give me reason to think that some areas the team hasn't been where it should be are turning around and heading in the right direction. Yes, there are still fixes to be made, shortfalls to be remedied but I am taking what I've seen in this preseason-now verified by measurement-as the first bite of a dinner that will both please the palate and satisfy the hunger for an even stronger and more fearsome Redskins team than last season.


Hail.

A wise man once said "Don't be afraid to see what you see."

I think that this statement should apply to the fanbase and the Washington Redskins this year.

Gonna be a hell of a ride.

 

[Cycleans]

:

The preseason doesn't really mean anything. I know that. You know that. Everybody knows that.

But.....

You knew one of those was coming didn't you?

I got to looking around some nfl stats. (You probably knew that was coming too.)

I wasn't looking for anything definitive, just looking around for interesting things-especially interesting things that might make me go "Hmmmm......that looks good".


Stuff I could chew on like a nice hors d'oeuvre before a fine meal, sending a tingle of anticipation through my stomach and alerting my taste buds for the pleasures to come...

Stuff that would make a Redskins fan coming off the most uplifting season in a long time and suddenly not just wanting even more but thinking more could actually be coming feel an "Oh yeah, baby! It's gonna happen!" sizzling around in their brain like morning bacon in the pan.

The NFL keeps stats on preseason games and, in spite of their collectively acknowledged lack of ultimate meaning it's hard as hell not to find a gem or two that raise my eyebrows and sit up straight and think "Oh wow."



This list of preseason leaders comes as no surprise, it was pretty obvious to everyone watching.

View attachment 820


Of course, we were running over people. Through people. Around people.


One interesting stat that just made me feel good-Roy Helu led the league in the preseason among RBs with 9 or more carries per game with an average 5.8 yards per carry. If you're curious, Royster averaged 4.8 on 8.3 carries per game.


The next two did come as somewhat of a surprise. Our defense looked better but this....?

View attachment 821


BTW,the Redskins opponents averaged a QB rating of 66.4 against us over the four preseason games.


Yards per pass attempt given up by the defense? 5.2. The Jets equaled that. The 49ers managed 4.6. everybody else was worse.

Our defense hasn't been nice to them at all.

You know what that gives me? Hope. Hope that our defense is starting to head in the direction of being on par with our offense-when that happens? Look out rest of the NFL.


I know all the caveats, all the "yeah but so-and-so looked crappy in coverage" or "so-and-so got faked out of his jock by (fill in the blank)", or "we didn't stop that TD return"...etc. I know all of that.

I know something else. I know the Redskins have had a consistent problem with depth for a while. Team after team-even if our starters could stay with or out-play theirs-when the second half came and our back-ups went against their back-ups theirs almost always looked better, played better, our D suddenly lost containment, our offense was suddenly stymied.

Well, the preseason is mostly back-ups playing back-ups. Second and third stringers and trying-to-make-the-roster wannabees on both sides going at it. Sure, the starters had reps but mostly it's a war of depth.

Four battles. Four victories. Sure, none of the four teams we played is a likely playoff team to be honest, but in the past even the teams we were beating seemed at times to be at least our equal when the second and third stringers were out on the field.

Not this time.

Except for that opener against the Titans we have pretty much dominated our opponents. 24-13, 30-7, 30-12.


With Rex Grossman and Pat White mostly.

Let that sink in for a second.

Without Griff, without Cousins, we have had enough by the rest of the team to decisively beat our last three preseason opponents.

I have heard it said that really good teams decisively beat weaker teams-not squeak by wins but wins where the other team never had a real chance.

Our depth decisively beat their depth. This is something I haven't seen the Redskins do in a loooong time.



So, am I cherry-picking numbers to make my case? Hell yes, I am-without apology. The numbers are reflecting things that give me reason to think that some areas the team hasn't been where it should be are turning around and heading in the right direction. Yes, there are still fixes to be made, shortfalls to be remedied but I am taking what I've seen in this preseason-now verified by measurement-as the first bite of a dinner that will both please the palate and satisfy the hunger for an even stronger and more fearsome Redskins team than last season.


Hail.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Fantastic post, Serv!

 

[Burgundy Burner]

The newest bobsledding team on the planet hopes to compete in the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Left to right, top: Tom Compton, Josh LeRibeus, Adam Gettis
Bottom: Ryan Kerrigan, Kirk Cousins

 

[Shi no Tenshi]

The newest bobsledding team on the planet hopes to compete in the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Left to right, top: Tom Compton, Josh LeRibeus, Adam Gettis
Bottom: Ryan Kerrigan, Kirk Cousins

View attachment 822

The fact that LeRibeus is playing John Candy is just....just sad.

 

[Fear The Spear]

Well the good news is either NY or Dallas will start off winless after week 1 !!

 

[tshile]

Well the good news is either NY or Dallas will start off winless after week 1 !!

And Philly

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Great article on Griffin comparing him to John Elway in the lattes SI. Also a great article on the read option, and what NFL coaches have been doing to prepare for it this offseason.

Later in the same issue though, they compare Russell Wilson to Drew Brees (LMAO). I'm guessing that was Peter King's doing, as he loves them and has them in the Superbowl against the Patriots.

 

[Boone]

Courtesy of staff member and talented graphics guy Miles Monroe.

And as Brother Om pointed out...

'If do right, no can defense'

 

[tshile]

Cooley had some interesting insight into injuries last week on his show. He said when players are injured they show up to the facility and they're there for about an hour getting treatment. Injections, checkups, some physical therapy, etc. Then they're gone for the day. He said when griffin hurt his knee he was there for 12, 13, 14 hours a day getting treatment. He would take his therapy equipment into the meeting rooms and sit in the back of the meeting room and work on his knee during team meetings.

Makes me wonder... are the players that can't seem to get over injury just not working very hard? what is the level of expectation for a typical player? are the trainers not paying appropriate attention to those guys due to where they are in the pecking order on the roster?

 

[Boone]

I'd keep in mind, we don't know if Griffins approach will prove successful. It could well be he is rushing back. Only time will tell.

 

[CounterTrey]

new cover for my galaxy s3...tech geek moment.

New RARE Washington Redskins Custom Samsung Galaxy S3 SIII Hardshell Case | eBay

I was a bit leery once I realized (after ordering) that it was from Hong Kong, but it got here today and looks pretty sweet.

 

[McD5]

Brandon Merriweather's inability to get healthy pisses me off. We need to pay him only for games in which he plays.

He reminds me of Marcus Washington, and he's approaching the Malcolm Kelly zone.

 

[Bulldog]

Marcus Washington was a pro bowl player for the Redskins. I would hardly compare a guy in Brandon that has played one half of one game to him.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Makes me wonder... are the players that can't seem to get over injury just not working very hard? what is the level of expectation for a typical player? are the trainers not paying appropriate attention to those guys due to where they are in the pecking order on the roster?

I can tell you as a general rule from inside the PT industry, people are lazy about their therapy. I would imagine this trend continues somewhat to the NFL level, and that a lot of these guys just don't work hard enough. Some do, or work "just enough," but I'd be a lot don't.

I had a buddy who tore his ACL, and he treated his rehab kind of like a joke; when I asked if he was keeping up with his exercises he kind of sarcastically said "yeah, sure I am." Welp, now his knee is really stiff and it never healed right.