Redskins Quarterly Report: Grading the first 4 games

[Spence]

This is the first quarterly report for the Washington Redskins this year. We will do another quarterly report after 8 games of the regular season and then another after 12 games. Finally, at the end of the season, DC Pro Sports Report will have a yearly report on the Redskins. Each quarterly report will look at every position -- including the coaching staff and the front office -- on the team and grade it on a scale from A through F. We will also give overall grades to the offense and the defense.

Quarterbacks: Contrary to popular opinion, Jason Campbell is not having a poor season. His 88.5 passer rating is very respectable and superior to those of more celebrated quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Tony Romo. His 65.3 completion percentage is the highest of his career and his 7.8 yards per pass attempt is his highest by a big margin. In most statistical categories, Campbell is playing well.

Read it all.

 

[Bulldog]

The quarterback blurb I had to laugh through.

It wasn't the statistics or the general bent of the piece.

It is simpy the fact when the team faced goal line conversion situations this season Jim Zorn NEVER has put the ball in Jason Campbell's hands to get the score.

The Redskins run off tackle, have a tailback throw an option pass, even run a fake field goal.

But nowhere in the playbook is a bootleg and a chance for Campbell to either run the ball in the end zone or toss to a secondary receiver like Todd Yoder or Fred Davis.

Zorn keeps indicating that the offense is improving.

But if that's the case how come he isn't trusting Campbell, Davis, Devin Thomas more and how come we aren't seeing any consistent plays being made?

I don't see how Cooley or Moss are 'improving'.

They are finished products.

They are there each week if the quarterback and head coach run the right plays at the right time and find them when they are open.

We keep seeing younger players emerge on defense and make plays.

But on offense, Zorn's specialty area, it's more of the same.

West Coast Offense?

Doesn't that usually consist of halfbacks catching passes, wide receivers getting RAC on slants and crosses?

Right now with Campbell throwing down the field to Cooley and Moss exclusively this offense looks a lot more like what Joe Gibbs and Al Saunders were looking to do in 2007.

Where is the revolution? Where is the change?

 

[Elephant]

I am so utterly fed up with this argument! Anyone that suggests that a better completion rating than Tom Brady somehow puts Campbell in the same class is an idiot!!! I am not sure that is what this guy was trying to infer, but his statement about JC does not paint the most accurate picture!

 

[Spence]

I am so utterly fed up with this argument! Anyone that suggests that a better completion rating than Tom Brady somehow puts Campbell in the same class is an idiot!!! I am not sure that is what this guy was trying to infer, but his statement about JC does not paint the most accurate picture!

Well, to be fair, I didn't write that Campbell has a better completion percentage than Tom Brady, I wrote that he has a better passer rating than Tom Brady. That's true and it is a more comprehensive stat than completion percentage. But, as I wrote, that's not the whole story with Campbell. He's also thrown 5 picks and is starting to force the ball [something he did not do last year] to wideouts who are not open. I think Campbell is feeling the pressure to put points on the board [understandable] and is trying to make some plays that are not there, leading to dangerous situations with the ball.

 

[Elephant]

Spence, first off let me apologize for the term I used, I came on here late last night after working nearly 30 hour days in two days. Couple that with my frustration over our team's dysfunction and I was a little strong with my language. So I am an idiot for that and using the wrong stat in my argument.

But when reading your article it just sounded like another apologetic piece by using stats that at this point mean nothing. He is having another poor season.

As I have seen with my own eyes and what many on this site and other sites have concluded, Jason Campbell is a mediocre QB at best and it is tiring to hear anyone suggest that he is doing slightly above average because his numbers prove it. Tom Brady may not have the QB rating JC does, but he wins games.

So a QB rating 16th in the NFL, completion rate 8th, or the fact that he is 11th in the total yardage for the season doesn't matter. As a QB in the NFL unless you can line up under center and have the ability to make a split second decision to change a play because the coach sent in a poor call and don't call an audible on 3rd and 8 to run into the weakest part of your line, no single quarter of football 1/4 of the way through the season can change the fact that he is not good.

You gave him a B- and that is way too generous. That is what I should have said in the 1st place, not suggest you are an idiot.