 }})
in the long-term nothing has changed. the Redskins are still making enough mistakes on the field to give up embarrassing opportunities, this week it was on defense. Campbell is still challenged to be dead-eye accurate on the short and intermediate throws that are a staple of the WCO. He also missed Santana Moss on a sure TD in the first half down the field. Zorn and the offensive staff again missed badly on a fourth and one try by attempting to go wide on a play where the defense was shifted to that side. I suppose there are no audibles on fourth downs here in DC.
in the short-term, however, some 'divination' is possible.
1. Clinton Portis is not integral to the success of the Washington Redskins anymore. Betts and Cartwright together form a better one two punch for 2009 than Portis and then Betts. I have doubts the 30 year old Betts and 29 year old Cartwright are long-term (even 2010) answers at RB, but I agree with Brian Mitchell that they have stated a case to be in the mix as long as they show themselves to be productive. It shouldn't be missed that Betts was playing on a sprained ankle.
2. Levi Jones, age 29 and a former #1 draft choice, is a professional football player at LT. And while he is not Chris Samuels in his prime or a reincarnation of Jim Lachey, he IS again a professional tackle, and that is something the Redskins have not had on the left side since Chris went down. D'Anthony Batiste is not an NFL tackle. Heyer is not an NFL LEFT tackle. I think he can still be a contributor on the right side, as a spot starter or top backup in the future, however.
The move of Jones into the lineup and of Heyer back to where he is more comfortable on the right side, made the offense's ground success today possible. Campbell also got very decent pass protection, as evidenced by the deep pass to Moss that he simply overthrew that would have been a sure TD otherwise.
Is Jones a player that can help this team going forward? Interesting, as the Redskins have one top draft choice but need help at a couple of 'franchise' positions, quarterback AND tackle.
If the team is able to draft a young quarterback, Jones may be a guy you can use to bridge as a starter in 2010 and bring along a young tackle taken later in the draft. Of course all this depends upon who is calling the shots in the War Room. Parcells would take the tackle first and find the QB in FA or through trade most likely.
3. The safety situation on this team is becoming more critical by the week. While Rogers was simply beaten on the first Marshall touchdown, the safety (Landry) blew the coverage on the second one where Hall had him short and then let him go. I keep going back to the fact the Redskins drafted Landry to play him at SS and because the team doesn't want to either go out and sign a legitimate veteran FS or develop one from within, the club continues to put Landry out there as a centerfielder. That is not how he is most effective. The fact he has size and speed doesn't mean he has the natural cover instincts that Sean Taylor did. Landry and Taylor were never interchangeable parts, but complementary ones.
4. Kudos to Fred Davis and Chad Rinehart for showing up to play this week. If over the next 7 weeks we are able to see continued improvement in these two players the 2008 draft may just NOT go down as the worst in recent team history. Davis needs to work on his blocking but has real ability in the open field with the ball in his hands. His performance would have been even more impressive if Jason Campbell had ever hit him between the numbers with a pass instead of making him jump high for every ball. Rinehart didn't get pushed around too much by Kenny Peterson and the Broncos rotation DTs. OK, these guys aren't Kelly Gregg or Casey Hampton but they are NFL performers. While Will Montgomery MIGHT be a future keeper as a backup center, he was badly overmatched trying to take on DTs who out-weighed him by 30-40 pounds.
5. You have to chuckle. Hunter Smith is about the most versatile athlete I have seen at punter since Ray Guy was in Oakland and was timed at 4.5 in the 40 back in the 1970's. His pass saved the Redskins bacon mid-way through this game and kept the momentum going. He is doing now what ARE did with the option pass back in 2007 during the late run to the playoffs.
in the short-term, however, some 'divination' is possible.
1. Clinton Portis is not integral to the success of the Washington Redskins anymore. Betts and Cartwright together form a better one two punch for 2009 than Portis and then Betts. I have doubts the 30 year old Betts and 29 year old Cartwright are long-term (even 2010) answers at RB, but I agree with Brian Mitchell that they have stated a case to be in the mix as long as they show themselves to be productive. It shouldn't be missed that Betts was playing on a sprained ankle.
2. Levi Jones, age 29 and a former #1 draft choice, is a professional football player at LT. And while he is not Chris Samuels in his prime or a reincarnation of Jim Lachey, he IS again a professional tackle, and that is something the Redskins have not had on the left side since Chris went down. D'Anthony Batiste is not an NFL tackle. Heyer is not an NFL LEFT tackle. I think he can still be a contributor on the right side, as a spot starter or top backup in the future, however.
The move of Jones into the lineup and of Heyer back to where he is more comfortable on the right side, made the offense's ground success today possible. Campbell also got very decent pass protection, as evidenced by the deep pass to Moss that he simply overthrew that would have been a sure TD otherwise.
Is Jones a player that can help this team going forward? Interesting, as the Redskins have one top draft choice but need help at a couple of 'franchise' positions, quarterback AND tackle.
If the team is able to draft a young quarterback, Jones may be a guy you can use to bridge as a starter in 2010 and bring along a young tackle taken later in the draft. Of course all this depends upon who is calling the shots in the War Room. Parcells would take the tackle first and find the QB in FA or through trade most likely.
3. The safety situation on this team is becoming more critical by the week. While Rogers was simply beaten on the first Marshall touchdown, the safety (Landry) blew the coverage on the second one where Hall had him short and then let him go. I keep going back to the fact the Redskins drafted Landry to play him at SS and because the team doesn't want to either go out and sign a legitimate veteran FS or develop one from within, the club continues to put Landry out there as a centerfielder. That is not how he is most effective. The fact he has size and speed doesn't mean he has the natural cover instincts that Sean Taylor did. Landry and Taylor were never interchangeable parts, but complementary ones.
4. Kudos to Fred Davis and Chad Rinehart for showing up to play this week. If over the next 7 weeks we are able to see continued improvement in these two players the 2008 draft may just NOT go down as the worst in recent team history. Davis needs to work on his blocking but has real ability in the open field with the ball in his hands. His performance would have been even more impressive if Jason Campbell had ever hit him between the numbers with a pass instead of making him jump high for every ball. Rinehart didn't get pushed around too much by Kenny Peterson and the Broncos rotation DTs. OK, these guys aren't Kelly Gregg or Casey Hampton but they are NFL performers. While Will Montgomery MIGHT be a future keeper as a backup center, he was badly overmatched trying to take on DTs who out-weighed him by 30-40 pounds.
5. You have to chuckle. Hunter Smith is about the most versatile athlete I have seen at punter since Ray Guy was in Oakland and was timed at 4.5 in the 40 back in the 1970's. His pass saved the Redskins bacon mid-way through this game and kept the momentum going. He is doing now what ARE did with the option pass back in 2007 during the late run to the playoffs.
