Sunday, November 27, 2005

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/27/AR2005112700313.html

Nothing is impossible with these Skins. Unfortunately, with that statement the team is on the wrong side of impossible.

It's inconceivable that the Skins should lose to an inferior team like the Raiders under not-deserving-to-be-a-head-coach-because-of-the-lack-of-discipline Norv at HOME with his 24th ranked defense. Follow that with a seemingly strong outing against the solid Chargers but let a 10-point lead slip away in the fourth quarter. For the third straight game. At HOME again. Giving up makeable field goal position with a holding penalty.

All the breaks that were falling the team's way in the first half of the season have caught up with them. Is it possible that the Skins could go 5-0 to close out the season. Sure, anything is possible. But for all intents and purposes, the team's playoff chances are out the window. This was the one opportunity to make up ground with both the Cowboys and the Giants having lost and the Skins having games with each of them to finish out the season. It's always heartbreaking to see your team drop games. If they can finish on a strong enough note to finish 8-8, it will be a lot of fans happy. Not nearly as happy as a playoff-bound season, though.

Sunday, November 20, 2005

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/20/AR2005112000318.html

The Skins' offense fails again with three turnovers. Two big-time fumbles by Clinton Portis. The Skins' defense finally scored but couldn't make enough other big plays to make up for the woeful offense. Like most Norv teams, the Raiders' high-octane offense was hampered by a weak defense. However, the Skins' once-high-octane offense didn't dominate the Raiders D the way it should have and instead, the Raiders made Brunell looked awful. The Skins went into the locker room with a 13-3 lead. Gibbs, once the master of halftime adjustments, was outadjusted by Norval and his staff.

Saturday, November 19, 2005

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/18/AR2005111801621.html

David Patten is out for the season.

He hasn't made an impact anyway. The Skins can only benefit, hoping that Taylor Jacobs makes the most of this opportunity with his speed.

The Skins had Kevin Dyson in training camp but he was cut early. Besides coming up one yard short in the Super Bowl, Dyson also had the infamy of being the receiver drafted (#16) before Randy Moss (#21). Have his skills deteriorated that badly that the team would bring back local boy Rich Parson before him?

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/15/AR2005111501723.html

Two big problems with Williams' defense.

1. Everyone recognizes the lack of pressure from the front four. Rushing only four never seems to be enough, which is a major problem. The Redskins desperately need to address this. Is the solution switching to 3-4 and having Arrington rush? I'm sure Williams has considered that option and even utilizes it occasionally. But the base defense remains the 4-3 missing the key ingredient of Cornelius Griffin inside. This should be the #1 priority in the offseason, addressed through the draft.

2. Blitzing with safeties leaves the corners on islands for a few seconds. That's okay when your corners are Champ Bailey, Fred Smoot, or Shawn Springs. It's not okay when it's Walt Harris and rookie Carlos Rogers covering, who get burned for huge plays.

Sunday, November 13, 2005

Redskins Lose In Dramatic Fashion to Bucs

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/13/AR2005111300485.html

The end result leaves faithful followers with tons of questions about the Redskins' ability to compete as a team and stay in the playoff hunt.

Why didn't Brunell try throwing the ball on his last possession of the game, instead of running fruitlessly on 4th and 10? Why does the offense keep committing turnovers to put themselves in holes? Why is Gregg Williams' once-famed defense leaking huge holes? How can an unknown receiver like Edell Shepherd and inexperienced QB Chris Simms connect to make big plays? Why wasn't there any pressure on Simms? How come, with everyone in the stadium knowing that Alstott was getting the ball, they still couldn't stop him?

The defense is rightfully taking a lot of the blame for allowing the Bucs to move down the field. On the flip side, the offense was the side that committed three turnovers in the first half and allowed the Bucs to get up on an 11-point lead.

It's going to be a tough race to get into the playoffs. The Skins' best bet is to win the NFC East because the NFC South is likely to garner the two wild card berths. The Skins need Philly to beat Dallas on Monday night to keep the NFC East bunched up.

Sunday, November 06, 2005

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/06/AR2005110600810.html
What a gutsy win by the Washington Redskins. I'm sure many Skins fans were anticipating a melt-down of epic proportions the way the Eagles marched down the field during that last drive. In fact, in a very glass half-empty vision, with plenty of time on the clock and assuming that the Eagles scored a TD to tie, it was entirely possible that they could have forced a Redskins 3-and-out on the ensuing possession to get the ball back with some time left and a shot at a game winning FG.

Instead, the Skins held on four straight downs after giving up a huge 26-yard pass play to Reggie Brown and then a 27-yard screen down the sideline to Brian Westbrook.

Beating Philly is a huge emotional hurdle the team has overcome. Despite all of the Eagles' troubles this year (primarily TO, injuries, and the lack of a running game), until teams prove that they can knock them out of the driver's seat, they are still the reigning NFC champions. Their determined play, bringing the game down to the final two minutes and on the Skins' 7-yard line, proved as much.

The Redskins' run game is having some problems getting established. David Patten has less than 200 yards receiving (although he's been able to draw a couple big pass interference calls). And the Redskins' were getting run roughshod prior to facing the hapless Eagles run game.

Looking ahead, the Skins' face stiff challenges in the 5-3 Bucs, the explosive Raiders and Rams, and LT and the physical Chargers. They play to Cardinals in Arizona and finish off the season with a trifecta of divisional games.

Saturday, November 05, 2005

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/30/AR2005103001106.html

It was worse than what I could have thought. Tiki Barber stunned the Redskins from the opening play. The previously suscepible Giants defense swarmed the Skins O. Riding an emotional wave, the G-Men not only pitched a shutout but they did so in convincing fashion.