Posted this early in the college football area.
First I bleed redskins colors. I will pull for them tonight and I hope they win. I like the players and will be right behind them win or lose. I would like the management to get behind this team, perhaps if the players didn't think the fans were against them rather wanted to see them play inspired football would help. There is losing and then there is giving up and watching some of the players in washington the management has made it to easy for them to quit and the paper head coach cannot get them motivated, he is over his head and the players look to the head coach in situations. When they look at Zorn they see a defeated man and they follow suit.
Philly (-6.5) over Washington
Washington has played TERRIBLE teams this season and they have stunk against them. This past week showed all the teams the redskins played LOSE all by double digits. KC, TB and St.Louis couldn't muster more than a TD. The panthers put in a huge 9 points only to be out done by the Giants and their 17. All loses and all teams were the home team. This means Washington has not seen any really good talent and against the terrible teams they looked terrible. Do I think Philly is good? No I think the entire division is not playing good football but Philly did beat Carolina by 28, KC by 20 by 19. So what does this say, well it tells me that Philly isn't Indy but they can handle the bad teams. Well then if thats the case what the hell happened against Oakland?? A few things, one the o-line for Philly thought Oakland wouldn't try and they got pushed over. Two one huge play by Zack Miller on a crossing route was the difference in the game. Finally three, philly abandoned the run when they got down, because they took the game lightly they could not just snap back into performing at a decent level. A ton of dropped passed for the Eagles WR and TE and McNabb was not threading the needle on a few passes. So why do I like this a ton, well you just yanked your QB because he couldn't get it done against KC and now you put him back in. The plays are being called in by a guy that is not firmilar with the team for more than three weeks. The head coach is not pushing these guys because he has no reason to do it. The eagles fans will out number the redskins fans and as soon as it goes south the skins fans will start booing as they have every game so far.
The redskins defense, where do I begin, perhaps with the lack of a true cover corner. Both Rodgers and Hall have been schemed to play soft coverage to keep guys in front of them but they small slants go for big yards because they are not the best taklers. The safeties, Landry is extremely overrated and in pass coverage he is not good, He was considered GREAT when playing next to Sean Taylor because Taylor was GREAT. Fletcher is the oly LB worth his salt and I say Fletcher because Orakpo is a DE and to play him at LB is a joke and liability in coverage. The front four is good but only because Haynesworth takes up two or three linemen. Philly will have to really limit the amount of guys they committ to stoping him because if you can block him with one or two then Washington will have a hard time getting to McNabb. Then there is Reed D, this guy was replaced by a free agent rookie last year but has worked hard to get into the line up. A smart player but not a very good player and lacks the speed to be a cover safety. The lack of speed and playmaking ability was the reason Horton took his spot a year ago. So reserves are Horton and Smoot, Horton a very raw but athletic player can make plays but his ability often gets him out of position and thats not good. Smoot is down right Terrible and the only thing he can cover is a waitress on a cruise in the middle of a lack in Minnisota. Getting the punter Smith back is huge because he accounts for like 1/3 of the redskins rushing TD's this season. The Philly offense if they decide to play should move the ball without problem against this defense. Now thats not to say there is not talent on the redskins defense. Fletcher, Orakpo, Hall, Rodgers, Haynesworth, Carter, Jarmon, McIntosh and even Landry have talent but they are not being used right and you can't change that over one week. Unless the skins play man on man and blitz early and often then they are not in the right system. I think the redskins will try to play the bend not break system but they have yet to play an offense that is as good as the Eagles. NYG is close but I still give the edge to philly. Oh and one thing the raiders should have tauight Philly run the ball and when the defense is usinging the bull techique at line run screens, look for Westbrooke to get those calls in space and make big plays. You have Jackson and Macklin who should be able to get verticle all night THEN fake those and get short routes as the CB back off further. Then with the threat of the deep pass Celek can get open underneath because Fletcher will help on the run so off a play action.
Lets look at the philly defense against the redskins offense. Well lets start at O-line, The redskins have been hit by injuries. Considering the price tags of the starters there is not enough money to have reliable players to back them up so there is a sizable drop off in talent on the line. Thats bad because even when given time Campbell has had a terrible time reading defenses and making the correct decision. That given time, when he is pressured he gets completely undone and throws bad passes and tries to just end the pain before geting hit. If Philly starts getting to him then you have to wonder if he is going to fumble. Campbell has had fumble issues through out his career and under pressure tonight might get ugly. At running back Portis and Betts, well Portis has given up. Watching him run is a guy that has no desire to make a play. He runs into his line or if he does get to the second level he cannot break free. The long run last week showed this as even while blocking the fullback Sellers was still going faster that Portis. Oh then there is the fact Portis has blamed his fullback for crap blocking. So Philly can blitz and RUN BLITZ and get to the QB, if the redskins hand it off your in the backfield anyway and chances are so is Portis. The WR's, now I see a lot of talent in this group with Kelly and Thomas, Cooley and Davis. I think Moss is overrated for his size and unability to make the big catch over and over again. I think he is a great fast WR but I think his game has gone down as the redskins continue to get him the ball. He plays well when in the offense, his big year was when Brunell was under center because he was in the gameplan. Cooley is the release valve that Campbell will throw to even if he is covered. Cover number 47 and you shut down a lot of what Campbell will do in the passing game. In fact when was the last time the redskins when verticle, yes they have had deep plays but they are 30 yards or less, they haven't to my knowledge completed one pass past that for a huge play. The safeties therefor do not have to worry about getting beat up top and they can play in that 20-30 yard box and help on Cooley.
This all comes down to player management. The gameplan Zorn brought in this season has broken. They are trying to replace the way things are being done. The SAFE way of coaching is not getting points on the board. Then Campbell is an extention of that way of coaching. Campbell plays a lot of things safe. They have no leadership and the guys taking that leadership role are overpaid and under achieving so they hold no weight.
If the redskins come out with a ton of emotion they can make this a game because they have good players. If they finally open up the play book and take chaces and stretch the field they might make something happen. HOWEVER if they fail to come out even in the first series and do anything look for the heads to go down and the live to go right out the window. I think Washington has every piece except (IMHO) a QB to make a game of this but unfortunately they have far to many issues and sometimes you just don't want to play and thats what I have seen.
As big of a fan as I am I cannot convince myself Campbell can come out and completely change the way he has played for the last few years. This is not one game, this is about a season of bad football and you bring in one guy to call plays should not change the outcome on the field. Pressure defense, the lack of the redskins ability to score TD's or sustain drives, the internal issues and the coach that can't motivate. Philly has far too much to play for and rebound of an embarssing loss. The said thing is a loss to oakland for philly is embarassing while a redskins team would be lucky to play decent and walk out with a win over oakland.
Cheers
Irish
First I bleed redskins colors. I will pull for them tonight and I hope they win. I like the players and will be right behind them win or lose. I would like the management to get behind this team, perhaps if the players didn't think the fans were against them rather wanted to see them play inspired football would help. There is losing and then there is giving up and watching some of the players in washington the management has made it to easy for them to quit and the paper head coach cannot get them motivated, he is over his head and the players look to the head coach in situations. When they look at Zorn they see a defeated man and they follow suit.
Philly (-6.5) over Washington
Washington has played TERRIBLE teams this season and they have stunk against them. This past week showed all the teams the redskins played LOSE all by double digits. KC, TB and St.Louis couldn't muster more than a TD. The panthers put in a huge 9 points only to be out done by the Giants and their 17. All loses and all teams were the home team. This means Washington has not seen any really good talent and against the terrible teams they looked terrible. Do I think Philly is good? No I think the entire division is not playing good football but Philly did beat Carolina by 28, KC by 20 by 19. So what does this say, well it tells me that Philly isn't Indy but they can handle the bad teams. Well then if thats the case what the hell happened against Oakland?? A few things, one the o-line for Philly thought Oakland wouldn't try and they got pushed over. Two one huge play by Zack Miller on a crossing route was the difference in the game. Finally three, philly abandoned the run when they got down, because they took the game lightly they could not just snap back into performing at a decent level. A ton of dropped passed for the Eagles WR and TE and McNabb was not threading the needle on a few passes. So why do I like this a ton, well you just yanked your QB because he couldn't get it done against KC and now you put him back in. The plays are being called in by a guy that is not firmilar with the team for more than three weeks. The head coach is not pushing these guys because he has no reason to do it. The eagles fans will out number the redskins fans and as soon as it goes south the skins fans will start booing as they have every game so far.
The redskins defense, where do I begin, perhaps with the lack of a true cover corner. Both Rodgers and Hall have been schemed to play soft coverage to keep guys in front of them but they small slants go for big yards because they are not the best taklers. The safeties, Landry is extremely overrated and in pass coverage he is not good, He was considered GREAT when playing next to Sean Taylor because Taylor was GREAT. Fletcher is the oly LB worth his salt and I say Fletcher because Orakpo is a DE and to play him at LB is a joke and liability in coverage. The front four is good but only because Haynesworth takes up two or three linemen. Philly will have to really limit the amount of guys they committ to stoping him because if you can block him with one or two then Washington will have a hard time getting to McNabb. Then there is Reed D, this guy was replaced by a free agent rookie last year but has worked hard to get into the line up. A smart player but not a very good player and lacks the speed to be a cover safety. The lack of speed and playmaking ability was the reason Horton took his spot a year ago. So reserves are Horton and Smoot, Horton a very raw but athletic player can make plays but his ability often gets him out of position and thats not good. Smoot is down right Terrible and the only thing he can cover is a waitress on a cruise in the middle of a lack in Minnisota. Getting the punter Smith back is huge because he accounts for like 1/3 of the redskins rushing TD's this season. The Philly offense if they decide to play should move the ball without problem against this defense. Now thats not to say there is not talent on the redskins defense. Fletcher, Orakpo, Hall, Rodgers, Haynesworth, Carter, Jarmon, McIntosh and even Landry have talent but they are not being used right and you can't change that over one week. Unless the skins play man on man and blitz early and often then they are not in the right system. I think the redskins will try to play the bend not break system but they have yet to play an offense that is as good as the Eagles. NYG is close but I still give the edge to philly. Oh and one thing the raiders should have tauight Philly run the ball and when the defense is usinging the bull techique at line run screens, look for Westbrooke to get those calls in space and make big plays. You have Jackson and Macklin who should be able to get verticle all night THEN fake those and get short routes as the CB back off further. Then with the threat of the deep pass Celek can get open underneath because Fletcher will help on the run so off a play action.
Lets look at the philly defense against the redskins offense. Well lets start at O-line, The redskins have been hit by injuries. Considering the price tags of the starters there is not enough money to have reliable players to back them up so there is a sizable drop off in talent on the line. Thats bad because even when given time Campbell has had a terrible time reading defenses and making the correct decision. That given time, when he is pressured he gets completely undone and throws bad passes and tries to just end the pain before geting hit. If Philly starts getting to him then you have to wonder if he is going to fumble. Campbell has had fumble issues through out his career and under pressure tonight might get ugly. At running back Portis and Betts, well Portis has given up. Watching him run is a guy that has no desire to make a play. He runs into his line or if he does get to the second level he cannot break free. The long run last week showed this as even while blocking the fullback Sellers was still going faster that Portis. Oh then there is the fact Portis has blamed his fullback for crap blocking. So Philly can blitz and RUN BLITZ and get to the QB, if the redskins hand it off your in the backfield anyway and chances are so is Portis. The WR's, now I see a lot of talent in this group with Kelly and Thomas, Cooley and Davis. I think Moss is overrated for his size and unability to make the big catch over and over again. I think he is a great fast WR but I think his game has gone down as the redskins continue to get him the ball. He plays well when in the offense, his big year was when Brunell was under center because he was in the gameplan. Cooley is the release valve that Campbell will throw to even if he is covered. Cover number 47 and you shut down a lot of what Campbell will do in the passing game. In fact when was the last time the redskins when verticle, yes they have had deep plays but they are 30 yards or less, they haven't to my knowledge completed one pass past that for a huge play. The safeties therefor do not have to worry about getting beat up top and they can play in that 20-30 yard box and help on Cooley.
This all comes down to player management. The gameplan Zorn brought in this season has broken. They are trying to replace the way things are being done. The SAFE way of coaching is not getting points on the board. Then Campbell is an extention of that way of coaching. Campbell plays a lot of things safe. They have no leadership and the guys taking that leadership role are overpaid and under achieving so they hold no weight.
If the redskins come out with a ton of emotion they can make this a game because they have good players. If they finally open up the play book and take chaces and stretch the field they might make something happen. HOWEVER if they fail to come out even in the first series and do anything look for the heads to go down and the live to go right out the window. I think Washington has every piece except (IMHO) a QB to make a game of this but unfortunately they have far to many issues and sometimes you just don't want to play and thats what I have seen.
As big of a fan as I am I cannot convince myself Campbell can come out and completely change the way he has played for the last few years. This is not one game, this is about a season of bad football and you bring in one guy to call plays should not change the outcome on the field. Pressure defense, the lack of the redskins ability to score TD's or sustain drives, the internal issues and the coach that can't motivate. Philly has far too much to play for and rebound of an embarssing loss. The said thing is a loss to oakland for philly is embarassing while a redskins team would be lucky to play decent and walk out with a win over oakland.
Cheers
Irish
