Who's afraid of a slow start by our passing game?

You can look at it two ways, either run alot to open up the pass, or pass to open up the run. We usually run to open the pass.

I think we need to come out slinging. Listening to Ronde Barber talk on Sirrius last night he didn't once mention stopping Santana Moss. Both Tiki and Ronde said Portis is an amazing player and even said first time Giants played they knocked him out of the game and were able to run away.

I really think we need to attack through the air early to get their gameplan back on it's heels. I'm not saying keep that up, but give them a quick dose.

Brunell has playoff experience. He's confident, much more so than during the regular season. He was oozing confidence during his press conference after the Eagles game. He isn't going to let us down. He has tremendous respect for Gibbs, and I truly believe he’s going to step it up. Now that they are in I think the whole team is focused and much more confident that they really have a shot. Brunell isn’t afraid! Ramsey on the other hand..... if for some reason he has to go in then I think the rest of our team will protect him enough to get a few decent accurate throws off. Moss will make him look good when he grabs his overthrown, in the air balls out of the sky.

We need to keep doing what has brought us here. Run the football down their throats! That's why guys like Moss and Cooley have been so successful...especially the last few weeks.

I don't think Brunell was that hurt either, I just think that when he is off, he stays off ... I hope we come out slinging...
He was limping the entire game. I think he was hurt enough that it affected his accuracy. Hopefully he'll be better this week.

I do get nervous when Brunell and his receivers start out of rhythm . . . they tend to stay that way for the whole game (or, in the case of last year, the whole season). HOWEVER, look at Dallas #1 and you realize that if our D keeps the game close, anything can happen.

My question is, can Gibbs expand the playbook now that we're in the playoffs? The Eagles pretty much shut down our bread-and-butter plays (or tried, in the case of Portis pounding), and we had nothing new to show them. Will this be the case in Tampa?

hey hess,welcome!whats up with the small print?

I'm sure if our passing game comes out like they did against Philly, we are done. Not sure why, but when the skins/Brunell start off slow, we stay slow and out of sync FOR THE ENTIRE GAME. It seems we never dig our selves out of sluggish starts by the passing game. As important as the running game is, I really think the skins need to come out throwing and establsh the passing game ...

I don't think Brunell was that hurt either, I just think that when he is off, he stays off ... I hope we come out slinging...

I disagree, dude limped around noticibly the whole game. When he ran, he looked slow. He was not sprayin' balls all over the place, he missed high. Dude is a warrior, and I think he down played his true condition, to not reveal any weakness to the birds.

I feel extremely comfortable with our running game against Tampa, Portis has had two very productive running game in last years and this years meeting with the Bucs. There is something their I am not sure what, but he looks really good running against them even when we were not dedicated to the run. He broke off his longest run as a Redskin against them and Nov looked like he almost broke the exact same play for a TD. I think they will come out hoping the run opens up the pass. He blew it up in the first half then we pulled away from the run a little if I remember correctly.

I disagree, dude limped around noticibly the whole game. When he ran, he looked slow. He was not sprayin' balls all over the place, he missed high. Dude is a warrior, and I think he down played his true condition, to not reveal any weakness to the birds.

Brunell was DEFINITELY hurt. it was painfully obvious, you could see it every time he took a step. he couldn't evade the rush as well as usual (notice the lack of throws to Cooley? thats usually when he goes to him) and when was the last time you saw overthrows like that? haven't seen them in a while, but they were pretty familiar. 2004, when i now know without a doubt he played hurt. only way to explain the night and day change in his play.

i give it to Mark for trying, especially on that scramble for the first down, he's a tough guy who gives it his all to win and not make mistakes. but if he can't make those throws on target or on the run like he does when he's healthy, then i'd definitely prefer a healthy Ramsey out there than a hobbled Brunell. we need good shots downfield and to Cooley (remember Ramsey basically discovered Cooley) and not out of bounds.

Get well Mark, but if you're less than 70% on gameday and they're locking down on Portis, Ramsey has to show.