Monday Afternoon H-Back

Redskins Insider (http://blog.washingtonpost.com/redskinsinsider/)

Redemption all around. Full marks to the entire organization, Daniel Snyder on down. Quite an accomplishment even getting this far, and I don't think they're done yet.

Coach Joe Gibbs, obviously, deserves a tremendous amount of credit for getting this thing turned around. And Gregg Williams, who took a lot of half-baked shots a year ago about the league catching up to him and his players quitting on him ... well, he loses his best safety, top corner and emerging stud linebacker and still gets the defense from 31st to 8. The Skins went from 31st against the pass to 6th. They rank 3rd in the NFL in yards allowed per carry. Nuff said.

The kids were alright again. Reed Doughty has been a beast against the run and he's making plays in coverage now, too, with a huge breakup on that pass to Whitten in the end zone. Stephon Heyer gave up one big sack - that happens to everyone sometimes - but was great otherwise. Lorenzo Alexander did his thing. Leigh Torrence had some big plays and broke up a few passes. Anthony Montgomery clogged up the middle as usual (Cornelius Griffin had one of his best games of the season as well).

Holding Dallas to one rushing yard was tremendous. Barber's first four carries were all for negative yardage. And a ton of the credit for that goes to the corners. Yeah, you heard that right. Without Springs and Smoot holding it down (Springs is playing every bit like a shutdown corner again) Gregg can gamble with 8 in the box and play almost exclusively Cover-3. Trust me, your corners have to be holding it down to be able to go that route and still surrender no big plays of note over a 4 week span.

Now, they'll face their best pass attack during this streak Saturday (I am not counting Dallas yesterday with Romo not playing a full game, no TO, Glenn clearly just getting his legs back, starters being yanked at the half and with nothing to play for. I don't see Seattle moving the ball a inch on the ground and I imagine Holmgren will do everything possible to force Gregg to drop more people back in coverage (but let's not get ahead of ourselves yet; plenty of time this week to dissect the next game).

Todd Collins seemed a little shaky early, but again was a star. His quick reads and quick delivery have been vital to the short passing game, with Portis now a huge weapon on screens and check downs. They've always envisioned Portis as someone who could catch 5 balls for 50-60 yards any given Sunday, and now they've got it. He's looking more and more like Brian Westbrook, and Collins is finding him in stride out in space. It's become an essential dynamic to the offense.

No one could have expected Collins to play this well. For the month of December, only one QB in the NFL had a better passer rating than Todd's 106.4. Can you guess who?
BBM. Yep. Peyton was pretty incredible this month, with a 122.2 rating (97-for-136, 1219 yards with 12 TDs and 2 INTs). The only other QBs with a rating over 100 this month were Shaun Hill (yeah, the ex-Terp) posted a 101.3, and David Gerrard of the Jags had a 100.6.

That Brady dude? A mere 94.5 rating. (Again, not too look ahead too much and not to keep the beating the Seattle-will-try-to-throw-the-heck-out-of-the ball theory into the ground, but BBH (Big Brother Hasselbeck) had a 95.8 rating in December, throwing for 1079 yards with 10 TDs and 3 INTs.

As a whole, it's impossible not to believe that something well beyond football is going on with this franchise. They are accomplishing some incredible special stuff and it definitely reminds me of covering the 1997-98 Detroit Redwings, who overcame great tragedy as well to win a second straight Stanley Cup. People start doing things that don't seem possible and the belief in the collective defies all. I think this team is winning at least one more game, and two would not surprise me either. Hell, anything other than telling me they're winning the Super Bowl would not surprise me.

The Redskins and Jags are the two teams in either conference no one wants to face right now. Also, just got a text from a personnel exec from a team I know well, who crunched the numbers and said only Philly played a tougher schedule than the Redskins this season. The Skins' opponents posted a collective record of 142-114 (.555). So they did it the hard way.

And you look at how they have played against the best of the NFC - those who make the postseason - and they gave games to the Pack and Dallas, beat Dallas at home, split with the Giants (including another game they gave away) ... and gave one away to Tampa with some questionable coaching decisions and all those turnovers.

So it seems pretty wide open to me, even with all of the injuries and tragedy the Redskins have faced.

PS- Hasselbeck dinged up his throwing hard in the one half he played Sunday. Seahawks acting like it's nothing major, but from what I hear they had him take a brace off his hand before meeting the media after the game. Not a huge thing, but could be enough to alter his mechanics on a throw or two, or at least something for the defense to consider when attacking him.

Todd Collins seemed a little shaky early, but again was a star. His quick reads and quick delivery have been vital to the short passing game, with Portis now a huge weapon on screens and check downs. They've always envisioned Portis as someone who could catch 5 balls for 50-60 yards any given Sunday, and now they've got it. He's looking more and more like Brian Westbrook, and Collins is finding him in stride out in space. It's become an essential dynamic to the offense.

No one could have expected Collins to play this well. For the month of December, only one QB in the NFL had a better passer rating than Todd's 106.4. Can you guess who?
BBM. Yep. Peyton was pretty incredible this month, with a 122.2 rating (97-for-136, 1219 yards with 12 TDs and 2 INTs). The only other QBs with a rating over 100 this month were Shaun Hill (yeah, the ex-Terp) posted a 101.3, and David Gerrard of the Jags had a 100.6.

That Brady dude? A mere 94.5 rating. (Again, not too look ahead too much and not to keep the beating the Seattle-will-try-to-throw-the-heck-out-of-the ball theory into the ground, but BBH (Big Brother Hasselbeck) had a 95.8 rating in December, throwing for 1079 yards with 10 TDs and 3 INTs.



I hate to tell you I told you so again - but I was getting so much shit over defending Collins when he arrived in DC- I've got to. Can't hate on this guy too much now.

I hate to tell you I told you all so again - but I was getting so much shit over defending Collins when he arrived in DC- I've got to. Can't hate on this guy too much now.

In all honesty, no one...no one thought the guy would step up like this. I think everyone is pleasantly surprised.

In all honesty, no one...no one thought the guy would step up like this. I think everyone is pleasantly surprised.

Would you give me enough credit to say I gave him more than a benefit of a doubt?

I was getting a lot of shit from a lot of people.

Would you give me enough credit to say I gave him more than a benefit of a doubt?

I was getting a lot of shit from a lot of people.

I suppose...if it makes you feel better:) I don't think, well, I guess a lot of people were trashing Collins. But in all honesty, who knew?

Anyone outside of Collins and Saunders that said they knew with 100% certainty that Collins was going to do this, makes me wonder. But you deserve big props if you called this one, no doubt.

All I said basically was wait to see him play - all he needs is a chance. But everyone, everyone else was saying he sucks, there must be a reason why he is a career backup. I was the only one in his corner. There's all these people arguing against me (especially one in particular) and all these stats being thrown at me, but I felt so strongly about this that I continued to argue back and disagree. And I wasn't arguing just to argue - like some thought. So now - let me say it again - I told all of you so. Collins deserves it.

All I said was basically was wait to see him play - all he needs is a chance. But everyone, everyone else was saying he sucks, there must be a reason why he is a career backup. I was the only one in his corner. There's all these people arguing against me (especially one in particular) and all these stats being thrown at me, but I felt so strongly about this that I continued to argue back and disagree. And I wasn't arguing just to argue - like some thought. So now - let me say it again - I told all of you so. Collins deserves it.

I do remember a handful of people saying good things about him. Just a handful too. But you know, I think we're all happy with Collins right now.

I do remember a handful of people saying good things about him. Just a handful too. But you know, I think we're all happy with Collins right now.

No, there was maybe a handful of people - but that was a quiet handful and the oddball - me. But yeah we should be happy, but there are still some in the Campbell vs. Collins camp - I am happy as long as a qb is doing great in the game. I am still hoping for Campbell, which looks like he will be great - but for now I will bask in Collins success.

If you want you can look through my posts - to prove me wrong - but you'll only see a repeat of what I was saying - over and over and over again.

No, there was maybe a handful of people - but that was a quiet handful and the oddball - me. But yeah we should be happy, but there are still some in the Campbell vs. Collins camp - I am happy as long as a qb is doing great in the game. I am still hoping for Campbell, which looks like he will be great - but for now I will bask in Collins success.

If you want you can look through my posts - to prove me wrong - but you'll only see a repeat of what I was saying - over and over and over again.

Oh, I believe you. If you called this, mad props. Mad props.

Oh, I believe you. If you called this, mad props. Mad props.

I know for sure, one poster on here remembers. That one guy who keep attacking me. Sometimes it's not about just numbers and hype and all of that. Sometimes it's instinct and having a gut feeling about something or someone and also waiting to see how someone plays to before you judge a player.