Gmanc711
11-29-2008, 09:35 PM
Hello Everyone!
I hope you all enjoyed the holiday.
With a very big game, with huge playoff implications coming up this weekend against the New York Giants, there are quite a few areas which the Redskins will have to improve upon to be successful against New York. Protecting the quarterback and stopping the run are the two biggest key’s to this game.
The Redskins have had trouble of late keeping Jason Campbell upright, and the New York Giants are among the best in the league at getting to the quarterback. The Redskins may have to provide extra help to the offensive line this week, and that offensive pass pro vs defensive pass rush, is something I expect the Giants to try to take advantage of. If you look back to their first match-up, the Redskins played the Giants well defensively, but were unable to establish any type of offense in the game. It will be crucial for the offense to establish Clinton Portis early move the football better than they did week one.
This biggest concern about this team offensively is their inability to finish a lot of drives. They are moving the ball very well, but are not coming away with points. I think the biggest concern is still that lack of a big, #2 receiver to go across the middle and catch the football.
I know they were expecting more out of the rookies in Thomas & Kelly this season, but that lack of a big receiver is what is hurting them. I think its too early to tell with those guys if they are going to be very good or not in this league. The one red flag is that a lot of it with Thomas & Davis comes from wrong route running, or not knowing their assignments. It is a big adjustment from the college to professional game, but it is something that really shouldn’t be a huge issue at this point. With Malcolm Kelly, its just getting on the field. I like what I’ve seen from him once he gets out there, but you may recall that a reason he went so late, had to due with this knee, and that has hampered him so far in his rookie season.
As far as the playoffs go, its going to be hard to judge. At 7 wins, I see two games in the schedule the Redskins should absolutely win, in the Bengals and 49ers game. They can’t over look either of those teams, because they will not win, but if they come in and play, those are two games you have to win. That would put them at 9. The Giants game is going to be a very difficult game for them to win, and the Ravens have another great pass rush, so that could create some issues for them as well. The Philadelphia game at home becomes a game that could prove to be the difference. The Redskins have had their chance to really separate themselves from the pack this season thus far and have not taken advantage of it, so they are in the position they are in now. I would say it’s a tossup right now. The schedule plays into their favor, but Atlanta and Dallas are both capable of getting in there as well.
With Shaun Suisham, I think this is something that we saw from him last season as well. He starts the season out with great leg strength and is booming kickoffs out of the end zone and making long field goals. I don’t know if it is a conditioning thing or not, but as you’ve seen the kickoffs have become shorter and he has been short on some makeable field goals as well. It has not been an accuracy issue with him; it’s been strictly leg strength. If you see someone do that two years in a row, it may be something they need to address in the offseason, because those points become harder and harder to come by as the season goes on.
Finally, when the Redskins are facing teams like the Giants, Ravens and to an extent the Eagles, they are going to have to try to establish some type of downfield passing attack. Establishing the run is going to win you football games, but establishing the rush against teams like that becomes very difficult, so its nessacary to take a few shots to loosen them up. When you have a back like Clinton Portis, doing those things and establishing a downfield passing attack early, could prove to be the difference in a game because Portis can carry things so well. In the end its going to come down to the offense being able to score enough points to keep up with the defense. The Redskins defense has been great so far this season as a whole, and they’ll keep the Redskins in games with just about everyone, and it will be up to the offense to push them over the edge, which is something we really haven’t seen to this point.
I hope you all enjoyed the holiday.
With a very big game, with huge playoff implications coming up this weekend against the New York Giants, there are quite a few areas which the Redskins will have to improve upon to be successful against New York. Protecting the quarterback and stopping the run are the two biggest key’s to this game.
The Redskins have had trouble of late keeping Jason Campbell upright, and the New York Giants are among the best in the league at getting to the quarterback. The Redskins may have to provide extra help to the offensive line this week, and that offensive pass pro vs defensive pass rush, is something I expect the Giants to try to take advantage of. If you look back to their first match-up, the Redskins played the Giants well defensively, but were unable to establish any type of offense in the game. It will be crucial for the offense to establish Clinton Portis early move the football better than they did week one.
This biggest concern about this team offensively is their inability to finish a lot of drives. They are moving the ball very well, but are not coming away with points. I think the biggest concern is still that lack of a big, #2 receiver to go across the middle and catch the football.
I know they were expecting more out of the rookies in Thomas & Kelly this season, but that lack of a big receiver is what is hurting them. I think its too early to tell with those guys if they are going to be very good or not in this league. The one red flag is that a lot of it with Thomas & Davis comes from wrong route running, or not knowing their assignments. It is a big adjustment from the college to professional game, but it is something that really shouldn’t be a huge issue at this point. With Malcolm Kelly, its just getting on the field. I like what I’ve seen from him once he gets out there, but you may recall that a reason he went so late, had to due with this knee, and that has hampered him so far in his rookie season.
As far as the playoffs go, its going to be hard to judge. At 7 wins, I see two games in the schedule the Redskins should absolutely win, in the Bengals and 49ers game. They can’t over look either of those teams, because they will not win, but if they come in and play, those are two games you have to win. That would put them at 9. The Giants game is going to be a very difficult game for them to win, and the Ravens have another great pass rush, so that could create some issues for them as well. The Philadelphia game at home becomes a game that could prove to be the difference. The Redskins have had their chance to really separate themselves from the pack this season thus far and have not taken advantage of it, so they are in the position they are in now. I would say it’s a tossup right now. The schedule plays into their favor, but Atlanta and Dallas are both capable of getting in there as well.
With Shaun Suisham, I think this is something that we saw from him last season as well. He starts the season out with great leg strength and is booming kickoffs out of the end zone and making long field goals. I don’t know if it is a conditioning thing or not, but as you’ve seen the kickoffs have become shorter and he has been short on some makeable field goals as well. It has not been an accuracy issue with him; it’s been strictly leg strength. If you see someone do that two years in a row, it may be something they need to address in the offseason, because those points become harder and harder to come by as the season goes on.
Finally, when the Redskins are facing teams like the Giants, Ravens and to an extent the Eagles, they are going to have to try to establish some type of downfield passing attack. Establishing the run is going to win you football games, but establishing the rush against teams like that becomes very difficult, so its nessacary to take a few shots to loosen them up. When you have a back like Clinton Portis, doing those things and establishing a downfield passing attack early, could prove to be the difference in a game because Portis can carry things so well. In the end its going to come down to the offense being able to score enough points to keep up with the defense. The Redskins defense has been great so far this season as a whole, and they’ll keep the Redskins in games with just about everyone, and it will be up to the offense to push them over the edge, which is something we really haven’t seen to this point.