The Redskins Are Close

I really think that the Skins can/will open up the points this week. In my FFL, I am starting JC over P Manning against the Cards. Lets give them a really good thrashing this week, and remind them that they are 19-0.

HTTR!

There's a fine line between courageous and stupid...you just shattered that line with an inaccurate deep pass.

That's great that you think that but please make a QB adjustment before the game starts. I have P. Manning in my league and as they say...always start your high draft picks no matter who they play.

do you think there is a difference between Campbells game day passes and practice passes? I know these guys catch balls in practice, so how much different can they be in the game?

I'd think that reps would help but they been doing that since late July and look how they are, or aren't, now.

I'm really interested in this lions game because we'll finally see how they react to the stress of this game and we'll also see if last week was a fluke or not. If they continue to struggle on offense against the lions then that will only thicken the plot for Week 4.

I'd think that reps would help but they been doing that since late July and look how they are, or aren't, now.

I'm really interested in this lions game because we'll finally see how they react to the stress of this game and we'll also see if last week was a fluke or not. If they continue to struggle on offense against the lions then that will only thicken the plot for Week 4.

I agree.

I want to believe that JC-Kelly could become devastating, because I think I have seen one dropped pass by him, but we need to target him more. In the video of the Rams game, JZ at one point tells Santana he had a bunch of plays "dialed up" for him, I want to hear that same thing for Kelly, and just work him until the end of the game.

I'll offer another possible anti-Campbell argument. Not one that I necessarily agree with, but since we're going to debate the QB position anyway, somebody's got to make the argument against (and SCSkinsfan can't be here all the time).

He's been victimized by drops throughout his career. Just victimized. But, what if what we perceive as being dropped passes are actually plays that Campbell's timing was off on and the end game was a dropped pass.

Specifically, (and not that this was Campbell's fault) the Devin Thomas drop in the end zone occured mostly because (in my opinion) the Rams won the play up to that point. They took away the first two options on the play (Portis and either Cooley/ARE, tough to tell exactly), and got pressure on the quarterback. While I think Thomas could have been quicker to flash in the hole in the coverage, Campbell's throw was low because it had to be low.

So Thomas gets blame for dropping a ball that hit him in the hands, and cost the team a TD. But while we say, "that's another dropped pass that's killing our quarterback" the drop itself was due in part to being a complete last-chance option on the play. In this case, it's not the quarterback being completely victimized, it's just a defensive win on third down.

So while that play was hardly Campbell's fault, the consistently high dropped pass totals is probably partially attributable to the quarterback. In the same way that interceptions are rarely 100% the fault of the QB, dropped passes may be less than 100% the fault of the receiver.

I thought the play to Sellers was actually a nice, well run play that should have been an easy TD. The play to DT was another one of those awkwurd, herky-jerky red zone plays for the Skins. Not to say that's an excuse for either the arguably poor throw or dropped pass, but it demonstrates a lack of comfort level with red zone plays. Plays seem to break down when they get down there. They look less fluid and more sandlot when they get close.

As for dropped passes throughout his career, I guess you'd have to look at each drop individually and make an assessment. What constitutes a drop? Were balls thrown low, behind, high? Did the Receiver have to make an unreasonable adjustment? And has the issue been compounded by being in a ball control, run first Offense that makes it difficult for Receivers to get into the rhythm of the game to the point that they lose focus and drop a few more balls than would be considered normal. Obviously, there are drops that are completely the Receiver's fault and ARE and Moss definitely had their fair share, especially ARE. But TO dropped more passes than anyone and the Cowbitches still managed to have a prolific passing attack.

I thought it was interesting that Zorn went to more running plays in the red zone, because passes were being dropped. Only 2 were dropped after all, and DT's was not an easy catch by any means. I wonder if he did the same thing after Campbell missed Kelly on the first play or threw out of bounds to DT or missed by a mile on another bomb attempt. I heard a caller on 980 Sports make a good point the other day. In the Super Bowl last year, what if Tomlin decided to run on the last play of the game because Santonio Holmes dropped that pass right before his game winning catch? Instead, he went right back to the same play just to the other side. Now, they were smart enough to throw on 1st and 2nd, instead of waiting for 3rd down, but that's neither here nor there;)

Okay, let's be real. We're talking about two games! Someone please tell me EXACTLY how many long balls Cambpell hasn't connected on so far? This year?

Anybody?

It's not that he hasn't connected necessarily. It's that they haven't even been close. And it's not just this season either. His long ball accuracy wasn't that great last year and was borderline pathetic for most of the pre-season. There was 1 long pass to Moss against the Giants that was ridiculously off and 3 against the shitty Rams Defense - Kelly on the first play, DT along the sideline and a bomb to the end zone that almost left the stadium. Do you really think opposing Defenses have any respect for the Skins passing attack at this point?

Probably. It's hard to say anymore. Clearly though, it was worth the shot. The only risk was that it bounces off of his body and gets intercepted...which actually almost happened. But that's exactly the kind of risk that you have to be willing to take.

Fans who suggest he should throw into tight coverage are just being naive. But it'd be a different issue if he refused to throw those low (or mid)-risk, high-reward passes because things might go wrong.

I think all drops are catchable passes, but I guess my bigger point is that perhaps just because a pass is "catchable" doesn't mean it necessarily going to be caught. If that was true, you could say that any WR who ever dropped a pass lacks focus and shouldn't play in this league. But then we'd have to break out the 3 TE offense.

Braylon Edwards led the NFL in drops last year by a hefty margin, but now with Derek Anderson temporarily out of the picture, he's actually having a really good start for an offense that is otherwise terrible. Brady Quinn hasn't had any success throwing to anyone else though, but I think that's because of the Robert Royal curse ;)

Guilty as charged, because I think Campbell should be willing to throw into tight SINGLE coverage more often. If Kelly or Moss is streaking down the sideline stride for stride with a lone defender, that ball has to be thrown. Happens several times in just about every other game across the NFL (and college for that matter). Hell, where are the passes purposely thrown behind the Receiver? The rules overwhelmingly favor the Offense, so it's ridiculous not to take advantage of them. The Skins were dead last in pass interference calls last year and Campbell having only 6 INTs (against only 13 TDs) is indicative of a QB unwilling to take shots. If he can throw 20 plus TDs and keep his INT total that low, then he's a pro-bowler who should get a fat contract from the Skins.

BTW, Braylon Edwards had his best season by far with Derek Anderson throwing him the ball. And TO drops balls like it's his job. Drops happen.

I really think that the Skins can/will open up the points this week. In my FFL, I am starting JC over P Manning against the Cards. Lets give them a really good thrashing this week, and remind them that they are 19-0.

HTTR!

Damn, I wish you were in my league;)

Realistically, a 3 TD day from Campbell is not out of the question. But how often would you bet against a multi-TD day from Manning? Never?

He had 1 last year, and the Lions seem to be a better team. BUT, he did throw for over 300 yards, which almost never happens. I'll take 250 yards and 2 TDs. 3 would be about a 25% of his yearly total;)

It's not that he hasn't connected necessarily. It's that they haven't even been close. And it's not just this season either. His long ball accuracy wasn't that great last year and was borderline pathetic for most of the pre-season. There was 1 long pass to Moss against the Giants that was ridiculously off and 3 against the shitty Rams Defense - Kelly on the first play, DT along the sideline and a bomb to the end zone that almost left the stadium. Do you really think opposing Defenses have any respect for the Skins passing attack at this point?

uuuuggh!...You just brought back some bad memories from last game that I was suppressing. He threw the last one you talked about from like the 30-40 and you could tell during its ascent it was out of the endzone.

We work with what we have I guess.

I think the bottom line is this:

If we continue to suck on offense, I'm fine with that. Just as long as the offenses we play, suck worse than we do. A "W" is a "W" dammit, and I don't care how we get it. It could be the 60-70's style football and the game can be hard-nosed, and end in a 6-3 Redskins win. As long as we are on top, it doesn't matter. Sure, we all want JC to be the next Brady or Manning, blazing down the field throwing 5 TD's a game, but that's not Redskins football. We are a tough running team, and we've gotten away from that for several reasons.....

Bottom line is that we need to get the "job" done each week, and walk away healthy, and with a win.

HTTR!!!!