Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst

Davis was open underneath, so the call wasn't the problem, McNabb just didn't see him for whatever reason.

This bugs me a bit. I know we have a playmaking QB that will take a shot down the field. And someone told me during the game thread that we are up there in the league in terms of long yardage plays. But it's just very disheartening to see a wasted throw on a deep bomb to a guy in double coverage. I do think that pressure had a lot to do with this...it's just that I think this is the second time I see McNabb throwing a bomb to a covered guy when we needed just a few yards to get the first down.

Best

-ATV! All you non-believers can now go choke on your Hatorainerade
-Orakpo. Overall a so-so game to be honest, but made a huge play when we needed it. Star players do that
-"Fight for Old DC": Considering we didn't play our best, the fact that we fought with the Colts to the end is a positive sign
-Trent Williams: Still not fully healthy, but he's been impressive throughout his initial baptism by fire these past few weeks

Worst

-3rd and 1: I'm still shaking my head over that playcall. Simply made no sense to me
-Cooley: Missed a couple of necessary catches. Not saying either was easy. But you need to make the tough catches.
-Keiland Williams: There were a couple of times when he should have popped up for a quick screen that McNabb could turn to, and he didn't
-Fred Davis: When time is a factor, it's stupid to start jawing with a defender and let the clock run down more. And back to that 3rd and 1, just before that on 2nd and 6 Davis got 5 yards. Fight for that extra yard
-Kareem Moore: I've come to expect it from Rogers, though it's still inexcusable. But Moore has had a knack for getting the ball.
-Special teams penalties: Becoming too much of a pattern for this team

I think when the season started most of us had us losing to the Colts (I had us losing to the Packers, and beating the Colts though) and while it's true there is no such thing as "moral victories" there is such a thing as building an identity and fighting. Our identity is now a team that you have to take seriously and one that doesn't give up until the final clock. Just a little more air under that McNabb pass to Galloway at the end and we're 4-2. But if we're going to lose a game, good to lose this one. Now we need to pick up wins against the Bears and Lions and rack up the NFC wins.

This bugs me a bit. I know we have a playmaking QB that will take a shot down the field. And someone told me during the game thread that we are up there in the league in terms of long yardage plays. But it's just very disheartening to see a wasted throw on a deep bomb to a guy in double coverage. I do think that pressure had a lot to do with this...it's just that I think this is the second time I see McNabb throwing a bomb to a covered guy when we needed just a few yards to get the first down.

Probably.

Still, I'll definitely take his aggressiveness over what we saw the past few years. And damn, that last play that got picked was just inches away from being a miracle bomb for the win.

479 yds. of offense given up, even to the Colts is not good = worst.

Youth making it's mark, Armstrong, Banks, Torain and Alexander [among others] which bodes well for the future = best.

The team is struggling to find consistency on both sides of the ball. It's going to be difficult to adaquately define what this team is all about until answers are found for the struggles.

Positives:
-60 minutes of effort and committed football, a welcome change from the past decade-plus.
-Torrain getting more comfortable and effective.
-Rak still causing problems in opponents backfields. Cutler is soiling his shorts right about now because he knows that it's gonna be a long Sunday next week.
-We're done with the QB gauntlet part (Vick, Rodgers, Manning) of our schedule. I think our schedule gets easier from this portion and most 'analysts' would have had us at 1-5 at this point in the season so I am optimistic about our season.
-Lo Ax is a beast. He's well on his way to becoming a franchise favorite because of his effort and what he represents.
-Landry continuing at mostly an All Pro level. He's still a sucker for a play-fake but he's playing great.

Negatives-
-Kyle's play calling in the red zone. I don't know why he always seems to get cute in the red zone. In short yardage let's either man up or run simple routes. Pump left, spin and throw right is fine on the 30, not the 3.
-Rogers, Rogers, Rogers. Man, he has the worst hands on a human. Yeah, I get the argument that at least he's in position to make the plays but you have to MAKE THE PLAYS! At least 30% of the time, damn man-you're a pro!!!
-Cooley's concussion. While I love seeing Davis getting more time, Cooley's a proven commodity and we need his production.
-McNabb's decision making. I have been pretty hands off in my criticism of him, but his last 2 throws (4th and 10 bomb & last pick) were ones that seemed like major forces.

** Bonus negative **-Cris Collinsworth. Everything he says just annoys the sh*t out of me. Manning is already annoying but listening to Collinsworth stroke him for calling out a snap cadence for 3 hours was just friggin torture.

I'll point the things that need to be resolved and haven't yet:

Stop stupid penalties on special teams during returns, again they hurt the team last night twice.

Learn to stop the run up the middle, it's been killing the team all season.

Stop biting on play action, it's actually improved but needs more work.

Play or trade AH, this drama has gone too long.

Cut Roydell Williams and promote Austin.

Davis was open underneath, so the call wasn't the problem, McNabb just didn't see him for whatever reason.

I think and just speculation, if that is 47 open there he hits him. When Cooley went out he took away a big target, Donovan has to learn to look for 86 to.

I think and just speculation, if that is 47 open there he hits him. When Cooley went out he took away a big target, Donovan has to learn to look for 86 to.

Davis did have 3 catches when Cooley went out, so it's not like he was invisible out there. I think DM just rushed that play, whether it was due to pressure or not I don't recall.

Good:
Physicality, Trent did about as good a job as possible given that he is working with one leg, McNabb extended plays about 6 times, AA got the job done.

Bad:
Well we lost...there was a lot of bad but fixable stuff I think. I don't want to harp on it.

Hadn't realized Cooley kept playing after he got banged up. Glad Shanahan saw it and put a stop to it before it got worse

D.C. Sports Bog - Fred Davis: Cooley played with his concussion (http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2010/10/fred_davis_cooley_played_with.html)