Orakpo and Carriker Done for Season

Let's not forget that Nield is also on IR (and folks thought we'd be seeing good stuff from him this year too), as are Minnifield and Bernstine. To have lost two defensive starters and three depth guys -- and only 5 quarters into the season -- is pretty rough. I know injuries happen (look at the Packers two years ago), but it isn't as though we had great depth to begin with.

The person I feel sorriest for is Fletcher. He has got to be thinking that he cannot have too many more chances at a ring with the Redskins, and without saying that we were headed that way this season (that would be overly optimistic), I think this likely ensures that we'd be incredibly lucky to get to the post-season.

Time for others to step up.

Speaking of which, did Cofield not play yesterday? He's not credited for a single tackle, sack, or anything else.

Cofield did play. But he didn't show up for the game.

With all the hoopla about Rak, Carriker is a huge hit to our run defense. Did anyone see our run defense yesterday? I love Rak but he is the 3rd best LB on this team IMO, its a loss and nobody you sign or replace him with will get you double digit sack numbers. Lorenzo could be an option or the rookie Kennan, Carter off the street as somebody already mentioned. You could move Kerrigan over to that side on obvious blitzing downs. We still have options but can't afford another LB injury the rest of the season. Losing Carriker was a bigger blow because nobody we have comes close to being a good run stopper like him. Jenkins has been a huge disappointment after all the intitial hoopla.

Cofield did play. But he didn't show up for the game.

Cofield is not a NT, when he signed here he said a DT's dream is to get the center one on one. Well he is all talk because he gets that more times then not and does nuttin.

Cofield is not a NT, when he signed here he said a DT's dream is to get the center one on one. Well he is all talk because he gets that more times then not and does nuttin.

Do not be surprised to see Cofield moved to Carrikers spot and Baker inserted into the starting lineup.

it's unfortunate but it's not like either of them were game-changers. orakpo is not demarcus ware, jenkins has the tools to account for carriker's absence.

we're not doomed, it's an opportunity for a antonio pierce or ryan clark to emergeBest post I've seen on this. Orakpo is a nice player, but many Redskins fans make him out to be a superstar, which he isn't. Clay Matthews was drafted a round later than Rak, and he is far more impactful. Ryan Kerrigan is too, for that matter.

After these injuries and the recent loss, this is how I feel:

http://i.qkme.me/3qlr9a.jpg

Do not be surprised to see Cofield moved to Carrikers spot and Baker inserted into the starting lineup.cofield/baker/jenkins split time at nt, jenkins/bowen/golston/cofield at de?
i don't know if baker and golston are enough to adequately relieve those 3 starters. i'd like to see another tub brought in to spell cofield/baker at nt.

cofield/baker/unnamed tub - 3 bodies at nt
bowen/jenkins/golston - 3 bodies at de

let cofield play any spot in the rotation

I like Cofield at DE. But more likely, Jenkins takes over Carriker's spot. Since Jenkins has been our 2nd team NT, Baker likely will be activated for the first time and used to relieve Cofield.

You seem to think if guys don't take every catch to the house they don't have speed.

Garçon has more than enough speed, he showed it last week and in Indy. Case closed as far as I'm concerned.

Robinson is also plenty fast. There was a play yesterday where he was wide open and took the lid off the D, as Tim Ryan said, and Griffin simply didn't see him.

For someone who seems so hung up on speed, I don't understand why you talk up slowsters like Plax or Gaffney.

Word...I didn't explain very well. I'm saying these guys don't have game-breaking speed like Fitz, Wallace etc to burn the defender(s). That's all. Neither do we have a big target type guy who can consistently bring in the jump ball. We've got a nice WR corp, but nothing elite in any facet of the things that make WRs elite e.g. size, speed, or the uncanny skill to consistently create space and create plays from nothing.

At least with Plax we have a big target who would undoubtedly help in the endzone, and would UNDOUBTEDLY help in the situations Kyle keeps putting RGIII into with WRs and defenders concentrated in pockets down-field. It drove me nuts yesterday, but that's a whole nuther topic and I need to rewatch the game to break it down.

Word...I didn't explain very well. I'm saying these guys don't have game-breaking speed like Fitz, Wallace etc to burn the defender(s). That's all. Neither do we have a big target type guy who can consistently bring in the jump ball. We've got a nice WR corp, but nothing elite in any facet of the things that make WRs elite e.g. size, speed, or the uncanny skill to consistently create space and create plays from nothing.

At least with Plax we have a big target who would undoubtedly help in the endzone, and would UNDOUBTEDLY help in the situations Kyle keeps putting RGIII into with WRs and defenders concentrated in pockets down-field. It drove me nuts yesterday, but that's a whole nuther topic and I need to rewatch the game to break it down.

No we don't have a burner like Wallace, not many teams do.

We're only 2 games in, I think we need to give things a little more time to play out. The WR spot isn't high on our needs. Getting Garcon back would really help. And someone like Robinson is still developing.