Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

[url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2010/10/redskins-colts_best_and_worst.html]D.C. Sports Bog - Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst[/url]

If I'm taking one thing from last night, it's this:

[B]Best Feeling:[/B] Remember the swinging gate on Monday Night Football a year ago? Needless to say, Washington's professional football team will no longer embarrass itself in primetime on national television. You will be entertained for a full 60 minutes. "We didn't give up, like the Redskins of last year," Fred Davis said on Comcast SportsNet's postgame show.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

Honestly (to the surprise of many from the game thread) I feel that there are more positives than negatives from this game. While I like the moral victory, it still bugs me that this team could have easily beaten Peyton and the Colts

Positives:
- We held our own ground against Peyton Manning and the Colts
- We seem to have a RB of the future, and I think our running game will get even better once CP returns as the 2nd RB
- Trent Williams pretty much held Freeney in check
- Lorenzo Alexander is still a beast
- We forced and recovered to big fumbles

Negatives
- Roger's hands are not only terrible but they are contagious (see Kareem Moore)
- We can't drop 4 INTs against Peyton and the Colts
- McNabb's pick in the first drive

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

It was really a game of blown opportunities. I can't even get mad at Rogers anymore, I expect him to drop INTs. Moore on the other hand...

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

Our lack of a real 3-4 defensive line was exposed...again.

The fact that we are in a rebuilding year, of sorts, was exposed...again.

But we were competitive on national tv and almost beat Manning on a night when he was in a groove. That is satisfying.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

[quote=Ruhskins;749493]Honestly (to the surprise of many from the game thread) I feel that there are more positives than negatives from this game. While I like the moral victory, it still bugs me that this team could have easily beaten Peyton and the Colts

Positives:
- We held our own ground against Peyton Manning and the Colts
- We seem to have a RB of the future, and I think our running game will get even better once CP returns as the 2nd RB
- Trent Williams pretty much held Freeney in check
- Lorenzo Alexander is still a beast
- We forced and recovered to big fumbles

Negatives
- Roger's hands are not only terrible but they are contagious (see Kareem Moore)
- We can't drop 4 INTs against Peyton and the Colts
- McNabb's pick in the first drive[/quote]

Ruhskins we could lose 59-0 and you'd still find positives. :-)

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

Yea a L is a L but I feel really good about this team. I still say 9 wins

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

worst: playcalling on 3rd and 1 just off the landry fumble recovery, and to call a bomb on 4th and 10 on the 2nd to last series.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

The Colts are not the team they were last year. They lost to Jacksonville! But there were some positives...Really like the way Torain is running. Santana is coming up big every week. Defesne creating turnovers despite missing some opportunities.

But same old same old...defense giving up 170 rushing yards to Indy is pathetic. McNabb misses too many open guys, Moore is now starting to look like Rogers. Too many WR's running wide open.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

The Jags always play the Colts tough.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

[quote=Big C;749508]worst: playcalling on 3rd and 1 just off the landry fumble recovery, and to call a bomb on 4th and 10 on the 2nd to last series.[/quote]

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

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

[quote=Mattyk;749515]Davis was open underneath, so the call wasn't the problem, McNabb just didn't see him for whatever reason.[/quote]

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.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

[B][U]Best[/U][/B]

-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

[B][U]Worst[/U][/B]

-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.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

[quote=Ruhskins;749517]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. [B]I do think that pressure had a lot to do with this[/B]...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.[/quote]

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.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

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.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

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.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

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.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

[quote=Mattyk;749515]Davis was open underneath, so the call wasn't the problem, McNabb just didn't see him for whatever reason.[/quote]

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.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

[quote=artmonkforhallofamein07;749528]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.[/quote]

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.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

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.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

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

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

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

[quote=Mattyk;749529]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.[/quote]

Matty I know that 86 got targeted. I just think that Mcnabb would have been looking the TE direction more if he knew Cooley was out there on that play. He has been one of #5's biggest weapon all season.

I believe the pressure was fine and nothing to signifigant. He had some time to make a play.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

[quote=SmootSmack;749533]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

[URL="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2010/10/fred_davis_cooley_played_with.html"]D.C. Sports Bog - Fred Davis: Cooley played with his concussion[/URL][/quote]

He definitely didn't seem right out there.

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[quote=Mattyk;749515]Davis was open underneath, so the call wasn't the problem, McNabb just didn't see him for whatever reason.[/quote]

anthony armstrong was interviewed on the post game show on comcast and he said the play was designed as a deep ball for him

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

[quote=Big C;749538]anthony armstrong was interviewed on the post game show on comcast and he said the play was designed as a deep ball for him[/quote]

Yeah I get that, just saying there was a better option there that DM didn't see. I've got no problem with the call to take a deep shot, it just wasn't there though.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

Torain was simply a pleasure to watch. Watching one carry after another in which he gained ground after taking a hit was fantastic.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

There was absolutely no pressure in the face of Manning all night. You, [universally] cannot allow him to stay on his spot, step into his throws and just virtually play pitch and catch.

90% of Manning's throws come from within the tackle box, one would think the best way to pressure him would be up the middle, as demonstrated by NE a few years ago in a payoff game that soundly defeated Manning and the Colts. The defensive stratergy deployed by the front seven was, IMO an ineffective way to combat [or at least slow down] the way the Colts like to attack.

Now I know "if" never calls in sick on monday morning, so I'm not going to say 'if" we hadn't dropped interceptions, or if we hadn't done this and that. The bottom line is, we failed to find a way to win another close game. "If" the queen had nuts she'd be the king.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

There was [I]some[/I] pressure, but obviously not enough. The play where he underthrew a wide open Garcon on what would have been a TD Alexander got in his face, and of course the play where Rak stripped the ball out. Overall though he gets the ball out so quick, and they were running a lot of screens and quick hitting stuff.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

[quote=Longtimefan;749552]There was absolutely no pressure in the face of Manning all night. You, [universally] cannot allow him to stay on his spot, step into his throws and just virtually play pitch and catch.

90% of Manning's throws come from within the tackle box, one would think the best way to pressure him would be up the middle, as demonstrated by NE a few years ago in a payoff game that soundly defeated Manning and the Colts. The defensive stratergy deployed by the front seven was, IMO an ineffective way to combat [or at least slow down] the way the Colts like to attack.

Now I know "if" never calls in sick on monday morning, so I'm not going to say 'if" we hadn't dropped interceptions, or if we hadn't done this and that. The bottom line is, we failed to find a way to win another close game. "If" the queen had nuts she'd be the king.[/quote]

Like I said, you need to hit manning just like NE has in the playoff games, it takes him out of his comfort zone. I'm glad you also saw this.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

Good:

1. Our team plays tough and with heart.
2. Torrian seems good, I dont think he is the future
3. Overall I think the D played decent...I still think we need to add talent to the D-Line and depth safety. Reed and Moore missed some tackles and were outta position when Indy ran the ball.

Bad.

1. Offense playcalling has been iffy throughout the season. Last nite was no different.
2. Our Oline is still in the building process. Jamal Brown doesnt look like the past bowler, the interior guys are not consistent. We need to continue to look for talent here.
3. Missed picks..Carlos cant make the big int plays thats not gonna change. Moore dropped the easier INT though. I hope Moore continues to grow into his role as starter...hes not there yet. If he doesnt, we may need to look for talent there.
4. Run defense...Rocky out was bigger than I thougt...our D line isnt worth 2 sh*ts Kemo and Ghoslton need to be replaced immediately
5. We need to add a third down or change of pace RB. Sproles, Chester Taylor-like player good on screens, quick hits, with some speed. Effing K. Williams, Im faster than that guy.

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

Good: Torain overall
Bad: Torain on the edge a couple times. he doesn't run well in space

Good: second to last 3 & out when Buchanan & LL made plays.
Bad: That series looked like we were in a base defense playing man to man. Could they have played that way all or most of the game? This defense has some personel & scheme issues & I think it all starts w/the lack of a solid NT. Notice that Kemo wasn't in much if at all.

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Good: Ace will change his ridiculous sig
Bad: Ace HAS to change his ridiculous sig

Re: Redskins-Colts, Best and Worst
 

[quote=Paintrain;749522]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.

[B]** 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.[/B][/quote]

I would add a smackdown on Al. TWICE he mentioned the Larry Johnson/Willie Parker backfield. But that never was the story. The story of our backfield going back to the spring has been the emergence of Torain and Williams.

It bugged me that national sports people missed this story line all summer. But to bring up the wrong story line in October, TWICE? Lame Al, lame.

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They also mentioned once again all the coaches we've had under Snyder.

And what's up with announcers that struggle with Orakpo? I think CC said Orapko more than a few times. Is it really that hard to say??

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Rich Bartel would have thrown for 3,000 yards and 30 touchdowns in the first quarter alone.

Bring back Bartel!

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Worst:
linebackers in coverage - it seemed to me that manning was picking us apart with the underneath stuff, passing for 8-13 yards at ease to wide open guys. i dont know if this was a result of our linebackers doing a poor job of reading routes and dropping back or if blame should be placed elsewhere (haslett's scheme, ?)

Best:
special teams keep us in the game more than we deserved.

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[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]You know, i made peace with the fact that Carlos cant catch about 1-2 years ago so its not something that i realyl get upset about anymore. He would be a top 5 corner, maybe a top 3 corner in this league if he could catch so its not like he sucks and cant catch, its just that he cant catch. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]My biggest goat from this game was Kareem Moore. He just played horrible all around last night and made several key big mistakes, in addition to his piss poor tackling last night. Not tackling well pisses me off more than anything. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]Remember against the Rams when CP stopped playing in the second half after playing awesome, that’s kind of how I felt about Torrain disappearing for a long period last night. Our running game looked awesome last night, then all of a sudden it changed for some reason and KS started to get cute. Play calling was upsetting at times. What was awesome about Gibbs was that when things worked you could pretty much expect more of the same, until it stopped working. I guess id rather have stuff stop working then have things that seem to be working stop prematurely. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Verdana][COLOR=black]I don’t know what to think about our defense still. We give up all sorts of yards each week, but we also get turnovers and held the Colts to 27 (which could have easily been 33+ if not for missed field goals and turnovers). Is it better to keep offenses, like Manning’s, off the field or is better to give up yards and get more turnovers? Were giving up more points than we have in the past, but not by a lot so I look at that as equal. Id personally like to see a lot more 4-3 looks. [/COLOR][/FONT]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]I cant stand Chris Collisnworth either. In fact the whole Football Night in America cast sucks, besides Al Michaels. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]Sellers looked great last night, I honestly thought he couldn’t block anymore and he proved me wrong.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Verdana][COLOR=black]Trent Williams is a player. Tough dude.[/COLOR][/FONT]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]Ryan Torrian is fun to watch, I wish we used him more and threw some passes at him.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]Great clock management by Shanahan last night. This is really something we havent seen since before Gibbs 2.0, 6 years ago.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Verdana][COLOR=black]Anthony Armstrong knows how to run routes. [/COLOR][/FONT]

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yeah good call on clock management at the end of the game, that and Buchanon having a D great series to force a 3 n out gave us 2 bites at the apple.

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[quote=Mattyk;749575]They also mentioned once again all the coaches we've had under Snyder.

And what's up with announcers that struggle with Orakpo? I think CC said Orapko more than a few times. Is it really that hard to say??[/quote]


Right! But somehow he got Kory Lichtensteiger perfectly. I dont think i ever knew how to pronounce his name until last night. Ive forgoten since, but last night i said it outloud a few times perfectly.

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Yeah Buchanon looked great last night.

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[quote=freddyg12;749567]Good: Torain overall
Bad: Torain on the edge a couple times. he doesn't run well in space

Good: second to last 3 & out when Buchanan & LL made plays.
Bad: That series looked like we were in a base defense playing man to man. Could they have played that way all or most of the game? This defense has some personel & scheme issues & I think it all starts w/the lack of a solid NT. Notice that Kemo wasn't in much if at all.[/quote]
Torain had several nice runs on sweeps. Yeah he's more effective when running OVER people, but he showed he can run around them too.