Tony McGee's Thoughts: Redskins vs. 49ers

[SmootSmack]

Former NFL great Tony McGee sat down with TheWarpath.net front office Tuesday morning and shared his thoughts on the Redskins 52-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers:

This was a must win game for the Washington Redskins. It wasn't important necessarily to win the game by a large margin, but simply to play well and win. The Redskins were supposed to win this game and good teams, teams with playoff hopes, win all the games they are supposed to win.

Offensively, I like what I'm seeing. The team is really starting to come around. I really like their use of the tight end and h-back position to control the clock and move the chains. I'd like to see them get more yardage out of Clinton Portis. He should be a consistent 120+ yards a game back. But getting those touchdowns was important for him and the team. It's a reminder of what they're capable of and it shows that they won't settle once they're in the red zone for just field goals. I also like what Ladell Betts brings to the table. He's a great number 2 back that's well suited for this offense. That's not to say that he's a better fit than Clinton Portis as some believe. This system takes advantage of both players' talents and is a good fit for both. Betts' problem in the past is that he just can't stay healthy. If he could show on a consistent basis that he can stay healthy then he's capable of being a featured back.

It's certainly not out of the question to consider Mark Brunell the NFL's Comeback Player of the year and reserve a spot for him in the Pro Bowl. But here's another name for you-Jon Jansen. While it's not as glamorous as the QB position, Jon Jansen did miss all of last season with a major injury. And now he's protecting the blindside for Mark Brunell, with two broken thumbs, and he's done a tremendous job.

Let's talk about the defense for a minute now. And when we talk about the defense we have to start with LaVar Arrington. He made some outstanding plays on Sunday. And I hope this wasn't just a flash in the pan. I hope he's going to be more and more involved in that defense. His conditioning isn't there yet, he'll get that with more time on the field on game day. But when his conditioning is back watch out this, this guy is an impact player. Nice job by the defense getting those takeaways. It's a nice confidence boost for them and more importantly it shortens the field for the offense.

We're still seing some shaky moments on special teams. Special teams needs to contribute more the offense. Good field position is key to any scoring drive.

Looking ahead to next week, Joe Gibbs should have no problem getting his team motivated to play the Giants at the Meadowlands. Defensively, they need to pressure Eli Manning. He's still young, force him to make sudden decisions. And take Tiki Barber out of the game early, don't let the Giants rely on him. He's capable of beating you with running or catching the ball out of the backfield. A dangerous player. Offensively, control the clock and wear that defense out. We need to be looking at 5-3 or 6-2 heading into the midway point of the season. 6-2 is definitely not out of the question.

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Be sure to watch Tony McGee's Pro Football Plus this Saturday at 11:30am as Tony answers this weeks' "TheWarpath.net Fan Question of the Week"

Tony McGee's NFL career started in 1971 where he was a starting defensive end for the Chicago Bears. In 1974, Tony began a 7 year stint with the New England Patriots and earned the nickname, "Mac the Sack." His unique ability to swarm opposing quarterbacks helped coin the phrase, "designated pass rusher." Tony's career as a Washington Redskin began in 1982, and included a Super Bowl championship. Tony ended his spectacular career in 1985 with 106 career sacks and played in over 200 games -- a feat achieved only by a select group of NFL defensive linemen.
For more information visit http://www.tonymcgeeplus.com