Commanders Post at The Warpath - View Single Post

44Deezel · 01-03-2009, 07:55 PM

I think the best teams are the ones who get the most out of what they've got (see Bill Parcells). Here's how I think the Skins can improve the passing game:

1) Move the pocket - If the O line is struggling, then move the pocket or get good at HB screens and other plays that negate a good pass rush, etc. Zorn should have called more bootlegs this season, including naked bootlegs on the goal line. Campbell is good at making tacklers miss once he gets going, so I don't know why he couldn't rush for more TDs.

2) More imaginative play calling - we've seen Portis and ARE be successful throwing the ball (remember the TD pass from ARE to Cooley against the Eagles) and other teams made effective use of the Wildcat formation all season long. Look at what the Ravens did all year and the Steelers used to do under Cowher. They were good for 2-3 "trick" plays every game, and we're effective running those plays because it was part of their identity.

3) Get the backs involved in the passing game - I hear lots of complaints about our receivers, but the last time I checked, RBs were allowed to catch balls as well. Why Portis hasn't been more of a receiving threat during his career I'll never understand. Who were the Chiefs all-world wide receivers when they were one of the top scoring offenses in the league? Does the name Priest Holmes ring a bell?

4) Go to a 2 or 3 back system - Feature backs are almost a thing of the past. And even teams that do rely heavily on a primary RB get significant production from the backup RB (Chargers, Vikings, Falcons, etc.). The best running teams platoon their backs - Giants, Titans, Panthers, Patriots, etc. Having a consistent, healthy running game will help the passing game remain a factor all season long. The Skins can't continue to give Portis 340 plus carries each year. I think the Skins can use Portis, Betts and Cartwright much like the Ravens and Giants use their backs.

5) Get young and better on the O line - Campbell is a servicable QB when he has time to throw. Better play calling, another year in Zorn's system (this excuse gets discredited time and time again by other teams, but OK), better pass protection and the development of Thomas and/or Kelly and Davis, should produce better results next year. Remember, the Skins just needed to beat the Bengals, Rams and 49ers to be 11-5 and in the playoffs (I know, ifs and buts are like elbows). Someone said we used to have great receivers when we won those Super Bowls in the 80s and early 90s. No we didn't We had great O lines and pretty decent QBs (none of which are in the HOF). Rick Sanders had 9 catches for 193 yards in the Super Bowl for crying out loud. Who the hell is Ricky Sanders?

6) Encourage Campbell to take more chances - Maybe it was Gibbs that did it to him, but Campbell has developed a crippling phobia of interceptions. I know he only had 6, but his team also finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs. To throw for only 156 yards in a loss against a poor pass defense in a meaningless game is a sin. Let 'er rip! I remember when Brian Griese had 19 TDs and only 4 INTs for the Broncos. How did his career turn out? And I've got news for everyone who complains that our receivers never get open. It's the NFL. Receivers aren't always open. Receivers make plays ALL THE TIME with defeners draped all over them. And if our wide outs are too short to out jump the defender, then throw the ball short and let the wide receiver come back to the ball. The Skins once had a receiving corp that was so good it was given a nickname. That nickname was "The Smurfs". So spare me the garbage about our receivers being too short. The single best season produced by a Redskins WR was delivered by Santana Moss with friggin Mark Brunell as his QB. Where will TO, Randy Moss, Andre Johnson and Calvin Johnson be watching the Super Bowl from? They're living rooms.

The Skins had less pass interference calls than any other team in the league and couldn't outscore the first team to go 0-16. Maybe if Zorn gave Campbell the green light to take more chances, he would be more willing to throw into tight coverage. This would solve his problem of holding onto the ball too long. Single coverage is open in the NFL.

The bottom line is that the wide receivers aren't the problem. Most of the biggest and baddest receivers in the game will be sitting this year's Super Bowl out while a guy like Ricky Sanders or Deion Brach could very well be the difference maker.

01-03-2009, 07:55 PM	#47
44Deezel The Starter Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Davidsonville Posts: 1,783	Re: Our WRs in 2009... My Thoughts I think the best teams are the ones who get the most out of what they've got (see Bill Parcells). Here's how I think the Skins can improve the passing game: 1) Move the pocket - If the O line is struggling, then move the pocket or get good at HB screens and other plays that negate a good pass rush, etc. Zorn should have called more bootlegs this season, including naked bootlegs on the goal line. Campbell is good at making tacklers miss once he gets going, so I don't know why he couldn't rush for more TDs. 2) More imaginative play calling - we've seen Portis and ARE be successful throwing the ball (remember the TD pass from ARE to Cooley against the Eagles) and other teams made effective use of the Wildcat formation all season long. Look at what the Ravens did all year and the Steelers used to do under Cowher. They were good for 2-3 "trick" plays every game, and we're effective running those plays because it was part of their identity. 3) Get the backs involved in the passing game - I hear lots of complaints about our receivers, but the last time I checked, RBs were allowed to catch balls as well. Why Portis hasn't been more of a receiving threat during his career I'll never understand. Who were the Chiefs all-world wide receivers when they were one of the top scoring offenses in the league? Does the name Priest Holmes ring a bell? 4) Go to a 2 or 3 back system - Feature backs are almost a thing of the past. And even teams that do rely heavily on a primary RB get significant production from the backup RB (Chargers, Vikings, Falcons, etc.). The best running teams platoon their backs - Giants, Titans, Panthers, Patriots, etc. Having a consistent, healthy running game will help the passing game remain a factor all season long. The Skins can't continue to give Portis 340 plus carries each year. I think the Skins can use Portis, Betts and Cartwright much like the Ravens and Giants use their backs. 5) Get young and better on the O line - Campbell is a servicable QB when he has time to throw. Better play calling, another year in Zorn's system (this excuse gets discredited time and time again by other teams, but OK), better pass protection and the development of Thomas and/or Kelly and Davis, should produce better results next year. Remember, the Skins just needed to beat the Bengals, Rams and 49ers to be 11-5 and in the playoffs (I know, ifs and buts are like elbows). Someone said we used to have great receivers when we won those Super Bowls in the 80s and early 90s. No we didn't We had great O lines and pretty decent QBs (none of which are in the HOF). Rick Sanders had 9 catches for 193 yards in the Super Bowl for crying out loud. Who the hell is Ricky Sanders? 6) Encourage Campbell to take more chances - Maybe it was Gibbs that did it to him, but Campbell has developed a crippling phobia of interceptions. I know he only had 6, but his team also finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs. To throw for only 156 yards in a loss against a poor pass defense in a meaningless game is a sin. Let 'er rip! I remember when Brian Griese had 19 TDs and only 4 INTs for the Broncos. How did his career turn out? And I've got news for everyone who complains that our receivers never get open. It's the NFL. Receivers aren't always open. Receivers make plays ALL THE TIME with defeners draped all over them. And if our wide outs are too short to out jump the defender, then throw the ball short and let the wide receiver come back to the ball. The Skins once had a receiving corp that was so good it was given a nickname. That nickname was "The Smurfs". So spare me the garbage about our receivers being too short. The single best season produced by a Redskins WR was delivered by Santana Moss with friggin Mark Brunell as his QB. Where will TO, Randy Moss, Andre Johnson and Calvin Johnson be watching the Super Bowl from? They're living rooms. The Skins had less pass interference calls than any other team in the league and couldn't outscore the first team to go 0-16. Maybe if Zorn gave Campbell the green light to take more chances, he would be more willing to throw into tight coverage. This would solve his problem of holding onto the ball too long. Single coverage is open in the NFL. The bottom line is that the wide receivers aren't the problem. Most of the biggest and baddest receivers in the game will be sitting this year's Super Bowl out while a guy like Ricky Sanders or Deion Brach could very well be the difference maker.