Yesterday, the Redskins played a huge game at the Meadowlands. At 1:00 PM, Robert Griffin III and the Skins played their first divisional game against the New York Giants. This was RG3's first rivalry game as an NFL quarterback...and damn, did it live up to his expectations. This was probably one of the most entertaining games of the week and of the Redskins season. From turnovers, to huge plays to escape acts to game-winners, this one will be remembered all season long. The game ended in the Giants favor, with a score of 27-23, but this game was up for grabs from kickoff.
The game started slow with a score of 3-0 at the end of the first quarter, but that changed quickly. In the second quarter, both offenses exploded, bringing the half time score to 13-13. This tie score was an indication of how insane the finish of the game would be. The 3rd quarter was full of turnovers and sloppy play, bringing a 13-13 tie to the 4th, where the Giants would come out on top.
Let's get specific here. Can we officially declare RG3 the Rookie of the Year right now? He is unbelievable. You cannot sit here and tell me that you are not impressed by his play. Griffin was 20-28 passing with 258 yards, 2 TD's and 1 interception. To be honest, Griffin made some mistakes, but the man is a winner. He literally did everything possible to win this football game for his team. He made a couple of errors, but he IS a rookie. People forget that. Obviously, the one play that will stick out in my mind, is the 4th and 10 from their own territory, where Griffin escaped 3 defenders, stayed on his feet and hit his receiver for the 1st Down. This was one of the most impressive plays I have seen out of a QB and it was one that was crucial for the Redskins to be involved in this game. Late in the 4th, Griffin hit veteran WR Santana Moss with a strike over his shoulder into the end zone to give the Skins the late lead. Regardless, of whether this won the game or not, it was a beautiful pass/catch/play all together. The positives in this game were great, not saying there weren't any negatives, because there were, but this game was well played.
Here it comes, the weekly "Let's Bash the Redskins Secondary" section of my blog. Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse....they surprise you. Surprise! This week was a brand new level of terrible. Aside from the two interceptions that were completely Eli's fault, this was abysmal. Giving up 337 yards passing shouldn't be acceptable. Allowing Martellus Bennett 5 catches for 79 yards, which doubled his season total, shouldn't be acceptable. Allowing a 77 yard touchdown to win the game should absolutely not be acceptable. I demand a change. As a fan and a person with a brain, I demand a change. With the absolute zero amount of say I have in the management of the Redskins roster, I request new safeties, corners, and defensive coaches. This is just getting ridiculous. If this team had a defense, who knows where it could go? But right now? Not going anywhere with this.
The season is in full swing. NFC East play is under way and the Redskins sit at 3-4 going into a matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Should be a good one.
Hail.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Monday, October 15, 2012
Week 6: Redskins vs. Vikings
Yesterday, I watched the game in person at FedEx Field in section 446, row 10, seat 3. This was the first Redskins game I attended this season, and it was a pretty good one to go to. This week for the first time, I believe that I can say the positives outweighed the negatives. This is a very bold statement but I think pretty accurate. If you watched the game yesterday afternoon, you could not help but be impressed by how the Skins played.
The Redskins beat the over-achieving Minnesota Vikings yesterday by the score of 38-26. A game that seemed to me much more of a blowout than it really was. The Redskins, overall, played their best game of the season. No huge mistakes, no punk plays, no missed kicks, etc. With the releasing of K Billy Cundiff this past week, the stakes were high for new rookie kicker Kai Forbath. Forbath was thrown into his first NFL game and launched a 50 yard field goal to put the Redskins on the board in the 4th Quarter. This was something Redskins fans were in awe of based on previous experiences with kickers. It is safe to say that kicking has been one of the week spots for the Redskins for a while. From Nick Novak, to Shaun Suisham, to John Hall, to Graham Gano, and even to Billy Cundiff, you really never had a safe feeling when a field goal had to be taken. It seems as if Forbath might have a little bit of potential here. We'll see what happens there.
The Redskins defense really stepped it up yesterday. The Vikings started the game with 3 drives resulting in field goals from inside the red zone. When your defense struggles, but then steps it up when it counts, you can win football games. It could have been an ugly game from the start, but the defense hung tough and forced 4th downs. That's a key part of any defense. 3rd down is where you can separate the good, experienced defenses from the inexperienced defenses. When you can hold superstar Adrian Peterson to 79 yards rushing, you also can put yourself in a good position for a victory. Quick stat: the Redskins are +9 in turnover differential, which is the best for a Redskins team in the last ten seasons. This is huge. Turnovers can swing a game in either direction and when you're on the right side of it, good things will come. The Redskins scored one (almost two) defensive touchdowns yesterday. That makes 5 on the year. A defense that scores points will take pressure of the offense and put more pressure on the opposing team. With Madeu Williams pick-six, the Redskins took command of the game and never looked back.
This game might have been RG3's best of the season. Griffin, playing with a mild concussion, showed no fear against the Vikings. In the beginning of the game, he seemed to be tentative to run, but as it progressed he realized that this game was his for the taking and he needed to make something happen. Griffin ran for 138 yards on 13 carries and 2 touchdowns. One of these touchdowns was a spectacular 76 yard run in the 4th quarter that officially put the Vikings away. This play was created as Griffin saw an opening in the line and knew that it was his for the taking. Griffin hit the hole and then outran everyone on the field. It was one of the most electrifying plays I have seen and I hope it continues.
This puts the Redskins at 3-3. Not bad for a team led by a rookie QB and rookie RB. This leads into a game against the New York Giants in New York. This will be RG3's first divisional game which could be huge. It'll be interesting to see if the defense can keep the game as close as they did this week against the Giants. The Giants are a good team, it'll be interesting to see how it all plays out. I'll take 3-3. Fine with me.
Hail.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Week 5 : Redskins vs. Falcons
My apologies for not blogging on Sunday right after the game. It was a busy week in DC sports, and the Nationals took priority. This post, I will give my opinion on the game against Atlanta and talk about the upcoming week and the future of this Redskins franchise.
So, as you all know, our beloved Redskins fell to the undefeated Atlanta Falcons on Sunday by the score of 24-17. On paper, you would be proud of the Redskins. Wow, keeping it within 7 against the NFC leading Falcons? Impressive! Right? No. But, lets be real, am I ever impressed with this team? Well, like always there were positives and negatives. To be honest, there were some very positive points in this game until about the end of the 3rd quarter. One thing that shouldn't be overlooked is the Redskins defense putting points on the board. The Redskins have scored 3 defensive touchdowns this season...and it's week 5. This is something that really throws me for a loop, looking at how mediocre the roster is. I know I've said this before, but really, this defense is so weak that it makes the Redskins special teams unit look half decent. That's saying something.
You have to cut the defense a little slack this week because of the high powered weapons that the Falcons feature on offense. From Roddy White to Julio Jones to Tony Gonzalez to Michael Turner, this offense is so versatile and so dangerous. It was clear on Sunday why Matt Ryan is a successful fantasy quarterback. If you watch how the Falcons play for one series, you can see the confusion in the defense. From the first series the Falcons had, if Ryan hadn't overthrown Jones and Gonzalez, the game would have gotten out of hand relatively fast. Thankfully, Ryan was a little cold to start the game. A positive note about the defense: Josh Wilson. Josh Wilson has had his ups and downs this season, but on Sunday, Wilson proved that he could play CB in this league. He was good in coverage without drawing any penalties. Maybe one day Wilson will develop into a corner that a defense can build around. Cross your fingers.
Again, I feel like this is a weekly occurrence, let's talk about Alfred Morris. Could he possibly be Shanahan's next 1,000 yard rusher? There was a graphic during the FOX broadcast of the game on Sunday, that compared Morris to all-time great Terrell Davis. Both were 6th round picks of Shanahan, and have similar stats through the same timeframe. I wouldn't complain at all if Morris turned out like Davis. Shanahan obviously has a history with running backs and it's good to see that this running back carousel that has been spinning for 3 years, might be coming to a stop with Morris. The thing that amazes me is his strength. He cannot be brought down by one defender. On all of his runs, it takes multiple attempts to bring this back down. That is one quality that is nautral and cannot be developed. Lucky for us, he has it.
And now, the most serious/scary/heartbreaking/nervewracking/crazy moment. Robert Griffin III was hit viciously in between two Atlanta defenders during a run into the red zone on Sunday. I know I am not alone when I say that my heart stopped for a second. Seeing him on the ground made me cringe. Was the future of the Redskins done? Just like that? Then, he got up. Thank goodness. However, he was diagnosed with a mild concussion. He was listed as "shaken up" with a questionable return. He didn't return to the game. After tests today, Griffin was cleared to practice on Wednesday. Great news for Redskins fans and for Griffin. Griffin says he will play on Sunday, while Shanahan isn't as sure. They're going to let this week at practice play out to see whether or not Griffin will start Sunday against the Vikings. Let this be a lesson to Griffin. There are some plays and runs, where he needs to realize that it's too much. He can't do it all on every play. Protecting your body and your future is ten times more important than stretching for that extra yard. Props to Griffin for his hustle and effort, but he has to be safe. This leaves Kirk Cousins and Rex Grossman anticipating an opportunity to start this week. Cousins proved he can find a wide open receiver and also wide open defenders this week. A below average performance for him. Grossman has never proved anything except inconsistency. To say the least, we need RG3.
A big change happened at Redskins Park today, Billy Cundiff, our glorified kicker, has been cut. WHAT?!?! WHY? He might be the most consistent kicker in the league...and did such a great job for us this season. Okay, but in all seriousness, this move was necessary. You cannot miss two 31 yard field goals in two weeks and keep a job in the NFL. Sorry Billy, but keep the ball straight. You have one job: Kick it straight. You just couldn't do it. Wish him the best of luck, but I'd start digging up that college degree. Now kicking for the Skins will be Kai Forbath, a UCLA standout kicker. Forbath was on the Bucs roster during training camp and was released before the regular season started. It'll be good to have a young kid kicking the ball. Give him a chance and we'll see what happens.
All in all, this will be a telling week for the Redskins. Depending on whether or not RG3 is cleared to play, Sunday against the Vikings could get ugly.
Hail.
So, as you all know, our beloved Redskins fell to the undefeated Atlanta Falcons on Sunday by the score of 24-17. On paper, you would be proud of the Redskins. Wow, keeping it within 7 against the NFC leading Falcons? Impressive! Right? No. But, lets be real, am I ever impressed with this team? Well, like always there were positives and negatives. To be honest, there were some very positive points in this game until about the end of the 3rd quarter. One thing that shouldn't be overlooked is the Redskins defense putting points on the board. The Redskins have scored 3 defensive touchdowns this season...and it's week 5. This is something that really throws me for a loop, looking at how mediocre the roster is. I know I've said this before, but really, this defense is so weak that it makes the Redskins special teams unit look half decent. That's saying something.
You have to cut the defense a little slack this week because of the high powered weapons that the Falcons feature on offense. From Roddy White to Julio Jones to Tony Gonzalez to Michael Turner, this offense is so versatile and so dangerous. It was clear on Sunday why Matt Ryan is a successful fantasy quarterback. If you watch how the Falcons play for one series, you can see the confusion in the defense. From the first series the Falcons had, if Ryan hadn't overthrown Jones and Gonzalez, the game would have gotten out of hand relatively fast. Thankfully, Ryan was a little cold to start the game. A positive note about the defense: Josh Wilson. Josh Wilson has had his ups and downs this season, but on Sunday, Wilson proved that he could play CB in this league. He was good in coverage without drawing any penalties. Maybe one day Wilson will develop into a corner that a defense can build around. Cross your fingers.
Again, I feel like this is a weekly occurrence, let's talk about Alfred Morris. Could he possibly be Shanahan's next 1,000 yard rusher? There was a graphic during the FOX broadcast of the game on Sunday, that compared Morris to all-time great Terrell Davis. Both were 6th round picks of Shanahan, and have similar stats through the same timeframe. I wouldn't complain at all if Morris turned out like Davis. Shanahan obviously has a history with running backs and it's good to see that this running back carousel that has been spinning for 3 years, might be coming to a stop with Morris. The thing that amazes me is his strength. He cannot be brought down by one defender. On all of his runs, it takes multiple attempts to bring this back down. That is one quality that is nautral and cannot be developed. Lucky for us, he has it.
And now, the most serious/scary/heartbreaking/nervewracking/crazy moment. Robert Griffin III was hit viciously in between two Atlanta defenders during a run into the red zone on Sunday. I know I am not alone when I say that my heart stopped for a second. Seeing him on the ground made me cringe. Was the future of the Redskins done? Just like that? Then, he got up. Thank goodness. However, he was diagnosed with a mild concussion. He was listed as "shaken up" with a questionable return. He didn't return to the game. After tests today, Griffin was cleared to practice on Wednesday. Great news for Redskins fans and for Griffin. Griffin says he will play on Sunday, while Shanahan isn't as sure. They're going to let this week at practice play out to see whether or not Griffin will start Sunday against the Vikings. Let this be a lesson to Griffin. There are some plays and runs, where he needs to realize that it's too much. He can't do it all on every play. Protecting your body and your future is ten times more important than stretching for that extra yard. Props to Griffin for his hustle and effort, but he has to be safe. This leaves Kirk Cousins and Rex Grossman anticipating an opportunity to start this week. Cousins proved he can find a wide open receiver and also wide open defenders this week. A below average performance for him. Grossman has never proved anything except inconsistency. To say the least, we need RG3.
A big change happened at Redskins Park today, Billy Cundiff, our glorified kicker, has been cut. WHAT?!?! WHY? He might be the most consistent kicker in the league...and did such a great job for us this season. Okay, but in all seriousness, this move was necessary. You cannot miss two 31 yard field goals in two weeks and keep a job in the NFL. Sorry Billy, but keep the ball straight. You have one job: Kick it straight. You just couldn't do it. Wish him the best of luck, but I'd start digging up that college degree. Now kicking for the Skins will be Kai Forbath, a UCLA standout kicker. Forbath was on the Bucs roster during training camp and was released before the regular season started. It'll be good to have a young kid kicking the ball. Give him a chance and we'll see what happens.
All in all, this will be a telling week for the Redskins. Depending on whether or not RG3 is cleared to play, Sunday against the Vikings could get ugly.
Hail.
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