Hi there. I’d ask you if you come here often, to this Redskins bar at the corner of Frustration Street and Disappoinment Avenue, but I’ve seen you here before many times this year, so I know the answer to that question. I’d prefer to go the Redskins bar at Superexcited Square, which borders Playoff Plaza, but that one seems to be closed a lot lately, and I always find myself here instead. Here, the lights are low, the music is depressing, and most of you look like you’re drowning your sorrows in your drinks. I leave here telling myself that I won’t come back here, and yet for the past few weeks, like a battered spouse, I keep returning.
I get paid big bucks here at TheHogs.net to make light of Redskins games, to find the funny that gets squished in between big hits and touchdown catches – and the Redskins are not making my job very easy right now. The first couple of poor performances had some funny in them, but this isn’t funny anymore. There are only so many times I can comment on the poor efforts that we see week after week before it gets old (if it hasn’t already).
The Giants game was discouraging not because of the loss, but because of the effort and execution that was lacking on the field. A win is a win, and so a loss is just a loss, but this game does nothing to improve anyone’s confidence. We can’t say that the Redskins played their best game, and simply were defeated by a better team – very easily the best team in the NFL. Instead, the lackluster Redskins head up north to play a stout Baltimore team that is playing with confidence right now.
We can all agree that something needs to change if we want to leave this part of town, and make our way over to the bar in Superexcited Square. The lack of effort, lack of confidence and lack of spirit needs to be reversed. I don’t care of Jim Zorn, Jason Campbell or the waterboy spark the change, but if the Redskins play with this dreary, gray attitude from here to Week 17, they’ll earn a spot on the couch come January.
Before I get into the drivel, please take note that while Plaxico Buress’ situation may seem comical to some, I look at it as a serious issue, and will refrain from making light of it in this blog. Aside from damaging his career, it also hurts the already injured NFL image, which needs another black mark like it needs another hole in the leg.inflatable camping tent
Extra *yawn* point. Jim Zorn had every right to be livid about the lack of effort that allowed the Giants to complete a muffed extra point after their first touchdown. A defeatist attitude led to a lack of effort, which is disgraceful. Even if we go 0-4 to finish the season, I’d like to say that the Redskins never quit. I can’t say that yet.
Beating a dead horse. Third down conversions are killing us lately. The Giants converted critical third downs early in the game, and scored points. The Redskins did not convert…..and punted a lot.
Executioner. Zorn keeps talking about execution, and he’s dead on. Not finishing plays, missed tackles, dropped balls (I counted five), blown assignments. It’s like every game the Redskins are shooting them selves in the foot….or leg.
On your marks…. Part of the problem has been starting. In 12 games the Redskins have led at the half in only three of them, and tied in one. If we can find a way to start faster, it’ll only help generate momentum into the second half, which we seem to need desperately.
Now starting in centerfield for the Washington Nationals… Ryan Boschetti! The way he waved his arms like he was calling off the guys around him, it was like he was Jacoby Ellsbury (too bad he can’t run like Jacoby).
Monkey see… Last week, the Seahwaks successfully ran two consecutive screens in the red zone. This week, Zorn seems to have picked up on that, because he ran back-to-back screens to the right side, one with Portis, and the next to Betts.
Hi, I’m Jason Campbell, nice to meet you. There were a few passing plays that generated more concern than a simple incompletion (or interception called back on a penalty, in one case). Moose kept commenting on how the incompletion looked like a miscommunication between quarterback and receiver. We’re now in week 14 – shouldn’t that miscommunication be long gone by now? I would expect that by now the two are finishing each other’s sentences.
For the math geeks. There’s no way that a 42-yard field goal should be iffy. Those three points are 17.341% of our game average. We need to have them.
Jinxed. As soon as I heard the words come out of George Michael’s mouth, I knew it was a mistake. I found the pregame ceremony for Sean Taylor (which I watched on Redskins.com) to be disjointed and uncomfortable, but it was clear that particular comment was a mistake.
Shot in the dark. There was quite a bit of discussion when D’Angelo Hall joined the Redskins, but you have to admit that the guy has been playing pretty well since he donned the maroon and black. A couple of picks, fairly tight coverage, and he doesn’t seem to shy away from sticking his nose in there to make a tackle. You could almost say that he’s been a shot in the arm (or leg) for this secondary.
Paparazzi. I know the networks have fairly free roam on the sidelines, but when Portis goes down in the second half and is lying in pain on the sidelines, someone on the training staff needs to step on the cameraman’s toes and get him out of Portis’ face.
Stating the obvious. Renaldo Wynn beat Jon Jansen one-on-one for a sack. ‘Nuff said.
Speaking of which… This is yet another game where the offensive line failed to create running room, allowed pressure on JC, and missed some absolutely crucial blocks. The improvement of the entire team starts here.
Maybe he’s watching a different Redskins practice. I very much enjoy readying Matt Terl’s blog, and I do so just about every day. And it’s not that I think the guy is lying to us, but I’m getting tired of hearing about how sharp the Redskins look in practice, and then watching them come out an lay an egg on Sunday.
Play of the Game. The Redskins had scored a touchdown on a nicely done reverse (it was good to see Thomas have a play called just for him), Hall picks off Manning, Sellers hurdles a bunch of defenders….and then James Thrash drops a third down pass that would have kept the chains moving. We punt. I’m not implying that the game was lost with that drop, but the Redskins were stealing the momentum from the Giants, and to drive down and put more points on the board may have pushed them over the edge.