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There isn’t really a sure fire way to wipe the bad taste out of your mouth from a humiliating 38-14 loss to the Dallas Cowboys – especially when it puts the nail in the playoff hunt coffin.
Seemed appropriate to celebrate the past glory with nothing left to play for this year, but pride.
So today’s wallpaper is “The Diesel” John Riggins. One of the most colorful characters to ever don the burgundy and gold, and one of the best football players too.
Thought I would break out of the Wallpaper Wednesday mould and do something different – and recognize a coach instead of a player. Well in this case, a coach who is a former player – Greg Manusky. The Redskins defensive coordinator took over the reigns from Joe Barry in the offseason, after serving as the outside linebackers coach the year before.
The Redskins defense has had an up and down season – how much of that is on Manusky is open to individual interpretation.
It was heartbreaking to see Chris Thompson carted off the field this weekend. He has become such a valuable weapon for this struggling offense, and he has already overcome a multitude of significant sports injuries.
But when the dust settles from a ridiculously tough loss to the Saints, Redskins fans that seem to have a propensity for disagreeing – would all agree that losing Thompson, and in such a grandiose fashion, was probably the most bitter taste left in their mouth.
Thompson had an incredible 10 games for the Redskins in 2017 – so incredible in fact, that the opposition’s game plan had become to simply come in and shut down the elusive scat back. And while more teams were scheming for him, they were still having trouble shutting him down.
Thompson led the Redskins in BOTH rushing (64 carries, 294 yards) and receiving (39 receptions, 510 yards) – an incredible feat, and testament to how tough the running back has been to bring down after a catch.
His play defines the word “breakout” and was the inspiration for this week’s Wallpaper Wednesday.
As I sat around trying to decide who I was going to make the subject of this week’s Wallpaper Wednesday, I found myself slightly uninspired. The only player that I thought earned the stripe on Sunday was DJ Swearinger, and he’s already been the subject of a Wallpaper Wednesday AND included in the Flight Marshalls wallpaper just last week.
So I dipped into the well and pulled out my favorite all-time Redskin – Mr. Joe Jacoby. Not only the greatest lineman to ever don the burgundy and gold – not only one of the greatest undrafted lineman to ever play – but the greatest offensive lineman not in the Hall of Fame. Disgraceful. And grounds for any Redskins fan to boycott Canton if they believe in the sanctity of the process.
He was on all three Redskins Super Bowl teams. He made four Pro Bowls. He was first team All Pro twice. The Pro Football Hall of Fame itself, even named him to the 2nd team all 1980s team. But still not in the Hall.
This week’s wallpaper Wednesday recognizes the group of guys holding down the Redskins’ secondary in 2017.
Until this past Sunday, that group consisted of Bashaud Breeland, Josh Norman, Montae Nicholson and DJ Swearinger; but following the return of the venerable DeAngelo Hall, it was impossible to leave him out. What a gritty performance from the 14 year veteran to come back from a torn ACL and not only start the game, not only finish the game, but actually be the one who made the very last – game saving – play by the Redskins defense. Kudos to Hall.
Early in the season, Swearinger dubbed the unit the Flight Marshalls:
It’s Wallpaper Wednesday again, and this week’s subject is the guy who landed on the injured reserve list this week – Mason Foster.
Why make a player sitting out the rest of the season the subject for Wallpaper Wednesday?
Well if you missed it, or have been living under a rock, Foster had a few things to say on Twitter late Friday night. The crux of which was that he was basically unhappy with how the Redskins front office had dealt with the injury that Foster was suffering from (torn labrum) since week two of the season.
Read MoreIt’s Wallpaper Wednesday, and a banged up Redskins roster got a bit of good news yesterday, that cornerback Josh Norman would be returning to practice.
Norman fractured a rib and punctured a lung in Week 4.
Being cleared to practice doesn’t ensure that he will play against the Cowboys this week, but it certainly broadens the possibility. And with Dez Bryant on the docket, the Redskins secondary could use the help. The Redskins defense has allowed 378 yards per game in Norman’s absence.
Huge match up this week for the Redskins as they face their division rivals, and the team between Washington and first place in the NFC East – the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite only being week seven, this is the second time that the Redskins have played the Eagles already this year, with Philly winning on opening day. Losing this game would mean that the Eagles have the critical first tie breaker of head-to-head record.
So Ryan Kerrigan and the entire defense are going to have to find a way to shut down Carson Wentz and the Eagles offense.
With Josh Norman on the shelf for a couple of weeks, Bashaud Breeland will step into the limelight a little bit.
Nicknamed Breeland Island in his rookie season, the Redskins cornerback will definitely be tested this week, as he will face former Redskins receiver Pierre Garcon and the San Francisco 49ers.
Despite losing a tough one to the Chiefs on Monday Night, the Redskins have seen a marked improvement on the defensive side of the ball under new Defensive Coordinator Greg Manusky. Before the injuries piled up against Kansas City, Washington’s defense was playing with the same tenacity that it did against the Raiders.
It isn’t even tenacity, there’s an actual air of nastiness to it.
Teams are going to start fearing a Capital Punishment…
