As the Skins prepare to play the New Orleans Saints, it is worth remembering what happened the last time these two teams tangled. It was 2006. The Redskins were terrible — as they were last Thursday. The Saints were very good, especially on offense — as they were last Sunday. The Saints wound up going to the NFC Championship game, but the Redskins finished with a losing record. Nevertheless, the Redskins won that game 16-10, behind some great defense, good blocking from the offensive line, and a punishing running game led by Ladell Betts [119 yards]. What got it done for the Redskins was a great performance from the offensive line that allowed QB Jason Campbell to take his time in the pocket and a defense that refused to permit any big plays for the super-potent Saints offense. Can the Redskins rise up from the dregs to shock the Saints again? I don’t know, but I’m sure they’ll have to play a lot better than they did last Thursday against the Giants. The offensive line needs to reclaim its old form [old being part of the problem, I'm afraid] and the defense has to play one of its best games of the season. This won’t be easy.
The Redskins offense really needs to improve. Much has been made of Washington’s 3-13 conversion ratio on third downs. That’s not good and not being able to convert a 3rd and 1 was particularly galling. However, that was the exception. Most of the time, the Redskins failed on 1st and 2nd down, making a 3rd down conversion much less likely. On average, the Redskins needed 8.2 yards on 3rd down to make a first down. That means they were averaging less than 1 yard per play on 1st and 2nd down. That’s awful. TB Clinton Portis is good enough for at least a couple of yards per down. Where was the offensive line last Thursday against a beat-up Giants front four?
Here’s a bit of advice: THROW TO CHRIS COOLEY!! Why was Cooley’s first catch in the 4th quarter? He’s the team’s only most reliable pass-catcher. I don’t understand how a west coast offense, which normally relies on Cooley’s position for offense, completely neglected Cooley for almost the entire game. For that matter, how could any offense ignore Chris Cooley for almost the entire game. Throw to Chris Cooley. It’ll help. I promise.
Jason Campbell’s performance last Thursday night — which didn’t look that bad statistically, but was pretty bad if you actually watched the game — has focused a lot of attention on the young quarterback. That’s the price of being a highly-paid player. However, Campbell’s offensive teammates are trying to come to his rescue, taking some of the blame themselves.
“It’s not just about J.C.,” wide receiver Santana Moss said. “J.C. has to do his job, but we’ve all got jobs to do.”
…
In the locker room after the game, Moss and Campbell spoke about what went wrong, “but I don’t think [Campbell] should be the only person I said something to,” Moss said. “Yeah, I said something to him, but I didn’t say nothing to him almost as if he did something wrong, or he didn’t do something right.”
It’s good of Moss to do that and he has a point. The offensive line didn’t do a good job protecting Campbell or opening holes for TB Clinton Portis. Moss himself dropped a pass or two, something that has become worryingly common for him. However, this is the year of Jason Campbell. That’s just how it is. No more excuses will be accepted or believed by the team’s fan base. [I don't think I'm simply writing for myself here.] Campbell has to show he’s a real starting NFL QB this season or the team must go in a different direction. Campbell has time and opportunity. Now he has to produce. Or else.
Campbell himself is trying to be honest and realistic about where the offense is right now.
He is making it clear that the Redskins will have to find a way to scratch out a few victories until he and his teammates have mastered the offense.
These are not reassuring words from a quarterback who was sidelined after sustaining a dislocated left kneecap in the 13th game last season, when backup Todd Collins rallied the Redskins to three consecutive wins and a playoff berth.
You can debate whether Campbell would have been able to orchestrate that season-saving push. That it is worthy of debate reveals the uncertainty that envelops Campbell, who seemingly has the size, arm and temperament to be a first-rate quarterback.
But does he have that sense of assurance to make a play that is not self-evident, to spin away from a potential sack and complete a pass that sucks the life out of the opposition?
Meanwhile, Head Coach Jim Zorn thinks he and Campbell have all the time in the world.
Zorn suggests part of the 2008 season will be about Campbell getting acclimated to the West Coast offense and that he will be a whole lot more proficient in the system next season. That outlook does not inspire the faithful or lend itself to hope.
I’m not sure Zorn realizes how much pressure there will be on him if this season goes sour. What he’s experienced so far is nothing. I think this is a rebuilding year. I don’t think the Redskins were very good last season and I don’t think they deserved to be in the playoffs. [In the AFC, they wouldn't have gotten a sniff at January football.] I don’t think the Redskins should be 4-12 this season, but they shouldn’t be 12-4 or even 10-6 either. The offensive line is old and battered, their top defensive acquisition is injured, the loss of Sean Taylor will be felt for years to come [you just don't shrug off the loss of your team's best player on offense or defense], Laron Landry doesn’t look up to speed to me, Carlos Rogers doesn’t look as good as he did last year, when he wasn’t all that good anyway, and Rocky McIntosh is clearly nowhere close to the player he was before being injured. The Redskins do have some real talent on both sides of the ball and are very well coached defensively. They should and will win some games this year, including some games that will surprise a lot of people. But they don’t look like a playoff team to me. They haven’t for quite some time.
Khary Campbell, a versatile backup linebacker and special teams standout, should return to practice today. He was held out of practice on Monday due to a build-up of blood quadriceps that limited his movement. The blood has been drained and Campbell is back in fighting form.
The Saints are grateful for the opportunity to focus on football instead of the series of hurricanes that have devastated their city and region in the past 3 years.
Dan Steinberg of Washington Post’s invaluable Sports Bog has compiled some of the best hysterical reactions to Washington’s dismal 16-7 loss to the Giants last Thursday night. This is my favorite, courtesy of Dan Daly of The Washington Times:
Second quarter, 10:59 left. It was at that point Thursday night, sad to say, that the words “first pick in the draft” first popped into my head. Let’s face it, folks, it’s never a good sign when you start thinking about the 2009 draft less than 20 minutes into the 2008 season opener.
There are other good ones, though, so go read it all.
Discuss this in Redskins Park with other DC sports fans!
Possibly Related Posts:
- El-Bashir leaving Post Caps beat
- All things Adam Dunn this morning
- Redskins training camp countdown
- Nats minor report: Jordan Zimmerman issue
- 4th round pick: P AJ Cole
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