THN: What will the new coaching staff do to cater to your skill set to become the best linebacker you can be?

AC: I really don’t know because I don’t have an idea of what they want me to do. It will be a communication between the coaches, myself and Orakpo. Timing is of the essence and we will have a new learning experience.

THN: What do you like about the 3-4? How does a defense that is built for the 4-3 adjust to 3-4 in one offseason?

AC: The 3-4, when ran correctly, can be very deceptive against opponents. Blitz packages can create big plays in the backfield, interceptions, etc. We will have to take it one day at a time when we transition our defense to a 3-4.

THN: Will Coach Haslett implement a mixture of 3-4 and 4-3 or just the 3-4?

AC: I really don’t know what he will do. I have heard he has coached the 4-3 defense before but prefers the 3-4.

THN: Will the new defensive staff cater the defense to each individual player’s talents or will the new defense be scheme oriented? Does it matter to you which of those will be the main priority of the new defense?

AC: I am sure with the 3-4 defense the coaches will tweak certain packages, so we can be more successful with the talent we have.

THN: Did you learn anything about yourself during a tough 2009 season that will be beneficial for you for the rest of your career? Or did you already know how to handle stressful seasons based on your last couple years in San Francisco?

AC: You always learn something new every year. Similar to life, you have ups and downs but in the end you grow as a person. 2009 was a blessed year. As my career is winding down I will continue to perfect my skills until my time in the NFL is done. I know what I do is my job. I have to be a professional whether the outcome is good or bad.

THN: Was a change of culture necessary and why? Are things starting to change in a way that you would approve of?

AC: There is always going to be change in the NFL. That’s the nature of the business. Teams are measured by success and winning. When you show lack of success, everyone is always going to be evaluated… everyone.

THN: What kind of culture do you expect this new regime to provide?

AC: Hopefully a winning season. We are tired of losing.

THN: Have you talked to Coach Shanahan or new GM Bruce Allen? If so, what were the conversations like and what are your impressions of them? What do you like about what they’re bringing to Washington?

AC: I haven’t spoken to them. Both men bring experience and leadership to the Redskins.

THN: Have you talked to the new assistants at all?

AC: Unfortunately, I haven’t. I am sure I will speak to them after the Super Bowl.

THN: Do you feel snubbed by not making it into the Pro Bowl considering 2009 was arguably your best season?

AC: All I can say is that I played hard for my God, my wife, my kids, friends, teammates and the organization. All I can do is rest up and play to the best of my ability the following season.

THN: Have you been keeping in contact and joking with London [Fletcher] and Brian [Orakpo] while they’re down in Miami?

AC: I haven’t. I didn’t want to bother them.

THN: Even though you’re in California, have you been working on helping other Pro Bowl players try to prank Brian because he’s a rookie?

AC: Ha ha ha. No man, it’s [the] Pro Bowl and I think the last thing people are thinking about is pulling a prank on somebody.

THN: Do you like the Pro Bowl being in Miami? What are your thoughts on its move from Honolulu to South Florida?

AC: I understand why they wanted the change. But overall, the history of the Pro Bowl is to go to Hawaii. It’s a great spot to enjoy the weather, I’m sure fans from Hawaii go to watch their favorite players. Luckily it’s in a warm climate so I don’t think too many people are complaining.

THN: Give me your thoughts on the Super Bowl matchup and break it down for people. Who do you like in the game?

AC: I would like to see the underdog win out; the New Orleans Saints. I have to support two men: Gregg Williams, because of the history of working with each other in the past [and] the other is Scott Fujita, my old Cal teammate from back in the day.

THN: Where will you be watching it from and who will you be watching it with? Do you usually hold a Super Bowl party at your house or are you the type of player who watches it on his own and doesn’t celebrate it because you’re not there?

AC: My wife and I will be watching the Super Bowl at our house. No parties for us. Too much cleaning after all the guests have left.

THN: Update the fans on your progress on your recovery from surgery. How do you feel, how far along are you in your recovery, when will you be ready, etc.

AC: I will be ready to return. This injury is nothing compared to some of the nightmares I have seen on the field. The rehab will start in a week or two. I feel great and moving around well.

THN: I think the one positive (I don’t know if positive is the right word for this) I could take from the last two games is Jason Campbell’s courage and toughness he displayed after getting hit and knocked around so much. What does his ability to come back and keep fighting say to the rest of the team? He could easily say “You know what? Ownership doesn’t want me, the season’s a lost cause and there is only one games left after this” but he doesn’t and he keeps fighting for the team. What do you think every time you see him get roughed up but keep coming back despite the pain he’s in?

AC: It takes a lot of heart for a man to come back from being battered like that. However, it’s no surprise to me coming from Jason. He has always been a tough player.

THN: Last week Jason said he felt some of the players quit during the Monday night game against the Giants and it looked as if not many others showed up on Sunday night so I’m sure he felt the same way after losing to Dallas as well. Without naming names or calling anyone out, would you agree with Jason’s assessment, especially based off of the overall performance of the team the last two games compared to the previous four?

AC: It’s so tough to say because I am in the zone focusing on winning. I have to have confidence in my teammate that he feels the same way. We can’t always worry about the man next to us tapping out or not. We have to have faith and try to win.

THN: Do these types of big moves before the season ends and the fact that there will likely be no salary cap next offseason force players to think about themselves and where they will be next season as opposed to working as a cohesive unit on a team when game time comes? Is selfishness a reason for the lack of production on the field?

AC: I really don’t feel it’s selfishness. Even though there is no salary cap next year, that particular topic hasn’t been a constant discussion since the season has been winding down.

THN: The last two games were not a very good way to show off the talent on the roster to a new general manager. After the loss to the Giants on Monday night, DeAngelo Hall said if he was the GM, he would just scrap the whole team and start from scratch in 2010. If you were in Bruce Allen’s shoes as the team’s new general manager, what would be going through your mind witnessing these first two games and how would you assess the team?

AC: If I was Bruce Allen I would say, “There is plenty of talent on this team but a lot of work needs to be done.”

THN: The pass rush had improved immensely earlier in the month but was stopped by the Giants and Cowboys line pretty well the last two weeks. Why were opposing offensive lines able to stop the rush even with Haynesworth back in the lineup for these matchups?

AC: We have been unsuccessful in first and second down. We have been in 3rd and 4-5 situations instead of 3rd and long. When New York and the Cowboys have passed the ball they max protect with seven players in the box.

THN: What have you and your teammates said to each other late in the last two games when the Giants and Cowboys fans outnumbered Redskins fans and they both essentially turned into Giants and Cowboys home games?? I know you like to be even-keeled and mild-mannered but that had to infuriate you to see your home stadium taken over, did it not?

AC: All I can say is “Wow.” We need to win more games. I have never experienced that situation and it can be frustrating because it’s on our home turf.

THN: Will the wear and tear of a second cross-country road trip in one month be a factor in the team’s conditioning at all or will San Diego’s consistently beautiful weather cheer everyone up to the point where it won’t matter?

AC: Man, it’s San Diego. Great football weather in December. We will be ready to go.

THN: You had two sacks on Sunday but Brian Orakpo still caught up to you. Since you were ahead of him all year but now that you both have 11, is there any type of competition brewing between you two now that the numbers are so close?

AC: We compete to get to the quarterback but as far as who gets the most sacks, we never talk about it. I always mess with him and ask him to go on the left side when we are [in] nickel and dime situations. He shakes his head and says no. We both laugh about it but at the end of the day we just rush and make plays.

THN: Since the coaches have seen how successful he can be playing as an end compared to standing up as a linebacker, do you see him playing on the line with his hands down for the majority of the rest of the season?

AC: That will be the coaches’ call. Brian is so versatile he can do anything the coaches ask.

THN: Fred Davis declined to go to the USC game during the bye week and instead stayed in Ashburn and worked on his craft. How much does stuff like that get noticed by the veterans?

AC: Sometimes, as vets, we notice it and sometimes we don’t. We are grown men and when it goes to the bye week, it’s every man for himself.

THN: How would you assess the team’s overall performance Sunday?

AC: We won and it was a great victory. We played hard and the important thing was that we finished.

THN: Since starting out 5-0, the New York Giants have slid pretty badly over the past month and a half. While the records don’t indicate it, the Redskins have played better than the Giants over the past month and a half so this matchup will be much more even than the Week 1 contest, which is strange because of the number of injuries the Skins have dealt with since then. What have you learned about yourselves and the Giants since Week 1 and why do you think the matchup this time around will be so different?

AC: I have learned that we have overcome a lot of adversity through injury, tough losses, play callers etc. No matter what has happened, we have come to each game determined to win and play at a high level despite the team record or score.

THN: Were you able to watch the Eagles-Giants Sunday Night Football game on the plane ride back from Oakland? If so, what did you gather from it? There seemed to be no defense and all offense.

AC: Unfortunately I didn’t catch the game.

THN: Why hasn’t LaRon been moved to strong safety yet? It’s clear he’s not suited for free safety based off of all of the big touchdowns made against the secondary this season.

AC: This move will be determined by Coach Blache. I realky don’t know why he hasn’t been moved back.

THN: Devin Thomas was asked about the bad plays, bad calls and fluke plays that happened against the Saints. He’s only been on the team for two years but he said that it seems like the Redskins are cursed. Sometimes it certainly feels that way because three weeks in a row, you outplayed your opponent and put your all into it but still ended up losing. Do you believe in curses at all?

AC: I don’t believe in curses. I am a man of faith and in my mind it’s all God’s timing. Light will shine at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately we are climbing through a dark hole trying to work our way out into the open air.

THN: Have you ever been involved in a game with so many improbable plays and situations? The closest I can think of, for you, is the playoff game against the Giants in 2002. I can’t remember ever seeing a defensive back intercept a pass and then have it stripped by a receiver and have it taken for a touchdown.

AC: The playoff game in 2002 was crazy. The Giants had us beat but we kept on coming and we won. With that play you mentioned [it] will probably be on ‘NFL Follies’ in the future.

THN: Shaun Suisham was released Tuesday after his missed 23-yard field goal attempt on Sunday. He was one of the nicest people I’ve met since going to Redskins game. Amongst teammates, there’s a big bond. We all know that moves like these are a part of the business but from a personal standpoint, how tough is it to have a teammate that’s been around a while let go at this time of the year?

AC: It is always tough to see a player let go. That’s one of things I hate about the business.

THN: The Raiders are dealing with the same situation as the Lions, having Marquis Cooper pass away with Corey Smith this offseason. When there was a pigeon flying next to the Raiders players on kickoff coverage against the Eagles a few weeks ago, players said they believed that it was Marquis’ spirit following them. How do you think the passing of Marquis has impacted that team this year?

AC: It might have been Marquis showing up for the game. I really don’t know if his passing has united the players together. I wouldn’t put it past them. Hopefully Marquis’ loss meant something to the Oakland organization.

THN: Having grown up in California, what can you tell us about Raiders fans? Are they the West Coast’s version of Eagles fans?

AC: The Raider Nation is the term. I have met plenty of Raider fans and they have always wanted me to cross over to the dark side. The Raider fans don’t even compare to the Eagles fans. The Raider fans are more crazier and they dress up for game day as if it’s Halloween.

THN: If you could go back and alter one thing that would change the outcome of the game, what would it be and why?

AC: Hmmm. It’s so hard to say. When you play games that are so close, it always comes down to a play or two. I really can’t answer. We do wonder what would have happened if the two interceptions we had missed would have had a huge impact on the game. It’s one of those situations that leaves you guessing.

THN: Does a loss so late in the game after having the lead for so long have a different feeling for you than if you give up a big lead early on and never get it back?

AC: It’s all relative to me. At the end of the day a win is a win and a loss is a loss.

THN: What did you think of the stadium?

AC: As much as I hate the Cowboys, I give Jerry Jones credit when credit is due. 100,000 fans with a 60 yard screen. Great suites, nice field turf and a retractable roof. I foresee a Super Bowl in that stadium.

THN: Has the fact that Jerry Gray is reportedly a candidate for the University of Memphis job distracted the players at all?

AC:Actually this is the first time I heard about it. Ask me the same question next week. I really don’t think it’s a distraction. Jerry Gray is a great coach and I am not surprised if he was offered a head coaching position.

THN: The offensive line has come under fire all year and even Coach Zorn didn’t feel comfortable enough with pass protection to throw a third down pass with 15 seconds left in the first half. When you’re up against them in practice, what kind of advice do you give to the younger linemen to help them improve?

AC: As vets we give them advice on pass protecting techniques. They soak up the knowledge given to their offensive line coach as well. Now we all know he comes from the old school.

THN: How does your outlook for the Eagles game change after a loss to Dallas compared to heading into Philly if you had won in Dallas the week before?

AC: It doesn’t change. Even though we had lost the game, it’s vital we have short term memory and put the place behind us. What’s done is done. Our next opponent is the Eagles

THN: Devin Thomas has been on a tear as of late, showing tremendous second and third efforts on plays and even has performed well on special teams. What has changed in him? Was it just him finally having the opportunity to play as opposed to a change in him?

AC: It’s all about opportunity, and Devin has made the most of each game he has played in. He is in a constant rhythm and coming into a world of his own.

THN: How much did having Monday off help you and the team?

AC: To be honest with you, we still had to come in lift and watch film on our own. The Monday off is just an underline statement.

THN: The crowd noise during the end of the fourth quarter was undoubtedly the loudest it’s been all season. How much did the team feed off of that? How great did it feel to hear that as opposed to boos or a quiet stadium?

AC: It was a great feeling at FedEx. It’s the type of noise that you enjoy especially on defense. By hearing that noise we knew we had the momentum of the game. No one wants to hear boos or silence. You want to hear cheers and screams. I enjoyed every moment of the crowd.

THN: How would you assess Levi Jones’ performance and his impact on the offensive line? Do you think he would be a solid replacement at left tackle if Chris Samuels decides to retire after the season?

AC: Levi has always been a great player. We had a few battles in college. I hope he can remain with the team next year. I feel he can be great asset to the offensive linemen but that decision will be made upstairs.

THN: Along with the Redskins, Denver was the other team in contention to sign you as a free agent in 2006 and was the team your father played for. Is there any sense of vindication or different kind of excitement when you get the chance to play the Broncos?

AC: There was no hidden emotion for this past game. It was a team that I prepared for to win and that’s it.

THN: Do you think the new guys on the team understand the meaning of Dallas Week? What have they said about it so far?

AC: I don’t know yet. They have a little bit of an idea. When I first arrived in ‘06, I had no clue how much of rivalry [there was] between the Cowboys and Skins. I found out when I had first set foot in the stadium. In my mind I was like, ‘Oh, I get it.’

THN: Dallas has been up and down this year. This week they are coming off of a down point after losing to Green Bay. Dallas is still in the division lead but why are they so inconsistent?

AC: I really don’t know. Each team has there ups and downs. Regardless, the Cowboys have a lot of weapons and the matchups are going to be great.

THN: Does the fact that Dallas and Philadelphia lost after the victory over the Broncos give the team even more hope and a renewed energy heading into next week?

AC: We never thought about that. It’s a good analysis but what we did is just a start. How we utilize this momentum is up to us.

THN: Does it feel strange to you to face a division rival for the first time so late in the season?

AC: It’s not strange. In my career I have experienced playing division opponents later during the season. It’s life.

THN: It was written on the Washington Post’s Redskins Insider blog that Coach Blache said Albert Haynesworth isn’t the reason for your improved performance but you’ve said several times that he makes the people around him better, especially you. Why does what Blache says contradict with what you have said? http://voices.washingtonpost.com/redskinsinsider/jason-reid/a-helping-and-from-haynesworth.html#more

AC: I couldn’t even tell you. I do know that the sacks I have is God’s gift. How I am playing is God’s gift. I have always worked hard and prepared my mind and body for the season. My faith and focus has grown from 2001 as a rookie to 2009 as a vet. Haynsworth has been a great addition but the other men on the field have done their part as well. I have worked with [Cornelius] Griffin, [Brian] Orakpo, [Kedric] Golston, when Haynsworth needed a blow. I thank all my teammates first and foremost.

THN: What, in your opinion, is it going to take to turn this ship around?

AC: Faith and believing that we can get this turned around.

THN: Is the team getting frustrated losing to division opponents (especially on national TV)?

AC: I think the team hates losing period no matter who we play. The division opponents hurt the worse because it puts you in a bind when you are trying to make a playoff run.

THN: How did you spend your bye week?

AC: I spent a lot of quality time with the family. Took my son on the merry go round and took many naps, during the day. I am well rested now.

THN: “Urgency, heart, ‘want-to,’ whatever. I don’t know. We’re lacking a lot of stuff right now. The fans are losing interest. The more games we play, the fewer fans come. It’s getting bad.” That was a quote from Albert Haynesworth by the Associated Press after the Eagles game. Is Albert correct and does he have a point? How does the team find its “want-to”?

AC: It’s about making a choice. We can choose to play hard and win or chose to be inconsistent. It’s the matter of having the want to.

THN: It seems as the defensive line improves and applies more pressure to the quarterback, the secondary gives up more big plays. Do you believe that assessment and if so, what will it take for the defense to come to a happy medium and be able to provide blanket coverage in the secondary to go along with pressuring the quarterback consistently?

AC: I feel as a defense we are getting better. There are many things we need to work on. Tackling, controlling our gaps, etc. One thing we do well is play hard, fast and together. As a defensive line we continue to communicate and focus on stopping the run and rushing the passer.

THN: Is the defense blitzing enough?

AC: Greg Blache makes the call and we go out and play. We haven’t blitzed as much I think due to the success of our four man rush.

THN: Clinton Portis only had 43 yards and was the team’s leading rusher against Philly. What is the reason for his lack of production (for his standards, at least)? Is it because of a decline on his end or the troubles with the offensive line?

AC: I really don’t know. It’s really hard to say.

THN: What do you do to handle the stress of a single loss or even a losing season? What do you do to get your mind right and do you think your teammates are taking to correct measures to appropriately handle the team’s current situation?

AC: My faith, my family and the great men and coaches that I work with gets me through the day. In life, if it’s good or bad, you always have to have a positive perspective.

Since the bye week is almost at the half-way point, I thought I’d take a look at the things that were ‘good’ for the Redskins in the first half of 2009.

1) Albert Haynesworth – check last week’s blog to see what I think about Big Al and the way he’s played so far.

2) Andre Carter – In last week’s blog about Haynesworth, I mentioned the great season that Carter is having. So far Andre has 6.5 sacks, to go along with 34 tackles. He is consistently in the backfield disrupting the passer, and he has taken advantage of the inside pressure created by Haynesworth. He has also played much better against the run, and has 3 forced fumbles. If he can continue playing at his current level, he will have a good shot at the Pro Bowl.

3) London Fletcher – Speaking of Pro Bowls, it sure would be nice to see Fletcher finally make it to one. It’s criminal that he hasn’t already, but with 71 tackles going into week eight, he led all NFL players. As usual, Fletcher is quietly putting together another great season. Well, quiet in that he’s an unassuming man, but just ask Brian Westbrook if he plays quiet. London is the leader and heart and soul of the Redskins defense, and he leads by example. Sometimes it’s hard to notice how great a player is, when he’s so consistently great, but Fletcher is that kind of player, and has been again in 2009.

4) Brian Orakpo – Can you say real deal? This kid hasn’t even cut his teeth yet, and he’s hard for anyone to handle. There are many people that feel that having him play linebacker is a mistake, but there’s no denying that when he lines up with one hand down, he has shown that he is an absolute force. He has 3.5 sacks in his rookie season, and that with very minimal snaps at end rather than linebacker. It’s hard to move Orakpo to end when Carter is also playing so well, but the Redskins have to find more ways to get Orakpo up to the line. It’s hard for a Redskin fan to be patient waiting for a young defensive end to be used, when it’s so long since we had such a promising one. If the season continues to go South, it would be nice to see Brian get a longer look at end at some point, even if it means moving Carter to the other side. Carter isn’t really an ideal left end, so maybe platooning the two of them for a game or two, would allow the Redskins to let Orakpo get into a groove. He looks so hungry out there, that it’s hard to imagine that perpetual motor not coming into full effect and fully releasing the beast.

One more worthy Orakpo note – he may not be the best linebacker in the league, and have struggled slightly in coverage, but for a rookie to walk on to a starting NFL roster at a position that he doesn’t really play, is pretty darn amazing. The kid is a phenomenal athletic talent, and while others may have played slightly better than Orakpo in 2009, no Redskin has more up-side and future.

5) Chris Cooley – You can’t talk about who’s played well without mentioning Captain Chaos. He may be out for a while with the ankle injury, but he was putting together another good season. The Redskins continually fail to utilize him enough, but when they do, CC never disappoints – he’s one of the league’s very best tight ends.

6) Mike Williams – Surprised to see an offensive lineman on the list? Well I think it bears mentioning and acknowledging that Big Mike has actually done a very decent job stepping in after injuries to first Randy Thomas, and then Chris Samuels. Originally Williams got slotted in at guard where he did better than either of the other previous attempts (Chad Rinehart and Will Montgomery), and then when Samuels went down and Stephon Heyer moved to left tackle, Williams moved to right tackle. He has been effective in pass pro, and excellent in run blocking, and shown absolutely no signs of having not played football since 2005. He is a massive man, and has worked  himself into good football shape, and I think he has done a surprisingly bang up job. Kudos to Big Mike for the amazing dedication that it took to get back on a roster, let alone to play his way on to the field and play well.

7) Shaun Suisham – What can you possibly complain about when Suisham is perfect on the season? Obviously Shaun had a bad 2008, but it’s amazing to me that people just seemed to forget that his 2007 was the second best season EVER for a Redskins kicker in terms of accuracy. He is 9-for-9 on field goals in 2009, with a season long of 47 yards; it’s hard to do better than 100%, so its pretty safe to say that the Canadian kicker is having a good season.

8) Reed Doughty – While it was disappointing for many Redskin fans to see Chris Horton relegated to back-up status, give Doughty credit for playing his way back on to the starting roster. He has been steady and effective, and has 37 tackles so far in 2009.

9) Kedric Golston – The big defensive tackle continues to improve and contribute; he’s played very well along side of Big Al. Pretty good find in the 6th round.

Give yourself a break – think about some of the good things on the 2009 Redskins roster.

I know that it became a bit of a ‘comedy routine’ for some fans early on in the season, because sometimes Big Al just needs to stop where he is and have a little rest. He has been mocked accordingly for doing so.

I know that there are a lot of people out there in Redskin-land that think that the Redskins paid too much for the big defensive tackle, especially when he doesn’t play all of the defensive snaps.

What I don’t understand though, is how people don’t see what an incredible football player he is on the snaps that he does play. What I don’t understand, is how someone points to the fact that he has one sack, and deem him ‘a waste of money’ on that stat alone.

Are you kidding me?

Are you watching the games? And if so, are you watching the middle of the defensive line?

This guy is an absolute beast out there – an uncontrollable beast, that no one opposing player seems capable of stopping. As a matter of fact, there are an awful lot of plays that not even TWO guys can stop him. He looks like a man amongst boys out there.

It isn’t a coincidence that Andre Carter is having his best season ever as a Redskin. Carter is FINALLY getting inside help to make what he does on the corner, that much more noticeable. Carter spent most of 2008 in the backfield too, but with no inside push, quarterbacks would just step up into the pocket and avoid the pressure. AC was working his proverbial tail off, for what had to feel like nothing. I can’t even remember how many times Andre beat his man clean on the edge, only to find that the QB had all the room in the world to just step up and avoid the sack.

Can’t do that with Big Al around.

Can’t do much on the ground either with Big Al around; he sucks up everything in the middle.

It wouldn’t be fair to put London Fletcher’s success on Haynesworth, because the Redskin middle linebacker is, and always has been, a tackling machine. With 71 tackles, Fletcher currently leads all NFL players, and while it isn’t because of Haynesworth, it sure isn’t hurting any having him eat up so much attention. Hopefully it will be enough of a push to wrong the right of London having never been selected for the Pro Bowl. Fletcher and Haynesworth might be the only two Redskin selections in 2009*.

People even seem to get down on Big Al for the emotion that he has shown the last two weeks. Really? It isn’t refreshing to see a Redskin player that looks pissed? I think it is; and while sound bytes can often make something worse than it was intended, everything Haynesworth has said has been about the team and not himself:

“Urgency, heart, ‘want-to,’ whatever. I don’t know. We’re lacking a lot of stuff right now. So once we get to that point — where we ‘want to’ do something — then we’ll do something. But if we just keep going our separate ways, then we’ll just keep getting slaughtered like we have.”

Well it might stink to hear it, but what about that isn’t true?

Any statements that Haynesworth has made have been careful to use the word ‘we’ and don’t sound like anything more than bridled frustration. He’s playing his butt off out there, and there are too many teammates that aren’t.

I know that it is really easy to get bogged down in the tragedy of this Redskin season – but don’t let that cheat you of one solid positive – we have arguably the best inside defensive lineman in the league. In my opinion, Haynesworth is the best defensive tackle in the burgundy and gold since Dave Butz. He’s so good that not only can he change games single-handedly, but he changes every game; because he has to be ‘accounted for’ by the opposition; they try to double him, to run away from him – anything they can do to just take Big Al out of the game.

It usually doesn’t work anyway, and Haynesworth still finds ways to be effective.

In a bye week of a really tough season for Redskin fans, why not allow yourself the luxury of knowing that we aren’t going to lose this week, and that it would be a good time to try and think about something that is going well with the Washington Redskins.

Like Albert Haynesworth.

* – Obviously Chris Cooley is a worthy recipient unless his injury affects the balloting – and Andre Carter will be a solid candidate if he keeps playing like he is.

THN: Haynesworth apparently left to go to the locker room with about 25 seconds left in the game but he was also the one guy to make his voice heard and try to motivate guys and get them to step their game up after the game. Is that true? If so, why did he leave so early and what did he say?

AC: I didn’t realize he left early and I don’t know why. To be brief, he spoke about having passion and continuing to be the best in this game.

THN: How frustrating is it to put the offense in so many great situations and have very few
results come from them? Have any of the defensive players talked with any of the offensive players about that in private?

AC: The offense is doing all they can. Like I have said before this is a team effort. It’s vital we have each other’s back no matter the circumstances. There has been no finger pointing, bashing, slandering, etc. We have communicated as a whole as far as what must be done. Negativity with team will only bring the team morale down. We have been optimistic and will continue to be on a high note.

THN: The defense seems to have several inspirational leaders such as London, Phillip, Griff and yourself and you guys get VERY fired up for the games. Is there anybody on the offense that plays that role because there seems to be no fire or leadership on that side of the ball. That appears to play a role in the lack of production on the field.

AC: Even though they are injured, Randy Thomas and Chris Samuels have been leaders on the offense. Randle El has been an inspiration to the younger players. The leadership is there, and we know the offense is doing their best to move the ball successfully.

THN: What performance or play stood out to you the most against Kansas City and why?

AC: That’s a tough question. I saw a lot of great plays on three sides of the ball. Fred Smoot made a crazy hit on special teams. Laron Landry had a nice open-field tackle on a receiver and Clinton making that 78-yard run. A lot of people stood out.

THN: It’s safe to say that this is the lowest point of the season. Is the team’s mentality “it can only go up from here”?

AC: We can never say that it will get any worse. If we do then we will never put up a fight. Our faith and desire to play this game is strong. We will turn it around.

THN: The defense has been able to do its job against inferior opponents. Why hasn’t the offense been able to do the same on their end? Why, with all the talent this team has, is the offense struggling the way it has been?

AC: I really don’t know. I wish I had an answer. Watching them and knowing they are trying their best is all we can ask.

THN: You’ve gotten to know the Eagles very well since you’ve played them twice a season for the last three seasons. What is one common theme or pattern you’ve noticed with them?

AC: One thing about the Eagles is they never quit. The defense is very aggressive. They have the old Gregg Williams mentality. They love to blitz at any given down. The offense can put points on with a quickness.

THN: Earlier you said you didn’t know why the fans are booing. Now do you have a better understanding?

AC: I have heard mix reviews. I just hope that we can all come together.

THN: Does the booing really affect the players? Why or why not?

AC: We have to focus on our opponents and win. The rest will take care of itself.

THN: The Eagles certainly have a better offensive line than the Kansas City Chiefs. As was stated before, you know them pretty well by now. What will it take for you and the defense to get to McNabb like you did against Cassel?

AC: Like any game it’s important to study your opponent. Know their strengths and weakness and exploit them. Communication with teammates is vital when it comes to setting up pass rush moves.