QB- Richard Bartel

TE- Chris Cooley

CB- DeAngelo Hall

DT- Albert Haynesworth

RB- Clinton Portis

G-   Paul Fanaika

LB- Robert Henson

DE- Renaldo Wynn

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.

In a time when NFL stars often seem a world apart from the average fan, Redskins Tight End Chris Cooley is the Pro-Bowler next door. E:60’s Rachel Nichols profiles the rise of this unlikely NFL star, who has become one of the NFL’s most popular players by breaking down the wall between fan and player. Through his personal blog, CooleyZone.com, Cooley has made his life an open book–offering fans a “warts and all” look at the daily life of an NFL star–everything from taking out the trash to dealing with home bee infestations. From his second home in rural Wyoming to his art studio in Virginia, E:60 offers a panoramic look at one of the NFL’s most eclectic personalities.

I enjoyed the profile Nichols did on perhaps Washington’s biggest sports star Alex Ovechkin, and I am looking forward to seeing how this one turns out.

If anyone is interested, here’s a video trailer of the piece:

“I’ll sell it to women.” Priceless.

Ok, I admit it. The homer in me is thrilled with the result today.

The Redskins got a W. The offense found a little of it’s mojo, albeit not until the second half, with both a rare Redzone touchdown, and an even rarer deep strike for a 59 yard touchdown. The defense played pretty tough, and got the plays when they needed them. They consistently got off the field on third down. Tackling was solid.

Reed Doughty showed why he got the start today. This is an interesting conundrum… Horton has not been playing poorly… it’s just that when Doughty has been in the game, he’s made the most of it. Today, as the starter, he was credited for 11 tackles (10 solo). That’s nearly 17% of the defensive plays today! Again, where the ball was, there was a good chance you could find #37 somewhere near. As a longtime fan of a previous # 37, Pat Fischer, I have to say the he’s doing a nice job of honoring the number.

Despite his limited playing time today, Chris Horton is doing what he can to make the argument that the starting job should be his. He recovered the fumble which sealed the Redskins victory.

Albert Haynesworth got 0 tackles… but he did a wonderful job of disrupting Tampa Bay’s blocking assignments, and contributed to the success our linebackers had in pursuit… ultimately, that is why he is here. He was in on most defensive snaps, and appeared to play like he had something to prove. Good to see.

Kudos also go to Shaun Suisham… he was “Johnny on the Spot” after the late loss of Hunter Smith in punting duties, due to a groin injury. His kickoffs were consistently deep, and his punts, while not works of art, did the job. That blocked PAT was not on him.

Chris Cooley continues to earn his paycheck as Washington‘s clutch receiver. He added 5 receptions (including 1 for a touchdown) today, to bring his season total to 21, for 254 yards. How can you not love this guy?

Clinton Portis gutted out a painful calf injury to get 98 yards on 25 carries (not quite 4 yards/carry). It was a gutsy performance.

The Redskins did not back into the win. They needed to earn it. Good for them.

Did you know that curmudgeons tend to be a tad on the cynical side? It’s true!

I remain very concerned about this offense. It consistently finds a way to play down to the level of the opposition, and allows them to remain in games that should be won by the middle of the 3rd quarter. Today was no different. The offense wasn’t offering much help at all to the Defense in the first half. That was one of the most disappointing performances we’ve seen in a while (ok, it was horrid). The Defense, while not playing “lights out” during the half, played a significant role in keeping the game in arm’s reach. Of course, some help from Tampa Bay’s hapless kicker, Mike Nugent, with 2 missed field goal attempts, didn’t hurt either.

Does anyone know if the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to NFL Cornerbacks with severe hand-eye coordination deficits? Would someone please declare Carlos Rogers to be officially in need of an equalizer?  Is there any player in the league (including offensive linemen) that has worse hands???  This guy needs a league waiver to be authorized to use stickum, and I mean right now. Lets slather him up, ala Lester Hayes, and see what happens. It’s really sad. That missed pick 6 at the end of the first half would have created a very different game (though, I’m sure, the Redskins would have figured out a way to keep the Bucs involved).

The play calling wasn’t quite as scary as it has been, but I don’t think I’d call it satisfactory. A run game that can go right, as well as left, would be nice.

Can anybody tell me why Anthony Aldridge is on the team? We seem to have this habit of panicking and bringing in running backs whom we never use. Is there a plan for him? I wouldn’t mind seeing what he can do.

While I’m on the subject, why is Antwaan Randle-El still returning punts? Sigh.

Finally… 6 first half points in the last 3 games. Is that right???

I can’t wait to see what creative game plan they devise to keep Carolina in the game.

Jeremy Jarmon forced a Clifton Smith fumble with less than a minute to go in the game, and Chris Horton recovered.

The Turning Point…
Jason Campbell and Santana Moss hooking up on a 59-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter; it put the Redskins ahead for the first time in the game.

Game Balls:
Offense – Clinton Portis
Defense – Reed Doughty

Key Statistic:
3 catches for 46 yards (17,12,17) for Chris Cooley, including a 17-yard touchdown reception, on the Redskin drive that got them back into the game at 10-9.

Noteworthy…
Cooley had 65 yards on 5 catches – 3 of them (including a touchdown) on one drive; he could easily be given the game’s offensive game ball… Jason Campbell turned the ball over 4 times himself, with three interceptions and a fumble… Campbell had as many turnovers (two) as he did completions in the first quarter… Justin Tryon had his best NFL game with 3 tackles and an assist, to go along with his first NFL sack… DeAngelo Hall caught his second interception of the season… Bucs kicker Mike Nugent missed two field goal tries in the first half

For some of the game’s interesting numbers and statistics, check out By the Numbers, THN’s 1200th exclusive article in the database.

Other Links:

NFL.com Video highlights of the game

NFL.com Gamebook Official Statistics

Redskins.com Game Overview

ESPN.com Photos

CNNSI Photos

Oh, young Mister Henson… when you said “All you fake half hearted Skins fan can .. I won’t go there but I dislike you very strongly, don’t come to Fed Ex to boo dim wits!!”  Did you really need to add ”The question is who are you to say you know what’s best for the team and you work 9 to 5 at Mcdonalds”?
Ummm… Mister Henson… you are aware, are you not, that you are but a missed tackle, or two, away from joining the 9-5 crowd at Mickey D’s, are you not? Careful whom you step on while on the way up… they may be the same folks you encounter on your way back down.

You have no clue about the history here, do you? The Rams never get booed at home? Are your friends saying that Rams fans are satisfied with mediocrity?   They certainly don’t have the depth of history that the Redskins do.

How many trips now into the red zone this year? How many touchdowns? What?   Geeze… and you don’t think that the fans have any reason to be frustrated?

Now, lest you be a tad perturbed with me, let me point out that I am a fan of 51.  Thicker skin will serve you well.  Sometimes, there is good cause to boo your own team.  Yes, it absolutely SHOULD hurt your pride.

Gosh, being a little creative with the Red Zone playcalling would just mess everything up.

I mean, heaven forbid we call a power run play when we need 1 foot for a first down.

I mean, why would we want to kick a field goal and force our opponent to score a touchdown at the end of the game?

I mean, so what if we have a troika of tall receivers to use in the red zone passing game?

I mean… Yeah… I’m glad we won the game… but is it really necessary to put so much effort into keeping the Rams in the game, Mr Zorn? Young Mister Henson caught the brunt of a decade of frustration over the complete incompetence in DC when it comes to the red zone offense. He reacted without really understanding what was happening, or why.  He can be forgiven… but a coach, who, as a quarterback frequently called his own plays?  I don’t know… I just thought we could expect more.  Do you not trust Jason?  The receivers?  What?  I just know that the current state of affairs does not spread warm fuzzies of comfort among the Redskins faithful…  just in case you aren’t aware, scoring touchdowns is important.

We are frustrated. Today, Jason Campbell was doing many of the things we have asked of him… making plays, extending his time with the ball in order to get someone open, taking off when it’s not there… The talent appears to be there to allow a real shot at a run… but where is the production?  Yards are nice, and all… but they don’t show up on the scoreboard.

Whatcha gonna do, Mr Zorn?

***Of course, on the bright side, it was good to see our defense behave like a dominant force, and completely annihilate the Ram’s last gasp effort to move the ball to end the game…

Boo of the Week: Redskins “Fans” who were reported to be throwing objects at the players.  I have no reason to doubt Robert Henson’s claims that this happened.  There is absolutely no excuse whatsoever for behavior such as that.  If (in fact) it happened, I’ll not be disappointed in the least if there is video, and serious consequences are issued (whether by the team, the law, or both).

Mr Clutch

Was Chris Cooley in a zone again or what?  This guy was just awesome.  On the other hand, does anybody here think that Jason may be relying on him too much?  If that is the case, teams will soon put extra effort into shutting him down.  If someone else doesn’t step up…  man…

For now, let’s get started with LaRon Landry, Jason Campbell, two signings and James Thrash:

Landry Lands in Ashburn

The much over-hyped absence of LaRon Landry for voluntary OTAs has come to an end. While some fans were up in arms regarding his – or historically, any player’s – absence, Chris Cooley, via the John Thompson Show and transcribed by Dan Steinberg at the sportsbog, thought the whole thing was overblown:

“Well, I think it means different things to different players,” [Cooley] said. “And I know that sounds funny. But if I don’t show up obviously it’s gonna be in the media and it’s gonna be discussed, but I’m not getting released from the team and I’m probably not putting my position in jeopardy at all. Obviously for the young guys and anyone drafted and anyone coming up trying to earn a spot, it’s not voluntary. This is one of your only chances to show coaches what you can do, show coaches that you’re a dependable person, and so young guys get a lot out of this work.

“A lot’s been made out of LaRon Landry missing, and I don’t think that’s as big a deal [among] our players and in our locker room as it’s been made in the media. We all know LaRon’s in great shape, and we know two days into training camp that he’ll come back and no one will remember that he missed. So I think a lot of the voluntary word depend on what your role actually is on the team.”

As Matt Terl reported on the official Washington Redskins blog, Landry promptly returned a ball intercepted by DeAngelo Hall and then lateralled to him for a touchdown, leading some to speculate how much better he could have been if he would have been here the whole time [/sarcasm].

Skins Sign Two Picks

According to Ryan O’Halloran of the Redskins 360 blog at WashingtonTimes.com, the Washington Redskins announced yesterday that they signed fifth round pick Cody Glenn and seventh round selection Eddie Williams.

Glenn, the running back turned linebacker out of Nebraska will be looking to compete for a spot in the linebacking corps, while tight end/h-back Eddie Williams will probably try to make his name as Mike Sellers back-up at full back.

Zorn on Campbell

While many Redskins fans continue to speculate on the future of Jason Campbell and postulate that Colt Brennan, Todd Collins or anyone else would be better under center, Jim Zorn likes what he has seen this far from his primary signal caller.

Via Gary Fitzgerald at redskins.com:

Standing amid a media throng outside Redskins Park, Jim Zorn was discussing how Jason Campbell has improved since last year.

“His release is quicker,” Zorn said. “You guys see that at all? I see it.”

There was a hint of excitement in his voice.

It was perhaps an example of how much Zorn, Campbell and the Redskins have accomplished since the end of the 2008 season.

So, while some of us are pining for anyone but Campbell, Jason and Zorn have been quietly working to actually improve upon his performance from a year ago. What a novel concept.

Thrash Released

From JLC’s Washington Post Redskins Insider blog, The Redskins have released James Thrash. The long-time special team ace and receiver had been contemplating retirement due to a severe neck injury, so this should make his decision easier.

Thrash, the Redskins third receiver the last two years, was looking at an uphill battle this coming season, with the purported improvement of second year pass catchers Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly, and this year’s seventh round pick Marko Mitchell and Keith Eloi, who have both impressed.

As a James Thrash fan, I hope that he decides to retire and perhaps joins the team in a coaching capacity.

439 – Total yards of offense for Washington. The Redskins may not have put the game away until late, but it certainly wasn’t because they were having trouble moving the ball.

328 – Yards passing for Jason Campbell. He was 23 of 28 on the day, and hit 8 different Redskins with passes.

140 – Yards receiving on 9 receptions for Santana Moss. His longest was his 50-yard touchdown reception. Moss now has 658 yards receiving on the season – 5th best in the NFL.

127.4 – Quarterback rating for Jason Campbell against the Lions – his best NFL game total ever. Campbell’s season QBR moved up to 100.5 – also 5th best in the NFL.

126 – Yards rushing by Clinton Portis on 24 carries (5.3 YPC). His 944 total rushing yards so far this year, still leads the league. It’s not even Halloween yet, and CP has almost 1000 yards on the season. It was the 5th game in a row that Portis has gone over 120 yards – a feat that he accomplished one other time in his career. Only Portis and O.J. Simpson have ever done it twice.

80 – Yard punt return by Santana Moss. Not even teammate Devin Thomas could stop Moss from taking the punt all the way to the house. It was only the second time that Moss had lined up to receive a punt all year, and it was his second touchdown of the game..

64 – Consecutive games with a catch for tight end Chris Cooley. Cooley had 6 of them on Sunday for 74 yards.

57 – Yards receiving on just 4 catches, for the immensely talented Lion Calvin Johnson. Shutting down the best receivers in the game is starting to be just another ‘day at the office’ for Redskin Carlos Rogers.

56 – Total yards rushing by the Lions. The Redskin defense continues to completely shut down opposing running backs.

36 – Minutes of Redskins ball possession (35:45) to Detroit’s 24 minutes. Despite having the ball for over 9 minutes in the fourth quarter, the Lions still had the ball for 11:30 less than Washington.

6 – Solo tackles by London Fletcher – none bigger or better than his last one on Calvin Johnson that ended the game.

5 – Solo tackles from Mike Green. Pretty good for a guy who just got to Washington and was thrust into the starter’s position because of a game-time decision on Chris Horton’s injury.

4 – Field goals from Shaun Suisham; though the Canadian missed a 50-yarder, he was good from 25, 47, 45 and 42.

3 – Defensive starters scratched due to injury at the Lions game – Shawn Springs, Chris Horton, and Cornelius Griffin.

2 – Punts for the Redskins all day. Ryan Plackemeier only averaged 40.5 yards per punt, but that was due to squibbing one punt to the 10-yard line. His other punt may have been the best one by a Redskin punter all year – under pressure, he boomed a 49-yarder that had to be fair caught, and had no return.

1 – Sack for Demetric Evans. It was his first of the season.

The Redskins now have 6 wins! While its easy to look back and say that the Redskins could have beaten the Rams and been 7-1, the truth of the matter is that very few people picked this team to have 6 wins at the half-way point of the season. Its the first time since 2000 that the Redskins have reached the 6-2 mark.

Next up is the very tough, defensively sound Pittsburgh Steelers.

Check out the video here.

It’s a very intersting look at the play and seeing the replay repeatedly, it really gives you an idea of how the play is supposed to work (and did work).

As El says in the video, the whole play hinges on the defense biting on the play action that Washington run to the left. Cooley engages a blocker and then releases and comes across on a delayed crossing pattern.

The primary receiver on the play was actually Sanatana Moss, but Asante Samuels stayed with Moss and took away the option; however, Samuels staying with Moss opens up a lane for Cooley underneath. El fires a strike to Cooley coming across and with Samuels cleared out, CC has a pretty clear path to the end zone.

The name of the play?

Green Left Slot – F left – Fake 70 spill – Reverse right pass – X angle, Y cross

Pretty cool feature on NFL.com – check out the video.

203 – Total Yards Rushing for the Redskins. Until Sunday – the Eagles had only allowed 215 yards on the ground in the last FOUR games combined (54 yards per game).

158.3 – Antwaan Randle El’s quarterback rating after his 18-yard touchdown pass to Cooley. Randle El now has four career TD passes, two with the Redskins.

145 – Rushing yards for Clinton Portis on 29 carries. Putting up 5 yards per carry on a day he got handed the ball nearly 30 times is pretty darn impressive. Going into the Monday Night game, CP’s total on Sunday was tops in the NFL. He’s also second overall for the season (514 yards) behind only Michael Turner of the Falcons (543 yards). 

109 – Yards receiving on 8 receptions for Chris Cooley – only 3 NFL receivers had more yards on Sunday. Add in his touchdown, and you have CC’s best game this year.

84 – Total yards of offense from Brian Westbrook. While it isn’t a ‘bad’ total, its certainly not the type of game breaking stats that Westbrook has hung on the Redskins in the past.

68 – Yard punt return touchdown by DeSean Jackson – one of the few ‘downers’ of the game for Washington. Of course, the refs blew a clipping call to make it happen, but the Redskins have now allowed two punt returns for touchdowns in just five games.

58 – Yards rushing allowed by a stiff Redskin defense. Considering that Jason Taylor, Shawn Springs and Marcus Washington all sat out – it was a tremendous team effort.

35 – Minutes of possession for the Redskins, compared to the Eagles 25 minutes. Washington continues to dominate the ball control game, on the back of Portis. 

9 – Carries and 44 yards for Ladell Betts – great job coming off the bench and giving the Redskins a needed push.

4 – Big wins in a row to take the Redskins to 4-1. 

3 – Field goals of more than 40 yards for Shaun Suisham (41, 48 and 50). Anyone who doesn’t see how ‘money’ this guy is just has unrealistic kicking expectations. Now that the kicking unit has their timing down with their new holder (Durant Brooks), Suisham is banging 50 yarders right down the center, with yards to spare, and in pressure situations – that’s as money as it gets! 

0 – Offensive turnovers for the fifth game in a row.