16Aug

cruise control

(photo by Brian Murphy)

And here you thought Brett Favre was the biggest name at the Redskins-Jets game tonight.

13Aug

no controversy

Football fans nationwide will be tuned in when the Washington Redskins take on the New York Jets this Saturday night at the Meadowlands, after the game was picked up by the NFL Network. That’s because Brett Favre will be making his debut, playing for a team other than the Green Bay Packers for the first time since the other George Bush was in office.

And while most fans will be watching to see how “Brett the Jet” fits in, I can’t help but think there’s a contingency of Redskins fans who wish Favre would have somehow ended up in D.C. Why? Because the district, more than anywhere else in America, loves a quarterback controversy. Whether we’re talking about Sonny versus Billy or even Brad Johnson versus Jeff George, this town simply cannot get enough of the QB drama.

When Jason Campbell went down with a dislocated his kneecap against the Chicago Bears last year, the coaching staff was forced to dust off “The Tasty Drink” Todd Collins, who hadn’t thrown a meaningful pass in a decade. The guy who had been brought into town to essentially be an extra coach on the field to teach Campbell and Mark Brunell Al Saunders’ vaunted 700-page playbook was asked to step in and lead a 5-7 team that was all but dead.

And then, seemingly out of nowhere, the 36-year-old Collins found backup tight end Todd Yoder for a huge touchdown pass in that Bears game and never looks back. The team closed the season with a four-game winning streak when anything less would have sent them home for the holidays, and miraculously carried the ‘Skins into the playoffs. The team got sent home a week later after the offensive line failed to arrive in Seattle, but that was more than enough for some Redskins fans to call for an open competition between Campbell and Collins for the starting job this season.

Thankfully, The Danny, Vinny Cerrato and the newly hired Jim Zorn didn’t listen. They said the minute Campbell was healthy, he would again be the starter. If Collins was to come back to D.C., it would be as a backup.

When I asked Campbell earlier this month what he thought about some fans calling for a QB competition, he didn’t hesitate to speak his mind.

“I didn’t feel like I did anything to lose it,” Campbell said. “You’re talking about a young guy – I’m going into my fourth year. I didn’t feel like I did anything to lose my starting job last year. We started out the season real strong, you know. We lost to the Giants at the end of the game and we go to Green Bay, played a great game and lost a heartbreaker. Like I said, we lost a lot of heartbreakers – in Dallas and in Tampa. All those games, we were in. We were right there. I don’t think it’s fair for people to say that. We got everyone healthy back on defense and offense and Todd did a great job keeping the team going into the playoffs.”

Here’s where it gets funny. Those same fans who called for Campbell’s head during the offseason have changed their tune. Campbell has been lights out for most of training camp and the preseason (prompting Peter King of Sports Illustrated to say Campbell turned in one of the best training camp performances King has seen in more than 20 years covering the NFL). During the ‘Skins first two preseason games, J.C. has completed 80 percent of his passes with one touchdown and no interceptions and has a sparkling 125.6 passer rating. Even more encouraging, Jason isn’t holding the ball as much (Campbell had 12 fumbles a year ago). No one is calling for him to lose the job anymore.

“The thing that I really was impressed with Jason last night [was that] he had two pocket scrambles,” said Zorn after the Buffalo game. “He was in the pocket, scrambled in the pocket and bought time, then drilled the ball very accurately. Those are things I’m looking for. We’ve been drilling those things. He made a couple of plays that were big-league plays that way.”

And Collins? Well, he’s not functioning at the same level without Saunders calling the shots. What was once automatic now seems slow and clunky. Instead of closing his eyes and knowing where the receiver should be, Collins now seems tentative delivering the ball. Collins struggles have given the same group of fans an unprecedented opportunity – the chance to call for a backup quarterback controversy. The same fans who anointed Collins the future would now like him to hold the clipboard while The Savoir … er … Colt Brennan waits in the wings behind Campbell. Thankfully, the Redskins front office continues to stick to the plan and ignore the uninformed masses. Can you imagine the circus in town if Favre had ended up in the maroon and black?

07Aug

according to fred

I readily admit that I am not a football expert. When I’m on the sidelines during a game I’m focusing on taking photos and trying to keep up with the flow of the game. I’m not breaking down plays or charting what coverages teams are in or what tendencies the coaches have. I happily leave that to the pros. Instead of attempting to fool folks into believing I know what I’m talking about, I figured we’d be better off turning the blog over to one of the pros. So, I present to you, the one, the only — Fred Smoot.

Here’s what the loquacious cornerback had to say about the Hall of Fame game and anything else that came to mind.

First preseason game is in the books. How you feeling?

“We feeling good – especially as a team,” Smoot said. “Guys came out there and made plays, especially a lot of the young guys. You know, in the NFL you’re only as good as the last person on your roster, so it’s important to have young talent, especially in the backfield. In the defensive backfield we have a lot of young talent.”

What did you see from J.T. Tryon?

“I’ve seen a lot from him since the first day he checked in for training camp,” Smoot said. “He’s gonna be real good. He can return the ball, plus he plays nickel for us. You know it’s gonna take a little while for him to catch on while he develops, but he’s catching on real strong.”

What about Chris Horton?

“Horton? Come on, two sacks,” Smoot said. “He showed he can play around the ball. All of us got things we need to get better at. Him learning in the league how to play the deep third and stuff like that, but I think he’s gonna be a great player.”

Can a veteran player like you get something out of a meaningless preseason game?

“Yeah,” he said. “Any time you come out here on a football field you can learn something new. This game, you never stop learning it. And me, especially early in the season, it’s good for me to get out here and get everything crisp. That’s why me and Shawn [Springs] made sure we came out here and played.”

I’m not going to let you get away with saying you’ve got to watch the game film first. How’d you do tonight?

“I did pretty good, besides dropping that pick,” Smoot said.

I wanted you to bring it up first. What the heck happened?

(Laughs). “You know, I dropped that thing,” Smoot said. “Maybe I was thinking about going a hundred before I caught the ball.”

So you already had the dance picked out and everything?

(Still laughing). “Yeah, you know what I’m saying. I had a dance picked out, but I didn’t make the play,” said Smoot.

That’s the preseason you, right? In the regular season …

“Most definitely,” he said. “I’m gonna make sure I get at least 50 balls after each practice. I can’t be doing that under the lights.”

What’s this we keep hearing about you not passing a conditioning test?

“Don’t believe it,” he said. “Don’t buy into that. It’s just a little joke me and my coaches are playing. I’m one of the best conditioned athletes on this team. Come on. I’m actually 17 lbs. lighter than I was when I checked in last year. I was around 197, now I’m 183. I’m in the best shape of my life.”

We’ll here’s your chance to get even. Tell me how the rookie head coach did in his debut.

“He did well,” said Smoot, declining to fire back at Jim Zorn for selling him out on the conditioning test. “He did well. He showed you a few things out there. The thing about it, I think he did a great job – especially with him being an offensive guru. Come on, I think our quarterbacks probably missed four or five passes out there today, man. Every one of them that got in looked like they’d been there before, even Colt Brennan. It’s his first game and he looked real well. We gotta catch up with the offense. They’re looking real good. On defense, we gotta make sure we ain’t the ones losing games.”

That’s not really something fans should spend too much time worrying about. The ‘Skins defense finished in the top 10 last year, and the addition of Jason “McDreamy” Taylor, as well as players like Carlos Rogers and Rocky McIntosh getting healthy in time for the start of season would suggest the defense has all the tools to be just as dominant in 2008.

(photo by Brian Murphy)

06Aug

the legend of the colt

As previously noted, Redskins fans have quickly found a place in their hearts for rookie quarterback Colt Brennan.

Maybe it’s due to the fact he broke 30 records during his time at Hawaii or maybe it’s because he sounds like a kid who knows how to have a good time. Either way, ‘Skins fans are more vocal about Brennan than any team has ever been about a third-stringer QB.

When Todd Collins threw his first incomplete pass during the Hall of Fame game (on 3rd and 4 during the team’s first drive of the second quarter), more than just a few Redskins fans at Fawcett Stadium let it be known that they’d rather see Colt in the game.

By the time Brennan actually got onto the field, you would have thought Rudy was finally getting a shot to play for Notre Dame by the ovation he received. And of course, Colt had a strong showing — completing 9 of 10 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Redskins bench warmers to a victory over the Colts scrubs. I joked after the game that a couple more outings like this and the ‘Skins might have the first-ever back-up quarterback controversy.

Since he’s quickly becoming one of the most talked about players on the roster, I decided to track down Brennan to find out exactly what this kid is about.

Point blank – what’s the reason so many fans seem to be taking to you so quickly?

“I think people are really infatuated kind of with the fact that I came from Hawaii,” Brennan said. “That seems to be the focus of most questions and the most asked about thing. Hawaii is such a unique place and such an awesome place, and for me to go out there and have success I think people have been really excited about seeing something different. It seems like traditionally it’s about the SEC, the Big 10 and the PAC 10, and for me being from Hawaii, it’s different. People like different sometimes.”

What did you know about the Redskins before they drafted you?

“They always had one of the best franchises and fanbases in football,” Brennan said. “Ever since Mr. Snyder took over they’ve gotten a great reputation as far as being one of the best football franchises in the NFL, so I knew I was headed to the right place when I got drafted here.”

I know you weren’t pleased being drafted so late, but how fortunate do you consider yourself ending up here with a head coach who was a pretty good quarterback in his day?

“That’s kind of the silver lining, as far as the draft process,” he said. “I really meant it when I said all that really matters to me is where I end up, and I couldn’t be more pleased about the franchise and the team. We’re loaded with talent offensively. We have a great coach in Coach Zorn, and I’m just really excited about my opportunity. Coming in, people aren’t expecting to see something right away. They’re going to give me time to develop and I couldn’t be any happier with where I ended up.”

What kind of feedback have you gotten from the coaching staff on your throwing motion and your mechanics? Are they happy with everything?

“Mostly with me it’s been about my footwork,” Brennan said. “Getting the muscle memory back, especially after surgery and not being very explosive. When I first got here, he kind of touched on my release and wanted to see what he could do. But to be honest, as time has progressed and everything, he’s really kind of backed off that. He said, ‘All that really matters is that you get it from point A to point B.’ Guys in the NFL like Phillip Rivers, Vince Young and Tony Romo — some of those guys have lower releases than me and it hasn’t stopped them or deterred them from being successful.”

What kind of quarterback did the Redskins get when they drafted you?

I’d say that basically I’m a football player,” Colt said. “I’ll never forget guys like Drew Brees and Brett Favre were football players first. Yeah, they were great quarterbacks, but I think what made them great was that they were football players first. I love the game and I love having fun out there. I might be a little unorthodox, but I’m a great football player. I always have been, and hopefully I always will be.”

He’s got the resume. He gets results. He’s already got the fans. Now, if we could just get him to stop sporting the visor …

(photo by Brian Murphy)

06Aug

we belong here

Can’t get enough Homer McFanboy? Well then, you’re in luck, sir.

In addition to your regularly scheduled programming, you can also head over to Skinscast this morning and listen to our latest Redskins podcast. In this episode we talk about everything from the Hall of Fame ceremony to the Colt Brennan Experience. By the end of the show, we end up arguing (no surprise there) over which rookie pass catcher will have the biggest impact on the 2008 season (I’ll give you a hint – he’s not very good with alarm clocks). So click the link and go check out the show – if for no other reason than to hear John actually hit puberty halfway through the show. Good times.

05Aug

rookie spotlight

(photo by Brian Murphy)

Unlike some fans, I wholeheartedly believe that very little can be taken away from a preseason game (well … unless Steve Spurrier decides to try out his entire playbook during the meaningless exhibition). Veterans go into these games with two objectives — avoid injury and enjoy finally hitting someone in a different jersey. If they work out a few kinks or iron out some flaws in their techniques that’s great, but after lining up against teammates twice a day for a couple weeks I cannot convey how much they relish hitting an opponent.

So right out the gate, I’ll say that this post is meant to simply satisfy the desires of the diehard fans who believe football season can’t start soon enough. Instead of worrying about veterans who saw little or no playing time, I’m going to focus on the Redskins 2008 draft class. Here’s where Cousin Vinny’s rookies stand after their first NFL preseason game:

Devin Thomas, wide receiver, Michigan State — The ‘Skins top draft pick did not play in Canton due to a hamstring injury.

Fred Davis, tight end, USC — “Sleepy” Davis hauled in three catches for 23 yards in his debut. His longest catch was for only eight yards and he averaged 7.7 per reception, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t stand out in head coach Jim Zorn’s eyes.

“We wanted to give Fred Davis the ball a couple times, and he not only caught it, but he turned up field and showed that he is a tough runner after the catch,” said the rookie coach. “He did very well sustaining blocks, and we were pleased with the way he handled things one-on-one.”

Malcolm Kelly, wide receiver, Oklahoma — Like Thomas, Kelly was forced to sit the game out due to injury. In fact, Kelly underwent arthroscopic knee surgery the day after the game to remove loose particles in his left knee and is expected to miss two weeks.

Chad Reinhart, offensive lineman, N. Iowa — Offensive tackles Todd Wade (sprained ankle) and Stephon Heyer (strained knee) were both injured during the ‘Skins-Colts game, forcing Reinhart into additional playing time.

“Chad Rinehart played both tackle and guard, and he did an excellent job for a young guy,” Zorn said. “He really is aware of what is going on, and as he gets more reps, he will continue to improve. He will be a factor this year as a guy that can play two positions.”

J.T. Tryon, cornerback, Arizona State — Not a great day at the office for Tryon. By my count, the brash rookie got beat twice on defense and fumbled a kickoff.

Durrant Brooks, punter, Georgia Tech — The ‘Skins obviously wanted to give Brooks the chance to win the job, choosing to bench veteran punter Derrick Frost in favor of the youngster.

“What we wanted to do is see if he could handle a whole game,” Zorn said. “There were no shanks which I was excited about. We got to see him hold one field goal, which we missed, but the hold was just right. Overall, I was pleased with his performance.”

Kareem Moore, safety, Nicholls State — I had to double check the gamebook to see that he did, in fact, play in the game. Guess it’s safe to say Moore didn’t make much of an impact.

Colt Brennan, quarterback, Hawaii — Let me put it this way, the first time Todd Collins threw an incomplete pass (on 3rd and 4 during the ‘Skins first drive of the second quarter) more than a few fans began calling for Brennan. By the time the rookie QB finally trotted out to the field, you’d have thought that Art Monk was jogging back into the Redskins huddle as fans voiced their approval. So how did Colt fare? Brennan completed 9 of 10 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Redskins back-ups to a victory over the Colts back-ups. A couple more outings like this and the ‘Skins might have the first-ever back-up quarterback controversy.

Rob Jackson, defensive end, Kansas State — Jackson might have only finished the game with one tackle and one sack, but he was definitely noticeable whenever he was on the field. The guy seems to have the abilities, he just needs to get more reps to avoid moments like when he got too excited and jumped offsides.

Chris Horton, safety, UCLA — While most fans exited the stadium gushing over the play of Colt Brennan, Horton’s play was what impressed me the most. That’s because the seventh-round pick finished with five tackles, two sacks and recovered the Colts’ onside attempt to start the game. People will remember Jason Campbell’s perfect touch pass to Antwaan Randle El for the touchdown, but that never happens if Horton doesn’t make the play.

All in all, the play of Horton, Brennan and Davis should give fans (and Randy Thomas) a reason to smile moving forward. If this is the starting point as the players continue to improve and adjust to the NFL game, then maybe, just maybe Vinny Cerrato knew what he was doing when he brought these guys into town.

04Aug

home away from home

(photo by Brian Murphy)

Just got back from a highly-enjoyable weekend in Canton. Since “exhausted” is the word of the day, I will simply leave you with this photo of Darrell Green and Art Monk from the pre-game ceremony of the Redskins-Colts preseason opener and the memory of the four-minute standing ovation Monk received after finally being voted into the Hall of Fame.

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