SB Nation - Derrick Dockery

Washington Redskins Defeat Oakland Raiders In Front of Hundreds Of Oakland Fans

Sugar — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:24:40 -0000

More photos » by Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

Jim Zorn laughs after hearing Sherman Lewis tell the one about a priest, a rabbi, and Vinny Cerrato walking into a bar over his headset.

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Okay, so it may have been more than a few hundred, but at one point on the national feed I could hear individual people clapping. Before the game you knew it was two teams playing for nothing. By the end of the game it was clear one team was acting like a group playing for nothing and the other was playing the part of a group trying to keep the party going. This Redskins team has found something to be sure. When I watch these guys I think, "Wow...this looks like an actual NFL team...this looks like teams around the league that know what they're doing."

We can spend all day kicking each other in the nuts wondering where this level of play has been all year. It is an exercise in futility, though. Here are a few thoughts on that subject:

1) We were still employing this new offensive system with players Zorn inherited from an old regime with a different philosophy.Is there really anything to this? I spent some time yesterday at Comcast Studios and kicked the idea around with those folks and one thing we talked about specifically was the fact that we are getting it done now with guys who were brought in since Zorn arrived and not prior to his arrival. (FYI--this means Vinny gets some credit which kills me.) This is not to suggest that Clinton Portis, Mike Sellers, Chris Cooley, Chris Samuels, Randy Thomas, Ladell Betts, or even Jon Jansen are or were guys incapable of thriving in Zorn's offense. I think what it means is that all these guys coming on and contributing now have been brought up in this new system over the last two years--Devin Thomas, Fred Davis, Malcolm Kelly....well, it would be hard/unfair to put guys like Mike Williams, Quinton Ganther, Levi Jones, and even Derrick Dockery in here, but the idea is that our lineup now is full of guys brought in to support the new ideology. Time for all of us to put on our cups, because Cerrato is most likely sticking around to work our nuts like a collective group of heavy bags.

2) Sherman Lewis is having a very positive impact.I am done with trying to read into what his level of involvement during the week means and whether or not he can be effective as a coach if he only speaks to Jason Campbell via candy-gram. The numbers tell us that since Sherman Lewis came on board, we have done better. Period. I still think you don't assume Zorn is useless in all of this. He is the quarterbacks guru and our quarterback is playing great, so he deserves credit. I don't believe for a second that he isn't partly responsible for this turn-around.

3) Hiring Zorn, implementing his offense and drafting players to fit it was sold to us as a 2-3 year investment. We are right in the meat of that investment and it appears we are getting some returns. I find it troubling to think that things are going according to (their) plan and they are considering starting over.

The game yesterday to me came down to two players. If you saw me on Comcast's Post Game Live (video to come), you would have seen me:

A) give it to Chick Hernandez a little about his earring; and

B) talk about Brian Orakpo and Jason Campbell.

Ganther, Davis, Carter, Landry...they all contributed, but I thought that it was fitting to highlight our best offensive player and our best defensive player and then underline the lunacy regarding the potential for JC to be somewhere else next season.

Orakpo was a beast. He personally accounted for somewhere in the neighborhood of 50-75 negative yards for the Raiders. Four sacks did not even tell the story of his day...how crazy is that?

Campbell was once again on fire. He threw the ball so accurately on the run yesterday (for the most part), I wondered aloud why they didn't purposely move him around more often (picture Mark Rypien rolling and throwing bombs.)

In the comments today, I thought we would try something a little different. I will start a few comment threads with some questions and everyone is encouraged to ask their own questions raising separate issues. Let's all pull together to gain some "public" opinion on these topics so we can determine the direction of the posts this week.

Team Stat Comparison

1st Downs	21	15
Passing 1st downs	11	11
Rushing 1st downs	7	3
1st downs from Penalties	3	1
3rd down efficiency	5-12	4-15
4th down efficiency	0-0	1-3
Total Plays	58	66
Total Yards	295	227
Passing	195	162
Comp-Att	16-28	20-34
Yards per pass	7.0	4.8
Rushing	100	65
Rushing Attempts	27	24
Yards per rush	3.7	2.7
Red Zone (Made-Att)	4-4	1-2
Penalties	7-45	14-118
Turnovers	1	1
Fumbles lost	1	0
Interceptions thrown	0	1
Defensive / Special Teams TDs	0	0
Possession	27:53	32:07

Pour Some Sugar On Me - The 10 Most Irreplaceable Washington Redskins Revisited

Sugar — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:00:14 -0000

At the beginning of the season, I made a list of the ten players (click here to check out original post as well as any comments you or others may have made) I named the Most Irreplaceable Redskins. I attempted to take into account depth at each position, and identify those players who were most central to the success of this year's team. I thought that with the season on ice, it would be a good time to break out the list and see what we (I) thought, and how it worked out. I asked the question, "Who can we least afford to lose to injury?" The list goes from #10 to #1 (as ranked in the preseason):

Ten Yard Fight - 10 Chances To Make One Good Point

10) Hunter Smith - Well, I think I nailed this one. Not only has he been a decent punter for us, he has chipped in on offense, accounting for two touchdowns this season. We might have lost the opener against the Giants, but when Hunter scored his touchdown, we were very much alive. And when he threw the touchdown pass to Mike Sellers against the Broncos a few weeks ago, it was the turning point in the game. Yes, I think his performance this season has been very much worthy of a spot on this list. Coincidentally, when he was out, we did not score any touchdowns from the punter position.

9) Derrick Dockery- Hmmmm...has he been spectacular? No. But he has been in the lineup every week. In fact, you rarely hear his name called, for good or bad. I struggle with what that should mean. You can say he has been our best lineman, but on this offensive line, that is hardly a compliment. And that is only true due to injuries. Coming into the season, here is what I said about Dockery: "Let's not mix words here--we brought in Dockery to be an upgrade, not to hold down the position until someone better comes along. He has to perform well and he has to perform well right away." Given the relative nightmare our line has been all season long, it is just too hard to consider anyone currently in uniform on that line to be irreplaceable. That said, Dockery has probably been our most solid player there.

8) Fred Davis- This preseason, all I envisioned was a stretch of games where Fred Davis took defenses by surprise and single-handedly saved our red zone offense. I always thought it would be in conjunction with Cooley, Portis and Moss though. I think Davis has turned out to be irreplaceable. His talent is undeniable and there is nobody else on the roster who could have stepped in to Cooley's shoes and done as well (Yoder included.) If he continues to progress the rest of this season and into next season, we should have two pretty solid receiving targets working the field from the tight end spot.

7) Brian Orakpo- I took some heat for putting the rookie in here. I mentioned that if he failed to dominate, we would get a steady diet of Michael Oher chants. Well, he leads all rookies in sacks and he has played hard all season. It is very refreshing to see a draft pick of ours come in and contribute at such a high level actually. Certainly irreplaceable for us.

6) Santana Moss- Well...not so irreplaceable this year, eh? We seem to lose him every year don't we? Either to injury or to invisibility. JC can't seem to get the ball to him over the course of a game in ways that change the outcome of the game. HE is by far our best receiver, but at this point in the season, we are finding ourselves all of a sudden capable of moving the ball through the air with any of our receiving options (to the extent we are at all capable on any given week.) The good news is that it would seem we are past the years when our passing game was a one-trick pony with Santana Moss dominating opposing secondaries. The bad news is that we may have wasted some of Santana's abilities by being unable to stretch the field with him successfully this year.

5) Jason Campbell - I said at the time that I felt he was easily our #1 most irreplaceable guy. But with both Todd Collins and Colt Brennan healthy at that point, I moved him down the list a little bit. JC has been a fighter for us this year. He has hung tough week in and week out. You could argue that we have gotten every scrap of ability and effort out of this player. While it is true that an upgrade at this position might have netted us an extra win or two, I doubt it is fair to say it would have meant playoffs. Our offense has too many other problems. Regardless of what happens next season, JC was irreplaceable for us this season.

4) Mike Sellers - I goofed on this one it would seem. On the strength of his lead blocking, I had him as an indispensable member of this offense. Then came the safety in Detroit, and the inability to punch in a few goal line carries early in the season when he just did not seem to get any kind of push into the end zone. Sellers has been a fan favorite in D.C. for a number of years so I am ready to chalk up this season as just a down year for Big Mike. But he has been far from irreplaceable this season.

3) Clinton Portis- We have had the chance to see this one put to the test. Ladell Betts proved to be up to the tack of replacing CP as it turns out. Maybe Ladell should have been the more irreplaceable guy? I think Portis was hurt right away this season and tried to work his way through it even though our rushing attack suffered. It is possible he will never be 100% healthy again in this league. But at that 100% level, I do think he is irreplaceable. Now, I find it hard to fathom we can get through this next draft without using a mid-round selection on a running back.

2) Chris Samuels- This was the most accurate pick on my list. Even when he was playing with a few nagging injuries, he was by far the best we had. Without him, we have shuffled old guys and new guys all over the place trying to find a mix that would somehow get us through the rest of the season. Levi Jones has played admirably well, but to say we have a replacement for Samuels is laughable. The only way we can replace #60 is at the top of the 1st round in an upcoming draft. And then it will still be a battle for the blue-chipper to fill those shoes.

1) Albert Haynesworth- At the end of last season, teams decided to run against us all day long. Remember that? It was awful. Enter Albert Haynesworth. His presence on our defensive line has made a huge impact. Andre Carter and Brian Orakpo are getting sacks. Linebackers are getting to the ball-carrier with more freedom. Our #1 ranked pass defense has a LOT to do with the push Haynesworth gets up front. The added pressure on the quarterback has been noticeable from day one. Without him on the field against the Cowgirls, our pass rush faded big-time in the 4th quarter. The debate about Haynesworth will always include his salary, but on the field, he is priceless and certainly irreplaceable.

I'll say I was right on with Hunter Smith, Brian Orakpo, Jason Campbell (only kill me on this one if you think Todd Collins could have done better), Chris Samuels and Albert Haynesworth. That is 50% and is not so good. Fred Davis and Derrick Dockery are close but because the offense has been so bad this year, it is too difficult to say that they are in fact irreplaceable.

Poll

Who has been the most irreplaceable Redskin this season?

Brian Orakpo

119 votes

Albert Haynesworth

136 votes

Hunter Smith

50 votes

Chris Samuels

115 votes

Jason Campbell

70 votes

490 votes | Poll has closed

Bills' battered O-Line takes another big blow

Brian Galliford — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:05:47 -0000

More photos » by Stephen Morton - AP

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We knew, as the Buffalo Bills entered the 2009 regular season, that the team's top-to-bottom re-structure of the offensive line was a huge question mark. Jason Peters had been traded. Derrick Dockery and Langston Walker had been released. Melvin Fowler and Duke Preston were unceremoniously allowed to test the free-agent waters. Demetrius Bell made a seemingly miraculous leap from 16-game healthy scratch to starting NFL left tackle, Geoff Hangartner was signed from Carolina, Eric Wood and Andy Levitre were drafted early, and Brad Butler moved to the position he manned in college.

Presto change-o! Buffalo had the NFL's most inexperienced offensive line. It was painfully clear that bumps in the road were expected - and they came in the form of drive-killing penalties and inconsistent blocking. But through it all, we decided by and large that it would be entertaining and interesting to watch these young guys develop as individuals and come together as one cohesive unit.

So much for that pipe dream. Through the first ten games of the season, Buffalo has been absolutely ravaged by injuries up front. They've been forced to field eight different line combinations during that time frame. The tackle position has been hit so hard by the injury bug that it's now affecting the guards; add in the latest and most brutal injury, a double fracture to Wood's lower left leg, and the verdict is simple. Buffalo can no longer hope to see tangible development from this offensive line. It is in complete disarray.

By the way, folks - Wood's surgery was successful. Seth McKinney, meanwhile, was lost for the season on Sunday as well. Buffalo now has one healthy guard - Levitre.

The line combinations
Look, I tried to comb through each of the Bills' ten games to chart each and every line combination the Bills have used this season. I went through each game twice to fleece out every minor injury that forced a player in for even a snap or two. I'm fairly confident I still missed something, so keep an eye on Ron From NM's comments in this post, if he has any. He's the line guru, after all.

The original starting five didn't even get through two full games. Four opening-day reserves - Seth McKinney, Jonathan Scott, Kirk Chambers and Jamon Meredith - have seen significant playing time.

1. Bell - Levitre - Hangartner - Wood - Butler
2. Bell - Levitre - Hangartner - Wood - Scott
3. Chambers - Levitre - Hangartner - Wood - Scott
4. Scott - Levitre - Hangartner - Wood - Chambers
5. Bell - Levitre - Hangartner - Wood - Meredith
6. Bell - Levitre - Hangartner - Wood - Chambers
7. Levitre - McKinney - Hangartner - Wood - Chambers
8. Scott - Levitre - Hangartner - Chambers - Meredith

Where the Bills once had continuity - in the interior - that's gone by the wayside. Only Geoff Hangartner has been the constant, and even he has been battered, dealing with a back injury earlier in the season.

Not much more development to be had
If you've seen the replay of Wood's injury, you're painfully aware of just how over his rookie season is. He suffered fractures to both his tibia and his fibula - word is one or both were compound fractures - and stayed in Jacksonville last night to have metal rods inserted to stabilize the leg. He'll end up on IR, and will have played a little under ten games. He got some development and played reasonably well this season, but there's no more development to be had for Wood this season - hopefully, just a lot of healing.

Bell might get a little development time if he ever gets healthy, but he's been in and out of the lineup so much this season that any development he's made has been negligible. Levitre might continue to develop, so long as he isn't forced to play two different positions each and every game. The guy is a guard, and while he's to be commended for capably manning both spots, it's best if he sticks to left guard.

Hangartner is what he is. There's no development to be had there, though the guy deserves a steak or something for finding a way to make it through ten games. That's a rarity in Buffalo. The rest of the players that have seen field time aren't worth considering, as they're not the types of players around which championship-caliber offenses can be built. For the young players that really matter - Wood, Levitre and Bell - hopes for further development this season are minimal at best.

Buffalo needs a franchise quarterback. It is, without doubt, the organization's biggest issue from a personnel standpoint. Given the sheer amount of upheaval along the offensive line, that unit rates a very close second.

Bills taking the (massively) youthful route up front

Brian Galliford — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:00:29 -0000

To say that the Buffalo Bills have forced a transformation along their offensive line over the past several months is, perhaps, one of the largest understatements a fan can make about the current team. Gone from 2008 are four veteran starters, the latest, obviously, being OT Langston Walker, who was released on Tuesday. Replacing the veterans are two rookies, another player who is essentially a rookie, and a veteran free agent center that has never been a full-time starter.

The transformation is not only broad, it leaves the Bills vastly inexperienced in an area that used to be one of the team's most veteran units. Some quick perspective: Brad Butler, making the transition from right guard to right tackle, was the Bills' least experienced starting lineman in 2008. One year later, he's this line's senior member.

2008 starting offensive line
LT: Jason Peters (42 starts)
LG: Derrick Dockery (77 starts)
C: Melvin Fowler (55 starts)
RG: Brad Butler (16 starts)
RT: Langston Walker (49 starters)
Total: 239 starts (48 per lineman)

2009 starting offensive line
LT: Demetrius Bell (0 starts)
LG: Andy Levitre (0 starts)
C: Geoff Hangartner (27 starts)
RG: Eric Wood (0 starts)
RT: Brad Butler (29 starts)
Total: 56 starts (11 per lineman)

The difference is vast. Clearly, the line is far less experienced this season, but the most disconcerting change is, obviously, starting three players that are essentially rookies.

That's not to say that Buffalo's new-look offensive line isn't talented. Wood and Levitre were highly-touted prospects entering April's NFL Draft. Bell has been touted as a potential diamond in the rough for over a year since entering the league as a seventh-round project out of Northwestern State. Hangartner, though never a full-time starter, proved effective in fill-in duty for four seasons in Carolina. Butler is moving back to the position he played in colege after playing out of position at guard for most of his three seasons in Buffalo. All of these players, with the possible exception of the unknown commodity (Bell), play the game with a nasty disposition, they finish blocks, and they have the ability to get better (which, obviously, Bell does as well).

Someday, perhaps sooner than most think, this line could be quite good. The idea that they'll magically gel over the next six days to keep Trent Edwards upright for four quarters in New England is absurd. Like everything else with this team at the moment, this line is now vastly inexperienced and very much a work in progress. Just like they're doing at offensive coordinator, they're now relying on vastly inexperienced personnel at arguably the offense's most important group. It's a gamble. With every gamble the team makes, the chances of success dwindle.

Hogs Haven Predicts Redskins Final 53

Ken Meringolo — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:32:30 -0000

More photos » by Pablo Martinez Monsivais - AP

Robert Henson and Cody Glenn may both benefit from being drafted by Vinny Cerrato. He HATES to cut players he drafts!

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First, the obvious: Sugar has been shelved for the time being. I will be tackling a new writing assignment within SB Nation and I was asked to come up with a cooler name to write under. The best I could come up with was "Ken Meringolo". I know what you're thinking...sounds too much like an undercover secret agent of international intrigue. I guess you could say I followed the lead of one my heroes, Lt. Frank Drebin, and decided to use my maiden name.

Not that many tears (besides mine) will be shed over it, but Sugar will most assuredly be back. I will keep you guys posted on when and where my other writing assignments will end up. But on to the issues of the day.

Here is our crack at predicting the Redskins "Final 53". We have all been watching the preseason closely--there won't be many surprises. But we are picking a couple. Have at it (after the jump):

QB (3): Jason Campbell, Todd Collins, Colt Brennan

RB (5): Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts, Rock Cartwright, Mike Sellers, Anthony Alridge

WR (5): Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El, Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly, Marko Mitchell

TE (3): Chris Cooley, Fred Davis, Todd Yoder

OL (9): Chris Samuels, Derrick Dockery, Casey Rabach, Randy Thomas, Stephon Heyer, Chad Rinehart, Mike Williams, Jeremy Bridges, Will Montgomery

DL (9): Phillip Daniels, Albert Haynesworth, Cornelius Griffin, Anthony Montgomery, Kedric Golston, Lorenzo Alexander, Andre Carter, Jeremy Jarmon, Rob Jackson

LB (7): London Fletcher, Rocky McIntosh, Brian Orakpo, H.B. Blades, Chris Wilson, Cody Glenn, Robert Henson

DB (9): Carlos Rogers, DeAngelo Hall, Fred Smoot, Kevin Barnes, Justin Tryon, LaRon Landry, Chris Horton, Reed Doughty, Kareem Moore

P: Hunter Smith

LS: Ethan Albright

K: Dave Rayner

I put Rob Jackson in over Renaldo Wynn, Robert Henson in over Robert Thomas, Rayner over Suisham, and Anthony Alridge in over whomever you want to call the 53rd man to make it.

Why do I continue to keep Renaldo Wynn off my final 53 list? If you think like me, then you think Wynn is not really a guy who is going to get a lot of snaps anyway unless there is an injury. Rob Jackson is still a little young and raw, and I have not heard his name a ton but if you are going to keep a guy around to caddy for the rest of the defensive linemen, why not keep a young guy who has a shot to develop into a serviceable backup instead of a guy at the end of his rope who has played all of his best football already? This is the pick I will most likely be wrong about, as Renaldo Wynn is a pro who knows how to play the game, and was brought in for his leadership and experience this offseason. But I had to stay true to what I have been saying this summer.

The Robert Henson/Cody Glenn/Robert Thomas decision at linebacker is a little more straight-forward. I think Cody Glenn is at the head of the 3-pack. The decision between Henson and Thomas is not so hard when you remember one thing: Vinny drafted Henson. He hates to be wrong about his draft picks. And lucky for him, he is in the position to pronounce his rightness! Henson has made a few mental blunders during games this preseason, and dropping that sure interception against the Ravens hurt him (coming out of TCU, he was actually graded as a sure-handed linebacker.) But in the end, the team will keep the guy they picked in the draft, and drop the guy they signed off the street. Regardless of who is better--though let's not make that out to be a huge deal. Neither Henson nor Thomas factors huge for us this season, and if Henson can figure out to stay on the field for special teams by mid-season, he will be worth the investment. Finally, it says here that Robert Henson will pull off an Alfred Fincher kind of performance against the Jags and earn the spot.

Anthony Alridge...really? Vinny brought him in this offseason and the word from the inside of the building is that Vinny loves him too much to let him go. What's not to love? He is one of those "yards-per-touch" guys. He is going to get the ball in the flat on screens, pitches, and dump-offs and he is going to get upfield in a hurry. I know Marcus Mason has been a fan favorite to make this squad multiple times, but the fact of the matter is he does not give us something we don't already have. Alridge gives us a scatback, speed option off the bench that will prove very useful this season.

I went with Rayner over Suisham even though there seems to be a resounding consensus that Suisham will retain his position. I FEEL LIKE I AM TAKING CRAZY PILLS! How do you hold any benefit of the doubt in a kicking competition when you were last in the league in field goal percentage? Rayner has had the better kickoff leg and neither has blown the roof off with their field goals. If anything, I would be tempted to keep Rayner and then bring in either Mike Nugent (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) or Brandon Coutu (Seattle Seahawks)--helps to watch every preseason game!--to compete with Rayner in the week leading up to the regular season. Coutu has a good chance to make the Seahawks' roster, but if he doesn't, we wouldn't be the only ones trying to sign him.

Practice Squad Predictions: Edwin Williams, Scott Burly, Keith Eloi, Robbie Agnone, Chase Daniel, Eddie Williams

WaTimes 53-man roster [Redskins 360]
WaPost 53-man roster [Redskins Insider]
Redskins Blog [Terl took his link down...I swore it was there?]

What do you guys think?

Poll

Which player that I put in do you think is most likely NOT to make the team?

Robert Henson

113 votes

Anthony Alridge

226 votes

Rob Jackson

263 votes

602 votes | Poll has closed

The Washington Redskins Ten Most Irreplaceable Players In 2009

Ken Meringolo — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:00:20 -0000

Everyone loves a good list. But all too often, these kinds of lists turn into a ranking of the team's best players. In today's Top Ten list, the criteria is simple: Who can we simply not afford to lose to injury this season? Better put, who are the top ten players that are central to the success of THIS YEAR'S team--taking into account depth at each position and potential contributions from each player? I have taken some creative liberties with the presentation of the list, and I have made a few judgement calls that I expect some of you will disagree with--I expect you all will not hold back in the comments section.

#10 - Hunter Smith - When I heard the news that Hunter Smith had been signed, I was just slightly less happy than when I heard the news Jessica Biel was doing a nude scene in an upcoming movie. Our punting situation has been a nightmare for a while now. Derrick Frost may have been a Hall of Famer during the week in practice, but he stunk out loud too many times on Sundays when it counted. Ryan Plackemeier was not the huge upgrade that blew up everyone's skirts either. Word on the street was that he was a liability as a holder. However, I heard his personal hygiene was beyond reproach (no need to bury the guy.) Hunter Smith is a pro's pro. While he has enjoyed the dome-life in Indy, his abilities are sure to be an upgrade in D.C. And with our team expected to be led by our defense, the field position battle will have to feature the skills of Hunter the Punter. He is known in the league to be a steady and rock-solid holder, having paired with Mike Vanderjagt to form one of the most accurate kicking batteries in NFL history (and again with Adam Vinatieri when they won the Super Bowl.) Finally, he brought down Deion Sanders in the following video that always brings a smile to my face.

#9 - Derrick Dockery - We are all aware of the less than stellar year the Redskins had on the offensive line last year. Pete Kendall was a band-aid the year before and performed well enough, but last year that band-aid fell off and got lost in the chicken salad, and Jason Campbell ended up eating that band-aid in his sandwich. Let's not mix words here--we brought in Dockery to be an upgrade, not to hold down the position until someone better comes along. He has to perform well, and he has to perform well right away. Early last season we ran left on some pretty important plays. With Right Tackle being up-for-grabs, and with Randy Thomas healing yet again from injuries, the left side is going to be relied upon heavily. Behind Dockery is Chad Rinehart, who we still know very little about. Samuels and Dockery are comfortable and confident playing next to each other. Losing Dockery would hurt us from a depth perspective and would disrupt the chemistry of the left side of the line.

#8 - Fred Davis - I kind of snuck this one in. I won't pretend to be an expert talent evaluator but when I watched him practice this off season at Redskins Park in Ashburn, he really got to me. Like Cammie from the 80's flick The Great Outdoors, played by Lucy Deakins. At first you're kind of like, "OK...I like this girl, but so far she's not central to the plot," and then as the movie goes on, every other storyline becomes meaningless to you and all you can think about is Cammie and how is Buck going to pull this off?!? That is my prediction for Fred Davis this season. At first it will be all about CP, JC, Cooley, the defense, Santana Clause. But by Week 6 (against Kansas City, where Sleepy's stat line will be 6 catches, 78 yards and 2 TDs), Davis will have asserted himself as a legitimate threat for us on offense. And I predict it will be him that becomes the key to our red zone attack.

#7 - Brian Orakpo - Well, I pretty much had to change my shorts when we drafted this guy. I spent all winter clamoring for an OLB/DE player to fill the Merriman/Ware hole in our roster. As a rookie, he will be expected to play like a vet. He will be expected to show up in the stats, and he will be expected to straight-up dominate. So it goes with high first round picks I suppose. Is it fair? Dan Snyder's $20 million bones say it is more than fair. There was an offensive lineman on the board when we picked Orakpo--Michael Oher--so this selection has all the makings of being second-guessed all season long. If he fails to be a force on our defense, it will be hard to hear anything above the fans shouting the f-word: failure. Further, for us to enjoy the kind of success we are hoping for, we need nothing less than a dominant performance from his position.

#6 - Santana Moss - One could argue we have lost Santana Moss during the season every year for the last 3 years. Either by injury or by opposing defenses denying him the ball, Moss has been silenced late in the season. Still, he is one of those "magic" players that has the ability to make a play when he gets the ball in his hands. Whenever he touches the ball, there is a chance the play can end with him scoring a touchdown. We'd all like to think that with Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly in the fold, Moss might be somewhat replaceable. Not so fast. The dude is an elite NFL player and on our team, his value is as much about the comfort and confidence he gives both fans and teammates when he is on the field as it is about his skill set. Here is a highlight video of him ( a little grainy, but you get the idea.)

#5 - Jason Campbell - I fear I will be scolded for either putting him too high or for putting him on this list at all. Truth be told, I am shocked that I am not making him #1. Todd Collins has proven to be more than serviceable, with not only a stellar performance in relief of JC, but also a late-season playoff push under his belt. Colt Brennan is the apple of a lot of eyes, and Jason Campbell has yet to become the "franchise quarterback" you want from a 1st rounder. But he is absolutely central to our success this year. Despite the off season rumors and activity, the investment in JC has only grown greater. Both he and the coaching staff have put in a lot of hours in the months leading up to training camp. Jason has worked extensively with Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly, and he has quietly continued to act the part of "Starting Redskins QB" which as we all know is a position of high honor and visibility. He has the confidence of his teammates and coaching staff (currently), and let's face facts--you pretty much always have most of your eggs in the starting QB basket. If you think like me, and you think JC will in fact be second to the defense among the reasons we make the playoffs, you have to put him on this list, and you probably should put him higher.

#4 - Mike Sellers - This year might be the first year that I fully appreciate Sellers for exactly what he means to this team. I have both underestimated and overestimated his importance and role on this team in the last handful of years. There was a series in the pre-season a couple years back where Gibbs called for like 4 straight hand-offs to Sellers. He busted each carry for 7-8 yards a pop. I thought we were seeing the emergence of a Brandon Jacobs-type of role for Sellers. Then last season, the disappointment of him being (allegedly) unable to punch the ball in against Cincinnati on the goal line tempered that expectation. In 2005, he had 8 TDs (7 through the air, 1 on the ground), but last year just managed 1 score. So how does he land at #4 on this list? Special teams notwithstanding, he has become an invaluable lead blocker. Clinton Portis loves to get in behind Sellers and every time they both make it to the edge, you know a 1st down is a gimme. Players like Sellers seem to get marginalized by their organizations over time (see Lorenzo Neal from the San Diego Chargers a few years back.) Here's hoping the team figures out a responsible way to keep him with the team beyond this year. Sellers has become a destructive force in what has been at times an unstoppable running game. We can ill afford to lose him this year if we hope to keep Clinton Portis from taking on the first and second tacklers at the point of attack. And anything Sellers is able to add in the way of short-yardage situations for us is gravy.

via farm3.static.flickr.com

#3 - Clinton Portis - Thanks to fantasy football, I have finally learned the lesson that eludes so many fans and even league personnel men: running backs really do grow on trees. So what is CP doing this high on the list? Because there are exceptions to every rule. Like for example, to those that say "No means No", I say, "Sometimes No means Maybe." ("Reservation for 1 in hell please? Yes, I'll hold.") CP is a stud...a freak of nature athletically that has enjoyed a great deal of success at running back for 7 seasons. That is twice the average career for running backs (somebody call me out on this if I am wrong, but I think the average career of a running back is roughly 3 years.) From an odds perspective there is a better chance Leonardo DiCaprio will star in the Growing Pains movie than a running back becoming highly productive in his 8th year. Yet that is what we are banking on this season. Clinton is the man yet again this year, and without him, the ship loses a lot of direction and purpose. More than anything, the ship loses a lot of identity. For better or worse, the identity of this team and specifically the offense is tied to Clinton Portis.

#2 - Chris Samuels - We spoke to a retired former Redskin a few months ago (who shall remain nameless for now) and he said that there was only ONE player on the whole roster he would label "untouchable"--only one player on the entire roster that he would start all over with tomorrow: Chris Samuels. Whether you agree with it or not, it kind of takes your breath away...wait for it...like Nicole Eggert in Charles in Charge. She was only 15 when she started out as Jamie Powell but I was only 10, so the things I was thinking about doing to her were totally legal (as a 10-year old, this consisted mostly of picturing her in a bathing suit, but by the time she was 18, I was 13, so my dream date of me, her and Samantha Micelli (Alyssa Milano) from Who's The Boss was ON.) As we discussed above, the offensive line was a debacle last year. Samuels is the class of our line. If he goes down, our team's playoff chances disappear faster than a bag of blow left alone in a room with Corey Haim. (It's not fair to beat up on Corey Haim you say? Go back and watch Lucas again. All these years later, and both Charlie Sheen and Jeremy Piven are killing it. Corey Haim has only Corey Haim to blame.)

via p1.hotornot.com

#1 - Albert Haynesworth - If you go to a nice restaurant and order the most expensive thing on the menu, like the Filet Mignon plate, it ain't going to work for you if the steak is undercooked and gives you parasites. A good bowl of mashed potatoes or creamed spinach is not going to save the dish. We paid for the best cut of meat on the market. It had damn well better taste good and be cooked right. Haynesworth has to absolutely dominate this season for the Redskins to both save face and make some noise in the NFC. Is saving face really that important? I think so, because he represents yet another in a long line of high-priced talent brought in by Snyder to win now. This has yet to really pan out for Snyder and has left us coming up with some pretty lame one-liners over the years.

"Mark Carrier could really be the difference this season."

"Brandon Lloyd is poised to break out this season."

"Adam Archuleta should really solidify our secondary."

"Bruce Smith attacking the QB is going to get us to the next level this season."

"Chad Morton is the answer in the return game."

"Jeff George is the right guy for this offense."

OK, you get the idea. Redemption is absolutely chief among the goals for Haynesworth this year in my humble opinion. And the truth is it will come hand-in-hand with domination at the point of attack. If Blache can move him up and down the line of scrimmage effectively and keep the opposing offense guessing, Haynesworth is capable of providing the same kind of impact that Reggie White gave the Packers when he signed there and subsequently led them to a Super Bowl. Without Haynesworth, we lose twice really. We continue to get berated by everyone for trying and failing to "buy a championship" and we would be on the outside looking in yet again come December.

As I review the list, LaRon Landry jumps off the page as the one I wish I would have found a spot for, but I will have to live with leaving him off, despite my constant proclamations that Landry is an elite player. I guess I dig our safety group right now, and am hopeful that a Chris Horton/ Kareem Moore backfield would hold up (if you can't lie to yourself, who can you lie to?)

Other Honorable Mentions: Ladell Betts, London Fletcher, Carlos Rogers, and Ethan "The Red Snapper" Albright.

I expect that London will be the one I get the most grief for excluding, so let me seed my excuse for leaving him out: I love Alfred Fincher, and think that if it came down to it, he would be the feel-good story of the league stepping in and up to replace London. Think Mike Seaver-gets-Chelsea Noble...yeah, that kind of feel good.

Redskins' Offensive Line Not Impressing Out of the Gates

KevinE — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:42:20 -0000

via redskinsblog

View full size photo »

Here is a summary of all the reports from the reporters/bloggers that were at camp yesterday. I will be attending camp on Tuesday and possibly tomorrow (Saturday), so I should be able to add some concrete insight as well. Obviously things will not be perfect on day one.

From the warpathconfidential:

Stephon Heyer was badly beaten by rookie Jeremy Jarmon on one snap and had to resort to grabbing Jarmon's jersey to prevent a complete whiff on the block. Nor was it limited to the tackles, with Albert Haynesworth displaying deceptive quickness against Derrick Dockery in getting penetration on a few plays.

At one point the line had back-to-back false starts.

Probably the most spectacular play of this drill was a double-move by Malcolm Kelly on Justin Tryon. Kelly was running a crossing pattern when he cut once towards the post, and then cut again to run towards the middle, leaving Tryon 10-15 yards out of position. Kelly caught the pass all alone in the middle of the field.

From the Redskins Insider:

[Mike Williams and Jeremy Bridges] encountered problems against ends Renaldo Wynn and Rob Jackson, but Coach Jim Zorn said he was not discouraged. The Skins have a long way to go before things need to be set along the offensive line, and Zorn preaches patience.

"It's hard to block that second move" of the ends, Zorn said. "You think you got 'em, then you start to punch, and then the guy comes back underneath. That's what we're working on. That's why we're out here. There's a lot of practice time that has to take place before these guys can get enough experiences to feel like we can block all the moves that our defense is going to show us."

"There's going to be a learning curve," Zorn said. "It's going to take some time, [but] he's got a great attitude for it."

As for Bridges, "we're looking for a guy who can play multiple positions," Zorn said. "I'm looking for him to keep going. He wants to earn a starting spot. So, playing him in different spots, we're going to find that right spot for him. And whether he starts or becomes a swing guy, that's down the road a ways."

It's only day one, so obviously there's no need to throw up the red flags. However, it takes some kool-aid drinking and a few prayers to assume that offensive linemen that have been out of the league a couple years can contribute at a high-level when pre-season begins in 2 weeks. Can they be ready in a month? Time will tell, but they are practicing against one of the best DL's in the league. That certainly counts for something.

2009 Schedule Preview: Week 3 @ the Buffalo Bills

Saintsational — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 11:00:21 -0000

The Saints follow up their game in Philadelphia with another trip to the Northeast to take on Buffalo in a week three late game. The Bills finished 2008 with a less-than-mediocre 7-9 record and hope to get over that .500 hump this season. It's been a while, four years to be precise, since these two teams last met in the regular season. The Saints have the misfortune of playing in frigid Buffalo but the fortune to have it scheduled during the mild-weather month of September when it shouldn't be an issue. Let's take a look at what fans can expect against the Saints first AFC East opponent of the year.

Bills Offense

Buffalo has had a pretty action-packed off-season this year and much of that excitement has been on the offensive side of the ball. Obviously, the signing of wide receiver Terrell Owens has contributed most to that excitement. Owens is a game changer and inevitable Hall of Famer who always seems to play well in his first year with a new team. T.O. will play opposite wideout Lee Evans, teaming up to create a formidable aerial threat. With former Tulane quarterback J.P. Losman now out of the picture, it will be the responsibility of Trent Edwards to get Evans and Owens the ball, making sure to keep the latter happy on the field. Ryan Fitzpatrick was brought in this year to provide a little competition in camp but the job is Edwards' to lose.

The other big story of the Bills off-season was the trade of offensive tackle Jason Peters to the Eagles. It is that loss of Peters as well as guard Derrick Dockery combined with a lot of other offensive line tinkering that has Bills fans worried about the state of their quarterback protection. Last years team ranked poorly in sacks per pass attempt and this year, things could get worse before they get better.

On the ground the Bills remain strong. Marshawn Lynch continues his duties as the number one back with Fred Jackson and newly acquired Dominic Rhodes taking on backup roles.

This could be a good, early test. If Gregg Williams does suceed in building that blitzing, attack-style defense we've all been promised then they should have no problem exploiting Buffalo's weak offensive line and rattling unproven quarterback Edwards. Allowing him time to throw to Owens and Evans could be damaging to our secondary. Advantage: Saints.

Bills Defense

First round draft pick Aaron Maybin has been tapped to hopefully play alongside veteran Aaron Schobel and be the defensive end of the future, adding talent and depth to a pass rush that has been lacking. Getting the most out of this unit will be a deciding factor in the overall success of the Bills defense for 2009. In the linebacking department, Keith Ellison, Pat Thomas and John DiGiorgio were all signed in the off-season with the hopes of shoring up the middle of the field and offsetting the loss of several players.

One of the bigger hits to the Bills defense this off-season was the loss of cornerback Jabari Greer to our very own New Orleans Saints. Decent against the pass last year, the Bills should still have a solid secondary with Terrence McGee, Leodis McKelvin and Drayton Florence as well as newly drafted and versatile Jairus Byrd. The secondary is rounded out by aptly named Reggie Corner.

Though the Bills may match up well against Saints receivers, their lack of a pass rush should give Brees time to find the right guy. This will also be a good game to establish a ground attack.

Bills 2008 Season

7-9 Record

Last Meeting

October 2, 2005

Week 4	1	2	3	4	OT	Final
Bills	7	0	0	0	--	7
Saints	0	13	0	6	--	19

Why the Saints Can Win

Brees should have all day to do his damage.

Why the Saints Can Lose

T.O. or Evans could have a great game.

Prediction

Saints 27 - Bills 17

Newly Acquired

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick

RB Dominic Rhodes

WR Terrell Owens

G Seth McKinney

C Geoff Hangartner

ILB Pat Thomas

CB Drayton Florence

CB Ellis Lankster

CB Cary Harris

RB Bruce Hall

LB Keith Ellison

OL Kirk Chambers

FB Corey McIntyre

CB Dustin Fox

DE Marcus Smith

LB John DiGiorgio

WR Justin Jenkins

WR Felton Higgins

OL Chris Denman

WR C.J. Hawthorne

2009 Draft Picks

DE Aaron Maybin

C Eric Wood

CB/S Jairus Byrd

G Andy Levitre

TE Shawn Nelson

SS/OLB Nic Harris

CB Cary Harris

CB Ellis Lankster

Key Losses

QB J.P. Losman

TE Robert Royal

G Derrick Dockery

G Jason Whittle

C Duke Preston

C Melvin Fowler

OLB Angelo Crowell

OLB Blake Costanzo

ILB Teddy Lehman

CB Jabari Greer

OT Jason Peters

Linkage

Buffalo Rumblings

SB Nation Bills Coverage

Saints @ Bills Coverage

Buffalo Bills Roster

Buffalo Bills Depth Chart

Buffalo Bills Transactions

Poll

Do you consider the Saints game against the Bills to be an easy victory?

Sure thing.

34 votes

There's no such thing as an easy victory.

167 votes

I do but I would never admit it.

20 votes

The Bills definitely present a challenge.

97 votes

318 votes | Poll has closed

Around the AFC East, Week 5: Buffalo Bills

MaPatsFan — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:21:33 -0000

Next up, we get the lowdown on the Bills' offensive line. Brian Galliford from Buffalo Rumblings has the goods.

In a recent Buffalo Rumblings story, you wrote, "Jason Peters was traded. Derrick Dockery was unceremoniously released. Duke Preston and Melvin Fowler? "Departed as free agents." Langston Walker is the new left tackle, and college tackle/pro guard Brad Butler is now manning the right side. Three new players - Geoff Hangartner, Eric Wood and Andy Levitre - will take over blocking duties against the division's excellent 3-4 nose tackles. Change doesn't always have to be good..." How will these moves affect the Bills' offense? Could this be a good "house cleaning" or are you worried? Also, give us your insight into a Hangartner/Wood/Levitre vs. Vince Wilfork matchup. (from Dave)

I feel obliged to point out that I was being a bit tongue-in-cheek when that particular chunk of text was written. Buffalo's offensive line was so terrible in 2008 that it's going to be alarming if the unit is worse next season.

In terms of the changes affecting Buffalo's offense, the impact should be fairly significant schematically. The Bills' blocking schemes will be altered; Peters was left on an island on nearly 100% of pass plays for the past two seasons, but that's not likely to continue with Walker on the left side. You'll see a more balanced line with more traditional blocking schemes; those were altered thanks to Peters' unique talents. But you'll see the same basic play calls that you saw from Buffalo in 2008 - altered slightly for a certain Mr. Owens, of course. Don't forget about that no-huddle, either.

As for the Wilfork matchup - well, I call Wilfork unblockable for a reason. Buffalo needs to get to the point where Wilfork is merely good in games against the Bills instead of downright dominant. There's a lot to like about Hangartner, Wood and Levitre, but we haven't seen any of them play a down in Bills uniforms yet. It's difficult to make predictions based on the lack of exposure. We'll wait and see, but I'm certainly far more optimistic that our new interior linemen will be able to compete with the likes of Wilfork than I was with last year's group.

I'll be looking to see if the Bills' O line can improve based on some of the changes Brian has outlined above. That is, when we're not playing them. Wilfork will still be dominant based on the inexperience of the players going up against him.

Thanks to Brian for his info on the O line. Head over to Buffalo Rumblings where I discuss Randy Moss' comments about the state of the 2009 offense.

Are We Kidding Ourselves That the Redskins Offensive Line Is OK?

KevinE — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:37:55 -0000

The Redskins' coaching staff appears happy with the current state of the offensive line. Should we be so happy? I found a couple interesting bits that bring me back to reality from this la-la land that everything is glorious. The Redskins currently carry fewer lineman on their roster than all the teams that already have solid lines! That seems odd to me. Shouldn't a team that has a weak offensive line have MORE players on their roster to a.) force competition, and b.) have a larger pool of players to select from? I mean, the Redskins currently don't have a full roster anyway. Why not have more guys competing?

Redskins 14 Offensive lineman roster as of 6/19/2009:

#	Name	Position	Height	Weight	Years Pro	School	DOB (Age)
78	Batiste, D'Anthony	OL	6-4	314	3	Louisiana-Lafayette	03-29-1982 (27)
62	Clark, Devin	OL	6-4	325	1	New Mexico	05-22-1986 (23)
63	Montgomery, Will	OL	6-3	305	3	Virginia Tech	02-13-1983 (26)
71	Riley, Rueben	OL	6-4	320	2	Michigan	09-20-1984 (24)
75	Rinehart, Chad	OL	6-5	311	1	Northern Iowa	05-04-1985 (24)
71	Williams, Mike	OL	6-6	360	5	Texas	01-11-1980 (29)
68	Burley, Scott	OT	6-5	335	R	Maryland	01-02-1986 (23)
74	Heyer, Stephon	OT	6-6	330	2	Maryland	01-16-1984 (25)
60	Samuels, Chris	OT	6-5	317	9	Alabama	07-28-1977 (31)
66	Dockery, Derrick	G	6-6	326	6	Texas	09-07-1980 (28)
77	Thomas, Randy	G	6-5	308	10	Mississippi State	01-19-1976 (33)
73	Bridges, Jeremy	G/T	6-4	326	6	Southern Mississippi	04-19-1980 (29)
61	Rabach, Casey	C	6-4	296	7	Wisconsin	09-24-1977 (31)
50	Williams, Edwin	C	6-3	315	R	Maryland	12-10-1986 (22)

# of O-lineman on roster as of 6/19/2009 (TEs not included):

Patriots: 17
Giants: 16
Colts: 16
Cardinals: 15
Eagles: 15
Cowboys: 15

The Skins recently cut Jon Jansen to get to 14. In 2008, the Redskins carried 10 offensive lineman on their 53-man roster. The 6 shoe-ins are Heyer, Samuels, Dockery, Thomas, Rabach and Rinehart. So, that leaves approximately 4 spots for 8 guys. So let's break down the competition among the 8 guys and assess the talent. I suddenly get nervous when I think of these guys having to back up our starters should a likely sudden injury occur.

D'Anthony Batiste* - Undrafted free-agent first signed by the Cowboys and sent to the practice squad. The Carolina Panthers singed him in 2006, but he never saw any action. The Falcons signed him in 2007 where he started 4 games, but he did not make the team in 2008. The Skins signed him in December of 2008.

Devin Clark - Signed by the Skins as undrafted free agent in 2008 after playing college ball at New Mexico. He saw limited action in 2 games last year.

Will Montgomery* - Drafted in the 7th round out of Virginia Tech by the Carolina Panthers. He was eventually signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Skins in December of 2008. He started 4 games for the Panthers and 2 for the Jets.

Reuben Riley* - Undrafted free agent out of the University of Michigan. Signed and released by the Panthers two times with a stint in Miami where he was also signed and released. He has not seen any game time. He spent the final three weeks of the 2008 season on the Redskins' practice squad.

Mike Williams - 4th overall pick in the 2002 draft by the Buffalo Bills. A five-year NFL veteran, Williams spent four seasons in Buffalo (2002-05), playing in 51 games with 47 starts. He also spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2006. He has been out of the league for 2+ years and is racing to lose weight in order to get into playing shape.

Scott Burley - Rookie who played left and right tackle for the Terps as a two-year starter. He was signed by the Skins in April of 2009.

Jeremy Bridges - Drafted in the 6th round of the 2003 draft by the Eagles. In his career, he has played right tackle, right guard, and left guard and has played in 62 games in his 6 year career (starting in 39 of them). He has had 2 off-field problems with the law, one as recent as December as 2008.

Edwin Williams - Stand-out Center for the Maryland Terrapins signed by the Skins this April as an unrestricted free agent. Edwin was a 3-year starter for the Terps winning multiple awards. He grew up a Redskins' fan and is well aware of the 'Hogs.' The Terps ran a very similar system to Zorn's offense, so Edwin's learning curve has been easier during mini camp and OTAs.

If you notice the asterisk next to the names, those are all players that the Redskins signed in December of 2008 when the offensive line was running on fumes. I can't imagine the OL talent pool was very strong in December of 2008 as the playoffs were approaching, but alas, these are 3 of the 8 lineman competing for a spot. Mike Williams is a long shot given his weight and 2 years removed from the league. Jeremy Bridges looks to be a versatile competitor, so that leaves the rest...undrafted free agent rookies. SHEESH.

Half of the Redskins' schedule is against the NFC East, which has the best defensive lines in the league. Dallas led the league with 59 sacks, Eagles were 3rd with 48 sacks, and the Giants were 6th with 42 sacks. Oh, and now Osi Umenyiora is 100%. Adding Derrick Dockery no doubt helps, but does it put the Redskins in a position to improve greatly on offense? No. Quick..how many points did the Redskins score for all 6 games against the NFC East last year?

83 points! A cool 13.8 points per game average. How does everyone feel now about the O-line depth? All of the articles I've read since the draft have been how much the fans "hope" the young guys can step up. Wonderful. Joe Bugel has the fans on the Obama "HOPE" plan. Unfortunately, I don't see a lot of change coming from this plan. Seems to me when you have a defense built to win championships, Clinton Portis in his prime, a solid WR core, "hope" should not be the word to describe one of (if not THE) most important components of the team, the offensive line.