SB Nation - Jon Jansen

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

Tuesday Notes: Lions Claim Maurice Williams, Release Ephraim Salaam

Sean Yuille — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:48:47 -0000

The Lions have claimed offensive lineman Maurice Williams. Williams was waived by the Jaguars over the weekend after playing for them since 2001. He is from the city of Detroit and went to the University of Michigan, where he started at right tackle alongside the likes of Jeff Backus and Steve Hutchinson. Williams was also a member of the Wolverines when Jon Jansen started at right tackle. In the NFL, Williams has started 100 of the 105 games he's played in, and it seems like he is a good addition for depth purposes if he can stay healthy. The Lions don't exactly have the best situation at guard, so it looks like Williams could help at that position.
To make room on the roster for Williams, the Lions released offensive tackle Ephraim Salaam.
The Lions might work out punters this week because Nick Harris hurt his knee while making a tackle against Cincinnati.
Jim Schwartz was understandably pissed off over some of the costly and stupid penalties the Lions got on Sunday.
Bryant Johnson's eyes looked a little odd on Sunday, but that was just because he wears tinted contacts.
Louis Delmas went into Sunday's game ready to talk trash with Chad Ochocinco, and considering Delmas knocked #85 out of the game with a big hit, I think he has definitely earned the right to. Delmas went over to Ochocinco to make sure he was alright after the hit, and they had a nice exchange. Ochocinco wasn't out for long and continued to improve on his big game, but overall I thought Delmas did a great job on Sunday.
The Lions' road losing streak is up to 18 games.

Thursday Notes: Calvin Johnson Practices, Kevin Smith Sidelined with Shoulder Injury

Sean Yuille — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:02:13 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

about 1 month ago: Detroit Lions running back Kevin Smith is stopped by St. Louis Rams defenders Quincy Butler (36), David Vobora, Paris Lenon and James Laurinaitis (55) in the first quarter of an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Although he was listed as limited, Calvin Johnson practiced on Wednesday with the No. 1 offense. That's a good sign, because even Matthew Stafford was listed as limited in practice. He was listed as limited last week as well, but he obviously ended up playing. For Calvin, it looks like he will be a game-time decision, which is probably what Kevin Smith will be as well. Smith missed yesterday's practice because the shoulder he injured during the Rams game is still sore. If Smith is unable to play on Sunday, Maurice Morris will step in as the starter, and you can probably expect to see more of Aaron Brown as well.
Jason Hunter finally returned to practice after missing a couple games. It would be nice to get him back for this weekend.
Wide receiver Eric Fowler has been signed to the practice squad by the Lions.
It looks like Manny Ramirez and Jon Jansen are competing for the starting spot at left guard.
Danny Amendola, the returner that got lit up by Zack Follett, has a concussion. When asked about the hit, Amendola said this:

"The hit didn't hurt, but my mind wasn't working," Amendola said. "I walked off, I think. Just got my head buzzed a little bit."
Zack Follett: he will hurt your mind.
Roy Williams complained to the media about how Tony Romo's passes to Miles Austin are thrown much better than when they go in his direction. I still can't believe we got a first- and third-round pick for him.

Matthew Stafford Returns to Practice; Jon Jansen Elevated to Starting LG?

Sean Yuille — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:51:04 -0000

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

2 months ago: Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford smiles at a teammate late in the fourth quarter of their 19-14 win over the Washington Redskins in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009 in Detroit. Stafford passed for 241 yards and a touchdown to help end the Lions 19-game losing streak. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

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The Lions returned to practice on Tuesday after having the weekend off, and a few injured players who sat out on Friday were back on the field, joining their teammates for what probably was the practice with the most participation in at least the last few weeks.

The most notable player to return to practice was Matthew Stafford, who took approximately half of the reps on Tuesday. He seemed to be happy with how his knee held up, though he didn't feel comfortable giving a percentage on how healthy he is. Even if he had shared one, it wouldn't really mean anything until Wednesday's practice. I say that because no one will really know how healthy Stafford is until his knee has a day to recover from Tuesday's practice. If it swells up again, then chances are we will have to wait at least another week for Stafford's return to game action. If it is fine and looks/feels like nothing happened on Tuesday, then the odds of him playing on Sunday greatly increase. I don't want to get my hopes up just yet, but Tuesday brought more positive news on Stafford than I expected.

One of the other notable injured players, Calvin Johnson, did not return to practice on Tuesday. He did do some running on the sideline, but that was about it for Megatron. Calvin did say that he is "optimistic," but he also admitted that he's "not positive about what's going to happen." The best thing to do with Calvin is take a wait and see approach. If he suddenly feels well enough to practice sometime this week, he could also return to game action on Sunday against the Rams.

Staying on the topic of injuries, Dewayne White, Sammie Hill, and Ko Simpson all returned to practice on Tuesday as well. Jerome Felton and Jason Hunter didn't get back on the field, but even so, it's nice to see so many of the injured players start to participate in practice again. Hopefully that means that the Lions will be almost at full strength on Sunday, and as the season continues, hopefully it means that I will have to spend less time typing up the injury report each week.

One other thing I want to mention is unrelated to injuries, but it does involve a change to the starting lineup. According to John Niyo, Jon Jansen "appears to be the new starting left guard," and Daniel Loper has shifted to right tackle to be Gosder Cherilus' backup. It's obvious that the Lions want to find an offensive line combination that will work, so here's to hoping that Jansen is the answer at left guard, even though he has never started at a position other than right tackle in his career.

Can the Lions Beat the Redskins With Jon Jansen's O-Line Insight?

KevinE — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:32:22 -0000

"Ooo. I got one. What's 141 years old, costs $50 million dollars, and gets pushed over by the wind? ... The Redskins O-line!! hahaha"

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Teams picking up players to get an edge on opponent's strategy is nothing new. This week, the Redskins face a similar challenge in that disgruntled former Redskin, Jon Jansen, signed with the Lions this off-season. If anyone knows our offensive line the best, besides Bugel, it's Jon Jansen (and I'm including Zorn in this equation). Jansen has been an anchor with the Redskins for 10 years and battled through all the highs and lows. We're not fooling anyone that the offensive line is a patch job held together with duct tape and Elmer's glue, and Jansen knows it.

The reason the Redskins have destroyed the Lions so consistently is due to an effective running game. Let's take a quick look at the Skins versus Lions recent history:

QB JASON CAMPBELL is 2-0 vs. Det. with 126.3 passer rating. Has posted 2 highest rated games of career vs. Lions (127.4, 125.3) & aims for 3rd in row vs. Det. with 125+ rating. Team is 6-1 (.857) when he has 97+ rating. Has 1.2 INT pct. (7 INTs, 567 att.) since 2008, lowest in NFL...

RB CLINTON PORTIS has rushed for 345 yards (115 per game) in 3 career meetings. When Portis rushes for 100+ yards, his teams are 33-10 (.767). Averages 110.5 scrimmage yards per game & is 1 of only 5 players in NFL history to average 110+ per game.

FB MIKE SELLERS had career-high 2 TDs (1 rush, 1 rec.) vs. Det. (10/7/07)

WR SANTANA MOSS averages 15.1 yards per catch since entering NFL in 2001, highest among active WRs (min. 425 receptions). In last meeting, had 50-yard rec. TD & 80-yard PR-TD. Finished with 9 catches for 140 yards.

So, here are some things I expect Jon Jansen to say to his Detroit coaches:

"On running downs, stack the left side of the line and just put a corner back on Heyer. Stephon couldn't run over a school boy...even if he was running down hill."

"Passing plays...99% chance it's a screen or a dink-and-dunk to Cooley. Cover these guys and let them make the mistake."

"Campbell is not allowed to audible so trust what we've watched on tape this week."

Any other good ones you can think of?

Poll

Will the Redskins run for 100+ yards?

Yes

725 votes

No

291 votes

1016 votes | Poll has closed

Predicting the Arizona Cardinals Record: Part 4

Andrew602 — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:00:23 -0000

For the last three weeks, we've spent some time breaking down what the Cardinals record may be for the 2009 season. Over the weeks we looked at each game of the Arizona Cardinals schedule, and broke down each team they will play. You can see parts part 1, part 2, and part 3 right here, where you'll see that the Cardinals record at this point is 8-4. In part three, the Cardinals came out 3-1, only losing to the Titans. During this next stretch, they face 2 division opponents, and two others from the NFC North. So to finish our segment before the season begins, here is the final part of the prediction for the Cardinals 2009 record.

Week 14 - At San Francisco 49ers

Key Additions: WR Brandon Jones, CB Dre Bly, DE Demetric Evans, FB Moran Norris

Key Losses: LB Tully Banta-Cain, WR Bryant Johnson, CB Donald Strickland, QB J.T. O'Sullivan, DT Ronald Fields

Analysis: After Mike Singletary took over for the 49ers last year, he immediately made a difference, and since then, he's stamped his identity on this team. He's created a tough and smart football team over at 49er camp. Although the 49ers are one of our rivals, you have to respect what Singletary has done for them at this point.

What to watch for: In their first match up, I gave the Cardinals the win at home, as they were opening the season after their Super Bowl run against a division rival on their home field. This time, the Cardinals travel to San Francisco, where the 49ers can play very aggressive against road teams. It's also on the Monday night stage, where both teams have played very cutthroat in the past. Expect a lot of emotions to come out as this has become a great rivalry.

Key Match Up: Chris Wells vs Patrick Willis - This would be a very exciting match up on the national stage, as our bruising rookie running back takes on their Pro Bowl hard hitting linebacker.

Prediction - Loss - Last year the Cardinals barely escaped a win over the 49ers at home. This year I'd expect us to split the series, with each team winning at home.

Week 15 - At Detroit Lions

Key Additions: LB Julian Peterson, QB Matthew Stafford, LB Larry Foote, CB Phillip Buchanon, CB Anthony Henry, DT Grady Jackson, OT Jon Jansen, WR Bryant Johnson, RB Maurice Morris, WR Ronald Curry, CB Eric King

Key Losses: CB Leigh Bodden, DT Shaun Cody, DT Cory Redding, DE Corey Smith, QB Jon Kitna, QB Dan Orlovsky, WR Shaun McDonald, FB Moran Norris, G Edwin Mulitalo, S Dwight Smith, WR Travis Taylor

Analysis: There's not much to say after a team goes 0-16 during the regular season. The Lions just plain stunk last year. This year proves to be a different experience for a team that's struggled in recent years. As you can see, they've cleaned house and started fresh. It began in the off season when they hired Titans defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, as their head coach. They also took the next step in rebuilding their team, in drafting a franchise quarterback by the name of Matthew Stafford. The team can only improve from last year and anything more then 4 wins would be a success.

What to watch for: By the time the Cardinals head to Detroit at this point in the season, they will likely be vying for a playoff berth. On the other hand, the Lions may just want to play spoiler. Another thing to watch for is Calvin Johnson. He's already been regarded as one of the best wide recievers in the NFL at this point in his career. Watch to see how DRC handles himself against the tall receiver. If Stafford is in the game at this time, watch for the Cardinals defense to try and rattle the rookie QB.

Key Match Up: Adrian Wilson vs Matthew Stafford - If the rookie is starting at this point in the season, he has a big arm and likes to air it out. Expect Wilson to drop in coverage a few times but also layout Stafford a few times in the backfield.

Prediction: Win - It's simple, the Cardinals will be fighting for a playoff spot at this point in the year and the Lions will not be.

Week 16 - St. Louis Rams

Key Additions: SS James Butler, C Jason Brown, FB Mike Karney, OT Jason Smith

Key Losses: WR Torry Holt, OT Orlando Pace, QB Trent Green, S Corey Chavous

Analysis: After dusting off the cob webs and bringing in some youth, the Rams look to another challenge in '09, WIN. The last two years have been struggles for this Rams team that used to be the greatest show on turf. With Spagnola at the helm now, we may actually see a division rival actually become...a division rival.

What to watch for: The Rams come to University of Phoenix Stadium with hopes of knocking off a divisional opponent. Unfortunately, they haven't played that well there in the past, and will likely have some difficulty. The Cardinals will be ready for this game, hoping to catapult themselves into the playoffs with a win.

Key Match Up: Gerald Hayes vs Steven Jackson - Last year Hayes swarmed Jackson when the Rams came to Arizona. Will Jackson have revenge on his mind?

Prediction - Win - The Cardinals may need this win more then the Rams will at this point in the season.

Week 17 - Green Bay Packers

Key Additions: S Anthony Smith, C Duke Preston, DT B.J. Raji

Key Losses: DT Colin Cole

Analysis: The Packers had high hopes last year, after coming off an NFC Championship appearance. Unfortunately, it didn't translate into the 2008 season. While they had a good offense in '08, they suffered injuries that caused them to lack a rushing attack to go with their passing offense. The defense was the obvious weak spot, as they gave up a significant amount of points and were playing catch up most often then not. This year they bring back their explosive offense, and most are healthy. Aaron Rodgers has looked amazing at this point in the preseason, and they outscored their opponents in each game. They brought in Dom Capers and drafted DT B.J. Raji to improve their defense, and it's already showed as they've forced numerous turnovers and have limited their opponents scoring so far.

What to watch for: Watch for the Cardinals to head into this game with revenge on their minds. Even though it was only the preseason, the Packers put a shellacking on the Cardinals first team offense and defense. Expect to see fireworks in this game as the Cardinals defense would like to get after Aaron Rodgers.

Key Match Up: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie vs Packers Wide Receivers - After getting embarrassed in the preseason, we can only expect DRC to come out with something to prove in this game.

Prediction - Loss -Although the Cardinals will likely play differently this game, the Packers look to be much better in '09 and will be playing aggressively in their last game of the season, as their division will be competitive.

------------------------------------------------------

Arizona Cardinals final projected record - 10-6

So after the final four games, the Cardinals finish their 2009 season at 10-6, which will likely land them with another division title and a playoff berth. Although you could easily mix and match some wins and some losses, 10-6 may still be the record, with 9-7 or 11-5 not that far out of the question. Although I'd like to see them go 16-0, I can live with the projected record if it happens. As far as anything less, the Cardinals would have to have a complete meltdown or a massive amount of injuries. What's your take on a final record of 10-6? Do you think the Cardinals would do better or worse?

Poll

How many wins will the Cardinals have in 2009?

13 or higher - Super Bowl here we come...again.

62 votes

10-12 - What hangover? We're back in the playoffs.

495 votes

7-9 - Another average season in the books

183 votes

6 or less - Same Ole Cardinals?

47 votes

787 votes | Poll has closed

Statistically, Redskins Are Not Likely to Improve From Last Year

KevinE — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 07:30:21 -0000

via Football Outsiders Almanac 2009

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One of the perks of writing for SB Nation is that they give us access to excellent resources, such as Football Outsiders (FO), who records the in-depth statistics of every play for every team. We were fortunate enough to get an advanced copy of the FO Almanac, which has some great in-depth analysis and statistics of every team, including the Redskins. There are a lot of stats that stand out from the 2008 season, one of which being:

Washington posted their three worst offensive DVOA totals in Week 8 (when Samuels was inactive with that balky knee) and Weeks 15 and 17, when he was gone for the year.

So basically, Chris Samuels cannot get hurt. Ever. To get a further understanding of the Redskins woes from 2008, Football Outsiders answered our questions:

Hogs Haven: In your FO Almanac, you said:

"Zone-blitzing the Redskins may not be the wisest move. Washington faced more zone blitzes than any other offense - 7.1 percent of pass plays - and shredded those blitzes with 89.1% DVOA, the best in the NFC."

What types of defenses was it that the Redskins struggled so much against? Opposing teams seemed to get pressure on Jason Campbell with even a 4-man rush, so I'd be curious to know those stats since the offense scored so few points.

Well, Campbell's sack rate was higher than average no matter how many people were rushing him. Here are his sack totals and percentages as split by the number of defenders that were rushing the quarterback:

3 rushers: 1 sack /31 attempts (3.3%, league average 3.3%)
4: 23/333 (6.9%, league average 5.3%)
5: 11/140 (7.9%, league average 7.5%)
6: 3/30 (10%, league average 7.5%)
7: 0/5 (0%, league average 9.5%)

There's no easy answer to give here like, say, "Campbell can't handle a blitz of six men or more". Quarterbacks tend to play slightly worse when you blitz them more, but they're usually in worse situations, too.

Hogs Haven: Zorn added 80+ passing plays to the offense now that he's in year two with Campbell. What are the stats for coaches that go into year two of a system? (Hasselbeck's numbers jumped high his 2nd year under Zorn).

Our projection system provides a very slight bump for teams that retain their offensive coordinator (or their defensive coordinator) for multiple seasons up to a certain point, as we've found that teams that retain their coordinators do tend to see a slight improvement over similar franchises that don't.

There's nothing in those numbers, though, that indicates that Campbell should take a mighty leap forward. We like Jason Campbell; Dave Lewin's Lewin Career Forecast, which predicts the NFL performance of college QB's, had very nice things to say about Campbell coming out of Auburn. So maybe he'll take a step forward, and Zorn will help. But it won't be the dominant factor.

One thing that we can say pretty much for sure; Campbell's going to throw more interceptions. He threw picks on 1.2% of his passes last year, a remarkably low figure and one that almost always -- as in, say, 39 times out of 40 -- regresses back up closer to 3% or so. Last year's example was David Garrard, who was at a ridiculous 0.9% in 2007; he threw 13 picks last year at a rate of 2.4%.

Hogs Haven: What predictions can you make for the O-line with the addition of former Redskin Derrick Dockery (who was successful in this system before), and the replacement of Stephon Heyer, who is younger and stronger than Jon Jansen?

I always love these sort of questions because fans will always bring up the hopeful adjectives about players. That's not a criticism, just an observation. The flip side is that you could say that Dockery was such a disappointment that he washed out of Buffalo after two years, and Heyer's failed to take the job by the horns, is inexperienced, and gets banged up too easily. That's not a fair analysis, but it's just the counterbalance to only noticing the happy things.

The biggest factor that we've noticed about offensive lines is that continuity helps a lot more than people think. Talent's great, but when you're barking out the signals and someone's not paying attention, talent isn't worth much. A blown assignment in the running game leads to second-and-long, a blown block leads to a sack that blows out Jason Campbell's knee ... it only takes one mistake, and offensive lines that are new with each other tend to make them.

Obviously, Heyer's played a fair amount with the team, and Dockery was playing with Chris Samuels a couple of years ago. So that helps. I'd expect a few hiccups, but in the long run, it's more about keeping the five starters healthy than anything else. If they're healthy, the line will play well. If not, well, there will be trouble.

Hogs Haven: What turnover ration can Redskins fans expect with the addition of Haynesworth and Orakpo...since QBs will be forced to throw the ball quicker? (Orakpo has been very impressive in camp, drawing heavy praise from Chris Samuels and London Fletcher).

Yeah; again, plenty of guys get praised in camp, but that doesn't mean bupkus once you get on the field. I like Orakpo as a player, personally, but pass rushers rarely -- really rarely -- make an impact as a rookie. Think about Mario Williams, Patrick Kerney, Michael Strahan -- elite 4-3 pass rushers off the edge. (If he actually does end up playing strong side linebacker, well, he's even less likely to have an impact; the list of 4-3 linebackers with huge sack totals is extremely slim.) As for Haynesworth? There's no consistent trend where we see teams adding an elite pass rusher and seeing their interception or turnover totals go up. Anecdotally, I agree with you that the concept makes sense. But I can't sit here and truthfully tell you that "Interceptions will increase by 10 percent!" because we haven't seen it in the numbers.

Hogs Haven: Do you have percentages and comments on these stats?

- % of passing plays last year that were 5 yards and under (felt like 4/5 passes were under 5 yards...even on 3rd and long)
- % of 3 and outs and how that ranked with the rest of the league.
- % of run plays left, right, middle (I would imagine majority were runs left)

I don't have the numbers on third-and-outs, but I can answer the other two:

- Washington was third in the league in passes of five yards or less, at 51.7 percent. Only Tampa Bay and Indianapolis were higher.

- 38% of Washington's carries were to left end or left tackle; 30% were to right end or right tackle, with the remaining 32% being either up the middle or at either guard spot.

Hogs Haven: Without giving away the work you put into the book, can you give us your thoughts and expectations for the 2009 Redskins? What is your "best case" situation. Skins are optimistic the WRs from last year will contribute at a high level (Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly, and Fred Davis). All of them have looked exceptional at camp.

I think those receivers definitely have to play better, I think that's a key. I'd hope that they're optimistic, though; it would be worse if the Skins weren't!

We project the Redskins to win 7.8 games this year, with a 30% chance of winning 9-10 games and an 11% chance of winning 11+ games. Obviously, they play in an extremely tough division. In the NFC East, the balance of power could be shifted by one key injury (think Tony Romo's broken finger last year) or even a close win -- remember, the 2007 Giants beat the Eagles in a game where David Akers missed a game-tying field goal by a few inches. If the Eagles won that game in OT, the Giants wouldn't have made the playoffs.

Truthfully, you could tell me anything from 5-11 to 11-5 and I wouldn't be surprised. A lot could go right with this team, and a lot could go wrong.

There is a lot to be said here. The key point Football Outsiders mentioned is that offensive line success is based on continuity. The Redskins cut 2 of their original starters from last year (Jansen, Kendall) and added multiple jouneymen, two of which have been out of the league for 1+ years (Mike Williams and Jeremy Bridges). From what the statistics show and what I've seen so far in camp, it's going to be another see-saw year. I hate to say a month before the season starts that the Redskins success depends on EVERYONE staying healthy, but so it is.

Ask a Redskin: 3 Random, Tough Questions and Their Replies

KevinE — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:33:29 -0000

August 8, 2009: Carlos Rogers with his daughter after practice Fan Appreciation Day.

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Fan Appreciation Day was this past weekend, and given the light mood after practice, I thought it'd be fun to ask the players non football related questions for a change. First things first, the offensive line did look better. The quarterbacks did not throw well, which was disappointing, but there was only a few number of sacks and the QBs did have time to throw the ball. Coach Zorn in his intro speech raved of Hunter Smith. I clocked his last 5 punts, which had the hang-times: 4.05, 4.39, 4.18, 4.81, and 5.?. (I received a text message as I was clocking the last punt, but it was a massive 60-yard punt that was well over 5 seconds). When asked in the post-practice interview about Hunter, Zorn said that when Hunter the Punter misses a kick, it's still in the 4+ seconds range versus last year where the punters mis-kicks were in the 3.1 and 3.2 seconds range. That certainly is a huge difference and should go a long way for field battle positions. Anthony Alridge and Byron Westbrook were getting time as the punt runners on my side of the field.

I spoke with Renaldo Wynn about the offensive line, and he had this to say:

The key is how they gel together. It's like the Giants' offensive line. They're not the most talented, but they work together. If we can get these guys to pull together and come together as a unit, I think they can be pretty great. Keep guys healthy number two. That was a huge problem last year. Chris Samuels, Randy Thomas, Jon Jansen were hurt. Most of the guys in there were battling some type of injury.

That seems fair enough to me. Let's see how they do Thursday before completely throwing them under the bus. I also asked several of the players who of the young guys are standing out most in camp. Jeremy Jarmon is in the huge lead (Orakpo is already a given at this point).

Wynn: "Jeremy Jarmon. Edwinn Williams, the center from MD. He's having a heck of a camp."
Portis: "[Marques ]Hagans at receiver. [Robert ] Agnone. Fred Davis...I think he's had the best camp out of anyone."
Randle-El: "Marko Mitchell, Trent Shelton, and that cat we got in the supplemental draft Jeremy Jarmon. He's nasty."
London Fletcher: "Reed Doughty looks good."
Todd Yoder: "Orakpo. He is strong as a bull and fast. I'm expecting big things out of him...he's got great strength for his size and a real quick first step.

As of right now it is looking like Jeremy Jarmon was a STEAL with next year's 3rd round pick...not to mention the added benefit that we get having Jarmon on the roster this year. I don't see how he doesn't make the 53-man roster.

So onto the fun questions. I asked the following questions to 17 players (and Dan Steinberg):

1.) If Hollywood was making a movie of your life, who would you want to play you?
2.) Who would you rather spend a weekend in Vegas with: Shaun Suisham or Ethan Albright?
3.) Who would win a QB accuracy contest today: Zorn or Brunell?

Can you guess for #1 who picked Johnny Drama and who Fred Smoot and Jim Zorn picked? Answers after the jump...

I think it'd be close. I honestly can't give away either one. They're both friends. Brunell is probably a little less rusty so I'll go with him."

	Actor to play their life story	Vegas	Zorn or Brunell Contest
Fred Smoot	"TI!"	"Albright!. He's my boy! He's Irish ... I'm Dutch, we're gonna roll together!"
Carlos Rogers	"Smoot!"	"Suisham."	"Zorn."
DeAngelo Hall	"Me"	"Neither."
Todd Yoder	"Me. Can I be in a movie? Or maybe I can get Cools and then maybe I can star in a movie playing him."	"Albright because he's the Red Snapper."
Antwaan Randle-El	"Cuba!"	"Suisham"	"Brunell" (with confidence)
Clinton Portis	"Jamie Foxx"	"Albright"	"I don't know, you're talking about 2 old arms that got it done at their time. Brunell at this point since he's still in the league."
Marko Mitchell	"hmm..Will Smith!!"	"Suisham. He's a funny, cool guy and down to Earth."
London Fletcher	"Me! [laughing]"	"Probably Albright. Ethan's old school so I'm sure we'll have a good time."
Cornelius Griffin	"Denzel Washington"	"Neither one."
Renaldo Wynn	"[laughing] Someone with some good looks. Probably have to say Denzel."	"Man...I have to go with Albright. I have to go with Albright. I'd just like to see what he does for fun. Suisham, he's a regular guy, but Albright, he'll be like Chevy Chase waering the plaid pants."
Chris Samuels	Chris: "I don't know, that's tough." Kevin: "Gary Coleman?" Chris: "No...haha, not at all. Samuel L...I need someone big. Oh! The guy that played Deebo...even though my eye is straight!"	"Ethan Albright. I like him..old wise veteran."	"Zorn because he's my coach...even though I love Brunell."
Chris Cooley	"That's a good question man. I'd go with Johnny Drama.He'd be good."	"Suisham"	"I think it'd be close. I honestly can't give away either one. They're both friends. Brunell is probably a little less rusty so I'll go with him."
Jason Campbell	"Denzel"	"Suisham"	"Brunell"
Shaun Suisham	"Matt Damon"	(I asked Shaun to make his case for players to choose him)" "Me. Because I'm lucky."
Mike Sellers	"The dude they call 'Tiny' in the movies."	"Albright. He's funny. That's my buddy."
Jim Zorn	"Hmm..that's a good question. You know who I like...Robert Duvall. . He's really good. I like Matt Damon. I like Tom Criuse. I like those guys. They make fun movies. They're good actors."	"Neither!!"
Dan Steinberg [Bog]	"I'd have to say Moby."	"Suisham...he loves me."	"I'll take Zorn."

Monday Notes: Training Camp Countdown Nearing Single Digits

Sean Yuille — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:20:51 -0000

Training camp is less than two weeks away. Part of me is a little sad about that fact since summer is going by so quickly and my time of relaxing is coming to a close, but another part of me is pumped that football is almost here and there will actually be stuff to write about every single day.
Jon Jansen, who is quite knowledgeable about the business side of the NFL, doesn't think there will be a strike in 2011. His reasoning for that belief is that when it comes down to it, both players and owners enjoy making money too much to let a strike happen. If there was a work stoppage, nobody would make money, and in the end no one wants it to come to that.
Despite being a raw player that needs time to develop, Tom Kowalski thinks that a lack of depth could force Sammie Hill into substantial playing time early in the season.
Darnell Bing is finally feeling comfortable at linebacker. Bing was a safety at USC but moved to linebacker with the Raiders. Early in his career with the Raiders he suffered a neck injury that proved to be a big obstacle. Since then, he has moved around to a few different teams, with the Lions being his latest one. Only now is he fully adjusted to being a linebacker, which gives him hope that he can make the team this coming season.
The FanHouse's Chris Burke wrote an excellent article about why comparing Matthew Stafford to former Georgia quarterback David Greene as a way of warning what Stafford's career could be like should things go wrong (as the AJC's Jeff Schultz did) is just ridiculous.
Barry Sanders Jr. isn't necessarily a fan of the Lions (he likes the Redskins), but he supports them.

Monday Notes: Lions Play Host to Former Season-Ticket Holders

Sean Yuille — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:04:39 -0000

Jon Jansen sounds like he is open to playing any position on the offensive line if it means he will get playing time. All backup offensive linemen need to be versatile, as that allows the Lions to keep fewer linemen on the team and active during games. Jansen is no exception, and although he will primarily be a right tackle (likely backing up Gosder Cherilus), he will probably get time at every other position on the O-line as well.
Around 120 former season-ticket holders attended practice on Wednesday of last week. More than 6,000 were invited, and there were only 60 or so left by the time practice was over. The numbers may not seem all that impressive, but at the end of the day the Lions sold 30 season-ticket packages, meaning the event was a success in that sense. The invite was a way for the Lions to reach out to ex-ticket holders, hoping to get them back in the team's good graces. I doubt this will be the last effort to do that, as Martin Mayhew and Jim Schwartz seem committed to getting the team to be more open to the fans, especially the ones that dish out money for tickets or used to do that.
Pontiac still hasn't sold the Silverdome, and unless some unforeseen sale is made, it looks like the former home of the Lions will be put up for auction sometime in the future.
Former Lion Reggie Rogers was sentenced to two years in jail for two different DUI cases. Both of these came after he killed three teenagers in an accident where he ran a stop sign back in 1988. That accident led to the end of his career with the Lions, and the latest two incidents have led to an end of his freedom for a couple years.