SB Nation - Chris Samuels

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

Redskins IR list isn't the Worst in the NFL; Cerrato Still Making Mistakes

KevinE — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:36:08 -0000

More photos » by Sharon Ellman - AP

Another Redskins OL...let's add a practice squad guy!

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The Redskins are obviously decimated by injuries, but I couldn't help but think. Is it really just bad luck? Of course not.

I reviewed the Injury reports for all 32 teams, which I included after the jump. The majority of the NFL has between 2-5 players on their IR, while the Redskins are tied with 3 other teams that have 9 shelved. Amazingly, there are 3 teams with more IR injuries, one of which being the UNDEFEATED Saints. So what's the big difference? Cerrato prefers to plug holes with practice squad players while the Saints add veterans.

The Saints have been crushed with secondary injuries, including: Tracy Porter, Jabari Greer, Randall Gay, and Leigh Torrence. With the additions of Mike McKenzie and Chris McAllister the last two weeks, the Saints continue marching on. It helps their offense is #1 in the league, but let's be real. Their defense did an excellent job of shutting down the Pats and the D has had to carry their weight in a couple games (Rams most notably).

So what does this have to do with anything? Well, when the Redskins take on injuries, the Front Office starts nabbing other teams' practice squad, journey men players (usually undrafted free agents). The Saints on the other hand pick up veterans who have played the game and can be productive immediately. Take a look at the Redskins Offensive Line roster from the beginning of THIS year. There are STILL two OL that the Redskins grabbed from other practice squads in December of 2008 when Samuels went down (D'Anthony Batiste and Will Montgomery) . Vinny, this is your idea of building an OLine? I mean, what talent can be left in December of a season from all the teams hitting the practice squad pools?

OK, back to 2009. Levi Jones has been playing well, but I start to think to myself, why wasn't Pete Kendall brought back in? Why not a Jon Runyan on the right side? These practice squad players are going to get Jason Campbell killed and their mistakes (false starts/blown blocks) have cost numerous drives and games.

The argument can be made: "Well, the majority of the Redskins injuries are pro-bowlers: Chris Samuels, Chris Cooley, Randy Thomas, and Clinton Portis."

This argument is ridiculous because as fans we knew it was more likely than not these players wouldn't make it all season (save for Cooley). The fans, who are not the ones at Redskins Park EVERY day evaluating our own talent, knew these players wouldn't make it all season, yet the front office refused to build depth where it was most needed.

Undrafted rookie free agents, not veterans, are now being asked to protect the Quarterback. It's so ass backwards. Mr. Snyder, please do the right thing and give your Executive VP of Football Operations and former ND scout the same fate Charlie Weis just faced.

Team	Injured Reserve*	Other **	Total
Detroit Lions	12	7	19
Tampa Bay Bucs	11	3	14
New Orleans Saints	10	9	19
Washington Redskins	9	7	16
Cleveland Browns	9	5	14
Green Bay Packers	9	3	12
Baltimore Ravens	9	3	12
Carolina Panthers	8	7	15
Buffalo Bills	7	8	15
Houston Texans	7	2	9

Philly Eagles	5	10	15
NY Giants	4	5	9
Dallas Cowboys	3	4	7

TEN Titans	1 (Punter)	3	4
MIN Vikings	0	2	2

* IR: Includes IR, Out for Season
**Other: Includes Probable, Questionable, Doubtful, Out Indefinitely

Pour Some Sugar On Me - Now With 33% Less Negativity!

Sugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:00:35 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

Is Albert Haynesworth capable of rallying a team to fight their hardest despite the circus going on all around them? If not, then who?

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As I watched the Monday Night Football game last night, I was thinking, "I could totally live with just having to deal with a team that was slightly underachieving but had some hope for the future." Instead, we get the added debacle of our current ownership and management mess. But I'll save thinking and writing about that for tomorrow. Today, my thoughts are squarely on last season's anomaly--that is, starting 6-2 and finishing 2-6. Watching that first half of the season, you would have been hard-pressed to find someone--anyone--that would have picked the Redskins to miss the playoffs. The losses to teams like Pittsburgh and the Giants notwithstanding, the team had a very real chance to get the wins necessary to make the postseason. But the free falling Skins could not save themselves.

Is it possible that we have a team that can reverse its 2-5 start? Not probable, but possible, yes. No team has a tougher schedule in November than the Redskins. Our opponents combine for a .750 winning percentage. Going on the road this week in Atlanta will be very tough, especially with those guys coming off a loss to their division rivals.

Assuming that the coaches can solidify the offense from an X's and O's perspective, the only thing that can turn the Redskins around is if they adopt an attitude that they are capable of winning every game they have left on the schedule. This plus the kind of "bunker mentality" that "nobody is giving us a chance" is how teams band together and fight just hard enough to beat teams they might not otherwise be capable of defeating.

The problem with this theory is that teams that adopt that kind of attitude usually do it in the process of rallying around someone or something. Coach Zorn could be that person to rally around, but he has been so publicly castrated that you almost feel like rallying around him is the same as dancing on the deck of the Titanic. Players have been shown clearly who is in charge, even if that authority is ripping the franchise apart. Chris Samuels would always take it upon himself to make sure guys played with pride and professionalism no matter what the record. His leadership is at least somewhat diminished now that he is no longer wearing pads. Who is going to step up and assume the role of rallying the troops? London Fletcher? Greg Blache? Jason Campbell seems to always have his glad game on, so maybe he is the guy that keeps the players focused on the season. I look forward to your comments on this one.

Ten Yard Fight - 10 Chances To Make One Good Point

1) I hope all you mediocre fantasy teams out there capitalized this week on the bye weeks of Tom Brady, Carson Palmer, Big Ben, Randy Moss, and even guys like Cedric Benson, Matt Cassel, and the Steelers defense. I did and it was great, until I realized that all of the teams I beat (in a cumulative scoring system) had studs on the bench. I'll take it, but it is yet another reminder that my team is woefully undermanned coming down the stretch.

2) In the Jets-Dolphins game, the high passer was Mark Sanchez with 265 yards, the high rusher was Thomas Jones with 102 yards, and the high receiver was Dustin Keller with 76 yards. Chad Henne threw for a paltry 112 yards, Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown each had 27 yards rushing, and Williams led all Dolphin receivers with 41 yards. Final score Dolphins 30, Jets 25...huh?

3) It was good to see the Rams get their first win of the season...against someone besides the Redskins. Although by the associative property of scheduling (or is it transitive?), their win against a team that beat the Redskins means they are...wait, it just means we're all in the same crappy neighborhood. If you want an example of a guy who is playing as if his team is undefeated and every game is a playoff game, look no farther than Steven Jackson.

4) I realize that Calvin Johnson is hurt, but you simply HAVE to let Matthew Stafford go deep more often if you're calling plays in Detroit. That guy has a cannon for an arm and he actually has great touch on his deep balls. I predict that next year, the combination of Stafford, Johnson, and Kevin Smith will be one of the most potent offensive threats in the league. (I bet they draft an offensive lineman to help that come true...Vinny...Vinny?)

5) Speaking of playing with pride, the game nobody outside of Tennessee and Jacksonville featured two runners that blew up for exciting play after exciting play. Chris Johnson busted out for 228 yards and Maurice Jones-Drew had 177 yards. MJD had a staggering 22.5 yards per carry on 8 carries! I was a little concerned for Chris Johnson with Vince Young starting for the first time this season, but it all seemed to go okay, huh? Looking ahead, I see Vince Young enhancing the rushing the attack of the Titans. They will turn his arm loose on a few more deep throws I imagine, and between him, Johnson and LenDale White, they should be able to keep the ball moving on the ground nicely.

6) In my fantasy column I write for SB Nation, I urged Kyle Orton, Knowshon Moreno and Tony Scheffler owners to start somebody else this week. My thought was that the Ravens defense, coming off of a bye, playing at home, and trying to save some face after giving it up in recent weeks were not to be messed with in any fantasy format. Well, I got one right.

7) I saw something crazy on the television when I was watching the various games this weekend. Fans in the stands were holding these weird things in their hands that had words and messages written on them. All different kinds. They were holding them up and waving them around. Made me think back to a time when you saw that here in D.C. I think it was earlier this season...no wait, I forgot, the rule against signs here has been around forever. (Serenity now!)

8) This Sunday night, NBC is giving us yet another NFC East matchup: Dallas vs. Philadelphia. I guess I'll get to watch The Simspons and Family Guylive that night. It kills me because I love watching football on Sunday night. It's quiet in my house, I can actually pay attention, and I can relax and just sink into a game. I can think of no matchup I would prefer less than this one. Will it be a good game? Probably. Will I flick over to it a million times over the course of the night? Of course I will. But the screen will be filled all night with that which makes me vomit. At least if we beat Atlanta, one of the announcers might throw in an ill-advised, "And with the Redskins beating the Falcons earlier today, the NFC East race could really tighten up here in the coming weeks."

9) Game #1 I am looking forward to this weekend (besides the Skins game of course): Cincinnati hosting Baltimore. I picked Cincy to win that division and a win at home over the Ravens on Sunday would really put them in the driver's seat (they already beat the Ravens on the road and the Steelers at home.) I will be interested to see how the Bengals move the ball after what the Ravens did to the Broncos. Carson Palmer is a step up from Kyle Orton, and his receivers are probably better across the board as well. If Cedric Benson can get a few hard first downs on the ground, the Bengals should be able to move the ball well enough to score. I think Flacco is officially in a bit of a rut. I won't call it a sophomore slump because he is still playing relatively well. Either way, defensive coordinators are figuring out ways to contain him.

10) Game #2 I am looking forward to this weekend: Detroit at Seattle. Just kidding. The Monday Night game next week between the Steelers and the Broncos at Invesco Field (Mile High) is going to be a great game. I can just feel it. Josh McDaniels is already working to make sure his team doesn't begin a free fall. Who knows better than Redskins fans how six wins in the first half of the season can turn into a slide all the way to 8-8? The Steelers are coming off a bye and they need this conference win, since winning their division is going to be dicey. This will be a great Monday Night game.

I'm going to toy with predictions in this column and see where it takes me. We'll keep a running tally of how good or awful I am at picking games. I'll pick winners, but I will only pick games where both teams are .500 or better (unless you want to see me pick the Packers over the Bucs and claim how smart I am.)

Patriots over Dolphins

Cardinals over Bears

Giants over Chargers

Broncos over Steelers on MNF in OT

We'll start with those four picks. See you next week.

Thank You Chris Samuels: Tribute to a Modern Day Redskins Hog

KevinE — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:02:27 -0000

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We all know the retirement is coming, so I thought we'd get it out of the way now and give our thanks to the Redskins' modern day Hog, Chris Samuels, and everything he's given to this franchise. It may seem preeminent, but let's be honest, the current state of the Redskins and their forth-coming personnel over-haul is not worth risking paralysis. Chris likely wanted to get his farewell over with, but with the nightmare the front office is currently dealing with, they can't handle any more bad news, especially offensive-line related. It's amazing to think how many moving parts there were over a 3-year span that nearly did not bring Chris Samuels to the Redskins.

Before we dive into all of Samuels' accolades, it's amazing how hectic 1999 and 2000 were. The team was in the process of being sold and multiple people who shouldn't have been in the decision process were. What led to the Redskins large amount of first round draft picks was kicked off by the Panthers' foolish move to acquire Sean Gilbert.

1998

Defensive tackle Sean Gilbert held out for the entire 1997 season and the Redskins kept the franchise tag on him for 1998. The compensation for another team to sign Gilbert was set at two first-round draft picks. The Panthers foolishly bit and got Gilbert-a good player, but not a high-impact performer-in exchange for their first picks in 1999 and 2000. [Warpath Conf.]

1999

Just before the 1999 draft, Charley Casserly dialed up club president John Kent Cooke and explained the deals he had working. "Charley," John told him, "we need to do what's best for the franchise in the long run."

This sadly was the last time we've heard a quote like this out of Redskins Park. What's more maddening is the introduction of Vinny Cerrato into this process:

New York real estate mogul Howard Milstein nearly bought the team from the estate of Cooke's late father, Jack Kent Cooke, but Milstein withdrew his loan-heavy $800 million offer when it become apparent that NFL owners would reject his bid.

However, in late February, Milstein was allowed to appoint an ad hoc general manager, former 49ers director of player personnel Vinny Cerrato, to work in concert with Casserly. Cerrato wanted an office at Redskin Park. Cooke said no, so Cerrato set up shop in a hotel five miles away. "Every time we were considering a free agent," Casserly says, "I had to remind myself to copy some tapes and send them to Vinny. It was uncomfortable, but I told Vinny, 'This isn't complicated. Either you're going to be here or I'm going to be here. We have to do what's best for the Redskins.'"

This is exactly what Casserly did in the draft.

Casserly, who had the fifth pick, set up a tentative deal with New Orleans, which was choosing 12th and looking to move up to take running back Ricky Williams. The teams would swap first-round selections, and the Redskins would get the Saints' other five choices, plus a first- and a third-rounder in 2000.

Ditka takes Williams at #5 and the Redskins take Champ Bailey at #7 and Jon Jansen in the 2^nd round.

2000

In the 2000 draft, the Redskins traded their 16^th and 21^st overall picks (and a 4^th and 5^th rounder) for the #2 and #3 overall picks, which of course the Skins selected Lavar Arrington and Chris Samuels. The thing is, the Redskins originally wanted to draft both Nittany Lions.

Snyder, naturally, is looking to State College, Pa., where defensive end Courtney Brown and linebacker LaVar Arrington played. The owner hired two limousines to drive him there to interview the two young men. The Redskins want both, but particularly Arrington.

The Browns knew we wanted Lavar bad, but the Skins did not get goated into trading up to the #1 spot. Browns took Courtney Brown, and thus, Chris Samuels was taken with the #3.

Accolades:

Has started 136 regular season games and 3 postseason contests with the Redskins
Six Pro Bowls (2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008)
Ranks third among active tackles in Pro Bowl appearances, trailing only Seattle's Walter Jones (9) and Chicago's Orlando Pace (7)
4 consecutive Pro Bowl appearances (2005-08), marking the most consecutive appearances by a Redskins offensive lineman since Joe Jacoby and Russ Grimm went to four straight all-star games (1983-86)
Has helped open up holes for the six of the top 10 single-season rushing totals in team history - Clinton Portis 1,516 yards (2005), Clinton Portis 1,487 yards (2008), Stephen Davis 1,432 yards (2001), Stephen Davis 1,318 yards (2000), Clinton Portis 1,315 yards (2004) and Clinton Portis 1,262 yards (2007)
1999 Outland Trophy Winner (Best Interior lineman voted by the Football Writers Association of America)
Won the Jacobs Award as the SEC's most outstanding blocker
Featured on the cover of the December 3, 2001 issue of Sports Illustrated along with running back Stephen Davis after becoming the first team in NFL history to lose its first five games, then go on to win its next five games
Voted as the Redskins 2002 Ed Block Courage Award winner, annually given to a player from each NFL team that exemplifies commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage
Didn't allow a QB pressure in 1999, had 91 knockdown blocks and played nearly every offensive snap during the regular season opening many holes for Shaun Alexander, who gained 1,383 yards rushing
Attended John Shaw High School in Mobile, AL where he played both offense and defense

Samuels' 6 Pro Bowl berths are the third-most in franchise history. Can you name the 2 Redskins with the most at 7?

Chris, thanks for everything and you can count on me being there when your name gets hung in the Ring of Fame.

Article Souces: [SI.com 1999], [SI.com 2000], [Wikipedia], [WaTimes], [Redskins.com]

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Cerrato Continues Defending Himself Regarding the Redskins OL

KevinE — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:28:22 -0000

More photos » by Susan Walsh - AP

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Vinny Cerrato addressed reporters today, and his responses continue to baffle me. There is no doubt the Redskins made multiple mistakes not drafting linemen over the last several years. It was obvious to everyone when Samuels and Randy Thomas had season ending injuries last year. What is maddening is when someone refuses to admit their mistakes. It doesn't matter what field you work in, that's how you lose your job.

Question: Many players today have said that you didn't address the line. You knew it was a problem and you didn't address it. People around the league are saying it's one of the worst lines in the league. All that.
Vinny Cerrato: Who is people around the league?
Question: People on other teams. Commentators on TV. They say you haven't addressed the line.

Vinny Cerrato: We tried to address the line. We added [Derrick] Dockery. We added Mike Williams. We attempted to, and when we were in the draft, there was nobody at No. 13 worthy of it.

Question: Are you having the results you wanted to?

Vinny Cerrato: No, we don't want to have sacks. So if it was Chris Samuels and Randy Thomas in there, would it be better? Absolutely. If you lose a Pro Bowler, it's definitely going to drop off. I guess where we're standing right now, to have more depth would be great.
Question: Is it too early to say that the line is going to be the team's main target in the offseason?
Vinny Cerrato: It's too early to tell.

Question: You had to think there was no way you were going to get 16 games out of Chris Samuels and Randy Thomas considering they had double surgeries in the offseason?

Vinny Cerrato: With Randy we anticipated, you know, not going 16 games. So we anticipated that part.

You anticipated Randy Thomas being out and you assume a 404 pound lineman who has been out of the league for two years is a safe bet?

Again, someone that refuses to admit their mistakes is not someone that can be trusted. Who is he trying to fool? It's OK to admit your mistakes Vinny, we all want to succeed, but if you don't prove to us that you're learning from your mistakes, then the hatred and "Fire Vinny!" signs will only get worse.

Monday Night Football/Jason Campbell is the Future - Game Thread

John Morgan — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:56:18 -0000

More photos » by Evan Vucci - AP

Jason Campbell has been benched by two different coaches and publicly designated for replacement by his owner. Jason Campbell is Seattle's best hope to compete again in the next five years..?

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I am looking for a local bar with wifi so I can watch this, but wherever, I will find a way to see Jason Campbell work. I am putting this up now, but my plan is to get another post before I embark. Campbell is not a popular quarterback. He lives in that narrow range between the good quarterbacks fans adore and haters discredit based on their surrounding talent and the bad quarterbacks fans ignore and haters defend based on their surrounding talent. He has a 60.5% completion percentage for his career, one that has improved every season and is now 65.6%, and a 5.8% sack percentage for his career. His sack percentage has increased with his completion percentage. The Redskins have a weak offensive line, and their best lineman, Chris Samuels, is out for the season and considering retirement.

The case for Jason Campbell is simple. He does not cost Seattle a draft pick. He has proven at least competent as a pro. His mix of mobility and arm strength make him a good fit for the Greg Knapp offense. He is Tim Ruskell approved. The final argument might be new to some. Campbell turns 28 New Year's Eve of this year. Pro Football Reference found a quarterback's peak seasons are 28-31. In those seasons, a general NFL quarterback performs at 98.5, 100, 99.5 and 97.3% of their capacity, so to speak. If Seattle signed Campbell to a five-year contract, it would also get Campbell's age 32 season, where he would be expected to perform at 93.7% of his ability.

Compare that to the Seahawks most likely alternatives. 2010 would be Matt Hasselbeck's age 35 season. An average NFL quarterback performs at 76.8% of his ability at 35 and 69.9% at 36. A drafted quarterback, say Sam Bradford, would be 22-23 in 2010. A 23 year old quarterback performs at 53.1% of his ability. A young quarterback does not perform at above 80% until they are 26. 2013-2014 is a long time to wait before Seattle contends again, and much of its current talent would be gone or past its prime.

The Seahawks are stuck in the morass between quarterbacks. Teams find occasional success unearthing former busts, like Tennessee did last season with Kerry Collins. But refurbished busts are a temporary solution and teams that get fat with them one season often live to regret it. Contenders develop their own quarterbacks, or, like Drew Brees and the Saints, find that very rare free agent quarterback still before or in his prime. Seattle could draft a pick and wait, it could count on Matt Hasselbeck though Hasselbeck has exhibited every recognizable sign of decline, it could ignore that most important position and attempt to build everything else, or it could invest free agent dollars into Jason Campbell, have him for his peak, preserve its two first round picks, and attempt to win now, with the talent its developed just entering their peak. Thus avoiding the total tear down and rebuild that might otherwise be unavoidable.

Horse Tracks 10/24/09 - Another honor for Shannon Sharpe, who will be inducted to the D-II HOF

Douglas A. Lee — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:29:17 -0000

DP - Former Bronco Sharpe going into D-II hall
Next stop, Canton...

DPP - No hard knocks for Broncos - Mike Klis

FM104.3 - Joe Tiller talks with Mike & Scott - Audio
Another excellent and insightful interview from The Fan. Thanks again to JeffG!

NYT - Throwback Uniforms Spur Sales - Judy Battista
"And guess what the top-selling legacy items sold on NFLshop.com were? The brown-and-gold sideline hat worn by Broncos coaches."

DS - So you've lost 59-0 — what do you do now? - John Mackovic
Josh McDaniels was born in the same town as Coach Mackovic, along with several other coaches.

Ravens News

BS - Despite recent defeats, all is not lost for Ravens - Peter Schmuck

AFC West News

ESPN - Final Word: AFC West - Bill Williamson

NCT - CHARGERS: Bugaboos on third down still haunt offense, defense - Scott Bair

SDUT - In new poll, San Diegans are asked: Will Chargers bolt? - Matthew Hall

SFC - Cable always trusted system would work - David White

OT - Raiders notebook: Cable says ordeal with Hanson incident was 'humbling" - Jerry McDonald

OT - Cable under scrutiny again: as coach - Cam Inman

SFC - Schilens' return may be delayed - David White

KCS - Chiefs hope to give Cassel better protection - Adam Teicher

KCS - Chiefs notebook | Albert will be game-time decision - Kent Babb

NFL News

NYT - N.F.L. Data Reinforces Links to Higher Rates of Dementia - Alan Schwarz

NFL - Goodell expects more games to be played in Britain soon

NFL - D.C. soap opera over for now, as Zorn gets front office support

WP - Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels tells Redskins officials that he will not return after neck injury - Jason Reid

NFL - Redskins' Samuel will continue to seek medical advice for neck injury

NFL - Bills' Edwards out against Carolina due to concussion; Fitzpatrick to start

NFL - Polamalu returns to practice, expects to play vs. Vikings

NFL - Injuries will sideline Jets receivers Cotchery, Smith vs. Raiders

NFL Opinion

USAT - The Bell Tolls: Even superstar QBs need a confidence boost - Jarrett Bell

NFP - Diner morning news: Mailbag day - Mike Lombardi
Lombardi addresses the Stokley TD debate

ESPN - 10 Spot: Brees' fate affected many - Adam Schefter

NFL - Teams can stay in good shape by running more frequently - Jason La Canfora
"These are Kyle Orton's fourth-quarter stats this season: 29-for-42 (69 percent) for 511 yards, four touchdown, no interceptions and a 142.1 passer rating. I wouldn't call that game managing...Getting Orton signed at a manageable figure won't preclude drafting and developing a young quarterback at some point" Not that McDaniels & Co. drafted a QB this year, right???

Y! - Benson, others confronted with past in Week 7 - Mike Silver

SI - What to Watch in NFL Week 7, including Cardinals-Giants, more - Ross Tucker

NYT - Week 7 N.F.L. Matchups - Mike Tanier

SI - Brett Favre, Dick LeBeau match wits in Vikings vs. Steelers - Peter King

NFL - Unstoppable force meets immovable object in Pittsburgh - Pat Kirwan

NFL - That's offensive: Without proper personnel, these teams will struggle - Bucky Brooks

ESPN - John Clayton breaks down the biggest NFL games of Week 7

CBS - Peek at the Week: Steelers, injuries might be too much for Vikings - Clark Judge

FOX - Mailbag: Glazer on the Giants, Packers, Big Ben

SN - 10-Pack: Jets on another downward slide? - Mike Florio

NFP - Mangini needs help, not a music critic - Robert Boland

SI - Chicago Bears-Cincinnati Bengals - Adam Duerson

NFP - A detailed look at Cutler’s new deal - Andrew Brandt

CST - Red-zone errors a red flag - Mike Mulligan

SN - Healing is over for Cowboys; now it's time to get better - Clifton Brown

NFP - Bradford’s best option: staying one more year - Wes Bunting

Poll

How are you feeling right now about the bye week?

Bored to death

248 votes

Time to do stuff around the house!

135 votes

Wait, the Broncos aren't playing tomorrow?

21 votes

So what? It'll still be an NFL Sunday

92 votes

496 votes | Poll has closed

The Linc - More McNabbs

JasonB — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:01:10 -0000

More photos » by Matt Rourke - AP

4 months ago: Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb is seen during a news conference at NFL football training camp in Philadelphia, Monday, Aug. 17, 2009. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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McNabbs expecting their fourth child | Philadelphia Inquirer | 10/21/2009
Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb and his wife, Raquel, are expecting another child in December. The McNabbs yesterday announced a partnership with the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Virtua Voorhees. The couple made a six-figure donation to help with the construction of a new NICU at the Virtua Voorhees replacement hospital, scheduled to open in 2011. In addition, Virtua Voorhees says, the family is committed to helping raise $2.5 million for additional funding for the project. The completed unit will be named the McNabb Family Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. All their children were born at the hospital.

Eagles Acquire LB Witherspoon for Gibson
"He’s a three-down linebacker, and he can play both the MIKE position and the WIL (weakside) linebacker position. He’s very good at both of them," Reid said. "He’s a good cover linebacker. He has the flexibility to cover tight ends and running backs and that type of thing, which is a plus."

Paul Domowitch: Eagles one of the worst on third down | Philadelphia Daily News | 10/21/2009
The number from Sunday's game that should give Eagles fans the biggest cause for concern is 12.5. That's the percent of third-down opportunities Andy Reid's offensive juggernaut managed to convert against the Raiders.

Redskins Woes in Tom Cruise Movie Posters (Pictures) - Hogs Haven
With Tom Cruise and Dan Snyder so close, we summed up the Redskins season in photoshopped movie posters Tom Cruise starred in.

Redskins' Samuels Will Miss Week 7 With Neck Injury; Still Not Timetable For Return - SB Nation
At the end of Jim Zorn’s sad press conference today, the head coach ruled Chris Samuels out for the Redskins’ Week 7 game next Monday against the Eagles. Zorn added that Samuels has been unable to meet with the specialist to review his test results.

Philadelphia Eagles Opponents previews - Washington Redskins

JasonB — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:15:20 -0000

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This is the next part in our series of previews of the Eagles 2009 opponents. Joining us for this feature is Dave Schwab, who writes about the Eagles at his site Eagles Lincs.

This week it's a Monday night NFC East showdown between the 3-2 Eagles, who are coming off an upset loss at Oakland, and the Redskins, who are replete with problems of their own. The Skins have had the Eagles number in recent years, will this Monday night mean more futility in Washington for us or them?

Dave's full analysis is after the jump.

The 3-2 Eagles will try and erase the memory of their dismal performance against Oakland when they travel to our Nation’s Capital to play the 2-4 Redskins in front of a national audience on Monday Night Football. As far as the Birds go, I’m going to chalk up last week as a bad day at the office. They are a team that knows how to bounce back from adversity and quickly get back to their winning ways. Unfortunately for Washington fans I cannot say the same about their team. Last week’s loss to the Chiefs marked the third game that a winless team got their first win of the season against the ‘Skins. First it was Detroit, who hadn’t won a game in 19 tries, then Carolina who was 0-3 at the time, then finally Kansas City who got their first win after five straight losses. These losses have led to the speculation that head coach Jim Zorn is about to be fired any day now. It appears he will survive long enough to coach Monday night’s game, but he will no longer be calling the plays on offense as he was relieved of those duties as of this week. In his place, offensive consultant, Sherman Lewis who has been out of football for a couple of years, will be calling the plays for the Redskins.

Given the fact that their offense is currently ranked #29 in points scored and 23^rd in total offense there appears to be a need for this change. Another change will possibly be at QB, since Jason Campbell was benched at halftime of last week’s game and replaced with Todd Collins. It has been announced that Campbell will get the start on Monday night, but you never know how short a leash he may be on. The main problem with the Redskins is not at quarterback; rather it is with their aging offensive line. The loss of T Chris Samuels to injury only makes matters worse. They have already given up 17 sacks which is 5^th worst in the league and the running game is ranked 23^rd averaging only 99 yards per game. Perennial Pro Bowl RB Clinton Portis is having a decent year averaging 4.2 yards per carry, but has earned every yard he has gotten. Another major problem for this offense has been third down conversions especially in the red zone. They are converting less than 30% of third downs which is probably a combination of poor play calling and poor execution.

The Redskins defense is still the strength of this team as they have kept them in every game they have played as their four losses have been by a combined 22 points. They are ranked 5^th overall and in points allowed per game, giving up less than 300 yards and 16 points a game. Where they have been soft is against the run as they are giving up an average of 118 yards on the ground. Given the amount of time they have been on the field in many of their games, it is no wonder that they have had some late game breakdowns that have contributed to their four losses.

The Redskins are still a team with quite a few talented players. It is their overall chemistry that is leading to their downfall this season. They have an embattled head coach, a potential quarterback controversy, a meddlesome owner, and no clear direction from a management perspective. The unrest in the locker room is spilling out onto the playing field as is evident in so many close losses to teams they should have beaten. This combination does not bode well for them in this week’s game against the Eagles. The one thing you can count on from the Birds after a bad loss is a strong showing the following week.