SB Nation - London Fletcher

Opponent History: Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs

sireric — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:00:22 -0000

Buffalo Bills (4-8) at Kansas City Chiefs (3-9)
Sunday, December 13, 2009 at 1:00 PM EST
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO

Two long-time rivals get re-acquainted this week when the Buffalo Bills travel to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Kansas City Chiefs. This will be the 41st all-time meeting between these two storied franchises, dating all the way back to November 6, 1960, when the Bills lost to the Dallas Texans 45-28 in their first-ever meeting. The Bills hold the all-time series lead 22-18, even with this being the sixth time in the last seven meetings that the Bills have had to travel to Kansas City. Recaps of the last five meetings between these two teams are after the jump.

November 19, 2000: Bills 21, Chiefs 17
Elvis Grbac and Tony Gonzalez beat up on the Bills' defense in this one. Grbac finished with 341 yards and two touchdowns, and those two touchdowns were both hauled in by Gonzalez, who had nine total catches for 76 yards and the two scores. The Bills countered with Rob Johnson. Yes, you read that correctly. Johnson only had 196 yards passing, but he did throw two touchdowns - one each to Jay Riemersma and Eric Moulds - and he was the leading rusher with 42 yards, including a score of his own. The rushing score came with under three minutes to play and gave the Bills the win. If you can believe this, Grbac was sacked more than Johnson, too. The Bills had five sacks - two each by Sam Rogers and Marcellus Wiley, and one by Keith Newman. Chris Mohr even hit Daryl Porter for a 44-yard gain on a fake punt.

November 17, 2002: Chiefs 17, Bills 16
Almost exactly two years to the day after their last meeting, the Chiefs again scored 17 points against the Bills; this time, however, their defense holds the Bills' offense to only 16 points in victory. In the battle of the running backs, Travis Henry got the better of Priest Holmes. Henry finished with 126 yards on 24 carries and added another 38 yards on four catches. It is a safe bet that he went out and fathered another child to celebrate his good day. Holmes finished with 104 yards on 31 carries and added 23 yards on three catches. Holmes, however, put the ball into the end zone, while Henry did not. Mike Hollis hit three field goals and Moulds brought in a nine-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe for a score, but it was a nine-yard scramble by the ever fleet-footed Trent Green that proved to be the decisive score. Chidi Ahanotu recorded the only Bills sack.

October 26, 2003: Chiefs 38, Bills 5
The Bills started the game by blocking a punt out of the end zone for a safety; it was pretty much all downhill from there. Three straight Kansas City touchdowns - two by Priest Holmes - would provide all the scoring Chiefs needed. After Rian Lindell hit a meaningless field goal, Gonzalez and that Holmes guy each scored to put the game away. Holmes was again out-rushed by Henry, 83 to 124 respectively, but again it was Holmes who put it in the end zone. Henry again fathered a child after the game as per his post-game ritual.

November 13, 2005: Bills 14, Chiefs 3
After Lawrence Tynes opened the scoring with a field goal for Kansas City, the Chiefs' offense went and hid. The Bills didn't do much better, and were in fact out-gained on the day 316-209. The Bills, however, benefited from two J.P. Losman-to-Lee Evans touchdown passes to get the win. The Bills sacked Green six times, with Aaron Schobel (2.0), Justin Bannan, Angelo Crowell, London Fletcher and Ryan Denney doing the honors.

November 23, 2008: Bills 54, Chiefs 31
Turnovers were the story of this game. The Chiefs had five turnovers and the Bills had none. Neither defense could stop the other offense, but Leodis McKelvin's two interceptions, one of which he took back 64 yards for a touchdown, helped put the Bills over the top. The Bills kicked the ball off eleven times. Think about that - when was the last time the Bills kicked the ball off ten or more times in a game? I also have to throw some love Trent Edwards' way. He had his best day as a pro in this game, completing 24 of 32 passes for 273 yards and two touchdown passes. He also scrambled for 38 yards and two more scores.

Previewing the Enemy: Washington Redskins

Rated-R Superstar — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 01:39:28 -0000

It's a Super Bowl XVIII rematch! [via prod.static.raiders.clubs.nfl.com]

Alright, it's not quite a rematch from Super Bowl XVIII when the Raiders smashed the Redskins en route to their third Super Bowl title in franchise history. Nonetheless, this Sunday, the Oakland Raiders (4-8) will look to put together a winning streak as the Washington Redskins (3-9) will be coming to town. Don't let that 3-9 record fool you. This Washington team is better than their record and it clearly showed after taking Dallas, Philadelphia and New Orleans to the wire. They don't lay down and will play hard. With the team 2-1 with Bruce Gradkowski starting, the Raiders look to come away with another hard-earned victory as they did last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers as 15-point underdogs.

Let's take a look at their schedule and see how they've fared so far.

Week 1: @ New York Giants -- L, 17-23
Week 2: St. Louis Rams -- W, 9-7
Week 3: @ Detroit Lions -- L, 14-19
Week 4: Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- W, 16-13
Week 5: @ Carolina Panthers -- L, 17-20
Week 6: Kansas City Chiefs -- L, 6-14
Week 7: Philadelphia Eagles -- L, 17-27
Week 8: Bye Week
Week 9: @ Atlanta Falcons -- L, 17-31
Week 10: Denver Broncos -- W, 27-17
Week 11: @ Dallas Cowboys -- L, 6-7
Week 12: @ Philadelphia Eagles -- L, 24-27
Week 13: New Orleans Saints -- L, 30-33 (F/OT)

Well, this team is certainly interesting. Sitting at 3-9, this team could easily be 6-6 or even better. We will have to bring our "A" game, of course, if we want to secure a victory on our home field this Sunday.

Let's check out the Redskin offense first.

Pass Offense Rank: 220.2 yards/game; 18th in NFL
Rush Offense Rank: 101.0 yards/game; 22nd in NFL
Total Offense Rank: 321.2 yards/game; 21st in NFL
Scoring Offense Rank: 16.7 points/game; 26th in NFL

With stars Chris Cooley and Clinton Portis out, others must step up for the Redskins. [via cache.daylife.com]

If you recall, the Redskins offense was the subject of some controversy or what not concerning head coach Jim Zorn. Well, he gave up his play-calling duties to assistant Sherman Lewis. Since then, the offense has performed better. Who is the leader of this Redskins offense? I really don't know to be honest with you. Let's look a little bit into their personnel.

Jason Campbell, QB: Many people questioned Campbell's status as the quarterback this season. He was even benched in favor of veteran Todd Collins earlier. To me, Campbell is actually a pretty solid quarterback. He isn't going to set the world on fire or anything, but he can still hurt you. Campbell is completing 66 percent of his passes this season even if they are "dinks and dunks" most of the time. With 15 turnovers and 15 touchdown passes, Campbell's ratio isn't all that great. He has been sacked three or more times in five games. Obviously, getting some pressure on him would be nice.

Rock Cartwright, HB: Rock is solid, just like a rock. (Ha, get it?) If you want him to be the running back, he can. If you want him to be the fullback, he can. He'll even run back kicks and run down there on punt returns. He is a threat out of the backfield to catch passes. A somewhat physical runner, Cartwright doesn't really stand out in terms of either his speed or his strength. Cartwright has stepped up for the injured Clinton Portis (concussion), who just put on injured reserve. Also on injured reserve is Portis' backup Ladell Betts, so the Redskins are thin at running back.

Quinton Ganther, HB: Ganther, just in his second year out of Utah, is someone I just don't know too much about. Essentially moving up from fourth on the depth chart to splitting time with Cartwright, Ganther was mildly successful against the Saints last Sunday with 46 yards on just 8 carries. The week before that against the Eagles, Ganther had 32 yards on just 5 carries. We may see more of him against the Raiders with him averaging 5.8 yards per carry over the past few weeks.

Santana Moss, WR: The pint-sized and speedy Moss is Washington's leader in receptions (49), yards (642) and touchdowns (3). He is what you would call the team's go-to-guy, but really the Redskins have a lot of guys they go to. Still, Moss provides that veteran presence and can't be overlooked. Maybe this would be one of the few times where I wouldn't mind Nnamdi Asomugha moving around from receiver to receiver, which he will at least a little bit.

Wide receiver Devin Thomas had two touchdowns last week against the Saints. [via a.espncdn.com]

Devin Thomas, WR: The second-year receiver out of Michigan State, Thomas is a young man seemingly improving with each game of late. He has even been prominent in the kick return game of the past two weeks. Still, he has shined brightly in the passing game over the course of those two same weeks. After a decent game against the Eagles, he broke out for 7 receptions, 100 yards and a pair of touchdowns last week against the Saints.

Antwaan Randle El, WR: The ex-Steeler is still in Washington. Randle El, who is very durable having missed only one game in his eight-year career, he is a dependable target for Campbell despite only averaging 3.3 receptions per game. I believe this is more in part to the number of targets the Redskins like to use. The team isn't confined to both Moss and Rande El as you will see here in a minute in this preview.

Fred Davis, TE: After Campbell's favorite target Chris Cooley went down for the year, someone had to step up. Unknown at the time to Washington, it'd be his replacement. Fred Davis. Since October 26, Davis is averaging 7.5 catches and 45.7 yards with finding the end zone three times, including two times in his last three games. As most tight ends are, he is a threat in the red zone and Campbell has no problem looking his way.

Let's shift gears to the Redskin defense now.

Pass Defense Rank: 190.2 yards/game; 5th in NFL
Rush Defense Rank: 121.8 yards/game; 24th in NFL
Total Defense Rank: 312.0 yards/game; 9th in NFL
Scoring Defense Rank: 19.8 points/game; 14th in NFL

Linebacker London Fletcher leads Washington's better-than-you-think defense. [via cdn.bleacherreport.com]

Defensive coordinator Greg Blache and his Washington Redskins actually have a pretty solid group defensively operating out of the 4-3. You may not think so because of their 3-9 record, but I'm sure people don't think highly of our defense since we're just 4-8. Anyway, the Redskins are particularly strong against the pass. Safety Reed Doughty has quietly had a good year and young LaRon Landry is solid at his spot as well. A pretty solid group of cornerbacks are headed by veteran Fred Smoot, who is in his ninth year out of Mississippi State. The leader of the defense is the man in the middle, London Fletcher, who leads the team with 109 tackles. Brian Orakpo, the 13th overall pick in the 2009 draft, plays on the outside along with veteran Rocky McIntosh. Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth has been in and out of the lineup with injuries this season. He signed a monster contract in the offseason, but the Redskins' defense is only ranked 24th against the rush. His presence is desperately needed for Washington. Haynesworth is listed as questionable as of right now. At right defensive end, Andre Carter has nine sacks and deserves some Pro Bowl recognition for his great play. Again, this is a very solid defense and will do everything it can to keep their offense in this game late on the road.

Conclusion: The thing that sticks out defensively about the Redskins is their 24th-ranked rush defense. With Haynesworth questionable, he probably won't be playing on every down. Justin Fargas, Michael Bush and Darren McFadden should have success as long as head coach Tom Cable keeps giving them the rock. I believe of the first 28 plays against the Steelers, 18 of them were rushes. That is a similar ratio that I hope to see this week considering how strong Washington's pass defense is. Speaking of the pass, the breakout of Louis Murphy was something else, especially with Darrius Heyward-Bey out. It's nice to see someone step up at the receiver spot. Chaz Schilens even found the end zone for the first time in 2009 and Todd Watkins caught a key pass in the final drive. Johnnie Lee Higgins came through for us as well. Wide receivers against Pittsburgh caught 12 balls for 248 yards, both of which I'm sure were season-highs for our club. We're definitely going to need that against the Redskins' formidable pass defense against the previously mentioned Smoot and also Carlos Rogers and ex-Raider DeAngelo Hall. This may be a good test for Bruce Gradkowski as well, even though he did perform well against two really good defenses already in Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. I think we're ready for this.

Feel free to leave your predictions or even your own thoughts and ideas about the Pittsburgh Steelers and how we can earn a win our fourth win of the season on Sunday.

*-All stats are through Tuesday, December 8, 2009.

Poll

Do you feel more confident in a win, less confident in a win or about the same in a win after reading this preview?

6 Factors that Help the Redskins' Chances in Upsetting the Saints

KevinE — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:45:09 -0000

via photos.upi.com

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Man, I love the Saints, but I've had enough. The Tiger Woods' debacle is only entertaining to me since it's taking away from the 24-hour ESPN coverage of how the bigger than Jesus Saints turned Tom Brady and Bill Belichick from Patriots into drummer boys.

Don't get me wrong. The Saints are phenomenal, but for them to come into D.C. and blow us out seems too easy. Let's take a look at the multitude of factors that the Saints face this week:

1.) Mother Nature. Current forecast for Sunday is a HIGH of 43 degrees. This will be the first time the Saints have played in cold weather since their loss to the Bears week 15 last year at Chicago (24-27). Taking a hit in cold weather is a MUCH different feeling than the Snuggie-like warmth of the domes. The Saints' offense should be slowed down some due to the frigid conditions. Also, the Saints currently have 18 players on the injury list. I expect that to grow when these Saints' players meet the combination of winter and London Fletcher.

2.) Saints are on a short week. They did not practice Wednesday, but did lift some weights and watch tape. So, that leaves two days of on field practice.

3.) It's very easy for the Saints to over-look this game. Saints are still the talk of the country, and certainly, the win is still fresh on their mind. It's simplistic thinking to assume blowing out the Pats means the Saints can blow out all other 30 teams. The Rams game was almost proof of this.

4.) Albert Haynesworh. Fat Albert is back, and we all know what he does for the Skins' pass rush. The Saints do not rank well rushing between the tackles to begin with, so Albert should add a nice push. Brees is the 3rd least sacked and hit Qb in the league. If Orakpo and Andre can get some QB hits on Brees early, especially in this cold weather, it will make a difference.

5.) Gregg Williams. He knows our team, but the Skins also know him. At Redskins Park players were all smiles knowing the scores of blitzes he will be throwing at Campbell. Jason's take on Gregg coming after him?

"I know he still has a house here. I know where he lives at.(laughing)"

"It'll be that Mr. Miyagi, Karate Kid thing," Smoot said. "Like going against the teacher, you know?"

6.) Trends. Jason Campbell is 2-0 against the Saints, while Sean Payton is 0-2 versus the Skins. I know this stat means squat, but they have beaten this team before.

What's disappointing is DeAngelo Hall is still very doubtful to play. Anyone that knows me knows that I take more of the pessimistic side of predicting my outcomes. I don't see any reason why the Skins can't cover the 9.5 spread or pull out the surprise win.

Poll

Will the Redskins cover the 9.5 spread against the Saints?

Yes

395 votes

Hell No

889 votes

1284 votes | Poll has closed

Washington Redskins Offense Backs Into Hydrant, Then Tree, Found Bloodied and Unconscious On I-95

Sugar — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:04:38 -0000

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

Jason Campbell walks off the field after yet another close game against an NFC East opponent.

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We actually didn't do that bad. Making Philly pay for the opening onside kick was amazing, especially considering it was the first opening drive touchdown we had scored since Week 3 in 2008 (Cardinals...thanks to Matt Terl for that nugget.)

The ability of this offense to convert 3rd downs in long yardage situations is simply intoxicating, but the sheer absurdity of how often we find ourselves in 3rd and long is beyond sobering. Despite the fact that this team actually sustained a few drives yesterday, the calling card of this offense continues to be inconsistency. From the play-calling down to the execution, the lack of an even-keeled smoothness is nowhere to be found. The last couple weeks we have been in games at the end against good teams, but have been unable to close them out. It makes for exciting football to watch, but the repeated heartbreak I feel each week is just miserable. We have proven over the last two seasons that we are incapable of overcoming errors. I understand and tend to agree with the argument that games are not won or lost on one or two plays. But then again, those two early interceptions thrown by JC proved to be too costly to overcome. Maybe the rule should be: "Good teams don't get beat by one bad play."

Throughout the game, I found myself falling head over heels for our defense over and over again. They succeeded yet again in shutting down a pretty good offense for most of the game. Our defensive line got pressure on McNabb and their ability to block and deflect balls at the line and during Donovan's throwing motion resulted in frustration as well as Justin Tryon's first interception. The one knock I guess that remains is...how do you REGULARLY let Desean Jackson go free down the field? How frustrating is it that when the camera shows McNabb loading up a big one, you just KNOW that Desean Jackson is all by himself somewhere, running to the end zone. Doesn't LaRon Landry line up like 30 yards off the ball? How does Jackson get deep on that? It just seems insane that we would say, "Let's make them beat us with the deep ball to Desean!" Because that's what they are good at! It's like leaving a bottle of booze, a camera and Lindsay Lohan alone in a room with...well, with anyone--100% chance of sex tape. London Fletcher put an end to Jackson's day thankfully, but the damage was done.

What was the best play you saw all day? I thought Campbell's scramble and throw to Devin Thomas for a clutch first down in the second half was very strong. I liked it probably just a hair more than his scramble and subsequent TD toss to Fred Davis. What stood out to you?

Even though we are proving ourselves incapable of beating good teams in close games, you don't see the team giving up down the stretch. (You won't hear me extolling the virtues of a moral victory though.) The season is a bust since the playoffs are out of the picture. But we have enough guys with plenty to play for in the weeks ahead. Campbell is playing for a career. Mason and Ganther are playing to get reps on film. Thomas, Kelly, and Davis are playing to secure their roles for next season. Our offensive line is playing...well at least some of them are playing to try and make the team next year. On defense, guys like Jarmon, Orakpo, Barnes and Tryon will continue to learn on the job in the hopes that we won't lose a step next season on defense. The disconnect here is that on the sidelines, I have no feel for what, if anything, coaches and play-callers are doing or even could do to save their jobs or build momentum to next season. The play-calling setup continues to be a mockery as well as fodder for every analyst discussing our team.

I can't let this recap go without a mention of the "settling for a field goal" decision we made late in the game. It was obvious to everyone that we were going for 3 on those last 3 downs before the field goal right? To me, watching Sherm Lewis pussyfoot in the red zone there was 10 times worse than not taking a shot last week against the Cowgirls at the end of the first half on 3rd down with 15 seconds left.

Team Stat Comparison

1st Downs	15	17
Passing 1st downs	11	9
Rushing 1st downs	4	8
1st downs from Penalties	0	0
3rd down efficiency	8-17	5-15
4th down efficiency	0-1	1-1
Total Plays	63	67
Total Yards	303	381
Passing	221	258
Comp-Att	22-37	21-36
Yards per pass	6.0	7.2
Rushing	82	123
Rushing Attempts	25	29
Yards per rush	3.3	4.2
Red Zone (Made-Att)	3-4	1-4
Penalties	7-39	7-60
Turnovers	2	1
Fumbles lost	0	0
Interceptions thrown	2	1
Defensive / Special Teams TDs	0	0
Possession	29:42	30:18

The VRR: Cowboys Must Get Back in Saddle after Pulling off Squeaker over 'Skins

Aaron Novinger — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:48:58 -0000

More photos » by Tony Gutierrez - AP

Tony Romo has to take his bumps and bruises from Redskins to Raiders in just a few days.

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The 7-6 victory over the rival Redskins did little to boost fans' confidence in the Cowboys' struggling offense. Running the ball 33 times - including six straight called in the first quarter - may have made the playcalling seem more "balanced", yet it produced no points.

However intriguing it is to see Felix Jones break the double-digit carry barrier for the first time in his career, or to see Marion Barber come up a yard shy from hitting the century mark, the scoreboard is still dependent on Tony Romo to pull that big, fat "0" down.

Heck, even Nick Folk failed (again) to get the team on the scoreboard prior to the end of the fourth quarter. Fortunately, the defense again refused to let that other side of the scoreboard be lit up.

Unfortunately, the Cowboys will be a bit more banged up heading into the shortened Thanksgiving week. Nothing major, but there are some bumps and bruises that must be played through as the team hosts the Raiders on Thursday. Making it through this week unscathed can be a real asset, as the team will get a few extra days to rest up before the Week 13 road game against the Giants.

More VRR after the jump.

Here's the latest on who's hurting:

QB Tony Romo - back (11/22) The quarterback injured his back in the first quarter when he was kneed in the backside while making a tackle. Romo never missed a snap against Washington, but he was limited in practice on Monday. Romo received a pain-relieving shot after the game Sunday, but told reporters he expects to play. Wade Phillips told the media Monday the quarterback was feeling better, but hinted that backup Jon Kitna might have to take some precautionary reps in practice.

TE Jason Witten - foot (11/22) Despite playing the entire game Sunday, Witten didn't practice Monday because of a foot injury. The All-Pro tight end caught two passes on the Cowboys' game-winning touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.

LB Keith Brooking - ankle (11/22) The veteran linebacker was limited in Monday's light practice with an ankle injury he suffered near the end of Sunday's win over the Redskins. Brooking said on Monday he expects to play this week.

CB Mike Jenkins - elbow/head (11/22) Jenkins got "banged up" in the Redskins game, according to head coach Wade Phillips. The cornerback was already battling the elbow injury from the Packers game but suffered the head injury late in the game when making a tackle. He did not practice with the team on Monday in the light workout.

Despite the blow to the back, Romo impressed in the end and sounds good-to-go for Thursday's game.

"That's Romo being Romo," Redskins linebacker London Fletcher said. "We had guys wrapped around him, and he still escaped. He's a tough sack."

And a tough guy. Romo bruised his back in the first quarter tackling cornerback DeAngelo Hall after he picked up a Marion Barber fumble in the red zone.

"I must have asked Tony 10 times, ‘Are you OK?'" Cowboys linebacker Keith Brooking said. "You could tell he was hurting, but he kept grinding."

Romo said he never considered leaving the game.

"I've always felt you can play as long as it's not something like a broken bone," Romo said. "With the adrenaline of the game, you can always do it. It only hurts right before the snap and right after."

The Redskins' injuries were much more severe. RB Ladell Betts and OL Chad Rinehart will be placed on IR and miss the rest of the season.

Along with Coach Phillips' aggressive blitzes, Keith Brooking credits DeMarcus Ware for his career-high four sacks.

Brooking has taken advantage of all the attention opponents pay the NFL’s reigning sacks leader in pass protection. He said his sacks often come on "hug blitzes," when he’s in man coverage against a running back and rushes when the back stays into block. When the back goes to chip Ware, that often leaves a lane for Brooking.

"The majority of my sacks, just to be dead honest with you, come from I'm just running scot-free and a lot of times the backs are sliding toward No. 94," Brooking said. "As I said yesterday, I'd do the same thing if I was in the backfield trying to block that guy. I'm just taking advantage."

Anthony Spencer was almost credited with a sack, but getting the game-winning INT proved much more rewarding.

It was Spencer's first career interception. The theft made up for a review taking away what he thought was his first sack of the season.

Late in the first half, Spencer chased Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell out of bounds for an apparent 5-yard loss. But a replay showed Campbell had released the ball just before stepping out.

"I gave the ref a little mouth about it," Spencer said. "But I'd much rather have the interception. It's a relief for the simple fact I've been around so many opportunities to make plays. It's good to see it come to fruition."

Bradie James on winning ugly:

"We have been sexy," linebacker Bradie James said. "We have been trying to be glamorous. And teams have come in and beat us. They have us ugly. What’s wrong with ugly? We won. That’s all that matters. Now we’ve got Oakland. We are concentrating on winning and getting ready for the stretch drive in December."

Coach Phillips squashed the media's attempt to get more info on the Campo-Newman argument.

If you haven't read it by now, LaRon Landry called Roy Williams "scared". Landry didn't get all Xs-andOs about it, but did imply that Williams' play was "scared".

"Certain pass concepts they had," Landry continued, by way of explaining how he knew Williams was scared. "Certain routes he ran, you could tell he didn't want any part of it."

A good area of focus on both offense and defense will be third-down conversions.

With the short week, Cowboys coach Wade Phillips might not have an opportunity to address the team's struggles with their third-down offense and defense.

"We just haven't played well enough on third downs, and we need to take a look at it."

Nick Folk knows he's in a "funk", and will stay patient.

"A little funk," Folk said Monday. "I got to work my way out of it right now."

Folk said he's not too concerned because he's hitting the ball well. On the 46-yarder he missed on Sunday, Folk said he hit it well, but it just stayed right. The last kick he missed, a 38-yarder in Green Bay the previous week, Folk said he just missed it.

"I feel good, I hit the ball really well, it stayed a little to the right," Folk said. "I dont know I got to go look at it. it felt good coming off my foot had a good week of practice."

Patrick Crayton has worn many hats in his football career. Did you know he can kick? Well, sort of.

Patrick Crayton was once the emergency kicker on his college team.

"Make that the emergency-emergency kicker," he said, smiling. "If it had ever come down to me, we probably would have gone for two."

Even then, at Northwestern Oklahoma State, Crayton had a strong leg. Once, on a bet, Crayton surprised himself.

"I made a 50-yarder," he said, again smiling. "You never know when it comes to kicking."

After waiving KR/PR Allen Rossum, the Cowboys re-signed CB Cletis Gordon to the active roster.

The Buccaneers sure like the Cowboys' practice squad players. They've already plucked rookie CB Mike Mickens off there, now they've signed QB Rudy Carpenter as well.

Matt Mosely is shopping Shanahan. If the Cowboys were to part ways with Wade Phillips after this season, he thinks Mike Shanahan could be a good fit.

I think Jones would do just about anything to win another Super Bowl but you have to question his decision to stick with Wade Phillips after a disastrous ending to the '08 season. The fact that it was partly a financial decision makes you wonder if Jones would be willing to outbid his little buddy Snyder.

The VRR: Redskins (3-6) @ Cowboys (6-3)

Aaron Novinger — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:29:58 -0000

More photos » by Gerald Herbert - AP

Dallas defenders must try to limit Ladell Betts and the Washington offense.

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The Cowboys can accomplish quite alot in beating the Redskins. Most importantly, they can regain the momentum they lost up in Lambeau. They can also increase their division record to 2-1 and their conference record to 6-2, which could come in handly for tie-breaking purposes down the road.

And, by handing the Redskins their seventh loss on the season, they could pretty much force them to begin waving bye-bye to their playoff chances.

Much of the talk this week at Valley Ranch has centered on Big D's offensive lack of production last week. On the flip side, Washington's offense seemed to show some signs of life for one of the first times this season. At home against Denver, RB Ladell Betts and QB Jason Campbell each scored, WR Devin Thomas showed some play-making potential, and the special teams found success on a fake field goal.

More VRR after the jump.

Perhaps it's the Cowboys' defenders that need to come up big. Beating the Broncos 27-17 last week boosted the Redskins' confidence. Deflating it early could be key.

"Coming off last week's victory, we've definitely got confidence. It was a big confidence-builder for us," Rock Cartwright said.

"You've got to keep it rolling. That's the whole objective," receiver Devin Thomas said. "You can never give up on a season just because things have gone bad. We knew we were just one click away from hitting on all cylinders."

With a win in Dallas, the Redskins would be only two games out of the NFC East lead with six games to play, three against the other division teams - including the Cowboys at home two nights after Christmas. Dallas, whose 57 wins against Washington are more than against any other team, doesn't want things to get that close. The dismal day in Green Bay likely got the Cowboys' attention.

The Cowboys should expect to see a heavy dose of RB Ladell Betts with Clinton Portis (concussion) out.

Betts rushed for a season-high 114 yards on 26 carries in last Sunday’s 27-17 win over the Denver Broncos.

Asked how Portis's status impacts him, Betts replied: "You get to be the man on first, second and third down, because before that, it was pretty much only on third down. Now I know that I get to play a full game, so it’s a little bit different mindset."

And it won't change the offensive game plan vs. Dallas, Zorn added. "We didn't change the run game necessarily to accommodate Ladell," Zorn said. "We ran our stuff, and what he did was push up into the hole and fight for yardage."

The Dallas secondary may be a bit banged up, but Mike Jenkins and Alan Ball sound ready to go. Ball should also receive help from Gerald Sensabaugh.

Cowboys CB Mike Jenkins injured his bicep in the Packers contest. Coach Wade Phillips said Jenkins has looked well and even had a couple of interceptions off QB Jon Kitna in scout team practice.

With S Ken Hamlin (ankle) out of the lineup for the Cowboys the next several weeks, look for safeties Alan Ball and Gerald Sensabaugh to split the duties of lining up the defense. Coach Wade Phillips had high praise for the smarts of Sensabaugh and his ability to handle the job.

Ball talks about the difference between playing free safety and cornerback. Also, it looks as if rookie SS Mike Hamlin will see his first action this week since the preseason.

"At cornerback, you don’t have to talk a lot," Ball said. "At safety, you have to know a lot. You have to make a lot of adjustments, a lot of checks. So you have to know a lot more going in. That’s about what it is."

Ball has five tackles and a pass breakup on defense this season. He has 12 special teams tackles, but is expected to have his special-teams workload lightened this week.

Phillips said rookie safety Mike Hamlin and cornerback Orlando Scandrick will fill in on special teams. Mike Hamlin has not been active this season.

Ball and Doug Free will be replaced on special teams.

With Alan Ball starting at free safety, reserve cornerback Orlando Scandrick will likely become the ``gunner,'' with outside coverage on punt-coverage teams. In addition, offensive tackle Pat McQuistan is scheduled to be active for the first time this season and replace Doug Free as a wall blocker on kickoff returns.

DeMarcus Ware talks about how Washington's blocking schemes and Jason Campbell's mobility in the pocket make it difficult to get to him.

"To be honest, it’s really hard to get to him because they keep in extra guys," Ware said. "They might have some guys on the front line so they do a lot of split backs and a lot of protection schemes to keep the guys off Campbell to make sure he’s effective in the pass."

[snip]

"He’s a great pocket passer," said Ware, who has seven sacks, tied for 10th in the NFL. "He makes sure he has confidence in his line and the guys around him so he can step up in the pocket to make plays."

"When he extends, when he moves around, when he flinches the ball, it causes the secondary, the linebackers, to hesitate, to go, to move," Zorn said. "And then if he can pull it down and have time to hit somebody else, it is very hard. It is the most difficult thing in football because you got the coverage, and if you throw on rhythm, you think you can handle it. When that rhythm's broke and you have to cover long through the coverage that you had, it's hard. It's what makes those quarterbacks very difficult to defend and he's been good at it for a few years."

Brian Orakpo thinks the Packers mapped out a way to get to Romo.

"Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah," Orakpo told ESPN 103.3’s Galloway and Co. "They gave us a lot of good tips the way Green Bay was able to get after it with a lot of different looks. Best believe we’re going to go out there and try to perform some of those things and try to change it up a little bit and give Dallas a little different look."

[snip]

"It seemed like they didn’t know who to block," Orakpo said. "You see guys flying out of nowhere and hitting Romo from behind and forcing fumbles. I mean, they were all over the place. I guess what we’ve got to do is switch it up ourselves. We’ll see how the game plan is and what the calls will be called, but obviously, we got a lot of tips from that game."

Yes, they have Albert Haynesworth and London Fletcher, but the Redskins' run defense isn't all that.

The Redskins continue to struggle in run defense this season. The unit has yielded 100+ rushing yards in eight of nine games this season, including 120 yards in last Sunday’s win over Denver. Overall, the Redskins have allowed an average of 125.7 rushing yards per game, ranked 24th in the league. They have allowed 4.3 yards per carry, which is ranked 17th in the league.

Felix Jones pre-strained knee ligament, and Felix Jones post-strained knee ligament.

Before the injury, Jones had 21 carries for 212 yards (10.1 yards a carry). Since coming back after the bye week and wearing a knee brace, he has 23 carries for 92 yards.

The DallasNews guys talk to Bradie James and Roy Williams about the game.

The Redskins are looking forward to playing in Cowboys Stadium for the first time.

"That’s the first thing I thought about going to Dallas, ‘Man, I get a chance to play in the new stadium,’ Santana Moss said. "Just to see it--I’m looking forward to seeing what it’s all about. It looks nice on TV. You get mesmerized. "I remember seeing the first game there [on TV]--you had cheerleaders dancing on platforms. I was like, ‘Wow.’"

Rock Cartwright admits he plans to check out the video screen, hopefully after he makes a big play. "I’m really looking forward to seeing that screen," Rock Cartwright said. "I guess every seat in the house is a good seat. I’m sure I’ll take a look at it after I make a nice run, or so. But I won’t be focused on it too much. I’ll be focused on what’s happening on the field."

The series history between the two teams:

The Cowboys lead the all-time regular season series with Washington, 57-37-2, including an unconventional split of last year's home-and-home. The Redskins were 26-24 winners in their trip to Texas Stadium in Week 4, but dropped a 14-10 decision when the clubs met at FedEx Field in Week 11. The teams engaged in conventional home-and-home splits in both 2006 and 2007. Washington is 2-0 against Dallas in the postseason, winning in the 1972 and 1982 NFC Championship games.

Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips is 3-2 all-time against Washington, with one of those wins coming for his Bills team in 1999 at FedEx Field. The Redskins' Jim Zorn is 1-1 against both Phillips and the Cowboys as a head man.

Here is the NFL Game Center for the Redskins at Cowboys.

DeMarcus Ware had the privelege of meeting President Obama as they worked together on a PSA to promote the NFL's Play 60 campaign.

"I was like ‘Ohhhh my God,"’ when Obama came out in a Bears pullover, Ware said in a telephone interview. "It was me, Polamalu and Drew Brees there, so you know how we feel about the Chicago Bears. But he’s a big Chicago Bears fan. He greeted each one of us, and he knew everything about our teams."

Ware is Dallas’ representative for the Play 60 program, which began in 2007. The NFL estimates it has committed $200 million worth of programming, grants, and time for PSAs to the initiative.

"I think it’s really important," Ware said. "If the players are getting involved in it, Obama, a lot of important people getting involved in it, sometimes it encourages kids to get out and do those type of activities and show them just how important it is."

Potent Quotables - The Wednesday Washington Warm-up

John Bena — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:12:02 -0000

More photos » AP

about 1 month ago: Denver Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton walks off the field at the end of the NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Denver on Monday, Nov. 9, 2009. The Steelers won 28-10. (AP Photo/Chris Schneider)

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HEAD COACH JOSH McDANIELS

On the offense's performance the past two weeks

"I think we haven't sustained our ability to stay balanced in both games. We didn't run the ball very effectively in the Baltimore game (and) didn't run it very effectively in the Pittsburgh game. That always puts more pressure on your pass protection (and) more pressure on your passing game in general. It is not really an effective formula to win any games in this league. I don't care what offense you are playing with. We have got to do a better job of being able to run the ball, stay in positive situations (and) stay out of third-and-longs, which we found ourselves in too many times the other night in the second half. If we do that-that is really kind of the formula that we played with for the first six games, and we have got to make sure that we sustain that going forward."

On why the Broncos have had difficulty running the ball the past two weeks

"We've played against two good defenses, and that's not an excuse that we are going to use. We have got to do better than what we have done, whether it be execution, whether it be mistakes (or) whether it be just somebody made a nice play on defense. We are playing against physical teams, and that's what we play against every week. We've got to do better at the point of attack. We've got to do better with the ball in our hands. We've got to do better in terms of scheming something if we can do that to help ourselves, but we haven't lost faith in our ability to run the football or play good offense here. We've just got to go back to work and do better."

On starting RB Correll Buckhalter against Pittsburgh

"We made a decision to do that. (There was) no huge reason. We're going to play both of them. They know that. It just so happens that that's what we started with the other night."

On the offensive line's performance against Pittsburgh

"Any time you give up pressures and sacks and don't run the football well, you always say, ‘Well, we didn't play very well up front," but I think it is a lot of things. We have got to work together as a group. We have got to work together as an offense. Our backs have got to compliment them in the running game. Some of the pressures that we gave up the other night had nothing to do with the offensive line, and then, yet, some of them did. We've got to work better as a group. We've got to play better in every area on offense, and that is not just the offensive line. That's everybody involved in playing good football on that side of the ball. I know we can play good football, and that is what our goal is going to be. We've got to get back to work and make sure that we start doing that this week."

On his interactions with QB Kyle Orton have been more intense in the past two games

"It was probably less heated the last two weeks than it had been the first six weeks. I think I've coached the same way in every game we have played. He knows that I want him to play as well as he can possibly play. I want everybody to play that way. (I am) just trying to get the best out of the guys, and if there are some mistakes that need correcting, sometimes you've got to pay attention to what people are saying and not how they're saying it. I think he has got extremely thick skin. He knows that. I'll handle him the same way going forward."

On his relationship with Washington LB London Fletcher after playing together at John Carroll University

"I have coached against him a number of times. It is always great to see him. London Fletcher is a great person, first and foremost. I think he is the leading tackler in this decade in the National Football League. I'm proud of him for what he's been able to accomplish in this league coming from John Carroll. We kind of all knew when we were playing with him that he was a special player, a special person and would have a bright future ahead of him. It's always great to see him, and I'll look forward to seeing him in pregame and talking to him after the game, also."

On Orton's interceptions against Pittsburgh

"There were a couple-I'm not going to make excuses for it. We threw three interceptions. The first one, obviously, we hit the umpire, and I don't know if that ball gets intercepted 10 out of 10 times, but we've got to keep the ball down over the middle. Any time you're trying to throw into the middle of the defense, which the Steelers were playing some coverages where they dictated that that is where we go with the football, we have got to make sure that we keep the ball down. Those are the kind of balls that either get tipped or sail over someone's head and end up with somebody else carrying the ball. We've got to go back to playing good mistake-free football and being aggressive like (Orton) was in the first half and just taking care of the football when we have the opportunities to do that."

On needing to throw more deep passes to have the opponent's safeties drop into deeper coverage

"It's easy to say that when (Pittsburgh S) Troy Polamalu and (Pittsburgh S) Tyrone Carter are 35 yards deep during the course of the game and you threw for 190 yards in the first half or whatever it might have been. We were having success doing what we thought we should do to win the game, and there were plays that we have in our offense, and we always will, that if nobody is back there, that is where we are going. If somebody is back there, we are not going to go there. We're going to continue to coach and do the things we have done to be successful. We're not going to change that."

On the need for an explosive play to open up the Broncos' offense and build its confidence

"If you need that and you're looking for that, you are in trouble because those plays are few and far between a lot of times in this league. If you're sitting there trying to play offense hoping for one big play, you're going to have a long day. You better be able to execute against good defenses. These teams know what they want to try to take away. When they try to take those things away and you try to force the ball in spots, you could end up turning it over four or five (or) six times in the game. It's always great when you get big plays, but I think the biggest thing is you can't force things like that to happen. If you do, then you play bad offense. Would we love to have a bunch of explosive plays every week? Sure, but you have got to try to do the smart thing. Those explosive plays will come, but you can't do it where the risk is going to significantly outweigh the reward."

On OLB/DE Robert Ayers' progress

"He is playing better each week. He did some good things in the running game, which I know doesn't really get a lot of focus and attention. He's doing a better job of setting the edge in the running game and playing a lot in our nickel packages and doing a decent job in the pass rush, too. He scooped that ball up the other night and scored with it. He is doing his job. He's learning how to fit in in terms of our schemes. Each week, he works hard to try to get better, and I hope that's true of all of our rookies."

On CB Ty Law

"We rested him a little bit off and on just to try to make sure if we needed him at the end, obviously, in some nickel packages that he would be available for us, but he played a good portion of the game in our sub defense and did a nice job. That's what I would expect of Ty, and I would expect that going forward. He's a smart player (and) understood the defense. It took him a few days to learn it, and he'll continue to learn it and understand in more than he did on Monday night. I would just expect his performance and his play and the number of plays that he's capable of being in the game to go up as we go on."

On Law's ability playing inside

"He's been a matchup guy a lot of his career, so if the matchup took him in the slot, he went in there plenty. He's played in there extensively at different times in his career. With the (New York) Jets last year, sometimes they used him inside. Sometimes they used him outside. They matched up (New York Jets CB Darrelle) Revis last year sometimes on a specific receiver and then Ty kind of balanced off of him sometimes. If you've played in there and had to learn how to play in there because you've played in a matchup style of a defense, I think it's-hopefully for a guy like Ty, it is like riding a bicycle. You get back in there and you understand what you're dealing with. There are a few things that happen inside that don't happen outside, but Ty can handle that, and we expect him to play well."

On Law's adjustment to the defensive system

"This system is different than the system he's played in before, but some of it is similar and carries over. For the most part, the terminology and just the understanding of the words and those kinds of things are slightly different than the system that he grew up in, I would say, but he's learned a few different defenses in the last so many years here. I don't think that's a big task for him."

On defensive adjustments following the Pittsburgh game

"We need to play better longer. That's across the board. Defensively, we did a decent job in the first half of containing (Pittsburgh QB Ben) Roethlisberger in the pocket (and) pretty much handled the running game for what we wanted to do and get done there, and then we let some big plays happen. I think (Pittsburgh RB Rashard) Mendenhall had four carries that ended up being over 100 yards on those four plays. Any time you give up big plays as the game wears on, you sense that is that a loss of focus or concentration, is it some kind of assignment (or) is it a coaching thing or a strategy where we can make an adjustment and help ourselves, but it is all of those things. We've played good defense for four quarters a bunch so far this year. We're not discouraged by the fact that we played well for a significant portion of the game and then all of the sudden, made some errors that gave them some big plays. We have just got to do a better job of executing over the course of 60 minutes against teams like Baltimore and Pittsburgh, and if we do, then the games will be competitive just like the first half of the season has been. That's the kind of game that we are going to play in. That's the kind of team we are."

QB KYLE ORTON

On what the Broncos' offense needs to do to get back on track

"We have got to score points. That is obvious. We are moving on from the last couple of weeks, but we have got plenty of areas to improve on. It is just critical to come out and have a good week of practice like we did last week (and) come out and have a great week of practice and find a way to play for 60 minutes."

On if the Washington game is the start of a new season

"Really, from week to week, all you can do is focus on that week. On a short week like this, we have got so much to do in three days to move on to Washington. Really, all of our thoughts are behind us for Pittsburgh and Baltimore and all those games. We have got enough to worry about with Washington to come out and play a good game."

On if his interactions with Head Coach Josh McDaniels have changed in the past two games

"We strive for perfection in a win and in a loss, so it has really kind of stayed the same from week to week."

On analyzing defenses' success against the Broncos' offense

"You have got to look at what they've done to us and you have also got to look at what we've done to ourselves. I think it goes both ways. We have played two good teams, two good defenses, and they have done some good things against us, but really, the most important thing for us is to look at the things we've done to ourselves and try to correct those as fast as possible."

On what corrections the Broncos have to make

"We've got to stay balanced. We've got to find a way to run the ball. We've got to find ways to make plays in the passing game. We made chunk plays, I think, in the passing game last week, the 20- and 25-yard plays, but we have also got to find a way to make some bigger plays, no question about it. It's tough to always rely on eight, 10-play drives to score points, but it would be great to find ways to score in three- or four-play drives. When it gets down to it, it's based on execution. You have got to find ways to be able to carry that over through an entire drive. I thought we moved the ball inside the 35's halfway-well. Then, we'd get to the 35 or the 40-yard line and find ourselves in second-and-long. It's tough to do that against good teams."

On taking shots down the field

"Yeah, you've got to take shots. You don't want to force the ball, no question about that. We're not looking to force the ball. We've got plenty of weapons. We've got plenty of ways to move the ball down the field to not have to force things, but certainly when they are there, we would like to be able to take them."

On why the Broncos haven't thrown more deep passes

"Everybody wants to say, ‘Throw the ball 50 yards down the field.' Well that's all great. You can say it, but there are a lot of things that go into that: coverage, you have got to have time to throw it down the field (and) you've got to have the run, hopefully, to set up the coverage that you want to throw it against. We had a couple called (against Pittsburgh). We didn't get the looks that we wanted, and we didn't throw them."

On the importance of the running game

"We'd love to get balance. It's tough when you have 20 yards rushing or whatever we had. It's tough. Saying that, there are games where it is going to happen and you have got to rely on the passing game. The pass game has got to come through in a big way, and we've done that. We've won games throwing the football, so it's not like we can't do it, but I think just in our offense, getting the run game going, I know the guys up front like to come off the ball and be able to pound on the other team for 25, 30 carries. That makes a big difference, rather than always trying to catch them and pass for the entire time, as well."

On if defenses have played closer to the line of scrimmage

"Maybe a little bit, but like I said, I don't think it's been all what teams have done against us. It's looking back at what we've done against ourselves. We've got plenty of things to fix and we'll get back on that today."

On his response to the Pittsburgh loss

"It's been fine. I've moved on from Pittsburgh. There are a couple of throws that I would like to have back, (but) I don't think (any) reads for the most part. I thought I saw the field pretty well. That's a good thing. The couple of throws that were errant or whatever may be the case-I'm hard on myself. When the offense isn't going, I put that on me."

On playing an early game in the eastern time zone

"We'll be fine to play at whatever time it is. I'm excited for the short week, just to move on, and you're forced to move on and get on to a good football team in Washington."

On what Washington's pass defense does so well

"They get a lot of pressure with their front four. They bring five people to get one-on-one blocks, and they have good guys in the secondary as well, so we've got to get the ball out quick. (We've) got to get open quick and have got to protect up front."

S BRIAN DAWKINS

On the biggest issue defensively against Pittsburgh

"(They are) the things that we will try to fix this week. I can't tell you the things we talked about, but we saw some things that we need to concentrate on to get better at. Those are the things that we'll work hard in practice (on) as much as we can and be very, very aware of that late in games to not allow the things that have happened the last couple of weeks to become a trend."

On if fatigue has affected to the defense's performance in the second half of the past two games

"Sometimes, trying to do a little too much can always be a problem, getting out of your gap to try to do a little too much. Fatigue should never be an issue, regardless, because both teams are on the football field the same amount of time. If you are on the offensive or defensive side of the the ball, so that should never be an excuse, and we will never use that as an excuse. Our job remains the same. We have got to get off the field when those opportunities present themselves, be disciplined to do our responsibilities early in games and be more detailed late in games to make sure those things, like I said earlier, do not become a habit (by) allowing teams to do what has happened in the last couple of weeks."

On adjusting the no-huddle offense during the past two games

"That's not an adjustment. (It is) just the fact that if that is something that teams are going to do, we just have to prepare for it and stop it. It's kind of point blank, to tell you the truth. It's not anything you can adjust to. If it's going to happen, we have to be detailed in our work. We have to get the calls in, get the calls across the board and line up and play football and get off of the field. The thing that you do as a team, any time that anybody presents the same thing over and over again, is you have to stop those things. Until we do it, I'm pretty sure teams are going to do it."

On stopping the run when having a nickel package on the field defensively

"Every individual has to do their job, regardless. The personnel on the field, we still have the talent to be sound in our jobs to get off the field. We've done it before. Why, all of the sudden, is this a problem now? We're not going to make excuses. We have to make sure we detail our work, period. That will be the thing that you are going to hear echo from me the whole time we talk. We have to detail our work. Whoever is on the field, if your responsibility is to do a specific thing, do that specific thing and count on your guy inside of you to be in his position. If those things happen, then we can do what we do what we do defensively, and that's get off of the football field."

On CB Ty Law playing against Pittsburgh after signing with the team on Saturday

"Obviously, that is a tough, tough position to be in. Give him props big time for being able to come in and do what he did as many snaps as he did in that game. We tried to do our best the couple of days we were in there with him to communicate with him and to make sure in the game we were over-communicating, if you will, (and) just make sure he knows where he is, but it's a tough position to be in because even though you are being told and you kind of understand where to be because of years of playing, it is different from stepping in there and now ‘I know where I am supposed to be so I can sit on some stuff and jump some stuff and make some plays.' The reason why I say that is because that's what he does. He knows where he is supposed to be. Then, he can jump some things and pick some balls off and take some balls to the ‘house.' That's really what he brings to the table, that playmaking potential in that slot position to get the ball into his hands and take it to the ‘house.'"

On having veteran experience in the secondary

"I have said this from the jump: the communication that we have most of the time-we do make our mistakes, obviously, but for the most part, the communication and anticipation of things to come-is a huge benefit for us, and to have as many guys in the secondary that have been through the war, so to speak. I use that term very loosely, but to have been in those battles, there is no panic. There is no panic. Even though they moved the ball this past week and got in the red zone, we still had opportunities to get off the field. We just didn't do it. There is no panic when you have the guys that have been in those situations so many times."

On playing his former NFC East rival at Washington

"I just know what to expect when I play these teams I have played them so long. I know this is going to be a-every time that I have played the Redskins, it has been a physical battle (and) I come out of the game a lot sorer, if that is a word, because of those big bodies that they have. They pound (Washington RB Clinton) Portis at you, (and Washington RB Ladell) Betts at you (and) take shots up top with these quick receivers they have. This has just been something that has been bred in me to anticipate certain things when I play the Redskins."

On responding to consecutive losses

"One of the things that I kind of live by, my biggest sermon can be the way that I approach things, not so much by what I say, but what I do. If I'm walking around panicking, pouting, then that is what I'm going to preach to others. If I'm working (and) I'm diligent in my study in the classroom, if you will, and if I'm busting my hump in practice, then that is the sermon that I'm also going to preach. It's not so much what needs to be said. We've said what we needed to say. (Head Coach) Josh (McDaniels) has said what he needed to say, (Defensive Coordinator) Mike (Nolan) and down the line. We know what we need to do. It's just about doing it now."

On Washington RB Clinton Portis' influence on Washington

"He has been a huge, huge weapon, to say the least, for that team over the years. You know that you have to be prepared to stop this cat for four quarters before stepping in there and sticking your nose in and bringing something with you when you do, because he does. Even in pass protection, he's one of the, if the best chip blocker there is on the ends. He's trying to do damage. If you blitz, you know you better have your chin strap buckled up (and) your mouthpiece in because he is going to try to take your head off. That is the type of mentality he's brought to that offense."

On the toughest adjustment for young safeties

"I know for me it was the speed, the speed in which things happen. You have to be able to anticipate motions and shifts and be able to put yourself in the next position and still be able to play fast. That's a tough, tough thing to do. The length of the season, your body is going to tell you that the bowl game is over with and it's time to chill out, and we're still playing football in the pros, so your body is kind of telling you mentally to shut it down and you've got to push through that wall. Then, the expectations that are put on you, guys that are drafted high, to be able to produce right away a lot of times, especially on special teams, and then you can't let that fatigue allow you to not make the plays that you need to make for your teammates, so there's a lot of pressure in that respect. It's a lot of pressure on young guys, but when you have guys that have been through it and then are open to be able to talk to them, which we all are, to help them out as much as we can, it helps them out."

On the development of younger players in the Broncos' secondary

"They understand their roles. If anything happens, they are able to step in right away. You saw when (S Darcel) McBath stepped in right away against the (San Diego) Chargers and played some pretty good ball, I thought. I think they're doing an excellent job."

On the origin of his ‘Weapon-X' nickname

"It was just my love for the character ‘Wolverine' and what he is called. He is called ‘Weapon-X.' When that kind of came out that I liked him so much, people kind of put two and two together and that's what I became."

On the Wolverine figures in his locker

"I probably purchased maybe four and all the rest of them have been gifts from either my family or my kids, rather, or fans."

On the atmosphere playing at Washington

"You play for so long, they're all hostile environments. There are a couple of fans that I recognize from behind our bench that have been pretty fun over the years to listen to as they try to get after you. He's pretty good at it, too. I don't know his name, but he's pretty good sitting behind the bench. It can be a very intimidating place if you allow it to (be), just like every opposing team that has passionate fans. This is no different."

On S Renaldo Hill's performance

"I didn't know a lot about him, obviously, going from the NFC to AFC. The thing that has jumped off on me is he is the quarterback of this defense... If he says something, we all believe what he is saying as far as his checks are concerned. He's a very, very smart guy. Every day I'm coming in saying, ‘Hey, did you see this? Watch the film. What did you see? Let me know some secrets. Stop keeping secrets from me,' in a playing fashion. He's a very, very smart guy, so that helps us in so many ways. Then, his potential to get the ball in his hands, he's always baiting, trying to get his hands on the ball."

On Hill's influence on his play

"We communicate, don't get me wrong. If I see something, I'll let him know, but any time you have someone, your counterpart, beside you that is that smart, that intelligent to be able to say things and help in that respect, that definitely allows me to line up and just do what I do."

On his initial impression of Hill

"There is only so much you can be impressed by a guy by talking to him one day. I was just excited at the fact of us coming in together and learning the scheme together and the potential going forward because I knew that he had played some pretty good ball this past year in Miami. I was excited about that."

St. Louis Rams stock watch

VanRam — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:47:39 -0000

More photos » by Phil Coale - AP

St. Louis Rams linebacker James Laurinaitis has been among the team's most valuable players thins season.

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The St. Louis Rams are halfway through the first season of a major franchise overhaul. Eight games in, we know lots more than we did in August. Draft picks have played their way into the lineup, or out of it. Free agent pickups have figured into the equation, and we have a better idea about the future of the team's veterans. So, with apologies to Mike Sando, let's take a look at some of the more notable cases with a stock watch.

BUY

James Laurinaitis - The second round pick has reminded fans and casual observers alike why he was considered first round talent just a year ago. Playing for a 1-win team his name is already in the conversation for defensive rookie of the year. Middle linebacker was a massive hole in the Rams defense since the jettisoning of London Fletcher, but now it's probably the strongest position on the defense. The future looks good.

Steven Jackson - Before this year, Jackson was merely good. Now he's truly great. This season, he's emerged as a team leader, a veteran guiding a rebuilding franchise through the rough early phases of the project. Of course, his onfield contributions can't be overstated either. He's the reason the Rams have one win, and playing with a truly inferior offense, he's torching some of the league's best defenses. SJ39 is one of those stocks that the price of entry is really high, but worth every penny.

James Butler - On paper, the Rams defense hasn't been particularly impressive. However, Butler has been a big part of the reason why it at least looks more competent than it has in recent seasons, guiding the youngsters through the transition to Spagnuolo and Flajole's scheme.

Jason Smith - The second overall pick is starting to look like the best OT from this year's draft. He learns fast, and you don't see him make the same mistake twice. This kid has a bright future.

HOLD

Oshiomogho Atogwe - The ball hawk is having a rougher season than we would have expected. Why? It's hard to say. The cornerback situation is no worse than it has been in the recent past for the Rams. The transition in schemes may have had some impact. Could his contract situation be a distraction? He'll be the story to watch in the offseason. Do the Rams re-sign him? If they opt to use the RFA route, he's bound to be a holdout.

Donnie Avery - Maybe it's the QB, maybe it's the new offense, whatever it is, it's been a rough season for Donnie Avery. Once the Rams address their needs at WR, Avery can get back to his role as a downfield threat, and some work in the slot.

Ron Bartell - It doesn't look like Bartell is top CB material. Still, he's signed to a reasonable contract and with a legitimate #1 corner beside him, he'll be part of a great duo.

SELL

Marc Bulger - Like so many, I thought he still had something left in the tank. The Detroit game proved me wrong.

Alex Barron - Sure, he's had his moments. You cannot refute that Barron has talent. However, he continues to put himself in the doghouse by taking bad penalties and occasionally taking himself out of plays. A half-game benching and stern lecture helped for just one game. I sometimes wonder if we might not see him back in '10, but on the right side, playing under a RFA contract.

Randy McMichael - Boink. That's the sound of another pass bouncing off his cast iron hands. McMichael offers little at this point in his career that a replacement level TE doesn't bring to the table.

Chris Long - The second overall pick from a year ago has failed to impress in his sophomore season. I still harbor some hope Long will get it figured out. He seems to have talent, and his desire is unquestionable. More talent on the line could help and some intensive coaching up. We'll see.

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?

Browse more photos »

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.

Lofa Tatupu Undergoes Surgery on Torn Pectoral Muscle

John Morgan — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:12:22 -0000

Lofa Tatupu will undergo surgery performed by Dr. James Andrew to repair a partially torn left pectoral muscle. This should end his season. Tatupu made some noise about returning, and he, like most athletes, would rather play without an arm than miss a snap, but the extent of the tear has narrowed that chance and maybe for the best.

Ever since Frank Gore ran all over the 2006 Seahawks, Tatupu has bulked up every season. He was cast as an active, attacking but often overmatched middle linebacker and wanted the muscle to bull through fullbacks and break free from pulling linemen. That muscle has come at the cost of lateral agility and wrap-tackling. Tatupu has become that too-common linebacker that hits, but bounces off the ball carrier and too-often allows yards after contact.

Seattle hasn't fixed its Frank Gore woes. Gore was able to slice through the Seahawks line and run for over two hundred yards in week two. Tatupu wasn't out there, but a detailed study showed it was the line and not any one linebacker that allowed Gore to storm into the second level uncontested. And it's the line that must be forever fixed to stop that from happening again.

The Seahawks could add another tackle in the middle and attempt to approximate the Marcus Tubbs, Rocky Bernard and Chuck Darby rotation that allowed its then small linebackers to swarm and stop staggered rushers. The solution is not for Tatupu to get bigger. He has bulked up so much, not coincidentally become barrel chested and can shaped, that his arms almost look like they have receded back into his body. Middle linebackers can be small. 34 year old London Fletcher-Baker has made a career out of quickness and technique. Jonathan Vilma was written off before he got some bulk back in front of him. The 238 pound Tatupu that entered the league could cut and wrap and make a play on the ball in the air, but the modern Tatupu hits, misses misdirection and must tackle after the reception. Get well Tats and maybe lose a couple while you're at it.