SB Nation - Albert Haynesworth

Hangover City; Time to set our sights, expectations, on Gerald McCoy

Niko Houllis — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:00:27 -0000

McCoy's ability to line up in the three technique could have Bucs fans forgetting all about Ndomekong Suh, unless the Lions win again.

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Now that the Bucs are probably picking third, its time to get over the idea that Ndomekong Suh will fall to our laps. Its very possible that the St. Louis Rams will pick a Quarterback, as a franchise guy is needed there in an age of Quarterbacks league wide. Not only that, but the Rams have taken 2 defensive linemen out of the last three drafts. But slip one past the Lions too? Detroit is coached by former Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, who understands the importance of a dominant DT, see Albert Haynesworth. It is unlikely Detroit will pass on Suh, and it is equally unlikely the Bucs will pick ahead of Detroit in the first round in the event of a tie.

But it is not all bad news. Gerald McCoy is considered a cant miss defensive tackle too, one who also, like Suh, excels at running out of the Three Technique, something needed to play the DT position with the Tampa Two like Warren Sapp used to.

Check out this video of McCoy, then the write up your comments on it. Keeping in mind with all the juniors entering this years draft because its probably the last chance for rookies to get huge paydays, the draft is considered RICH in legit defensive talent, and WRs. Several teams will score Big, the Bucs probably among them with three picks in the first two rounds, including a second round pick from the Bears for Gaines Adams, a move now looking sheer genius.

Our own draft guy Craig T will be starting his draft coverage soon! So expect even more info on three guys that will be asked to help rebuild the Bucs into winners again!

- Oklahoma Sooners defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, the No. 3 overall ranked prospect for 2011 by NFLDraftScout.com, will forgo his senior year of eligibility and declare for the NFL Draft. The 6-4, 298-pound McCoy is ranked behind only Tennessee strong safety Eric Berry and teammate quarterback Sam Bradford, who are both expected to declare for the draft as well. "I made the decision around mid-season when I knew that I would have enough credits to graduate," McCoy said through the school's website. "Graduation was my main goal and once I knew I had that accomplished, I wanted to look at playing in the NFL." McCoy was scheduled to go through graduation ceremonies Friday night and plans to graduate with a Human Relations degree after completing online courses this spring. His play is reminiscent of former Oklahoma State defensive tackle Kevin Williams, who is now a Pro Bowl player for the Minnesota Vikings. McCoy lines up at the three-technique position when Oklahoma plays a four-man front and moves out to shade either side of the right tackle in a 3-4 alignment. That sort of versatility endears him to NFL defensive coordinators relying on either front as their base look. McCoy also plays nearly every snap, constantly pushing his man toward the quarterback on pass plays and chasing down ballcarriers against the run. His combination of size, stamina and agility are hard to find at his position. If there's one negative to his game, it may be that McCoy plays too tall on occasion, losing leverage against double teams or when man-up against stronger interior linemen. But that can be improved through work and coaching at the next level, and won't prevent him from being picked early in the first round. With Detroit, Oakland, Tampa Bay and others looking for defensive line help, it would be hard to see McCoy drop out of the top 10. - Chad Reuter, The SportsXchange, NFLDraftScout.com

MCM's Tennessee Titans Team of the Decade

Jimmy — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:06:16 -0000

More photos » by Dave Einsel - AP

I made the team!! (AP Photo/Dave Einsel)

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We are continuing our "of the decade" series today with the Titans team of the decade. This list was compiled by August, Hal, Gramsey, and me. It was a fun exercise. Some of the selections were no brainers that were easily agreed on by all parties, but there were a few that were hotly debated.

The team and some comments on it after the jump.

OFFENSE

QB- Steve McNair
RB- Chris Johnson
FB- Lorenzo Neal
WR- Derrick Mason
WR- Drew Bennett
TE- Frank Wycheck
OT- Brad Hopkins
OT- Michael Roos
OG- Bruce Matthews
OG- Zach Piller
C- Kevin Mawae

DEFENSE

DE- Jevon Kearse
DE- Kyle Vanden Bosch
DT- Kevin Carter
DT- Albert Haynesworth
LB- Keith Bulluck
LB- David Thornton
LB- Randall Godfrey
CB- Samari Rolle
CB- Cortland Finnegan
S- Chris Hope
S- Michael Griffin

SPECIAL TEAMS

K- Rob Bironas
P- Craig Hentrich
RS- Derrick Mason
LS- Ken Amato

A few thoughts:

The first debate we really had was between CJ and Eddie George. It seems somewhat blasphemous to keep Eddie off the team, but you can't include 1999 and without that CJ's numbers in 2 years are more impressive.
We all wanted to come up with a way not to put Drew Bennett on the team because all any of us can think of when we think of Drew is the drop in New England, but when you look at the numbers he had to be there.
Gramsey wants Sarge over Lorenzo, but the thing that gave Lorenzo the nod for the rest of us was the decline in Eddie's career when he left.
Everything else offensively is pretty much a no-brainer.
We cheated a little bit on the defensive line putting Carter in there at tackle. He did play some tackle in his time here, but it really came down to the fact that those four guys are the four that it had to be. Who else would you put at tackle? Tony Brown was close, but Carter's numbers were so good that it was justifiable.
Linebacker was a little bit of a debate between Randall Godfrey and Peter Sirmon, but Godfrey was more dominating so he got the nod.
The safety positions might have taken us the longest. Blaine Bishop was the first thought in everyone's head, but when you look at the numbers from this decade his aren't that good. Griff would have made it a lot easier on us had he not gone in the tank this year, but his season last year was better than any season posted by a safety in the last 10 years- ergo he makes the list.
The returner debate is still going on between the four of us as I am writing this post. The numbers are close enough that I can put Mason on the list and not feel bad about it. Gramsey and Hal are all about he who shall not be named. He was electric, but he only did it for 2 seasons. That is how I am justifying leaving him off. Gramsey says I will close the comments so no one can prove me wrong. He doesn't have that "Hater" title for nothing. Have at it..

The Top Ten Best Tennessee Titans Draft Picks of the Decade

Jimmy — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:00:21 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

Cortland Finnegan celebrates being named by MCM as the Titans top draft pick of the decade. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

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With the decade coming to an end in a few weeks, we here at MCM decided it would be a good time to do a top 10 list or two- because who doesn't love a top 10 list?

Today we start with the top 10 draft picks of the decade. Here is how this list was compiled- August, gramsey and I all came up with our own list. They sent their lists to me, actually shared it with me via google docs (which are awesome), and I averaged the three lists together to come up with what I am posting here. After the jump I have added a link that lists all of the picks the Titans made in the decade.

So without further adieu I present the top 10 draft picks of the decade:

1. Cortland Finnegan, CB, Samford (2006, Round 7, pick #215 overall)

Obviously this pick came down to Finny and Chris Johnson, but when you look at the fact that the Titans were able to draft and franchise corner, or as gramsey puts it "The best corner to ever wear Titan blue, and that includes Samari Rolle," in the seventh round, Finnegan gets the nod.

2. Chris Johnson, RB, East Carolina (2008, Round 1, pick #24 overall)

He is the best running back in the league. ‘Nuff said.

3. Keith Bulluck, LB, Syracuse (2000, Round 1, pick #30 overall)

You obviously expect big things out of every first round pick, and KBull has provided those big things and so much more. He has been the heart and soul of this defense for a long time. Interesting story on this pick is that the Titans had planned on taking Deon Grant here because they never dreamed Bulluck would fall to them. Looks like they ended up on the better side of that one.

T-4. Robaire Smith, DE/DT, Michigan State (2000, Round 6, pick #197 overall)

August thinks Robaire is overrated. That may be the case, but the Titans got waaay more than they ever could have expected out of a guy they took at #197. This was another testament to pretty much the only thing Floyd Reese was good at besides backloading contracts and early round busts (more on that tomorrow), finding diamonds in the rough.

T-4. David Stewart, OT, Mississippi State (2005, Round 4, pick #113 overall)

The credit here goes to Mike Munchak as much as anyone, but that doesn't change the fact that the Titans got book-end offensive tackles in the same draft. The only thing that gets Big Country the nod over the next guy on the list is that he was selected two rounds and 72 picks later.

6. Michael Roos, OT, Eastern Washigton (2005, Round 2, pick #41 overall)

Roos is a Pro Bowl left tackle. That is a win no matter where they are selected, but it is even more impressive to get one in the second round.

7. Bo Scaife, TE, Texas (2005, Round 6, pick #179 overall)

2005 was a good draft for the Titans. I have been critical of Scaife in the past, but that by no means takes away the successes he has had in this league after waiting until the 6^th round to come off the board. I wonder how many sixth round picks have ever been given the franchise tag..

8. Stephen Tulloch, LB, NC State (2006 Round 4, pick #116 overall)

The Titans drafted three linebackers in the 2006 draft, and Tulloch has been the only one to stick. Tulloch has proved to be a vital member of this defense as he is currently the starting middle linebacker but has also played both outside linebacker positions in his tenure with the Titans.

9. Eugene Amano, C, SE Missouri State (2004, Round 7, pick #239 overall)

We had a little trouble forgiving Pinoy's boy for his transgression on Sunday to add him to this list, but it is impossible to ignore a guy that is a starting offensive lineman selected in the seventh round. Amano highlights two things about the draft strengths of the Titans- 1. they are good at picking offensive lineman and 2. they are good at finding good players from small schools.

10. Vincent Fuller, DB, Virginia Tech (2005, Round 4, pick #108 overall)

Vinny is yet another gem from the 2005 class. Fuller has held down the nickel back job for a couple of years now, and we all saw how valuable he was when he missed a few weeks earlier this year with a broken forearm.

Others receiving votes: William Hayes (2008, round 4, #103), Albert Haynesworth (2002, round 1, #15), and Justin Hartwig (2002, round 6, #187).

Click here to see the complete list of draft picks.

And there you have it. We would love to hear your comments on our list, or even your own list in the comments.

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?

New Orleans Saints' Offensive Player Grades @ Redskins

saints-nation — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:00:22 -0000

by Nick Wass - AP

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Below are the player grades on offense for the game at Washington. You'll notice the passing game was largely exceptional, while the run game was largely lacking in performance. The letter grade represents the player's performance in the game and the GPA behind it represents the player's cumulative performance for the season.

Saints vs Redskins coverage

Saints vs Redskins recap

Saints vs Redskins boxscore

Drew Brees: A (3.22) Brees was shaky at times, hanging on to the ball longer than we're accustomed to and having his height limitations more pronounced than usual with the batted passes, but overall Brees was once again masterful. He finished 35 of 49 for 419 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. The minute Shaun Suisham missed that short field goal, there was almost no question Brees would go down and tie the game at 30. I have to give personal credit to my cousin, Chris, who proclaimed the second the field goal missed that the score would be 30-30 within minutes. The bottom line was on a day where the defense couldn't seem to do anything right, Brees somehow kept the Saints within striking distance, and he led them to victory in the closing moments.

Reggie Bush: C- (2.50) Bush had limited action in the game but had a satisfactory day as a receiver. He had 4 catches for 28 yards. Rushing wise, his lone carry was a 3rd and 1 run to the left side where he was hit for a no gain. I'm not sure why he would ever be used as a short yardage back. His punt returning was once again embarassing. He ran backwards, per usual, and lost 2 yards on his only return. Because of his antics a block in the back was also added to the play. At what point do the Saints decide that Bush is a terrible punt returner? I remember the Vikings game last year like everyone else, but a blind squirrel could look at his punt returns numbers on the year and realize it's time to look for a viable alternative.

Mike Bell: C- (2.77) Bell was mediocre, and was often stacked up in short yardage situations. Typically he's tough to bring down, but he went down all too easy in this game. He finished with 16 carries for 34 yards, for just a 2.1 yard average. He did a good job running the football in overtime, but that was about it.

Pierre Thomas: C+ (3.10) The Saints ran the screen pass to Thomas more times than I cared to remember. That play was the staple of the Saints' offense in this game. Thomas was effective wielding through blockers and tackles, finishing with 8 catches for 64 yards. Unfortunately, his rushing attempts weren't nearly as impressive, as he finished with 18 yards on 6 carries. Thomas does deserve credit for throwing some terrific blocks on blitz pickups to keep his quarterback clean. Ultimately, the Saints were incapable of running the ball all day and Thomas never really got going.

Marques Colston: B (2.92) Colston was pretty quiet, and he was targeted by Brees with no success in a tight window a couple of times (including once in the end zone). That said, his only two catches were crucial plays. His first was a nice route that resulted in an easy, wide open 40 yard touchdown catch. His second catch was a 6 yard out that converted an important 3rd and 5 in overtime. He was targeted too many times, though, to come up with just 2 catches. He didn't get open nearly enough, but given his 40 yard TD catch I couldn't give him an uglier grade.

Devery Henderson: B+ (3.05) Henderson was brutalized by bone crushing hits on a number of occasions, most times delivered by LSU product LaRon Landry. To his credit, he was able to hang on to two big first down conversions despite huge hits he was barely able to get up from. Henderson had one bad drop that was reminiscent of his inconsistent performances of the past, but otherwise he was a go to target when the Saints needed plays. He finished with 6 catches for 61 yards. It did look like he might have dropped one of those receptions, but the Redskins never challenged his reception.

Robert Meachem: A+ (3.20) Meachem was the Saints' offensive player of the game. No poll, no debate, period. He was THE reason the Saints won the game. He's quickly becoming the prime target for Brees and the most dangerous playmaker on the team. He had 8 catches for 142 yards, including a 53 yard touchdown reception with 1:19 left to tie the game at 30. Right before halftime he stripped Kareem Moore of the Redskins after an interception. Meachem was able to make one of the more head's up plays I've ever seen, recovering the fumble after jarring it lose and racing 40 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 17. That play was, in a word, unbelievable. He did not make one single mistake through the game, and he was reliable in his route running, catching, and ability to make plays throughout the game.

Jeremy Shockey: B (2.86) It was nice to see Shockey rebound after a few quiet games in succession. With the game on the line and the Saints down a couple of scores, Shockey was relied on heavily in the 2 minute offense. He was found in the middle of the field on numerous plays, and he showed soft hands. He had an offensive pass interference call that I never fully understood. He finished with 4 catches for 47 yards. Interesting to see him used sparingly on rushing plays.

David Thomas: B- (2.33) Thomas did a poor job as a lead blocker despite getting numerous reps out of the fullback position. He did a nice job receiving, though, finishing with 3 catches for 31 yards, including a nice route where he smoked a Washington linebacker for a 21 yard gain.

Jermon Bushrod: C- (2.67) Bushrod was bad. He did a horrendous job run blocking, and a number of the running plays that went behind him were blown up. Specifically, Bush's 3rd and 1 carry and a couple of Bell's 3rd and shorts were stuffed based on poor blocking by Bushrod. His pass blocking was only marginally better as he got Brees hit and pressured on a number of plays. Veteran Andre Carter made him look silly, especially early, on a number of running plays. Give him credit, though, for making the tackle downfield after the missed field goal in regulation by Garrett Hartley.

Zach Strief: D (2.30) Strief is supposed to be the blocking specialist in short yardage situations, and quite simply, whenever he came in the game the Saints were stuffed short of the yardage they needed.

Carl Nicks: C (3.06) Nicks had an up and down game. On any and every short yardage situation the Saints had, they went behind Nicks pulling. He whiffed twice on tacklers, allowing Bell to get stacked up in the backfield. He did a poor job specifically on an important 4th and 1, which turned the ball back over to the Skins with the Saints down 20-17. Nicks did have some nice blocks and decent pass protection, but overall he had his hands full with Albert Haynesworth. I realize Nicks faced one of the best in the business, but the bottom line is he was mostly dominated.

Jonathan Goodwin: C+ (3.14) Goodwin, per usual, did a nice job pulling on the Pierre Thomas screens to throw some nice lead blocks and give Thomas some real estate to run with. His pass protection was adequate, but the Saints often attacked the middle running the ball and Goodwin wasn't strong enough to push the point of attack. He didn't have a great day, but he was one of the better linemen on an otherwise lackluster performance by the Saints' blocking unit.

Jahri Evans: C (3.28) You all know how much I sing Evans' praise every week, but this was a forgettable performance. He was flagged for an ineligible man downfield call late in the game. A play that wasn't necessarily his fault as the play was a designed screen that Brees didn't get rid of fast enough. Evans was unable to assert his normally dominant technique and force. Despite the Saints continuously running to the right side and using Nick's pulling help, the sledding was tougher than ever. The few plays that worked running the ball were plays where the blocking broke down on the right side of the line, and a lane appeared cutting against the grain on the left side. Not a good sign.

Jon Stinchcomb: D+ (2.83) Stinchcomb was the weakest link against the Redskins on the offensive line. He was pushed around and bullied all day long. He wasn't able to accomplish much and he should have been flagged way more often than what he actually got. I did notice he was flagged for an illegal block in the back on what was a horrendous attempt on a 3rd and goal screen pass to Devery Henderson. His run blocking easily deserves an F. Do yourselves a favor and DO NOT watch the tape of his run blocking attempts. Play after play after play, he allows tremendous penetration. Pass blocking was marginally better.

Darnell Dinkins: D+ (1.87) When he came in, he blocked, and he blocked poorly.

My Offensive Player of the Game: Robert Meachem

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Robert Meachem (Sorry, no other choices)

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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

The Linc - The soothsaying Eagles equipment manager

JasonB — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:00:20 -0000

by Mel Evans - AP

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Celek Should Play vs. Falcons, Jackson a Maybe
The Eagles should have tight end Brent Celek next Sunday against Atlanta. Whether receiver DeSean Jackson or linebacker Akeem Jordan will be able to play is uncertain.

Eagles' Samuel knew he'd get two interceptions vs. Redskins | Philadelphia Daily News | 11/30/2009
Ed Miller told Asante Samuel that Samuel would have a big day against the Redskins. Two interceptions, Miller predicted. Miller is an equipment assistant for the Eagles. A slim fellow, quick to smile, he is unwavering in his support for the players. And uncanny in his prognostications, it seems.

Buckley's breakthrough comes when needed most | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/30/2009
"It meant a lot," Buckley said. "If the coaches believe in you enough to keep you down in on the goal line . . . I had to look up and help them out and get it in there."

Eagles' stretch run is easier than Cowboys' - NFC East Blog - ESPN
The Cowboys (8-3) and Eagles (7-4) both have tough schedules the rest of the way, but it looks like Dallas' path is a little rockier. The Cowboys' final five opponents have a combined record of 34-20, while the Eagles' opponents are 32-23.

Much more after the jump

Vick gives anti-dogfighting message at old school | Philly | 11/30/2009
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick advised students at his old middle school Monday to avoid the kind of bad decisions that landed him in federal prison for dogfighting.

Jackson update; Westbrook to be re-checked | Philadelphia Daily News | 11/30/2009
"We’ll just see how he does over the next few days," Reid said, adding that the Eagles will do everything that the league wants them to do in terms of concussion treatment or diagnosis. "I know a lot is being said about concussions," Reid said. "We are as conscious as they come with concussions. We are going to do everything within our power to get [Jackson] the proper treatment and diagnosis. To compare to Brian’s, are we going to be more cautious? No. We’re always cautious. We’re going to do what we do." "That hit was more of the shoulder," Reid said. "It really wasn’t on the head."

Advanced NFL Stats: Andy Reid: Hero
Reid was my goat of the year for 2008 for the season's single worst 4th down decision, but today he's my hero of the day (or at least for the 1st quarter of the 1 pm games).

Breaking news: Eli has 'stress reaction' in foot - Big Blue View
Compensating for the plantar fasciitis he battled for much of this season, New York quarterback Eli Manning has developed a stress reaction in his right foot that could be even more problematic for the Giants, according to sources close to the situation.

D.C. Sports Bog - Marshall Faulk calls out Albert Haynesworth
"The thing is, any time that you're the Washington Redskins and you come in as a free agent, and guess what, you miss the Dallas game and now you're about to miss the Philadelphia Eagles game?" Faulk began. "You can't miss games in the NFC East when they pay you $100 million. You've got to tape it up. You've got to tape it up and go, my friend. You have to tape it up and go. These are the games that they signed you for, and it just surprises me that whatever the injury is, you have to at least try to go. Unless, like we said, it's a head injury, and we know it's not a head injury."

Rams rebuild: What would you do?

VanRam — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:34:34 -0000

More photos » by Phil Coale - AP

St. Louis Rams linebacker James Laurinaitis became franchise cornerstone in his rookie season. What else could the Rams have done to secure the future?

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It's week 12 and the St. Louis Rams are 1-9. On top of that, they've got some marquee players injured, making it tough sledding the rest of the season, er, tougher.

But then again, you knew this year would be tough. Sure, we all thought 5 wins was a reasonable projection, but tomorrow is one of the Rams mist winnable games and they could be without their best player, Steven Jackson. Breath. Focus on the fact that the Rams are rebuilding, and so far, despite what the record says, it's moving along with some encouraging signs. The offensive line is finally starting to come together and represents a big improvement over recent seasons (of course two starters are out this week, but the depth is good too). The defense, still struggling, has made huge strides up the middle by drafting MLB James Laurinaitis and signing SS James Butler in free agency.

This spring it's another draft, free agency, and a whole lot of dead money off the books. But before we start (continue) speculating about what the Rams could/should do in a few months, let's take a look back at what they did do. Like I said above, we knew this was going to be a rough year with a rebuilding team, but are there moves that GM Billy Devaney & Co. could have done better could have made to begin with that would have made a bigger impact on the reboot? Should they have sacrificed competing this year? Did they have any choice?

In the comments section, weigh-in with what moves you would have (or wouldn't have) made in the rebuilding process. Remember, be realistic. Yes, they could have signed Albert Haynesworth (kind of glad they didn't since he seems to be a bust in DC), but that's not realistic because that would have directed too many resources elsewhere.

Have at it GMs.

Philadelphia Eagles Opponents previews - Washington Redskins

JasonB — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:49:58 -0000

More photos » by Manuel Balce Ceneta - AP

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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.

Another week and another "must win" game. In what will likely be a close fight for a division title or playoff spot, every in conference win is important and that goes double for division games. The Redskins stand i the way of the Eagles going to 7-4 with a very strong in conference record which would put them in the driver's seat for a playoff berth.

Dave's full analysis of the game is after the jump.

After a big 24-20 win over Chicago on Sunday night the 6-4 Eagles return home this Sunday, November 30th to host the Washington Redskins in 1:00 P.M. start at Lincoln Financial Field. The Redskins fell to 3-7 on the year after a tough 7-6 loss to Dallas last week in a game that they had numerous opportunities to put the Cowboys away, but costly mistakes including two missed field goals by Shaun Suisham proved to be the difference. The loss basically ended any hope for Washington to turn their season around as they are now left to play out the string of their remaining six games. Head coach Jim Zorn will most likely be fired at the end of the season as owner Dan Snyder will once again look to hire someone who can come in and change the fortunes of a franchise that has fallen on hard times.

In their first meeting back in week seven, the Eagles used big plays and solid defense to pound out a 27-17 win. The Redskins turned the ball over four times including a Jason Campbell interception that was returned nine yards for a touchdown by LB Will Witherspoon. On offense, WR DeSean Jackson scored on a 67 yard run and a 57 yard pass play to give the Eagles an early lead that they never relinquished. The ability to jump on Washington early and often was the key to this first win. In this Sunday’s game, the Eagles will need to concentrate on once again getting to Campbell and causing him to make some bad decisions with the ball. With the status of RB Clinton Portis still uncertain and Ladell Betts out for the season with a knee injury, Washington’s running attack will be severely limited so Campbell may be forced to try and beat the Eagles with his arm which should play into the strength of the Bird’s defense.

Through eleven games the Redskins rank 29^th in points per game, 25^th in total yards, 21^st in passing offense and 19^th in rushing offense. While those numbers paint a pretty ugly picture for their offense, defensively they are much better. They rank 6^th in points allowed, 4^th in total yards allowed, and 1^st against the pass. Their only weakness is against the run where they rank 25^th. If the Eagles can incorporate the same offensive mix they used last week against the Bears, effectively using the run to set up the pass they should be able to move the ball against this team. The availability of DT Albert Haynesworth, who sat out last week’s game against Dallas with a sprained left ankle, could make a difference how well Philadelphia will be able to run against this team.

The Redskins are still a dangerous team, but I think last week’s loss to the Cowboys took whatever motivation they had left and pretty much crushed it. We all remember the game toward the end of last year when the Eagles were faced with a must win situation to make the playoffs and Washington shut them down 10-3. I’m sure Andy Reid will make his team painfully aware of this as to keep them from looking past this game. Washington on the other hand has nothing to look forward to but the future as I’m sure it will include a new head coach and possibly a whole bunch of new faces in the lineup.

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."