I'm back.

Not really, but I am here to talk about the 2011 Redskins outlook. There are some major problems with this team, but I see the fact that Snyder has cap room that he can't spend (one major plus to the Lockout) and the fact that Allen and Shanahan were able to squeeze 12 picks out of the draft as two major signs of a (possible) change in the organizational structure. There is no possible way to know at this point; hell, Snyder might go crazy like a little kid with mom's money all alone in the candy store the second free agency opens up.

But, maybe not. What if Snyder really has given up his spending ways, or at least the ones where he outbids himself for past-prime players? What if the Allen-Shanahan combo really do have his ear? What if, and I know this is a stretch, the 2011 Redskins will enter the 2011 season with, brace yourself, cap room?

I know, won't happen. But with 12 draft picks to sign and any number of UFAs available, in addition to a young-ish roster after the FAs-to-be leave, what if the Redskins really are different?

Maybe I'm just drinking the Kool-Aid. Maybe the lockout has me so distracted that I forgot how Snyder is. Maybe I'm just flat wrong.

But I'm telling you there's a chance...

Help me out, click the link. Or don't. Either way, HTTR.

This is such a ridiculous development.  And this has nothing to do with the "race politics" of the earlier McNabb benching that some media members point to (I'm mostly speaking about PTI), followed by the weird contract-extension-but-not that McNabb got.

Continue reading this post »

So this is how we're to remember Brett Favre: limping off the field, a half-hearted smile and lukewarm greetings for all the Saints players he encountered on his way out the door.  Always the great sport, he tried to convince everyone, probably starting with himself, that it was the bum ankle that hurt more than the loss.  And maybe this was his last game, but who knows.  But this was it, the redemption he had been seeking after leaving Green Bay.  It was all set up for him in Minnesota, with a team that had Super Bowl talent everywhere but behind center.  Destiny.

On a day where Favre passed Joe Montana for most completions in the playoffs, it was a completion to Terry Porter (of the opposing New Orleans Saints) that will be most remembered.  It will be the crown jewel for those that argue that he was just too much of a gambler, too much of a gun-slinger, to be trusted in leading a team to the promised land.  It will be the trump card to keeping him down on the list of all-time greats at his position.  On a day when no one could keep possession of the ball and when some kid who has yet to own a razor was the hero, we will remember the goat.

It seems fitting that we last see Brett on a play where if had not even thrown a pass in the first place, on a play where he was trying to do something that you teach quarterbacks not to do from day one, on a play where throwing it away or scrambling for a few yards would be the correct decision.  But that's not Favre.  He will always be the guy who was loved by the fans, revered by the players and questioned by the critics.  He is the guy with the most TDs and the most INTs in a career.  The guy with the most completions and INTs in the playoffs.  Love 'em or hate 'em.

And on the night where he limps off into the sunset, maybe for the last time and maybe not, just remember this: the Saints won and the Vikings lost.  Harvin and Bush and Peterson all made bad plays.  And Minnesota never would have been there without Favre.  And without Favre, they might be headed to Miami. 

But hey, that's just how it is with Favre.

The links are from NFLdraftcountdown and are usually pretty good. So, I'll get some info from from NFL.com. The description for Williams is as follows:

Continue reading this post »

First off, happy holidays. Hope you're enjoying your favorite foods, beverages and family vacations. The best from our to yours.

Sunday

OAK @ TB (-13)

CLE @ PIT (-10.5)

TEN (-3) @ IND

STL @ ATL (-14.5)

NE (-6.5) @ BUF

DET @ GB (9.5)

CHI @ HOU (-2.5)

KC @ CIN (-3)

NYG @ MIN (-6.5)

CAR (-3) @ NO

WAS @ SF (-3)

JAX @ BAL (-12.5)

SEA @ ARZ (-6)

DAL @ PHI (-1.5)

MIA @ NYJ (-2.5)

DEN @ SD (-8.5) San Diego 28 - Denver 24

The final week of the season is upon us and the outcome is, for all intents and purposes, meaningless. But 9-7 is better than 8-8. This 49ers team is on a mission under interim head coach Singletary, so anything less than a full effort and it'll be a long flight home. Don't forget to get your questions into Fooch, who was gracious enough to come over from Niners Nation. Oh, and if he or any other Niners fan has any questions, answer them in turn.

This is going to be a tough game. Depending on the health of Frank Gore, controlling the ball is going to be key. I'd really like JC to rise to the occasion, if only to stop the whole Colt for QB talk.

Anyways, enjoy the rest of the holidays. Oh, and don't forget to watch all those 1,054 bowl games. (Texas Tech to cover over Ole Miss, you heard it here first.) This time next week, offseason football begins in Washington. Oh, the joy.

RIP Sammy.

Thursday

IND (-6) @ JAX

Saturday

BAL @ DAL (-4)

Sunday

NO (-7) @ DET

PIT (-2) @ TEN

SF (-5.5) @ STL

CIN @ CLE (-3)

MIA (-4) @ KC

ARZ @ NE (-7.5)

SD @ TB (-3.5)

HOU (-7) @ OAK

NYJ (-4.5) @ SEA

BUF @ DEN (-6.5)

ATL @ MIN (-3)

PHI (-5) @ WAS

CAR @ NYG (-3)

Monday

GB @ CHI (-4) Chicago 24 - GB 17

Big week to keep the smallest of playoff hopes alive.

No college football today. Sad.

Thursday

NO @ CHI (-3)

Sunday

TB @ ATL (-3)

TEN (-3) @ HOU

WAS (-7) @ CIN

SEA @ STL (no line = straight up even)

GB (-1.5) @ JAX

SF @ MIA (-6.5)

DET @ IND (-17)

SD (-5.5) @ KC

BUF @ NYJ (-7.5)

MIN @ ARZ (no line = straight up even)

DEN @ CAR (-7.5)

NE (-7) @ OAK

PIT @ BAL (-2.5)

NYG @ DAL (-3)

Monday

CLE @ PHI (-14) 28-10

I'm opening this early so that you can comment on any of the day games that can directly determine the Skins' playoff chances (Giants and Eagles at 1 pm EST, Cowboys at the Steelers at 4:30 pm EST) before tonight's game. Consider this an all day open thread.

You can take a quick look at a preview here and the weather should be pretty cold and windy. The forecast calls for 30 degrees to feel like 18 degrees with the 19 mph winds that are expected. Wicked cold. The good news? Clear skies and no rain/snow.

Anyway, enjoy your football Sunday. It'll be interesting to see some of the bowl game selections. Hopefully, the Skins' playoff chances will live for another week. A loss tonight pretty much spells the end of the season. That's where we stand. HTTR.

Not much to say. Enjoy football watching. This is really when both the college and the NFL seasons start to get interesting.

Thursday

OAK @ SD (-8.5)

Sunday

MIN @ DET (no line = straight up even)

CIN @ IND (-13)

ATL @ NO (-3)

PHI @ NYG (-7)

HOU @ GB (-5.5)

CLE @ TEN (-13.5)

JAX @ CHI (-6.5)

NYJ (-3) @ SF

NE (-4.5) @ SEA

KC @ DEN (-8.5)

MIA @ BUF (-1) (note: in Toronto)

DAL @ PIT (-3)

STL @ ARZ (-14)

WAS @ BAL (-5)

Monday

TB @ CAR (-3.5) - CAR 21 - TB 20

Enjoy your footballing.

Your friend Rexx was gracious enough to come over to the SBN Washington Redskins blog, Hogs Haven, and offer his services in answering any and all questions the Skins bloggers have about the Ravens. So, I felt compelled to do the same for y'all.

If you have questions about your interstate rivals, feel free to ask them here or over at Hogs Haven and someone (if not myself) should be able to answer them for you.

I'm looking forward to a good game Sunday night. And I'm rooting for y'all against Dallas (monetary gain might or might not be involved.)

That's it for now.

I'm gonna make this short, since they isn't much to say. The team looked bad. Yeah, there was a pass interference call at the end that was missed, but it would have only led to getting the Skins within 10 points.

The picture says it all. (Image from here.)

Yeah, the Giants are good, defending champs and all that. But they didn't play their best game today. Eli looked good, not great. Jacobs looked human. Ward had a good day. The defense looked good (man, Tuck is something else) but there were dropped balls and missed chances. JC wasn't very good.

The Skins defense held the Giants to only 23. They averaged 29.9 coming in (Fox did a great job pointing out that the most the Skins have scored all year was 29.) Rogers had another bad day and Hall had another INT.

Yeah, Portis was in and out all game. He probably should've taken the end of the game off. There wasn't much running to be done after the Giants got up 2 (and then 3) scores late. But that's not his style. Especially on Sean Taylor day.

Which brings me to my final point: this was Sean Taylor day. Say what you will about his play, his passion, his skill... the guy never gave up. He never went half speed or coasted. He never gave up an extra yard without a fight. He never let a team come in to FedEx and have their way.

And I'm not saying... I'm just saying.

This team is 7-5, 3rd in the division and all the momentum they might have gained early in the season is gone. It's a dog fight just to make the playoffs from this point until the end. I just hope I still have a dog in the fight.

Thursday (all picked on Wednesday)

TEN (-11) @ DET

SEA @ DAL (-12.5)

ARZ @ PHI (-3)

Sunday

BAL (-7) @ CIN

IND (-5) @ CLE

CAR @ GB (-3)

NO @ TB (-3.5)

NYG (-3.5) @ WAS

SF @ BUF (-7)

ATL @ SD (-4.5)

KC @ OAK (-3)

PIT @ NE (-1)

DEN @ NYJ (-7.5)

CHI @ MIN (-3.5)

Monday

JAX @ HOU (-3)

That's it. Enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend and HTTR.

You know the drill.

Thursday

CIN @ PIT (-11.5)

Sunday

SF @ DAL (-10)

PHI @ BAL (-1)

NYJ @ TEN (-5)

BUF (-3) @ KC

MIN @ JAX (-2.5)

NE @ MIA (no line = straight up even)

CHI (-7.5) @ STL

HOU @ CLE (-3)

TB (-7.5) @ DET

OAK @ DEN (-9)

WAS (-3.5) @ SEA

NYG (-3) @ ARZ

CAR @ ATL (-1)

IND @ SD (-2.5)

Monday

GB @ NO (-2.5) GB 31- NO 28

As always, let me know where you think I went wrong. (My vote is birth.)

First off, I'd like to apologize for my lack of posts. As contributor hibachi pointed out, there has been a slower-than-usual post rate around here. Funny because after Skins losses, everything around here seems so slow down. Which brings me to my next point:

FEEL FREE TO POST.

This site is all about participation. A blog community is only one when everyone posts and responds. That is all for the soap box for me. On to the fun stuff.

The loss to the Cowboys (oh, and wasn't it special to have all those Cow Sheep visit... funny, they must have been busy in week 4) marks 2 things: an more specific and interesting wildcard race and 10 games of the 16 game season down. So, who still has a legitimate shot at the playoffs? I'm gonna take a look at the NFC, division by division. Let the fun begin.

NFC West: I'm about to write the Cards in for the division title with a pen. San Fran is showing too little, too late. There is only one team making the playoffs from this division.

NFC North: The Lions are out. Everyone else has a shot at 5-5. I can't see two teams making it out.

NFC South: The Saints are trying to play their way out of it, but they haven't yet. The Falcons, Bucs and Panthers all have a shot at the division and they might be able to get a wildcard team.

Our beloved NFC East: The Giants will win and the Skins and Cowboys are making a play for a wildcard. The Eagles still have an outside shot, but they need to start winning.

So, what do we have? To me, the losers in the South and in the East are the only teams with a shot. The NFC North teams will beat each other into bad enough records that they'll miss the playoffs. So, for the sake of argument, the Cowboys, Redskins, Panthers, Bucs and Falcons are the teams I see vying for the 2 wildcard spots. Obviously, someone has to win the South... so the other 2 NFC South teams and the 2 NFC East teams are going to be in the mix. The Panthers are already 8-2 and the best thing for the Skins chances is for the Panthers to run through the division games at Atlanta (6-4) this weekend and against Tampa (7-3) in a few weeks. The Panthers already beat Atlanta at home and lost in Tampa.

The Cowboys and Skins are done with their season series... and both face common opponents (BAL, SF, SEA, NYG, and PHI) down the stretch. This is important because the wild card tie breaker is a) head-to-head games, b) division record and c) common opponents. The full break down can be found here. The 'Boys and 'Skins split of the season series means that division record is next... followed by record in games between common opponents.

Basically, the Skins need to win and win a lot. I think that it'll take at least 10 wins to make the playoffs in the NFC. That means the Skins have to go 4-2 from here on out. Seattle, San Francisco and Cincy are all bad teams that the Skins should beat, even though all 3 games are on the road. Speaking of road games, 4 of the last 6 games are on the road (@ BAL) and the only 2 home games are division games. Tough road ahead.

On the other hand, the Cowboys have 4 of the last 6 at home. They have to go to PIT and to PHI and have Seattle, San Fran, the Giants and Ravens at home. Hmm.

That's all I got for now. What's up?

No wit and wisdom. No jokes. No stories. This is Dallas week. Enough said.

Thursday

NYJ @ NE (-3.5) (Yes, this pick was in before the game Thursday.)

Sunday

DET @ CAR (-14)

DEN @ ATL (-6.5)

HOU @ IND (-8.5)

OAK @ MIA (-10.5)

MIN @ TB (-3.5)

NO (-5.5) @ KC

CHI @ GB (no line = straight up even)

PHI (-9) @ CIN

BAL @ NYG (-7)

STL @ SF (-6.5)

ARZ (-3) @ SEA

SD @ PIT (-5.5)

TEN (-3) @ JAX

DAL (-1.5) @ WAS

Monday

CLE @ BUF (-5) CLE 28 - BUF 27

and for the record, I'm taking the Browns. A quick look at the odds (as always, courtesy of Yahoo! Sports) shows that the Browns are a 3 point home favorite, which is the standard spread. Basically, if not for being a home game, the Browns would be in a pick 'em game with the Broncos. Yes, both teams are that bad.

I'll take the Browns to win because of Brady Quinn. Yes, he's only had 1 day to prepare... but so has Denver's defense and they're not too good. Champ, McCree and Williams are all out... and are all key players on an already bad defense. Jay Cutler and the Broncos offense haven't been much of anything to write home about in about a month... and I just don't see them coming out of whatever hole they fell into tonight.

I hope all of you have the NFL Network, but if your issues have been anything like mine, you probably don't. I've had 3 cable companies in the last 3 years and 2 of the 3 actually carried it, which seems to me a surprisingly high percentage. I understand why the NFL would want games on their network (umm... money?) but I don't understand why they make their fans and teams go through this, especially starting in week 10 of the NFL season. Denver has to travel on a short week and the game is no picnic for the Browns either. It'd be a lot worse if either team actually played like a playoff contender. Next week's Thursday game (Jets v. New England) will feature 2 teams in the middle of a playoff hunt. It's just a bad idea (I think) that is solely motivated by money. As if the NFL was hurting for cash.

Anyway, consider this your open thread for all things Thursday night.

The headline says it all.

(Image from here.)

That was an absolutely terrible game. I'm not going to even talk about how many Steelers fans were there. Shame on everyone who sold tickets. I take back every kind thing I said about Carlos Rogers in my mid-season report card. His missed INT was the turning point in the game, as it went from being 13-3 Skins to being 10-6 Steelers. The rest of the defense played well (4 sacks, 1 INT), but they could not get off the field on 3rd down to save their lives. Allowing the other team to go 7 for 16 on 3rd down will not cut it. Not all of that is on Rogers. As contributer hibachi put it in the open thread about Rogers:

He’s been awful tonight. He gave up the 43 yard penalty, the 50 yard pass to nate washington, the td to santonio holmes and the missed pick six.

Now all that said, give the Steelers credit. DC Dick LeBeau is the best in my opinion. His 3-4 blitz scheme has been light years ahead of everyone else... and still is. Who knew the player of the game would be the Steelers's QB... and it wouldn't be Big Ben. Leftwich made plays, moved the ball, scored points. That's what you want your backup to do (isn't that right, Dallas?) and he did it well.

QB Jason Campbell threw an INT to end his streak of "271 attempts—249 this season—before cornerback Deshea Townsend grabbed a pass tipped by Portis late in the third quarter." He had a bad game. He was throwing the ball high on almost every play, and when he didn't, he was on his back. Seven (7) sacks. Bad. Very bad. His 43 attempts is about 20 too many for this offense to have success. Yes, PIT is a good defense. One of the best. But the offense led by JC did not play well at all tonight.

Now, you're gonna hear about how Clinton Portis was "shut down" but 13 rushes for 51 yards is not shut down. That's getting down and having to throw the ball too much. A lot of that has to do with getting down and having to throw. Portis had another 73 yards receiving, giving him 124 total yards. Is that getting "shut down" by the Steelers? I'd say no.

But that's over now. This team has a BYE week coming up and they'd better get ready for the Cowboys, who are desperate for a win.If they play like they did tonight, there are very few teams they can beat, including a reeling Cowboys team. They have some winable games left (SEA, SF, CIN) but they need to win more than 9 to even have a shot at the wild card, which the loss tonight pretty much sealed as the best they can do.

Going 6-3 into the BYE week is still a good start. They need to use tonight's game as a wakeup call and get better.

Keepin' it medium works both ways.

[Update by TexSkins, 11/03/08 7:48 PM CST ] Inactives are here. No Springs or Taylor. Moss, Samuels and Griffin are in.

Consider this your open thread for tonight's game. I'll be around for most of it, as I'm sure a good number of our other writers will be. Anyway, as of this post (6:30 or so EST) most of those players expected to play are still in. Full injury report here. Springs is out. Moss is the most questionable of the questionables... I have a feeling that he'll play. He likes the spotlight.

As for the Steelers injuries, Willie Parker returns tonight after missing a few weeks. He should see some action but the Steelers are going to be careful bringing him back. Maybe 40 or so snaps. Clark and McFadden are out. Their beat up secondary could be a key for victory. BehindTheStellCurtain should have a thread up and they have some pretty good stuff as far as matchups. Go forth and check it out.

Some tidbits going into tonight, all from here. First, Big Ben:

"I’m not a big fan of playing there because it is loud, they’re really good at home, and they try to make their cheerleaders stretch in our tunnel before we come out of the locker room," Roethlisberger said. "That’s just not good."

Smart man. Now, I leave you with the wit and wisdom of Randy Thomas:

"We’re coming in 6-2; they’re 5-2. It’s going to be the day before the election," Redskins guard Randy Thomas said with a big smile. "I mean goll-ee. It’s going to be nice."

Goll-ee indeed. Anyway, here's your thread.

The season is officially halfway done, and the Skins are a surprising 6-2. Some games (the Rams) might have gotten away,

but in some others, the team was able to hold on. So, lets take a look at how the team has done thus far:

OVERALL: 6-2 is good. Wins at Dallas, at Philly and at home for New Orleans are good. Losing at the Giants is long forgotten, and the Rams game appears to be an aberration. Like I've said before, if you told me 6-2 before the season started, I would have taken it without second thought. This stretch of schedule featured some of the easier games the team had all season, but like the old saying goes: you can only beat those teams on your schedule.

Grade: B+

COACHING: Jim Zorn has been better than expected. He doesn't look like a rookie head coach based on his decisions and game management. He also looks like a veteran OC with the way he's called some of the games. Mistakes, yes. But overall much better than I expected.

On the defensive side, Blache is good at 2 things: giving quotes and calling a game. I really like the way he has worked with his personnel and really developed a pretty good defense. They've had some key injuries (Taylor, Doughty, Springs) but they've worked around it. They are 6th in yards allowed at 278.1 and 8th in scoring defense after giving up 18.1 points a game. I'd like to see more turnovers, but I always take what I can get. In the NFL, the magic number is 20: you score more than that consistently, you should win because you should be able to hold teams to that. This defense does.

Grade: A-

OFFENSE: Two words: Clinton Portis. He's been on fire all year, but especially after getting called out. Thank you, Brian Mitchell. He leads the league in rushing with 944 yards. But since he's had an extra game (no bye week yet), it might be misleading to say that the next highest rusher is Adrian Peterson with 684, or 260 yards less. So, I'll go to the 118.0 yards per game for Portis compared to Peterson's 97.7. Umm... yeah. He's been that good. Big props to the offensive line.

Almost under the radar is JC's season. He has finally lived up to the 1st round QB hype and is one of only 6 QBs with a 100+ rating and his 100.5 is good for 5th. That puts him ahead of the likes of Manning (both), Favre, and Roethlisberger. Not too shabby. Of starting QBs, he's the only one to have 0 INTs and has only 1 fumble lost all year. Talk about protecting the football. Again, big ups to the offensive line for allowing JC time and giving up only 16 sacks.

Overall, the offense is towards the bottom of the league in points (20.6) but they are towards the top in TOP (6th at 32:30), a stat I personally don't put much stock in but some of you might. A stat I like better is 1st downs (7th at 20.3 per game). Mike Leach taught me that. Well, not personally. #rd down percentage is middle of the pack at 38.8%, but the 4th down percentage is tied for 2nd best at 80% or 4 for 5. Good stuff.

Grade: B (Portis gets an A++.)

DEFENSE: This phase has carried the team thus far this year. London Fletcher is the man. Rookie Chris Horton has proven himself in place of Doughty, but the man I want to spotlight is Carlos Rogers. He, along with fellow 2005 1st rounder Jason Campbell have both come of age this year. Rogers, coming off a knee injury that ended his 2007 season, has looked like the corner the team thought they were getting when they drafted him 9th overall.

The only problem with the defense is the pass rush (10.0 is 8 games). A lot of that can be chalked up to Jason Taylor's injury, but still... they need to get to the opponent's QB. The 5 Forced fumbles and 5 INTs (3 from Horton) are good, but pressure from the front 4 makes everyone else better. The 35.6 3rd down percentage is another good thing.

Grade: A-

SPECIAL TEAMS: Yikes. Anytime you replace a punter mid-season, there have been some problems. Rookie Durant Brooks was just flat out bad. He had some good punts, but he was inconsistent... which is pretty much the one thing an NFL punter cannot be. To his credit, P Ryan Plackemeier has been pretty okay since joining the team, but the team is still dead last in punting with a 39.1 yard average. Double yikes.

The incumbent K Suisham has been pretty okay as well. Only 5 touchbacks, but the coverage teams have been there to make plays. He's also 16 for 21 on FGs, but at least one of those has been blamed on Brooks' holding. Not great but okay.

As usual, KR Rock Cartwright is near the top of the league with a 25.5 yard average and a long of 50. That's consistency. The team has a 25.1 yard average overall. The PR is middle of the pack at 9.4 yards per return, but that's largely due to Moss's return for a TD last game. ARE has been less than spectacular. They have the second most chances in the league (26, 1 behind Tampa Bay) to this point and they need to capitalize on them, which will help the offense score more points. The defense has done it's job, the returners need to make the most of it.

Grade: C-/D+

That's all I got for now. SP sent me this link to another report card, which I have not looked at for this post. So, tell me if I'm in line with things or if I'm just crazy. As always, leave it in the comments section.

- - -

Week 9 Blogger Deathsport. Because I can:

BAL @ CLE (-1.5)

TB (-8.5) @ KC

NYJ @ BUF (-5.5)

ARZ (-3) @ STL

DET @ CHI (-13)

HOU @ MIN (-4.5)

GB @ TEN (-5.5)

JAX (-8) @ CIN

MIA @ DEN (-3)

DAL @ NYG (-9)

PHI (-7) @ SEA

ATL (-3) @ OAK

NE @ IND (-5.5)

Monday

PIT @ WAS (-1.5) 24-21.

I'm out. Hit it up.

Resident Lions blogger Sean Yuille over at Pride of Detroit took the time out to answer some questions heading into this weekend's game. be sure to check out my answers to his questions over there. Unlike his Lions, he runs a tight ship.

[Note by TexSkins, 10/24/08 4:09 PM CDT ] You can find my answers here.

1. Matt Millen made an early exit this season. What are the chances that Marinelli doesn't make it to the end of the season and should he be allowed to finish out the year?

A lot of people think Marinelli should and will be fired in the near future, but I really don't see it that way. The coaching staff is so bad that no one could really take over as the interim coach. I know that sounds pathetic, but it is the sad truth. If Marinelli were fired, it couldn't make things any worse, but at the same time, it wouldn't make things any better. Given that, I think he will have his job until the end of the season and will be fired shortly after that.

2. Calvin Johnson's on my fantasy team, so I know a little something something about him. As somebody who watches him every week, how wicked good is this guy?

Calvin Johnson is a beast. That's all you can really say about someone like him. He's got size, speed, and the ability to make some amazing catches. He does drop the ball more than he should, but he makes up for those mistakes by making plays. In the Lions' last game he had only 2 catches, but he still scored a touchdown and racked up 154 yards (mainly because of a 96-yard TD). If Johnson can get the ball thrown accurately in his direction, he will make plays for sure.

3. Kitna is apparently out for the year and all I know about Dan Orlovsky is that he apparently doesn't see the back of the end zone as he runs past it. Does he have a chance to be a good NFL QB or is just keeping the seat warm for Kitna?

Orlovsky hasn't been all that bad in his first two starts, but he hasn't been good, either. He is someone that should be a backup and not a starter. That's why he only got his first start a couple weeks ago despite being in the league for 4 years. I expect him to be the starting QB for a few more weeks before Drew Stanton takes over. Unless Orlovsky can lead the Lions to a win, there will be too much pressure to play Stanton since the fans all want to get a look at him. Stanton is seen as the franchise's future starting QB, so it would be nice to find out if he is any good right now rather than next season.

As far as Kitna goes, I don't think he will ever play for the Lions again. His injury was not that serious, but the Lions put him on the injured reserve anyways. The Lions' thinking behind that move was to get rid of him for the time being but keep him on the team so he can be traded in the offseason. Kitna was obviously frustrated with the move but did understand why they did it. My guess is that he will be traded or cut during the next offseason.

4. The only thing I know about the Detroit defense is that Rogers and Bly aren't there any more. Who are some of the guys to keep an eye on heading into this weekend and into the future?

I would keep an eye on Dewayne White and Ernie Sims. White is a defensive end that seems to make a lot of plays. He is probably the best pass-rusher on the defensive line, so if anyone gets a sack for the Lions it will likely be White. Sims is a linebacker and is the best player on the defense. He flies around the field and always is in on plays. Sims' best attribute is his quickness, which allows him to follow the ball no matter where it goes.

5. I gotta do it. Sorry, but it'd be irresponsible question asking if I didn't. 0-16... really?

I have a feeling the Lions will screw up the ultimate imperfect season by getting a win eventually, but 0-16 could happen. This team still has far too many issues to work out before a win is even considered by the fans, so there is some talk that this group of players and coaches are mediocre enough to pull off a "defeated" season. However, like I said, I have a feeling they will be able to win at least one game.

BONUS: Blogger Deathsport picks. You know the drill.

Sunday

ATL @ PHI (-9)

KC @ NYJ (-13)

STL @ NE (-7)

BUF (1.5) @ MIA

OAK @ BAL (-7)

WAS (-7.5) @ DET

ARZ @ CAR (-4.5)

SD (-3) @ NO

TB @ DAL (-1.5)

CIN @ HOU (-9.5)

CLE @ JAX (-7.5)

NYG @ PIT (-2.5)

SEA @ SF (-5)

Monday

IND @ TEN (off the board = straight up even) 24-21 home team prevails. No 2 pointers.

Where'd I go wrong this time? Expect SP's picks soon.

Last weekend, SP and I forgot to post our picks, which Ben made very clear was unacceptable. He's cranky anyway, so I'm going to try and head him off at the pass and post early. I'm sure SP will follow suit.

Sunday

SF @ NYG (-10.5)

PIT (-10) @ CIN

TEN (-8) @ KC

MIN @ CHI (-3)

SD @ BUF (off the board = straight up even)

NO @ CAR (-3)

DAL (-7) @ STL

BAL @ MIA (-3)

DET @ HOU (-8.5)

NYJ (-3) @ OAK

IND (-1.5) @ GB

CLE @ WAS (-7)

SEA @ TB (-10.5)

Monday

DEN @ NE (-3)

Denver wins close, 27-24.

Leave comments about where I went wrong. Except for you, Ben. You leave nothing and like it.

This weekend's game is huge for the Skins and NFC East. With both other NFC East teams having games the should win (Dallas at home to Cincy, the Giants hosting Seattle) a loss could put Philly in a pretty big hole to start the year. Whether or not Westbrook plays (and plays effectively) will determine how well the Eagles play.

All that being said, this is also an important game for the Skins. Despite the fact that Springs and Taylor are most likely out, the team that has been showing up of late should be able to pull out a win against a banged up Eagles offense. From there, the Skins have 3 extremely winable games (home for St. Louis and Cleveland, then at Detroit.) A 6-2 (7-1 would be too optimistic) record at the end of this stretch could help the Skins post-season chances before some much tougher games (Hosting Pittsburgh, the bye week and then home for Dallas, at Seattle and home for New York.) The road is only going to get much tougher, so the Skins need to win all the games they should (especially outside the division) if they have any shot at the playoffs.

Anyway, that's about all I got. Here's a link for the most recent injury news. ([Note by TexSkins, 10/03/08 4:40 PM CDT ] Here's the more recent than that recent news.) Everyone seems sold on Westbrook playing. I'm not so sure... and I have to make a decision as to play him or not in fantasy. Damn ankles are so hard to predict.

Now for the good stuff. Blogger Deathsport picks, lines (as always) courtesy of Yahoo! Sports:

Sunday

BUF @ ARZ (-1)

KC @ CAR (-9.5)

CHI (-3.5) @ DET

CIN @ DAL (off the board = straight up even)

TB @ DEN (-3)

ATL @ GB (off the board = straight up even)

IND (-3) @ HOU

PIT @ JAX (-4)

NE (-3) @ SF

SEA @ NYG (-7)

WAS @ PHI (-5.5)

SD (-6.5) @ MIA

TEN (-3) @ BAL

Monday

MIN @ NO (-3)

Score: 28-24, home team. No 2 point conversions.

Other than, you know, supporting your local Ewoks.

Anyway, here's what I view as some keys to winning this game. Keep in mind I am no expert, scout, or even former player (beyond the high school level.) Don't take these things as gospel (hell, I don't even do that.) Onward and forward, but most just downway.

Key #1 - Get Pressure to Romo in the Pocket

via www.ctclark.com

This is pretty much key one for every defensive coordinator's game plan, ever. Get pressure to the QB. But with Romo, it is imperative because when he has time, he finds receivers and they make big plays. The Dallas offense is predicated on big plays and pounding Marion Barber. OC Jason Garrett is no dummy (he went to Princeton, yo) so he'll expect this.

Which is why I think the defense need to get pressure up the middle, to keep the edge rushers for containment. With Jason Taylor's 133-games played streak coming to an end, and Erasmus James being a virtual no show (remember that time when we here at HH thought James could be a big addition... that is, before the Taylor trade) it seems unlikely that any pressure is going to come off the edge against perennial Pro Bowler OT Flozell Adams and the steady Marc Colombo. If this can happen rushing 4, that'd be great. If Blache has to start blitzing, it could be a long afternoon.

Which is why the pressure needs to come up the middle. Starting G Kyle Kosier is out and the other G, former T and big free agent pickup from a year ago, Leonard Davis had an off night last week. The Packers have some pretty good pass rushers (KGB, Kampman) that got nowhere. For the record, Kampman did have 1.5 sacks. But most of that came from pressure coming up the middle in the form of one Cullen Jenkins. Griffin, Golston and company have to provide that this weekend.

And I specifically said pressure "in the pocket" because I happen to think that Romo is at his best when he breaks the pocket, creates with his legs to find receivers down field. Not saying he can't throw from the pocket (he can and will) but he makes his money for what he does when things break down.

Key #2 - Take away Owens or Witten

via i.cdn.turner.com

This one is self-explanatory. You can't take away both. The Packers took Owens out of that game (2 catches, 17 yards) but it kept Witten running open in the middle and sprung Miles Austin for that big gain down the middle to set up a TD.

That is the big reason why getting pressure with 4 (or, rather, as few defenders as possible) is key: you need as many guys in coverage as possible to stop the big play ability of this offense. Springs, at this stage of his career, is not Charles Woodson but he has done a pretty good job against Owens.

The thing is to understand that Owens is going to get his catches. Tackling him immediately and not letting him run after the catch, where he is most dangerous, is crucial. Witten is Romo's favorite target, especially when he needs a play. Keeping him from running wild in the middle of the defense is also crucial. Keeping this team away from big plays will help to control the crowd. Its a tough task, but it can be done.

Key #3 - Contain Barber

via www.marionbarber.info

Again, tough to do. He can't pick up first down after first down if the Skins expect to win. He is a tough runner who eats up yards, defenders and the clock. He's going to get his yards... but when he breaks tackles and does his little jumping dace thing, the home crowd and his team responds by upping their energy. If there is such thing as an on-field emotional leader (SP, make note to ask your professor buddies about their theories on this) Marion Barber III is that guy for Dallas. As he goes, so does this offense.

Keeping him in check early is also key to keeping him from wearing down the defense later. Dallas loves to get off to a fast start, put up points, put pressure on the opposing offense, and grind out the clock in the 4th by feeding Barber the rock. This is the absolute worst thing that can happen to an opponent.

Keep in mind that rookie RB Felix Jones, who has up to this point been a minimal part of the offense, has the ability to take it to the house in any situation. he is the perfect complement for Barber with his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Oh, and he's wicked fast.

I know it sounds like I'm making the Cowboys out to be a really good offensive team... but that's only because they are. Don't take my word for it: (3rd in total offense at 32.0 points per game, 4th in passing offense at 297.3 yards per game, 9th in rushing offense at 150.7 per game, and 1st in combined offense. Pretty impressive.

Key #4 - Win the "little things"

To win, the Skins need to win on special teams (that means you grow a damn mustache, kick the ball good, and hold it right, Mr. Brooks), they need to win the turnover battle, and they need to win the field position game. That means punting on 4th and short in certain situations and going for it in others.

Dallas commits penalties (tied for 1st with 28) and Dallas will turn the ball over (Romo has 3 picks and 1 fumble, Barber has a fumble) so these things need to be capitalized in order to win. This also means no stupid penalties that keep drives alive. (Mr. Heyer and Mr Smoot, I'm talking to you guys.)

The Redskins are, straight up, not good enough to beat the Cowboys if they play bad football and do dumb things like turn the ball over and get penalized. They need to play flawless football and capitalize on any and all mistakes. That means 6 points, not 3.

Final Key - Third Down

The Cowboys offense is at the top of the league on 3rd down at 60% (that percentage is way high and will come back to the mean eventually... hopefully this Sunday) while the Redskins are near the bottom at 31.4%. That 30 percent swing can be deadly.

On defense, Dallas gives up 34.3%, good for 10th while the Redskins are again at the bottom (tied for 23rd) at 42.9%. Combine that with the offensive stats, and things don't look good. JC and this new "rhythm offense" needs to get that going and stay on the field. The defense needs to close the deal and get off the field on 3rd down. Giving Romo extra opportunities at points is not a good idea.

That's all I got for now. Back to work for me, but first... my Week 4 Blogger Deathsport picks. Check out last week's results over at The Curly R. Ben is so good to me.

Sunday

BUF (-8) @ STL

ATL @ CAR (-7)

PHI @ CHI (off the board = straight up even)

CLE @ CIN (-3.5)

WAS @ DAL (-11.5)

DEN (-9) @ KC

HOU (-7.5) @ JAX

SF @ NO (-6)

ARZ @ NYJ (-2.5)

SD (-7.5) @ OAK

GB @ TB (-1)

MIN @ TEN (-3)

Monday

BAL @ PIT (off the board = straight up even) PIT wins close at home... 20-17.

Enjoy the rest of Dallas Week.

ESPN'S Chris Mortenson is reporting on SportsCenter that Jason Taylor is going to be out for Sunday's game against the Cowboys after under going a "knee procedure." I'm looking for internet sources now.

[Note by TexSkins, 09/22/08 12:01 PM CDT ] Leave it up to JaLaCa over at Redskins Insider to have the scoop. Here's what he says:

Defensive end Jason Taylor will be out for this week's Dallas game after having blood released from his left calf muscle, Coach Jim Zorn said.

Taylor was kicked in the calf during the second quarter in yesterday's 24-17 victory over Arizona, but returned to play the entire game. He did not realize he had a problem until last night, Zorn said, when blood began to pool in the leg.

It was reported that he woke up with pain in the knee and team doctors advised he undergo this procedure to avoid "permanent nerve damage." Apparently, there was swelling in the shin area and doctors wanted to make an incision to alleviate it... I dunno.

I'm going to post this and then continue to look for source material. Not good news for the Skins's chances against a tough Cowboys team. It was said he would only miss 1 week. Updates as I know more.

I won week 2 of Blogger Deathsport. Skin Patrol won week 1. What does that mean? It means that although we might not have our posting fancy pictures on the side skills, we are the most degenerate gamblers of the whole bloggerdom and if you have the capital that we do not, you should lay your money down and get rich and share with us, your pick 'em masters of blogsville. You might not read the most footbally informative blog 60 times a day... but you are in good hands. Good hands that would sell you out for the right odds.

I will have a brag post up soon, sharing with all of blogdom (read: like 6 other blogs) my superiority of degeneratism.

But enough about me. Here are my week's picks, lines courtesy of Yahoo! (by way of Curly Ben via email.) Enjoy:

Sunday

KC @ ATL (-5.5)

CLE @ BAL (-2)

OAK @ BUF (-9.5)

TB @ CHI (-3)

DAL (-3) @ GB

NO @ DEN (-5.5)

JAX @ IND (-5.5)

CAR @ MIN (-3.5)

MIA @ NE (-12.5)

CIN @ NYG (-13.5)... That is a lot of points.

PIT @ PHI (-3)

DET @ SF (-4)

STL @ SEA (-9.5)

HOU @ TEN (-5)

ARZ @ WAS (-3)

Monday

NYJ @ SD (-9) SD (under Norval) rights the ship, but not by 10. SD 31 - NYJ 24. No 2 point conversions.

Expect SP's picks soon. We, like the NFC East, only lose against each other.

First off, big won for the team on Sunday. Zorn got in the win column, and the Skins will stay withing a game of the NFC East leaders. The Giants are 2-0 and whoever wins tonight's big Eagles-Cowboys game will be as well.

Consider this your Monday night open thread.

Also, feel free to post anything from the NFL this weekend. So, I guess consider this your one big open thread for all things NFL.

Two things before I get ready for Bocephus and Co. One, this story is pretty funny. Everyone favorite Redskin blogger, Chris Cooley, posted a picture on his website prior to Sunday's game. I can't think of any better way to introduce it than to steal a bit of the article:

Cooley wanted to show the readers of his popular blog some of the study materials the players were given by coach Jim Zorn.

Cooley, however, was studying in the nude, and he didn’t examine his photo closely before posting it.

Read Cooley's response here. The title of the post: "We're Dumb." Classic.

Also, there was a controversial call in the DEN-SD game. For those of you who didn't see the game (or the 9,000 replays on ESPN and other such channels), DEN QB Jay Cutler, while attempting to throw a pass, fumbled the ball. It was a classic example of the now infamous "empty hand" rule (kissing cousins of the "tuck" rule) but Referee Ed Hochuli blew the play dead before the fumble was recovered. Now, he will apparently get "graded down," whatever that means. I really like Hochuli (in related news, so does my girlfriend, but for different reasons... like tight fitting referee jerseys) and hate to see him punished because the NFL has a fascination with protecting the quarterback. He was even man enough to admit his mistake to head coach Norval Turner during the game. Mistakes happen, it just sucks that one of the NFL's best referees will suffer the consequences.

P.S. earlier in the game, there was a replay malfunction that went against the Chargers. Norval did not have a good day.

Comments on these issues and all theings NFL welcome. Other than that, get ready for a good ol' fashioned barn burner down here in Texas. Anyone else hoping for a 59-59 tie?

After a surprising win, the season is all up for grabs. No, I'm not talking about Carolina or Da Bears. I'm talking our very own Skin Patrol, who managed to go an astonishing 13-3 this week in Blogger Deathsport. I know, right? This week, and all season long, Ben over at the Squiggly Letter Between Q and S will recap the week's action and declare a winner. (Also, check out PostGamesHeroes for the same type of action.) And with Mr. Patrol himself showing up to play this season, along with the additions of 5 more Deathsporters, this season should be tough.

Anyway, I think I have enough words for a post...

Sunday

MIA @ ARZ (-6.5)

CHI @ CAR (-3)

TEN @ CIN (-1.5)

GB (-3) @ DET

BAL @ HOU (-4.5)

IND (-2) @ MIN

BUF @ JAX (-6)

OAK @ KC (-4)

NYG (-8.5) @ STL

NE @ NYJ (-2)

PIT (-6) @ CLE

SD (-2.5) @ DEN

SF @ SEA (-8)

ATL @ TB (-8)

NO @ WAS (even)

Monday

PHI @ DAL (-6.5) DAL 35, PHI 31

Expect SP's magical picks soon. I know I can't wait.

First off, I should be back more on a semi-regular basis. Football season is here... which also means school is here... which means I'm at my computer more. Skin Patrol should be around more as well.. so hopefully, there will be more content. So tell all your friends. And have them tell their friends. And so on. Then we might have double digit readers.

Secondly, I only saw bits and pieces of the game last night. I was in the midst of travelling (2 hours in the air, 4 on the ground) so it was hard to sit and watch the game for long periods of time. But I did see enough to come up with 5 burning questions for the now-underway season. So, here we go:

1. Can Jason Taylor (the one big addition) help the pass rush and, therefore, the defense improve in 2008?

Short answer: I don't think so. And I say that because last season's defense was 8th in overall defense, 11th in scoring defense and 6th in the league in 3rd down percentage. But they were near the bottom in the league with only 24 takeaways and only 33 sacks, 2 areas where even an aging Jason Taylor should help. I don't see them jumping into the elite 2 or 3 defenses in the league, which is why I say I can't see the addition of a proven pass rusher improving the 2008 defense.

2. The offense... wtf?

and

3. Is Jason Campbell the real deal?

After last night, there is no other way of putting it. Yes, it is a new offensive system. Yes, JC is still a (relatively) young starting NFL QB. And yes, the offense looked just as bad as it did in 2006 and for large chunks of 2007.

Realize, it will take a while for the West Coast Offense to get settled in. Most so-called "experts" say 2 to 3 years. But with the running game remaining almost entirely intact from a season ago, it should lessen the time it takes for the offense to take hold. And despite the offense system, there should be a moment where the light comes on for JC. Something that even the most casual fan can recognize... which, as Jules said, is "what alcoholics refer to as a 'moment of clarity.'"

4. What can we expect from Jim Zorn the head coach?

This is a real wild card question... mostly because no one (including Jim Zorn himself) has any idea. He has never been a head coach... on any level. The things that head coaches live and die by are the suttle in game decisions: Punt or go for it? When to use the timeouts? To challenge a call or not? This is a learning process for Zorn... and for us as we watch to see if he makes the right decisions in the right spots or not. I have no answer... and anyone says they have one is a liar or crazy.

5. Jim Zorn, the offensive play-caller?

Again, another unknown. This is the logical step for any offensive assistant: position to offensive coordinator to head coach. Zorn is taking on the last 2 steps all at once. A lot of what I said above applies here. The most interesting part of this for me is that his play calling as offensive coordinator will determine a lot of the decisions he has to make as head coach. I think this will be a much easier transition for the former NFL QB. That an learning under Holmgren has a pretty good track record.

Feel free to weigh in. What's your question? Or which one of these intrigues you most?

- - -

And, as part of an ongoing tradition around these parts, I bring you my official picks for the Second Annual Blogger Deathsport. Expect Skin Patrol's soon and, as always, lines courtesy of Yahoo!:

WAS @ NYG (-3.5)

Sun

ARZ (2.5) @ SF

SEA @ BUF (-1)

CIN (-1) @ BAL

DAL (-5.5) @ CLE

DET (-3) @ ATL

CHI @ IND (-9.5)

JAX (-3) @ TEN

KC @ NE (NL)

TB @ NO (-3)

NYJ (-3) @ MIA

STL @ PHI (-7.5)

HOU @ PIT (-6.5)

CAR @ SD (-9)

Mon

DEN (-3) @ OAK

MIN @ GB (-2.5) MIN 20 - GB 17

My fingers hurt. I need to get back into football (blogging) shape.

Okay, okay. Even I'm not going to go there. But it is always better to win these games than lose them. New Head Coach Jim Zorn went out there with a game plan... and it worked.

Okay, you got me again. Its the preseason. The 30-16 win over the Colts means little. What matters is there were no injuries. (QB Colt Brennan and OT Stephon Heyer were both limping around at different points... but if that's all the injuries, count this as a victory.)

I'm not even going to go as far as, say, Yahoo! Sports who said that Colt Brennan, "the record-breaking quarterback out of Hawaii" was able to "change the game." Wow.

Now, some people might say I'm just using the name Colt Brennan to get hits... but I don't get any less money for doing that. Or more money. Or any money. I'm using the name Colt Brennan simply because the kid showed up to play. Using stats (John Madden be damned), we see that Colt Brennan had himself a day: 9 of 10, 123 yards, 2 TDs. He got sacked once (for 1 yard because he held the ball too long) but he played pretty well. Surprisingly well.

But, again, its the preseason. The top 3 players for the Redskins: RB Marcus Mason, S Chris Horton and Colt Brennan. Which of those 3 will score the winning points on Opening Day? I thought so.

It was an exciting game. I have S Chris Horton as my Player of the Game, a slight edge over Colt Brennan only because Horton played in both halves and made plays on defense and special teams. (Member the opening kick?)

It was a good way to start the year. But it doesn't mean anything... except that football is coming. And that, my friends, is always something to talk about.

First off, sorry for my absence. I work. A lot. But, like General MacArthur said and Arnold paraphrased, I shall be back. Err, something like that.

Anyway, Training Camp is the place where we finally get to see the team that was put together in the offseason. Draft picks, veteran signings and trade-brought players (word up, Jason Taylor) alike will be together. And, hopefully, everyone remembered their alarm clocks.

So, without further ado... the three biggest camp battles as I see them:

#3. The Cornerback Position. This is going to be interesting. Springs and Smoot are set. Rogers is out for a while. Leigh Torrence filled in pretty well last year (as long as he wasn't covering Randy Moss... apparently that's a bad matchup.) Rookie Justin Tryon is in a great position to step in a be the #3 guy. This could be an important position, especially with Jason Taylor putting pressure on the opposing QB, because there might be more than a few balls thrown early and up for grabs. Tryon is younger and more athletic, Torrence has no learning curve.

Advantage: Torrence early, Tryon before the end of the year.

via media.scout.com

via cache.daylife.com

#2. The Wide Reciever Position. This seems kinda weird to be in the top 3, but the new West Coast offense, especially the variety that new Head Pooba Jim Zorn came from in Seattle, employs 3 and 4 WR sets frequently. If heathy, Moss and ARE are #1 and #2... for now. The interesting part come after those two. Rookies Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas are both the prototypical WR bodies that NFL GMs drool over. They are fighting for the 3rd and 4th spots. Anthony Mix has the 5th spot locked up so no need to even discuss the others (sorry Burl Toler, Billy McMullen, Maurice Mann, Horace Gant, and (regretfully) James Thrash.) James Thrash was a Gibbs guy, through and through. I just don't see him being a Zorn guy.

Advantage: Thomas over Kelly, Mix over the others, Thrash as the #6 guy, if Zorn keeps 6.

via www.nfldraftdog.com

via cache.viewimages.com

#1. The Safety Position. Newcomer Stuart Schweigert and old hand (despite going into his 3rd year) Reed Doughty are fighting it out to see who gets to line up next to LaRon Landry. Schweigert was a part of some very good Oakland defenses under Rex Ryan and has plenty of experience. Doughty stepped up big last year after the death of Sean Taylor and became a fan favorite... at least around these parts.

Advantage: Doughty.

via media3.washingtonpost.com

As I stated in SP's earlier post, the punting "competition" isn't a battle at all. Durant Brooks is the new punter. Get used to it (and better field position.)