Great Article

Boswell today in the Post.

Great Article on Zorn, Campbell and Playcalling

I highly recommend this article by KC Joyner.

Jim Zorn as a Coach: Where Did the Risk-Taker Go?

Week 1 Game Plan: NY Giants

First, before we turn to this week's matchup, let's take a minute to recap last year's debacle against the Giants. I do this not out of cruelty, but to set a low bar by which to measure this week's effort.


In the 2008 opener, the Redskins looked awful, like a D-II school with a 4-year old football program invited to play in the Swamp for the Gators' opener.



After the Giants scored on an 11 play drive to open the game, here is Washington's first series:
1st and 10 - Campbell sacked for minus 8 yards.
2nd and 18 - Portis up the middle for 3 yards.
3rd and 15 - False start on Heyer for minus 5 yards.
3rd and 20 - Portis up the middle for 5 yards.
4th and 15 - Brooks punts 34 yards.

Ouch.

The second series wasn't a whole lot better.
1st and 10 - False start on Randle El (?!?) for minus 5 yards.
1st and 15 - Incomplete pass.
2nd and 15 - Portis right guard for 3 yards.
3rd and 12 - Incomplete pass.
4th and 12 - Brooks punts 42 yards, but draws a roughing the kicker penalty! WASHINGTON FIRST DOWN!!!!
1st and 10 - Portis right tackle for 4 yards.
2nd and 6 - Betts left guard for nothing at all.
3rd and 6 - Incomplete pass.
4th and 6 - Brooks punts 27 yards.
(Wouldn't it have been smarter to just have Jason throw a 30-yard interception?)


That my friends is a brutal way to welcome the season. Also, and I can't even bring myself to describe this moment, but I'll just say Brandon Jacobs, Laron Landry and you know what I'm talking about. Shudder.

In the first two series last year, Campbell went 0-3 and took a sack, Portis averaged 3.75 yards on four carries, the punts could have been strongman boulder throws, the team had a 14% false start rate, and the only first down came from a penalty. These are stats to beat my friends, and I will consider myself thoroughly disappointed if the Skins can't outshine that performance in the first two possessions of 2009.

But was there a bright spot in 2008? Perhaps. At four minutes into the 2nd Quarter, the Giants went up 16-0 on a field goal. They didn't score for the next 41 minutes.

Presuming our defense isn't performing an elaborate version of punk'd on all of DC, and they go out there like, "Sike, thought you had a top 5 defense, didn't you?," this game will be about the Skins' offense, namely whether they can shake off the anemic 2008 offense monkey. The Giants' run game is strong, and should put up at least 10 points, and likely 14. But the Giants' passing game is very shaky and ripe for exploitation, even a pick-6 if the stars align (those being the constellation formed by Haynesworth, Orakpo, Fletcher, Hall and Landry).
The scary Giants D-line means that Campbell needs to get rid of the ball quickly. I like the shotgun formation, 2 TE sets, Portis cutblocks, and quick dumps over the middle to solve the blue wave. Kelly better have multiple catches.

Skins definitely win if:

• Giants are limited to less than 100 yards rushing
• Skins have a +2 turnover margin

Skins probably win if:

• Giants can't set up their passing game and Eli throws for less than 150 yards
  
• Skins put up 22 or more points

Skins probably lose if:

• Giants rush for >160 yards
• Giants pass for >200 yards
• Skins score fewer than 20 points

Giants definitely win if:

• Chris Samuels or Randy Thomas gets injured
• Gooseeggs appear next to the reception totals for Kelly, Thomas and Mitchell
• Eli forgets that he's Eli for the afternoon, and plays like Mr. "Eat Salad" of Indianapolis

Also, let's hope to start hearing this man's name about a dozen times each Sunday.

Update: Matt Mosely just wrote that Terrell Thomas will start at corner for an injured Aaron Ross, and will be covering Malcolm Kelly. Kelly has 28 pounds and four inches on Thomas. This match-up is tied with Samuels/Umenyiora for the top spot to watch.

Keys to the Season

Offered up for your consideration, here are my seven keys to a successful season.

1. A healthy, effective O-Line
Duh. Enough ink's been spilled on this topic already. For reference, I direct you to the comments of every local sports writer over the past four months.

2. Portis gets over 300 touches
If CP rushes significantly fewer than 300 times, it means he's hurt. That means we lose.


3. The two-TE formation gets going
Sleepy Davis had a great preseason. Chris Cooley is a Pro Bowler likely to make many more trips to Hawaii. Jim Zorn's West Coast offense is in its second year, and players have had much more time to learn it. I like those facts.

4. Malcolm Kelly inspires such comments as "Devin who?"
This guy is a shut-up-and-play beast. As Micah noticed, he never celebrates after making a great reception - he just hands the ball to the ref and trots back to the huddle. We don't know about the talent yet, but the temperment is Monkish.
5. Rak either learns to play in space, or gets moved to end on first and second downs
I'm glad he got so many reps at LB in the preseason, but James Farrior he's not. I just hope that Blache doesn't consider that experiment a season-long project. I think he can play, but if he gets beat bad by the Rams and Lions at LB, please put this incredible player back at the position that caused him to win all the major defensive trophies at Texas.

6. The Redskins draw fewer and less costly penalties than their opponents
This preseason has been scary, not only for the sheer number and terrible timing of the penalties, but also because of who has been making them. Starters with years of experience. Ill-timed facemasks and blocks in the back would be a horrible way to have a losing season.

7. Special teams doesn't lose games for the Skins
Special teams has not done much to make me feel confident that they won't be the leg-sized Achilles-heel of the Redskins. No one stepped up to take the punt return job. Lots of missed tackles and blown coverage on kicks. Alridge's fumble was just ridiculous.

Note: Jason Campbell's absence from this list is not accidental. He's one of the most solid players on the team. Barring a season-ending injury, there is nothing related to JC that would affect the outcome of the season.

You should feel confident when you see this man.