Video of the Day: Donovan McNabb's Postgame Speech

Week 4 Preview: Redskins vs Eagles

The biggest game of the NFL regular season occurs today at 4:15 P.M. as Redskins travel to Lincoln Financial Field to face the Philadelphia Eagles in a key divisional matchup. This game will heavily focused in the media as Donovan McNabb returns to Philadelphia wearing a Redskins uniform. It will be interesting to see how Eagles greet the six time pro bowler, but they should really cheer for him.

Under McNabb's tenure, the Eagles went to five NFC championship games, one NFC title, and one Super Bowl appearnce. McNabb is also the all time franchise leader in career wins, pass attempts, pass completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. However, injuries and other solid quarterbacks in the depth chart led to McNabb arrival in Washington. Today, McNabb wants to prove to the Eagles organization that he can still play at a high level and lead the Redskins to the Super Bowl down the road. However, Philadelphia sports fans tend to be very obnoxious, so don't be surprised if McNabb gets boos from the fans today.

If McNabb wants to lead the Redskins to victory, they will have to improve on red zone efficiency, and on 3rd down attempts.  Last week, the Redskins went 0-3  in the red zone and only settled with field goals. That didn't work out well against the Rams, and it will certainly have the same result against the Eagles. Given that the Redskins is last in the league in total defense, scoring touchdowns in the red zone is very critical in this game today. Also, converting on 3rd downs will help because it keeps the offense on the field and gives the defense a rest.  Going 1 for 10 on 3rd downs isn't going to win any game in the NFL. Finally, the Redskins need to establish the run game for a full 60 minutes.

The defense will have a very tough task today. The Eagles are led by quarterback Michael Vick, who appears to resurrect his NFL career. So far this season, Vick has thrown for 750 yards, 6 touchdowns, and zero interceptions. He has a 60.7% completion rate. Vick has a golden opportunity to steal the spotlight from McNabb today. He has a great wide receiving core such as Jeremy Maclin, and Desean Jackson. Since the Redskins have been terrible in pass coverage, this could be the game that Vick goes into another level and return back to being an elite quarterback in the NFL.

Prediction: Statistically, the Eagles should destroy the Redskins because the Eagles are a hot team and the Redskins are struggling everywhere. But this is a divisional game and the Redskins always play tough at Philly. Therefore,  I expect a shootout and a close football game that will come down to the final possession. I think McNabb leads the Redskins on a late 4th quarter drive and Graham Gano kicks the game winning field goal. McNabb will get his revenge and the Redskins move to first place and a 2-0 record in the NFC East.

Redskins: 28, Eagles: 27

Video of the Day: Albert Haynesworth Thoughts on Mike Shanahan and the Redskins

Albert Haynesworth has been a frequent visitor to the media lately. Last weekend, he was on "the Kevin and Rock" show on 106.7 the fan making his idiotic slave comment, and last night on Sportscenter, he had some thoughts on his relationship with Mike Shanahan, and the treatment he received during training camp last summer.  The interview was ironically conducted from ESPN reporter Sara Walsh, who used to cover the Redskins and other D.C. sports teams for WUSA-TV. Enjoy the video clip!!!

Going From Hope To Despair

Before I do my analysis on the Redskins lost to Rams 30-16, lets look at the key statistics for each team.

Redskins Stats: 1-10 on 3rd down attempts, 116 total rushing yards (1 yard rushing only in the 2nd half), 0-3 in Red Zone attempts.

Rams Stats: 7-16 on 3rd down attempts (2-2 on 4th down), 2-6 in Red Zone attempts, 365 total yards on offense (133 rushing, 232 passing), and had time of possession for 34:50.

These statistics are very infuriating. How can this football team let the Rams offense, (ranked 24th in total offense and losers of  27 of 28 games) put up over 350 yards of offense under a rookie quarterback Sam Bradford at the helm??  How can you let the Rams run for over 120 yards without having Steven Jackson in the 2nd half?? Luckily, there is a simple solution to this disastrous problem. The Redskins are running the wrong defensive scheme and have no running game.

Before the season started, head coach Mike Shanahan wanted the defense to switch from the 4-3 to 3-4 because it creates more problems for opposing teams. During the past several years, the Redskins were ranked in the top 10 in defense mostly because of their successful play under the 4-3. With the adjustment to the 3-4, the Redskins brought in Jim Haslett as their new defensive coordinator. Several players on the roster are playing out of position despite adding some players familiar with the 3-4. Therefore, the defense has the wrong personnel to run the 3-4 in most areas, and it results going from a perennial top-10 defense to last in the league.

It is just frustrating to see this defense give up big play after big play to a terrible Rams team. When I saw Andre Carter playing at outside linebacker, I nearly wanted to throw my baseball at the TV. Carter is a 255 pound defensive end. He supposed to rush the quarterback, not to play in pass coverage. When I saw De-Angelo Hall slipped on the field while covering Mark Clayton, I wanted to throw my remote control at the TV. Hall said last week that this is his defense, and he will cover the best receiver. He basically throwing his teammates under the bus. Clayton is probably a 3rd receiver option in other teams, and Hall couldn't cover him. It's no wonder why Hall is one of the most disgruntled players in the NFL.

The offense still couldn't score inside the opponent's 20 yard line. The Redskins had to settle for field goals, and only scored one touchdown following Kareem Moore's interception late in the 1st quarter. Anytime the offense had a big play or too, an holding infraction will be committed from Stephon Heyer. It's amazing why Heyer is even on this team. He basically penalty prone on any given play. I surely hope Trent Williams returns next week against the Eagles.

On the ground game, Clinton Portis had a big 27-yard run in the 2nd quarter, but he slide on the field because he wanted to protect the ball. It appeared that Portis suffered a wrist injury during the game and was mostly in the sidelines when the 2nd half began. Rookie Ryan Torain shows some promise early, but became an afterthought later in the game. Overall, the running game was improved in the first half, but it became ineffective in the 2nd half. Finally, special teams was a disaster even before kickoff. Punter Josh Bidwell suffered a hip injury during pregame warm-ups and he was out for the game. Graham Gano had to do the punting duties in addition to kicking field goals. Look for the Redskins to get a new punter this week.

Overall, this game was like watching a bad dream. I'm not sure if this loss was worse then the Lions game last year, but you can make the case on that easily. Ironically, both of those losses occurred on thrid week of the season. So even with new management, the Redskins find ways to compete with good teams for 60 minutes, and then lay an egg against bad teams. This trend has been happening for 10 years, and it's getting really frustrating. The more I think about this loss, the more I put blame on the players. They are getting paid millions of dollars and they aren't performing to the level of their competition.

Looking ahead to the next five games, the Redskins have a brutal schedule. They will play the Eagles, Packers, Colts, Bears, and Lions. If Shanahan and Haslett doesn't correct their errors on the 3-4 scheme and continues to have an ineffective ground attack, then a 1-6 record going into their bye week seems to be a distinct reality.

Next game: @Philadelphia
Time & Network: 4:15 P.M on FOX 
Commentators: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman

Donovan Mcnabb returns to Philadelphia to face his old team, and the reaction from Eagles fans will be interesting to watch. I will do a special preview on this big NFC East matchup later this week.

Aerial Show Ends In A Heart-breaker

I actually needed more days to dissect this devastating  loss, because it was probably the most painful loss I've experienced in a while. The Redskins blew a 17 point lead in the 4th quarter and lost to the Houston Texans 30-27 in overtime.

The Redskins actually played their hearts out on both sides of the ball, and they still couldn't finish. Quarterback Donovan McNabb threw for 426 yards and one touchdown. McNabb became the first Redskins quarterback in 19 years to throw for over 400 yards in a single game. Running back Clinton Portis had another mediocre performance, but he still rushed for two touchdowns.  Overall, the offense had 421 total yards, a stellar improvement over their poor showing against Dallas in week one.

However, the Redskins collapsed in the 4th quarter because of three factors; the lack of a running game, blown coverage on defense, and missed opportunities on special teams.

First, the running game was a non-factor at all. The Redskins only had 18 yards rushing. That's simply isn't going to win any games in the NFL. It is very critical for the Redskins to have an efficient running game, especially when they play against a high-powered offense like the Houston Texans. That way, you keep Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson and Arian Foster off the field. More importantly, you control the clock, and essentially the ballgame. As for the running game itself, I just can't see Clinton Portis being the number one running back the rest of the way. I know he had a great offseason, but he doesn't have the speed or cutback ability he had a few years ago.

 The Redskins did make some moves to address the running game. This past Tuesday, they released Larry Johnson, and rookie Keiland Williams will backup Portis. The Redskins did add another running back, Chad Simpson, but its mostly for special teams. We'll see if the running game improves next week at St. Louis.

The offensive line did get a scare when rookie left tackle Trent Williams suffered a  knee injury. The good news is that an MRI shows no damage to his knee. Theoretically, Williams could be ready to start next week, but it could be a game-time decision.

Secondly, the defense had no answer to stop Houston's explosive offense. Schaub went 38 of 52 with 497 yards with three touchdowns, and an interception. The defense had sometimes blown coverages on their receivers.  However, the defense had an opportunity to seal this game. With less then three minutes to go in regulation and the Redskins leading 27 to 20, the Texans faced with 4th and 10 in Redskins territory.  With the game at stake, Schaub rose to the occasion.


Everyone in the stadium knew that Schaub is going throw to Andre Johnson and the defense was prepared. Reed Doughty actually did a good job covering Johnson, but Johnson made a great catch. It is always a complete mismatch when any corner or safety covers Johnson, especially in one-on-one coverage. There is a reason why Andre Johnson is the best receiver in the NFL.

Finally, special teams killed our chances to win as well. There were blocked kicks, and missed field goals.  Graham Gano's 29 yard field goal was blocked and it eventually swung the momentum towards the Texans. Gano had a chance to redeem himself in overtime, and it appeared he made a 52 yard field goal to win the game. But Texans coach Gary Kubiak burned a timeout just seconds before the ball was snap. After the timeout, Gano missed the field goal. I just hate it when coaches do that to iced the kicker. It is a horrible way to lose the game.

The good news from this is that the offense is back in sync except the running game, and the defense continues to be aggressive, but it cost them by giving up some big plays. 

Next Week's game: @ St.Louis
Time & Network: 4:05 pm on FOX
Commentators: Dick Stockon, Charles Davis and Jim Mora

Did you know the Redskins are 0-5 against rookie quarterbacks? They will be facing another one in Sam Bradford. Well, here is some good news. Those five losses came last year under former head coach Jim Zorn and quarterback Jason Campbell. The Redskins had a mixed performance during the last two games, and if they can get the running game going and continue to establish the passing game, then they should win this game easily.

The defense needs to do a better job on pass coverage, and not give up big plays down the field. I like the aggressiveness that defensive coordinator Jim Haslett is bringing in under the 3-4 defense, but the last thing I want to see a blown assignment in coverage. Causing turnovers, and scoring some points can help too. Then again, this is the first road game for the Redskins this season, and the Rams usually play well against the Redskins. Despite that, I expect a big Redskins victory this weekend.

Prediction: Redskins: 31, Rams: 14

Clinton Just Being Clinton

This was suppose to be a good week for running back Clinton Portis. The Redskins are coming off a big victory against Dallas despite Portis not rushing for 100 yards, and the team is preparing to face Houston this Sunday at FedEx Field. Now, Portis is rejuvenated and he is back to being himself  by presenting crazy costumes and comedic gestures to the media, but this occasion was for all the wrong reasons unfortunately.

His recent comments on how New York Jets players treat a female reporter in the locker room has cause issues with the team and the NFL. I don't know why the NFL have a problem with Ports's comments. He basically said the truth about the ordeal, and media just blows this non-issue out of proportion. Sometimes, the media can be full of  hypocrites.

So when he was ask to talk about it for the first time since his controversial remarks, Portis simply kept his mouth shut the old fashion way with a little help from his teammate Albert Haynesworth.



Hahahahah, stay classy Clinton!!!!!

Better To Be Lucky Than Good

Last Sunday night, the Washington Redskins hosted the Dallas Cowboys in front of a epic atmosphere at FedEx Field, and a record crowd of  90,670 people were treated to a heart-stopping finish.  Before I do the recap of the game, let's go back to the last play of the game.





So Alex Baron's third holding call of the game gives the Redskins an 13 to 7 win over the Cowboys. This was the Redskins first victory within their division in two years even though they didn't even score a touchdown against Dallas for the third time. As usual, the rivalry provided another wacky ending, and it was only fitting that the Cowboys, who committed 12 penalties for 81 yards, blow this game on a holding call. While Redskins fans savior this victory against their hated rival, there were some key concerns and positives on both sides.

The defense had a mixed performance, but they were largely responsible for the Redskins first take-away and six points of the season.With three seconds left in the 1st half, the Cowboys, who had the ball at their own 30 yard-line, decide to run a screen pass to thrid string running back Tashard Choice. Choice was tackled for a minimum gain, and then gets the ball strip from a Redskins defender, which lead to De-Angelo Hall returning 32 yards for a touchdown. The Redskins went to halftime with a 10-0 lead.  Not many coaches will run a screen to close the 1st half while having possession at your own territory. But this is Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett. They are known for making stupid calls on offense.

Anyway, the defense did had trouble stopping the run from Cowboys running back Marion Barber. Also, quarterback Tony Romo had a field day throwing screen passes to Felix Jones, Choice, Barber,  Miles Austin and Dez Bryant and the defense had no answer to stop them. The Cowboys ended up with 380 total yards on offense, but luckily, they only scored seven points. If the Redskins defense doesn't get their act together on the stopping the run and the screen , they could have serious problems next week against Houston.

The offense however, couldn't score a touchdown during the contest, but they face a very good Cowboys defense, and the Redskins have historically  struggled against Dallas on offense. But Donovan Mcnabb had several opportunities to score. Early in their 3rd quarter, Mcnabb tried two fade passes to rookie wide receiver Anthony Armstrong, and it failed. Even worse, the Redskins couldn't score at all because of failed snap by place holder Josh Bidwell.  Other then that, Mcnabb seems to have very good chemistry with wide receiver Santana Moss and tight end Chris Cooley, and he made some nice throws to other receivers as well. I think this offense should improve over the course of the season, but they will have to score touchdowns if they have any chance to win.

Mcnabb did finished the game with 15 of 32, for 171 yards. Either way, the offense got a big break  because their defense got a turnover and fumble return for a touchdown, the Cowboys committed too many penalties, and horrendous play-calling from Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett. This victory is also great for long suffering Redskins fans, who endure a rough two years. Finally, it is great to see FedEx Field rocking again, and it's a great start to the Mike Shanahan first game as Redskins head coach. This victory will re energized this fanbase that is hungry for change and getting a competitive team on the field.

Next Game: Week 2: Vs. Houston
Time & Network: 4:15 P.M. on CBS
Commentators: Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts


The Redskins face another high powered offensive Texans team led by Matt Schub, Andre Johnson, and rookie standout Aaron Foster. The defense will have their hands full on stopping not only the Texans aerial attack, but on the ground game from Foster. Unlike Dallas, Houston will not abandon their run game if it works to their advantage. However, their defense is still their Achilles heel, and the Redskins can easily get some points on board and try to get the running game going. Let's see how Mike Shanahan orchestrates his offense since he seen a lot of Texans last season since his son Kyle was the offensive coordinator last season.