Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Week 1 vs. New York Giants

New York - Well, Jim Zorn and company picked up right where they left off last season. The first game of the 2009 season featured the same old lackluster offense that Redskins' fans have come to know so well over the last decade combined with an average defense that cannot put pressure on the opponents quarterback.

On offense, the offensive line could not get the running game going. Clinton Portis managed only 62 total yards, including a 34 yard run. Minus his one long run, Portis ran 15 times for a measly 28 yards. Those are the kinds of numbers you would expect to see for the Cincinnati Bengals or Detroit Lions, but not the Redskins and not Clinton Portis. Granted, the Giants do have one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. Still, the team must be able to put up at least 80 yards a game against tough defenses in order to have a chance to win.

Of course, the team added their patented end of the game touchdown against the Giants' "prevent defense" to make the game look closer than what it really was. This game was just ugly and was a sad preview for what the 2009 season holds for Hogs fans everywhere. This could easily be a 5-11 team waiting to happen.

The defense looked mediocre overall. Albert Haynesworth did look good and the squad did manage one sack, which is sadly an accomplishment for this team. DeAngelo Hall did also chip in with an interception. While there were glimpses of a solid defense, they just could not get to Eli Manning and create any consistent pressure. The offense could not stay on the field and the Redskins defensive unit simply wore down in the second half and could not stop the run.

So what can be done to salvage this flat out ugly looking season? On offense, not much at all. The quarterback, wide receivers and offensive lineman are entrenched for the season. Hopefully, we can get to see one or two of the few young guys (see: Chad Rinehart) play and find out if they have any legitimate starting potential. We can only hope that the offensive line plays better and Jason Campbell follows suit. The offensive line is aging and injury prone. If they do manage to stay healthy, they have the ability to play at least a little better than they did against the Giants.

One move the team should make is moving Brian Orakpo to the defensive line full-time. Phillip Daniels is a nice veteran team guy to have on the roster, but he is a role player at best now and should not be starting. The team should do what they should have done in the offseason and sign a free agent strongside linebacker to fill Orakpo's spot and more him to defensive end. At least, Orakpo would get to hone his pass rush skills and the team could creat some havoc in the opponents backfield. That would give the team a better chance for turnovers and sacks and make it more fun for us fans to watch. The idea of moving Orakpo to part-time linebacker was dumb to begin with and the decision to move backup DE Chris Wilson to backup SLB behind Orakpo was even worse. Honestly, who else does this in the NFL?

Aside from that, here are the next big headlines Redskins' fans have to look forward to:

1) February 2010: ESPN reports that Vinny Cerato and Jim Zorn have been fired by the Washington Redskins.

2) March 2010: "The Redskins have agreed to terms with head coach ... on a five year contract worth $6 million per year."

3) April 2010: "With the sixth pick in the NFL draft, the Washington Redskins select quarterback...".

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JacksGhost
Washington Redskins Hog Blog

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