The Redskin Defense is Star-Studded, or So I'm Told

I can't stand it, but the Redskins seem to dominate the news with their absurdity, even in their slowest time of the year. Today's news is that Brian Orakpo and London Fletcher will be joining D******* Hall at the Pro Bowl. Usually I would say 'La dee frickin da!', but instead I am just confused, and not the only one to notice that this doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

 

For those of you who stomached the Skins this year (or maybe wised up and just read the stats), you know we had the #31 ranked defense in the league, and the #18 offense: that is a horrendous defense and a mediocre offense. Sure, there are no obvious big names on the offense who probably deserve to 'go to the Island', but 3 guys from an awful defense? Are we the most underachieving unit ever and Jim Haslett is the anti-christ? Are the selections on name recognition to blame? Remember, Laron Landry played like a stud too before getting hurt, so could be a 4th selection with a couple more games under his belt.

I actually have an explanation....

You already know my feelings on Hall and I shouldn't need to tell you that his Pro Bowl selection is absurd, so I will skip to Rak and Fletcher. Just look at the Pro Bowl rosters, I count 26 guys who have been selected but are not playing! LFB as a Pro Bowler sounds great, but he has actually only been designated as one of the top 6 middle linebackers in the game. There are maybe 40 starting MLBs in the league, and only maybe half (total guess) play close enough to a full season to be considered for 'the island.' So LFB in the top-6, sure, and really not that impressive, he is better than mediocre, but certainly not being judged as elite.

Along the same line, Rak is gaining recognition as one of the top 9 OLBs in the league, which is slightly more impressive given that there are 64 starting OLBs (not including however many missed significant time with injury).

So 3 players from the 31st ranked D is crazy, but don't look at the Rak and Fletcher selections as the source of the absurdity. You should look at the 3rd guy, who is completely undeserving, but overall, these selections are not as prestigious as they sound, and if you remove Hall, having 2 guys as late additions to the game from an abysmal D is not insane, even if you want to include Landry as being recognized for a fantastic season.

Though the recognition should be mooted, this is a direct reflection of the lack of a supporting cast and the greatest issue that has plagued the Skins for years - going after big names and players at the expense of depth. The Skins should take this to heart, but probably will just chase Carson Palmer and Herschel Walker(!). At least Herschel's comeback would entertain me for what is shaping up to be another rough season DC.

(Image courtesy of goslingphotographyblog.com)

Shirts All DC Bros Should Own

Let me tell you a little about myself - I'm a bro.

I usually wear this on my sleeve, even though it's probably less apparent through the internet than face to face interactions.

In that light, here are some shirts all bros or aspiring bros should own. I already own a couple; so should you:

Brian Orakbro

Stephen Strasbro

Alex Brovechkin

Adam Brones

Bro Theismann

Don't Ice Me Bro

Top-5 Most Popular DC Athletes Right Now

I know, I know, this post has already been run by Steinz over at the WaPo (a voting in which I participated), but SB Nation DC also had a list today, so I thought it would only be fair to jump on the bandwagon and chime-in.

The term 'popular' is left vague so there is room for interpretation, but here is how I define it - as a combination of recognize-ability (name recognition), and being well liked; I believe that a notorious person can still be popular. My initial list for Steinz a few weeks ago was this:

1. Ovechkin
2. McNabb
3. Orakpo
4. Backstrom
5. Zimmerman

My logic:

• Ovie is widely known and loved and has to be #1. That said, the overwhelming popularity of the Redskins in this town pushes football players to greater heights. I realize McNabb has not played a game, but he is more widely recognized than Ovechkin; as Chad Dukes and Lavar Arrington said on WFAN a month or so ago, if you put McNabb and Ovie in a mall, McNabb would be the one who more easily creates a mini-riot. As much as I hate him and that the Skins acquired him, he is a close #2.
• I skipped Portis and Gil because I thought they were not generally well liked.
• I should have replaced Rak with Cooley, but thought Cooley's injury removed him from the spotlight too much.
• Strasburg had not played a game and was not as widely recognized as he is right now.
  
• Backstrom was fresh off of a season where the Caps elevated themselves to the #2 team in the DMV, so was very newsworthy.
  

Ah, how quickly things change......my list for today would look like this:

1. Ovie
2. McNabb
3. Cooley
4. Portis
5. Strasburg
6. Backstrom
   

• I ranked 6 because at this moment, Strasburg is #5, but his hype will likely die down after about 2 months, and I expect him to drop a few slots. The only way he stays that high is if he puts up All-Star/Cy Young candidate numbers immediately. When
  
• Rak was a mistake the first time, I should have put Cooley in that spot; Rak is just not as widely known as the man formerly known as Captain Chaos.
• Portis is not completely well-liked, but my Dad, who is not a sports fan, knows him, which puts him in select company.
• Ryan Zimmerman is having a terrific season but struggling for All-Star votes, so it is hard to put him anywhere near my top-5 anymore. He just isn't widely recognized, and won't be until the Nats contend, or he does something outlandish like gets a tattoo on his face.

My only major differentiation from the Steinz and SBNDC lists are the omission of Gilbert Arenas, but come on, isn't he closer to the least popular athlete in DC? I can see John Wall, London Fletcher, and Mike Green pushing for honors, but I think that list of 6 is head and shoulders above the rest right now.

(Image courtesy of misterirrelevant.com)

The Offseason Dynasty: Will the Stupidity Continue?

Let me start by saying that I am not totally opposed to the Redskin strategy of throwing money at free agents. I realize that this has only brought us a decade of mediocrity, but I think that signing Albert Haynesworth, who is the best defensive player in football, is a good move. I think our problems stem from undervaluing draft picks, having constant coaching turnover, and spending resources to strengthen the secondary, receiving corps, and just about everything ahead of the offensive line.

The Skins have already been the talk of the league this offseason by hiring Mike Shanahan, but we are apparently just getting started on our annual plunge into stupidity (although Snyder got a head start with this sweet shirt). In the words of Pro Football Talk, the "Peppers-to-Redskins rumors go to full boil." Yes, Peppers is an uber-talented pass rusher who can be dominant on his day, but let's take a step back to the 2009 NFL draft. The Skins, sitting at #13, were desperately in need of help at defensive end/rushing the passer, and lo and behold, have the best defensive player and best pass rusher in college football fall into their arms, awesome. Even the Snyderrato train wreck couldn't screw up that pick, but oh, we did. After drafting this incredible defensive end, we decided to move him to linebacker! Not even 3-4 linebacker, but a 4-3 linebacker! Rak proceeded to be an unstoppable force whenever he was allowed to rush the quarterback, but play a generally mediocre linebacker, which everyone except the Redskins saw coming. I know Rak made the Pro Bowl, but that was based on his sack total and those few plays where he was allowed to do what he does best; God forbid we actually put a promising young player in a position to succeed (see Campbell, Jason). If you want any proof that the pick is stupid as long as Rak plays OLB, then consider that Brian Cushing went 2 picks after Rak, and ended up as the ROY as an OLB in a 4-3 defense. The bright side is that Rak could make a great 3-4 OLB, but I still would prefer to see him in his 'natural' position.

Now fast-forward back to this free agency class and Julius Peppers, who will command a monstrosity of a contract. Putting aside questions about his consistency and desire after getting this new contract, the Skins are trying to sign an elite defense end and move him to OLB! I have seen this movie before and it doesn't end well! I understand that Peppers is supremely athletic (like Rak), has the talent to play LB and DE (like Rak), and the immediate need is for his unnatural position (like Rak), but that doesn't mean that this is a good move. Peppers is going to get a record contract because of his performance and ability as a DE, not because he might be a really good OLB. In this case, really good won't be good enough for the money we are potentially about to spend. I have plenty of questions about whether Peppers will be a dominant enough DE to live up to a huge contract, but now to basically need him to be the best defensive player in the league as a 3-4 OLB? Not to mention rumors of us going after Brandon Marshall, aka instant locker room aids. Meet the new regime, same as the old regime.............

(Image courtesy of www.mkrob.com)

Orakpo Snubbed by Peter King

Found this on page five of Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback and couldn't resist:

Packers linebacker Clay Matthews makes two significant plays a game.

Speaking of first-round rookies, there's a heck of a race for defensive rookie of the year. Buffalo safety Jairus Byrd leads the league with nine interceptions, and Houston LB Brian Cushing had another monster game: 10 tackles, a sack, two other tackles for loss, three QB pressures. Matthews. James Laurinaitis of the Rams. Pretty tough call.

Not even a mention of Orakpo - who received his Defensive Player of the Week award, by the way:

Who'd have thought Orakpo would have rushed the pass more productively in the first 13 games of his rookie year than Demarcus Ware, Julius Peppers and LaMarr Woodley?

The DCLS and everyone's mother did.

Granted, it's one man's opinion, and to be honest, trying to decipher this particular man's rationale has been a fool's errand on a number of occasions throughout the years.

But that doesn't make his embarrassing oversight any less infuriating.

[H/t to DCLS correspondent and former Jay Gibbons enthusiast, Plotty]

Week 14: Skins 34, Raiders 13 - Knee Jerk Reactions

HAIL.

After 3 games of taking a lead into the 4th quarter (and losing), we deserved this. Call me crazy, but after a few weeks of decent football, I kind of expected a win. I was relatively relaxed for the rest of the game after we took the lead early in the 1st quarter; I even snuck a peak at Tony Romo looking like a kid being forced to eat his broccoli.

Did everyone else also feel extremely relaxed when Jamarcus Russell entered the game? Those 6 sacks in his first 16 dropbacks merely prevented him from overthrowing his receivers by mind boggling distances. The game ended when Jamarcus entered at QB.

Maybe tomorrow I won't be able to take my eyes away from that 4-9 record (the same as these Raiders), and maybe remember that 7 points separate us from being 7-6 and a playoff team. But right now, I'm just glad that the worst is over, and maybe, just maybe, this team isn't far away from competing next year....

Other thoughts:
-The Raiders with Jamarcus are incredibly bad, how can we have the same record as them, ahhh!

-Tim Tebow wears Brian Orakpo pajamas.

-Rak locked up the defensive ROY today. 11+ sacks is going to be too much to overlook.

-Santana Moss lives!

-Sure, Laron Landry had a pick and a couple nice plays on the line, but he couldn't cover McFadden. The 48 yard pass was all on him and cost us 3 points.

-Graham Gano > Shawn Suisham.

-We had our first play action spotting in a long long time.

-ARE still returning punts......really??

-Andre Carter, you fall on the ball, don't pick it up and run you greedy bastard.

-Quinton Ganther was okay, showing some flashes, but that is the best we have right now. Marcus Mason didn't show much. This team needs to get a starting RB this offseason.

-I can't remember seeing the Skins stack the box like we did in the 1st quarter. I know it's supposedly a big deal that Landry and Doughty switched safety spots, but Doughty was playing at the line most of the game anyway. Monday night against the Giants will be a better example of how this switch can work. I also will note that we have a high draft pick coming, and need a FS, and Eric Berry from Tennessee is going to be tempting.

-Fred Davis 15 yards for his endzone celebration. A) that dance was pretty mild. B) He definitely didn't get his money's worth - at least do something sweet if you're gonna get a 15 yarder.

-Our 2 TE set next year is going to be a nightmare for opposing teams.

-Dick Stockton - it's OraKPO, not OraPKO!! You said this incorrectly for almost the entire game!!!! That is beyond stupid; it's not like his name isn't pronounced phonetically. Rak is probably going to be the defensive rookie of the year so you would think he'd be someone the announcers would prepare to discuss during the game!?! Then, no one else caught this and could tell Stockton that he was screwing up the name he said repeatedly until late in the 4th quarter!?!

-Dick Stockton - just because Quinton Ganther and Kirk Morrison played in the same conference in college, does not mean they are good friends.

-JC had another good game, and still didn't have consistent protection. Just imagine what he could do with this protection every game.

-I am actually excited for next week!

(Image courtesy of washingtonpost.com)

Obviously The DCLS is Right

In their weekend game preview on espn.com, FO reveals that,"Washington's Adjusted Sack Rate on defense is average on first and second down, but a league-high 12 percent on third down." You want to know why? Because our 3rd down pass rush includes this guy:

O-Sak-Po! We've been saying it since he got drafted and can't say it enough! Let him play DE full-time! How different would our D be if he got a chance to rush the QB on 1st and 2nd down too?

(Image courtesy of the The Redskins Blog)

Week 6: Chiefs 14, Redskins 6 - Knee Jerk Reactions

Football season is in full swing! The hair pulling, TV-screaming, remote control throwing and furious cigarette smoking is in full force. Before I let rationality cloud my judgment, here are my knee-jerk reactions from the sixth game of the season:

-Channeling Conan O'Brien here: "Watching the Redskins. Some say a waste of time. Others say: an incredible waste of time."

-I no longer have the energy to feel anger. Only sadness. At this point, what do we have to hope for? That one day Snyderrato will magically flip the switch from "incompetent meddling idiots" to "patient efficient and clever"? That our ridiculous long-term salary commitments will disappear, or that the players with these contracts will improve as they inch towards football senility? It's going to be a long and brutal 5-10 years at least. Probably longer. Hence, sadness.

-If Zorn makes it past the bye week still employed, I will post a naked picture of myself on this blog. And I'm not saying that just to attract more readers, even though that's a probable consequence (I am a beautiful specimen).

-Haynesworth and Golston were beasts inside, and Carter played great again. And the silverware on the Titanic was top-notch.

-Orakpo rushing from end is a beautiful thing. We've said it before, we will say it until we're blue in the internet face: it's not rocket science. PLAY HIM AT END PERMANENTLY. Christ on a crutch.

-Did you see that play where D******* Hall tackled a slow, plodding QB late in the game before he was dragged 8 yards for a first down? I nearly peed my pants.

-Campbell was absolutely horiffic. And all you Collins-lovers out there, how'd he do replacing JC17?

-Heyer does not belong in the NFL. Mike Williams is not completely awful though.

-Portis not getting in the end zone on the long run is another in a long line of signs that he is washed up. Why can't he cut it inside and take it to the house? You and Sellers and one guy to beat and you can't get past him????? And did anyone NOT foresee a field goal after he was tackled?

-Speaking of Portis, I was a big fan of benching him to light a little fire under him. Lasted for one play.

-Landry is a clown. I'm not really on the fence with him anymore. He overpursues more than a cougar at closing time.

-Did anyone else see that the TAMPA BAY BUCANEERS SCORED 21 POINTS? And that the Saints put up 34 on the Giants in the first half alone? We have to have the longest streak without 20 points in the NFL. I know, I'm so greedy.

-How 'bout that CBS feed cutting out for a solid 15 minutes? Feel free to share in the comments what you did during these 15 minutes. Or any jokes about why it happened.

-2-14 is the goal for me now. High draft pick, and an ever-so-slight chance that Snyder wakes up and realizes how bad Vinny Cerrato is, and actually fires him. That's when the next adventure starts. Remember, adventures can often suck, though they can also end in glory.

[Image via Mr. Irrelevant]

Week 5: Panthers 20, Redskins 17 - Knee Jerk Reactions

Football season is in full swing! The hair pulling, TV-screaming, remote control throwing and furious cigarette smoking is in full force. Before I let rationality cloud my judgment, here are my knee-jerk reactions from the fifth game of the season:

-Up 17-2 in the 2nd half on a winless team Football Outsiders says is the worst in the NFL, and we blew the lead. What else can the Skins do to kick their fans in the balls? Scratch that, this was more like giving us blue balls, specifically blue balls from an ugly chick.

-DeAngelo Hall had what, maybe 6 yards to tackle an immobile QB and couldn't make it happen?

-Buying http://www.firejimzorn.info/ is seeming like a smarter and smarter purchase by the day.

-After a week of hearing how D******* Hall has a rivalry with Steve Smith, it was Carlos Rogers who was matched-up on Smith most of the day. I don't want to type his full name anymore, not worth my time and anger, because I am finally almost at peace with the Redskin suck-fest, except for that all talk, no walk salary cap black hole.

-Rogers had a great game. By my count, the Panthers threw at Rogers 2 times, with one of those being a near-INT in the endzone. Hall, meanwhile, was picked-on all day, with success. I even noticed one play where Landry's guy caught the ball, but it was because Hall got smoked deep, so Landry left his man to help and then came back to make the tackle.

-Did anyone else notice that on the interception, the reason Hall was in position to make the play was that he was so badly beaten on the route that he was 5 yards behind the receiver? If he had been in tight coverage, that ball would have been tipped over his head. Knowing the DC media, Hall will get credit for that play, while Rogers will get criticized because he 'dropped' what would have been a spectacular INT in the endzone.

-Orakpo had a 0.5 sack, and another called back because of a penalty that did not appear to give him any advantage. That gives him 2.5 sacks this season, with 2 called back on penalties, and all while playing DE. This is for a guy the WaPo said today plays only 25% of the time at DE. Granted, those are all passing plays, but is it hard to imagine he has at least 5 sacks now if he plays DE full-time? Meanwhile, he looked completely lost on that TD pass to Jeff King and was beaten on another play in coverage. Is there something I am missing here?

-Brian Billick had a thought on Orakpo's position, but it has to be the dumb announcing comment of the day. Billick said Orakpo is a great pass rusher (okay, I'm good with that), and that he struggles in coverage (okay, so far so good and now waiting for him to state the obvious here...), but that the Skins moved Orakpo to LB to make him a complete football player (yeah comple...wai, wha?!?). That is like saying, ohhhh, I have a great idea, I think Albert Haynesworth is a great defensive tackle, but maybe we should move him to WR to make him a more complete football player. Jason Campbell, doing okay at QB, but how about trying him at kicker to round-out his game.

-Landry and Haynesworth had good games.

-Our defense was great, giving up a TD on a 12-yard drive is not their fault, and the other scoring drives were 40 and 38 yards. On the flip side, the D gave our offense the ball on the 13 and 1 yard lines, which you have to think is worth 14 points. That math gives me that the D is responsible for 11 points, but basically scored 14. My only complaint is that this performance came against maybe the worst offense in the NFL.

-After playing at the same mediocre level of our D for 4 weeks, the offense was awful. The D gave them 14 points, which means the offense really scored 3, but gave up 2 for the safety. Did I say awful? That's beyond awful.

-Another set of eyes?!? There are gazillions of eyes around the world that can see we need more shotgun and to throw deep occasionally, even with an o-line comprised of tackling dummies.

-Good to confirm that Chris Samuels is indeed the most irreplaceable player on our team. The line crumbled without him last year, and D'Anthony Batiste was like a turnstile. I was almost excited to see what Peppers would have done to him.

-Stephen Heyer against Peppers was a no-contest.

-Campbell definitely missed some guys wide-open on a few plays. The most notable was Santana on a double-move deep to Campbell's right in the 2nd half, and his first reads were left, so he never saw him. JC played okay, but the lack of deep throws looks like 3/4 the offensive line and play calling, and 1/4 JC just not seeing open guys or deciding the deeper throws are too risky.

-Did anyone else notice that Cooley, after recovering the fumble by Moss, did the Santana first down dance? That made me laugh.

-I feel a little bad for Byron Westbrook being blocked into ARE and then having the ball hit his leg, but I guess that's within the rules. The worst part was seeing about 9 Panthers chase that ball against 1 Redskin.

-I think I am comfortably numb. Even if we beat KC next week, that's 3-3 going into an impossible schedule. The only bad team we play after KC is the Raiders, so I think our over/under on wins right now is about 4.5. Yeah, comfortably numb.

(Image courtesy of the AP via ESPN.com)

Week 3: Lions 19, Redskins 14 - Knee Jerk Reactions

Football season is under way! The hair pulling, TV-screaming, remote control throwing and furious cigarette smoking has returned in full force. Before I let rationality cloud my judgment, here are my knee-jerk reactions from the third game of the season:



-First, it's multi-billion dollar auto industry bailouts. Now, it's your first win in 21 months. Detroit, on behalf of Washington, enjoy your gifts.

-This is the kind of loss the doctor ordered. This is also the kind of loss that I hope springs 13 more losses in a row, a 1-15 season, causes Snyder to fire Cerrato as GM and retain him only as Owner's Head Shoe Polisher, because that's a skill you just can't teach. Once Vinny is relegated to his proper role, maybe Snyder will bring in someone competent who can properly build a football team. And by "maybe Snyder will bring in someone competent" I mean "maybe Snyder will cryogenically freeze himself only to be awoken when the 'Skins find success." Because Lord knows it's not happening under his watch.

-I can't wait to see who Zorn blames during the post-game presser. The O-line for lack of execution? All the players for not staying medium? The refs? My money is on all of the above.

-Colt McCoy or Sam Bradford? Let the debate begin!

-Who are the impending 33 years-old-and-up offensive linemen free agents? Snyder is all but guaranteed to give one of them a record deal, and likely to make at least 3 free agent O-linemen the highest paid players at their respective positions this offseason.

-Orakpo lines up at end, gets sack. Orakpo plays linebacker, does nothing. It's not rocket science.

-The Lions stormed down the field in multiple 95-yard drives. THE DETROIT LIONS. Our only hope this season, that the D might carry the 'Skins, was killed after that first 99-yard TD drive. The fact that there was another leaves no room for doubt here.

-The Caps season begins Thursday night vs. Boston, 7 PM. And not a day too soon.

Week 1: Giants 23 - Redskins 17: Knee Jerk Reactions

Football season is finally upon us! The hair pulling, TV-screaming, remote control throwing and furious cigarette smoking has finally commenced. Before I let rationality cloud my judgment, here are my knee-jerk reactions from the first game of the season:

-DeAngelo Hall is garbage. Not just overrated, but noticeably bad at football. He got schooled all day by the likes of the other Steve Smith and he tackles like a fourth grader. You can't tell me the 'Skins aren't better off with 47-year-old Shawn Springs for 10 games a season.

-Smoot is losing it. This makes me sad. The Manningham TD was unacceptable.

-I've been on the fence about Laron Landry for the past year now, what with his knuckleheaded off the field behavior (snubbing signings and fans) and often on-the-field knuckleheaded behavior. Today did not help sway me to the positive side. Missed tackles, idiotic penalties...he needs to rein it in and soon.

-The Giants are built from their lines out. Their O-Line gives Eli all day to throw, and it's why a QB with his marginal abilities can get it done with marginal RBs and WRs. The three times the 'Skins actually hurried him? Sack, fumble, interception, and one 15 yard completion. Meanwhile the Giants D-line is a handful. Besides the opening run, Portis had nothing all day. Vinny Cerrato, please take notes.

-When your starting wideouts combine for 3 catches and 12 yards, you're not going to win.

-Campbell had an awful game. The forward-pass interception was bone-headed, the fumble was careless, and he missed some guys. Was Malcolm Kelly really NEVER open?

-The much-maligned O-line held their own against the Giants for the most part.

-ARE, who I thought I hated after his poor decision making on the end-around option, turned it around and was our best offensive player all day. He belongs in the slot.

-Zorn made some gutsy calls (the end around option, the fake FG), but mostly timid ones. What ever happened to throwing down the field?

-If the 'Skins want to do anything this year, the D needs to be better with the game on the line in the 4th.

-The offense is, overall, exactly the same as it was in the second half of last year: limited. Run left, dink and dunk, Cooley over the middle, one deep bomb attempt a game. It's a formula for, I don't know, 17-ish points per game.

-CAMPBELL. SHOTGUN. CAMPBELL. SHOTGUN. CAMPBELL. SHOTGUN. CAMPBELL. SHOTGUN. If I don't hear those two words at least 20 times a game from the announcers, I will be an angry man.

-While we're at it, let's try the hurry up earlier in the game, no? Yes, the Giants were in the prevent, but Campbell looks comfortable when he is in a rhythm like that. I like what JC does when he is comfortable, don't you?

-Orakpo was quiet.

-Fletcher is a tackling machine. 11 solo, 7 assists, a pass defended. If he gets hurt, call it a season.

-Big Al did what he got paid to do.

Mostly bad things happened today. But it's just one game, against a Super Bowl contender, in their house, on opening day. It could have been worse. Some might say it should have been, and the score doesn't really reflect how easily the Giants dominated this game.

More analysis to follow from the rest of the DCLS crew.

Not So Breaking News Bulletin: World Wide Leader Doesn't Know ANYTHING!

I just thought this list, actually published TODAY, was so ridiculous it deserved its own news bulletin. I'll preface it with this: the unsigned Michael Crabtree is a more notable Week One rookie to watch than Brian Orakpo, or Matt Stafford for that matter. I've lost all faith in humanity.

Ranking the Top 25 Redskins

Picture this extremely unmagical and highly unrealistic scenario:

The Redskins were suddenly contracted.

What would happen next is a dispersal draft would take place, relocating our beloved Redskins one-by-one to different cities around the league.

Obviously, teams would draft in consideration of a number of variables such as team needs, ability, character, age, contract status, etc.

For the sake of this blog post, and the big board below, we have decided to disregard all things contractual in an attempt to assess the true value of each player on the football field.* However illogical it may be, for the moment try to imagine if every player made the league minimum, was signed to a life-time contract, and the Skins were no more. Which current Redskins possess the most value in a dispersal draft in this super messed up circumstance?

1. Albert Haynesworth - This one is pretty much a no-brainer, although the fact that he has only played the full 16 games once in his career is somewhat of a concern. Still, he's the most dominating DT in the game and certainly acts the part.
2. Brian Orakpo - The 13th overall pick in the 2009 draft is making the 12 teams that passed on him look like dinguses. Maybe one of them would learn from their mistake in the dispersal draft? He has the tools to become scary good.
3. LaRon Landry - From a very biased (obviously) standpoint, he is quite possibly the most physically gifted safety in the league. Whether he puts it all together and becomes the star most scouts envisioned when he was drafted still remains to be seen, but he's only 24. I like his chances.
4. Jason Campbell - All you haters can suck it. He's a quarterback. He's the epitome of class. He's got a cannon for an arm. He's only 27. He's big. He's mobile. His teammates love him. Disliking him is an impossibility. He has value, and he has a lot of it.
5. Carlos Rogers - Yea, he drops passes that are thrown right at him. But there's plenty of value in a shutdown corner, which Rogers can be when he's on top of his game. Oh, and there's this.
6. Chris Cooley - He's got great hands, runs good routes, blocks like a champ, never goes down after first contact, and has a smokin' hot wife.
7. DeAngelo Hall - He's only 25, which is weird, because it seems like he's been in the league for about 10 years. He still has elite speed and big play ability. He also still has questionable character and can be inconsistent in coverage. So...
8. Santana Moss - Homerun hitter that can go the distance every time the ball's in his hands. Unfortunately those hands are questionable, as is his ability to stay healthy.
9. Clinton Portis - Ranking this low is no knock on Portis, whom I love in a borderline heterosexual way. But his age (28) and career carries (2,052) aren't headed south any time soon, and the wealth of good young running backs around the league makes him somewhat expendable in this scenario.
10. Chris Samuels - Slowly on the decline but still able to protect the blindside, and pretty well at that. Should have a few more excellent seasons left in the tank.
11. Chris Horton - He had a better rookie season than anyone could have envisioned. He's not the most physically gifted player but always seems to find the ball and make plays.
12. London Fletcher - His age is somewhat a concern but his durability is not, having NEVER missed a game in 11 years. Jesus. Great defensive quarterback who also happens to be a tackling machine.
13. Derrick Dockery - Above average guard who excels in the running game. He turns 29 in a few days, so he's not old, but he's also not young...I don't really have much to say about Derrick Dockery.
14. Casey Rabach - He's 32 but a good center cannot be undervalued. Plus, centers have been known to have pretty long careers.
15. Mike Sellers - He's one of the best fullbacks in the game, Redskins fan or not. He can catch out of the backfield, plow through you, or screw it, leap over you. But most importantly, he is a bruising blocker and a scary-looking dude, the two prerequisites to being a great fullback.
16. Andre Carter - He's 30 years old, by no means a star, and most likely on the decline, but he's still got some value in his underrated speed off the edge. Would probably benefit by not being the primary guy.
17. Malcolm Kelly - Still somewhat of a mystery, although an excellent preseason has restored some of the previous hype. Good hands, GREAT flow.
18. Kedric Golston - He's only 26 and massively underrated, IMHO. Would be a starter on most teams in the league, especially those without the guy ranked first on this list occupying their d-line.
19. Rocky McIntosh- Injuries have slowed him considerably, but he's still tackles like a champ when healthy.
20. Stephon Heyer - He's still very raw but looks to have the size to succeed at right tackle. Wouldn't be an exciting pick, but also wouldn't be baseless or impractical.
21. Devin Thomas - See Kelly, Malcolm, but subtract a few tenths of a second off the 40-time, and add the words "lacks" and "focus" right next to one another.
22. Antwaan Randle-El - Has a lot of value as a slot receiver and emergency quarterback. Can return punts for you if you're not big on production.
23. Cornelius Griffin - Makes the list in spite of his age (32) because of his career body of work and the respect he commands as a defensive leader.
24. Lorenzo Alexander - He's only 26 years old and is without a definite position, but his size and versatility - plays offense, defense, and special teams - and willingness to do whatever is asked of him gets him on this list.
25. Ladell Betts - How many of you knew he is actually 2 years older than Clinton Portis? In football years, however, he's probably about 6 years younger, and has proven to be a more than servicable feature back. In other words, seems like he's got a lot left in the tank.

Guys who just missed the cut: Anthony Montgomery, Kevin Barnes, Rock Cartwright, Marko Mitchell, Colt Brennan

[Images via SI.com, Sean Conroy Blog, and Bleacher Report]

*This also may not be too impractical an exercise as the NFL seems to be headed toward an uncapped season in 2010-2011.

The Redskins Look.........Good?

Okay, so we don't totally suck. I also realize now that last week's Ravens game wasn't boring because the presason is boring, it was boring because the Zornstar and co. walked out at the beginning of the game and took a huge dump on the 50 yard line (actually, that would have been really exciting).

For those of you who missed it, the game opened with a wimpy 3-and-out against the full-strength defending Super Bowl champion defense. But then, a moment of inspiration from Zorn, who had made it relatively clear that he wanted the first-team offense to get a good amount of reps tonight: a fake punt. Not something we would normally want to practice or show, but it allowed JC, CP, and the bunch to get a few more plays...and man did we take advantage. We marched right down the field, having little trouble with the Steelers' rush. Yes, Ladell Betts was stuffed on 2nd and 3rd down from close, but that would usually be Portis, and I wouldn't let those two stuffs override an otherwise great drive against the best team in the league last year. Going for 6 seemed like an easy decision, but I think Zorn wanted to finally get some points on the board and ensure we kept the momentum. The 2nd drive was back to a wimpy 3-and-out, but there was a more than enough there to make me believe in this offense.

The first-team D kept that momentum going from the FG, albeit against a Steelers offense that is far from prolific when full strength, and downright bad without Big Ben...and this is me trying to blockout Byron Leftwich torching us last year. The D line was all over Charlie Batch, with Haynesworth looking well worth his contract. Rak continued to look great with the first teamers. The D also was shredded by the pass on the 2nd drive, but again, you can see this D being an absolute terror.

Yeah, it's the preseason, and the first units each only went 1-for-2, but against a similar opponent from last season, it's hard not to see the strides of progress to the point that we can at least compete with anybody in this league. That all-too familiar taste for Skins fans is hope, but maybe this time we don't have to take it with a grain of salt.

Other notes:
-Kick/punt coverage and returns were awful. This is particularly embarassing when you realize that guys are playing for their jobs on these units.

-Orakpo continues to shine rushing the qb.

-Malcolm Kelly has the best hands on the team.

-Devin Thomas still doesn't look ready and he is running out of time to figure it out.

-DJ Hacket had to make that catch at the end of the 2nd quarter. If he isn't playing teams, and his birth certificate is legit, then he needs to be great as a WR. I am a believer, as he has been a Football Outsiders metric king in the past with great success rates in limited opportunities, but injuries have prevented him from getting taking the next step.

-Marko Mitchell has been getting love from the Wapo and apparently his teammates for the 5th receiver spot, and looked pretty damn good on that TD catch. Even though his feet were a bit sloppy, it was a nice catch.

-Colt Brennan is going to get a run for his money for the 3rd qb spot from Chase Daniel.

-I don't know him personally, but I have to think Fred Davis needed that forced fumble and TD.

(Image courtesy of the AP via ESPN.com)

Ray Lewis, Jesus, and...Brian Orakpo?

Let's be real here.

Skepticism of the Redskins' plan to create a special hybrid role for Brian Orakpo, the 13th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft for all you n00bs out there, has been rampant in the annals of the DC Landing Strip.

Let's be real one more time.

Our doubt was, and still may be, legitimate. Read: the Redskins' organization hasn't necessarily been a well-oiled machine since the Snyder era began in June of 1999, or as most of you probably remember it, the first day of elections for the European Parliament. What a crazy day?!

Frankly, there hasn't been much precedent for a stud-college-DE-turned-pro-LB in a 4-3 defense, although the transition has proven successful in several 3-4 schemes. So before we crowned Orakpo the next Terrell Suggs...err DeMarcus Ware...err Joey Porter...err James Harrison...we thought it appropriate to take a few free shots at the top of the Skins organization. A reflex is a reflex, people.

Is it time for us to eat our words?

***

Before I go any further I must shamelessly admit to a shameful history of jumping ahead of myself in a desperate search for hope in this championship starved sports town. Screw you, at least I'm not an Eagles fan.

And before you read any further swallow this grain of salt: we are only a few weeks of training camp and one preseason game into a very long season of football.

But it appears Brian Orakpo, the same Brian Orakpo of once-speculated-idiotic-creation-of-hybrid-position-in-a-4-3-defense, has brought to the table an element that the Redskins defense has lacked since we lost Sean Taylor* two seasons ago:

Fear.

Piss-in-your-pants, eyes-in-the-back-of-the-head, alligator-body fear.

(Did you really think this post wouldn't be littered with anti-Philly references? Didn't think so.)

Coaches have been pleased with his progress up to this point but understand there is room for improvement, especially in coverage.

Jim Zorn has acknowledged his exceptional speed and "think[s] we got a player there." Really, coach? I sure hope you did with the 13th overall pick.

One particular play stood out during the Skins excruciatingly boring 23-0 loss to Baltimore. It can be found at the 1:50 mark of this video recap. Orakpo absolutely drills Ravens QB Troy Smith, barely able to release the ball before smacking the turf. That play highlighted the attributes we can only hope Orakpo brings to the table every down on every Sunday: speed, strength, and intimidation.

Jason Campbell marvelled at how we have two players that opposing quarterbacks shutter at the sight of in Orakpo and Big Al Haynesworth. Combine the fear those two instill with an overdue breakout season for LaRon Landry and steady play from the rest of the defense, including a rejuvenated Phillip Daniels, and it looks like the Skins have the makings of a championship caliber defense.

Let's analyze those two words for a minute: championship caliber. The defense was outstanding last year; there is no denying that. But calling it championship caliber would be foolish given the lack of turnovers created and even one guy whom opposing offenses had to game-plan around on EVERY SINGLE PLAY.

This year could be different, and god-willing it will be. The key to it all, though, the Redskins X-Factor, if you're a fan of that cliched term, is Orakpo.

Hell, even a few Skins rookies were hazed today. Among those hazed? Not Orakpo. Perhaps his time is coming, but the only two people I'd be less likely to duct tape to a goalpost than Orakpo are Ray Lewis and Jesus. And I'm a wiz with the duct tape.

UPDATE: Orakpo taped to goal posts. Go figure.

*If you have not seen this video, watch it. And then watch it again. And again. Nothing more cathartic than a tribute to #21 with Enya playing in the background and a box of tissues on hand.

[Title Image via All Hail Redskins]

Fake Pillowfight of the Beltway

Are you ready for some football?!? Training camp and news coverage has been ongoing, but the excitement doesn't seem to get in full swing until the first preseason game (or when Hard Knocks premiers). You always hear how everyone is looking great until they actually are on display against (semi) real competition. This is depressing when you realize the o-line was actually getting negative press during preseason.

On to the game. What a suckfest, the Skins looked punchless on both sides of the ball while resting/missing a lot more key guys than the Ravens. The most notable point from tonight is that we struggled against the Ravens passing game. Yes, that's correct, the Ravens passing game gave us problems. Justin Tryon, in particular, was picked-on after getting a lot of hype about how well he has prepared for his sophomore season, and Kevin Barnes was also overmatched. Fred Davis tried to 'one-down' them by fumbling twice on the same drive. This team sorely needs depth to emerge from the ranks of the youth, but there were few bright spots tonight.

Chris Horton came from nowhere (I wasn't a geography major, but am pretty sure UCLA is in the middle of nowhere) and established himself as a playmaker in the preseason last year, and is now a solid starting safety. Tonight, Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly looked comfortable, ran some nice routes, and Kelly showed-off his hands. Despite those guys being under the microscope and performing relatively well, the guy who stood out most to me was Orakpo. Rak was a high energy guy who looked consistently tough to block on the line, too bad he is now a linebacker. Other pluses are that the o-line held their line reasonably well, which is especially important given our injury rate in that unit, and Jeremy Jarmon performed up to the hype.

Maybe it doesn't matter, maybe it does. Either way this game was pretty damn boring to watch.

(Image courtesy of didisworld.files.wordpress.com)

Orakpo Switch to OLB Rivals New Coke for Epic Stupidity

DC Landing Strip correspondent Marion's Crackpipe checks in with some opinions on Brian Orakpo and the Great Position Switch of 2009.

Last week a genius idea struck me. Let's draft the best defensive lineman in college, pay him tons of money, then make him play linebacker. No, better idea. Let's make him learn two positions!

Just when I thought I had the Mensa Genius Award locked up, Cerrato & Co. beat me to it. Not the first time, either: I once had this idea of paying an overrated white guy record-breaking amounts of cash to miss tackles for my favorite team. Cerrato took that one and ran with it, too.

'Skins first round pick Brian Orakpo, the 2008 Nagurski Award recipient given to the best defensive player in college football, is a studly pass-rushing defensive end known to make opposing qb’s o-crap-o their o-pants-o. After the 'Skins nabbed him with the 13th pick McNabb, Romo and Eli were spotted at nearby Costcos stocking up on the Astroglide. An obvious need of the 'Skins and for once, a seemingly wise draft pick by Vinny boy.

Then the truth surfaced: instead of grooming this potential sack monster to take over the LDE spot as Philip Daniels withers into obscurity, 'Skins brass has decided to cover their own ass and have Orakpo also fill the other glaring defensive need, strong-side "Sam" linebacker, simultaneously. Hey, it worked for Frankie "Zip" Joseph on the 1925 Dayton Triangles, why can't it work for Orakpo?

To be fair, Orakpo did work out before the draft as both a linebacker and d-end, and played a few pass-rushing downs at LB in college. The idea of switching college DEs to LBs at the pro level is not new, though it's riddled with tales of failure, the most recent being Vernon Gholston's struggles learning OLB in the 3-4 Jets' defense. And true, Orakpo is a bit undersized as an NFL d-end (as is Dwight Freeney, btw) and lighter DEs tend to struggle against the rush - and the 'Skins D is based on stopping the rush.

But that's because the 'Skins run a 4-3 defense in which the linebackers must drop into coverage, audible at the line, know varied gap and blocker assignments, and generally do the sort of things a college DE like Orakpo would never have learned. The 'Skins, though, think so highly of Orakpo that they're making him learn all this while figuring out DE at the NFL level. Most 'Skins fans would be happy with just modest gains in the latter.



In classic Cerrato fashion, a domino effect of personnel and cap mismanagement has led to a seemingly desperate move. Last year, it was throwing away this year's second rounder (which could have been used to draft an outside LB, for example) for Jason Taylor because the 'Skins had no roster depth after Daniels went down (we also switched JT's position; how'd that work out?). This year, it's forcing a rookie to play two positions because there was neither cap room nor the draft picks to obtain a reliable starter at both.

Look, there's a fine line between getting the most out of talented personnel and setting a kid up for failure, and Redskins management has completely obliterated that line once again. It's why guys like Bruce Smith, Deion Sanders and even the great Joe Gibbs are considered failures upon departure, even if they did well during their tenures. It's why insane athletes like Sean Taylor aren't forced to learn second positions, even if they have the build for it. It's tough enough for Orakpo to shoulder the burden of becoming the 'Skins' entire pass rush, but then to expect him to learn a completely new skill set? In a few short months?

I understand that Orakpo will still be unleashed as a pass rusher on 3rd and long, and might very well become a Pro Bowl level OLB, who knows. And maybe he's the kind of kid who thrives under weighty expectations. I just feel like I've seen this movie before, and in a Redskins Nation where patience has gone the way of the do-do bird, I'm anxious to see how it plays out. Hint: I can already hear the "Orak-poo" calls coming.

[Orakpo image via SIKids.com]

-Marion's Crackpipe