Fredericksburg.com - Blogs: Rich Campbell

*RB Clinton Portis traveled to Pittsburgh today to be evaluated by a concussion specialist, coach Jim Zorn said. Portis is following the lead of concussed Philadelphia Eagles RB Brian Westbrook, who earlier this week met with met with Dr. Mark Lovell, a neuropsychologist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Medicine Concussion Program.

*DT Albert Haynesworth (sprained left ankle) is officially listed as questionable for Sunday's game against Dallas. He is still a game-time decision. "Albert was on the treadmill today working," Zorn said.

*FB Eddie Williams was carted off the field near the end of this morning's practice. He was to have his left ankle x-rayed. No word, yet, on the results or the severity of his injury.

*The Redskins still aren't saying whether CB Carlos Rogers will start on Sunday. "He could, but right now we've got a little mix going," Zorn said. "We like what we're seeing out there. I like what I'm seeing in Carlos and how he's responded to the situation. Sometimes it happens where you just have to bide your time and wait for your next opportunity. I know with Carlos it will come, and I think he knows it will come as well."

*Offensive line coach Joe Bugel believes LT Levi Jones could have a future with the Redskins beyond this season. "I think he realizes this is an audition for him and he's going to play his rear end off," Bugel said. "I like guys like that."

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The Redskins' zone run-blocking scheme

Nov. 20, 2009 1:36 pm

After the Redskins' offense woke up from its season-long nap last Sunday, I figured I should go heavy this week on stories about the offense. I mean, who knows how long this production will last, right? By Sunday night, the storyline might revert to ineptitude.

So for Thursday's paper I wrote about Sunday's improved offensive line play. And for today, my story was about the Redskins recent success in the red zone. Check them out if you're hungry for some Redskins positivity.

In talking to a number of players and coaches for the two stories, I realized that I didn't know enough about the Redskins' zone run-blocking scheme. A lot of teams run similar schemes, and this isn't anything new with the Redskins--they've been doing it for a while now. But I realized that I needed a tutorial, and it helps to have access to the men responsible for coaching and executing it.

I spoke to offensive coordinator Sherman Smith (who calls Washington's running plays) and left guard Derrick Dockery about it.

In oversimplified terms, zone blocking requires offensive linemen to block in front of the running back's aiming point. Linemen don't necessarily come to the line of scrimmage with a specific defender to block, as they would in a ‘man' blocking scheme. They know the play is designed to go one direction, so they lead in that direction and try to clear a path. Then it's up to the running back to read which hole or cutback lane will allow him to gain the most yardage.

When the zone blocking scheme is working effectively, as it was for much of Sunday's game--especially in the second half, you'll see two Redskins linemen double-teaming a defensive lineman off the snap in a combination block. Then, one of those linemen will break off and proceed into the second level to block a linebacker or defensive back.

If the running back can get past the line of scrimmage before making his first cut, that keeps the defense on its heels. Ladell Betts did a very good job with this on Sunday, in part because he had some big holes at the point of attack.

Here are some Q&A's that get into more details. I found them helpful, and I hope you do, too.

Q: Describe in layman's terms what zone blocking is?

Dockery: "Zone blocking is a combination of five guys working together. Usually you try to get as many double teams as you can, whether it's guard/tackle or center/guard, backside-guard/center, backside-guard/tackle. Sometimes guys are going to be matched up one-on-one, so the most [important] part is trying to get two guys on one and work from a D-lineman to a linebacker."

Q: What are some of the keys to success?

Smith: "They have combination blocks to the second level, so it's timing. Guys have to work on their timing coming off-tight ends working with tackles, tackling working with guards, [fullback] Mike Sellers working with the tight ends."

Q: So linemen are making reads at the line of scrimmage regarding which defenders to double team?

Smith: "It would be great if everyone could hear all the conversation that goes on between those guys. A lot of times if you can get people set, then guys can see their blocking combinations. Then they know: OK, here we're going to ‘Ted' block, here we're going to ‘Tuss' block, we're going to "deuce" to this, "trey" to that. That's what you hear them saying up there. They're just saying here are our blocking combinations as we zone block."

Q: How is that different from man blocking?

Smith: "Most of the time if you're running trap plays, counter plays, [blocking assignments] are more specific. There's going to be a kick-out block, and [the running back goes] inside the kick-out block. On zone plays you give them an aiming point, but you say, ‘Read it.' Let's say that's my aiming point, you could get there and the defender is going that way. That means I'm going the other way. You go to an aiming point."

Q: And you all did that better on Sunday against Denver?

Smith: "If there's success, you did it better. And a lot of zone blocking is just getting on a guy. If you get on a guy, then a good running back can use that. The big thing you don't want to do with zone blocking is turn people free. If you turn people free, that's a problem. In zone blocking, we tell them: If you can stay on your guy, then a halfway decent running back can do something."

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Thursday quick hits

Nov. 19, 2009 4:02 pm

*RB Clinton Portis (concussion) will not play against Dallas on Sunday, coach Jim Zorn said. No surprise there. Ladell Betts will start.

*DT Albert Haynesworth did not practice and will be a game-time decision on Sunday. He was sporting a walking boot to protect his sprained left ankle yesterday. "I'm alright," was all he would say.

*OT Mike Williams (ankle) was limited in practice. He'll be a game-time decision on Sunday and would only play in a reserve role, Zorn said.

*Secondary coach Jerry Gray has decided who the Redskins' second starting cornerback will be on Sunday, but he's not telling for strategic reasons. We have several indications that it will be Carlos Rogers.

*Big plays are a huge concern for the defense after surrendering six long touchdowns in the last three games (three long passes, three long runs). Dallas has a surplus of explosive players on offense, so the defense is on even higher alert: "Because they have so many weapons at the skill positions, you have to be disciplined in what you're doing and understand that," linebacker London Fletcher said. "At any point in time, the guy you're covering could be the guy they try to get the ball to for a big-play opportunity. It's all about being disciplined."

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Wednesday quick hits

Nov. 18, 2009 3:58 pm

What you need to know from today at Redskins Park:

*RB Clinton Portis almost certainly won't play on Sunday against Dallas. Head coach Jim Zorn isn't ruling him out yet, but Portis is still experiencing post-concussion symptoms.

*For Portis to return, he must pass a conditioning test by the Redskins after he's symptom free. Then he'll be tested again 24 hours later. Zorn isn't sure for how long Portis needs to be symptom free before the team begins the tests.

*CB Carlos Rogers practiced with the starting defense today. Neither secondary coach Jerry Gray nor Zorn would commit to Rogers as the starter, but it seems likely that Rogers will start a week after being benched. "I don't expect to be on the bench, but like I said, I made a mistake," Rogers said. "It happened. Whatever the consequences is, I've got to deal with it. I've got to live with it. If that's not playing, I'm here to support the team."

*DT Albert Haynesworth (sprained left ankle) did not attend practice today. Zorn likely will decide on Haynesworth's availability for Dallas over the weekend. That means he probably won't practice at all this week.

*RB Ladell Betts is flattered by fans' desire for him to be the full-time starting running back. "It is a compliment," Betts said, "but at the same time I understand my role on this team."

*P Hunter Smith was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after throwing a touchdown pass against Denver. He said his former teammate Peyton Manning texted him: "Nice TD throw." Smith said he texted back: "You need to get your quarterback rating up where mine is."

*DL Lorenzo Alexander won the Redskins' special teams "hit stick" this week. Coach Danny Smith awards it each week to the Redskin who makes the biggest special teams tackle. Alexander got it for his crushing his on Denver's LaMont Jordan. He leads the team with two hit stick wins this season.

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Week 10: Game Balls, Gassers and Observations

Nov. 18, 2009 10:31 am

Before moving on to Dallas week, here's my recap of the Redskins' best and worst performances from their 27-17 win over the Broncos, and a few observations from re-watching the game. After this one, there are a lot more game balls to go around.

GAME BALLS

RB Ladell Betts: After missing practice almost all week because of an injured ankle, Betts showed no ill-effects on Sunday. He ran hard and took advantage of a very good performance by his offensive line. Betts was elusive, too. He ran through S Brian Dawkins on one play in the fourth quarter, turning a 9-yard run into a 17-yard gain. He displayed his strength in getting across the goal line for the winning score. I'm eager to see him start against Dallas. It's foolish to rush Clinton Portis back if he's still experiencing post-concussion symptoms.

C Casey Rabach: I've been down on Rabach, but I'm more than willing to give him credit for his best game of the season. He was much better in pass protection this week and frequently created some effective running lanes. On Rock Carwright's 17-yard run in the first quarter, Rabach fought off NT Ronald Fields and got to LB D.J. Williams. He also made a tremendous block on second-and-12 on the game-winning drive that allowed Ladell Betts to gain 11 yards.

LT Levi Jones: Jones wasn't perfect in pass protection, but considering that this was his first start since last season, he did very well. He helped seal off Denver's defensive line on Betts' game-winning touchdown run. He drove DE Kenny Peterson to the outside on Cartwright's 17-yard run in the first-quarter.

LB/DE Brian Orakpo: He had 1.5 sacks and 5 solo tackles. His numbers as a pass-rusher speak for themselves, but Orakpo also perfectly snuffed out a screen pass on the first series to make a tackle for no gain. That's progress at linebacker.

DE Andre Carter: Carter was disruptive in the passing game and took advantage of Denver's switch to rusty QB Chris Simms. He had 1.5 sacks. But Carter was also stout in the run game with aggressive pursuit and effective backside contain. He had 7 tackles. He responded well from a quiet game last week. Denver chipped him and double-teamed him a few times, and he should continue to see that as his sack total increases.

P Hunter Smith: Smith's touchdown throw was the Redskins' play of the year so far. His pump fake, which was part of the play design, froze the defense. And he had just enough oomph on the throw to get it back across the field to Mike Sellers. I'd like to see some of his high school quarterback highlights.

FB Mike Sellers: Sellers gets a game ball despite his ineffective block and holding penalty on a critical fourth-and-1 in the third quarter. He blocked well for most of the game while playing on the line of scrimmage as a tight end. He also did well to slip downfield to haul in punter Hunter Smith's throw for a touchdown.

TE Fred Davis: The Redskins' leading receiver (4 receptions, 50 yards) also maintained his improved blocking. Perhaps he has turned the corner in that regard.

DL Lorenzo Alexander: His crushing hit on LaMont Jordan during a kickoff return was worthy of the highlight reel. But Alexander's forced fumble in the second quarter was even better. He was 7 yards behind the play at one point but hustled to pop RB Correll Buckhalter from behind.

S Reed Doughty: Doughty told me two weeks ago that the key to the Redskins' recovering more fumbles is to pursue the ballcarrier even after you hear the whistle blow. That aggressive mentality led Doughty to his recovery of Buckhalter's first-quarter fumble. He also led the team with 9 tackles. He has been great against the run this season.

DT Albert Haynesworth: Despite frequently being double-teamed, he continues to exert his will on opposing offensive linemen. He showed some toughness in returning from an ankle injury to produce a critical hurry on Chris Simms late in the game. I also saw Haynesworth trucking downfield in pursuit of WR Eddie Royal, and he batted down a pass on first-and-goal at the 10 in the second quarter. The Redskins need his ankle to be healthy this week.

CB DeAngelo Hall: His fourth-quarter interception on a horrid deep throw by Chris Simms was a game-changer. That is enough for me to overlook his boneheaded lateral to LaRon Landry on the return and his missed tackle of RB Knowshon Moreno on Denver's first play of the second half.

WR Devin Thomas: He broke four tackles with a superb individual effort on a quick catch-and-run on third-and-3 on the game-winning TD drive. He also showed some awareness on a sideline catch on third down in the third quarter when he fell to his knees to stay in bounds. Thomas also blocked fairly well, for the most part, in the run game.

RB Quinton Ganther: He had a very rugged blitz pickup against S Renaldo Hill, who blitzed on a second-and-8 off the right edge. He stayed on the block, too, which helped QB Jason Campbell scramble for 14 yards. Normally this isn't enough to earn a game ball, but running backs who can pass protect are at a premium for the Redskins.

GASSERS

CB Carlos Rogers: He was benched after being victimized for a touchdown on a double move for the second time in three games. He didn't step foot on the field after Denver's first series. Rogers has some big money at stake over the final seven games (he'll be a restricted free agent at season's end), so I expect him to respond accordingly.

FS LaRon Landry: He charged the line of scrimmage and gave up his deep responsibilities on Brandon Marshall's 75-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter. He also missed a tackle in the first quarter, but this time it actually helped the Redskins. It slowed RB Correll Buckhalter up enough for him to be stripped from behind by Lorenzo Alexander.

FS Kareem Moore: Moore was toasted by WR Eddie Royal on a double move in the second quarter. He breathed a sigh of relief after QB Kyle Orton overthrew a sure touchdown. That play would have made it 21-7, and I doubt the Redskins would have recovered. With SS Chris Horton out, he didn't show that he deserves more playing time.

NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS

*A couple guys did some good things, but their play was too uneven to get a game ball. Others weren't so good, but they weren't bad enough to earn a gasser. Still, they're worth noting:

--QB Jason Campbell missed potential touchdown throws to Santana Moss and Todd Yoder in the first half. He was inaccurate throughout the first half, and I thought he held the ball too long at times. But he helped the Redskins with his legs, again, and made a nice checkdown to Yoder for a first-quarter touchdown.

--RT Stephon Heyer played his best game of the season. His pass sets are too deep sometimes, and that disrupts Campbell in the pocket. But Heyer positively impacted the running game for the first time this season.

--K Shaun Suisham made both his field goals in the fourth quarter on a soggy field. To me, that's more important than his two kickoffs out of bounds. Still, those mistakes could have been costly.

--LB Rocky McIntosh had 4 solo tackles and 2 assists, but he also missed some. LB London Fletcher had only two tackles and missed a couple others. He has been quiet the last two games.

*Campbell dropped back to pass 31 times. He took a three-step drop from under center 6 times. He dropped 3 or fewer steps out of the shotgun 14 times. The Redskins rolled Campbell out twice. Two of his three sacks came on 5-step drops. The other was a 3-step drop.

*The Redskins did not turn the ball over and committed only two penalties. It's not a coincidence that they won.

*The blame for Denver's two long touchdown passes rests with Washington's secondary, but it's worth nothing that on the Broncos' four deep passes, their quarterbacks had too much time to scan the field because the pass rush wasn't effective.

*CB Justin Tryon blitzed twice out of the slot but never reached the quarterback.

*DeAngelo Hall did not go back to return a punt. Santana Moss didn't after he was face-masked down.

*The soggy field adversely affected footing for both teams, and it led to more than a few missed tackles.

*Jason Campbell fumbled in the third quarter when he was sacked by Andra Davis at the Washington 44-yard line. The Redskins caught a HUGE break that the referees said Campbell's forward progress was stopped. It wasn't.

*CB Fred Smoot played solidly in place of Carlos Rogers. The Redskins might not like Smoot as their slot corner, but he's an adequate corner on the edge. Let's see if he starts this week.

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Highlights of Jim Zorn's radio show today

Nov. 17, 2009 12:48 pm

Things have really calmed down on Jim Zorn's radio show since Vinny Cerrato said Zorn would be the head coach for the rest of the season late last month. It makes you wonder why the organization didn't take control of that messy situation sooner.

Anyways, the hightlights of today's show were:

*TE Chris Cooley will visit a doctor on Monday to have his broken ankle re-evaluated. If the news isn't good, Zorn will consider ending Cooley's season by placing him on injured reserve.

*RB Ladell Betts might get carries on second down and might get entire series to himself after Clinton Portis returns.

*As for Portis, there's no update on his status. Zorn says he'll err on the side of caution in bringing CP back from his concussion.

*Zorn went on to talk about Portis' participation in practices, or lack thereof. Add Zorn to the list of Redskins that believe practicing makes a difference and that players just can't flip on the switch on game day.

*No decision has been made regarding the starting cornerback opposite DeAngelo Hall. Zorn wants to talk to Carlos Rogers first. He'll tell Rogers to wait for his next chance. It was hardly an endorsement.

*Zorn feels "a little bit better" about the offensive line after its performance on Sunday against Denver. He liked the surge it provided at the point of attack.

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Gruden signs a contract extension with ESPN (updated)

Nov. 16, 2009 11:35 am

Nothing like some Jon Gruden news to bring Redskins fans back to grim reality. Yesterday's win alone isn't going to save Jim Zorn.

ESPN announced this morning that the Super Bowl champion head coach has signed a multi-year extension to continue as one of its Monday Night Football broadcast analysts.

"Working with Mike, [Ron Jaworski] and our entire Monday Night Football team is the most fun I have had in years, and I am fired up to make this long-term commitment to ESPN," Gruden said in a statement. "Monday Night Football is special and I look forward to remaining a part of it and continuing to call these great games."

ESPN isn't saying whether Gruden's contract allows him to leave to take a head coaching job. That's obviously where the Redskins' interest in the matter comes in. Some media have pegged him as one of the top candidates to replace Zorn at the end of the season.

UPDATE (at 3:46 p.m.)

I just received a comment from ESPN spokesman Bill Hofheimer. He would not comment on the terms of Gruden's deal but did offer the following:

"Jon is committed to Monday Night Football for multiple years and his decision to sign this extension is a clear indication of that," Hofheimer said. "He will not be seeking any coaching positions for the foreseeable future. We expect to have Jon here at ESPN for a long time."

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Week 10: Initial thoughts (Redskins 27, Broncos 17)

Nov. 15, 2009 11:07 pm

These are my initial thoughts on the Redskins' 27-17 victory over the Denver Broncos. Keep in mind that I haven't watched the game on DVR yet, and that these are in no particular order:

*It might be a moot point because of Clinton Portis' concussion, but I don't see how Jim Zorn could sit RB Ladell Betts against Dallas. If you consider how well Betts has played the last two weeks, he has to be in the game. He is finding running lanes better and hitting them harder and more decisively than Portis has been. That's not up for debate. (Zorn said today that Portis will be the starter whenever he returns.)

*In reading between the lines of some of the comments coming from the Redskins' offensive linemen, they really, really like blocking for Betts because he regularly practices with them. I don't expect any to come out and say they'd prefer Betts to start over Portis, but it's worth monitoring.

*It has been so long since the Redskins' running game was consistently productive that it felt bizarre to see it today. Who's with me on this? I forgot what it looked like.

*Rock Cartwright isn't a game-breaking running back, but the Redskins used him effectively to spell Betts. He hasn't been shy at times about his desire for more carries, and he made the most of his nine today (41 yards).

*Today's game should provide Daniel Snyder and Vinny Cerrato with more evidence that offensive line play is the key to winning.

*LG Derrick Dockery and C Casey Rabach had their best games of the season. By far.

*Levi Jones was a significant upgrade at left tackle--not that it took much to improve on Stephon Heyer's play. But Jones looked good in the run game and more than serviceable in pass protection. Of all the Redskins auditioning for their future in the NFL, Jones is at the top of the list. He's 30, so he isn't over the hill by ruthless NFL standards. Judging by what we saw today, left tackle is his for the rest of the season if he can stay healthy. Remember that the Redskins will need a left tackle and quarterback after this season. What if Jones can fill the LT spot in the short term while a rookie QB is brought in? Just a thought.

*CB Carlos Rogers and FS LaRon Landry looked so bad on the two deep touchdown passes to Brandon Marshall. Rogers bit on the double move and Landry was out of position because he ran up on a shorter route. Both players are not having good seasons, and teams will continue to try to expose them. It'll be interesting to see Rogers' role going forward after he was benched today.

*Bravo to special teams coach Danny Smith and Co. for the fake field goal/punt for a touchdown. Plays like that reek of desperation, but the Redskins are a desperate team. Credit Smith for sticking with the play-call even after showing his hand before the timeout. It was brilliantly designed and brilliantly executed. What a throw by P Hunter Smith. In hindsight, I'm sure the Broncos wish they would have rushed Smith more aggressively. But as Danny Smith pointed out, teams don't always know how to react when you show them something they've never seen before.

*QB Jason Campbell left a handful of throws out there--again. He overthrew an open Santana Moss on a deep ball down the left sideline in the first half. He didn't see a WIDE open Todd Yoder down the seam for what would have been an easy touchdown. He threw a potential touchdown pass behind Devin Thomas on a first-quarter slant. He did, however, make a nice checkdown to Yoder--who was the second read--on his first-quarter touchdown pass.

*If Denver QB Kyle Orton...1) hits Eddie Royal on the second half play when he beat Kareem Moore deep, and/or 2) doesn't get injured, I think the Broncos win that game. Backup QB Chris Simms was atrocious.

*Play-caller Sherm Lewis successfully stuck with the quick passes that worked well in the second half against Atlanta. Maybe he'll talk to us now that the Redskins have won a game.

*DE Andre Carter returned to top form after a one game slump. He and LB/DE Brian Orakpo have become quite the tandem. The Redskins now have 24 sacks this season, which equals their 2008 total. I can't believe I just typed that on Nov. 15.

*RG Chad Rinehart, meh. I've gotta watch the tape on him, though.

*Yeah, K Shaun Suisham kicked two kickoffs out of bounds. That's bad. The Redskins wanted to pin Eddie Royal in the corner, but Suisham's kicks got away from him. Still, he made both of his field goal attempts. That's a net positive.

*10 different players caught passes. Fred Davis, Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly all contributed positively in the passing game. It's not a coincidence that the Redskins won.

*Jim Zorn noted afterwards how well the receivers blocked in the run game. I saw some of that and expect to see more when I watch the tape.

*TE Todd Yoder made two enormous plays. He caught the touchdown in the first quarter and delivered a crushing lead block for Ladell Betts' decisive touchdown. Yoder has played well with Cooley out of the lineup, and it has helped minimize the dropoff.

*DL Lorenzo Alexander stood out for two positive plays. He forced a fumble by Denver RB Correll Buckhalter in the first half and absolutely wrecked LaMont Jordan on a kickoff return in the second. When role players are making plays like that, it goes a long way toward winning.

*We've already started to hear talk about how today's win is what the Redskins need to get on a roll. The first win is the toughest to get, etc, etc. But the Broncos are slumping and played the second half with their terrible backup quarterback. Going to Dallas and beating a wounded Cowboys team is something else altogether. If the Redskins can pull that off, I'll be much more impressed.

...that's it for now. What did I miss? Leave a comment for me, email me, or tweet me @Rich_Campbell.

Tomorrow is a Victory Monday for the players. We reporters will talk to Jim Zorn at 12:25 and hopefully a player or two before that.

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Friday quick hits

Nov. 13, 2009 1:24 pm

*RB Ladell Betts was limited in practice by his sprained left ankle, but he and coach Jim Zorn both expect Betts to start on Sunday against Denver. Zorn wants Betts to handle duties on every down, not come out on third.

*T Stephon Heyer was limited in practice by his sprained left knee. Zorn expects Heyer to start at right tackle on Sunday. Heyer hopes his knee will feel significantly better after the 48 hours between now and kickoff.

*P Hunter Smith punted in practice today and said his ailing groin felt good. Zorn will wait until tomorrow to make a roster move, just to be certain that Smith isn't sore the day after. The Redskins will almost certainly will carry only one punter into Sunday's game.

*RB Clinton Portis is still experiencing what Zorn called "ringing" in his ears, a symptom of the concussion Portis suffered last game. Um, I'm not a doctor, but that's not good. Portis will be re-evaluated on Monday.

*RB Quinton Ganther said he has been staying up late studying his playbook in case he is called upon on Sunday.

*The Redskins put a greater emphasis this week in practice on tackling, LB London Fletcher said. They tackled poorly against Atlanta last week.

*Play-caller Sherm Lewis still isn't talking to reporters. I asked him after practice if he was willing to chat. Denied!

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Thursday quick hits

Nov. 12, 2009 4:22 pm

A rundown from today at Redskins Park:

*Chad Rinehart will replace Will Montgomery as the starting right guard, according to Rinehart and offensive coordinator Sherman Smith.

*RB Clinton Portis will not play Sunday against Denver, coach Jim Zorn said.

*RB Ladell Betts, who is in line to start in place of Portis, missed his second straight practice with a sprained ankle.

*P Hunter Smith will test his ailing groin tomorrow to see if he can play on Sunday.

*OL Mike Williams says he expects to be back in two to four weeks. He was sporting a walking boot on his left foot/leg.

*A couple national media outlets reported that the amounts of the fines for last Sunday's sideline skirmish in Atlanta are as follows: Falcons head coach Mike Smith - $15,000; Redskins DT Albert Haynesworth - $7,500; Redskins FS LaRon Landry - $5,000, Falcons director of athletic performance Jeff Fish - $2,500; and Redskins CB DeAngelo Hall was not fined. Hall would not speak to reporters today.

*Did not participate in practice: LB Ladell Betts (ankle), RB Clinton Portis (concussion), TE Chris Cooley (right ankle), OL Mike Williams (left ankle).

*Limited in practice: T Stephon Heyer (left knee), CB Byron Westbrook (knee)

*QB Jason Campbell (ankle) fully participated.

*Secondary coach Jerry Gray met with reporters today. His highlights:

**The Redskins should have practiced more tackling during their preparation for last week's game against Atlanta, Gray said. Why didn't they? "Because we hadn't been faced with that," Gray said. "We had been a good tackling defense. We hadn't missed a lot tackles. You assume it's going to be a carry-over. But again, hindsight is 20-20."

**The Redskins' tackling-not gap responsibility or positioning-was to blame for Atlanta RB Michael Turner's big game last Sunday. "It wasn't gaps," he said. "It was attitude about getting him down. ...He made the cuts and we didn't make the tackles."

**LaRon Landry is not miscast as a free safety, Gray said. "He is our best free. He's a guy that can go from sideline to sideline. It just so happens that he may be our best strong, too. So you can't have two of him. The thing is we have to put him where it's good for us."

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Week 9: Game Balls and Gassers, and more

Nov. 11, 2009 2:58 am

Here's my recap of the Redskins' best and worst performances from Sunday's 31-17 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. I've also included some of my random thoughts and observations after re-watching the game on DVR.

GAME BALLS

Brian Orakpo, LB: He had two sacks and now leads all NFL rookies with 5.5 on the season. He made a great read on his first one. He was responsible for covering Atlanta running back Verron Haynes if Haynes released into a pass route. But once Haynes went to chip Albert Haynesworth on the right edge, Orakpo switched his sights to quarterback Matt Ryan and pulled him down. That was some impressive quick thinking.

Kedric Golston, DT: He continued his streak of fine play. He provided a great push to help force an intentional grounding penalty. Earlier, he made a terrific hustle play to get down the field after a screen pass and make a tackle. Golston has really improved since a lackluster start to the season. He's one of the Redskins' best defenders right now.

Rocky McIntosh, LB: McIntosh made an incredibly athletic catch on his interception. He also did well in his pass drop on that play, turning his back to the line of scrimmage to get depth and then turning and finding the ball. On the down side, he and London Fletcher both bit on a decoy and chased the play in the wrong direction on Michael Turner's 30-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Still, he was a bright spot.

Ladell Betts, RB: Betts showed a greater burst attacking the line of scrimmage than Clinton Portis has in a long time. He finished with 70 yards and a touchdown on only 15 carries. Betts says that he's a much better runner when he gets a lot of carries and develops a rhythm. He'll probably have a chance to back that up on Sunday against Denver.

Jason Campbell, QB: He didn't make all of his reads or his throws, but he was as tough as nails. He returned to the game after suffering a painful ankle injury in the fourth quarter. He's not going to quit on this team, even if the offensive line is hanging him out to dry.

Shaun Suisham, K: Add a 48-yard field goal to his stat sheet. He's having a fantastic season.

Sam Paulescu, P: He averaged 50 yards (46 net) on three punts because he was able to control his emotions and relax. That's impressive for a player who knows he's punting for his future with each kick.

Fred Davis, blocking TE: For as much criticism as Davis rightfully fielded after his atrocious blocking in the Philly game, his extra blocking practice in the bye week paid off against Atlanta. He wasn't dominant, and he was beaten on one of the Falcons' five sacks, but he got a much better push overall because of a lower pad level, improved hand placement and better footwork. Let's see if he can keep it up.

Todd Yoder, TE: What a sensational touchdown catch. He pushed off the defender covering him so he could get some separation, and he made an athletic run and leap to keep the Redskins in the game. He didn't block all that well in short yardage at the goal line, but the catch made up for it, and then some.

GASSERS

Mike Williams, RT: He's just not good enough to be successful in the NFL right now. His technique was really bad-he didn't keep his head up, his feet were too slow, his punch wasn't strong enough and his hand placement was poor. Rarely does a team get better when someone in the starting lineup goes down, but, depending on how much Levi Jones has progressed, the Redskins might actually benefit from Williams' ankle injury. That's twisted, I know.

Will Montgomery, RG: If Chad Rinehart isn't good enough to play ahead of Montgomery, then the Redskins should give up on him. Montgomery was as bad as Williams. He was pushed back way too often. On the failed fourth-and-1 pass from Todd Collins to Mike Sellers in the fourth quarter, Montgomery was pushed back so far that Sellers tripped over him and couldn't get upfield. Montgomery also seems to have trouble keeping his feet. He falls down too much. In my humble opinion, the Redskins need to go with The Rhino here and see what they have, because Montgomery is giving them next to nothing.

Casey Rabach, C: Rabach is Falcons DT Jonathan Babineaux's new favorite player. Babineaux owned him and had a career game. Rabach committed two holding penalties and allowed pressure on several other plays. His pad level was too high at times, which allowed Babineaux to get underneath him and push him back. We're seeing a stunning decline with Rabach, and it's especially painful to watch because he's a locker room leader, a steadying veteran presence and a good dude.

Stephon Heyer, LT: Ironically, he played better in the first half than in the second half. But his feet were too slow, he didn't block well moving laterally, he was too slow getting to the edge on a wide receiver screen, he added to his holding penalty total, etc, etc.

LaRon Landry, FS: His tumbling tackle attempt (can it even be called that?) on Michael Turner's 58-yard touchdown run was awful. I was amused to hear how incredulous FOX analyst Daryl Johnston was about it. Anyway, the play made me wonder whether getting trucked by Brandon Jacobs in last year's opener still weighs on Landry's mind. We asked him after the game about choosing to go high or low on tackles, and he said: "If you take a charge, you might get run over or you might make the tackle. You've got to make a choice and make a tackle." Sure looked like he had no intention of squaring Turner up.

DeAngelo Hall, CB: He now has three high-profile missed tackles. The two-hand-touch attempt on Mario Manningham's touchdown in the opener, the Jake Delhomme bootleg in short yardage at the end of the Carolina game, and his weak attempt to bring down Michael Turner on Turner's 58-yard scoring run. I sense a trend.

Fred Davis, receiving TE: He dropped a pass that Atlanta intercepted and returned for a touchdown. Yes, he had to reach up for the ball, but he got both hands on it. That has to be caught. All that blocking improvement and he still couldn't avoid a gasser.

Chris Wilson, LB: He momentarily took his eyes off tight end Tony Gonzalez in a goal-line situation and instead looked into the backfield. Gonzalez used the split-second to get all the separation that he needed for a touchdown catch. Wilson has to "keep his eyes on his work," as defensive coordinator Greg Blache likes to say.

Carlos Rogers, CB: I get that the Redskins want their corners to play off-man coverage a lot. But Rogers was giving up too much cushion and wasn't breaking on the ball in time. On one play, he gave up 12 yards to Roddy White at the snap. White, predictably, ran past the first-down marker and stopped for an easy first-down catch. Off-man coverage only works if corners are breaking on the ball and close enough to the receiver to do something about it.

Santana Moss, WR: He dropped three passes. That's uncharacteristic of him.

Reed Doughty, SS: He lined up offsides on a punt and gave the Falcons a first down. That's elementary stuff.

Albert Haynesworth, DT: He did well rushing the passer, but he gave the Falcons a first down inside the 10 yard-line by watching Matt Ryan's feet instead of watching the ball. That's elementary stuff. ...and it led to a touchdown.

Justin Tryon, CB: He was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for not immediately re-entering the field of play as the gunner in punt coverage. Again, elementary stuff.

...did I miss anyone?

Some thoughts and observations:

*The Redskins blitzed five guys three separate times during Atlanta's two-minute drill at the end of the first half. Justin Tryon blitzed from the slot all three times. On two of those, he was five yards from the line of scrimmage at the snap. Washington didn't blitz much more than that.

*The stunts that Brian Orakpo and Albert Haynesworth ran were effective in getting them in one-on-one blocking matchups. The stunts aren't new, but they were effective on Sunday.

*I saw Andre Carter get chipped by a running back only once. I guess you can't expect two sacks from him every game.

*The Redskins' young receivers could learn a thing or two from the way Santana Moss ran his slant on a first-and-20 late in the third quarter. Moss lined up wide to the left, set the defensive back up by faking out hard, stuck his left foot in the ground and exploded back to the inside. Jason Campbell hit him for a 15-yard gain.

*The bootleg to the right seems to be the Redskins' best play right now. They ran it successfully with three different receivers: Antwaan Randle El, Mike Sellers and Fred Davis. All three receivers sold the run fake beautifully.

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Week 9: Initial thoughts

Nov. 9, 2009 12:50 am

I was able flush out my initial thoughts on the Redskins' 31-17 loss to the Atlanta Falcons during my plane ride home. Making my flight was a little dicey, but I did thanks to the timeliness of the MARTA, some deft security line navigating at Hartsfield Airport and my blazing footspeed through the terminal. I looked like Michael Turner weaving through all those people (zing!) ...And a special thanks to the Richmond Times-Dispatch's Paul Woody for helping me keep my composure as missing my flight crept closer to reality.

Anyway, here are my initial thoughts on the game. Keep in mind that I haven't watched the game film yet and that these are in no particular order.

*The Redskins offensive line is a punchline by now. But all kidding aside--and I really mean this--I fear for quarterback Jason Campbell's physical well-being. The likelihood of him suffering a Joe Theismann-type of career-altering injury seems to be increasing. Atlanta's defensive line isn't considered among the best in the league, and it knocked Campbell out of the game TWICE! What's Elvis Dumervil gonna do next week? And DeMarcus Ware the following week?

*That said, Campbell's toughness was impressive. He easily could have called it a day after the ankle injury in the fourth quarter. He might not be the most poised quarterback under pressure, but he's earning respect for his grit.

*Raise your hand if at halftime you started wondering whether Vinny Cerrato was going to go back on his word about keeping head coach Jim Zorn for the rest of the season. That makes two of us.

*Ladell Betts showed some quickness that I didn't believe he still possessed. I thought he aggressively attacked the line of scrimmage, for the most part, and was more effective running the ball than Clinton Portis has been recently. Betts could be playing for his future at this point because a new head coach might not keep him. He's out to prove his value to the Redskins or another team.

*LaRon Landry doesn't get it. Here's what he had to say when I asked him what he saw when he hit Atlanta QB Matt Ryan out of bounds:

"When I looked up at the Jumbotron, I thought he had one foot in. I'm not arguing against the call. That's [the referees'] job, to call that penalty. I'm just trying to play football."

Why can't he just take responsibility? And considering Landry is a repeat offender when it comes to late hits, it's disconcerting that he still has this mindset. On a bad team, Landry comes off looking selfish and undisciplined.

*Landry's tackle of Aaron Stecker on third and 1 on a pitch left in the third quarter was a quality play. He ran really fast to catch Stecker on the edge and took the perfect angle. If he can duplicate that execution, he'll have a much more positive impact.

*One of the many NFL clichés refers to the fine line between winning and losing. That one came to my mind on Tony Gonzalez's first-quarter touchdown catch. Redskins linebacker Chris Wilson was frozen by the play-action fake for only a microsecond, but that was enough time for Gonzalez to separate himself from Wilson and catch the touchdown pass. Credit Matt Ryan and Gonzalez for executing better than Wilson did.

*Defensive end Andre Carter seemed quiet. I didn't notice Atlanta double teaming him, but I'll double check when I watch the game on DVR.

*On first glance, London Fletcher had his worst game of the season. He was credited with only four tackles (three solo), and I even saw him miss one--a rarity, indeed. Atlanta did a good job sealing off Fletcher and Rocky McIntosh a few times in the run game.

*Two plays made me say ‘Wow' out loud: McIntosh's interception and Todd Yoder's touchdown catch. Both guys made exceptionally athletic leaping catches. I was happy for Yoder. He's a nice guy who hasn't played much offense this season. He really made the most of his opportunity by hustling along with Campbell to keep that play alive.

*I didn't like the play-call on Redskins' failed fourth and 1 in the fourth quarter when Todd Collins threw to fullback Mike Sellers cutting back across the formation behind the line of scrimmage. The play was horribly executed, with Sellers tripping over several linemen, but to throw behind the marker on fourth and 1? I didn't get that.

*Brian Orakpo had two sacks and is now on pace for 11. I've searched the Redskins' media guid for what the franchise's single-season rookie record is, but I can't find it. (For the record, Dexter Manley's 18 sacks in 1986 are the single-season record.) Tony Gonzalez got his catches, but I'm not sure if that was Orakpo getting beaten in coverage. It's worth noting that Orakpo was distressed enough by the loss that in the locker room afterward he let an obscenity fly at no one in particular.

*Jason Campbell's awful sliding is nothing new. But, man, Jason Campbell is an awful slider.

*Sam Paulescu was ridiculous, huh? The guy gets signed off the street on Thursday and averages 50 yards on three punts on Sunday. His net average was 46. With numbers like that, Hunter Smith will have to take his sweet time healing that groin up.

*And I've gotta mention Shaun Suisham. He was money from 48 yards. Again. He's having a great season.

*I don't have a problem with all the rules that protect NFL quarterbacks because I know this is a business and quarterbacks are the money-makers. That said, I thought the roughing-the-passer call against Lorenzo Alexander late in the second quarter was harsh. It didn't appear that he hit Matt Ryan late, nor did he lead with his head, nor did he spike Ryan on the ground. That was a tough one for the Redskins to swallow because it gave the Falcons at first down after a failed third and 11.

*Marko Mitchell made the most of his two targets. He caught a pair of slants for 22 yards. He showed nice quickness in getting inside his defender and good hands catching balls in traffic. It'll be interesting to see whether Mitchell is given a chance to run routes other than the slant or fade during the second half of the season. Malcolm Kelly can see Mitchell is his rearview mirror now.

*There was a couple on board the flight tonight wearing black t-shirts with a Redskins' logo on the front. Only instead of the Indian head inside the gold circle, it was a headshot of Daniel Snyder wearing a Darth Vader helmet. Clever.

...What have I missed? Let me know in the comments section or @Rich_Campbell on Twitter

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