Middle Third

[backwardsk]

I believe that I've posted this more than once, but I said I would feel good about the season if the Redskins were 3-2 after the first five games. Well they are, and even after today's disappointment, they are still in the thick of a NFC East fight.

These next six games look tougher than they did during the preseason: 2 home (San Fran, Dallas) and 4 away (Carolina, Buffalo, Miami, and Seattle). If they can come out of this stretch with 4 wins, they'll be in a fight for the division title.

Last season, both Tampa Bay and New York missed the playoffs after winning 10 games. This season, I think the first team to 10 wins will take the division. Philly could have been knocked out today, but they beat the Skins in all areas of the game. Dallas also looked good in their loss and the Giants moved into first place. Although the G-men have the most wins at this point, their road is tougher with dates against Green Bay (with extra rest following Thanksgiving) and New Orleans. Dallas has played some of their tougher non-division games already (NE, Detroit, San Fran).

I haven't read about Williams' injury, but the news on Lichtensteiger is not good. He's done for the season. The coaches had good things to say about Cook in his first ever pro experience. He, and Locklear, will have to step up. Can't cry about injuries though as the Redskins haven't been hit as hard as the other teams in the division.

Let the Beck era begin...

[flashjordnk]

Let the Beck era begin...

I'm still surprised they didn't do this before the bye week. That poor performance against a terrible St. Louis defense would have been enough for me to sit him down.

I do think Beck is a much better fit in what the Shanahan's want to do. Rex is just so bad scrambling.

[NewMarketSean]

Rex is a good guy to fill in when you need him but he is by no means a starter.

I wish Beck and the Skins the best, it will be interesting to see how Beck can do. I thought he should have been the starter all along.

[backwardsk]

I'm still surprised they didn't do this before the bye week. That poor performance against a terrible St. Louis defense would have been enough for me to sit him down.

I do think Beck is a much better fit in what the Shanahan's want to do. Rex is just so bad scrambling.

Honestly, I was surprised that they went with Rex in game 1, but I wouldn't have made the switch after the rams game. His numbers were really bad, but there were two plays (moss tip interception, and a Hightower 3rd down drop) that had a significant impact on the final numbers.

I'm looking forward to seeing what beck can do. I am worried about the injuries on the line. It'll be interesting to see how the receivers respond. Armstrong should be back.

[Dr. FLK]

I'm still surprised they didn't do this before the bye week. That poor performance against a terrible St. Louis defense would have been enough for me to sit him down.

I do think Beck is a much better fit in what the Shanahan's want to do. Rex is just so bad scrambling, moving, thinking, or throwing.

Fixed that for you. ;)

[flashjordnk]

Honestly, I was surprised that they went with Rex in game 1, but I wouldn't have made the switch after the rams game. His numbers were really bad, but there were two plays (moss tip interception, and a Hightower 3rd down drop) that had a significant impact on the final numbers.

I'm looking forward to seeing what beck can do. I am worried about the injuries on the line. It'll be interesting to see how the receivers respond. Armstrong should be back.

But let's be serious, tipped passes aren't a new thing for Rex. He's had some that got tipped and didn't go the other way. It was just a good time to get Beck some reps IMO. Grossman reared his head and showed us what he was going to be all about. But yeah... I see what they were thinking.

[flashjordnk]

Santana Moss fueling the fire!

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7115124/santana-moss-says-rex-grossman-stay-washington-redskins-qb

[backwardsk]

Santana Moss fueling the fire!

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7115124/santana-moss-says-rex-grossman-stay-washington-redskins-qb


Yeah, I saw that. In the preseason, he seemed to be a grossman guy then. I think it's part that and part he wants to stick up for his guy. Davis stood up for him too.

[allstar1579]

Yeah, I saw that. In the preseason, he seemed to be a grossman guy then. I think it's part that and part he wants to stick up for his guy. Davis stood up for him too.

Yes but anyone watching the season knows these guys are trying to be loyal.

He's thrown what 9 INT, I want to say 2 were knocked up in the air for grabs, won't fault him there. Of the other 7, at least 5 of them were over the middle. Two of those were thrown RIGHT to a MLB who Rex didn't even see, and the other 3 were deep balls underthrown.

He doesn't have the arm strength he thinks he has and can't get it far enough down the field. At least Beck is throwing incompletions and not interceptions.

[flashjordnk]

I want to say 2 were knocked up in the air for grabs, won't fault him there.

I'm usually with you there. But Rex has a disturbing number of balls knocked up that didn't get picked too. He's only 6'1'' so...you can excuse if it rarely happens and turns into a INT. But tipped passes pretty much turn into INTs in the NFL.

[backwardsk]

I'm usually with you there. But Rex has a disturbing number of balls knocked up that didn't get picked too. He's only 6'1'' so...you can excuse if it rarely happens and turns into a INT. But tipped passes pretty much turn into INTs in the NFL.

I'm not disagreeing with you in the sense that Grossman's INT numbers could be vastly different (there have been a handful of defensive drops), but what I believe allstar is referring to and what I was referring to with moss were not tipped passes at the line, but balls put on the receiver's hands and were tipped for an int. The other one comes to mind was Armstrong in the cardinals game. The db had a hold of one wrist and he tipped the ball for an int. Again, this isn't defending Rex, but I just wanted tocall out that these are different than having the ball batted at the line for a pick.

[flashjordnk]

I'm not disagreeing with you in the sense that Grossman's INT numbers could be vastly different (there have been a handful of defensive drops), but what I believe allstar is referring to and what I was referring to with moss were not tipped passes at the line, but balls put on the receiver's hands and were tipped for an int. The other one comes to mind was Armstrong in the cardinals game. The db had a hold of one wrist and he tipped the ball for an int. Again, this isn't defending Rex, but I just wanted tocall out that these are different than having the ball batted at the line for a pick.

For sure...you're definitely right on this one.

[allstar1579]

For sure...you're definitely right on this one.

Yeah, like back said, there were a couple (I think those were the two I was thinking of) that I really don't blame him for, one was PI that didn't get called and the other was when Moss slipped a bit, almost caught up to it and got his hands on it but it bounced to a WR. Could have just as easily been tough incompletions, so I really don't want to blame him for those. Now the 4th one yesterday, and the last couple weeks when he didn't even see defenders right in his line of sight, those are inexcusable. Same with the underthrown deep balls, if you can't get it to a runner in stride you shouldn't be throwing it there.

The Beck pass to Austin (and thank god he got some reps) was a good illustration of a quicker release and a little more "mustard" on the ball. That's a part of the game Beck has that Gross doesn't. I'll be the first to admit neither is perfect (Beck can't throw the deep ball either) but I like Beck's skill set a bit more.

[mweb]

Grossman through a great deep ball to Gaffney earlier so he can through it, but consistency has obviously been an issue.

Beck through an awful deep ball to Stallworth that should have been picked and turned into a dropped ball by Donte.

I'm fine with going with Beck because Rex was awful yesterday, but I don't know that Beck will be any better overall. We shall see.

[mweb]

Cooley may miss the rest of the season with a broken finger and Williams is expected to miss 2 weeks. Sucks.

[allstar1579]

Cooley may miss the rest of the season with a broken finger and Williams is expected to miss 2 weeks. Sucks.

Such a blower. Beck/Grossman meh, the real difference will be losing Williams.

I was a little worried that Cory went out and they moved Montgomery to G and brought Cook in. Is he really the next best interior lineman we have?

[backwardsk]

Such a blower. Beck/Grossman meh, the real difference will be losing Williams.

I was a little worried that Cory went out and they moved Montgomery to G and brought Cook in. Is he really the next best interior lineman we have?

The lichtensteiger injury concerns me the most. In a rebuilding year, you'd like to see the line develop together. With him out for the season, that growth is stunted. Williams misses a few games, and that'll hurt, but at least the don't face the murderers row of de like they did last season: peppers, Mario, freeney, etc.

Montgomery is the next best guard and Cook is the only other center. The scary thing is that next week they'll likely have hurt and smith as the active backups. They have no NFL experience and cook only has the snaps from Sunday. They may flip brown and locklear.

[flashjordnk]

Rex was awful yesterday, but I don't know that Beck will be any better overall. We shall see.

Oy...

Grossman has turned it over 19 times in less than 8 games played for this team. That's 13 INTs and 6 fumbles in less than 8 games. If Grossman was the starter in every game last year and this year, stretched out statistically, that'd be 36 INTs and 18 fumbles. That's 54 turnovers!

I just can't see him ever being a starter anywhere again. At least Beck there's a chance he might not be exactly what you think he is. But Grossman, really and truly is exactly what you think he is.

[mweb]

Oy...

Grossman has turned it over 19 times in less than 8 games played for this team. That's 13 INTs and 6 fumbles in less than 8 games. If Grossman was the starter in every game last year and this year, stretched out statistically, that'd be 36 INTs and 18 fumbles. That's 54 turnovers!

I just can't see him ever being a starter anywhere again. At least Beck there's a chance he might not be exactly what you think he is. But Grossman, really and truly is exactly what you think he is.

Small sample and some of those picks weren't his fault. But sure, he was awful Sunday. He was decent before that though and would possibly be decent going forward. But as I said, I'm good with going with Beck now.

[backwardsk]

Beck to start on Sunday according to ESPN.

[flashjordnk]

Seriously, what do the Redskins stand to gain from starting Rex at this point? That's the real question, IMO. He won't be here next year and no one is going to give up anything of value for him, or make him a starter next year. But then again I felt this way to start the year. Even if Beck was going to be just average or worse, it's not like Grossman's upside was that much better than that.