Greetings from Redskin Park. The team returns to work tomorrow to get ready for Sunday's key NFC East game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Our midseason package -- grades, five plays of the first half -- will run in Wednesday's paper. I'll also have a Redskin Insider on rookie safety LaRon Landry and how different his role was in Sunday's win over the New York Jets.
I can imagine what the ton of the questions would have been had the Redskins laid an egg in the Swamp. Even with the win, fan apathy is at an all-time high since I started covering the team in 2004.
Let's get to the questions. If you have one, send it along to skinsmailbag@washingtontimes.com
From SkinsLover in D.C.:
Why do we not spread teams out inside the 5-yard line and then run the ball instead of always going into a jumbo package?
Ryan O'Halloran:
Sounds like somebody listened to Doc Walker's radio interview with Redskins QB Jason Campbell this morning at SportsTalk 980. Walker's contention, I believe, is that the Redskins should spread the field near the goal-line and then run up the middle, particularly on draw plays. That worked a few times outside the 20-yard line on Sunday. According to my chart, the Redskins had five plays inside the Jets' 10-yard line. They did 2-WR/2-RB on the first three plays. They had 1-WR/2-RB on a first-and-goal play from the 9. And on first-and-goal from the 1, they had their 'Jumbo' -- 2 RB-3 TE. In that situation, first down from the 1, 'Jumbo' is the best option and Portis scored a touchdown. But the spreading-it-out theory has validity anywhere else on the field.
From Donald in Falls Church:
How many wins do you think it's going to take to make the playoffs out of the NFC? Right now, I see the Redskins finishing 9-7. Are they going to need to get to 10-6 to make it?
Ryan O'Halloran:
I, too, have the Redskins projecting to finish 9-7 -- wins over Philadelphia, Buffalo, Chicago and Minnesota. But 10 wins will be needed to grab the last wild card spot. The Redskins are currently seventh in the conference. The Redskins' remaining opponents are 38-27 (counting Dallas' 7-1 record twice). The best chances to steal a 10th win will be in Tampa Bay -- the Bucs are only 5-4 and the season finale against Dallas. If the Cowboys have home-field wrapped up or even a first-round bye secured, I wouldn't expect several front-line players to see a lot of action.
From Chris in Odenton, Md.:
What's the latest on Randy Thomas? Is he still on track to come back in December?
Ryan O'Halloran:
As far as we've been told, Thomas has experienced no set backs since tearing his triceps against Philadelphia in Week 2 and having surgery a few days later. At the time, we were told it was a 10-12 week injury and this is Week 8 of the recovery time. The training staff has been vague when asked about Thomas' return. The Redskins won't know for sure until Thomas gets on the practice field and has the arm wrenched.
From Thad in Annapolis:
Coach Gibbs repeatedly states in his press conferences that all the games are going to be close and it is a real war. Like many Skins fans I am tired of hearing this. The only reason the games are close is because of Gibbs and his conservative nature and lack of imaginative game plan. When are Gibbs and Co. going to dust off the 700-page playbook and let Al call the games? It is very obvious that Gibbs sets the game plans or even overrides plays that AL calls! (This is what I envisioned Redskin Football to be. This is not the NFL of 1980's. QB's are aloud to pass to Wideouts down the field to set up the run) Why did Gibbs bring in AL in the first place then?
Ryan O'Halloran:
Nice rant, Thad. Responding to some of your points. 1. I, too, am tired of hearing Gibbs use the 'war' reference to every game. The reason they'll be close is the Redskins are the same as just about every other team in the NFL -- average.; 2. The Giants and Arizona games in particular stick out as examples of Gibbs' being too close to the vest and wanting to sit on a lead.; 3. I definitely agree that Joe should leave Al alone and let him call whatever he wants for a period of time. If at that point, things aren't working, Gibbs should get re-involved with the game-plan process.; 4. Except for the Arizona game, I'm not sure Gibbs is that involved during the game. But he definitely has his paws on the game plan during the week; 5. Gibbs brought in Saunders because he knew his play-calling ways weren't going to change. Plus, I have to guess that The Danny was involved as well.
From Susan in Silver Spring:
I was interested to see that your colleague Dan Daly skipped Sunday's Skins game in favor of Colts-Pats. What gives? Has Dan jumped off the D.C. bandwagon?
Ryan O'Halloran:
DD was smart -- he went where the "real" football was being played. He got to see a great game in-person instead of DVR'ing it and having to endure Phil Simms as the commentator. Hey, Phil, we get it -- you have meetings with coaches and players leading into the game. There's no need to mention it, oh, 562 times. Dan will be back at FedEx Field this Sunday ... probably because the Patriots are off.
From SkinsLover in D.C.:
Who is Taylor? And what did Coach Gibbs have to go through with him doing the offseason? If reference to the question yesterday about Andy Reid. I thought Gibbs only had two kids?
Ryan O'Halloran:
Taylor is Joe Gibbs' grandson. Last off-season, he was diagnosed with leukemia. Last time I checked, Joe said Taylor is doing OK becuase it was caught so early. And yes, Joe, has the two sons -- J.D. and Coy.
From Peter:
Isn’t it true that the Skins fundamental problem is lack of talent? On both sides of the ball, they have a few very good players, but that’s it. If that is indeed the cause of their lackluster performance, then the answer would appear to be that the organization is unable to figure out how to get and keep the players they need to make it to the big time, but the owner has yet to figure this out, and for reasons of his own, e.g. unwillingness to let go of control, refuses to bring in a GM and take personnel decisions out of the hands of his creature, Vinny Cerrato.
Ryan O'Halloran:
I don't think the problem this year is lack of talent. They've had some injuries and some players (receivers) simply aren't performing. When it comes to personnel, all of the criticism should be directed at team president Gibbs, The Danny and of course, Vinny. My big problem with them is their trading of draft picks but in the case of Pete Kendall, their hand was forced because of their gamble during the off-season that Todd Wade would work out. There still should be a GM in place to be accountable for the personnel decisions and be the face of the organization. That will need to be the case once Gibbs retires.
From Barry in Reston:
At last Clinton Portis broke through with the kind of game we expected on a weekly basis when we traded for him three years ago. So can we expect more 140+-yard games out of CP or was this a one-time breakout?
Ryan O'Halloran:
Yeah, that was a vintage Portis game. About time for that. As for expectations, probably not 140-yard games but if this is the start of something, expect No. 26 to be around 100 yards, assuming he gets 20-plus carries and stays healthy. That's a big assumption, though.
Ryan O'Halloran
The mailbag is empty. I'll have another chat in a few weeks but will be answering questions if you send emails to skinsmailbag@washingtontimes.com.
