Brandon Meriweather - HTTR4LIFE.com

Redskins Beat Eagles 31-6, Still Alive in the NFC East

Posted on November 18, 2012

The Washington Redskins thumped the Philadelphia Eagles 31-6, to end a three-game losing streak for the Redskins and the 25 point margin of victory was the largest since Mike Shanahan became the coach.

Robert Griffin III was 14-15 for 200 yards, 4 touchdown passes and a perfect passer rating to go along with 12 rushes for 84 yards. RG3′s perfect passer rating is only the second time in NFL history that a rookie quarterback accomplished that feat.

Brandon Meriweather had a huge impact on the game before leaving the game after tweaking his knee, he had 7 tackles and an interception.

The Redskins, who beat a rookie quarterback for the first time in nine games, next go to Dallas on Thanksgiving for a critical division game. Washington is still very much in the hunt for the NFC East with 4 games remaining on the schedule with East opponents who, for the most part, have been struggling as of late.

00000 Redskins Beat Eagles 31 6, Still Alive in the NFC East

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Saturday Slop: First Down Issues Lead to Third-Down Problems; Redskins Searching for Safety Valve

Posted on October 13, 2012

Redskins QB Griffin takes more reps; Garcon aching | WashingtonExaminer.com
Coach Mike Shanahan said of Garcon, “It’s lingering for sure. It was enough to where he didn’t take a lot of reps today… It’s painful, that’s why we sat him out. It’s tender and still sore. It’s a pain issue but it’s sore enough to where he can’t push off all the time.”

John Riggins on Alfred Morris: “Never Heard of Him…I Don’t Watch Football.” – Hogs Haven
Hall of Fame running back John Riggins is settling into his life after football rather nicely. Leaving behind his days as both a player as well as a broadcaster, he is preparing for his new hunting show on The Sportsman Channel.

NFC Hierarchy/Obituary with Week 5 in the books – Blogging the bEast

in search of kickers and quarterbacks | Damn it feels good to be a homer.
*In 2000 alone, the Redskins used a total of five different kickers — Bentley, Conway, Heppner, Husted and Murray. That’s got to be a modern-day record. Which brings us to the newly-signed Kai Forbath, who will be the 19th kicker Washington has turned to since ’94. It’s worth nothing that no other NFL team has used more than 13 kickers during that time frame.

‘Skins Have To Improve On 3rd Downs | NBC4 Washington
“Obviously, it’s an area that we have to get better at,” Shanahan told the Washington Post. “You take a combination of killing those drives, being 1-for-9 on third-down and 0-for-2 in the red zone, it’s truly hard to win a football game. “Saying that, there were a number of positives with the way we ran the football. We make a couple of those third downs, just three or four, and keep drives going, you have a chance to have a dominating day. Still had an opportunity to win, even with those crazy stats as they were. But to beat a good football team, we have to play better than that as a whole.”

Redskins Music: “Believe That” (by Black Boo of Mambo Sauce) Week 6
This week Black Boo brings us another Redskins music classic “Believe That”, the video was produced and edited by us here at HTTR4LIFE.COM.

All-22 Film Breakdown: The Threat of Percy Harvin – Hogs Haven
The Minnesota Vikings have surprised the NFL with their 4-1 start to the regular season. Much of their success on offense revolves around Percy Harvin. Here’s a breakdown of a few of the plays that Minnesota use to get Harvin the ball in space.

‘Playbook’: Vikings vs. Redskins – NFL Videos
Brian Baldinger, Shannon Sharpe and Donovan McNabb explain how the Minnesota Vikings have gotten off to a hot start and why they can continue it against the Washington Redskins in Week 6.

Need to Know: If RG3 is good to go, he’ll go – Rich Tandler’s Real Redskins
“That’s what we have doctors for. Doctors make those decisions, we don’t. If Robert feels like he’s fine, he’s had no side-effects, he wants to play, he feels good to play…If Robert were to say, “Hey, you know what? I have a headache,” of course we would do that. That’s why we run all these tests. But why would you not let somebody play if he’s felt good right at the end of the game [and] every day until now? But if he has these tests after practice today and all of sudden he’s not feeling good or something’s wrong, obviously we’re not going to take the chance.”

First down issues lead to third-down problems – Rich Tandler’s Real Redskins
But, regardless of the play call, their third down problems start on first down. They are gaining .55 yards on each first-down passing play in a series that ends up in a third-down situation and .61 yards on each running play. In other words, they are facing second and nine-plus and ending up with third down and, on average, 8.6 yards to go.

Redskins searching for safety valve – Washington Times
Getting Brandon Meriweather and Tanard Jackson in the offseason figured to shore up the Washington Redskins’ safety position. On Sunday they’ll play their sixth game of the year without either, Jackson suspended indefinitely and Meriweather dealing with a left knee injury.

HTTR24-7-Skins Podcasts & Blog – Redskins-Vikings Preview
The good news is the NFC East is wide open & no team looks clearly better than any other team in the division. After the loss to the Falcons last week, the Redskins are in a must win situation at home this week with the meat of the schedule coming up & 2 straight road games against the Giants & Steelers. It won’t be easy as the Minnesota Vikings look tough this year & are playing some good football.

Washington Redskins Keys to the Game: Week 6 | Fanspeak Washington Redskins Blog
This is an important key every week, but is absolutely critical with the Washington Redskins star rookie returning from a concussion. The Redskins need to do whatever it takes to ensure that Robert Griffin III doesn’t take any unnecessary hits. This can be done in multiple ways. First they need to keep the running back in to block on all plays, as the Minnesota Vikings are a team that loves to blitz.

Saturday Slop: RG3 Must Succeed In The Run Game If The Redskins Are To Beat Atlanta; Garçon Ready To Go For Third Start

Posted on October 6, 2012

Redskins WR Robinson: It was bizarre; it was scary | WashingtonExaminer.com
“I started hearing everyone saying, ‘He’s knocked out! He’s knocked out!” Robinson said. “I couldn’t move. I was trying to wake up but I couldn’t.” Robinson said he was fine the rest of the day.

Redskins Final Thoughts: Week 5 | WashingtonExaminer.com
The more I’m around Robert Griffin III the more I’m impressed, just by the way he is with others. He’s not perfect so I’m not going that route. But there’s a savviness that comes through in many ways. Even in press conferences. I’ve seen athletes who come across as, uh, too rehearsed, in fact some may have played quarterback here recently.

Redskins vs. Falcons: Three things I learned | WashingtonExaminer.com
Matt Ryan is excellent throwing between the hashes and the numbers. Saw that in the Falcons’ game vs. the Panthersand then heard that the Redskins consider him the best at throwing in this area.

Meriweather Still Out; Injuries Force Redskins To Adjust Game Plan ” CBS DC
“The other day we knew Meriweather was going to play. We had a lot of plans for him, a lot of things to do. He actually becomes our third corner in a lot of situations so we had to scrap all that stuff. So, you’re sitting in the locker room crossing things off and thinking of things you can do, and we decided to go with [safety] Reed [Doughty] as the starter. It changed your plans because everybody has their strengths and weaknesses. Meriweather has great strengths because he’s an ex-corner that can play coverage. He’s a really good cover guy and we just lost that ability at the time”, said Jim Haslett.

Robert Griffin III Must Succeed In The Run Game If The Redskins Are To Beat Atlanta ” CBS DC
Make no mistake about it quarterbacks Cam Newton and Robert Griffin III are the future of the NFL. The game is evolving to a point where one day, every NFL quarterback will be required to run like Mike Vick and throw like Drew Bees (some say RG3 already fits the bill). Look for NFL coaches to continue to implement college style formations and plays into their respective gameplans. The NFL will never completely resemble the NCAA, but it’s easy to see that certain collegiate staples are beginning to find a cozy home in the National Football League.

Garçon Ready To Go For Third Start
“You have to go out there and play hard and try to set the tone for the team, the offense and help the running backs get more yards when you’re blocking for them. It’s part of the game,” Garçon said. “You just have to go out there and give a great effort. That’s what coaches ask for and that’s what we’ve got to give them every time.”

Redskins Music: “Shut-Up” (by Black Boo of Mambo Sauce) Week 5
Each week this season we will display a Redskins hype song/video by Black Boo @blackofmambo of Mambo Sauce.This week he brings us another classic “Shut-Up”

Video: NFC East Week 5 predictions – NFC East Blog – ESPN
Despite an inexcusably miserable record over the first four weeks, we soldier on with predictions for the three games on this weekend’s NFC East sche

Need to Know: Who has the better offense? – Rich Tandler’s Real Redskins
It all adds up to the Redskins being ranked third in the NFL in terms of yards gained with 1687 while the Falcons are 15th with 1461 yards. The Falcons have faced tougher defenses in terms of yards given up in their four games than have the Redskins. Atlanta’s offense has gone up against three defenses ranked 13th or better and the Redskins have faced three that are 19th or worse including the 30th- and 32nd-ranked units.

Morris has only one speed
“Alfred is very conscientious,” offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan said Thursday. “He never feels like he’s arrived. He’s working every day in practice [and] walkthroughs.” Shanahan added: “He only goes one speed. We try to slow him down in walkthrough [because] he’s running as hard as he can.”

RG3 will need to set rookie record again
Prior to the scoring change, Griffin was credited with 252 rushing yards, the most any Redskins rookie quarterback has had in a season. As a result of the changes, Griffin now is credited with 18 fewer rushing yards. That makes his total 234 for the season, six yards short of Sammy Baugh’s rookie record of 240 yards.

Need to Know: Moss accepting his new role – Rich Tandler’s Real Redskins
His numbers aren’t off because he’s playing poorly, they are off because he’s getting fewer opportunities. After being the team’s primary receiver since coming to the team in 2005, Moss has taken a back seat to Pierre Garçon, Josh Morgan, and Leonard Hankerson.

Sacks lacking up front for Redskins – Washington Times
Through four games, the Redskins have seven sacks but none from their down linemen. Getting less production from those positions in a 3-4 defense is common, but linemen are determined to make more of a tangible impact. “I believe that the sacks will come,” Kedric Golston said. “There’s really no excuses, whether it’s max protection or quick throws. It’s our job to get the quarterback down on the ground.”

Redskins vs. Falcons: 5 Questions – Washington Times
Which defense will stand up? Atlanta has the third-highest scoring offense in the NFL, averaging 31.0 points per game. The Redskins rank fourth at 30.8. Only two games have a greater over/under than the 50 points oddsmakers assigned to this one. The Redskins’ defense is way better on third down (34.1 percent), though, than Atlanta’s (48).

RGIII visits Broad Run game
Because Robert Griffin III isn’t actually a real person but rather a cyborg sent from outer space to set offensive records and inspire teammates and make both hard-core football fans and suburban parents swoon, he decided to show up at Broad Run on Friday night and pose for photos with cheerleaders and assorted students while wearing a breast cancer awareness shirt.

HTTR24-7-Skins Podcasts & Blog – Episode 21: feat John Keim
Special Guest and Friend John Keim dropping by, with a lot of you guys calling in.

The Future Of The NFL: Mobile Quarterbacks -
The game is moving at a different speed than that of the 1960′s,70′s, 80′s, and even 1990′s. It’s a whole different animal. As defenses get faster, offenses have to find ways to subvert that speed. The solution? More speed. Ever hear of the old saying “Fighting fire with fire”? I’m pretty sure Steve Young and his 49ers used that term when talking about how to get around defensive speed.

Trent Williams, Fred Davis earn back Redskins teammates’ trust – The Washington Post
“That’s a driving force behind a lot of things that I do as of now,” Williams said this week. “I made a mistake, and I kind of use it as a learning experience. Of course, I alienated my team for four games and wasn’t able to be there. I was a captain at the time, and that made me feel even worse. This year I’m just trying to prove to them that I’ve grown up a lot and that’s not me anymore.”

Washington Redskins pass defense hindered by instability at safety – The Washington Post
But things haven’t gone as scripted, with Meriweather hurt and Jackson serving a suspension by the NFL for violating the sport’s substance abuse policy. The Redskins again are left patching together a lineup at safety to face the unbeaten Atlanta Falcons and their highly productive quarterback, Matt Ryan, Sunday at FedEx Field.

Saturday Slop: RG3 Could Join Some Elite Company; Redskins Defense Feeling Pressure

Posted on September 29, 2012

Redskins Final Thoughts: Week 4 | WashingtonExaminer.com
Cedric Griffin isn’t a great corner, but at 6-foot he’s another guy with size. The Redskins will be facing a Bucs team with one receiver who’s 6-foot-5 and another who’s 6-foot-2. With Griffin out because of his hamstring, they’ll counter with two of their top three corners standing around 5-foot-9. They’d best get to Josh Freeman.

Redskins Notes: Good News, Bad News for Secondary ” CBS DC
Safety Brandon Meriweather should see his first action of the season after having been sidelined with a knee injury. Head coach Mike Shanahan concedes he’s not fully healed, but has had a good week in practice and looks like he’ll be ready to debut.

The Redskins Blog | ‘Rookie Watch’ Has Redskins Flavor
Washington Redskins running back Alfred Morris, who was selected in the sixth round this year out of Florida Atlantic. Morris — the league’s leading rookie rusher through three weeks of NFL action — comes in at No. 9 overall in this week’s “Rookie Watch,” while his quarterback, Robert Griffin III, is ranked second overall.

The Redskins Blog | Video: Touch ‘Em All, Alfred Morris!
“I was watching one of their games and they said, ‘If you score, you should do a celebration for us,’” Morris said. “I was like, ‘I’ll hit a home run — it’ll be cool!’”

Week Four Injury Update: Is Turf Toe Even a Thing? – Hogs Haven
Turf toe is a strained or torn ligament in the joint that connects the first toe to the rest of the foot. Seems simple enough, but the term “turf toe” is so vague that it’s often misused by folks who aren’t sure exactly what it means.

Week 4 Story-lines: Redskins vs. Bucs – Hogs Haven
I think the biggest worry for Skins fans coming into this week is how the defense will respond to two, maybe even three, lackluster performances in a row. The Buccaneers have more weapons than the last time we saw them with that scallywag Vincent Jackson, Doug Martin, and others, so the Skins will have to bring their “A” game to succeed in the sunshine state.

Washington Redskins Rally at Elmer’s In Tampa Bay

Washington Redskins General Manager Bruce Allen and former player Doc Walker lead a Rally at a local bar in Tampa Bay, Florida on Saturday.

Robert Griffin III’s alleged extortionist pleads guilty – NFL.com
A former Baylor basketball player has pleaded guilty to threatening to release damaging information about Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III unless he was paid $1 million. ‘TNF’ Xtra NFL Network isn’t the only way to watch “Thursday Night Football.” Follow the game online with this interactive companion. More … The U.S. attorney’s office says Richard Khamir Hurd, 26, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court in Waco.

Need to Know: RG3 could join some elite company – Rich Tandler’s Real Redskins
If Robert Griffin III passes for at least 253 yards against the Bucs tomorrow, he will become just the second rookie quarterback in NFL history to have at least 1000 yards passing in the first four games of the season. Last year, Cam Newton passed for 1,386 yards in his first four games in the league a year ago.

Homecoming not Raheem’s focus
Raheem Morris will be going back to Tampa Bay but he’s far more concerned with the big plays his secondary is giving up.

Game preview: Redskins Defense is M. I. A.

Redskins @ Bucs game preview: The Redskins’ defense, supposedly a strength going into the season, has been giving up big plays with regularity. They will need to change that trend against the Bucs on Sunday.

Will the Redskins be in victory formation? – Rich Tandler’s Real Redskins

We have heard about the controversy surrounding Greg Schiano’s tactic of disrupting other teams kneeling to kill the clock at the end of two of their games. The question is, will the Redskins be lining up in victory formation in the final minute of their game against Schiano’s Bucs on Sunday?

Redskins’ defense feeling pressure – Washington Times

At 33 points a game, the Redskins lead the league, yet they’re 1-2 as the defense allowed an average of 429.3 yards through the first three weeks of the season. This was a defense that players talked about being worthy of top-five status in the NFL. Instead, it’s trying to catch up to the offense to give the Redskins a chance to win each time out.

4 Keys to a Redskins Win in Tampa

The Washington Redskins head to Raymond James Stadium and will attempt to avoid a dreaded third straight loss, with the good potential of a fourth loss in a row, staring them right in the face (Atlanta) next week.

Coaches Film Breakdown: Alfred Morris affecting Jordan Black’s pass set – Washington Times

The protection breakdown wasn’t Black’s fault, though. Running back Alfred Morris took responsibility for it because he ran between Black and Johnson as he released on his pass route. Let’s examine the play:

Brandon Banks speed makes Redskins triple option go – Washington Times

“We got Banks in there and it changed up some of the defenses, gave some different looks. It caused some problems for them, which I think made them adjust a little bit. Then, it opened some other things up, so it helped change the game just from a schematic standpoint. I think it helped gather our players some momentum and get the chains moving a little bit.”

HTTR24-7-Skins Podcasts & Blog ” Film Sessions: Quick Review Of A Cover 2 Breakdown

The secondary had a rough day and along with Jim Haslett caught the brunt of the fans anger. Coverage was a issue forPerry Riley in 2011 so lets check out the below 2-4-5 cover 2 and see how Perry Riley is doing…

Los Angeles Greenlights $1.2 Billion Football Stadium – NYTimes.com

The Los Angeles City Council on Friday approved a $1.2 billion plan to build a downtown football stadium, moving America’s second most populous city closer than it’s been in nearly two decades to having a professional football team.

Replacement ref: We were pawns in a business deal | ProFootballTalk

With the NFL’s referee lockout over, many of the replacement officials are speaking out. Some of them are incorrectly defending their bad calls, while others are referencing crucifixion. But some are making fair points about the position that they were put in.

Washington Redskins Final 53 Man Roster Projections

Posted on August 30, 2012

So now that preseason has come to an end, the Washington Redskins will start cutting players to get from 75 (where the roster is at now) to the final 53-man roster, which will be set on Friday night. Since I posted my 53-man roster predictions (which you can check out by clicking here) a lot of things have happened to change the landscape of everything. Here is how I think the final 53-man roster will look.

Quarterbacks (3)

Robert Griffin III
Rex Grossman
Kirk Cousins

No surprise here, Cousins may pass Rex in the pecking order further down the road, but the backup spot belongs to Rex at the moment.

Halfback/Fullback (5)

In my previous roster prediction post, I talked about players on the bubble, well it just so happens that one of those players, Alfred Morris, has played his way onto the team. It should be real interesting what happens in terms of the Redskins running back position. Will they keep four halfbacks or only three? If only three, then who gets cut? I believe barring a last minute trade, that the Redskins will go with four. Not sure if a depth chart is truly needed as we all know Shanahan normally goes with whoever has the hot hand in the backfield at the moment.

Halfback

Tim Hightower
Alfred Morris
Roy Helu Jr.
Evan Royster

Fullback

Darrel Young

Wide Receivers (6)

The wide receiver race was possibly where the best competition of the preseason to make the final 53 occurred. The only change to this list that I think has occurred since my last breakdown is that Anthony Armstrong has lost his spot to Aldrick Robinson. Some may argue that the Redskins should keep seven receivers this year, I believe that may be the only way that Brandon Banks makes the roster.

Previous list:

Pierre Garcon, Josh Morgan, Santana Moss, Leonard Hankerson, Anthony Armstrong, Dezmon Briscoe

Final list:

Pierre Garcon
Josh Morgan
Santana Moss
Leonard Hankerson
Aldrick Robinson
Dezmon Briscoe

Tight Ends (3)

Well, a move that I myself was not expecting, but one that probably had to be made because of cap issues happened this week, veteran Chris Cooley was released. Beyond a re-signing by the Redskins, Cooley’s release answers the question that many had about how many tight ends should the Redskins keep, I predicted they would keep three. Logan Paulsen looks to benefit the most from this scenario.

Fred Davis
Logan Paulsen
Niles Paul

Offensive Lineman (9)

Jammal Brown finally found his way onto the PUP list last week after having surgery, so I believe my projections from before will come out right as far as the offensive line is concerned.

Tackles:

Trent Williams
Tyler Polumbus
Willie Smith

Guards:

Kory Lichtensteiger
Chris Chester
Maurice Hurt (Hurt can play tackle and guard)
Josh LeRibeus
Adam Gettis

Center:

Will Montgomery

Defensive Lineman (6)

Originally I had Chris Neild making the roster, since that time Neild had a season ending knee injury. In his absence, Chris Baker has certainly stepped it up during the preseason.

Nose Tackle:

Barry Cofield
Chris Baker

Ends:

Stephen Bowen
Adam Carriker
Jarvis Jenkins
Kedric Golston

Linebackers (8)

If the Redskins go with three running backs, it may be a move that leads to nine linebackers being kept, if that happens Bryan Kehl will be the extra man in. I almost penciled Kehl in, but I’m not sure Shanahan will take the chance of Keenan Robinson not clearing waivers and making it to the practice squad. Chris Wilson made his case with a solid showing this preseason, but I believe Shanahan will go with the youth of second year lb Markus White.

Outside:

Brian Orakpo
Ryan Kerrigan
Rob Jackson
Markus White

Inside:

London Fletcher
Perry Riley
Lorenzo Alexander
Keenan Robinson

Defensive Backs (10)

I predicted that this year Kevin Barnes would be cut, well he was traded to Detroit last Friday. I’m sticking with my original predictions here, it should be noted that I said Richard Crawford would make the team before preseason. I honestly have no clue how they will stack up on a depth chart at this point though, this unit worries me the most on the team.

Josh Wilson, DeAngelo Hall, Cedric Griffin, Madieu Williams, Tanard Jackson, Brandon Meriweather, Reed Doughty, DeJon Gomes, Brandyn Thompson, Richard Crawford

Special Teams

Last week this category got real different, real quick. Billy Cundiff was brought in after being released by the Baltimore Ravens, and Graham Gano and Neil Rackers were released.

Kicker:

Billy Cundiff

Punter:

Sav Rocca

Long Snapper:

Nick Sundberg

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Saturday Slop: Josh Morgan Excited to Make his FedEx Debut; Is RG3 Fast Enough to run Track in the 2016 Olympics?

Posted on August 25, 2012

HomerMcFanboy ” saying goodbye to clinton portis
“I never cheated myself, and I gave everything that I had to this organization and to this Redskins nation, to this D.C. nation,” Portis said. “I love this area, and I will always feel a part of this community.” Some might forget, but Portis won a national championship at Miami, earned rookie of the year honors in Denver and broke the Redskins’ single-season rushing record, all before he turned 25. For a few years, it appeared there was nothing the two-time Pro Bowler couldn’t do.

Redskins thoughts: Three things I learned | WashingtonExaminer.com
Santana Moss gets an assist for his development. Crawford, a seventh-round pick who emerged as one of the bigger surprises in camp, has worked hard on being patient in press coverage. It shows, too. Crawford mirrors receivers off the line, not opening up too soon and allowing his man to make the first move. Then he reacts. Credit Moss. Crawford covered him in the slot all spring and much of the summer. ”Santana was always talking to me and he was like, ‘You have to be more patient.’ I wasn’t always this patient… Santana is a real shifty guy; Pierre is different. He’s more speed release, muscle release. But it takes time to be patient and not go for the first move. So it took a while with me getting comfortable.”

Redskins, Cowboys did not collude on salaries, players union says – The Insider – The Washington Post
Court filing says the two teams were not full participants in an alleged conspiracy to restrict player salaries in 2010.

Fred Davis, London Fletcher, Lorenzo Alexander named Redskins’ 2011 players of the year – The Insider – The Washington Post
Fred Davis, London Fletcher and Lorenzo Alexander are honored at luncheon.

Clinton Portis says Dan Snyder is the best owner in sports – DC Sports Bog – The Washington Post
Retiring running back pays tribute to his former owner on Twitter.

Is Robert Griffin III Fast Enough To Run Track In The 2016 Olympics?
Is Robert Griffin III really a “world-class hurdler,” as ESPN called him? In this week’s Hang Up and Listen, Mike Pesca takes a look at RG3′s times from high school and college and finds that, well, maybe it’s not an exaggeration.

The Redskins Blog | Up In Lights: Robert Griffin III
The homecoming was made official last night when a 74-foot-tall image of Griffin III was projected onto the Newseum’s First Amendment Wall along Pennsylvania Avenue for four hours. The projection of Griffin III’s image on the wall was an effort to officially welcome the native Texan to D.C., said Cathy Trost, vice president of exhibits, programs and media relations at the Newseum.

WR Josh Morgan excited to make his FedEx Field debut – The Insider – The Washington Post
Despite playing for Virginia Tech and the San Francisco 49ers, DC native has never played at Redskins’ current home.

Redskins-Colts: Five storylines to follow – The Insider – The Washington Post
Beyond the overhyped Griffin-Luck matchup, watch the running backs, the secondary and the offensive line.

With Helu, Royster out, rookie Morris in line for more playing time in Redskins’ third preseason game – The Insider – The Washington Post
Shortly after Redskins practice concluded Thursday, there was good news for rookie Alfred Morris and bad news for Evan Royster. But neither of them was the first to hear it.

Redskins 10 For 80 Winners Announced – Hail to the Redskins (Video Feature)
As most fans of the burgundy and gold already know the Redskins 10 for 80 contest for fans to determine who should be added to the all-time team took place this summer.

NFC East Top 20: No. 11 London Fletcher – NFC East Blog – ESPN
In the final 20 days before the start of the regular season, we are counting down the top 20 players in the NFC East.

Andrew Luck vs. Robert Griffin III: Rookie bout headlines Week 3 – NFL.com
As the first two picks of April’s draft, Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III will be linked forever. On Saturday, they face off for the first time. Daniel Jeremiah has storylines for all 13 weekend games.

Graham Gano, Neil Rackers seek chances to win Redskins’ kicking job – Washington Times
If Robert Griffin III leads the Washington Redskins on a drive that ends at the opposing 30-yard-line or so Saturday against the Indianapolis Colts, it won’t at all be a lost cause. That might be doing his team a favor.

Heartfelt thanks for selection as one of the 80 greatest Redskins – Hard Hits – The Washington Post

Selection to the list of 80 Greatest Redskins cements my bond with fans

Redskins sense a sound fit with Meriweather – Washington Times

The Redskins are two-time Pro Bowler Brandon Meriweather’s third team in the last calendar year.

Clinton Portis wanted to go to Maryland – Washington Times

Running back’s mother steered him toward Miami instead.

Robert Griffin III’s athleticism can be an asset, and a detriment, to the Redskins – The Washington Post

OPINION | The talented Redskins quarterback needs to know when to use his athleticism to break away, and when to cut his losses.

Redskins vs. Colts: Five Things To Watch For – The Burgundy Warpath

Here are five things to watch for in RGIII’s home opener against the Colts. Redskins vs. Colts

” Pre-Season Game #3

Week 3 of Pre-season is the most important of the non-important games. You get to see the starters play well into the 3rd quarter, there’s a slight bit of game-planning involve & it’s usually a gauge of how ready your team is for week 1.

Replacement officials continue to make a mockery of the NFL | Shutdown Corner – Yahoo! Sports

From the blog Shutdown Corner: “We expected going in, just like the players going through the preseason, that every week they would get better. The first week, we had some rough spots and we got better from the first week to the second week and…..

Upcoming Important Dates for NFL 2012 Season – Hogs Haven

Dates for cutting team rosters and making waiver claims listed.

Remembering Steve Van Buren, Hall of Famer for Eagles – NYTimes.com

Running back Steve Van Buren led the Philadelphia Eagles to three straight Eastern Division titles and their first two N.F.L. championships.

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What Did we Learn From the Bears Game?

Posted on August 19, 2012

A good test is often the best way to gauge just how far along a football team is. In the case of the Washington Redskins, there is still much work to be done after their second preseason game against the Chicago Bears. I don’t much care for scoreboards in the preseason, but for the record the Redskins lost 33-31.

That score is somewhat deceiving as the Redskins made a game of it in the fourth quarter behind Kirk Cousins catching fire against the Bears back-ups. Up to that point the two glaring weaknesses that have me afraid this year shined their ugly faces, the offensive line and the secondary. The o-line is dinged up a bit and has some backups playing but you could just tell they were over-matched against the Bears defense. Words can’t even describe how the Redskins secondary looked at times in the game, let’s just say Raheem Morris’s job is far from complete when it comes to strengthening the unit.

Robert Griffin III had a somewhat bumpy game fumbling deep in Bears territory on a play he was under serious pressure on (not directly his fault), he finished 5-8 for 49 Yards and 3 rushes for 17 yards.

Rookie Alfred Morris looked REALLY good early on but somewhat leveled out once protection slacked up some, he finished with 10 carries for 34 yards but also blew a blitz pickup read that lead to the RGIII sack/fumble.

Brandon Banks returned a punt 91 yards for a touchdown, but I still think his chances of making the team are slim, especially since Aldrick Robinson had the night he did, he finished with 6 catches for 104 yards and a touchdown. Mike Shanahan has already been clear that Banks will have to be able to produce at BOTH positions and that receiver competition is pretty tight right now, Robinson may have made the team with his showing against the Bears. Dezmon Briscoe also looked good catching 3 balls for 51 yards and a touchdown, I believe Briscoe could be the red-zone receiver we desperately need.

Brian Orakpo injured his left shoulder (same one he hurt last year) and Brandon Meriweather injured his left knee in the first quarter. Both will undergo MRI’s tomorrow but Homer McFanboy tweeted this after the game in reference to Orakpo.

Brian Orakpo wants #Redskins fans to know he’s okay. He said it was scary at first and he’s getting an MRI tomorrow, but he should be fine.

— Homer McFanboy (@HomerMcFanboy) August 19, 2012

There is a quarterback controversy in DC, but it will never be one that involves Robert Griffin III, Kirk Cousins and Rex Grossman are battling for the number two spot in the lineup and Rex better watch himself as Cousins was 18-23 for 264 yards and 3 touchdowns in the second half of the Bears game. Rex didn’t take a snap in the game.

Ryan Kerrigan, Jarvis Jenkins, Perry Riley and Delvin Johnson each had a sack.

The main thing to take from all this is that it’s only preseason and these game don’t count. The love of having these games is the ability to be able to try new things/players out while not really giving the game-plan away to anyone. Of course, the injuries are the downside of preseason and the reason I believe they play to many exhibition games.

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Five Things to Look for: Redskins vs Chicago Preseason Game

Posted on August 18, 2012

Heading into the second preseason game tonight against the Chicago Bears, the Washington Redskins will look to give rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III a few more snaps (30-35). The following list consists of five things I will be looking for tonight as I sit-down and watch the game.

Robert Griffin III – Just how will Washington look to use this young talent in only his second preseason outing? That will be probably depend on just how well the offensive line performs. Griffin was excellent as far as going through his options on the last drive of the Bills game, so I think the Shanahan’s will start the offense off in the same spot it left off on the 14th play against Buffalo.
Orakpo and Kerrigan – Against Buffalo these two looked like they could be on the brink of being the best linebacker combo in the NFL. Look to see them shifting from strong-side to weak-side more often this week as it appears they want to move them around more this year. That should lead to more opportunities for Orakpo to get at the quarterback, I personally believe Ryan Kerrigan is going to have a monster season this year so I will be focused on him mainly.
Neil Rackers vs. Graham Gano – Last week these two didn’t get any chances at moving their chess pieces at all in their kicker battle. Let’s hope this week is different, just for the record I picked Gano to win this battle.
The Redskins Secondary of ‘Misfits’ – Now don’t think I’m bagging on the team, the ‘Misfits’ label is one the group came up with for themselves. Brandon Meriweather will be playing against his former team and there may be a little hostility between the two since the Bears cut him last year. Rookie Richard Crawford looked good in the preseason opener and he will look to shine again as he continues to try to make the 53-man roster (which I have him doing). With the group of guys still contending for the free safety spot it should be interesting to see who can step up and win the job this year.
The Offensive Line – Last week they didn’t look very good in run blocking but appeared to get it together on the final drive that Robert Griffin III played, in which they scored a touchdown. The line still is dinged up a bit but looks to try and improve over last weeks showing.

Click here for the Redskins injury report

Washington Redskins 53-man Roster Projections

Posted on August 2, 2012

As camp is now a week in the books, I figured I would take a moment to preview the 53 man roster as I see it panning out. Some questions are still open in my mind on if we should keep more than 3 TE’s, 6 defensive lineman, 10 defensive backs or seven wide receivers, so I’m going to give a 52 man projection and have the last spot be sort of a wildcard. Look for the section titled “bubble players” at the bottom.

Quarterbacks (3)

Robert Griffin III, Kirk Cousins, Rex Grossman

After Mike Shanahan made it known very early on that Robert Griffin III would be the starting quarterback of the Redskins this year, any thought of a battle for the number one spot was gone. But there is an interesting battle that is on-going in camp between Grossman and Cousins for the backup spot. Cousins has been getting a lot of the second team reps in practice but I would be highly surprised if Rex doesn’t start the year off as the backup. I do however believe Cousins will be the backup by mid-season as Rex is destined to hold the clipboard and ride the pine this year.

Cuts

Jonathan Crompton

I think we all know that Crompton is nothing more than a camp body.

Halfback/Fullback (4)

Tim Hightower, Roy Helu Jr., Evan Royster, Darrel Young

If Tim Hightower is healthy I believe the starting job at running-back is his to lose. While Hightower has been recovering from his knee injury suffered last year, Evan Royster has been getting a lot of the first team snaps in camp and he and Helu look to get a fair amount of carries this year. Darrel Young has been a little banged up so far this year but his spot is all but locked up on the roster.

Cuts

Alfred Morris, Antwan Bailey, Lennon Creer, Stafon Johnson,Tristan Davis

The interesting name in this cut list is Alfred Morris who I believe could make the team if Hightower is unable to go, otherwise I see him starting the year on the practice squad. Should also be noted that Tristan Davis is currently on the PUP list. (UPDATE: Tristan Davis has been activated)

Wide Receivers (6)

Pierre Garcon, Josh Morgan, Santana Moss, Leonard Hankerson, Anthony Armstrong, Dezmon Briscoe

This will ultimately be a battle all the way through preseason but I believe that the top four are set in Garcon, Morgan, Moss and Hankerson. From there I believe Armstrong knows the playbook well enough to be a decent five or six and Briscoe gives the Redskins a red-zone threat if he can keep his head on football.

Cuts

Terrence Austin, Aldrick Robinson, Brandon Banks, Darius Hanks, Sam Kirkland, Lance Lewis

Reports have been saying that Austin has been having a really good camp and that Robinson has not. There is still a very good possibility that Austin, Robinson or Banks could beat out Briscoe or Armstrong or the team could keep 7 receivers. So who knows yet fully, but I’m thinking Banks may not make the roster this year. (see bubble players)

Tight Ends (3)

Fred Davis, Chris Cooley, Niles Paul

First and foremost, I think we can all agree that this is Davis’s job to lose. Cooley is on the outside looking in at this point and will need to have a strong camp and an injury free preseason to make the team. Niles Paul is making the transition to tight end and could surprise some this year with some decent production in his first year at a new position.

Cuts

Logan Paulsen, Richard Quinn, Beau Reliford

The tight end position could be tricky this year, some think that Shanahan may go with four tight ends, in that situation, Paulsen will make the team.

Offensive Lineman (9)

Trent Williams, Willie Smith, Tyler Polumbus, Maurice Hurt , Will Montgomery, Kory Lichtensteiger, Chris Chester, Josh LeRibeus, Adam Gettis (Jammal Brown?)

Offensive line poses a difficult situation as Lichtensteiger recently had his knee scoped and will miss the preseason in a move so that he doesn’t re-injure himself. A few days ago I would have had Jammal Brown penciled down in this list, now I’m left with that not so sure feeling inside about him since he is currently on the PUP list. Polumbus has been taking a lot of the snaps with the first team in camp in place of Brown, but obviously what most would want would be for Polumbus to be a depth piece instead of a starter. I believe the key here will be how well the rookies can step in when needed as Gettis and LeRibeus could end up playing vital roles if injury strikes. An argument could be made that keeping ten offensive lineman wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Cuts

Tom Compton, Jordan Black, Nick Martinez, James Lee, Grant Garner, Cole Pemberton, Erik Cook (Jammal Brown?)

Again Brown will be a deciding factor in this as I am unsure of his availability at this moment. I for one would really like it if Tom Compton could step up and make the team and be effective in a situation we need him in (right tackle), but I believe he will need at least a year on the practice squad before being ready for the NFL.

Defensive Lineman (6)

Barry Cofield, Stephen Bowen, Adam Carriker, Jarvis Jenkins, Kedric Golston, Chris Neild

Cuts

Kentwan Balmer, Chris Baker, Darrion Scott, Doug Worthington, Delvin Johnson

Balmer has apparently gone AWOL from camp, which is highly peculiar to say the least, but I don’t believe he would have made the roster anyways. Scott and Baker could perhaps make a push towards a roster spot.

Linebackers (8)

London Fletcher, Brian Orakpo, Ryan Kerrigan, Perry Riley, Rob Jackson, Markus White, Lorenzo Alexander, Keenan Robinson

Cuts

Bryan Kehl, Chris Wilson, Brian McNally, D.J. Holt, Monte Lewis

Defensive Backs (10)

Josh Wilson, DeAngelo Hall, Cedric Griffin, Madieu Williams, Tanard Jackson, Brandon Meriweather, Reed Doughty, DeJon Gomes, Brandyn Thompson, Richard Crawford

I think the bigger question here is who can the Redskins keep that can help the team, I must admit some of the names above would not strike fear in me as an opposing fan but I believe the idea is to use our strength (front seven) to put pressure on the quarterback, which will disrupt timing in the play. If Meriweather can return to the way he played in New England, this unit will be a lot better than most have given them credit for. The word out of camp is that D. Hall is enjoying playing the nickel back so far, that’s worth keeping an eye on.

Cuts

Kevin Barnes, Morgan Trent, David Jones, Jordan Bernstine, Michael Hamlin, Travon Bellamy

In a perfect world Bernstine would make this team, of course in the world we live in he will have to spend a year on the practice squad. I believe the long needed cutting of Kevin Barnes will happen this year.

Special Teams

Graham Gano, Sav Rocca, Nick Sundberg

Cuts

Neil Rackers

I think most Redskins fans were happy to hear that Rackers was brought in to push Gano, but I just don’t think Rackers has the leg to beat Gano out for a roster spot this season. As a matter of fact, I believe Gano will have the best year of his career this season.

Bubble Players

Terrence Austin, Aldrick Robinson, Brandon Banks, Alfred Morris, Chris Baker, Bryan Kehl, Logan Paulsen, Kevin Barnes, Tom Compton, Jammal Brown

The list above could very well hold the names of players who will make the 53-man roster but at this point I believe they need to show more in either camp or preseason to be able to make the team.

I will give another update on this after week two of the preseason.

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Saturday Slop: Chris Cooley Says Everyone Loves RGIII; Ryan Kerrigan Wants to Make Strides in Second Season

Posted on July 28, 2012

Redskins Practice Report: July 27 | WashingtonExaminer.com
1. Redskins right tackle Jammal Brown will undergo an MRI Tuesday in New York. He wanted to wait until he could be seen by his doctor and this was the earliest it could happen. 2. The Redskins claimed receiver Dezmon Briscoe off waivers from Tampa Bay. The Bucs released him in part because he failed their conditioning test.

RG3 Report | WashingtonExaminer.com
On a bootleg to the left side, Robert Griffin III tucked the ball and started running. He dashed out of bounds before linebacker Lorenzo Alexander would have hit him (had it been a real game). Alexander’s pursuit on the play was solid: he took the proper angle, leaving Griffin no place to go but out of bounds.

Redskins RB Royster getting noticed | WashingtonExaminer.com
Evan Royster is one of three runners competing for the starting job, along with Tim Hightower and Roy Helu. With Hightower practicing but coming back from a torn ACL, Royster took snaps with the first team ahead of the others.

Washington Redskins Training Camp Day 2 Afternoon: Shanahan, Garçon, Helu, Alexander And Moss ” CBS DC
The coach said Brown wants to see his own doctor and will get an MRI on Tuesday, then they’ll know more. With Brown unable to practice, Tyler Polumbus has been taking the first team reps at right tackle. Listen here to what Mike Shanahan, Pierre Garcon, Roy Helu, Lorenzo Alexander & Santana Moss had to say following practice today.

Chris Cooley says everyone loves RGIII – DC Sports Bog – The Washington Post
“Everyone’s relationship with Griff has been great,” Cooley said. “He has an ability to be a leader. It’s just such an intangible ability. Some guys are born with it, and he has that characteristic. I’m not that kind of person. For me to do what he’s doing would be so forced, but for me to watch him has been a lot of fun.

RGIII’s HTTR cleats – DC Sports Bog – The Washington Post
Redskins quarterback started training camp with the initials for ‘Hail to the Redskins’ on his kicks.

The Redskins Blog | Rookie Spotlight: Kirk Cousins
“It went well,” Cousins said Friday after the team’s morning walk-through session in the Redskins’ Indoor Training Facility. “Definitely a lot of learning taking place, mistakes being made as a rookie which is to be expected, but a dream come true to be a part of an NFL training camp, a very exciting opportunity — just gotta get used to that heat going forward.”

Backup Kirk Cousins has starter’s mentality – The Insider – The Washington Post
Fourth-round draft pick in competition with Rex Grossman to back up Robert Griffin III

Pierre Garcon, Tim Hightower aim to spark team offensively – The Insider – The Washington Post
Newcomer and RB who was injured last season want to make an impact in 2012.

Ryan Kerrigan wants to make strides in second season – The Insider – The Washington Post
Kerrigan wants to make strides

Shanahan: Running Back Competition Open
Going into 2012, Shanahan added rookie Alfred Morris to the mix and declared an open competition for the starting spot. “Sometimes you get a running back that can carry the load by himself,” Shanahan said. “Most of the time you kind of have two or three guys, but we’ll just have to wait and see as the preseason goes on who wins the playing time.”

Williams, Teammates Have Griffin III’s Back
Given the cost of acquiring Griffin III, the Redskins must protect their investment. Redskins 2010 first-round pick, left tackle Trent Williams will be entrusted with protecting Griffin III’s blindside. For what it’s worth, Williams is prepared to protect the dynamic athlete lining up under center. “I like him,” Williams said, matter-of-factly. “I think he’s everything he’s hyped up to be.”

Redskins camp report: RG3′s development will determine how fast this team rises – NFL – CBSSports.com News, Rumors, Scores, Stats, Fantasy
Besides the Griffin trade, the Redskins made a splash by jumping on receivers Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan right away in free agency, and made some middling moves, bringing back injured RB Tim Hightower, taking chances onTanard Jackson and Brandon Meriweather at safety. The roster remains riddled with questions at some key spots.

Meriweather a big Redskins question mark – NFC East Blog – ESPN
When Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan was considering signing safety Brandon Meriweather this spring, he called Patriots coach Bill Belichick to ask if he thought it was a good idea. Belichick cut Meriweather just before the start of the 2011 season, and Meriweather wasn’t productive last year with the Bears, so Shanahan wanted to know if something was up — and more importantly, whether the guy could still play. Belichick told Shanahan he thought Meriweather could still play and would fit well as the strong safety in the kind of defense Shanahan likes to run.

The muddle and mystery of Redskins RBs – NFC East Blog – ESPN

I get a lot of questions about the Washington Redskins’ running back situation — who’s the starter, how much of a role will Roy Helu have, could Evan Royster handle the load, etc. I know most of them are fantasy-related, but that’s okay. I don’t judge. I’m a fantasy sports junkie myself.

Don’t Forget To Use Protection! – Hogs Haven

We look at some common pass protection schemes in the west coast offense; the 2 Jet, 3 Jet and Fox 2. All will be used by the Redskins this season to help block for Robert Griffin the third and keep him standing upright.

Redskins training camp: Robert Griffin III ushers in new era – NFL.com
Trouble? Discord? These things no longer define Washington Redskins training camp. Jeff Darlington says it’s a new day with fresh-faced quarterback Robert Griffin III at the helm.

Return of the Hogs Haven Podcast! – Hogs Haven

The Hogs Haven podcast makes its triumphant return to the airwaves after a month off. With the Redskins starting training camp this week, we discuss all the battles and story lines to come from camp.

Moss wants to tap the brakes on RG3-mania
Santana Moss understands all of the RG3 hype, but he doesn’t really want to participate in it.

Five Non-Starters To Watch In Preseason – Hogs Haven
Hogs Haven takes a look at five veterans non-starters for the Redskins to keep an eye on at this week’s training camp.

A trio of punt returner candidates
Three different players tried their hands at fielding punts at Thursday’s practice.

Brown’s ‘little’ injury could be a big problem for the Redskins – Rich Tandler’s Real Redskins
Even though Jammal Brown looked healthy during OTA’s and minicamp, it was not shocking when Mike Shanahan announced that he would be on the physically unable to perform list to start training camp. Shanahan said that the team’s starting right tackle’s hip “felt a little bit tight” after running some conditioning sprints on Wednesday and that the hip was “a little bit sore” on Thursday morning.

New practice schedule favors early risers – Rich Tandler’s Real Redskins
By Tarik El-Bashir CSNwashington.com In his first two seasons as the Redskins’ coach, Mike Shanahan held training camp practices in the morning and walkthroughs in the afternoon. This summer, however, Shanahan has flipped that familiar schedule. “I haven’t worked it this way before,” he said this week. “But with the new rules [in the collective bargaining agreement], we are getting a good lift in the morning from 7:30 to and 8 to 8:30 with the rookies and the vets.

Redskins’ Evan Royster expecting more from himself in second season – Washington Times
When Evan Royster looks at film of his second professional start, the Washington Redskins running back doesn’t see the 28 yards he gained on a toss to the left against the Philadelphia Eagles last January.

Ex-Redskins lineman Bostic sues NFL over concussions – Washington Times

Jeff Bostic, former Washington Redskins center and original member of the famed “Hogs” offensive line, has joined the concussion lawsuits against the NFL, according to court documents reviewed by The Washington Times.

DALY: Veteran Santana Moss playing with a rookie’s zeal – Washington Times

It was just one play, a single snap in a Washington Redskins camp full of them, but for Santana Moss it was oh so symbolic. On a throw to the left flat Thursday morning, just a few minutes into the first workout, Robert Griffin III led Moss a bit too far, and Santana was forced to make a tumbling catch, an effort that sent his visor flying.

Redskins Hopeful With RGIII After Lean Years – NYTimes.com

Rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III generated excitement among the veterans at the opening of Redskins camp on Thursday.

Washington Redskins Training Camp Day 2: Hankerson, Lichtensteiger, Royster And Cousins Speak ” CBS DC

Listen here to what Leonard Hankerson, Evan Royster, Kirk Cousins & Kory Lichtensteiger had to say following the walk-through this morning.

Hogs Haven Round Table – Training Camp Position Battles – Hogs Haven

So with training camp beginning this week, we thought it was a good idea to kick off the first round table of the year with opinions on player position battles. Which position battles do you guys think will be the most competitive and the best to keep on eye on this year? Who do you see winning those battles?

Point-Counterpoint: Debating the Redskins Pass Catchers | Fanspeak Washington Redskins Blog
Training camp starts this week and we have already looked at both the offensive and defensive lines. Now it is time to look at a more exciting position, the receivers. Recent seasons have seen solid play for the tight end position, but not as much from the wideouts. Shanahan and Allen saw a need in the off season at wide receiver and added both Pierre Garcon (still need to figure out how to get that squiggly thing) and Josh Morgan. The last time the Skins spent big money on the position was when Gibbs and Cerrato brought in Antwan Randle-El and Brandon Lloyd. All must hope this situation has a better ending, but will it?

Orakpo diversifying his pass-rushing repertoire – Washington Times
ROLB Brian Orakpo is looking to add some inside pass rushing moves to his arsenal.

Holden & Danny: Brian Westbrook Says Mike Vick Was The Root Of The Eagles Issues ” CBS DC
Former Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook joined Holden & Danny to give his thoughts on various story lines from around the league, including why he thinks his former team struggled last season.