What I Saw Today

[AJ_Skins]

Obviously, you can't make too many predictions based on a game against a team as bad as the Texans, but there were some signs of hope. If Portis is healthy, with all the weapons the team has, they can generate some offense.

Clearly, the playcalling was drastically altered to compensate for Brunell. A passing game consisting entirely of short dumpoffs will probably be hard to sustain against better teams, but the reason for hope is that this offense, with Al Saunders, is the same offense that Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson went wild in over the past few seasons. If Portis is healthy, he could very likely do the same, which would take a huge load off of Brunell.

I'd like to hope that somehow Brunell will gain enough confidence and grasp of the offense to start getting the ball to the WRs downfield, but I'm not holding my breath. If he did, it would change the prospects of the team dramatically.

Right now, I think it's fair to say the team's chances rest primarily on Portis getting back to 100%, and getting Springs back in the lineup.

[Riggins Seventy Chip]

totally agree. Brunell cannot throw the ball past 15 yards effectively. I could have broken that completion record myself today.

[LiveStrongSkins]

The one thing that worries me is the holding calls and false starts. Also at times a mean streak. We had that mean streak in the second half of todays game. Houston knew what we were doing and we stuffed it down their throat. It will be interesting to see how we do against Jax. The short stuff isnt going to work like it did today. If we have to rely on the short stuff next week Donavan Darius will destroy us.

[jsevier]

totally agree. Brunell cannot throw the ball past 15 yards effectively. I could have broken that completion record myself today.

Good googly moogly... Some of you ladies and gents will not be happy until he is in a retirement home in Florida. If it was as easy as you explain then don't you think Peyton Manning, one of the best QB's in the NFL, would have done it last week against the Texans or maybe McNabb the week before?

Lets face it Brunell is not on the same level as those I just mentioned but he is not nearly as bad as you and others make him out to be.

[Yusuf06]

Good googly moogly... Some of you ladies and gents will not be happy until he is in a retirement home in Florida. If it was as easy as you explain then don't you think Peyton Manning, one of the best QB's in the NFL, would have done it last week against the Texans or maybe McNabb the week before?

Lets face it Brunell is not on the same level as those I just mentioned but he is not nearly as bad as you and others make him out to be.

Actually if Manning and McFlabb had attempted as few passes downfield as Scott, they'd probably have made 25 or 26 completions in a row. The fact is, there's a reason why the types of passes Brunell was throwing today are called "high completion percentage" passes...because any mope with half an arm is supposed to complete those and will do so almost all of the time. Real QBs can make all the throws.

Oh, and for the record, a retirement home in FL sounds about right for Scott.

[Redskins75]

totally agree. Brunell cannot throw the ball past 15 yards effectively. I could have broken that completion record myself today.

Really? Why aren't you wearing number 8 then and playing for the Washington Redskins? Mark Brunell has more tallent in his little tiny piggy toe than you do in your whole entire body...........

[jsevier]

Actually if Manning and McFlabb had attempted as few passes downfield as Scott, they'd probably have made 25 or 26 completions in a row. The fact is, there's a reason why the types of passes Brunell was throwing today are called "high completion percentage" passes...because any mope with half an arm is supposed to complete those and will do so almost all of the time. Real QBs can make all the throws.

Oh, and for the record, a retirement home in FL sounds about right for Scott.

So tell me this... If Mark retired today then you would be happy? It seems like anything short of that isn't going to help you guys get over your hate for the mans ability or lack of (that seems to be your position.)

Right now it sounds like your feelings are he is not a good QB and there are about 31 other better ones. I am not one to put words in others mouth so please correct me if you feel I am wrong. (As I know you will) I just like to know where others stand so there is no confusion. Its all about opinions.

[IronMike]

I saw the following elements today:
1) the importance of C. Portis to this team. He is our MVP.
2) an offensive line that finally began to assert itself (even tho it was against a weak team)
3) a strong performance by L. Betts
4) a strong performance by Brunell. Yes the passes were not challenging, but one would think that the Texans could attempt to cover these short passes. These passes are the same type of passes that SF popularized in the 70s. 'Dink 'N Dunk' is not demanding on a QB's arm, but it can be stopped. However that opens up other opportunities. Give credit to MB.
5) a better showing by the defense, but we still need lots of improvement. I am still waiting to see anything from A. Carter. Archuleta is a liability in pass defense, and he missed too many tackles in the short game.
6) too many penalties.

Let's see if the posititves carry-over next week against Jax.

[sircharlz]

One note regarding the 22 for 22 record........... it shows that are receivers, backs and tight ends have excellent hands. One other observation is that this game allowed us to get into a flow and get timing down on a lot of plays.

[hail2skins]

The "we didn't throw downfield enough" argument would hold more water if we were ineffective on offense today and played like a 17-13 game. But the quick screens and dink and dunks WERE WORKING, well enough to get 31 points and probably more if not for the Rock fumble. Yes, the Texans are a bad team, but we did what we were supposed to do and beat them convincingly all around.

[redskinsfan85]

One note regarding the 22 for 22 record........... it shows that are receivers, backs and tight ends have excellent hands. One other observation is that this game allowed us to get into a flow and get timing down on a lot of plays.

Excellent hands and also great playmaking ability. It's different if he would have completed 22/22 for 85 yards but he knew he had playmakers and blockers so they'd run downfield and that's exactly what happened. I would have been mad if he did this and they got tackled immeditaly but because the offense was focused on getting out and blocking for the reciever it worked out real nicely!

[Bhutanibeast]

Good googly moogly... Some of you ladies and gents will not be happy until he is in a retirement home in Florida. If it was as easy as you explain then don't you think Peyton Manning, one of the best QB's in the NFL, would have done it last week against the Texans or maybe McNabb the week before?

Lets face it Brunell is not on the same level as those I just mentioned but he is not nearly as bad as you and others make him out to be.

other qbs wont break it cause they throw intermediate and deep routes. the redskins did not throw a deep route today, and very very few intermediate routes.

[TankRizzo]

Brunell played the entire game with training wheels on. The only thing they've done by doing this is delay the inevitable.

Sure, he went out there and went 22/22, but does anyone think he can bring us back from any kind of deficit? And come on...it was the Texans. It's not like that game is going to make the fans at fed ex forget about the 2 losses. If he goes out there and goes back to throwing the ball at the gatorade on 3rd down, then he's not going to get a very warm reception at home.

That win isn't going to somehow magically give his arm +4 strength like in Madden.

[worldchampionfan]

I don't understand all these people getting on about too many screen passes and dump passes. We won. I agree that we need to stretch the field more, but we didn't need to in THIS GAME. So quit whining. Besides, I have seen alot of really good teams beat the screen pass and dump offs TO DEATH over the years. But if it works (aka Dallas Cowboys of the 90's, and ALSO those vaulted Kansas City Chief high scoring teams under Al Saunders) then WHY IN THE HECK WOULD YOU EXPECT THE TEAM TO DO SOMETHING ELSE?

[hail2skins]

Uh........did the offense score 31 points today? Did the offense gain around 500 yards today?

I'll admit that after 2004 I said I'd scream if I saw the Skins rely on the WR screen as a staple, but folks........IT WORKED TODAY!!!

There's a story about the old Packers under Lombardi and how they'd continually run the same play and dare teams to stop it. The Skins did that today, and the Texans were unable to stop it. The team needed a W today and needed to give their offense some confidence. I think both were accomplished.