Redskins vs. Eagles - Opportunities Galore, Job security should be on the Line.

[superozman]

Sunday should be a tell-tale game for the future of many on this team. It should be, for numerous factors. But for a couple groups of players and specialized coaches, it should be a game to where you evaluate from the result of this game. The Eagles come into town having holes opposite of where the Redskins have holes, and the outcome of the match-ups should result in decisions made about people’s jobs.

First, this game is after the bye week for the Redskins, and at home. The Redskins are now 1-3 at home, again beginning to disappoint the fans who shell out thousands a year, to have a 2-10 record over the past 2 seasons there. Then you have Shanny announcing his “evaluation” – which is his prerogative, however if that is the case, then so be it. Here is what should be evaluated.

DEFENSIVE PRESSURE. The Eagles have 1 returning starting offensive lineman from last year. 1. And he hobbled off the field last week. They have busts at the tackle position and Mike Vick all year was running for his life. Now he’s severely concussed (may not play again this year), Enter Nick Foles. Foles who is in his first NFL start is doing so under a head coach who could be done his tenure with the team. In my opinion, Andy Reid’s playbook will be wide open for the rookie – including the normal deluge of downfield plays. If the Redskins can get pressure, it could save a few jobs of some backups/d-coaches. Side note, Foles was a turnover machine in college – no reason to not get a few this week. Players, whether starters or backups, and especially Haslett should be drooling for this opportunity and need to come through.

WIDE RECIEVER – Case for Santana and someone please step up. Shanny and Allen have come in and changed the roster age from one of the older rosters to one of the younger. Including WR. However, since Garcon’s inability to have a foot that’s healed, the starters have ranged from Robinson, to Hankerson, to Morgan. In the meantime, Santana Moss has been the most consistent (albeit a few frustrating drops), and even with his lack of snaps, has been the best option at WR. Santana needs to start, as Griffin obviously trusts him and looks his way when he’s on the field (IE 2nd TD against Giants). While he doesn’t have 2005 speed, he has crisp routes, great YAC ability, and is still a solid WR (Not a #1, but should be on the field more).

The Eagles have 2 great names on paper at CB, but they have not played like their history shows. They need to be taken advantage of, along with the lack of safety help. There should be a few deep ball opportunities. With free agent to be including Bowe, Wallace, Jennings, Welker, and Amendola in the mix, the WR should be on notice.


I guess I’m at the point where this team should go into this week, so confident that they can beat a division rival at home, they should whoop up on them. The Eagels are reeling and a QB who has never started an NFL game at the helm. As fans, we should expect this is the make it or break it for some folks on our team, and this team should stick it to the ugly birds all day long.

One Final note. The 3 Eagles wins, by 1, 1, and 2. That's right. 4 total points for the 3 wins.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

I would like to see us do whatever it takes from a personnel perspective to get some nice pass catchers on the field for Griffin. Give Robinson and Briscoe a shot to play and see what they can do. Nothing against Hank or Morgan, but maybe we'll find a Miles Austin in our bunch too. I think Morgan is a very reliable possession guy, so maybe rotate the other 3 to see who can make some dynamic plays for us. I'd also like to see some variation in the speed of the offense. Let's get in and out of the huddle and maybe mix in some hurry-up. Let Griffin take a snap with 2 WRs to either side of him and pick apart the D for a while.

[SemperFi Skins]

At least we don't have to shadow/spy Foles so it should be easier to keep an eye on McCoy and our run defense needs to step it up. With their shaky OLine, hopefully he won't even find a gap. As for WR's, we have a decent group and should make some progress. So help me, if DJax gets another 70-80 yard td on us, I hope Ma-doo-doo is cut immediately! Well he should have been already...

[RichmondRedskin88]

Both teams have coaches on hot seats and players on the verge of being cut. Maybe we'll just do this like the WWE and have a Loser Gets Fired match/game.

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

Jackson is scoring a long one. He owns us...

[Warpath11]

I always get excited when we play a team with a supposed "weak" offensive line yet we never manage to get any pressure in those games. I will say, if the game plan remains the same as it has, and we run that 2-4-5 sub-pacakge defense in nickle situations, Foles will not be under too much duress. We still may win the game but it wont be because the defense stepped up big time.

[superozman]

Another interesting tid-bit is what SemperFi mentioned, our safety play. What I would like to see is maybe Wilson jamming Jackson a bit, Hall possibly playing back (what I feel are strengths of each), but make sure that Jackson and Maclin have the over the top safety help.

Reason being, is Foles will take his deep shots - even in double coverage. They don't have the size to constantly catch in double coverage. Also, disrupting the routes hopefully creates time for the pass rush.

While this sounds so easy as I type it, we will see either Jackson or Maclin have a pretty big day, knowing our D. Just frustrating that if we had a solid overall team this game could be 35-17 or something in the Skins favor.

[DC9]

I expect to see a lot of quick screen passes to test the perimeter tackling of the secondary... or lack thereof. Foles was more comfortable with this, and their offensive line is garbage. I think Foles was something like 16 for 17 on short-rythm type passes this last week.

I think Hazlett will see that this is probably the weakest line in the NFL... and try to use that to get the sack count up... and it will backfire tremendously. McCoy and Jackson on screens and Maclin as a possession guy. Avant has also played well against us in the last two games we have had with the Eagles.

If you watched the Cowboys game, Foles went to Maclin a ton over the middle of the field in between the hashes.

I wouldn't use this as a statement game if I were Haz... I would blitz on second down and long and I would play a safe bend but don't break against the speed of the Eagles.

On offense, you have got to get in the heads of that wide 9 and let them know we are running the ball. Call it a hunch, but the Eagles d-line are filfthy... they cheap shotted Lich last year and I would expect the same this year, I hate to say it, but our run of a healthy offensive line is going to come to an end this week. Glad we get Jammal back... but someone is going down.

I'd also like to see some five wide. And I don't mean for wide recievers and a TE or RB. I mean five WR... let them run down the field and let Griff decied whether or not he should run it. Keep them off balanced and show them something new.

[superozman]

I expect to see a lot of quick screen passes to test the perimeter tackling of the secondary... or lack thereof.

I'd also like to see some five wide. And I don't mean for wide recievers and a TE or RB. I mean five WR... let them run down the field and let Griff decied whether or not he should run it. Keep them off balanced and show them something new.

I see them utilizing the screen, becuase they do - along with the shovel pass in the redzone, but I still see them going deep a bit. Now whether they do short to open deep, or short to consistently move, that will remain to be seen.

And whole heartedly agree. 5 wide, 5 linement, drop back - if blitzed, use someone short. If time, let someone get deep. The Eagles safeties could really be worse than ours.

[pjfootballer]

One thing that no one has mentioned is Brent Celek. While everyone is worried about Jackson and Maclin going deep, Celek is the type of TE that creates a nightmare matchup for our LBers. Big, tall and athletic. I think he'll have over 100 yards and wear our defense out.

[DC9]

One thing that no one has mentioned is Brent Celek. While everyone is worried about Jackson and Maclin going deep, Celek is the type of TE that creates a nightmare matchup for our LBers. Big, tall and athletic. I think he'll have over 100 yards and wear our defense out.

Come on PJ, nightmare? He looks like a dream boat to me!



To your point, I agree. I am very curious to see what comes out of the bye week on both sides of the ball. I wholeheartidly believe that the better Coverage LB at this point is Keenan Robinson. I doubt that Shanny or Haz puts Fletcher on the sidelines for any extended time this week (or just yet this season)... but Fletcher has been getting used by TE's this year. Hopefully Merriweather can do some work to keep that under wraps.

Foles didn't look to Celek nearly as much as he did looking for Maclin... but he did like to throw it in between the hashmarks when he wasn't throwing a screen pass.

[Thirtyfive2seven]

agree completely on the Santana point. I'm NOT a huge fan since he gets STUPID penalties, drops the ball, and fumbles at the worse times. However, he's better than any of the other WR's on the field currently and not starting... why?

If I see the skins sitting back in coverage and rushing 3-4 linemen I'm going to freak out especially if they cannot generate a pass rush. Blitz this rookie constantly until he beats you consistently.

[fancrazyskin]

I don;t see why Hasslet doesn't throw the kitchen sink at Foles, what do we have to lose.

[DC9]

I don;t see why Hasslet doesn't throw the kitchen sink at Foles, what do we have to lose.

two of the fastest Wideouts in the League and arguably the best running back in the league doing a house call on a screen pass? That'd be my guess anyway...

Don't get me wrong, we should still bring pressure... but this is a 3, 5, and 7 step drop qb... not Vick. He will make the line look better than Vick does because he will get the ball out. We should blitz... but it has to be timely.

[skins island connection]

One thing that no one has mentioned is Brent Celek. While everyone is worried about Jackson and Maclin going deep, Celek is the type of TE that creates a nightmare matchup for our LBers. Big, tall and athletic. I think he'll have over 100 yards and wear our defense out.

One thing that frustrates me is to watch most every T.E. we've played this year, standing still, and the ball thrown to the guy, while the LB is off him 10 feet, then comes to make the tackle. I rarely see a LB in tight coverage against a T.E. .
But you're right, Celek WILL have a field day if this type of coverage continues, I just can't see Haslett doing ANYTHING to negate any part of their offense; almost like a totally reactionary defense...