Sunday, November 11, 2007
Lots of notes you won't see on the stat sheets
Redskins/Jets
- Jets throwing a lot on 1st downs, maybe they don’t expect too much from 1st down runs, maybe the Redskins are stacking the box, and maybe they are just trying to catch the redskins off guard.
- Dumb penalties by Leron Laundry and London Fletcher cost the Redskins yards.
- Jason Campbell has not completed a pass to a receiver with 5:28 left in the first half. The Redskins run a horizontal offense with all screens and check downs.
- Jason Campbell is 5/10 (50%) passing while throwing all dinks and dunks and not impressing me at all. Later in the week he said the Jets were playing a lot of “Man Under” so he didn’t want to throw any outside routes downfield as the Redskins continued to run that check down offense.
- JC completes his first pass to a receiver late in the first half that was a 0 yard smoke screen pass to Santana Moss anyways. Later in the drive on 3rd and goal he was looking at Portis for a dump off that didn’t happen.
- Kellen Clemens hit 7 different pass catchers in the first half and had an 18 yard scramble. How come people call a guy like Tavaras Jackson mobile, but Clemens rips off an 18 yard run and nobody talks about his mobility?
- Mike Nugent literally runs onto the field late in the first half to kick a field goal and Joe Gibbs does the whole “ice the kicker” timeout. “Icing the kicker” might or might not work, but I really don’t like calling a timeout when the kicker is rushed to get the kick off. There is a difference between a guy standing around waiting and getting “iced”, and a guy that never even really had time to set up in the first place.
- The first real completion to a wide receiver ( besides the 0 yard smoke screen) was a 13 yard play action pass in the middle of the field to Antwain Randel El. Even the first completion was rather conservative as it was a play action pass and not a regular pass.
- People confuse a “strong arm” with a pretty deep ball. Jason Campbell ended up throwing 2 deep balls in the second half with one being under thrown and the other overthrown.
- Leon Washington drops an easy hitch n’ go pass that could have gone for a Jets touchdown.
- Campbell picked off on a safety blitz and none of his receivers were even close to where he threw it.
- The Skins were killing the Jets running the ball, and the Jet Safety took a terrible angle on Portis’ 32 yard run. A lot of times big runs come from good wide receiver blocking downfield because the safeties are more involved in run support than people realize. The safety was unblocked on this particular play but took a horrible angle that allowed Portis to run in the open field. It wasn’t a good play by the Jet front 7, but the poor angle/tackling by the Jet safety turned it into a big play.
Pats/Colts
- Enough has already been said about this game, but I think the thing that killed the Colts was Manning trying to throw to waiver wire trash Moorhead and Fletcher at the end of the game instead of having pro bowl Harrison and the speedy Gonzalez.
Cincy/Buffalo
- Reggie Kelly was gang tackled by 5 Bills on a catch and that just speaks volumes about coaching to me. Marvin Lewis’s Bengals unit has had some injuries, but that defense is a complete joke ( and it is supposed to be Marvins specialty). Buffalo has lost 5 starters on defense but they have played surprisingly well and getting 5 hats to the ball is a reason why.
- The Bengals linebackers take terrible angles to the ball.
- Chad Johnson getting beaten around like a rag doll, not just the injury hit either. There was a catch at the sideline where the defender tried to push him out of bounds and Ocho Cincos face bounced off the turf like a basketball.
- Losman had pretty good stats but still sucks.
Dallas/Philly
- John Madden has been known to say some dumb things, but he is correct when he pointed out how the Cowboys big offensive line dominated the Eagles defensive line. Big “hotel” Flozel Adams weighs about 350 pounds and is lined up against a speedy Trent Cole at maybe 100 pounds less. The Cowboys offensive line has quietly been a strength for this team especially the left side with Hotel, the massive Lenard Davis, and the pro bowl center Gurude.
Cleveland ( last couple of games)
- A lot of coaches and coordinators talk about “opening up the offense” each summer but not many really do it. Romeo Crenell really did let his offensive coordinator open it up this season. How many coaches would let Derek Anderson come in off the waiver wire and throw the ball downfield? Maybe the Browns figure they might as well let Anderson throw it ( as opposed to game manager) in a fight or flight response. If Anderson does succeed then the Browns know they have something, if he fails then he just warmed the seat for Brady Quinn.
Seattle ( last few games)
- Shawn Alexander looks done. I saw him drop two passes ( due to the cast on his left arm) and after both drops Mike Holmgren pulled him from the game for at least a play. In the Seattle/Browns game they showed highlights of Alexander from 03’ and it looked like a completely different player. Shawn busted out a 10 yard run later in the game in which his blockers allowed him to get to the second level ( which is great), only most backs could have ran for a lot more than 10 yards. Alexander wasn’t hitting the holes hard or anything, he looked like a 30 year old back with a broken left hand, a hurt knee, hamstring, and a lot of miles of wear and tear on his body.
- Leroy Hill looks like a pretty good linebacker to pair with Lofa and Julian Peterson. He has impressed me and standing up Jamal Lewis, and a vicious hit in the Bengals game highlighted his performance.
Steelers/Ravens
- Somebody needs to test James Harrison for steroids with 3.5 sacks, 2 FF, a pick and lots of disruption in general.
- Is Steve Mcnair done? Forget the lack of passes downfield, the guy has fumbled what, 6 times in 2 or 3 games? How many games has he missed, and now many times has Bollier had to come in relief duty? It seems like age and injury have really hit Mcnair hard.
- I didn’t like Brian Billeck throwing Jim Fassel under the bus last year for the offensive struggles. Billeck did this right before some weaker competition so that the Ravens put up some points and then the media was claiming that “Billeck fixed it”. The Ravens are one of those teams that vows to “open it up” on offense every year, but Billeck is still running a weak passing offense. Brian Billecks arrogance will cost his team games every year.
- Jets throwing a lot on 1st downs, maybe they don’t expect too much from 1st down runs, maybe the Redskins are stacking the box, and maybe they are just trying to catch the redskins off guard.
- Dumb penalties by Leron Laundry and London Fletcher cost the Redskins yards.
- Jason Campbell has not completed a pass to a receiver with 5:28 left in the first half. The Redskins run a horizontal offense with all screens and check downs.
- Jason Campbell is 5/10 (50%) passing while throwing all dinks and dunks and not impressing me at all. Later in the week he said the Jets were playing a lot of “Man Under” so he didn’t want to throw any outside routes downfield as the Redskins continued to run that check down offense.
- JC completes his first pass to a receiver late in the first half that was a 0 yard smoke screen pass to Santana Moss anyways. Later in the drive on 3rd and goal he was looking at Portis for a dump off that didn’t happen.
- Kellen Clemens hit 7 different pass catchers in the first half and had an 18 yard scramble. How come people call a guy like Tavaras Jackson mobile, but Clemens rips off an 18 yard run and nobody talks about his mobility?
- Mike Nugent literally runs onto the field late in the first half to kick a field goal and Joe Gibbs does the whole “ice the kicker” timeout. “Icing the kicker” might or might not work, but I really don’t like calling a timeout when the kicker is rushed to get the kick off. There is a difference between a guy standing around waiting and getting “iced”, and a guy that never even really had time to set up in the first place.
- The first real completion to a wide receiver ( besides the 0 yard smoke screen) was a 13 yard play action pass in the middle of the field to Antwain Randel El. Even the first completion was rather conservative as it was a play action pass and not a regular pass.
- People confuse a “strong arm” with a pretty deep ball. Jason Campbell ended up throwing 2 deep balls in the second half with one being under thrown and the other overthrown.
- Leon Washington drops an easy hitch n’ go pass that could have gone for a Jets touchdown.
- Campbell picked off on a safety blitz and none of his receivers were even close to where he threw it.
- The Skins were killing the Jets running the ball, and the Jet Safety took a terrible angle on Portis’ 32 yard run. A lot of times big runs come from good wide receiver blocking downfield because the safeties are more involved in run support than people realize. The safety was unblocked on this particular play but took a horrible angle that allowed Portis to run in the open field. It wasn’t a good play by the Jet front 7, but the poor angle/tackling by the Jet safety turned it into a big play.
Pats/Colts
- Enough has already been said about this game, but I think the thing that killed the Colts was Manning trying to throw to waiver wire trash Moorhead and Fletcher at the end of the game instead of having pro bowl Harrison and the speedy Gonzalez.
Cincy/Buffalo
- Reggie Kelly was gang tackled by 5 Bills on a catch and that just speaks volumes about coaching to me. Marvin Lewis’s Bengals unit has had some injuries, but that defense is a complete joke ( and it is supposed to be Marvins specialty). Buffalo has lost 5 starters on defense but they have played surprisingly well and getting 5 hats to the ball is a reason why.
- The Bengals linebackers take terrible angles to the ball.
- Chad Johnson getting beaten around like a rag doll, not just the injury hit either. There was a catch at the sideline where the defender tried to push him out of bounds and Ocho Cincos face bounced off the turf like a basketball.
- Losman had pretty good stats but still sucks.
Dallas/Philly
- John Madden has been known to say some dumb things, but he is correct when he pointed out how the Cowboys big offensive line dominated the Eagles defensive line. Big “hotel” Flozel Adams weighs about 350 pounds and is lined up against a speedy Trent Cole at maybe 100 pounds less. The Cowboys offensive line has quietly been a strength for this team especially the left side with Hotel, the massive Lenard Davis, and the pro bowl center Gurude.
Cleveland ( last couple of games)
- A lot of coaches and coordinators talk about “opening up the offense” each summer but not many really do it. Romeo Crenell really did let his offensive coordinator open it up this season. How many coaches would let Derek Anderson come in off the waiver wire and throw the ball downfield? Maybe the Browns figure they might as well let Anderson throw it ( as opposed to game manager) in a fight or flight response. If Anderson does succeed then the Browns know they have something, if he fails then he just warmed the seat for Brady Quinn.
Seattle ( last few games)
- Shawn Alexander looks done. I saw him drop two passes ( due to the cast on his left arm) and after both drops Mike Holmgren pulled him from the game for at least a play. In the Seattle/Browns game they showed highlights of Alexander from 03’ and it looked like a completely different player. Shawn busted out a 10 yard run later in the game in which his blockers allowed him to get to the second level ( which is great), only most backs could have ran for a lot more than 10 yards. Alexander wasn’t hitting the holes hard or anything, he looked like a 30 year old back with a broken left hand, a hurt knee, hamstring, and a lot of miles of wear and tear on his body.
- Leroy Hill looks like a pretty good linebacker to pair with Lofa and Julian Peterson. He has impressed me and standing up Jamal Lewis, and a vicious hit in the Bengals game highlighted his performance.
Steelers/Ravens
- Somebody needs to test James Harrison for steroids with 3.5 sacks, 2 FF, a pick and lots of disruption in general.
- Is Steve Mcnair done? Forget the lack of passes downfield, the guy has fumbled what, 6 times in 2 or 3 games? How many games has he missed, and now many times has Bollier had to come in relief duty? It seems like age and injury have really hit Mcnair hard.
- I didn’t like Brian Billeck throwing Jim Fassel under the bus last year for the offensive struggles. Billeck did this right before some weaker competition so that the Ravens put up some points and then the media was claiming that “Billeck fixed it”. The Ravens are one of those teams that vows to “open it up” on offense every year, but Billeck is still running a weak passing offense. Brian Billecks arrogance will cost his team games every year.
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]