Regional Talk > Washington & Baltimore > Advantage: Washington

Advantage: Washington

I didn't see the game, watched the Titans do to Ravens what the Ravens did to the Steelers the week before.

I can talk about that game
And bottom line seems to me to be the O-line hasn't gelled, did not play a snap together in pre-season, center Birk with knee surgery, McKinnie LT signed late, Oher shifted to RT for last game.
They hid it with extra emotion in the rivalry game against the Steelers, but without that extra oomph, they showed that the line still has to get into sync. So much for the Ravens.

As for the Skins, what impressed me was the running yards amasses by Hightower and Helu. Tells me the O-line is better than it has been since a healthy Samuels.

Looked at time of possession and Skins had 38:30 to 21:30 advantage. That is the running game and also keeps the D (and pass rush) fresh. That 3 and out by Cardinals at 5:17 of the 4thQ, was probably helped by a fresher D.

Also nice to see a Salisbury (MD) undrafted free agent come up with a hit/fumble, I wonder if Byron Westbrook would have made the team a couple of years ago.
I seem to remember a year when every draft pick made the team so the vinnie looked like a draft-meister. Remember the 6th round punter Durant Brooks? and how we wished we still had Frost as the season progressed? Like I was saying, nice to see players make the team and then contribute is sweet (I'm almost forgetting Archuleta... almost, another year of Shany and I probably will )
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Was a Cruise Fanatic, one cruise on Princess cured me. Bleah

reply to AB

reply to AB
There's certainly a buzz that this team is just plain better than last year's at many positions, not the least of which is the offensive line (plus last year's starting RB in now third string?).

The NFL is a notorious plagiarizer - come up with something successful and many teams will copy it (e.g, 3-4, west coast offense), so I'm a little surprised that we don't see more teams adopting Shanahan's zone blocking scheme. He sure has made stars out of lots of running backs.
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Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.

He needs more play off / Super Bowl success before he will get copied.
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There's nothing like good food, good wine, and a bad girl

reply to AB
I am not a Reskin fan, but being a hard core fan of another team, I've always felt the pain Redskins fans have suffered. It seems someone has finally slapped some common sense into the Skins front office.

I also agree, you can't erase years of bad decisions and bad seasons in two or three games. I think the only thing that will get the skins fans to jump off the bridge is a superbowl win. I doubt that will happen, cause eveyone knows the Patriots are gonna take it this year.
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»www.jrslaterphotography.com/

So far he seems to be doing okay. He's still not worth his pay check if you ask me but at least he's on the field. lol The Pats always have had a defensive problem and this goes back many years, even before Brady. I do like the way the Redskins are playing, seems they are more determined, more focused. Might be because they are less distracted by the front office and other prima donnas on the team. Should be a good year for football.
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»www.jrslaterphotography.com/

I suspect the Pats had a GM when the team and the stadium was still owneed by the Sullivan family. I'll have to do some research to be sure. I think I read somewhere that when Raymond Berry was coaching they had a GM but I may be wrong. I also think the Pats have been successful because they don't have a GM.
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»www.jrslaterphotography.com/

Looks like they're waiting for Ray Lewis to do his drive-by. (Whoops! Sorry, couldn't resist!)

And what's the deal there? They got married at a movie theatre, or what?

reply to AB

Still no love? last year they were 2-2 at this point en-route to 6-10

Now 3-1, no guarantees but we see a far better OL, a running attack (that smelled a bit last year) looking decent with a committee of 3, a D that is starting to function well as a 3-4 and fun to watch.

Yep there are Qs at QB, Rex can't carry the team but he doesn't have to.... I saw Dilfer win a Superbowl with a running attack and a great D. Wasn't happy to see the mistakes but if he can avoid them, I think some of the skeptics will remember what a bandwagon used to feel like, might still take a couple of games, cause a lot of Vinnie Snyder angst, but can you at least see the spark?
They gotta stay healthy because they aren't deep at a number of positions, but they are better than they have been in years
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Was a Cruise Fanatic, one cruise on Princess cured me. Bleah

Okay, they are doing better. The defense is shaping up to be something to be feared by any opponent. The offense has a ways to go. I'm starting to not be afraid or embarrassed to watch them, but I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop.
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There's nothing like good food, good wine, and a bad girl

reply to Rxdoxx

I still have no love for the Indianapolis Irsays.
Part of me was really happy seeing them lose but part of me was saying no! no! let them win a couple of games so they don't (Andrew) Luck out.

Yep, Detroit needs something to lift the community spirits, and 2 sports? gotta ease the pain of the economy a little.
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Was a Cruise Fanatic, one cruise on Princess cured me. Bleah