Redskins vs. Ravens: Cousins Makes The Redskins A Team

No more daily injury status updates.  No more endless analysis of self-aggrandizing tweets.  No more attention seeking press conferences and sound bytes.  No more personalized catch phrases with a clothing line attached to them.  No more Robert Griffin in Washington .  Jay Gruden's comments on Sunday may turn out to be the final blow to Griffin's fall from grace in DC despite Gruden giving Griffin the dreaded vote of confidence.  All logical sense points to the Redskins parting ways with Griffin at some point this season, and more than likely before they take the field against the Dolphins in Week 1.  Whatever the Redskins decide to do with Robert Griffin, it is clear that the ascension of Kirk Cousins as the starting quarterback has shifted the narrative from the Redskins fate hinging on the health of one person, to their fate being in the hands of 53 people working together.

The biggest difference between Griffin and Cousins that has been noted this offseason is the fact that the offense seems to operate at a higher level when Cousins is under center.  The Baltimore game clearly showed that Cousins has a better command of the offense, but his new found role as the Redskins starter has done more than just bring the team together on the field.  By naming Cousins the starter, Gruden has released the rest of the team from the media fetters that RG3 has placed on them over the past three years.  Ever since Griffin was drafted all you heard about what RG3, and the players could not get away from having to answer questions about Robert's health or performance.  That was fine in his first year when he was tearing up the field; "Winning is the deodorant that covers all the stink" as Charles Barkley would say.  But once the winning went away it became more of a burden for the team to constantly have to hear about what Robert just said, or tweeted, or what they think of his injury status.  It became more about RG3 the persona than about his performance on the field, and it has come to a head this preseason because this team feels that they have amassed quite a collection of talent that should be fielding questions about their own performance rather than RG3's lack thereof.  With RG3 riding the bench, people should start to notice what the Ravens game highlighted; The Redskins maybe deeper an more talented that you think.

Ryan Grant showed that he has the prowess to keep pace with starting level talent, and he showed that the Redskins can trot out four legit WR's, plus have guys like Jamison Crowder and Rashad Ross to back them up.  The OLB's continued to impress with Preston Smith flashing his closing speed and evolving pass rush and Jackson Jeffcoat showing his ball hawking and plain old fashioned hustle skills.  Matt Jones continued his reign of terror over the Ravens' front seven as they tried to bring him down once he got downhill, and Chris Thompson and Tre Williams proved that they can be a sneaky change of pace to Jones and Morris when called upon.  Even Jordan Reed's athleticism showed up and made some people bring back the notion that he could be the next big TE in the NFL.  And don't look now, but Stephen Paea may prove to be the most valuable offseason signing.  He has shown he can get behind the line, which has freed up Jason Hatcher to some degree and made him more productive.  Finally, David Amerson has shown that offenses are rolling the dice if they throw a comeback pattern on him.  He has good closing speed when defending those routes.  Now if we can only get him to take better tackling angles. 

Sure, there were things that left something to be desired in the Ravens game, such as the fact that the offensive line had trouble opening holes for Alfred Morris, whatever Dashon Goldson calls physical safety play may need some self reflecting on his part, the Redskins failed to convert two fourth and one plays, and the Special Teams.  Oh the Special Teams.  Justin Rogers may have secured a spot on the team with his tremendous tackle to save a kick return touchdown.  The problem was that it came 103 yards after the Ravens returner caught the kickoff, and the Redskins MVP last year (Tress Way) continues to be average at best.  I can see us losing at least one game this year because of special teams play if it doesn't improve.

What the Ravens game really showed us, though,
 is that the Redskins have a lot of talent on this team that should not go to waste trying to figure out whether RG3 can compete at a high level again.  Gruden heeded that call by naming Cousins the starter, and in doing so he may have inadvertently shown a commitment to the rest of the team.  A team that has one of the best receiver tandems in the league with Garcon and Jackson.  A team that has four running backs that could wreak havoc on opposing defenses in various ways.  A team whose front seven is looking more physical and talented than it ever has before, doing it all with a limited contribution from Ryan Kerrigan so far this preseason.  A team with a group of corner backs that, at the very least, proved they will be physical and in your face, and a group of about 40-50 other players who have bought in to that mantra of physicality and intensity.  This may be the best collection of talent at the offensive skill positions that the Redskins have had in a long time, and the defense will at least be better than it has been.  The one position that needs to bring it all together is the one that everyone else no longer has to answer for because of Jay Gruden's decision to not let that be a distraction. Cousins brings a higher level of performance to the offense, and more importantly, he makes the Redskins more of a team both on and off the field.

Redskins vs. Lions: The Redskins Need to Let Go of RG3

RG3 is dead.  Last night cemented that fact.  The persona that Robert Griffin adopted at the onset of his professional career went down for the final count last night in numerous bone and soul crushing blows.  The concussion RG3 suffered against the Lions showed that The Redskins, and Robert Griffin, would do well to let go of RG3.  The RG3 that continues to make comments that suggest that he is either having delusions of grandeur, or that he loves playing coy with the media.  The RG3 that has not evolved as a quarterback in over three years and is holding The Redskins, and Robert Griffin, hostage.  RG3 is keeping Robert Griffin in this perpetual state of media sound bytes and manufactured hype that has stunted his growth as a player by believing that RG3 can comeback.  The Redskins have allowed RG3 to spiral out of control both on the field and in the media to a point that has become detrimental to the growth of the team as a whole.  Robert Griffin needs to lose the sophomoric moniker/personality that has relegated him to the Sméagol role in this schizophrenic relationship.  The Redskins need to let go of RG3 in both a literal and figurative sense in order to not squander the collection of talent they have amassed during this offseason because the Lions game showed that The Redskins' level, and depth, of talent are growing by the week.  Kudos from the Lions game go out to:

Matt Jones.  I think Winston Wolf put it best.  Redskins fans need to not get too excited and realize that Alfred Morris is still the starting running back, and most of Jones's yards came against the Lions' second defense.  But Jones's skill set looked damn good, and the Marshawn Lynch comparisons are looking not as crazy now as when Redskins Nation let out a collective "Who?" when Jones was drafted in the third round.  And how about the Redskins' Secondary?  After last week having a so-so game they had a less crappy game this week with the physicality they showed in run support and pass coverage.  David Amerson looked especially good in his closing speed in defending comeback routes and almost had an interception on the first plays of the game.  He just needs to learn to wrap up in tackling.  Kevin Hatcher had a two rushes on Matt Stafford that showed he may not have lost all the mojo from two seasons ago, Andre Roberts' punt return gave a much needed spark to the special teams, and let's hope Ricky Jean Francois gets a chance to do more of this throughout the season.

The negatives need to start with the starting offensive line.  We saw Brandon Scherff get stood up and pushed back about three yards off the line again in this game (The first clip is Scherff, the second is the delayed blitz play).  Last time Alfred Morris was able to compensate and gain 19 yards, but this time it was in pass protection and it resulted in Scherff's man getting a sack.  Willie Smith forced Dan Snyder to buy a plastic bubble for Trent Williams to walk around in all season to ensure he does not get injured, and the assault the Robert Griffin faced all night had to do in part to the poor play of the guys up front.  And if any team wants to stop the Redskins on any pass play over 2 yards, call a delayed blitz.  The Browns killed the first team last week with blitzes coming once the Redskins players committed to blocking assignments, and the Lions were able to have delayed rushers come in untouched to crush Griffin and McCoy on two occasions using this tactic.  Let's see if we can fix that for the upcoming season.  Finally, the secondary gets a thumbs down in the "defending the pick route" category.  The Browns scored on us last week using that play at the goal line, and the Lions did it again this week with the same results.  It is a tricky play to defend, but it can only come through better communication an play recognition that comes from coaching.  C'mon Raheem Morris.  But let us finish where we began with the most glaring negative from that game.  Robert Griffin.

It is clear that Robert Griffin has not acquired any skills that would intimate that he is striving to become a better pocket passer.  He may think that, but the Lions game showed the same mistakes.  His performance is tough to assess because of the poor play from the offensive line, but he still stares down receivers, he holds the ball for too long as seen on his last play (watch it at the end of the clip about Scherff.  Griffin has people open on the check down to his left but he decides to try and extend the play on a 3rd and 16....in the preseason), he does not identify pressure pre-snap in order to adjust his read progression, and he has poor pocket awareness.  These may be the most important detriments in Robert's game.  Griffin's sacks may be due to the fact that he is not making the right read based on what the defense is showing, and he is not calling out a change in protection to give him more time.  The drive before the one where Griffin was injured ended because he was sacked on a 3rd and 2.  How long does a 3rd and 2 play need to develop?  The Lions were showing blitz, but Griffin did little before the snap to adjust his reads or protection in order to give him more time or a quick read in order to avoid contact behind the line.  I saw Kirk Cousins call out pre-snap adjustments in the waning parts of this game against 3rd and 4th stringers, and both McCoy and Cousins seem to have a better idea of where to look for the open receive in Jay Gruden's system.  The play that before Robert was injured (also on the clip) shows him running right into the pressure and not knowing how to avoid it.  I saw Colt McCoy identify a breakdown in the offensive line and scramble for 11 yards.  These deficiencies leads to the final conclusion of this piece.

Robert Griffin should not be the starter this season.  It is clear that the coaching staff does not have faith in Griffin's ability to run the offense based on their play calling against the Lions.  All of Griffin's plays had him stand like a statue while he was under assault, while McCoy got two designed roll out calls AND A READ OPTION PLAY, and Cousins had one designed roll out in order to quell the blitz a bit.  Why not move the pocket for Robert when it was obvious that the Lions were teeing off on him?  Either the Redskins Coaches don't trust his legs, his decision making, his grasp of the offense, or a combination of all three.  Whatever the reason, it is clear that the offense is more dynamic with either Cousins or McCoy and we will get to see what one of them can do against first teamers against the Ravens.  I say start Kirk Cousins against the Ravens and for the beginning of the season.  We need to know if we want to resign him before he becomes a free agent this offseason, and I think that Cousins gives The Redskins best opportunity to have a decent season this year based on what we have seen over the first two preseason games.  It is clear that Robert Griffin is not ready to give up on RG3.  If Griffin is named the starter, then we know that the Redskins organization is also not ready to give up on RG3.  But RG3 only exists as a feeble marketing ploy that does not hold a fraction of the weight it once did in this area.  Robert Griffin needs to be the player that takes the field this season in order for him to have the best opportunity to
show that he is the best quarterback in the NFL. 

Redskins vs. Browns: Open TE Tryouts Start on Monday

With the loss of Niles Paul for the season the Redskins find themselves having to dig deeper on the depth charts than they had expected at the TE position.  Chase Dixon now finds himself as the next man up with Jordan Reed's hamstring soreness, Logan Paulsen's toe status, and the injury sustained by Niles Paul last night.  Paul's injury hits even harder considering that he had worked his way to being the starting TE, and was heralded as one of the emotional leaders of the team.  One only needs to watch the last episode of Hard Knocks to see Niles Paul's energy.  He is seen getting in the face of Texans players and coming to the aid of others when things started getting out of hand.  Paul had also become a solid locker room presence as stated by John Keim, whose report states that players were openly emotional about the injury to Niles Paul.  A big loss for the Redskins, and if you're skeptical that Jordan Reed can finish an entire season without getting injured and you live in the grater Washington DC area, please send your resume to Sean McVay at:

21300 Redskin Park Drive
Ashburn, VA 20147

Please inquire about the Tight End position.  Other than that it was a fairly positive night for the Redskins, starting with the three most important people on the roster right now.

Robert Griffin:  The stats are unassuming, but Griffin looked good for the first preseason game.  He made good throws to Ryan Grant, especially on his fist throw on 3rd and 5 when he wne through his progressions and hit Grant on the crossing route.  His only negatives were a poor 3rd down pass on a comeback route on the sidelines, an a bad 2nd down fade pass to Garcon at the end of the first quarter.  The next play he took a hit and overthrew Garcon again, but that was because Shawn Lauvao missed the delayed blitz coming from his side.  All in all a decent showing from Griffin, but we'll have to see if he can improve upon this showing next week against the Lions.

Kirk Cousins:  What can you say?  The guy knows how to run this offense against inferior competition.  Granted he played most of the game against backups, but he looked damn good doing it.  The one thing that stood out with Cousins was his checking of the defense before the snap.  Numerous times he called out blitzes from the shotgun to the offensive line, which is something that Griffin did not do as often.  He was accurate with his throws, and he even seemed comfortable in the designed roll outs that were called.  We'll see if McCoy ca do the same next week, but all in all a great performance from Kirk Cousins.

Colt McCoy:  It is tough to glean much from McCoy's start against third stringers, but what I was most impressed with was his feet.  He had a nice 10+ yard scramble at the end of the third quarter, and he was able to extend a play with his feet and dump down to Tre Williams.  He may not look as shifty against starters, but he looked good yesterday in his ability to run and move in the pocket.

Other top performers were Chris Thompson's blitz pickup and burst of speed, which was on display all night; The defensive front seven's ability to get in the backfield, even if they failed to get a lot of negative plays they disrupted the run game enough to make it a non factor for the Browns; Trent Murphy looking like he took a step forward in his pass rushing technique, he was inches away from getting a sack at least twice and on the Browns first touchdown he beat the tackle by slapping the OT's hands down and going to the inside to cause McCown to leave the pocket; Preston Smith's quickness and speed when closing in on the runner/quarterback and his ability to create havoc at the line of scrimmage; and the offensive line's pass protection (especially Morgan Moses), which will get tested more heavily as the season goes on but they looked effective last night.

The negatives were minor, but the secondary still has communication problems in releasing receivers when no safety help is there and not adjusting to the Browns's quick passes at the beginning of the game; If Arie Kuandjio is in the game next week you can bet that the Redskins will not run a screen pass because he woefully missed his blocking assignments on both screen passes that caused them to go nowhere (literally); and finally, one play that stood out to me and it is the one in the picture above.  The Redskins called a run right on Fourth and 1 and Brandon Scherff gets pushed one yard into the backfield causing Morris to jump back and find the edge.  Luckily Morgan Moses sealed off the edge long enough, and Morris found the hole and turned it into a huge gain, but for a guy who was touted as a "mauler" in the run game Scherff needs to get more physical on short yardage.  You would think that with all the speculation about Scherff moving positions he would come out with a chip on his shoulder, and what better way to display your dominance than on a Fourth and 1.  It is his first preseason game, and Scherff was not horrible, but that play stuck with me. 

Next week Detroit, and hopefully we can keep this positive mojo going.

The Chronicles of Redskins Quarterbacks Part 12: What's Past is Prologue

Robert Griffin III (2012-present) "Darth Vader"           Kirk Cousins (2012-present) "Fallout Boy"
35 starts (14-21)                                                                 9 starts (2-7)

Completion % = 63.9% (679/1063)                                 Completion % = 59.0% (240/407)

8097 yrds – 40 TD - 23 INT – 90.6 – 101 sacks              3040 yrds - 18 TD - 19 INT - 77.5 - 16 sacks
5 Game Winning Drives                                                     1 Game Winning Drive

Colt McCoy (2014-present) "The Lone Ranger"
4 starts (1-3)

Completion % = 71.1% (91/128)

1057 yrds – 4 TD - 3 INT – 96.4 – 17 sacks
2 Game Winning Drives

A little Shakespeare to end this saga of Redskins quarterbacks that has gone on for over fifteen years and has led us to this point.  The Redskins now find themselves at a crossroads yet again.  This time with three quarterbacks who are coming off a season where all of them had significant playing time and neither one of them showing the skills necessary to be the unquestioned starter.  One who was supposed to be the face of the franchise, but has suffered set backs and injuries that have people questioning whether or not it is worth it to keep him.  One who was the insurance policy but who has shown that he has the physical ability to be the guy if not for his fragile mental state.  And one drifter who has a storied win under his belt, and the one who was hand picked by the current head coach, but may not have the time to be the long term solution.   We will get a preview of what is to come tonight against the Browns, and there are things that each one of them needs to do in order to be the unquestioned starter this season and to show that Jay Gruden can develop the talent that he has inherited. 

Robert Griffin:  Dan Snyder finally found his Darth Vader in the 2012 draft but had to pay a heavy price for him.  For one year, though, it seemed that our future was set.  No one will forget that unbelievable 2012 campaign that had Griffin anointed as the next generation of quarterback, and Mike and Kyle Shanahan's read option lauded as the next evolutionary step in the game.  But Griffin could not stay healthy, and the next two season proved that the Shanahans' system catered to Griffin's strengths without developing him as a passer.  The read option relied on the threat of Griffin being able to beat the edge rusher with his legs, which he did, but after his knee injury it is clear that he does not have the physical tools necessary to strike that fear into opposing defenses any more.  The read option also allowed Griffin to hit on his first read without going through his progressions because, more often than naught, some defender would creep up out of position in order to stop the run leaving a Redskins receiver wide open.  It catered to what Griffin had learned at Baylor running a spread style offense but now he needs to evolve.  He needs to learn to go through progressions, develop a better pocket awareness, learn better footwork in the pocket to avoid pressure, know when to use his legs to his advantage if leaving the pocket, and learn better pre-snap reads.  We have seen Griffin take bad sacks, make hasty decisions when he has more time in the pocket, and run right into opposing rushers without any inkling that he knows how to elude the pass rush.  These are the things we need to see from Robert Griffin if he is to become the starter we want him to be.  Jay Gruden has done similar work with Andy Dalton, who also came from a spread system at TCU, and he needs to make Griffin believe that he can be an accomplished passer in the NFL.

Kirk Cousins: After the Redskins drafted Cousins in 2012 it was alleged that Shanahan never wanted to move up to draft Griffin, and the Cousins pick was an insurance policy with a little bit of irreverence being shown by Shanahan towards the owner.  It proved to be a worthy pick, with Griffin being injured and Cousins proving that he can be a competent quarterback in the NFL.  The problem stems from his nickname; "Fallout Boy".  Cousins seems to always come in when something bad has happened, mostly an injury to Robert or replacing Robert's poor play, and he is there to manage the fall out.  He has also shown a propensity for melting down when things start to turn south for him during games, and his play devolves into something you would see out of a bad high school game.  The Eagles and Giants games from Weeks 3-4 this past season illustrate this point.  Cousins was having an amazing game against the Eagles until he threw a late interception and he could not recover.  The following Thursday against the Giants saw Cousins throw three interceptions in the third quarter when the Redskins had a chance to make it a game.  Instead the Giants blew us out and we saw this all too familiar body language from Cousins.  If Cousins is to be the starter he needs to develop a tougher skin when it comes to mistakes.  He needs to show the confidence he can have on a more regular basis, and he needs to improve on not locking onto receivers.  Interceptions will happen, but Cousins pouty face will not fly when it comes time to win football games, and it may get him traded before the season eve starts.

Colt McCoy:  There are some who say that McCoy has the best understanding of Gruden's offense, and he should get a legitimate shot at starting this season.  The one problem being that his physical attributes limit his ability to access the offense.  His arm is not as strong as the other two quarterbacks, which leaves him vulnerable when he needs to zip a pass into a tight spot or throw a deep ball that will not float it's way into a cornerbacks hands.  But he beat Dallas.  That game should have been the turning point of the season, and had Griffin not been able to go against Minnesota the following week we may be seriously talking about McCoy being the starter.  All McCoy can do now is bide his time and have an impressive showing this preseason.  His arm probably is not going to get any stronger at this point, but if he can take care of the ball and make the right throws he may find himself starting at some point this season.  Let's hope not though because if that happens it means that this saga is not over.

Robert Griffin will get the start Week 1 barring injury.  If the Minnesota game taught us anything last year, it is that no matter how dramatic a win Cousins or McCoy are able to engineer, if Robert Griffin can walk he is going to be the starter.  And the Redskins need him to be.  They do not need him to be 2012 Robert, but they need Griffin to be a legitimate NFL starter that can win at this level. The Redskins have assembled the best collection of talent on both side of the ball that they have had in a long time.  The biggest question mark for the Redskins lies in the most important position.  If Griffin proves to be a lost cause then we need to hope that Cousins shows enough improvement to be a starter, or worthy enough for someone to trade for him before he becomes a UFA at the end of the season.  If not then the Redskins may roll with McCoy for another year or two before drafting another prospect, and we will be back where we have always been since Dan Snyder bought the team:  Seeing if we can lure Eli Manning to start in Washington because he has two Super Bowl Rings and no contract for 2016. 

Jake Layman Needs to be Maryland's #1

Rasheed Sulaimon will hopefully fill the scoring void left by Dez Wells.  Robert Carter will provide a 6'9" 250lb force that averaged 11 points and 8 rebounds for Georgia Tech two years ago.  Diamond Stone should be a nice compliment to Carter in the paint as one of the highest recruited freshman in the country.  Jared Nickens will be the young sharp shooter the Terps will look to make the big shots in clutch situations.  Melo Trimble will do what Melo Trimble does and just go HAM for the Terps in every facet of the game.  But lost in all the fervor of transfers, recruits, and preseason number one seedings is someone who needs to be the heart and soul of this team if they are to live up to the preseason hype.  That person is Jake Layman.

Jake Layman decided to return to Maryland for his senior year, which follows the track record of his loyalty to the program.  Not but one year ago Layman witnessed all the members of his recruiting class, plus Nick Faust and Roddy Peters, transfer leaving the Terps in a tough situation as far a backcourt depth was concerned.  Layman may not have had any intentions of transferring, but there has always been rumblings about him leaving for the NBA ever since he arrived in College Park.  After enduring two years of not making the NCAA tournament, seeing his team significantly regress in his sophomore year, and subsequently having five key contributors leave the program, Layman had every right to call it a career at Maryland and try his luck in the NBA Draft.  But he didn't.  Layman returned to have the best statistical season of his college career, and the Terps showed everyone that the transfers were of no consequence to their ultimate aspirations.  Layman has been there through the thick and thin of Mark Turgeon's tenure and he needs to provide the statistical, and more importantly, the emotional leadership that is necessary for a deeper run in the NCAA tournament in 2015. 

Layman has the largest investment in the Terps success out of any player on the roster this season.  A big season means a bigger spotlight on his eventual foray into the NBA Draft, and it means that his decision to stay for his senior year was not in vain.  It means his four years of dedication to this program came to fruition in the form of a Conference Championship or Final Four appearance.  But Layman will not see these successes if he does not embody the Terps' drive to get there.  He has seen what adversity looks like in an NCAA program, and he has fought long and hard to overcome that adversity by sticking with a program that now finds itself at the subjective top of College Basketball.  In order to live up to that billing Layman must channel the likes of Greivis Vasquez and Juan Dixon and be the personified image of Maryland's drive for success on the court.  Layman needs to demand the ball in pressure situations. He needs to be the guy who gets the big basket when all seems lost.  He needs to pick other players up when they think they are having a bad game.  He needs to be that emotional leader on the court because he is the only guy on the roster who knows what a struggle it has been for this team over the past three seasons.  If he can be that kind of leader, Jake Layman and the Terps may be cutting down the nets on their way to Houston come March.

The Chronicles of Redskins Quarterbacks Part 10: Donovan McNabb

                                                                             

 Donovan McNabb (2010) "Batman"
13 starts (5-8)

Completion % = 58.3% (275/472)

3377 yrds – 14 TD - 15 INT – 77.1 – 37 sacks
2 Game Winning Drives

Out with the old and in with the older yet slightly more accomplished.  When the Redskins traded for Donovan McNabb in the Spring of 2010 it spelled the end of Jason Campbell in DC, and the beginning of what most Redskins fans thought would be a harmonious relationship between McNabb and newly hired super coach Mike Shanahan.   But McNabb's time in Washington was summed up by the line from the Dark Knight that said, "He is the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now".  McNabb's track record was something that Redskins fans felt they deserved to have in Washington after a decade of despair and ineptitude, but their long time nemesis was not the hero Washington needed at that time.  Redskins fans were so enamored with the signing that they failed to realize what they were getting when McNabb decided to take the 136 mile journey down I-95.

McNabb's career before Washington followed the career arc of Batman: An Anti-Hero whose accomplishments were accepted by the masses but never fully appreciated because of his propensity to get the job done in a sporadic, off-the-cuff, unorthodox, and dangerous manner.  Just like Batman he came into a hostile city that did not want him, and openly booed him when he was drafted.  They wanted Ricky Williams, as the obviously sober grown man with his face painted wearing a mock Ricky Williams Eagles Jersey mouths at the end of that clip.  But McNabb would lead the Eagles to the playoffs in five of his fist six season, four straight NFC Championship games between 2001-2004, and coming within three points of defeating the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX.  Along the way, though, there were concerns about McNabb's decision making and propensity for throwing bad interceptions.  These problems were exacerbated by the injuries McNabb would sustain over the next three seasons, causing the Eagles to draft Kevin Kolb in 2007 and putting McNabb's future in Philly in question.  McNabb would stay another two years, however, and lead the Eagles to the playoffs both seasons, and lead them to another NFC Championship Game in 2008.  Everything looked like it was turning around for McNabb, but then he was unexpectedly traded in the Spring of 2010 with the Eagles electing to go with Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick.  Redskins fans were elated that they would have a guy who compiled a 12-7 record against them on their side, but skepticism was abound about why they Eagles would trade McNabb within their own division.  The Redskins shortly found out why.

The 2010 season became the search for why Donovan McNabb did not work in Washington, and the ultimate conclusion pointed to McNabb and the Shanahans not being able to get along, but for the beginning of the season it seemed to work.  McNabb led the Redskins to a 4-3 record that included wins over the Cowboys and Eagles, but his passing was erratic from game to game and Skins fans never knew which McNabb would show up.  Was it the one who could throw for 300 yards and beat the Packers at home, or the one who would throw for 222 yards and a late interception that cost them the game against the Colts?  Was it the one who could beat the Eagles and Cowboys while throwing for 124 and 161 yards in those games, or the one who could throw for 400 yards and lose to the Texans?  Redskin fans were beginning to see how frustrating it was to have McNabb at the helm, and the fissures widened during the next two games.

McNabb would be benched in the last two minutes at the end of the Week 8 game against the Lions, which led to Rex Grossman fumbling his first snap that was returned for a touchdown and a myriad of explanations from the Shanahan's as to why they benched him.  McNabb did not have the cardiovascular endurance to run the two minute drill.  Grossman knows the two minute drill better.  McNabb was told in advance he might be pulled.  The Redskins endured this controversy for two weeks but ultimately McNabb was named the starter for the next game against the Eagles, and he was signed to a long term contract.  Unfortunately, Michael Vick had his coming out party against the Redskins on Monday Night Football scoring 28 points in the first quarter and burying the Redskins on national television by a score of 59-28.  It was one of the hardest games for any Redskins fan to watch, and it spelled the beginning of the end for Donovan McNabb.  McNabb would go 1-3 in his next four games, and be benched for the last three games of the season with the Shanahans electing to go with Rex Grossman.  McNabb would be traded to Minnesota after the 2010 season.

McNabb's time in Washington was tumultuous, and most of if had to do with his relationship with Mike and Kyle Shanahan.  Jason Reid told the story about the reluctance of Kyle Shanahan in trading for McNabb and of Mike Shanahan's determination to reinvent McNabb, but ultimately it came down to the fact that McNabb was not what the Shanahans wanted.  McNabb would spend one year in Minnesota where he would start the first six games, but be benched in favor of Christian Ponder due to rumors about his poor work ethic.  He would retire after the 2011 season, but he will always be remembered for all the accomplishments he had in Philadelphia.  The Redskins deserved a winner, but McNabb was not the one that they needed.  The Shanahans needed someone they could mold an offense around and McNabb was clearly not going to change the way he played the position.  Mike and Kyle would continue their search for their ideal quarterback, but they would not get him right away.

Fun Facts: Only five quarterbacks went to more conference championship games than Donovan McNabb in NFL history.  They are Tom Brady, Joe Montana, John Elway, Terry Bradshaw, and Roger Staubach.  McNabb is tied with Brett Favre, Ken Stabler, and Jim Kelly with five appearances. 

McNabb was traded to the Vikings for a 6th round pick that became Alfred Morris.

The Chronicles of Redskins Quarterbacks Part 9: Todd Collins

Todd Collins (06-09) "Quetzalcoatl"

3 starts (3-0)

Completion % = 61.7% (79/128)

1032 yrds – 5 TD - 0 INT – 100.1 – 9 sacks

SweetDCSports is giving a little lesson in Meso-American mythology.  Quetzalcoatl (pronounced "Ket-zal-quatl") was a deity that was represented by a feathered serpent and was worshiped as the bringer of civilization and protector of craftsman by the Aztecs.  The story goes that Quetzlcoatl brought forth humans onto this earth by collecting their bones from the underworld, and gave them the knowledge to create calendars and books.  The myth states that he left the lands, but some legends state that Quetzlcoatl would return from across the ocean because he was associated with the winds and the sea.  This myth fits the story of Todd Collins' Redskins story perfectly because it almost seemed as if Collins was destined to become a starter of the Washington Redskins, and his accomplishments would give every Redskins fan hope that we could comeback from 5-7 every season after that.  (Destiny Side Notes: Any bolded names or phrases mean to check the Side Notes at the end of this article.  Collins had so many ties to the Redskins before he came here they require their own section.)

Collins went to Michigan from 1990-1994 where he would be the starter his last two years.  Collins would set the Michigan record for career completion percentage (64.28%) that still stands today, and he is still one of the top 5 quarterbacks in Michigan history in many statistical categories including yards and passing efficiency.  He would be drafted by the Bills in 1995, and he would replace Jim Kelly after Kelly retired in 1996.  He spent the 1997 season as the Bills starter after beating out Alex Van Pelt and Billy Joe Hobert, but the Bills would replace Collins with Rob Johnson and Doug Flutie in 1998.  Collins would be signed by the Chiefs where he would be third string behind Rich Gannon and Warren Moon.  Collins would not take another snap in an NFL game until 2001 when he would be the backup to Trent Green.  Collins would appear in 12 games for the Chiefs between 2001-2005, but never get to start until the Redskins came calling.

Even though the Redskins made the playoffs in 2005, their offense with Mark Brunell was anemic and Snyder thought they needed an offensive mind that had not taken a decade off from football to implement a more dynamic offense.  Enter Al Saunders.  Saunders was tagged as the new offensive guru, but the problem was that his playbook was apparently the equivalent of a "How to Build and Sustain Your Own Nuclear Reactor" manual.  Saunders felt that he needed a quarterback who knew his system and could teach the other quarterbacks how to run it.  Luckily, Saunders had come from Kansas City and Todd Collins was just the guy.  Collins was signed by the Redskins in 2006, but he would not see any game action until his magical 2007 season.

Campbell was the unquestioned starter in 2007, and it looked like Collins would continue to be the career backup QB after he won the role from Mark Brunell in the offseason, especially after the Redskins began the season 5-3.  The Redskins, though, would lose their next three games and on November 27 Sean Taylor died in Florida.  Football took a backseat to real life at that point, but the Redskins played on and lost their subsequent home game to the Bills after Joe Gibbs called two timeouts in a row that moved the Bills' final field go from 51 yards to 36 yards.  Jason Campbell would injure his knee in the next game against the Bears, and all seemed lost for the 5-7 Redskins.  But little did they know that Quetzlcoatl would save them.

Todd Collins would finish that game and win the next three to lead the Redskins into the playoffs for the second time in three years.  The stats listed above are from the four games he played that season, and everyone was in a frenzy about the unbelievable run the Redskins had to make the playoffs and how a big part of that was due to the play of Todd Collins.  The Redskins, though, would once again lose to Seattle in the playoffs in a wild game that saw the Redskins come back from down 13-0 to go up 14-13.  On the ensuing kickoff, the Seahawks let the ball hit the ground at the 10 yardline and the Redskins recovered it at the Seattle 14.  The Redskins had all the momentum, but they failed to even get a field goal out of that drive, and Collins would throw two pick-sixes to seal the deal for the Seahawks.  Collins would stay on the Redskins' roster for the next two seasons, but he would never get another start after the playoff game in Seattle, much to the dismay of a large part of the fan base.  Collins would leave the Redskins after the 2009 season, and play one more year with the Bears before retiring at the end of the 2010 season. 

Collins' magic gave every Redskins fan hope that we could do it again.  Collins was only here for a brief time (like Quetzlcoatl) and when the Redskins would be below .500 with four or five games remaining at the end of the season they would say "Well, Todd Collins won four games in a row, so we can do it again".  Redskins fans assumed that the spirit of Todd Collins would return (like Quetzlcoatl) but it would be another 5 years before the Redskins would make a run like that again.  Still, every Redskins fan who is old enough will remember that Todd Collins run forever. 

NFL Side Notes:  When Collins made his first start with the Redskins on Dec. 16, 2007 against the Giants he made NFL History.  Collins set the record for longest time between NFL starts (10 years and 2 days) with his last NFL start being on Dec. 14, 1997. 

Destiny Side Notes: Collins was the starting quarterback for Michigan when Kordell Stewart threw his famous Hail Mary pass to beat the Wolverines.  The man who caught that pass? Michael Westbrook, who would be the Redskins first round draft pick later that year.  Billy Joe Hobert  played alongside Mark Brunell at the University of Washington, and replaced Brunell for most of the 1991 season when Brunell was injured.  Collins' last start for the Bills came against Mark Brunell and the Jaguars, which would be the last start he would have as a professional until he came to Washington.  Rob Johnson would replace Collins on the Bills' roster after being Mark Brunell's backup in Jacksonville.  Collins replaced Mark Brunell as the Redskins' backup in 2007.  not take another snap in an NFL game until 2001: In fact, Collins would only appear in one game that season and throw 4 passes.  That game was against Tony Banks and the Washington Redskins.  Trent Green and Rich Gannon were starters in Washington at one point before being the starter in Kansas City.  Collins would be the backup for both before coming to the Redskins. 

The Chronicles of Redskins Quarterbacks Part 8: Jason Campbell

Jason Campbell (04-07) “Count Dooku" aka "Darth Tyranus"

52 starts (20-32)

Completion % = 61.2% (1002/1637)

10860 yrds – 55 TD - 38 INT – 82.3 – 109 sacks
7 Game Winning Drives

The second hand picked apprentice to Palpatine was Count Dooku, whom he gave the title of Darth Tyranus when he turned to the Dark Side.  Jason Campbell was the second first round quarterback the Redskins drafted in the Dan Snyder era, and just like Count Dooku he came into his job with an impressive resume.  Campbell was named SEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2004 as he led the Auburn Tigers to an undefeated regular season.  Campbell would lead the SEC that year in yards per attempt, completion percentage, and in number of first round NFL running backs playing behind him in Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams.  Unfortunately for Campbell, Auburn did not have as high of a pedigree at that time as USC or Oklahoma, both of whom also went undefeated in the regular season, and the BCS being what it was gave Oklahoma another chance to lose in the national championship game.  Auburn was relegated to the Sugar Bowl where they beat Virginia Tech and Campbell was named MVP.  Despite missing his chance to be a National Champion, Campbell entered the 2005 NFL as a three year starting quarterback who had played in 48 games in his college career and had not lost a game in over a year.  Still, no one could have predicted what was going to happen to him in the draft.

Gibbs and Snyder decided that Patrick Ramsey (Darth Maul) was not cutting the mustard and Snyder needed a new dark apprentice.  And hey, why not trade away three draft picks to get him because that is kind of the Redskins' thing.  You may have forgotten that after taking Carlos Rogers with the ninth pick the Redskins traded up to the 25th pick to acquire Campbell, for which they gave up their third round pick in 2005 and their first and fourth round pick in 2006.  A hefty price for a quarterback that was efficient but who had two of the best running backs in the nation helping him to that undefeated season, and a quarterback who had a different offensive coordinator every year at Auburn.  Still, Campbell had upside to him and Snyder trusted that Joe Gibbs could get it out of him. The problem for Campbell, though, was that he would have to wait his turn.

The 2005 season was the pinnacle of the Brunell vs. Ramsey controversy, so Campbell would not see any playing time that year as Brunell short-armed his way to the playoffs.  The next year saw the end of Brunell's tenure as the starter, and Campbell would take over as starter for the last seven games of the season going 2-5.  Campbell showed promise that Snyder had finally made a wise choice in his quarterbacking decision, and it gave the fan base hope that 2007 would be a banner year for the Redskins.  For Campbell, it almost was over before it started when he injured his knee in the preseason.  Campbell would be able to start the regular season, and he led the team to an impressive 5-3 record.  The Redskins would lose their next four games, and the season looked over when Campbell went down again with a knee injury against the Bears that would keep him out the rest of the season.  The Redskins, though, would win that game and the next three games to once again miraculously make the playoffs on the back of Todd Collins, but the Seattle Seahawks would send the Redskins home yet again in the first round.  Things looked bleak for Jason Campbell, especially when Joe Gibbs called it quits after the 2007 season, but an unexpected coaching choice led to some unexpected short term results for Campbell and the Redskins.

Jim Zorn came on as the Redskins' new offensive coordinator after turning Matt Hasselbeck into one of the premier passers in the league, and Snyder figured he could do the same with Jason Campbell.  What Snyder did not expect was that no one wanted to be head coach for that Redskins team, so he promoted Zorn before he even took the field.  Skepticism ran wild in that offseason, but all of that was put to rest when the Redskins began the season 6-2 and Campbell was being touted as one of the better passers in the league.  Campbell would not throw one interception in those eight games, and Zorn's version of the West Coast offense was sending HTTR Nation into a frenzy.  What goes up must come down, though, and Zorn was unable to adapt his offensive play calling once defenses made adjustments to stop it.  The Redskins would go 2-6 in their last eight games with Campbell only managing to throw 5 TD's in those eight games.  He still managed to throw for over 3,000 yards in 2008, but the Redskins would miss the playoffs after an unbelievable start to the season.  The depressing end of the 2008 season would bleed over into the 2009 season as the Redskins actively looked to sign Jay Cutler and Mark Sanchez to replace Jason Campbell, but the Redskins were unsuccessful in that arena and they rolled with Campbell for a second straight year.  While Campbell would have the best statistical season of his career in 2009 starting all 16 games and throwing for over 3,600 yards and 20 TD's, the Redskins would finish a lowly 4-12 with Zorn being stripped of all meaningful authority after it was clear that the players were not responding to pretty much anything Zorn said.  The Redskins would do something that season that will live on forever, but it would not be Jim Zorn or Jason Campbell.  Zorn was fired in favor of Mike Shanahan, and Campbell was traded after the Redskins finally found a replacement for him in Donovan McNabb.

Campbell became the starter in Oakland in 2010, and he would stay there for one more season before becoming a journeyman backup.  The next three seasons saw Campbell in Chicago, Cleveland (where he would start eight games), and Cincinnati before retiring after the 2014 season.  Campbell will go down as getting somewhat of a raw deal in Washington.  Aside from that miraculous first half of 2008, his teams were not very good and he could never find consistency within the organization or any luck with being able to prove himself a winner in the NFL.  He would be on both teams that made the playoffs in the mid 2000's, but he would not take a snap in either of those appearances.  Campbell threw for the 6th most passing yards in Redskins history, but two of his seasons were ones where the head coach left or was fired at the end of the season due to poor performances.  The only consistency Campbell could find was in his starting role.  Campbell started every game for the Redskins between 2008-2009, making him one of only five Redskin quarterbacks in 83 years who started every game for two or more consecutive seasons.  The others are Mark Rypien, Joe Theismann, Sonny Jurgensen, and Norm Snead.  Jason Campbell carried the franchise for the four seasons that he was a starter, and he will be remembered for his consistency and that magical first half of the 2008 season.

Coincidental Side Notes:  Denver would turn the 2006 fourth round pick they got from the Redskins in the trade up to get Jason Campbell into Brandon Marshall.  It was Mike Shanahan who made that trade, and he would ultimately execute the trade that sent Jason Campbell to Oakland once he became the head coach in Washington.

Green Bay selected Aaron Rodgers one spot ahead of Washington selecting Jason Campbell in the 2005 Draft.  I'll let George Costanza speak for everyone on that one.

Jason Campbell is one of five quarterbacks to start for the Redskins who were also named SEC player of the year while in college.  The others are Shane Matthews, Heath Shuler, Danny Wuerffel, and Rex Grossman.

Once Campbell left Washington he would go on a reunion tour.  He would play for three former Redskin coaches; Al Saunders who was the OC in Oakland, Norv Turner who was his OC in Cleveland, and Marvin Lewis who was the head coach in Cincinnati.  In Chicago he backed up Jay Cutler whom he beat twice in 2002 and 2003 when Cutler played for Vanderbilt. 

The Chronicles of Redskins Quarterbacks Part 7: Mark Brunell

Mark Brunell (04-07) “The Checkdown Champion"

33 starts (15-18)

Completion % = 57.0% (542/951)

6033 yrds – 38 TD - 20 INT – 80.6 – 54 sacks
5 Game Winning Drives

Dan Snyder's first foray into trading for an older starting quarterback whose old team seemed too eager to try and get something in return for him.  Mark Brunell was the original Brett Favre backup to make something of himself.  People may forget that he was drafted by Green Bay in 1993 and spent two years as Favre's backup before the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars traded for him in 1995.  Brunell would make the playoffs in 4 out of his first 5 years in Jacksonville, and he even took the Jags to the AFC Championship Game.  TWICE.  Once in 1996 where he lost the Apple Cup Rematch (See reference below) to Drew Bledsoe and the Patriots, and again in 1999 to the Tennessee Titans.  The turn of the millennium, however, saw a turn in Brunell's fortunes in Jacksonville.  Although he started all but 2 games for the Jags between 2000-2002, all of those were losing seasons and by 2003 the Jags had drafted for the future in Byron Leftwich.  Brunell would start only 3 games in 2003, but lucky for him the perfect storm was brewing 700 miles to the North.

The 2004 season for the Washington Redskins saw the return of the Burgundy and Gold Messiah.  Joe Gibbs had finally returned to save the franchise from the depths of despair, and the first player he coveted was Mark Brunell.  While there were rumors that Jacksonville was going to cut Brunell, there were too many potential suitors for his services for Gibbs and Snyder's liking so they gave up a third round pick for the 11 year veteran.  Brunell was tagged as being the savvy veteran Yin to Patrick Ramsey's reckless interception throwing Yang, but what the Redskins got was a quarterback controversy between their young quarterback that was drafted by the team but not by the coach and the "Checkdown Champion".

Brunell vs. Ramsey was a big thing in 2004 and for good reason.  Brunell got the start over Ramsey who had figured he had proven himself over the past two seasons despite being injured for the last half of the 2003 season.  Brunell, however, would be benched mid season due to a nagging hamstring injury and Ramsey would start the last 7 games in 2004.  Both were able to only win three games each in 2004, but Ramsey's wins were the three highest scoring games of the season for the Redskins and the offense did not seem as dynamic with Brunell at the helm.  This would lead to Ramsey getting the start in 2005, but Ramsey would be injured in the first game of the season against the Bears and Brunell took advantage of the situation.  The next week would be the famed "Santana Moss Cowboys Game" where Brunell seemingly threw passes in the dirt for 56 minutes until connecting with Moss on passes of 39 and 70 yards in the last four minutes to win the game in Dallas.  HTTR nation was jacked up, but their admirations would wax and wane their way to an eventual 5-6 record after Week 12 with the season looking lost yet again.  Brunell, however, would channel some mid 90's magic and win the last 5 games of the season to secure the Redskins' first playoff berth in 6 years.  Brunell would actually beat the Buccaneers in the first round, but lose The Brett Favre Backup Bowl (see reference below) to Matt Hasselbeck and the Seahawks in the second round.  The luster of that 2005 run would not last, however, and in 2006 Brunell was benched in favor of Jason Campbell after going 3-6 in the first nine games.  Brunell would stay on the Redskins roster through the 2007 season, but he would never take another snap for the Redskins after his benching midway through the 2006 season. 

Brunell would leave the Redskins in 2008 and go on to back up Drew Brees in New Orleans for the next two seasons.  He even got a Super Bowl Ring in 2010 with the Saints.  In 2010 he signed with the Jets to back up Mark Sanchez, and he would stay there until the end of the 2011 season.  His career officially ended in 2012.  Brunell's time in Washington will always be remembered for the Dallas win, the improbable five game winning streak to make the playoffs, and for his propensity for throwing the checkdown pass that made him "The Checkdown Champion" here in DC.  Yes, he benefitted from having a stout defense in 2004 and 2005, but whatever you may think of his Redskins career, Brunell is the only quarterback other than Brad Johnson to win a playoff game in the Dan Snyder era. 

Fun Facts: Mark Brunell set an NFL record for most consecutive completions in a single game (22) with the Redskins in 2006 against the Houston Texans.  The only other quarterback to complete more passes in a row was Donovan McNabb in 2004, but his was over a two game span.

Apple Cup Rematch: This is a reference to the fact that Mark Brunell and Drew Bledsoe played each other three times in college in the annual Apple Cup Game played between Washington and Washington State.  Brunell led Washington to two victories over Bledsoe and the Cougars between 1990-1992.

Brett Favre Backup Bowl:  Remember that both Mark Brunell and Matt Hasselbeck had backed up Brett Favre in Green Bay at one point in their careers.  Even more coincidental was the fact that Mike Holmgren had drafted both quarterbacks while he was the head coach of Green Bay, and he was the coach for the Seahawks in their playoff meeting with Brunell and the Redskins. 

The Chronicles of Redskins Quarterbacks Part 6: Tim Hasselbeck

Tim Hasselbeck (03-04) “Elizabeth's Husband”

5 starts (1-4)

Completion % = 53.7% (95/177)

1012 yrds – 5 TD - 7 INT – 63.6 – 9 sacks

Matt's brother.  Elizabeth's husband.  Poor Tim Hasselbeck could never be his own person as a football player.  He grew up in Massachusetts where he was an All-American high school quarterback.  He attended Boston College where he spent his first two seasons backing up his older brother Matt.  He finally got his shot as a redshirt junior in 1999, and he would go 15-9 as the Golden Eagle's starter over the next two seasons.  The Bills would sign him as an undrafted free agent in 2001, but Hasselbeck would find himself on Philadelphia Eagles' practice squad in 2002.  It was at this time that his brother Matt was making rumblings in Seattle after most people acknowledged that he had taken the starting role from Trent Dilfer and looked to be the quarterback of the future in Seattle (which he was).  Dan Snyder took one look at Tim Hasselbeck's resume and said, "Hey, Matt Hasselbeck is kicking ass in Seattle after being traded out of obscurity in Green Bay.  Surely his brother can do the same thing for us.  We need to sign him.", and sign him he did.

Tim Hasselbeck came to Washington in 2003 in the aftermath of the Shane Matthews/Danny Wuerffel debacle, from which Patrick Ramsey came out as the unquestioned starter.  Ramsey would start the season 3-1, but he would only go 1-6 over the next seven games, and he would leave the Miami game with a bruised foot that kept him out the rest of the season.  It was Tim Hasselbeck's time to shine, but he could only muster one win against the Giants in his five starts, and he actually put up a 0.0 quarterback rating in a 27-0 loss to the Cowboys in Week 15.  His line in that game was as follows:  6-26 for 56 yards and 4 interceptions.  He played the entire game without anyone else taking a snap.  

Despite his poor performance, Hasselbeck actually stayed on as a backup in Washington for one more season, but he would never see the field again for the Burgundy and Gold.  He played the next two seasons as Eli Manning's backup in New York, and he would end his playing career with the Cardinals in 2007 appearing in only one game that year.  During all this time he was better known for his wife's accomplishments on TV, but he now has carved out a nice little niche for himself as an ESPN Fantasy Football Analyst.  Kudos to Tim for reinventing himself as a TV personality and finally stepping out of his wife's shadow, but we will always remember him in Washington as the husband of that woman on The View. 

The Chronicles of Redskins Quarterbacks Part 5: The Florida Gators Reunion Tour

"Sugar" Shane Matthews (02)                                         
7 starts (3-4)                                                                          

Completion % = 52.3% (124/237)                                     
1251 yrds – 11 TD - 6 INT – 72.6 –                                   
9 sacks                                                                                    

 Danny Wuerffel (02) aka "Danny Woeful"
4 starts (2-2)
Completion % = 63.0% (58/92)
 719 yrds – 3 TD - 6 INT – 70.9 –11 sacks

Steve Spurrier was the new game in town in 2002.  The Redskins' 70th Anniversary season was set to go off with a bang once Spurrier's "Fun 'N Gun" offense was unleashed on the league.  The only problem was that there were no quarterbacks on the 2002 roster that had played in such a system, but Spurrier decided to get the band back together for one more go 'round by luring Shane Matthews and Danny Wuerffel to Washington.

Both Matthews and Wuerffel played at Florida under Steve Spurrier.  Matthews started for the Gators from 1990-1992.  He led the SEC in passing in all three years as a starter, and he led the Gators to their first ever SEC Championship in 1991.  Wuerffel, though, would take the Gators to the next level.  Wuerffel would be a four year starter and set countless school and conference records during his Florida career, culminating in 1996 with a National Championship for the Gators and a Heisman Trophy for Danny Wuerffel.  The NFL, however, was not so kind to these Gator Boys. 

Matthews was signed by the Bears in 1993, but he would not even play in a game until 1996.  The next two seasons saw Matthews back on the bench in Carolina where he never took one snap in those two season.  Luckily for Matthews the Bears came calling again in 1999, and he would start in 15 games for the Bears from 1999-2001 going 8-7.  If Wuerffel had the more decorated college career, he had it harder in the pros.  Drafted by the Saints in the 4th round in 1997, Wuerffel would only start in 6 games for the Saints between 1997-1999.  He would dress in only 2 more games over the next 2 seasons for the Packers and Bears, but he would win the NFL Europe Championship in 2000 for the Rein Fire.  In 2002, though, the Ole Ball Coach came calling and the stage was set for the Florida Gators Reunion Tour 2002.

Matthews was the starter at the beginning of the season, but was pulled by Spurrier in the third game against the 49ers in favor of Wuerffel.  Wuerffel made his first NFL start in 4 years the next week against the Titans, but he would only last one series due to a shoulder injury.  Patrick Ramsey came on in relief and won the game, but the credit for the win goes to Wuerffel because he was the official starter.  From that point on it was quarterbacking medley that would see Matthews return, only to be replaced by Wuerffel again and ultimately both would be replaced by Ramsey who started the last 4 games of the season. 

Spurrier should get some credit for somehow going 7-9 in a season where his quarterbacks were going through a baseball pitching rotation.  The starts by game number are as follows: Matthews games 1-3, Wuerffel game 4, Ramsey games 5-6, Matthews games 7-10, Wuerffel games 11-12, Ramsey games 13-16.  The "Matthews-Wuerffel-Ramsey" rotation went through two full cycles in 2002, but by the end of the season the Reunion Tour had ended.  Danny Wuerffel retired from the NFL after that season and Matthews left for Cincinnati.  He would retire in 2005 after two season with the Bills, but he came back for a swan song with the Dolphins in late 2006 to fill a roster spot left open by an injured Daunte Culpepper.  Matthews would retire for good in March 2007.  Both players' last NFL start came with the Redskins on The Florida Gators Reunion Tour, and Redskins fans will cherish those memories for a lifetime. 

Fun Fact Side Notes:  Danny Wuerffel was the first Heisman Trophy winning quarterback to start for the Redskins in franchise history. 

In Shane Matthews' three wins for the Redskins he beat Peyton Manning, Jake Plummer, and Matt Hasselbeck.  In Danny Wuerffel's two wins he beat Steve McNair and Kurt Warner, although he did not throw one touchdown pass in either of those games. 

Junior Galette: The Phantom Menace

The Offseason Champs Strike Back.  The Redskins have proven that no one can match their ability to make flashy offseason signings with their addition of Junior Galette on Friday.  They have signed Galette almost a week after he was let go by the Saints, and the firestorm of accusations directed at Galette's character and the new found integrity of the Scot McCloughan era ensued.  These accusations are premature at best, and Galette's signing emboldens the optimists view that this Redskins team can do better than settling for average results this season.  This can be plainly seen in the stats that Galette brings to this defense, which seem to be lost in the discussion of his character.  Here are the stats that give credence to the notion that the Redskins may be better than people think this season with the signing of Junior Galette. 

Assuming that Galette will start opposite Ryan Kerrigan in the 3-4 in the season opener, the Redskins will have a combined 23.5 sacks (Kerrigan with 13.5 and Galette with 10) returning from last year on the ends of their 3-4 defense.  Only six teams return a better combined sack tandem on the outside edges of their defense according to the depth charts at ESPN.com, and only two of those teams return double digit sacks on both ends of their OLB positions in a 3-4 scheme. Those teams are the Ravens with Terrell Suggs (12 sacks) and Elvis Dumervil (17 sacks), and the Broncos with Demarcus Ware (10 sacks) and Von Miller (14 sacks).  Suffice to say that the Redskins have upgraded their pass rush to a level that is at the elite of the NFL, and they have put their players in a position to succeed.  The combined threat of Galette and Kerrigan will force teams to adjust their blocking schemes and hopefully open up one-on-one scenarios for Steven Paea and Jason Hatcher to take advantage of in their attempts at getting to the quarterback.  The upgraded secondary can only benefit from this added threat of pass rush by hopefully creating more havoc in the opponent's passing game that leads to more turnovers.  The defense becomes more potent and dynamic due to the Junior Galette signing, but some Redskins fans feel betrayed by Scot McCloughan.  Stats are great, but he said he would sign "high character guys.....with exceptions", but this guy doesn't seem right.  A close look, however, shows Galette's off the field issues to be dubious in nature, and his disposition may be exactly what McCloughan was looking for.

There are four stories that negatively impact Junior Galette's image as a person and as a player.  First, he initially attended Temple University and was a staple of Al Golden's plan to put Temple on the map.  Temple accomplished that feat under Golden, but Galette was kicked off the team in his senior season due to his cousin being found with stolen laptops.  He transferred to Stillman College in Alabama where he would complete his college career and be drafted by the Saints.  In January 2015 he was accused of domestic violence during the process of removing a woman from his house.  Then this melee video shows up that allegedly shows Galette hitting a woman with a belt. Finally, after Galette was released from the Saints his girlfriend's Twitter account came out with some not so flattering comments about anyone who donned the Fluer-De-Lis.  Deadspin also gives a good overview of what was said on Twitter.  What this all amounts to is another case of public trolling by lemmings who get a kick out of jumping on the pile of negative publicity.  If they actually read the information behind these stories they would see that Temple's policy was that a student is responsible for their guest's conduct while on campus.  Since Galette's cousin was his guest at the University, Temple held Galette responsible for his cousin's actions and he was removed from the team.  The domestic violence charges have been dismissed, although Galette's bail was a whopping $600 for whatever transpired (Please pick up on my sarcasm.  $600 bail is nothing so the charges could not have been that heinous), and the video was shot in 2013 and just now surfaces in June 2015.  Statute of limitations argument aside, there is no direct evidence that it is Galette whipping his belt in that video.  Finally, the twitter rants look bad, but they were made from his girlfriends account.  While they do contain detailed information that only an insider could have known, it is not out of the realm of possibility that Galette talked about these issues with his girlfriend previously and she is now airing them at this moment independent of Galette's consent to do so.  So his character flaws are dubious at best, and they mask a character that Scot McCloughan has been cultivating this off season. 

Galette's off the field issues cloud the fact that he has had to work hard to get where he is, which fits the character of what Scot McCloughan is trying to build on the field.  Galette fought hard on a Temple team that won one game his freshman year.  By all accounts he worked hard to gain the favor of the Stillman team when they said it could have been easy for him to be arrogant coming from a bigger program.  Galette was also named team captain by the Saints players at one point, so this guy has some positive characteristics that help him gel with his teammates.  This sounds like a high character guy to me, at least on the field, and he fits the mold of the type of player McCloughan has been cultivating this offseason.  It seems like McCloughan wants guys who come from high caliber programs and have something to prove and will work hard to do it.  Chris Culliver needs to prove that it was a mistake for the 49ers not to resign him after he had his best statistical season with them in 2014 and was described as their hardest playing corner.  Jeron Johnson comes from Seattle where he needs to prove that he is more that just Kam Chancellor's backup.  Dashon Goldson and Steven Paea need to prove that they are not afterthoughts and can still produce for an NFL team.  And now Galette must prove that he is not in it for the money; that he can still produce on the field and it was a mistake for the Saints to let him go.

I think that Galette fits the "high character" that Scot McCloughan is looking for, with a hint of nastiness that needs to be present if a defense is going to succeed.  All of a sudden we have these outcasts that teams did not want for one reason or another, and the character of this defense could be something we have not seen in a while here in Washington.  A Dirty Dozen style defense.  A group of guys left for naught but willing to prove people wrong in an arena where they think they do not have a chance to succeed.  A group of guys who possess the talent and disposition to work hard toward that success. The off the field issues may give some people pause, but I trust McClougan's judgment.  If not for McCloughan and the Seattle brass trading for a perceived malcontent from Buffalo who had hit and run and felony gun charges on his resume, the Seahawks maybe in a very different spot right now.  So I say that Junior Galette is the Phantom Menace.  His off the field issues are nothing to worry about, and he will haunt all of his detractors come September.