That's right Nationals Fans. It does not matter the level of your fandom. At some point during this season your opinion of Bryce Harper will sour. As the 2018 season begins, so begins the countdown to Bryce Harper's impending free agency and the countdown to the first reporter asking Bryce Harper about his future contract. And that may not be pretty considering this was Harper's unsolicited statement about contract questions back in February:
“I just want to let you guys know that I will not be discussing anything not relevant to 2018 at all. I’m focused on this year, focused on winning and playing hard. If you have any questions about anything past 2018, you can call Scott and he can answer you guys. If you guys do ask anything, then I’ll be walking right out the door.”
-quote courtesy of Thom Loverro and the Washington Times
Notwithstanding the double negative in the first sentence, that is a bold statement coming from one of the faces of Major League Baseball because no matter how the Nationals perform this season the contract questions will come. God forbid the Nationals struggle. Then the question will be "Do the team's struggles have an impact on Harper possibly leaving?". If the Nationals go on a heater the question will be "Does the team's recent success make Harper want to stay?". Bryce Harper's contract will be the overarching theme to the team's performance, win or lose, and that will have a deleterious effect on your fandom. How, you ask? Because the situation will eventually be personalized to the point where Harper will not be able to avoid answering contract questions without losing face in the court of public opinion.
The questions will start with general questions about Harper's contract being related to team performance as stated above. If the Nationals are losing that could be a problem, but Dave Martinez and the other players can easily side step those questions. As the season goes on, though, Harper's performance then takes center stage. Then the team needs to start answering for him because he said he won't answer contract questions. Ryan Zimmerman will need to postulate about such things as "Bryce is in a slump, do you think that hurts or helps him staying in DC?" or "Do you think Bryce's hot streak will increase or decrease his chances of leaving?". Then the questions will speculate about Bryce's relationship with other teams and players. Those questions will be "Bryce was being very friendly with Kris Bryant, does that mean he wants to go to Chicago?" or "Bryce took some time for himself in LA against the Dodgers, should fans be concerned about that?". All the while Bryce will be standing pat and allowing the team to answer those questions for him, or he will simply ignore any reporter who asks him those kinds of questions. How long will you tolerate that as a fan before your opinion of Harper starts to wane, especially if he does not even intimate that he want to stay in DC? The longer Harper decides to avoid those questions the more fans he will begin to alienate, and it will all come to a head if Fall comes and no extension has been given. The alienation will be doubled if the Nationals make the playoffs. Now the team will have to answer things like "If you win the World Series do you think Bryce will stay or go?". What will Bryce do then? Continue to ignore those questions and let it overshadow the Nationals' championship run? The longer Bryce sticks to his mute demeanor the more of the fan base will begin to turn on him.
DC Fans assume the worst. If Harper does not state that he wants to stay in DC while dodging questions about his contract all season, the conjecture that will encircle the fan base about Harper leaving DC will not help you like him. It will create a sense within the fan base that Harper can do no right by Nationals fans no matter what decision he makes. If Harper leaves then the fan base will automatically vilify him stating that he never wanted to be here in the first place. If it is for more money then he will be painted as a money grabber. If he signs for "less" then it will exacerbate the hatred from the fan base that Bryce just wanted out of DC. Even if Harper is able to deliver a World Series this season and leaves there will be a significant portion of the fan base that will label him as disingenuous. If Harper stays for the $400 million price tag some are speculating it could be, then the fan base will say he is crippling the team's financial future even if he wins a Championship this year. If he stays for big money and cannot deliver in the post season, the notion that Harper is not worth the money will spread like a virus through the fan base. The only way Bryce wins is if he stays for "less" money (which is still the GDP of some small countries) and brings a Championship to DC. But do you really see that happening? Any way you look at it, if you are a Nationals fan, you will hate Bryce Harper by the end of this season.
Saturday, March 31, 2018
Sunday, March 25, 2018
The Capitals Are Winning With Grit
It is hard to believe that it has been ten years since this all started. Ten years since the Rock the Red era truly began and engulfed the DC market. Ten years since the Caps were left for dead in the middle of November, only to be resurrected by Bruce Boudreau's high flying style of hockey that led them to a Southeast Division Championship. Since that time the Caps have regularly enjoyed the pinnacles of success throughout the regular season, only to be disappointed time and again once the playoffs rolled around. Even the 2007-2008 Capitals, for all the moxie they displayed throughout that season, could not get out of the first round of the playoffs. The determination of that '07-'08 team, though, is what separates them from the rest of the Caps teams that have won over the past decade. That team had to scrap for a majority of the season to put themselves in a position to win a division title. All the other subsequent iterations of the Capitals rested on the laurels of their talent, and high expectations, to carry them to success without developing a true sense of grit. Until this season.
For the first time in ten years, the Capitals came into this season with very low expectations. Another playoff exit at the hands of the Penguins, coupled with the exodus of numerous high profile free agents, led everyone to the conclusion that the Capitals' window of success had closed. Even die hard Caps fans had to take a serious look at the game program on opening day to know who the hell was starting, and most fans expected this new combination of players to be inferior to what they had seen in the recent past. The fans' reservations about the team were confirmed early on, but the Caps have fought through that adversity in a way nobody expected to find themselves at the top of the Metropolitan Division in an equally inexplicable manner. Just look at the stats. The Capitals are 24th in the league in Corsi% (47.82%), which means they are giving up significantly more shots on goal than they put on their opponents net. They are the only division leader that has under 100 points, and their +15 goal differential is the lowest of any team that has 90 points or more. They have the 5th worst penalty differential at -32, meaning they are taking way more penalties than they are drawing. Finally, their PDO stat (Save% + Shooting%, which traditionally has been an indirect indicator of luck) of 101.62 is 5th best in the league. So the Caps are leading the most competitive division in the NHL with a low goal differential relative to their point total while taking numerous penalties and benefiting from a wee bit of puck luck. What gives? The answer lies in the grit that the Capitals have developed over the course of this season.
Despite the high roster turnover and low expectations stemming from the end of last season, the Capitals have been able to organically develop a sense of resiliency through all players needing to prove themselves. New forwards like Chandler Stephenson, Devante Smith-Pelly, and Alex Chiasson had to prove that they belong on a high caliber team such as the Capitals. Jakub Vrana had to prove that his skill set warranted him being a regular second line starter. Brett Connolly needed to prove that he was not a one-hit-free-agent wonder. Christian Djoos needed to prove that he could replace both the offensive and defensive skills that left the Capitals defense after last seasons. Grubauer needed to prove that Vegas made a mistake in passing on him in the supplemental draft, and subsequently Holtby continues to need to prove he is still the number one goalie in DC. Finally, the superstars of the team needed to prove that the real skill of the team did not leave Washington, and that they could keep the window of success open so long as they wear a red sweater. All of these sentiments have coalesced into a team that is not phased by close games, and one that has come out on top in those games more often than naught through resiliency rather than skill level. Maybe the advanced stats are right, and that the Capitals have just been the benefit of luck throughout this season. And maybe the Caps will continue to be susceptible to teams like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Tampa Bay who have the speed and skill through the middle that have haunted this team in the playoffs in years past. But unlike other seasons, the Capitals have not tried to manufacture success. For the first time in ten years, they have developed a mentality from within that has galvanized the team in a way that has made them ready for whatever challenges arise at the end of this season. It is still not even a given that the Capitals will make the playoffs this season, but the Capitals have the one thing necessary to handle all situations. Grit.
Despite the high roster turnover and low expectations stemming from the end of last season, the Capitals have been able to organically develop a sense of resiliency through all players needing to prove themselves. New forwards like Chandler Stephenson, Devante Smith-Pelly, and Alex Chiasson had to prove that they belong on a high caliber team such as the Capitals. Jakub Vrana had to prove that his skill set warranted him being a regular second line starter. Brett Connolly needed to prove that he was not a one-hit-free-agent wonder. Christian Djoos needed to prove that he could replace both the offensive and defensive skills that left the Capitals defense after last seasons. Grubauer needed to prove that Vegas made a mistake in passing on him in the supplemental draft, and subsequently Holtby continues to need to prove he is still the number one goalie in DC. Finally, the superstars of the team needed to prove that the real skill of the team did not leave Washington, and that they could keep the window of success open so long as they wear a red sweater. All of these sentiments have coalesced into a team that is not phased by close games, and one that has come out on top in those games more often than naught through resiliency rather than skill level. Maybe the advanced stats are right, and that the Capitals have just been the benefit of luck throughout this season. And maybe the Caps will continue to be susceptible to teams like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Tampa Bay who have the speed and skill through the middle that have haunted this team in the playoffs in years past. But unlike other seasons, the Capitals have not tried to manufacture success. For the first time in ten years, they have developed a mentality from within that has galvanized the team in a way that has made them ready for whatever challenges arise at the end of this season. It is still not even a given that the Capitals will make the playoffs this season, but the Capitals have the one thing necessary to handle all situations. Grit.
Sunday, March 18, 2018
Alex Smith Is Not Good At Anything Except for Winning
Alex Smith's press conference this Thursday finally put the charade of pretending there was a possibility of the trade not going through to rest. Alex Smith is the quarterback for the Washington Redskins for at least the near future. His introduction by Doug Williams, however, had some portends that every Redskins fan should have taken as a sign that there is still a lot to be done in this offseason to make sure there is no regret about letting Kirk Cousins walk out the door. Williams alluded to the fact that there are still holes on this roster that need to be addressed in order to make the team more complete. What he meant was that the holes needed to be filled in order to make Alex Smith a winner here in Washington. It may be hard for Redskins fans to accept, but Alex Smith is statistically inferior to Cousins over the last three seasons in almost all major categories except for one. And it is the one that has the most factors attached to its execution. Winning.
Alex Smith has been able to win 31 regular season games over the last three seasons. His regular season win total in that time span is only eclipsed by Cam Newton and Tom Brady. A look at his total stats over that time frame, however, should make Redskins fans wonder how he achieved that feat. Alex Smith has 46 regular season starts over the last three seasons, and when comparing his numbers to the 20 other quarterbacks with 40 or more starts (plus Aaron Rodgers who has 39 starts over the last three seasons) his numbers are fairly pedestrian if not concerning. Alex Smith has thrown for only 11,030 yards over the last three seasons which ranks him 13th out of this group. He has only thrown 61 TD's over the last three seasons. The only quarterbacks lower than Smith in that area are Joe Flacco, Marcus Mariota, and Tyrod Taylor. Looking at that stat in another light would be to compare Alex Smith's 61 TD's to those quarterbacks who have had a comparable amount of attempts. Smith has 1464 attempts over the last three seasons. The other quarterbacks who have between 1400-1499 attempts are Cam Newton, Aaron Rodgers, and Andy Dalton. Rodgers and Dalton both have less attempts (1420 and 1445) and more touchdowns (87 and 68) than Alex Smith, and Cam Newton has thrown 76 touchdowns on only 33 more attempts. What is even more staggering is that all three of these quarterbacks have less total completions than Alex Smith, with Newton having 119 less completed passes than Smith over the last three seasons. Even if you factor in Smith's 8 rushing touchdowns, he ranks with Flacco, Mariota, and Taylor as the only quarterbacks out of this group who have accounted for less than 70 touchdowns over the last three seasons. So how is Alex Smith the third winningest quarterback since 2015? The answer would be in his supporting cast.
When Doug Williams stated that the current holes on the Redskins roster need to be filled, he was subconsciously indicting Alex Smith's record as a winner in the NFL. Alex Smith has had the luxury of having a Top 10 rushing offense in yards per game twice over the last three seasons in Kansas City, and he has had a Top 10 scoring defense (in points per game allowed) twice as well over that same time frame. To give perspective on that stat, Tom Brady is the only other quarterback with 40 or more starts who has had teams be Top 10 in both those areas over multiple seasons since 2015. Doug Williams is, or should be, keenly aware of this fact considering that the Redskins never gave Kirk Cousins either of those luxuries over his three years as a starter on this team. In fact, Kansas City's worst performances in these categories since 2015 (109.3 rushing ypg in 2016, and 21.2 ppg allowed in 2017) were better than any season the Redskins have in those categories over the same time frame. This means that Alex Smith has not been relied upon to be the primary provider of wins over the last three seasons in Kansas City, and he is walking into a situation that is the exact opposite. Kirk Cousins had to be the main guy the Redskins turned to in order win games over the last three seasons, especially last season where his offensive line single-handedly kept the sports medicine trade open in DC, his most talented receiving target played in only 6 games, and his defense went through countless iterations due to injury. The Redskins roster is much worse than the one Alex Smith left in Kansas City and Doug Williams knows it. Williams also knows, or should know, that the only way Alex Smith has been successful is when the supporting cast around him has been successful as well, which makes this a pivotal offseason for the tenure of all who are invested in the Redskins success.
The Redskins do not have Kareem Hunt's productivity, or Tyreek Hill's speed, or Travis Kelce's durability, or Justin Houston's sack production, or Eric Berry's coverage ability at safety. Most people in the know have stated that the Redskins current personnel does not have the talent the Chiefs had when Alex Smith was their quarterback, and it has only gotten worse for the Redskins so far in free agency. It will be up to Doug Williams to remedy the situation by putting the necessary pieces in place to make sure that Alex Smith has the necessary tools to be successful this season. It will be up to Jay Gruden to make sure that Alex Smith can use those tools to keep the Redskins win total comparable to what it was under Kirk Cousins. Alex Smith has proven that he can be a winner with the right supporting cast, and given that his best statistical season of his 13 year career came last year shows that he may be able to take on the challenges that the Redskins roster poses. But this season will be a test of front office acumen as mush as it will be about quarterback play. Doug Williams will need to acquire the right pieces, and Jay Gruden will need to position them so that Alex Smith can do the only thing he has been good at over the last five years of his career. Winning.
Alex Smith has been able to win 31 regular season games over the last three seasons. His regular season win total in that time span is only eclipsed by Cam Newton and Tom Brady. A look at his total stats over that time frame, however, should make Redskins fans wonder how he achieved that feat. Alex Smith has 46 regular season starts over the last three seasons, and when comparing his numbers to the 20 other quarterbacks with 40 or more starts (plus Aaron Rodgers who has 39 starts over the last three seasons) his numbers are fairly pedestrian if not concerning. Alex Smith has thrown for only 11,030 yards over the last three seasons which ranks him 13th out of this group. He has only thrown 61 TD's over the last three seasons. The only quarterbacks lower than Smith in that area are Joe Flacco, Marcus Mariota, and Tyrod Taylor. Looking at that stat in another light would be to compare Alex Smith's 61 TD's to those quarterbacks who have had a comparable amount of attempts. Smith has 1464 attempts over the last three seasons. The other quarterbacks who have between 1400-1499 attempts are Cam Newton, Aaron Rodgers, and Andy Dalton. Rodgers and Dalton both have less attempts (1420 and 1445) and more touchdowns (87 and 68) than Alex Smith, and Cam Newton has thrown 76 touchdowns on only 33 more attempts. What is even more staggering is that all three of these quarterbacks have less total completions than Alex Smith, with Newton having 119 less completed passes than Smith over the last three seasons. Even if you factor in Smith's 8 rushing touchdowns, he ranks with Flacco, Mariota, and Taylor as the only quarterbacks out of this group who have accounted for less than 70 touchdowns over the last three seasons. So how is Alex Smith the third winningest quarterback since 2015? The answer would be in his supporting cast.
When Doug Williams stated that the current holes on the Redskins roster need to be filled, he was subconsciously indicting Alex Smith's record as a winner in the NFL. Alex Smith has had the luxury of having a Top 10 rushing offense in yards per game twice over the last three seasons in Kansas City, and he has had a Top 10 scoring defense (in points per game allowed) twice as well over that same time frame. To give perspective on that stat, Tom Brady is the only other quarterback with 40 or more starts who has had teams be Top 10 in both those areas over multiple seasons since 2015. Doug Williams is, or should be, keenly aware of this fact considering that the Redskins never gave Kirk Cousins either of those luxuries over his three years as a starter on this team. In fact, Kansas City's worst performances in these categories since 2015 (109.3 rushing ypg in 2016, and 21.2 ppg allowed in 2017) were better than any season the Redskins have in those categories over the same time frame. This means that Alex Smith has not been relied upon to be the primary provider of wins over the last three seasons in Kansas City, and he is walking into a situation that is the exact opposite. Kirk Cousins had to be the main guy the Redskins turned to in order win games over the last three seasons, especially last season where his offensive line single-handedly kept the sports medicine trade open in DC, his most talented receiving target played in only 6 games, and his defense went through countless iterations due to injury. The Redskins roster is much worse than the one Alex Smith left in Kansas City and Doug Williams knows it. Williams also knows, or should know, that the only way Alex Smith has been successful is when the supporting cast around him has been successful as well, which makes this a pivotal offseason for the tenure of all who are invested in the Redskins success.
The Redskins do not have Kareem Hunt's productivity, or Tyreek Hill's speed, or Travis Kelce's durability, or Justin Houston's sack production, or Eric Berry's coverage ability at safety. Most people in the know have stated that the Redskins current personnel does not have the talent the Chiefs had when Alex Smith was their quarterback, and it has only gotten worse for the Redskins so far in free agency. It will be up to Doug Williams to remedy the situation by putting the necessary pieces in place to make sure that Alex Smith has the necessary tools to be successful this season. It will be up to Jay Gruden to make sure that Alex Smith can use those tools to keep the Redskins win total comparable to what it was under Kirk Cousins. Alex Smith has proven that he can be a winner with the right supporting cast, and given that his best statistical season of his 13 year career came last year shows that he may be able to take on the challenges that the Redskins roster poses. But this season will be a test of front office acumen as mush as it will be about quarterback play. Doug Williams will need to acquire the right pieces, and Jay Gruden will need to position them so that Alex Smith can do the only thing he has been good at over the last five years of his career. Winning.
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
The Chronicles of Redskins Quarterbacks Part 14: Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins (2012-2017) "Radioactive Man"
57 starts (26-30-1)
Completion % = 65.5% (1372/2096)
16206 yrds - 99 TD - 55 INT - 93.7 - 106 sacks
12 Game Winning Drives
The man who was drafted to be an insurance policy who turned into one of the most polarizing players the Redskins have ever seen. Kirk Cousins is "Radioactive Man" for creating a nuclear argument about his abilities throughout his career. It began the second he was drafted and he continued to cause outrage within the fan base for his entire tenure in Washington, most of the time simply by just playing his position. But big things have humble beginnings, and his early career did not point to him being the most sought after soon-to-be free agent on the market.
Cousins grew up in Michigan where he was a three sport athlete in high school. A broken ankle in his Junior year, though, caused Cousins to be over looked by many recruiters, and it looked as if his decision would be between playing quarterback at Toledo or Western Michigan. Luckily for Cousins there was a new coach in East Lansing that could not sign any of his target quarterbacks. Mark Dantonio decided to offer a scholarship to Cousins to play at Michigan State, and Cousins gladly accepted. Cousins would redshirt his first year and back up Brian Hoyer during the 2008 season. He was named the starter for the Spartans in 2009, and between 2010-2011 he would lead the Spartans to 22 wins, a share of the Big 10 regular season title in 2010, and he led the Spartans to the Big 10 Championship game in 2011. Cousins was rounding out a solid college career, but nothing could have prepared him for what was to come on Draft Day.
Mike Shanahan thought he needed insurance for Griffin, and Cousins was sitting there in the fourth round when Shanny apparently had him graded as a second round talent. Shanahan pulled the trigger on Cousins, Redskins nation went ballistic, and Radioactive Man was born. There was controversy abound for the next few months, but it was clear that Griffin would be the starter for the 2012 season. Griffin would ignite the world in 2012, but not without a little help from his fourth round understudy. Cousins would play in three games that season, including winning in relief against the Ravens where he led a game tying drive that required a two-point conversion that Cousins ran in on a QB sneak. The next week he would win in impressive fashion against Cleveland, but no one was about to anoint him over Griffin for beating the worst team in the league. Griffin returned and led the Redskins to their first division title since 1999 and all was looking up until Griffin was carted off the field after going down in the playoff game against Seattle. Redskins nation could only watch as Kirk Cousins was brought in amongst the carnage to try and salvage a win that never came. Cousins looked awful on the big stage, and he would carry this moniker of looking bad in relief for the next two seasons.
Cousins would only see the field as a starter in 2013 after Griffin was deactivated by Mike Shanahan for precautionary purposes. Cousins would lose all three of those games, and he would also lose his patron saint in Mike Shanahan as he and his son were let go by the organization. Jay Gruden was hired in 2014, and it was quickly implied that he was there to resurrect Robert Griffin. The project did not last long, however, as Griffin went down with a dislocated ankle in Week 2. Cousins came on in relief to beat the Jaguars, but the next two games showed Cousins's propensity for frustrating play in critical situations. He would have a masterful game against the Eagles until he threw a bad interception late that cost the Redskins the game, and the next week he inexplicably threw four interceptions in the second half against the Giants. It all came to a head in Week 7 against the Titans where Cousins was benched at halftime because of his poor play. Cousins would never see the field again in 2014, and his inconsistencies seemed to have him forever relegated to a backup position. Everyone assumed that the 2015 season would be Robert Griffin's last chance in Washington, but once again Cousins could never have imagined what was to come.
Before the 2015 season was to start, Jay Gruden shocked everyone and named Kirk the starter for the 2015 season. Radioactive Man was unleashed on the fan base yet again, and controversy encircled his debut as the Redskins starter on opening day. The beginning of the season was just as tumultuous as he led the Redskins on a 90 yard game winning drive in Philadelphia, only to throw a pick six in overtime against the Falcons. Cousins starting job was precarious at best, and down 24-0 in the middle of the second quarter at home to Tampa Bay in Week 7 made it look as if another season, and quarterback, would be lost yet again. We all know what happened. Cousins would lead the Redskins to the greatest comeback in franchise history, and his catch phrase would define the entire season for the Redskins. Cousins would lead the Redskins to another division title, and for one half he kept pace with Aaron Rodgers in the playoffs until the Packers masterfully changed their game plan to running the ball down the Redskins throat. Alas, the Redskins exited the playoffs without a win in 2015.
It is not worth going over the next two seasons because it has been rehashed ad nauseam. For all that has transpired over Cousins's career there are things worth noting that the Redskins are letting walk out the door on March 14. Cousins is the only quarterback to start every game for three consecutive seasons in the Dan Snyder era. Kirk is fourth in all time yards passing in franchise history (16,206 yards), and given three more season he would have been number one. Cousins's three seasons as a starter rank first, second, and fourth in passing yards in a single season in franchise history, and his 29 TD in 2015 ranks second only to Sonny Jurgensen's 31 TD in 1967. His stats over the last three years are comparable with some of the top quarterbacks in the game, and yet he could not deliver a playoff win or multiple playoff appearances as a starter. This coupled with the fact that he was the guy who replaced Dan Snyder's hand picked messiah, his contract dispute wore on the nerves of all involved, and his public statements that he wanted to stay in Washington now have soured a large portion of the fan base have caused a ground swell of resentment for Kirk Cousins as he leaves Washington. It seems ungrateful for these people to chide Cousins on his way out of town considering he arguably gave the fan base the three best consecutive quarterbacking seasons in the last 25 years. But Kirk's departure, and subsequent character assassination by Dan Snyder's minions, have shown that this organization has not learned anything over the last 25 years. Dan Snyder is letting the best quarterback he has ever had walk out the door, and he is kicking him on the way out to save face within the sphere of public opinion. I say godspeed to Cousins because his fate will forever be linked to that of the Washington Redskins. Maybe he pulls a Brad Johnson and wins a Super Bowl, or maybe he becomes Jason Campbell and fades into obscurity. Whatever happens, there is no denying that he gave the Redskins three solid seasons among the direst of circumstances, and everyone should be grateful.
Fun Facts: The top three quarterbacks from the 2012 NFL Draft currently are either out of the NFL or face serious concerns about whether or not they will come back from injury. They are Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin, and Ryan Tannehill. The sixth (selected 75th overall), seventh (selected 88th overall), and eighth (selected 102nd overall) quarterbacks selected have combined for two Super Bowl Championships and two could fetch high prices for their services this offseason. They are Russell Wilson, Nick Foles, and Kirk Cousins.
Cousins is 4-2 in his career against those fellow 2012 draftees. His four wins have come against Nick Foles, Russell Wilson, Brandon Weeden, and Brock Osweilier.
Cousins was able to face and defeat Brian Hoyer in the Redskins 2017 game against the 49ers. Remember that Cousins sat behind Hoyer at Michigan State.
57 starts (26-30-1)
Completion % = 65.5% (1372/2096)
16206 yrds - 99 TD - 55 INT - 93.7 - 106 sacks
12 Game Winning Drives
The man who was drafted to be an insurance policy who turned into one of the most polarizing players the Redskins have ever seen. Kirk Cousins is "Radioactive Man" for creating a nuclear argument about his abilities throughout his career. It began the second he was drafted and he continued to cause outrage within the fan base for his entire tenure in Washington, most of the time simply by just playing his position. But big things have humble beginnings, and his early career did not point to him being the most sought after soon-to-be free agent on the market.
Cousins grew up in Michigan where he was a three sport athlete in high school. A broken ankle in his Junior year, though, caused Cousins to be over looked by many recruiters, and it looked as if his decision would be between playing quarterback at Toledo or Western Michigan. Luckily for Cousins there was a new coach in East Lansing that could not sign any of his target quarterbacks. Mark Dantonio decided to offer a scholarship to Cousins to play at Michigan State, and Cousins gladly accepted. Cousins would redshirt his first year and back up Brian Hoyer during the 2008 season. He was named the starter for the Spartans in 2009, and between 2010-2011 he would lead the Spartans to 22 wins, a share of the Big 10 regular season title in 2010, and he led the Spartans to the Big 10 Championship game in 2011. Cousins was rounding out a solid college career, but nothing could have prepared him for what was to come on Draft Day.
Mike Shanahan thought he needed insurance for Griffin, and Cousins was sitting there in the fourth round when Shanny apparently had him graded as a second round talent. Shanahan pulled the trigger on Cousins, Redskins nation went ballistic, and Radioactive Man was born. There was controversy abound for the next few months, but it was clear that Griffin would be the starter for the 2012 season. Griffin would ignite the world in 2012, but not without a little help from his fourth round understudy. Cousins would play in three games that season, including winning in relief against the Ravens where he led a game tying drive that required a two-point conversion that Cousins ran in on a QB sneak. The next week he would win in impressive fashion against Cleveland, but no one was about to anoint him over Griffin for beating the worst team in the league. Griffin returned and led the Redskins to their first division title since 1999 and all was looking up until Griffin was carted off the field after going down in the playoff game against Seattle. Redskins nation could only watch as Kirk Cousins was brought in amongst the carnage to try and salvage a win that never came. Cousins looked awful on the big stage, and he would carry this moniker of looking bad in relief for the next two seasons.
Cousins would only see the field as a starter in 2013 after Griffin was deactivated by Mike Shanahan for precautionary purposes. Cousins would lose all three of those games, and he would also lose his patron saint in Mike Shanahan as he and his son were let go by the organization. Jay Gruden was hired in 2014, and it was quickly implied that he was there to resurrect Robert Griffin. The project did not last long, however, as Griffin went down with a dislocated ankle in Week 2. Cousins came on in relief to beat the Jaguars, but the next two games showed Cousins's propensity for frustrating play in critical situations. He would have a masterful game against the Eagles until he threw a bad interception late that cost the Redskins the game, and the next week he inexplicably threw four interceptions in the second half against the Giants. It all came to a head in Week 7 against the Titans where Cousins was benched at halftime because of his poor play. Cousins would never see the field again in 2014, and his inconsistencies seemed to have him forever relegated to a backup position. Everyone assumed that the 2015 season would be Robert Griffin's last chance in Washington, but once again Cousins could never have imagined what was to come.
Before the 2015 season was to start, Jay Gruden shocked everyone and named Kirk the starter for the 2015 season. Radioactive Man was unleashed on the fan base yet again, and controversy encircled his debut as the Redskins starter on opening day. The beginning of the season was just as tumultuous as he led the Redskins on a 90 yard game winning drive in Philadelphia, only to throw a pick six in overtime against the Falcons. Cousins starting job was precarious at best, and down 24-0 in the middle of the second quarter at home to Tampa Bay in Week 7 made it look as if another season, and quarterback, would be lost yet again. We all know what happened. Cousins would lead the Redskins to the greatest comeback in franchise history, and his catch phrase would define the entire season for the Redskins. Cousins would lead the Redskins to another division title, and for one half he kept pace with Aaron Rodgers in the playoffs until the Packers masterfully changed their game plan to running the ball down the Redskins throat. Alas, the Redskins exited the playoffs without a win in 2015.
It is not worth going over the next two seasons because it has been rehashed ad nauseam. For all that has transpired over Cousins's career there are things worth noting that the Redskins are letting walk out the door on March 14. Cousins is the only quarterback to start every game for three consecutive seasons in the Dan Snyder era. Kirk is fourth in all time yards passing in franchise history (16,206 yards), and given three more season he would have been number one. Cousins's three seasons as a starter rank first, second, and fourth in passing yards in a single season in franchise history, and his 29 TD in 2015 ranks second only to Sonny Jurgensen's 31 TD in 1967. His stats over the last three years are comparable with some of the top quarterbacks in the game, and yet he could not deliver a playoff win or multiple playoff appearances as a starter. This coupled with the fact that he was the guy who replaced Dan Snyder's hand picked messiah, his contract dispute wore on the nerves of all involved, and his public statements that he wanted to stay in Washington now have soured a large portion of the fan base have caused a ground swell of resentment for Kirk Cousins as he leaves Washington. It seems ungrateful for these people to chide Cousins on his way out of town considering he arguably gave the fan base the three best consecutive quarterbacking seasons in the last 25 years. But Kirk's departure, and subsequent character assassination by Dan Snyder's minions, have shown that this organization has not learned anything over the last 25 years. Dan Snyder is letting the best quarterback he has ever had walk out the door, and he is kicking him on the way out to save face within the sphere of public opinion. I say godspeed to Cousins because his fate will forever be linked to that of the Washington Redskins. Maybe he pulls a Brad Johnson and wins a Super Bowl, or maybe he becomes Jason Campbell and fades into obscurity. Whatever happens, there is no denying that he gave the Redskins three solid seasons among the direst of circumstances, and everyone should be grateful.
Fun Facts: The top three quarterbacks from the 2012 NFL Draft currently are either out of the NFL or face serious concerns about whether or not they will come back from injury. They are Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin, and Ryan Tannehill. The sixth (selected 75th overall), seventh (selected 88th overall), and eighth (selected 102nd overall) quarterbacks selected have combined for two Super Bowl Championships and two could fetch high prices for their services this offseason. They are Russell Wilson, Nick Foles, and Kirk Cousins.
Cousins is 4-2 in his career against those fellow 2012 draftees. His four wins have come against Nick Foles, Russell Wilson, Brandon Weeden, and Brock Osweilier.
Cousins was able to face and defeat Brian Hoyer in the Redskins 2017 game against the 49ers. Remember that Cousins sat behind Hoyer at Michigan State.
Monday, March 12, 2018
The Chronicles of Redskins Quarterbacks Part 13: Robert Griffin III
Robert Griffin III (2012-2014) "Darth Vader"
35 starts (14-21)
35 starts (14-21)
Completion % = 63.9% (679/1063)
8097 yrds – 40 TD - 23 INT – 90.6 – 101 sacks
5 Game Winning Drives
Part 12 was about who should start the 2015 season for the Redskins. If you want to have a laugh here it is. Since Griffin was still on the roster at that point he did not get his own page. He does now.
In Robert Griffin III, Dan Snyder had finally found his Darth Vader to his Emperor Palpatine persona. Just as Vader was Palpatine's third, and most powerful, apprentice, Griffin would be the third first round quarterback selected in the Dan Snyder era. And just like Vader, Griffin came from humble beginnings to become one of the most powerful individuals in his sport, only to have it all come crashing down.
Robert Griffin III was born in Okinawa, Japan. His parents were both sergeants in the U.S. Army, and for the first few years of his life he would live all over the western United States. His family would eventually settle in Copperas Cove, Texas where Griffin would have an illustrious high school athletic career. Griffin was a ranked #1 in the nation in the 400 and 110 meter hurdles as a Junior, and he amassed over 3,000 yards passing, over 2,000 yards rushing, and 73 total TD's as his high school's starting quarterback his Junior and Senior season. All of these accomplishments led him to be ranked the fourth best dual threat quarterback coming out of high school. Griffin was sought after by many schools, but he committed to Art Briles at......Houston? That's right. Briles had been the coach at Houston since 2003, but in 2007 he left to take the coaching job at Baylor and Griffin followed him. It seemed to be the beginnings of stardom as Griffin was named Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2008, but Griffin tore his ACL three games into his sophomore campaign in 2009 and was out for the season. He was given a medical redshirt, so his sophomore season began anew in 2010 where he led Baylor to a 7-6 record. Griffin looked like your average spread option style quarterback for his first three years. And then it happened. Baylor's high octane spread offense, coupled with the Big 12's propensity to not play defense, led Griffin to gain almost 5,000 yards of total offense and account for 47 touchdowns. Griffin would lead Baylor to a 10-3 seasons, and Griffin would win the 2011 Heisman Trophy. Griffin electrified college football that season along with Andrew Luck, and the two of them were projected to be the top 2 picks that season in the NFL Draft. The only problem was that the Rams would end up in the second pick, and they seemed to be tied to Sam Bradford. It seemed as if someone would need to pay a king's ransom to move up to get that pick, and who better to give up draft picks than the Washington Redskins.
Two days before the new league year started in 2012, the Redskins shocked the world by trading up to the second pick in the draft in order to get Griffin. They gave the Rams three first round picks (2012, 2013, 2014), and their second round pick in 2012. Whatever the cost, Dan Snyder had finally found his Chosen One, but the Redskins fan base was skeptical that Snyder had once again mortgaged the future for something that would never pan out. One game into the 2012 season and all that was put to rest. Griffin's victory in New Orleans showed that he may be worth the price, and that the read option was a viable option in the NFL with Griffin at the helm. The Griffin euphoria would culminate in Week 6 as Griffin ripped off a 76 yard touchdown run to put the game away. Redskins nation was in a frenzied state the likes of which it had never seem before, but that excitement was put to rest when the Redskins lost their next three games. The last of those games came against a 1-6 Panthers team that led Mike Shanahan to make his infamous speech about the rest of the season being about evaluating talent. And then it happened. The Redskins crushed the Eagles in their next game, and shocked the Cowboys in Dallas on Thanksgiving that saw the Redskins score 28 points in the first half. All was humming until Haloti Ngata brought all of Redskins fandom's fears to life. Griffin was hit in the knee as he was rolling over a tackle in the open field and he did not return. Kirk Cousins came on in relief to win the game in overtime, and he would win the next week in Cleveland, but all eyes were on Griffin's knee. Griffin returned with questions surrounding his hasty comeback, but all of that was put aside when he led the Redskins to two more victories and their first NFC East Championship since 1999. It was still out of mind when he put the Redskins up 14-0 against the Seahawks in their opening playoff game; and then it happened. Griffin collapsed on the field and had to be carted off to the tightly held breath of all fans at Fed Ex Field. Cousins would come on in relief, but to no avail. The Redskins would lose the game, and it was uncertain as to how long they would lose their franchise quarterback.
Despite the injury, Griffin was named Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2012, and everyone was on pins and needles about his sophomore season. Griffin's motto was "All In For Week 1 [of 2013]", but again there were questions about whether or not he was coming back too fast. Griffin did not play in any preseason games that year, but he was the starter in Week 1, and the big question was whether or not he would be able to recreate the magic of 2012. The Redskins opened up the 2013 season 1-3, and it was apparent that Griffin was not the same dynamic player he was before the injury. The read option was not functioning due to defensive players not being as afraid of Griffin getting around the edge, and it was clear that Griffin had trouble avoiding the pass rush. Griffin would lead the Redskins to another 3-5 crossroads, but the Redskins took the other path in 2013 as they lost their next five games leading to Griffin being benched. Mike Shanahan called it a precaution to not have him get injured, but controversy began to surface as Griffin threw 16 touchdowns to 12 interceptions, and he did not rush for a single touchdown in 2013. Shanahan would be shown the door after the 2013 season and Jay Gruden took over.
Gruden had to inherit Griffin who was seemingly in decline since his illustrious rookie season. Gruden had relative success in Cincinnati taking a spread quarterback in Andy Dalton and turning him into a serviceable NFL passer, and Redskins fans inferred that he was here to do the same for Griffin. Problems arose, however, when Griffin dislocated his ankle in Week 2 against Jacksonville. Kirk Cousins would win that game, but he would go 1-4 over the next five games and be benched at halftime of the fifth game against Tennessee in favor of Colt McCoy. McCoy led a game winning drive to beat the Titans, and he would win his infamous Monday night game against the Cowboys the next week, leading a significant portion of the fan base to back McCoy over Griffin. Griffin came back, however, but he would hear chants of "We Want Colt" at Fed Ex Field and he would be benched in favor of McCoy in Week 13. McCoy suffered a neck injury that kept him out for the rest of the season, however, and Griffin would finish out the 2014 season with the Redskins going 4-12. Skepticism was abound about who would get the start in 2015, but everyone assumed Griffin would get one last chance to prove himself. It was shocking when Jay Gruden named Kirk Cousins the starter for Week 1, and we all know what happened from there. Griffin could only watch as the guy drafted as the insurance policy won over the fan base through the 2015 season, and in March 2016 he was released by the Redskins.
Griffin would be signed by the Browns two weeks later, and he would start their 2016 season opener, only to be placed on IR after a shoulder injury in Week 1. Griffin returned to start the last four games of the season, and led the Browns to their only win that season, but even Cleveland had seen enough of Griffin at that point. He was released in March of 2017 and he has yet to come back to the NFL.
It is unbelievable that Griffin went from being the savior of a franchise to being out of the league all within four years. Redskins fans in 2012 stated that he was worth the price the franchise paid, and they backed that sentiment up with jersey sales. Griffin's #10 jersey was the highest selling jersey that season, and it set the record for most jerseys sold in one calendar year. It is hard to forget something like that, and the ghost of RG3 still haunts the fan base to this day. Everyone wanted to believe the hype because the hype was real. For the first time in forever the Redskins had a young player that struck fear into hearts of the opponent, and they were on the cutting edge of offensive schemes. All that came crashing down in that playoff game against Seattle, and with it went Robert Griffin's career. Maybe if Griffin had shown a little more humility, if he were a little more durable, or if he could handle adversity a little bit better he may have been able to overcome and succeed with the Redskins. But that 2012 season covered up all those deficiencies, and for one season it looked like Griffin and the Redskins were going to be the next big thing.
Fun Facts: The Rams parlayed the 4 picks the Redskins gave them for Griffin into 8 picks between 2012 and 2014. Only one of those eight players (Michael Brockers) is currently on the Rams roster, and three are out of the NFL.
Out of the eight players the Rams drafted from the Griffin trade picks, only one (Janoris Jenkins) made the Pro Bowl. In comparison, the Redskins drafted four players between 2012-2014 that eventually made the Pro Bowl. They were Robert Griffin III, Kirk Cousins, Alfred Morris, and Jordan Reed.
The Rams traded the 6th pick in 2012 to the Cowboys for the 14th and 45th pick. They subsequently traded the 45th pick to Chicago who used that pick to draft Alshon Jeffery.
The Rams traded the Redskins 22nd pick in 2013 to the Falcons who selected Pro Bowl cornerback Desmond Trufant.
Griffin's comments after the Tampa Bay game in 2014 caused him to lose face with the fan base. Kirk Cousins endeared himself to the fan base after the "You Like That" quote came after the greatest comeback in Redskins history, against Tampa Bay.
Griffin is only one of two Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks to start for the Redskins. The other is Danny Wuerffel.
5 Game Winning Drives
Part 12 was about who should start the 2015 season for the Redskins. If you want to have a laugh here it is. Since Griffin was still on the roster at that point he did not get his own page. He does now.
In Robert Griffin III, Dan Snyder had finally found his Darth Vader to his Emperor Palpatine persona. Just as Vader was Palpatine's third, and most powerful, apprentice, Griffin would be the third first round quarterback selected in the Dan Snyder era. And just like Vader, Griffin came from humble beginnings to become one of the most powerful individuals in his sport, only to have it all come crashing down.
Robert Griffin III was born in Okinawa, Japan. His parents were both sergeants in the U.S. Army, and for the first few years of his life he would live all over the western United States. His family would eventually settle in Copperas Cove, Texas where Griffin would have an illustrious high school athletic career. Griffin was a ranked #1 in the nation in the 400 and 110 meter hurdles as a Junior, and he amassed over 3,000 yards passing, over 2,000 yards rushing, and 73 total TD's as his high school's starting quarterback his Junior and Senior season. All of these accomplishments led him to be ranked the fourth best dual threat quarterback coming out of high school. Griffin was sought after by many schools, but he committed to Art Briles at......Houston? That's right. Briles had been the coach at Houston since 2003, but in 2007 he left to take the coaching job at Baylor and Griffin followed him. It seemed to be the beginnings of stardom as Griffin was named Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2008, but Griffin tore his ACL three games into his sophomore campaign in 2009 and was out for the season. He was given a medical redshirt, so his sophomore season began anew in 2010 where he led Baylor to a 7-6 record. Griffin looked like your average spread option style quarterback for his first three years. And then it happened. Baylor's high octane spread offense, coupled with the Big 12's propensity to not play defense, led Griffin to gain almost 5,000 yards of total offense and account for 47 touchdowns. Griffin would lead Baylor to a 10-3 seasons, and Griffin would win the 2011 Heisman Trophy. Griffin electrified college football that season along with Andrew Luck, and the two of them were projected to be the top 2 picks that season in the NFL Draft. The only problem was that the Rams would end up in the second pick, and they seemed to be tied to Sam Bradford. It seemed as if someone would need to pay a king's ransom to move up to get that pick, and who better to give up draft picks than the Washington Redskins.
Two days before the new league year started in 2012, the Redskins shocked the world by trading up to the second pick in the draft in order to get Griffin. They gave the Rams three first round picks (2012, 2013, 2014), and their second round pick in 2012. Whatever the cost, Dan Snyder had finally found his Chosen One, but the Redskins fan base was skeptical that Snyder had once again mortgaged the future for something that would never pan out. One game into the 2012 season and all that was put to rest. Griffin's victory in New Orleans showed that he may be worth the price, and that the read option was a viable option in the NFL with Griffin at the helm. The Griffin euphoria would culminate in Week 6 as Griffin ripped off a 76 yard touchdown run to put the game away. Redskins nation was in a frenzied state the likes of which it had never seem before, but that excitement was put to rest when the Redskins lost their next three games. The last of those games came against a 1-6 Panthers team that led Mike Shanahan to make his infamous speech about the rest of the season being about evaluating talent. And then it happened. The Redskins crushed the Eagles in their next game, and shocked the Cowboys in Dallas on Thanksgiving that saw the Redskins score 28 points in the first half. All was humming until Haloti Ngata brought all of Redskins fandom's fears to life. Griffin was hit in the knee as he was rolling over a tackle in the open field and he did not return. Kirk Cousins came on in relief to win the game in overtime, and he would win the next week in Cleveland, but all eyes were on Griffin's knee. Griffin returned with questions surrounding his hasty comeback, but all of that was put aside when he led the Redskins to two more victories and their first NFC East Championship since 1999. It was still out of mind when he put the Redskins up 14-0 against the Seahawks in their opening playoff game; and then it happened. Griffin collapsed on the field and had to be carted off to the tightly held breath of all fans at Fed Ex Field. Cousins would come on in relief, but to no avail. The Redskins would lose the game, and it was uncertain as to how long they would lose their franchise quarterback.
Despite the injury, Griffin was named Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2012, and everyone was on pins and needles about his sophomore season. Griffin's motto was "All In For Week 1 [of 2013]", but again there were questions about whether or not he was coming back too fast. Griffin did not play in any preseason games that year, but he was the starter in Week 1, and the big question was whether or not he would be able to recreate the magic of 2012. The Redskins opened up the 2013 season 1-3, and it was apparent that Griffin was not the same dynamic player he was before the injury. The read option was not functioning due to defensive players not being as afraid of Griffin getting around the edge, and it was clear that Griffin had trouble avoiding the pass rush. Griffin would lead the Redskins to another 3-5 crossroads, but the Redskins took the other path in 2013 as they lost their next five games leading to Griffin being benched. Mike Shanahan called it a precaution to not have him get injured, but controversy began to surface as Griffin threw 16 touchdowns to 12 interceptions, and he did not rush for a single touchdown in 2013. Shanahan would be shown the door after the 2013 season and Jay Gruden took over.
Gruden had to inherit Griffin who was seemingly in decline since his illustrious rookie season. Gruden had relative success in Cincinnati taking a spread quarterback in Andy Dalton and turning him into a serviceable NFL passer, and Redskins fans inferred that he was here to do the same for Griffin. Problems arose, however, when Griffin dislocated his ankle in Week 2 against Jacksonville. Kirk Cousins would win that game, but he would go 1-4 over the next five games and be benched at halftime of the fifth game against Tennessee in favor of Colt McCoy. McCoy led a game winning drive to beat the Titans, and he would win his infamous Monday night game against the Cowboys the next week, leading a significant portion of the fan base to back McCoy over Griffin. Griffin came back, however, but he would hear chants of "We Want Colt" at Fed Ex Field and he would be benched in favor of McCoy in Week 13. McCoy suffered a neck injury that kept him out for the rest of the season, however, and Griffin would finish out the 2014 season with the Redskins going 4-12. Skepticism was abound about who would get the start in 2015, but everyone assumed Griffin would get one last chance to prove himself. It was shocking when Jay Gruden named Kirk Cousins the starter for Week 1, and we all know what happened from there. Griffin could only watch as the guy drafted as the insurance policy won over the fan base through the 2015 season, and in March 2016 he was released by the Redskins.
Griffin would be signed by the Browns two weeks later, and he would start their 2016 season opener, only to be placed on IR after a shoulder injury in Week 1. Griffin returned to start the last four games of the season, and led the Browns to their only win that season, but even Cleveland had seen enough of Griffin at that point. He was released in March of 2017 and he has yet to come back to the NFL.
It is unbelievable that Griffin went from being the savior of a franchise to being out of the league all within four years. Redskins fans in 2012 stated that he was worth the price the franchise paid, and they backed that sentiment up with jersey sales. Griffin's #10 jersey was the highest selling jersey that season, and it set the record for most jerseys sold in one calendar year. It is hard to forget something like that, and the ghost of RG3 still haunts the fan base to this day. Everyone wanted to believe the hype because the hype was real. For the first time in forever the Redskins had a young player that struck fear into hearts of the opponent, and they were on the cutting edge of offensive schemes. All that came crashing down in that playoff game against Seattle, and with it went Robert Griffin's career. Maybe if Griffin had shown a little more humility, if he were a little more durable, or if he could handle adversity a little bit better he may have been able to overcome and succeed with the Redskins. But that 2012 season covered up all those deficiencies, and for one season it looked like Griffin and the Redskins were going to be the next big thing.
Fun Facts: The Rams parlayed the 4 picks the Redskins gave them for Griffin into 8 picks between 2012 and 2014. Only one of those eight players (Michael Brockers) is currently on the Rams roster, and three are out of the NFL.
Out of the eight players the Rams drafted from the Griffin trade picks, only one (Janoris Jenkins) made the Pro Bowl. In comparison, the Redskins drafted four players between 2012-2014 that eventually made the Pro Bowl. They were Robert Griffin III, Kirk Cousins, Alfred Morris, and Jordan Reed.
The Rams traded the 6th pick in 2012 to the Cowboys for the 14th and 45th pick. They subsequently traded the 45th pick to Chicago who used that pick to draft Alshon Jeffery.
The Rams traded the Redskins 22nd pick in 2013 to the Falcons who selected Pro Bowl cornerback Desmond Trufant.
Griffin's comments after the Tampa Bay game in 2014 caused him to lose face with the fan base. Kirk Cousins endeared himself to the fan base after the "You Like That" quote came after the greatest comeback in Redskins history, against Tampa Bay.
Griffin is only one of two Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks to start for the Redskins. The other is Danny Wuerffel.
Saturday, March 10, 2018
Alex Ovechkin Will Make History By Not Winning
Alex Ovechkin has cemented a legacy in this area that can only be eclipsed by a certain few, and those people barely touched a hockey rink in their entire lives. He is the greatest professional athlete the DC area has witnessed in the last 20 years, and his dominance within his sport has not been seen in this area since Walter Johnson pitched for the Washington Senators. Proof of this omnipotence will be on display over the next week when Ovechkin scores the 600th goal of his career, and it could be on display over the next two months if Ovechkin is able to reach the 50 goal mark for the season and win his seventh Rocket Richard Trophy. All of these accomplishments, though, will be eclipsed by Ovechkin's inability to win the one thing that could vault him into the position of "Greatest DC Sports Figure"; winning the Stanley Cup.
Ovechkin will set numerous milestones when he scores his 600th goal, hopefully in the next few games, and hopefully in front of the Capital One Arena crowd. Ovechkin will become the 20th player in NHL history to score 600 goals. Even more impressive is that he will be only the sixth player to score 600 goals with one franchise. The others are Bobby Hull with Chicago (604), Joe Sackic with Quebec/Colorado (625), Mario Lemieux with Pittsburgh (690), Steve Yzerman with Detroit (692), and the great Gordie Howe with Detroit (786). That is elite company, but given the lack of credentials Ovechkin carries he must be lumped in with a not so illustrious section of this fraternity. When Ovechkin scores his 600th goal he will be one of five players to have scored 600 goals and not won a Stanley Cup in their career. The others are Dino Ciccarelli, Jerome Iginla, Mike Gartner, and Macel Dionne. Even more depressing is the fact that Ovechkin will be one of only three players to have scored 600 goals and never reached the Stanley Cup Finals. Gartner and Dionne never made it to a Stanley Cup Final in their career, although an asterisk needs to be put next to Gartner as he was traded away from the 1994 Rangers that eventually won the Stanley Cup. So Ovechkin will set precedents for both career glory and futility when he tingles the twine for the 600th time in his NHL career, and this paradox only thickens when looking at more seasonal accomplishments.
Two years ago, Alex Ovechkin became only the 11th player in NHL history to score 50 goals in a season at age 30 or older. The last player to do that before Ovechkin was Jaromir Jagr in 2005-2006. Ovechkin has been bucking the trend in an era that is supposed to be unfavorable to goal scorers, and if he can reach the 50 goal plateau again this season he will once again find himself in unique company. Only Marcel Dionne, Phil Esposito, Mario Lemieux, and Bobby Hull had multiple 50 goal seasons at age 30 or older, and Ovechkin stands to join their ranks this season. But if he accomplishes this task, Ovechkin will join Marcel Dionne as the only Non-Stanley Cup winners of this group. Even if Ovechkin cannot reach 50 goals this season, he is currently leading the race for the Rocket Richard Trophy with 40 goals. If Ovechkin stays a top the goal scoring leader board it will be his seventh Richard Trophy of his career. The Rocket Richard Trophy has only been given out since 1998, but it does not look good when its' most decorated recipient is one of only two players who have received this trophy and never even played in a Stanley Cup Final. The other is Jonathan Cheechoo. Once again Ovechkin's goal scoring will make history for both good and bad reasons, but for all the career futility that has been outlined here there is one caveat the Ovechkin has in his favor. He is still playing.
Ovechkin leads a Capitals team that was not supposed to be where they are this season. Last year was supposed to be the Caps' best chance to win the Stanley Cup, but they fell short again and a large chunk of their talented core left Washington. Taking their place was a group of unknowns that has only put the Caps in a position to win their division against staggering statistical odds. The Caps have the 6th worst 5v5 Corsi Against total this season, which means they give up a ton of shots on net at even strength. They are 8th worst in 5v5 Corsi +/- (-248) and Corsi% (47.99) meaning that they are allowing a lot more shots on their net as they are putting on their opponents net at even strength. And if you're looking for salvation in the power play, it may dishearten you to know that the Capitals have the 5th worst penalty differential in the league at -32, meaning that they have taken 32 more penalties than they have drawn this season. And yet they are only one point out of the Metro Division lead, and three points out of being the third best team in the Eastern Conference. This Capitals team may be forging and identity that it has not had in a long time, and Alex Ovechkin will be at the forefront of it.
This could be Ovechkin's chance to not just make history through his goal scoring, but to also make history through playoff success. He has captained high flying teams in the past that have underachieved, but now he is at the helm of a team that is building its identity organically for the first time in almost a decade. This team has built its own expectations rather than having lofty ones bestowed upon them from day one, and that may be the formula that gets the Capitals going to the next level. The team has faced massive adversity at numerous times this season, and yet they are still firmly entrenched within the playoff hunt despite inconsistent play and shaky goal tending. Building success from within seems to have been lacking in the Capitals ever since they shocked the world in making the playoffs in 2008, and it may be the formula that takes Alex Ovechkin to the team success that has eluded him his entire career. Ovechkin currently leads an opportunistic team with an elite goal tender with something to prove that has had a chip on its shoulder about its playoff futility for a decade. If Ovechkin cannot embody that sense of grit and lead this team to a championship, then he may be the first NHL player to make history for what he did not win for his city and fan base.
Ovechkin will set numerous milestones when he scores his 600th goal, hopefully in the next few games, and hopefully in front of the Capital One Arena crowd. Ovechkin will become the 20th player in NHL history to score 600 goals. Even more impressive is that he will be only the sixth player to score 600 goals with one franchise. The others are Bobby Hull with Chicago (604), Joe Sackic with Quebec/Colorado (625), Mario Lemieux with Pittsburgh (690), Steve Yzerman with Detroit (692), and the great Gordie Howe with Detroit (786). That is elite company, but given the lack of credentials Ovechkin carries he must be lumped in with a not so illustrious section of this fraternity. When Ovechkin scores his 600th goal he will be one of five players to have scored 600 goals and not won a Stanley Cup in their career. The others are Dino Ciccarelli, Jerome Iginla, Mike Gartner, and Macel Dionne. Even more depressing is the fact that Ovechkin will be one of only three players to have scored 600 goals and never reached the Stanley Cup Finals. Gartner and Dionne never made it to a Stanley Cup Final in their career, although an asterisk needs to be put next to Gartner as he was traded away from the 1994 Rangers that eventually won the Stanley Cup. So Ovechkin will set precedents for both career glory and futility when he tingles the twine for the 600th time in his NHL career, and this paradox only thickens when looking at more seasonal accomplishments.
Two years ago, Alex Ovechkin became only the 11th player in NHL history to score 50 goals in a season at age 30 or older. The last player to do that before Ovechkin was Jaromir Jagr in 2005-2006. Ovechkin has been bucking the trend in an era that is supposed to be unfavorable to goal scorers, and if he can reach the 50 goal plateau again this season he will once again find himself in unique company. Only Marcel Dionne, Phil Esposito, Mario Lemieux, and Bobby Hull had multiple 50 goal seasons at age 30 or older, and Ovechkin stands to join their ranks this season. But if he accomplishes this task, Ovechkin will join Marcel Dionne as the only Non-Stanley Cup winners of this group. Even if Ovechkin cannot reach 50 goals this season, he is currently leading the race for the Rocket Richard Trophy with 40 goals. If Ovechkin stays a top the goal scoring leader board it will be his seventh Richard Trophy of his career. The Rocket Richard Trophy has only been given out since 1998, but it does not look good when its' most decorated recipient is one of only two players who have received this trophy and never even played in a Stanley Cup Final. The other is Jonathan Cheechoo. Once again Ovechkin's goal scoring will make history for both good and bad reasons, but for all the career futility that has been outlined here there is one caveat the Ovechkin has in his favor. He is still playing.
Ovechkin leads a Capitals team that was not supposed to be where they are this season. Last year was supposed to be the Caps' best chance to win the Stanley Cup, but they fell short again and a large chunk of their talented core left Washington. Taking their place was a group of unknowns that has only put the Caps in a position to win their division against staggering statistical odds. The Caps have the 6th worst 5v5 Corsi Against total this season, which means they give up a ton of shots on net at even strength. They are 8th worst in 5v5 Corsi +/- (-248) and Corsi% (47.99) meaning that they are allowing a lot more shots on their net as they are putting on their opponents net at even strength. And if you're looking for salvation in the power play, it may dishearten you to know that the Capitals have the 5th worst penalty differential in the league at -32, meaning that they have taken 32 more penalties than they have drawn this season. And yet they are only one point out of the Metro Division lead, and three points out of being the third best team in the Eastern Conference. This Capitals team may be forging and identity that it has not had in a long time, and Alex Ovechkin will be at the forefront of it.
This could be Ovechkin's chance to not just make history through his goal scoring, but to also make history through playoff success. He has captained high flying teams in the past that have underachieved, but now he is at the helm of a team that is building its identity organically for the first time in almost a decade. This team has built its own expectations rather than having lofty ones bestowed upon them from day one, and that may be the formula that gets the Capitals going to the next level. The team has faced massive adversity at numerous times this season, and yet they are still firmly entrenched within the playoff hunt despite inconsistent play and shaky goal tending. Building success from within seems to have been lacking in the Capitals ever since they shocked the world in making the playoffs in 2008, and it may be the formula that takes Alex Ovechkin to the team success that has eluded him his entire career. Ovechkin currently leads an opportunistic team with an elite goal tender with something to prove that has had a chip on its shoulder about its playoff futility for a decade. If Ovechkin cannot embody that sense of grit and lead this team to a championship, then he may be the first NHL player to make history for what he did not win for his city and fan base.
Friday, March 9, 2018
The Chronicles of Redskins Quarterbacks Part 11: The Shanahan All-Stars
John Beck ('10-'11) "Turd Sandwich"
3 starts (0-3)
3 starts (0-3)
Completion % = 60.6 (80/132)
858 yrds - 2 TD - 4 INT - 72.1
16 sacks
Rex Grossman ('10-'13) "Giant Douche"
16 starts (6-10)
Completion % = 57.4% (339/591)
4035 yrds – 23 TD - 24 INT – 74.4
34 sacks - 3 Game Winning Drives
John Beck and Rex Grossman were The Shanahan All-Stars. The two quarterbacks that the Shanahans tried to peddle on the Redskins fan base by intimating that their system was so superior that they could have anyone run it and be successful, and they were not too far off. But as the saying goes; almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. The Shanahans' system only worked as well as the talent level of their two starting quarterbacks, which they quickly found out was like voting for the new South Park School Mascot. But their talent had been fairly high at some points in their respective careers, so the Shanahans thought they could rekindle that magic.
Rex Grossman came to the Redskins with a much more storied resume. Grossman was redshirted at Florida in 1999 and won the starting job midway through the 2000 season. He would go on to throw for 9,164 yards and 77 touchdowns as a starter and lose the 2001 Heisman Trophy to Eric Crouch in one of the closest Heisman votes in history. He was drafted in the First Round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Bears, but his inexperience and injuries caused him to start only 7 games between 2003-2005. Lovie Smith named Grossman the starter for the 2006 season, and he would start all 16 games and lose to Peyton Manning and the Colts in Super Bowl XLI. The next two seasons, however, saw Grossman make only 12 starts due to injuries and poor ball security. He was released by the Bears after the 2008 season, but as luck would have it he was signed by the Texans in 2009 where his offensive coordinator was none other than Kyle Shanahan. He would spend one season with the Texans before following Kyle to Washington to back up Donovan McNabb in 2010, where he would take over for McNabb in the last three games of the season going 1-2.
John Beck's career was characterized by gaps in playing time. Beck went on his Mormon Mission after graduating high school in 1999, so he would be a true freshman at BYU at the age of 22 in 2003 and become only the second true freshman in BYU's history to start at quarterback. He would start for the Cougars every year after that attaining All-Mountain West honors along the way. In his senior season Beck led the Cougars to a 10-2 record and gave BYU it's first bowl win since 1996. He was drafted in the second round by Miami in 2007 but he would only get four starts with the Dolphins in two seasons, all of which he lost. Beck was released by the Dolphins and spent the entire 2009 season on the Ravens' bench. It looked like another year in Baltimore for Beck until the Redskins......traded?!........for John Beck in August of 2010 after Mike Shanahan was unimpressed with Colt Brennan. Beck was the third string quarterback for the entire 2010 season.
Enter 2011 with Grossman and Beck being the only quarterbacks on the Redskins roster after McNabb was unceremoniously traded, and Mike and Kyle Shanahan were ready to unleash their collective genius on the NFL. And for the first four games it was working. The Redskins went 3-1 in their first four games behind Rex Grossman, but Grossman showed his propensity for throwing bad interceptions at inopportune times that made the games closer than need be and costing the Redskins a victory against Dallas. Those interceptions caught up with Grossman after he threw four, that's right, FOUR interceptions before halftime against the Eagles in Week 6 and he was replaced by John Beck. Beck would lose that game, and the next three games, before Mike and Kyle realized they had to sit the Turd Sandwich and put the Giant Douche back in; but it didn't matter. Grossman would only win two of the next eight games and the Redskins would have yet another disappointing season.
The 2011 season was somewhat of a conundrum. The Shanahan apologists pointed to the season stats, and they did provoke some feelings that the Shanahans' system may have just been lacking a competent quarterback. As a team in 2011, the Redskins threw for 3773 yards which ranked them 14th in the NFL. They also ran for 1614 yards, of which 1489 of those yards came from four running backs. If that total came from one running back it would have been second only to Maurice Jones-Drew that season. The Shanahan detractors noted the hubris of the Shanahan's to think that this "starter by committee" on offense would work, and that we needed more focus on consistency and ball security.
Whatever the reason for the failure, after the 2011 season John Beck would be let go and sign with the Texans. He would be released in October 2012 and never be on another NFL roster having never won a single start in his NFL career. Rex Grossman would spend two more seasons as the Redskins third string quarterback, but he would never take another snap after the 2011 season. He was released by the Redskins after the 2013 season and he would follow Kyle Shanahan yet again. This time it was to Cleveland, but Grossman was cut before the season started. He is currently not on an NFL roster. The Shanahans knew they needed a consistent starter at quarterback, and all season long they had been hearing about one name that would fit the mold. One name that could turn the franchise around. One name that they had to have no matter what the cost.
Fun Fact: In 2011 the Redskins beat the eventual Super Bowl winning Giants twice in the regular season. That would be only the sixth time that happened in NFL history, and the second time the Redskins had done it. They beat the Cowboys twice in 1995 before they eventually won Super Bowl XXX.
16 sacks
Rex Grossman ('10-'13) "Giant Douche"
16 starts (6-10)
Completion % = 57.4% (339/591)
4035 yrds – 23 TD - 24 INT – 74.4
34 sacks - 3 Game Winning Drives
John Beck and Rex Grossman were The Shanahan All-Stars. The two quarterbacks that the Shanahans tried to peddle on the Redskins fan base by intimating that their system was so superior that they could have anyone run it and be successful, and they were not too far off. But as the saying goes; almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. The Shanahans' system only worked as well as the talent level of their two starting quarterbacks, which they quickly found out was like voting for the new South Park School Mascot. But their talent had been fairly high at some points in their respective careers, so the Shanahans thought they could rekindle that magic.
Rex Grossman came to the Redskins with a much more storied resume. Grossman was redshirted at Florida in 1999 and won the starting job midway through the 2000 season. He would go on to throw for 9,164 yards and 77 touchdowns as a starter and lose the 2001 Heisman Trophy to Eric Crouch in one of the closest Heisman votes in history. He was drafted in the First Round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Bears, but his inexperience and injuries caused him to start only 7 games between 2003-2005. Lovie Smith named Grossman the starter for the 2006 season, and he would start all 16 games and lose to Peyton Manning and the Colts in Super Bowl XLI. The next two seasons, however, saw Grossman make only 12 starts due to injuries and poor ball security. He was released by the Bears after the 2008 season, but as luck would have it he was signed by the Texans in 2009 where his offensive coordinator was none other than Kyle Shanahan. He would spend one season with the Texans before following Kyle to Washington to back up Donovan McNabb in 2010, where he would take over for McNabb in the last three games of the season going 1-2.
John Beck's career was characterized by gaps in playing time. Beck went on his Mormon Mission after graduating high school in 1999, so he would be a true freshman at BYU at the age of 22 in 2003 and become only the second true freshman in BYU's history to start at quarterback. He would start for the Cougars every year after that attaining All-Mountain West honors along the way. In his senior season Beck led the Cougars to a 10-2 record and gave BYU it's first bowl win since 1996. He was drafted in the second round by Miami in 2007 but he would only get four starts with the Dolphins in two seasons, all of which he lost. Beck was released by the Dolphins and spent the entire 2009 season on the Ravens' bench. It looked like another year in Baltimore for Beck until the Redskins......traded?!........for John Beck in August of 2010 after Mike Shanahan was unimpressed with Colt Brennan. Beck was the third string quarterback for the entire 2010 season.
Enter 2011 with Grossman and Beck being the only quarterbacks on the Redskins roster after McNabb was unceremoniously traded, and Mike and Kyle Shanahan were ready to unleash their collective genius on the NFL. And for the first four games it was working. The Redskins went 3-1 in their first four games behind Rex Grossman, but Grossman showed his propensity for throwing bad interceptions at inopportune times that made the games closer than need be and costing the Redskins a victory against Dallas. Those interceptions caught up with Grossman after he threw four, that's right, FOUR interceptions before halftime against the Eagles in Week 6 and he was replaced by John Beck. Beck would lose that game, and the next three games, before Mike and Kyle realized they had to sit the Turd Sandwich and put the Giant Douche back in; but it didn't matter. Grossman would only win two of the next eight games and the Redskins would have yet another disappointing season.
The 2011 season was somewhat of a conundrum. The Shanahan apologists pointed to the season stats, and they did provoke some feelings that the Shanahans' system may have just been lacking a competent quarterback. As a team in 2011, the Redskins threw for 3773 yards which ranked them 14th in the NFL. They also ran for 1614 yards, of which 1489 of those yards came from four running backs. If that total came from one running back it would have been second only to Maurice Jones-Drew that season. The Shanahan detractors noted the hubris of the Shanahan's to think that this "starter by committee" on offense would work, and that we needed more focus on consistency and ball security.
Whatever the reason for the failure, after the 2011 season John Beck would be let go and sign with the Texans. He would be released in October 2012 and never be on another NFL roster having never won a single start in his NFL career. Rex Grossman would spend two more seasons as the Redskins third string quarterback, but he would never take another snap after the 2011 season. He was released by the Redskins after the 2013 season and he would follow Kyle Shanahan yet again. This time it was to Cleveland, but Grossman was cut before the season started. He is currently not on an NFL roster. The Shanahans knew they needed a consistent starter at quarterback, and all season long they had been hearing about one name that would fit the mold. One name that could turn the franchise around. One name that they had to have no matter what the cost.
Fun Fact: In 2011 the Redskins beat the eventual Super Bowl winning Giants twice in the regular season. That would be only the sixth time that happened in NFL history, and the second time the Redskins had done it. They beat the Cowboys twice in 1995 before they eventually won Super Bowl XXX.
Thursday, March 8, 2018
The Chronicles of Redskins Quarterbacks Part 10: Donovan McNabb
Donovan McNabb (2010) "Batman"
13 starts (5-8)
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.
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 was 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 hav been 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.
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.
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 was 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 hav been 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.
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
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 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 was drafted by the Bills in 1995, and he was the guys who replaced 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 signed with the Chiefs where he would be third string behind Rich Gannon and Warren Moon. Collins did not take another snap in an NFL game until 2001 when he was the backup to Trent Green. Collins would appear in 12 games for the Chiefs between 2001-2005, but never got 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 yard line 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.
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 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 was drafted by the Bills in 1995, and he was the guys who replaced 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 signed with the Chiefs where he would be third string behind Rich Gannon and Warren Moon. Collins did not take another snap in an NFL game until 2001 when he was the backup to Trent Green. Collins would appear in 12 games for the Chiefs between 2001-2005, but never got 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 yard line 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.
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
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 back talent 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 Draft 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 (The Alex Smith deal is not looking so bad now, is it?). 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 in Seattle, 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 was on both teams that made the playoffs in the mid 2000's, but he did 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 six Redskin quarterbacks in 83 years who started every game for two or more consecutive seasons. The others are Mark Rypien, Joe Theismann, Sonny Jurgensen, Norm Snead, and Kirk Cousins. 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.
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 back talent 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 Draft 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 (The Alex Smith deal is not looking so bad now, is it?). 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 in Seattle, 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 was on both teams that made the playoffs in the mid 2000's, but he did 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 six Redskin quarterbacks in 83 years who started every game for two or more consecutive seasons. The others are Mark Rypien, Joe Theismann, Sonny Jurgensen, Norm Snead, and Kirk Cousins. 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.
Saturday, March 3, 2018
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 (sound familiar?). 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 at the time 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.
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 (sound familiar?). 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 at the time 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.
Friday, March 2, 2018
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.
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