Right now, the Chiefs, at 3-0, are the only undefeated team, the Jaguars are 2-2 despite being outscored by 40 points, and because of tiebreakers, the first-place NFC West team is the Cardinals, who have been outscored by a stunning 60 points (which is not only second worst in the NFL, but also nine points more than the 49ers (outscored by 51), who just happen to be 0-4). Not that you needed to be reminded of it, but parity still reigns supreme in the NFL. And the NFC West is still awful, though the Rams look half decent.
On to the Week 5 picks:
RAVENS (-7) over Broncos
BILLS (PK) over Jaguars
COLTS (-7) over Chiefs
Rams (+3) over LIONS
BROWNS (+3) over Falcons
Buccaneers (+7) over BENGALS
PANTHERS (-1.5) over Bears
Packers (-3) over REDSKINS
TEXANS (-3) over Giants
Saints (-7) over CARDINALS
Chargers (-6.5) over RAIDERS
Titans (+7) over COWBOYS
Eagles (+3.5) over 49ERS
Vikings (+4) over JETS
Last week: 6-8
Season: 28-31-3
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Appreciating Clinton Portis
In case you hadn't heard, Clinton Portis is expected to miss four-to-six weeks with a groin injury, meaning Ryan Torain is expected to receive the majority of the carries in the running game for the next few weeks. Torain ran hard last week against the Eagles, but he's still a question mark in terms of both staying healthy and handling a full workload.
But back to Portis. Sally Jenkins wrote a great article about Portis for The Washington Post, hinting that Portis may be nearing the end of the road and also saying that his work over the last several years in Denver and Washington commands our respect.
Here's a section of Jenkins's article, but I encourage you to read the entire thing:
But back to Portis. Sally Jenkins wrote a great article about Portis for The Washington Post, hinting that Portis may be nearing the end of the road and also saying that his work over the last several years in Denver and Washington commands our respect.
Here's a section of Jenkins's article, but I encourage you to read the entire thing:
Portis has earned some criticism for divalike behavior, like his occasional ingratitude to his linemen and quarterbacks, and for playing overweight. But lack of toughness isn't one of his failings. Overall, he's probably given as much to the Redskins physically as he has taken financially. If you're inclined to resent his salary of almost $7.2 million this year, try to remember that. Even former coach Jim Zorn, who was often frustrated by him, said that when Portis is on the field, "Your head better be on a swivel. Somebody is gonna get knocked down."Hopefully Portis's career isn't over just yet, but even if he isn't in Washington after this season, I've definitely enjoyed his tenure with the Redskins.
Remember that in four seasons, he has had at least 320 carries. Remember that he ran for a club-record 1,516 yards in 2005, alternately avoiding tacklers with suave cuts and knocking them down like bowling pins. Remember how he dislocated his shoulder in a preseason game with the Cincinnati Bengals, when launched into a tackle, trying to stop an interception return. Remember how just two weeks ago against the Houston Texans he raced half the length of the field to explode on a block and open a pathway for Fred Davis, resulting in a 62-yard play.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Wall displays abilities in first preseason game
John Wall probably didn't envision his first shot in last night's preseason game against the Mavericks being an errant, airballed three-pointer. Then again, it happens to everyone, and Wall said it himself after the game: "[T]he most important thing was to get the jitters out of the way. I had a lot of assists and was able to get to the free throw line." Yes, he definitely did.
Wall had 21 points and nine assists, and he also got to the free throw line 11 times (making nine of them). He didn't have the best shooting night (6-14 from the field) and grabbed just one rebound, but he also turned the ball over just twice in a whopping 38 minutes, by far a game-high (the next highest was Kirk Hinrich, who played 28 minutes). Wall also had a game-high four steals.
Andray Blatche was the game's high scorer with 22 points on 9-15 shooting. JaVale McGee added 13 points and seven assists, and Gilbert Arenas scored 12 points, including two three-pointers. Hinrich also hit two threes and chipped in nine points.
A few game notes:
- Hilton Armstrong played 21 minutes and totaled two rebounds, two steals, and a block. He also committed two turnovers. He didn't take a shot and had no points. I get that 1) he's supposed to be focused on defense and rebounding, 2) he's the backup center (for now), and 3) it's the first preseason game, but even Michael Ruffin would have taken a shot in 21 minutes. How about a put-back or something?
- Out of all the bench players, Yi Jianlian had the best game. In 22 minutes he scored 11 points on 5-11 shooting and snagged 10 rebounds. He had two turnovers, but he also blocked three shots. Not bad, Yi.
- Nick Young, on the other hand, was not good. He had only two points on 1-7 shooting in 15 minutes.
- Adam Morrison didn't get in the game. Neither did Trevor Booker, Hamady Ndiaye, or Kevin Seraphin, the team's rookies not named Wall.
The Wizards won, by the way, 97-94. Lester Hudson hit a three-pointer with 2.5 seconds left to give the Wizards the lead and the win. It was a big shot for Hudson, who played only eight minutes and had five points.
Sure, it was only the first preseason game, but Flip Saunders started three guards (Wall, Arenas, and Hinrich) together, and he seems to like how all three play together. If Blatche and McGee show that they can rebound efficiently enough and hold their own in the paint, I wouldn't be surprised to see Saunders use this lineup a lot, though I'm not sure if it would be able to work all that well with either Arenas or Hinrich being forced to guard a small forward for more than a few minutes. But it did work last night, so it's worth paying attention to, especially while Josh Howard is out.
Wall had 21 points and nine assists, and he also got to the free throw line 11 times (making nine of them). He didn't have the best shooting night (6-14 from the field) and grabbed just one rebound, but he also turned the ball over just twice in a whopping 38 minutes, by far a game-high (the next highest was Kirk Hinrich, who played 28 minutes). Wall also had a game-high four steals.
Andray Blatche was the game's high scorer with 22 points on 9-15 shooting. JaVale McGee added 13 points and seven assists, and Gilbert Arenas scored 12 points, including two three-pointers. Hinrich also hit two threes and chipped in nine points.
A few game notes:
- Hilton Armstrong played 21 minutes and totaled two rebounds, two steals, and a block. He also committed two turnovers. He didn't take a shot and had no points. I get that 1) he's supposed to be focused on defense and rebounding, 2) he's the backup center (for now), and 3) it's the first preseason game, but even Michael Ruffin would have taken a shot in 21 minutes. How about a put-back or something?
- Out of all the bench players, Yi Jianlian had the best game. In 22 minutes he scored 11 points on 5-11 shooting and snagged 10 rebounds. He had two turnovers, but he also blocked three shots. Not bad, Yi.
- Nick Young, on the other hand, was not good. He had only two points on 1-7 shooting in 15 minutes.
- Adam Morrison didn't get in the game. Neither did Trevor Booker, Hamady Ndiaye, or Kevin Seraphin, the team's rookies not named Wall.
The Wizards won, by the way, 97-94. Lester Hudson hit a three-pointer with 2.5 seconds left to give the Wizards the lead and the win. It was a big shot for Hudson, who played only eight minutes and had five points.
Sure, it was only the first preseason game, but Flip Saunders started three guards (Wall, Arenas, and Hinrich) together, and he seems to like how all three play together. If Blatche and McGee show that they can rebound efficiently enough and hold their own in the paint, I wouldn't be surprised to see Saunders use this lineup a lot, though I'm not sure if it would be able to work all that well with either Arenas or Hinrich being forced to guard a small forward for more than a few minutes. But it did work last night, so it's worth paying attention to, especially while Josh Howard is out.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Matt Wieters: a work in progress
The topic of Matt Wieters is a divisive issue for many Orioles fans (and non-O's fans too). Usually, most people end up on either one side of the Wieters discussion or the other -- either he's going to be great for a long time, or he's never going to pan out as a top prospect and dominate at the major league level. But his talent is evident, and even though he took a few steps back at the plate this year, he still improved in a few categories that suggest that he'll be able to turn things around next season.
I've already written about Wieters a few times -- once in May and once in early August. Wieters looked like he was turning things around in August when he raised his batting line to .253/.330/.380, but his numbers dipped toward the end of the season, and he ended up with a line of .249/.319/.377 and a .303 wOBA (weighted on base average). Frankly, that's just not very good.
Still, something that was consistent for Wieters throughout the season was his improvement at the plate with walks and strikeouts, i.e., he walked more and struck out less than in his rookie season.
2009 BB%: 7.3%
2010 BB%: 9.4%
2009 K%: 24.3%
2010 K%: 21.1%
Unfortunately, returning to three trouble areas -- hitting the ball hard, hitting too many ground balls, and hitting fastballs effectively -- I used in the two previous Wieters articles suggests that he still has work left to do:
1) Hitting the ball hard
2009: 18.5 LD%
2010: 15.4 LD%
2) Ground balls
2009: 41.9 GB%
2010: 46.4 GB%
3) Fastballs
2009: 6.6 runs above average
2010: -1.3 runs above average
So Wieters didn't hit nearly enough line drives, which also helps explain his drop in BABIP from .356 to .287, hit too many ground balls for someone his size (and lack of speed), and struggled slightly with fastballs, though he did get much better from August (-5.0) to the end of the season. These are categories that Wieters absolutely needs to address and improve on.
Also, despite his walks increase and strikeouts decrease, plate discipline still may be an issue, or at least something that he still needs to work at. This season, he swung at more pitches out of the zone (29.9% from 25.7%), fewer pitches inside the zone (61.0% from 70.2%), and swung at fewer pitches overall (43.5% from 47.2%). He made better contact on pitches both inside and outside the zone, but his knack for expanding the strike zone likely hurt his numbers.
It's worth noting that Wieters was still valuable last season, mainly because of his defense behind the plate. Though I have no idea how FanGraphs accounts for catching defense, in 2009 Wieters was -2.0 fielding runs above average, and that number jumped to 5.0 fielding runs above average this season. That mostly contributed to his value, which according to FanGraphs, was 2.4 wins above replacement. And out of all AL catchers, Wieters finished tied with Jorge Posada in WAR -- good enough for sixth place. If he starts hitting the ball, he will undoubtedly climb that list and his value will grow.
I think Wieters is going to have a big season in 2011. He may have taken a step back in overall numbers in 2010, but I think he'll start to put everything together shortly. He already has a ton of pressure on his shoulders, but he looked much more comfortable behind the plate -- and that's something I think will translate to his at-the-plate skills next season. He may have expanded the zone a little too much -- maybe he was trying to drive in runs on pitches that maybe he should have been taking -- but he still walked more and struck out less, something that suggests at least some amount of progress.
The next step for Wieters is to start driving the ball and hitting the ball harder. He already possesses that power, and he can also hit the ball to all fields. Basically, it's time for Wieters to transform into a power hitter. Many people thought Nick Markakis was progressing into one, but now he's essentially a doubles hitter who also uses the entire field. And that's not a bad thing, but Markakis just doesn't hit for enough power to be an elite hitter. But not only does Wieters have that power and skill set, but he can also give the Orioles that power from behind the plate, making it even more valuable. (I'm trying really hard not to blame Terry Crowley in this paragraph, but his presence as hitting coach in all of this is some food for thought.)
I've also been trying not to make excuses for Wieters, just note that the talent is there and that he still can put everything together. Next season, which will be his third, would be an outstanding time for him to make that jump.
I've already written about Wieters a few times -- once in May and once in early August. Wieters looked like he was turning things around in August when he raised his batting line to .253/.330/.380, but his numbers dipped toward the end of the season, and he ended up with a line of .249/.319/.377 and a .303 wOBA (weighted on base average). Frankly, that's just not very good.
Still, something that was consistent for Wieters throughout the season was his improvement at the plate with walks and strikeouts, i.e., he walked more and struck out less than in his rookie season.
2009 BB%: 7.3%
2010 BB%: 9.4%
2009 K%: 24.3%
2010 K%: 21.1%
Unfortunately, returning to three trouble areas -- hitting the ball hard, hitting too many ground balls, and hitting fastballs effectively -- I used in the two previous Wieters articles suggests that he still has work left to do:
1) Hitting the ball hard
2009: 18.5 LD%
2010: 15.4 LD%
2) Ground balls
2009: 41.9 GB%
2010: 46.4 GB%
3) Fastballs
2009: 6.6 runs above average
2010: -1.3 runs above average
So Wieters didn't hit nearly enough line drives, which also helps explain his drop in BABIP from .356 to .287, hit too many ground balls for someone his size (and lack of speed), and struggled slightly with fastballs, though he did get much better from August (-5.0) to the end of the season. These are categories that Wieters absolutely needs to address and improve on.
Also, despite his walks increase and strikeouts decrease, plate discipline still may be an issue, or at least something that he still needs to work at. This season, he swung at more pitches out of the zone (29.9% from 25.7%), fewer pitches inside the zone (61.0% from 70.2%), and swung at fewer pitches overall (43.5% from 47.2%). He made better contact on pitches both inside and outside the zone, but his knack for expanding the strike zone likely hurt his numbers.
It's worth noting that Wieters was still valuable last season, mainly because of his defense behind the plate. Though I have no idea how FanGraphs accounts for catching defense, in 2009 Wieters was -2.0 fielding runs above average, and that number jumped to 5.0 fielding runs above average this season. That mostly contributed to his value, which according to FanGraphs, was 2.4 wins above replacement. And out of all AL catchers, Wieters finished tied with Jorge Posada in WAR -- good enough for sixth place. If he starts hitting the ball, he will undoubtedly climb that list and his value will grow.
I think Wieters is going to have a big season in 2011. He may have taken a step back in overall numbers in 2010, but I think he'll start to put everything together shortly. He already has a ton of pressure on his shoulders, but he looked much more comfortable behind the plate -- and that's something I think will translate to his at-the-plate skills next season. He may have expanded the zone a little too much -- maybe he was trying to drive in runs on pitches that maybe he should have been taking -- but he still walked more and struck out less, something that suggests at least some amount of progress.
The next step for Wieters is to start driving the ball and hitting the ball harder. He already possesses that power, and he can also hit the ball to all fields. Basically, it's time for Wieters to transform into a power hitter. Many people thought Nick Markakis was progressing into one, but now he's essentially a doubles hitter who also uses the entire field. And that's not a bad thing, but Markakis just doesn't hit for enough power to be an elite hitter. But not only does Wieters have that power and skill set, but he can also give the Orioles that power from behind the plate, making it even more valuable. (I'm trying really hard not to blame Terry Crowley in this paragraph, but his presence as hitting coach in all of this is some food for thought.)
I've also been trying not to make excuses for Wieters, just note that the talent is there and that he still can put everything together. Next season, which will be his third, would be an outstanding time for him to make that jump.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Despite scoreless second half, Skins still beat Eagles
Here's a fun fact: Did you know that the Redskins (2-2) are in first place in the NFC East (thanks to tiebreakers) despite being outscored by six points (79-73) in their four games? That's probably not a good thing, but it's all about getting wins, right?
That seemed to be the case yesterday, when the Redskins played a fantastic first quarter and then were mediocre, or worse, on offense the rest of the game. In that first quarter, the Redskins scored two touchdowns on their first two drives. On the first TD, Brandon Banks set the offense up with outstanding field position after a 53-yard punt return. The Redskins ran the ball three times, the final play a 12-yard run by Ryan Torain, who ran over Eagles safety Quintin Mikell on his way to the end zone. On their next TD drive, the Redskins moved the ball from their own 22 into Eagles territory with ease, and that drive was capped off by a 31-yard TD pass from Donovan McNabb to Chris Cooley. With about five minutes left in the opening quarter, the Redskins were up 14-0 -- a great start. Unfortunately, the offense wouldn't do a whole lot else for three-plus quarters.
Tale of the tape (first quarter):
Redskins: 112 yards (plus a 53-yard punt return), 14 points
Eagles: 72 yards, 0 points
Sure, the Redskins kicked a field goal in the second quarter to take a 17-3 lead. But for the next 39 minutes or so (in game time), the Redskins scored no points. And after gaining those 112 yards in the first quarter, the offense gained just 181 yards for the rest of the game. That's just not good enough to win many games; however, the defense was up to the task yesterday.
Did it hurt the Eagles that Michael Vick had to leave the game late in the first quarter? Yeah, definitely. But the Redskins defense still held the Eagles to only 12 points, even with an offense that stopped moving the ball effectively after the first quarter and a punter (Josh Bidwell) who averaged 37 yards per punt and probably shouldn't be with the team going forward. The Redskins knew when to get rid of Larry Johnson; it's time to do the same with Bidwell.
The Redskins shouldn't expect to win a lot of games when McNabb ends up with a quarterback rating of 60.2 (8-19, 125 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) and the offense fails to score any points in the second half, but the defense also took a step forward, holding the Eagles to just two field goals until a late TD drive in what looked a lot like some version of a prevent defense. The defense also forced, by my count, four holding penalties on the Eagles offensive line, and it probably should have been more than that.
The running game was also much better this week. Torain rushed for 70 yards on 18 carries (3.9 average), and Clinton Portis had 55 yards on 11 carries (5.5 average) and showcased some evasiveness that hasn't been seen for a few years. McNabb also ran five times for 39 yards, including a clutch run for a first down in the fourth quarter to, more or less, seal the game. (But why did he run out of bounds?) Still, the ground game was improved.
With consecutive games against the Packers and Colts coming up, and then a trip on the road to Chicago to play the Bears, the win over the Eagles was crucial. And not only that, but the Redskins are now 2-0 against the NFC East after finishing 0-6 against the division last season. They may not stand a chance in their next two games, but they've been competitive in their own division, which is important considering how average all four teams have looked at times.
That seemed to be the case yesterday, when the Redskins played a fantastic first quarter and then were mediocre, or worse, on offense the rest of the game. In that first quarter, the Redskins scored two touchdowns on their first two drives. On the first TD, Brandon Banks set the offense up with outstanding field position after a 53-yard punt return. The Redskins ran the ball three times, the final play a 12-yard run by Ryan Torain, who ran over Eagles safety Quintin Mikell on his way to the end zone. On their next TD drive, the Redskins moved the ball from their own 22 into Eagles territory with ease, and that drive was capped off by a 31-yard TD pass from Donovan McNabb to Chris Cooley. With about five minutes left in the opening quarter, the Redskins were up 14-0 -- a great start. Unfortunately, the offense wouldn't do a whole lot else for three-plus quarters.
Tale of the tape (first quarter):
Redskins: 112 yards (plus a 53-yard punt return), 14 points
Eagles: 72 yards, 0 points
Sure, the Redskins kicked a field goal in the second quarter to take a 17-3 lead. But for the next 39 minutes or so (in game time), the Redskins scored no points. And after gaining those 112 yards in the first quarter, the offense gained just 181 yards for the rest of the game. That's just not good enough to win many games; however, the defense was up to the task yesterday.
Did it hurt the Eagles that Michael Vick had to leave the game late in the first quarter? Yeah, definitely. But the Redskins defense still held the Eagles to only 12 points, even with an offense that stopped moving the ball effectively after the first quarter and a punter (Josh Bidwell) who averaged 37 yards per punt and probably shouldn't be with the team going forward. The Redskins knew when to get rid of Larry Johnson; it's time to do the same with Bidwell.
The Redskins shouldn't expect to win a lot of games when McNabb ends up with a quarterback rating of 60.2 (8-19, 125 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) and the offense fails to score any points in the second half, but the defense also took a step forward, holding the Eagles to just two field goals until a late TD drive in what looked a lot like some version of a prevent defense. The defense also forced, by my count, four holding penalties on the Eagles offensive line, and it probably should have been more than that.
The running game was also much better this week. Torain rushed for 70 yards on 18 carries (3.9 average), and Clinton Portis had 55 yards on 11 carries (5.5 average) and showcased some evasiveness that hasn't been seen for a few years. McNabb also ran five times for 39 yards, including a clutch run for a first down in the fourth quarter to, more or less, seal the game. (But why did he run out of bounds?) Still, the ground game was improved.
With consecutive games against the Packers and Colts coming up, and then a trip on the road to Chicago to play the Bears, the win over the Eagles was crucial. And not only that, but the Redskins are now 2-0 against the NFC East after finishing 0-6 against the division last season. They may not stand a chance in their next two games, but they've been competitive in their own division, which is important considering how average all four teams have looked at times.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Matusz dominates, O's win fourth straight
The 2010 season is coming to a close for the Orioles -- there's just one game left -- yet they continue to play inspired baseball under Buck Showalter. On Friday, they won both games of a doubleheader against the Tigers to begin the four-game series, and yesterday Brian Matusz earned his 10th win by pitching six innings of one-run ball in a 2-1 victory. Matusz gave up two hits (one a solo home run) and two walks while striking out nine.
The O's offense collected just three hits and one walk, but a solo homer by Nick Markakis in the fourth and a Matt Wieters sacrifice fly in the fifth were enough for Matusz and the bullpen. Michael Gonzalez and Jim Johnson each threw scoreless innings, and Koji Uehara pitched another scoreless ninth for his 13th save.
In the O's final game of this season today, Brad Bergesen will take the mound, trying to give the O's their 67th win, which would be three more wins than last season. Again, that's not a huge jump, but it's all about baby steps, especially in the brutal AL East.
By the way, whether or not Matusz wins the AL Rookie of the Year award or even receives many votes, he deserves a lot of praise. He's given the O's a ton of value -- 2.6 WAR and 175.2 innings pitched -- and has lowered his ERA on the season to 4.30 and his FIP to 4.06. He still walks a few too many batters, but he's also pitched much more effectively since the All-Star break.
Pre-All-Star break: 103.2 IP, 4.77 ERA, 80 K, 38 BB
Post-All-Star break: 72.0 IP, 3.63 ERA, 63 K, 25 BB
Matusz still has a lot of room to grow, but in his first full season in the majors, he got stronger as the season went along and finished with solid numbers. It's hard to ask a rookie starter for much more than that.
The O's offense collected just three hits and one walk, but a solo homer by Nick Markakis in the fourth and a Matt Wieters sacrifice fly in the fifth were enough for Matusz and the bullpen. Michael Gonzalez and Jim Johnson each threw scoreless innings, and Koji Uehara pitched another scoreless ninth for his 13th save.
In the O's final game of this season today, Brad Bergesen will take the mound, trying to give the O's their 67th win, which would be three more wins than last season. Again, that's not a huge jump, but it's all about baby steps, especially in the brutal AL East.
By the way, whether or not Matusz wins the AL Rookie of the Year award or even receives many votes, he deserves a lot of praise. He's given the O's a ton of value -- 2.6 WAR and 175.2 innings pitched -- and has lowered his ERA on the season to 4.30 and his FIP to 4.06. He still walks a few too many batters, but he's also pitched much more effectively since the All-Star break.
Pre-All-Star break: 103.2 IP, 4.77 ERA, 80 K, 38 BB
Post-All-Star break: 72.0 IP, 3.63 ERA, 63 K, 25 BB
Matusz still has a lot of room to grow, but in his first full season in the majors, he got stronger as the season went along and finished with solid numbers. It's hard to ask a rookie starter for much more than that.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Week 4 picks
Here are my picks for this week:
TITANS (-7) over Broncos
Ravens (+2.5) over STEELERS
BROWNS (+3) over Bengals
PACKERS (-14) over Lions
SAINTS (-14) over Panthers
FALCONS (-7) over 49ers
Seahawks (-2) over RAMS
Jets (-6.5) over BILLS
Colts (-8) over JAGUARS
RAIDERS (+3.5) over Texans
CHARGERS (-9) over Cardinals
Redskins (+6) over EAGLES
Bears (+3.5) over GIANTS
Patriots (-1) over DOLPHINS
Last week: 9-7
Season: 22-23-3
TITANS (-7) over Broncos
Ravens (+2.5) over STEELERS
BROWNS (+3) over Bengals
PACKERS (-14) over Lions
SAINTS (-14) over Panthers
FALCONS (-7) over 49ers
Seahawks (-2) over RAMS
Jets (-6.5) over BILLS
Colts (-8) over JAGUARS
RAIDERS (+3.5) over Texans
CHARGERS (-9) over Cardinals
Redskins (+6) over EAGLES
Bears (+3.5) over GIANTS
Patriots (-1) over DOLPHINS
Last week: 9-7
Season: 22-23-3
Friday, October 1, 2010
Haynesworth opens mouth, inserts foot
It's not that I don't like Albert Haynesworth. He's probably an OK guy, but he obviously believes that he's in the wrong kind of football situation (the 3-4 vs. the 4-3) and isn't happy about it. I also don't think he's being completely honest with himself, and that was evident in his "exclusive" interview on Thursday with ESPN.
Go ahead and watch the video. I did and wasn't that impressed, particularly with this portion here from the article (pardon the long quote):
First, regardless of whether the check actually sat in his house for a few weeks or not, was there even a minuscule chance that Haynesworth would not cash that $21 million check? Of course not, even if the Redskins adopted Chris Cooley's 6-2 stack monster defense (which link I can't locate right now). Who would even say something like that? (There's an easy joke to be made about why he didn't get up and cash the check; I'll let you figure it out.)
Second, take a look at the last paragraph in the block quote. Haynesworth cashed the check, which, according to his own words and logic, meant that he was going to stay with the Redskins and commit to the 3-4. And then he skipped both the offseason conditioning program and minicamp, which both contradict that he was ever actually on board with the change in defenses. No one said he had to be happy with the 3-4 defense, and he's not the only one to blame in his power struggle with Mike Shanahan. The defense has also been awful, giving up lots of yards each game, and defensive coordinator Jim Haslett could really use a dominant Haynesworth on the defensive line for an entire game. But not only hasn't that happened, but Haynesworth frequently stands alone on the sidelines, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else.
If Haynesworth really wanted to be the greatest defensive lineman ever, he would find a way to get the job done in any defense. But not only did he convince himself that he couldn't be effective in the 3-4, but when he did show up, he was, at the very least, out of shape and was already behind the other linemen in terms of learning the new plays and schemes.
Instead of occupying multiple blockers and making things easier for other linemen and linebackers to make plays, Haynesworth would rather be somewhere where he can make tackles and get sacks. Is he more effective in that style of defense? Yeah, probably, but that's not really the point.
He doesn't have to stay in Washington for much longer. He's only been with the Redskins for two seasons, and yet it feels like he's been here forever. Honestly, it wouldn't be much of a surprise if he's with another team next season (barring a lockout, of course).
I'm just tired of the drama, and I know I'm not the only Redskins fan feeling that way. Haynesworth is tremendously talented, and it's a shame that those skills haven't been on full display in Washington -- especially since they desperately need them now. But whether Haynesworth leaves after the season or not, I'm confident in saying that they won't be losing the greatest defensive lineman ever -- not even close.
Go ahead and watch the video. I did and wasn't that impressed, particularly with this portion here from the article (pardon the long quote):
"I wanted to be the greatest defensive lineman ever to play the game," Haynesworth told ESPN's Sara Walsh in an exclusive interview on Thursday.There are several things to take away from his quotes, but let's examine two.
In the time since, the Redskins have changed coaches -- from Jim Zorn to Mike Shanahan -- and defensive schemes -- from the 4-3 to the 3-4.
The change made Haynesworth hesitate before depositing the $21 million bonus check he was given April 1.
"Yeah, check sat at my house for a couple weeks before I cashed it," Haynesworth said. "I was weighing my options about what I should do. ... Do you want to take this? Do you want to commit yourself to playing a 3-4 [defense]? Do you want to go somewhere else and try again?"
Haynesworth ultimately took the money and stayed with the Redskins. But he did protest the change by skipping the team's offseason conditioning program and a mandatory minicamp.
First, regardless of whether the check actually sat in his house for a few weeks or not, was there even a minuscule chance that Haynesworth would not cash that $21 million check? Of course not, even if the Redskins adopted Chris Cooley's 6-2 stack monster defense (which link I can't locate right now). Who would even say something like that? (There's an easy joke to be made about why he didn't get up and cash the check; I'll let you figure it out.)
Second, take a look at the last paragraph in the block quote. Haynesworth cashed the check, which, according to his own words and logic, meant that he was going to stay with the Redskins and commit to the 3-4. And then he skipped both the offseason conditioning program and minicamp, which both contradict that he was ever actually on board with the change in defenses. No one said he had to be happy with the 3-4 defense, and he's not the only one to blame in his power struggle with Mike Shanahan. The defense has also been awful, giving up lots of yards each game, and defensive coordinator Jim Haslett could really use a dominant Haynesworth on the defensive line for an entire game. But not only hasn't that happened, but Haynesworth frequently stands alone on the sidelines, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else.
If Haynesworth really wanted to be the greatest defensive lineman ever, he would find a way to get the job done in any defense. But not only did he convince himself that he couldn't be effective in the 3-4, but when he did show up, he was, at the very least, out of shape and was already behind the other linemen in terms of learning the new plays and schemes.
Instead of occupying multiple blockers and making things easier for other linemen and linebackers to make plays, Haynesworth would rather be somewhere where he can make tackles and get sacks. Is he more effective in that style of defense? Yeah, probably, but that's not really the point.
He doesn't have to stay in Washington for much longer. He's only been with the Redskins for two seasons, and yet it feels like he's been here forever. Honestly, it wouldn't be much of a surprise if he's with another team next season (barring a lockout, of course).
I'm just tired of the drama, and I know I'm not the only Redskins fan feeling that way. Haynesworth is tremendously talented, and it's a shame that those skills haven't been on full display in Washington -- especially since they desperately need them now. But whether Haynesworth leaves after the season or not, I'm confident in saying that they won't be losing the greatest defensive lineman ever -- not even close.
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