Greg Blache Unveils a Softer, Gentler Approach To Defending Rookie QB’s

Following one of the most embarrassing losses in recent franchise history Redskin nation will be looking many places to heap the blame.  Coach Jim Zorn and quarterback Jason Campbell will probably bear the majority of it.

While they certainly played their parts in Sunday’s debacle, the person that deserves the most blame is defensive coordinator Greg Blache.

For a person who has such a good coaching resume and led the defense to a very good showing last year, he really showed an amazing lack of understanding of basic football concepts.

Greg Blache gave rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford the time to gain confidence.  Every basic coaching course will teach that the best game plan to use against an inexperienced quarterback is to bring heavy blitzes and force him into making a mistake.

Greg Blache must have skipped the introductory coaching classes.

Most coaches will study game film to determine what formations have been most effective against the Lions this year.  New Orleans and Minnesota certainly provided enough of a blueprint.  They pressured Stafford into five interceptions and allowed only one touchdown pass.

Greg Blache must have skipped the film session.

Instead he decided that playing prevent defense the entire game would be more effective.  He was right.  His scheme certainly prevented a Redskin victory.

This may have been the worst defensive coaching job I have ever witnessed.  He rushed four people almost the entire game.  He had speed rusher Brian Orakpo playing coverage over 60 percent of the game, including the critical 24-yard pass play on the Lions’ last drive that helped them seal the victory.

He had the cornerbacks playing eight to 10 yards off of the receivers on several 3d-and-2 situations.  How does that make any sense to anyone?

The Lions were certainly grateful.  When Stafford saw the amount of space that the Redskins were giving on these plays he checked down to easy three-yard button hook pitch and catches.

I have never witnessed a defense play as conservative against a rookie quarterback in my life.  The Redskins never came close to getting any pressure on Stafford with just four pass rushers.  As a result, Stafford had time to find the seems in the secondary.

I don’t care if you drop back 11 players into coverage.  A professional wide receiver will eventually get open, and a professional quarterback will eventually find him.

Greg Blache wasn’t the only person who was at fault yesterday.  He was just the most glaring reason for this loss.  Here is a list of (dis)honorable mentions.

 

Fred Smoot

You should be ashamed of yourself.  You were scared to hit a rookie quarterback! 

On a 3rd-and-13 on the Lions’ first scoring drive Smoot had a perfect shot to tackle Stafford short of the marker and force a field goal.  Instead he threw a timid alligator armed attempt at a tackle with his eyes closed that I had previously only seen performed by wide receivers who are scared to catch a pass over the middle.

The result was that Stafford flew by him and Detroit scored a touchdown later in the drive.

Smoot and fellow cornerback DeAngelo Hall bear a striking resemblance to Deion Sanders (minus the interception returns for touchdowns).  This leads to a question that is equally as confusing as the question of why a coach wouldn’t blitz a rookie quarterback.

Why do you play defense if you are scared to hit someone?

 

Clinton Portis

Hey Clinton, the game was yesterday, in case you forgot.

I know that the offensive line isn’t opening up holes very well and that Portis isn’t being called on very much.  But when he did get carries he showed no burst or power.

The Clinton Portis that I am used to seeing is a player who excels at getting underneath tacklers and falling forward for four yards even when no hole is open.  That guy didn’t play yesterday.

From his body language to his facial expressions it was very evident that Portis is very angry with the coach, the scheme, and his reduced role in the offense.  It is clearly affecting the way he plays.

I’m not sure which reality is correct, but either choice is a bad one for the Redskins.  The choices are either that Portis is disgruntled and playing without heart, or that age and wear are finally catching up to him.

Either way, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Redskins go in another direction at running back next year.  The 1,400 rushing yards Portis needs to become the all-time Redskins rushing leader are looking like a pipe dream.  That in itself is an amazing testament to how low this team’s expectations have become.

 

Jim Zorn

Decisions, decisions.

It’s amazing how often early coaching mistakes come back to haunt a team later in a game.  If you take back Zorn’s decision to go for it on the first drive instead of kicking a field goal and his decision to accept a penalty instead of making Detroit attempt a 50-yard field goal the Redskins win the game.

Zorn’s two crucial errors cost the Redskins seven early points.  They lost by five.  You do the math.

 

Ladell Betts

How does a player who gets paid millions of dollars to spend his life concentrating on being the best football player he can be not understand basic football concepts?

Like getting out of bounds to preserve time during end of game scenarios!

Betts did this not once, but twice.

The first time was during the Redskins’ final scoring drive.  Betts caught a pass near the sidelines, had the first down, but decided to turn up field to gain one extra yard instead of getting out of bounds.  As a result, roughly 30 critical seconds were lost.

The second play occurred at the end of the game.  Betts caught a lateral, ran beyond the first down marker, and had time to step out of bounds with two seconds left.  Instead, he ran right into the waiting arms of two Detroit defenders.

I know the second situation was a tough play to make, but good players make those smart decisions.  The ones who can’t usually end up as backups on a 1-2 team that looks to be one of the league’s worst.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Play Calling Advice That May Break the Redskins Out Of Their Funk

The word is out and the news is spreading.  Washington is ripe for a Lions upset.

 

This is the theme that has been bandied about every major sports show or website over the past week.  If you are judging the Redskins based on their play so far this season you could probably arrive at the same conclusion.

 

On paper there is no way that this happens.  But games aren’t played on paper.  If the Redskins don’t break out of their current scoring slump, and keep giving teams such as the Lions chances to steal a win, this season defining upset could become a reality.

 

This would be devastating to the Redskins.  If they have any hope for challenging teams in their division they must win games like this.  I have come up with some tips that could help them break out of their slump and finally allow me to relax in the fourth quarter of a game.

 

First of all the Redskins need to spread it out in goal line situations and give Campbell the freedom to make decisions.  So far this year it is evident that the Redskins’ offensive line is not a dominant unit.  The two tight end heavy formations that the Redskins are known for haven’t been giving Portis, or anyone else, the push to get the tough yards.

 

A change of strategy is in order.  Spreading a defense out with three or four receiver sets will do many things that could help this team.  Clinton Portis had his greatest success running for a zone blocking scheme in Denver.  Spreading it out gives Portis more cutback options and space to create.

 

A spread formation dictates that the defense must switch from goal line packages to nickel coverage.  This puts a less powerful team on the field and could help give the Redskins the push that they need in the running game.

 

Spreading it out also takes defenders away from the line of scrimmage and could create opportunities for Campbell to use a QB draw.  Even if a draw is not designed it would give Campbell more space to improvise if a play breaks down.  Campbell’s mobility hasn’t been effectively utilized in the red zone and this could be the formation that may best utilize his instincts.

 

Going with a multiple receiver set allows the big targets like Malcolm Kelly and Marko Mitchell to get into the game and help give the Redskins the goal line play making ability that they were drafted to provide.  The Redskins wanted this size advantage when they drafted them.  Now that they have it they should use it.

 

The defense played much better last week as they actually managed to create pressure without using all out blitzes.  That must continue this week.  Pressure creates mistakes.  The ‘Skins must keep Stafford uneasy the entire game.  If they do the turnovers will follow.

 

Many people think that DeAngelo Hall is the Redskins’ best cornerback.  While he is their best playmaking corner, Carlos Rogers is actually a better cover corner.  Rogers needs to draw the assignment against Calvin Johnson, but Gregg Blache would still be wise to double team him.

 

The Skins should let Hall play the opposite side, where he can’t get burned deep and will be in the best position to make big plays.

 

The Redskins took some of my advice to heart last week, and the result was a win, however ugly it seemed.  If they can make these new changes it might save them from the most embarrassing defeat imaginable.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Forward This to D.C.: Six Keys To a Washington Redskin Victory

Forward this article to all Redskin coaches and personnel.

 

This is the blueprint that will help the Redskins put last week’s debacle in the rear view mirror and hand the St. Louis Rams a resounding defeat.

 

DEFENSE:

1. Blitz early and often.  The Rams present a unique combination of one of the most immobile QB’s in the league with one of the most inexperienced receiving corps in the league.  If that doesn’t favor an aggressive blitzing defense I don’t know what does.

2. Play tight one on one coverage against the receivers.  The Redskins got killed by playing a very soft coverage scheme last week.  The Rams do not warrant that kind of respect.  Playing tight does leave open the opportunity for a big play, but the Redskins corners are used to this type of coverage and will still have help over the top from LaRon Landry.

3. Run blitz away from Albert Haynesworth.  Last week the Giants ran away from Haynesworth and had moderate success doing so.  The Rams will follow that blueprint.  If the Redskins keep an extra defender down in the box on that side it will help them to cover all their bases.  While Haynesworth was ineffective last week in passing situations he proved his worth on key running plays.

 

OFFENSE:

 

1. More play action on first and ten.  Last year Jim Zorn passed a lot on first down.  Maybe he was looking to avoid a play calling trend, but this decision did not work out in his favor.  Clinton Portis will command enough respect to get defenders to bite on first down play fakes.

2. Mix in a little shot gun hurry up.  Jason Campbell was 14-17 from the shotgun last week.  While I don’t advise doing it all the time it would be a nice change of pace to go with the hurry up offense once per half in non hurry up situations.

3. Sub Portis on second down, not third.  I understand that Zorn is trying to save Portis from an early burnout, and I like the idea.  But I don’t like having the best blocking back in the NFL and the best pass catching running back on the team on the bench in key third down situations.  Betts is a capable player, but the Redskins would be better served using him on second down than on third down.

 

If the Redskins follow these six simple steps they will have greater success this week.  If they don’t they still have the talent to win, but they will give the Rams a break that they do not deserve.

 

Everyone knows what happened in this game last year.  However the Skins do not come into this game overconfident after beating two divisional opponents on the road.  They come in hungry and eager to redeem themselves.

 

Zorn and Campbell may be on a short leash this year.  This is a perfect game to get back on track.  I have every confidence that they will learn from their mistakes and take out their frustration at home against a young team.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Collective Karma Downs Buffalo Bills, But There Is Still Hope

Call it what you will. Luck. Fate. Preparation. Karma. Destiny. A certain feeling that your actions are in some ways altered or influenced by a power that is beyond your control.

 

I don’t know what the correct term is, but I see its influence all around me.

 

I was moved to ponder these questions of a collective destiny while I watched the fourth quarter of the Buffalo/New England game.

 

I wasn’t going to watch either game tonight because, frankly, I felt that both would be very lopsided and dull.  But when I logged onto CBS Sportsline and saw that Buffalo was leading the Pats deep into the fourth quarter I felt compelled to watch.

 

I really wanted to see the Bills pull off a stunner, but deep down I knew they would blow it. I tuned in to witness the manner in which they would blow it.

 

They didn’t disappoint.

 

Down 11 points with 5:25 left in the fourth quarter, Tom Brady started doing what Tom Brady does best, methodically leading his team to a touchdown drive. When the two point conversion attempt failed I felt a little more hope for the Bills, but with over two minutes left and three Patriot timeouts left I knew that there was just too much time.

 

On the ensuing kickoff Leodis McKelvin became a full fledged member of the tragedy that is the Bills when he fumbled and gave Brady the ball right back with only 33 yards to go.

 

You know the rest of the story.

 

Witnessing this cruel but inevitable twist of irony has led me to ponder the importance of team karma, and how a team that has proven that it was born to fail can change its mindset and shake off the curses.

 

Buffalo is no stranger to results like this. They pulled a similar choke job against Dallas in one of their most recent primetime appearances. Of course these regular season games pale in comparison to their most stunning choke job in the 1991 Super bowl when their kicker shanked a very make able kick wide right to lose the game for them.

 

Their ineptitude has even inspired the film industry to make a movie about that Super bowl (the great Buffalo 66 starring Vincent Gallo).

 

This loser karma was also on display on Sunday. Detroit kept playing its role as NFL doormat. The Redskins invented new and interesting ways to lose to the Giants But the most blatant example of maintaining a losing tradition has to go to the Bengals.

 

In a game where Cincinnati outplayed the Denver Broncos for 59 minutes, a freak deflection to a wide open Brandon Stokely proved to be the Bungles’ unlikely but inevitable undoing.

 

Fans of these teams have it very hard. They are always waiting for the other shoe to drop.  But sometimes the unthinkable happens: a team actually defies logic and karma and changes its own fate.

 

Take Arizona for example. They were the brunt of probably the most memorable choke jobs in Monday Night Football history (honorable mention goes to the Dolphins against the Jets). How many ring tones and Coors Light commercials have resulted from coach Denny Green’s post game press conference?

 

But was anyone surprised? NO. This was the Cardinal way.

 

Yet despite these years of manifested negative energy Arizona was somehow able to overcome its collective demons and rally from a fourth quarter choke job to get to the Super bowl.

 

Another example is the Colts. I know that they are a great team, but when it came to playing in playoff games against the Patriots Peyton Manning was known to fold like a cheap tent.

 

Manning and the Colts were in mid fold form in 2006 when the improbable happened.  Manning suddenly caught fire and rallied his team to the most stunning comeback victory in Colts history.  What made it even more stunning was that it came against Tom Brady and the Patriots.

 

I am pondering these questions to seek an answer to why certain teams become doomed to failure, or blessed with resilient success.  But I am also doing this to talk Buffalo coaches, players, and fans down off the ledge.

 

No matter how bleak the situation there is always hope.  Every once in a while karma gets tired of relieving itself on a certain team and gets off the pot in search of a new victim.

 

While tonight’s predestined debacle is proof that karma is still in mid stream, please take heart that even a drunk Patriot fan at Foxboro has to stop peeing sometime.

 

Keep hope alive.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Thank God Brett’s Back!

I just thanked the lord and did the happy dance when I found out today that Brett Favre is officially back in action.

 

I have since been overwhelmed by the public backlash that has stemmed from this latest chapter of “As the Brett Favre Turns”.

 

I even heard a caller to an NFL radio show state with absolute authority and certainty that this signing was a knife in the back of Ted Thompson and that as a result, Brett Favre will never be inducted into the Packer ring of honor or go into the hall of fame as a Green Bay Packer.

 

I had to laugh.

 

In response to that ludicrous statement, let me state with utmost authority and certainty that five years after Mr. Favre retires (if that day ever comes) he will be a first ballot Hall of Famer and go in as a Green Bay Packer.

 

The NFL takes a much more pragmatic stance on these issues than the average obsessed fan does.

 

Also, even a die hard Packer fan has to admit, there will be much more interest and emotion surrounding the two Vikings/Packers games this year.  Isn’t that what an entertaining football game is all about?

 

And the sportswriters who are just incredulous that Old Man Favre toyed with their emotions again make me laugh.

 

Isn’t your job to write about football and present interesting stories involving the sport?  Doesn’t the return of Brett Favre make your job a hell of a lot easier?

 

Between Favre and Vick stories many football opinion writers have already met their quota of stories for the season.

 

Old schoolers may blab about the purity of the game, but at heart, the modern NFL is about putting forth the most entertaining product possible.

 

The addition of the Brett Favre saga makes this season much more entertaining.  If he succeeds and leads the Vikes deep into the playoffs, it will be a great story.  If he falls flat on his butt, it will be a great story.

 

If he crushes the Packers, it will be a great story.  If he gets humiliated at Lambeau, it will be a great story.

 

It is certainly must see TV!

 

Maybe I have this opinion because I don’t have an emotional tie to either team.  Maybe I have studied NFL history and know that in 99 percent of cases team ownership uses players to their own benefit. 

 

Therefore, I am not upset when a player finally gains the status where he is able to use team owners in the same way.

 

Whatever my reasons are for my opinions, there is one thing that I think is undeniable.  The return of Brett Favre is the biggest storyline in football today and increases public interest in football.

 

That can only benefit the NFL.  They should pray that he does the same thing next year.

The Real Lesson That Michael Vick Has Learned

As a person who grew up in the same city at the same time as Vick, let me shed some light on this issue.  Vick may or may not have learned the lessons that the public at large want him to have learned.  But he most assuredly learned the most important lesson of all.

The “street” and the “friends” you keep from the street will turn on you as quick as fortune can turn in their favor.

The people that he stuck by for no other reason than he grew up with them and wanted to remain true to his roots sold him out quicker than you can say “immunity for court testimony.”

People who claimed to be his friends and used his finances and property to carry out this operation were rewarded by the justice system for allowing the system to catch the bigger fish.  As a result, the people who were as guilty if not more guilty than Vick were allowed to exchange friendship for freedom.

I don’t know if Vick is truly sorry for his actions, but I know he has learned a valuable lesson about putting street cred ahead of personal interests.

I don’t know if Michael Vick spends one second thinking about the cruelty that was committed to those animals, but I guarantee that he spends every second of his life wondering how he had the stupidity to trust the people who were supposed to be his friends.

This incident has broken Vick’s last ties to the people who he grew up with and tried to remain loyal to.  For that reason more than any fake apology I truly believe that Michael Vick, remorseful or not, will not let himself be caught up in a similar situation ever again.

Is Vick’s Best Case The Eagles’ Worst Case Scenario?

Forget all the “should they or shouldn’t they” talk surrounding the Vick to the Eagles announcement. Let us examine what this acquisition really means for the Eagles this year and in the years to come.

 

I was listening to Sirius Satellite Radio this morning when an analyst on the NFL channel (124) posed this question: Wouldn’t the best case scenario for the success of Michael Vick be a worst case scenario for the Philadelphia Eagles?

 

The goal for Vick should be to get out on the field during games, make spectacular plays, and win fan and coach support for giving him a larger workload, and ultimately, a starting quarterback job.

 

For a team that has just given McNabb a two-year extension, has a reliable backup in Feely, and has drafted high and spent big money on the future (Kolb), I don’t know where or even if Vick fits into the overall scheme.

 

If Vick can produce on the field, wouldn’t that be setting the Eagles up for a major quarterback controversy?

 

This situation has happened before in Philadelphia, albeit in very different circumstances. But the end results may be the same.

 

My US History teacher always said that if we don’t learn from the past, we are doomed to repeat it (I’m pretty sure he lifted that phrase from someone more profound, but I heard it from him first).

 

Therefore, I submit to you, the reader, a trip down memory lane to remember the Eagles of the mid-eighties.

 

Ron Jaworski was a quarterback who had done more for the Eagles than any other player at the Eagle quarterback position had done in the last 25 years.

 

He was a proven veteran who led the Eagles to the big game five years before. He was the face of the franchise.

 

In 1985 Jaws was challenged by a young player named Randall Cunningham. The coaches saw how explosive he could be and sought out ways to adapt him into the offense.

 

Cunningham was electrifying, but to the overall detriment of the team. Jaws was 6-6 as a starter, while Cunningham was 1-3. The Eagles finished fourth in the NFC East that year.

 

1986 saw an increased effort to make Cunningham a bigger part of the offense. He regularly came in on third downs, and he performed well.

 

While this may have gotten the Eagles a few first downs, it created a rift among fans and players. Ron Jaworski, who had been the unquestioned face of the franchise for many years, was getting booed every time he went out on the field while Cunningham was cheered.

 

The 1986 Eagles finished fourth again, with their record dipping to an abysmal 5-10-1.

 

Jaws left after that year and Randall became the starter. Although the Eagles finished 7-8 and missed the playoffs again, Randall was establishing himself as a solid quarterback.

 

The first scramble-first QB led the Eagles to three consecutive playoff seasons, but never to the Super Bowl. The Eagles’ desire to showcase Cunningham led to two horrific seasons and the jettisoning of their most bankable player.

 

The comparisons are eerily similar. McNabb is the face of the franchise. He is five years removed from taking his team to the Promised Land.  His new teammate is a scramble-first QB with great athleticism and instincts.

 

As I see it, the Eagles’ goal SHOULD be for a healthy McNabb to play every game and lead his team back to the Super Bowl.

 

NFL players are big boys. They are pros. 

 

Off-field distractions don’t bother them that much. However, a QB controversy could tear a team apart.

 

Therefore, I caution Eagles fans, players, and coaches to be careful what you wish for.

 

Vick may be an exciting player, but does his upside come at the expense of the goals of the Eagles as a team?

Fans Show Impatience and Short-term Memory Loss in NFL

I go to at least one Redskins game a year. It is one of my greatest pleasures in life.

For all of you “fans” who are calling for Jason Campbell’s head (despite playing in only one full season in his career), let me relay to you a true story from a Redskins game I witnessed.

The year 2004 was a year of change for the Redskins. They had a new coach in Joe Gibbs and a new QB in Mark Brunell (although calling either of these men new is laughable).

The offense started out very cold. Brunell was playing very safe, throwing every third pass into the stands. The ‘Skins didn’t turn the ball over much, but they didn’t make a play much either.

About halfway through the season the Redskins played the Bengals (I think, the team they played is fuzzy, but the circumstances surrounding the game are etched in my memory) at home and I had tickets.

Brunell started out ice cold. His first eight passes went incomplete, and every miss was followed by louder and louder chants of “Ramsey, Ramsey, Ramsey.”

Finally Gibbs had seen enough. He relented to the fans (probably against his better judgement) and trotted out Patrick Ramsey for the next series.

As Ramsey entered the field he received the longest, loudest standing ovation I have ever witnessed at Fed-Ex Field. Redskin Nation had his back.

On his first play from scrimmage, he badly overthrew Laverneus Coles and was intercepted. Immediately a rousing chant of “Hasslebeck, Hasslebeck, Hasslebeck” (third stringer Tim Hasslebeck) could be heard reverberating throughout the stadium.

If this doesn’t illustrate the attention span of the average NFL fan I don’t know what does.

PS. Mark Brunell came back the following year to lead the Redskins to a 10-6 record and it’s first playoff win in six years. Patrick Ramsey went on to be a backup for Denver and Tennessee. Tim Hasslebeck went on to impregnate Elizabeth Hasslebeck three times and live the good life of a wealthy stay at home dad.

The point of this story is to be patient and be carefull what you wish for.

The Tennessee Titans Owe Me $50, Plus Internal Investigation

My bookie gave me the Titans giving 3 and 1/2. I was sitting pretty.

The boys in powder blue were all over Buffalo, winning by a convincing 21-9 advantage in the fourth.

Then the Titans put in fourth stringer Mortensen. This guy doesn’t last two plays before he lobs up a lame duck to a wide open Bills cornerback, who proceeds to strut his way to the house.

The very next series Ramsey is back in at QB. Now this is the first preseason game.  This is the time to let young players work through mistakes. Conventional wisdom says that they stick with Mortensen. Yet out he comes.

I know why Fisher yanked him. Old Jeff had more money riding on that game than I did and he wasn’t gonna let some young punk (who may or may not have taken a payoff) ruin it for him.

But the Titans played stout defense and intercepted a pass to seal the deal. Three plays later they were a punt away from paying for my gas this week.

I had my phone in hand ready to press speed dial to see when I could collect my payout.

Then the punter gets the bright idea to run out the clock instead of punting. OK. No big deal. He will run around before kneeling at the five.  Game over.

But what does this prick do?  He runs to the back of the end zone and stands there. As cameras pan to Jeff Fisher racing down the sideline with veins bulging from his neck mouthing “NO! NO!” out of his beat root red face the punter calmly steps on the back of the end zone.

Game over. Bet over. 21-18.

Now I’m not insinuating that the game was fixed, but I did see several Italian businessman in leisure suits congratulating the punter after the game. Call me a cynic, but I don’t think they were congratulating him for the trick play he pulled off in the first half.

You may say that I have a gambling problem for betting on meaningless preseason games, but I feel that I am shedding light on a growing problem in the NFL today.

If preseason games are being fixed then it creates doubt about the true motives surrounding the officiating of the Steelers/Seahawks Superbowl. Or the “tuck rule” game.  Or the Eagles/Bengals game last year. 

Yeah. Sure McNabb. I really believe that you are dumb enough to not understand NFL overtime rules.

Please look into this matter. The integrity of the game of football is at stake.

In addition to my 50 bucks.

Reflecting On Bruce Smith From a Skins Fan’s Point Of View

During CBS Sportsline’s tribute to Bruce Smith upon his Hall of Fame induction there was one sentence that resonated with me.

“What’s most impressive is that Smith registered many of his 171 sacks in Buffalo while playing in a 3-4 defense, which should have made it easier for opponents to stop him. It’s a feat Smith is quick to point out.”

For a fan who is knowledgeable about the game, this is the stat that illustrates how truly dominant Smith was.

The D-lineman on a 3-4 are responsible for taking on multiple blockers and keeping them occupied. This lets the linebackers make the majority of big plays. Bruce Smith wasn’t supposed to be the sack king, but he was in spite of his team’s defensive philosophy.

As a Redskins fan I think he played one year too many. 

He was still a force for three years with the Skins, but by his last year you could see him overpower his man but just not have the speed to round the corner. Bruce Smith probably had more QB hurries his last season than any other player. 

It was like watching a slow motion replay: He beats his man. He is coming for the QB. He is still coming. He’s getting close. Then a second before impact the QB would unload the ball. 

I could see that even though he didn’t have it, he still was trying his hardest. And I know that it frustrated him more than any Skin’s fan.

The Skins would have been better served to go with someone else that last year. But in retrospect, I’m glad they didn’t. It was painfully obvious that he wanted that sack record, and the Redskins gave him the opportunity to get it.

The Skins have made many regrettable free agent acquisitions recently, but I don’t fault them for getting Bruce Smith.

He should rightfully go into Canton with a Bills helmet. But there should be a small Redskins sticker at the back of that helmet. 

Many greats have played past their prime with other teams. Bruce Smith can be proud to know that unlike many others he made a positive contribution to those Redskin teams.

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