Based on their perfomance in the pre-season, it looks like Jason Campbell and Todd Collins wouldn’t mind be the #3 QB.  When the Skins elevated Campbell to #2, he looked lost.  Campbell may be the QB of the future, but I’m starting to wonder about him.  That Auburn team he was on had Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown in the backfield, thus teams were loading up to stop them and the coverage loosened up for Campbell to look better than he was.  Campbell has completed 15 of 28 passes (53.6%) for 182 yards and 2 pick-offs.  Campbell’s QB rating is 44.0.

Todd Collins hasn’t looked that much better than Campbell, but he has game experience and is well-versed in Coach Saunders offense.  He hasn’t had a good pre-season either.  Collins has completed 18 of 31 passes (58.1%) for 182 yards with 1 TD and 2 interceptions.  Collins QB rating in 58.8.

The Redskins better hope that Mark Brunell has a healthy, productive season or they could be drafting high (if they have any picks left) next April.

One of Coach Gibbs’s favorite expressions to use is “gut check,” and this Saturday may be such a check.  Coming off a 10-6 record and a playoff win on the road, expectations were sky high at Redskins Park, but a very poor performance in the first two preseason games has allowed doubt to enter the minds of many.  And now T.J. Duckett has unintentionally thrown the team into a tizzy.  Looks like Gibbs decided the team needed a little reality check as well.

We’ll find out a lot this week. After the poor performances and the addition of Duckett, this week will either be a Gut Check or a Reality Check for the Skins.  Will the players rise to the occasion and prove worthy of the praise they have received, or will reality set in proving that paper champions are easy to crumble?  How will they respond to the addition of Duckett?  By digging down deep, realizing that nothing is guarenteed, or by imploding at the prospect of being replaced?

The Patriots will provide a tough enough test, but the true test will be whether or not the Redskins have the guts to do what it takes to win, or if the first two preseason games were more reality than fantasy.

Hail,

Go50Gut

Lucky these games don’t count.  The Redskins have scored a whopping 17 points in 2 games.  The Redskins are averaging 57.0 yards per game rushing and only 2.6 yards per carry.  The Skins have moved the ball better thru the air averaging 225.5 yards passing her game and have completed 54.1% of their passes attempted.

The Redskins have been very poor on run defense so far.  The Skins are allowing an amazing 163.0 yards rushing per game, and 4.7 yards per carry.  The pass offense has only given up 141.5 yards per game, but the opposition is completing 64.4% of their passes. 

The Redskins didn’t feel confident in the back-up running backs currently on their roster so they went out and got a good one.  T.J. Duckett is a monsterous battering ram type of running back, a bulldozer with legs.  He is the perfect compliment to Clinton Portis, and he can handle the load if Portis isn’t ready to start the season.  Duckett has played in 55 games (13 starts) and has rushed for 2,175 yards (3.9 ypc) and 21 TDs.  He also has caught 29 passes for 233 yards.

The Redskins had to trade 3rd and 4th round picks to Denver which could escalate based on a complicated formula.  The Broncos traded WR Ashley Lelie to the Falcons as part of this deal.

So the NFL is now up in arms over Bryant Gumble - well, what did you expect?  Mr. NFL, didn’t you learn from that little episode a few years ago that coined the phrase “wardrobe malfunction”?  You would think, Mr. NFL, that you would have done a little more research.  What, you didn’t think Greg Gumble’s less humble brother would cause problems?  Hmm… what in his past could have led you to that conclusion?  Everywhere Bryant Gumble has gone, he’s left a wake of uneasiness and thankfulness for his departure.

And now he calls the head of the NFL Players Association a dog with a leash and you act incredulous.  Mr. NFL, you have only yourself to blame.

I wonder, Mr. NFL, just what demographic were you after with this one?  Have your studies determined there is a paucity (yeah, I learned that from Bryant Gumble himself!) of pompous, arrogant, egomaniacs with not-so-hidden agendas watching NFL games?  That could be true - after all, they all seem to be playing the games on Sunday.

Next time Mr. NFL, please do a better job gauging your audience.  We are football fans and it’s the game that entertains us, not the halftime shows or the blowhards in the booth.

You have no one to blame but yourself. Let’s hope this time, you do the right thing and rid yourself before the disaster really hits.

Go50Gut