JimmiJo

DEFEAT Cowboys 27 - 23 Redskins The word of the day is; "URGENT." Hello everybody, JimmiJo here and I am joined by Spaceman Spiff. And our mission is to bring you the sites, sounds, and smells of today's Washington Redskins - Dallas Cowboys game. The Washington Redskins used a prime time Monday Night opportunity to lay a spectacular egg. They were beating in most every significant area and suffered yet another national embarrassment. Ok, so that one's over. But while I am usually all for the 24-hour rule; the one where you celebrate a win or bemoan a loss for 24-hours and then move on either way - today's game must be viewed in the context of last week's loss: - The Redskins were horrible running the ball last week. All eyes are watching to see if the rush attack exists, let alone improves. - The run defense was very poor. Dallas is known for having a poor line. They have a rookie is Ezekiel Elliot who wants to prove he merited the low draft pick (5th overall). Then there's this guy named Alfred Morris who would love to show Washington what they let get away. - Is our best guy gonna cover their best guy? Yea, I heard all the rationalization how both Redskins corners are good and they have this scheme-thing they do...Sounded like a bunch of crapola to me. We paid a mountain of money for Josh Norman. Time for him to show us why they did. - 0-2 at home to start the season could be really, really bad. The teeth of the schedule is later this year. You cannot give away two home games. Yes, this is must win. Let me say that again; YES, this is MUST-WIN. The difference between 1-1 and 0-2 is profound. Dallas features a quarterback starting just his second game in the league. This is one of the marquee rivalries in the NFL. If the Redskins can't use all of the above as motivation to go out and start whoopin' monkey ass, I'm not sure what they can use. Prediction: They better win. ANNOUNCEMENT OF INACTIVES LANDOVER, Md. – The Washington Redskins have announced the following inactives and lineup changes for today’s game against the Dallas Cowboys: The Redskins declared the following players as inactive: o No. 2 QB Nate Sudfeld o No. 19 WR Rashad Ross o No. 38 CB Kendall Fuller o No. 50 LB Martrell Spaight o No. 72 DE Anthony Lanier II o No. 74 G Arie Kouandjio o No. 97 DE Kendall Reyes The Cowboys declared the following players as inactive: o No. 9 QB Tony Romo o No. 34 RB Darius Jackson o No. 35 S Kavon Frazier o No. 53 LB Mark Nzeocha o No. 65 G Ronald Leary o No. 75 DE Ryan Davis o No. 99 DE Charles Tapper Keys to Victory - Run the (freaking) ball - Pressure the youngster - BE BOLD (play-to-win)! Check me out in-game on Twitter @skinscast BTW Way too many Dallas fans here today. Way more than Steelers' fans last week. Please send these chuckle-heads home butthurt. Half Dumpster-fire to start on defense. Kirk Cousins is apparently allergic to throwing touchdowns. And Joe Barry finally started switching Norman back and forth. Audio May be found here 2016 Week 2 Cowboys at Redskins Post Game Photo Album - 2016 Week 2: Cowboys at Redskins JimmiJo It is hard to articulate my frustrations with this team. On the one hand it is maddening the extent of missed opportunities. On the other, it is more than just that. Here's the bottom-line: the better team lost. But they lost because they did not take advantage of opportunities. They lost because they let a rookie quarterback outplay them. They lost because of the stubbornness of head coaches and coordinators who place system ahead of staff capability. But this is more than just missed chances and dumb-luck. As of right now this team is profoundly worse than the team that won the division last season. I plan to do a more-extensive article, but here are three areas that are killing this team right now: 1. Third Down Offense - This is an area Washington excelled in last year. In fact, it was one of the areas where they were most improved from the season prior. The Redskins ended the 2015 regular season ranked 5th overall in 3rd down conversions. This year? They currently rank 25th. Today they went 5-for-12 for 42%*. 2. Third Down Defense - This is another area where a profound drop in production has occurred. The Redskins finished last year ranked 8th in this stat. They currently rest at a dismal 27th*. Washington's drop in effectiveness in this area was noticeable week 1 versus Pittsburgh, and the trend continued against Dallas. They cannot seem to get off the field on third down, especially on third-and-long; where most teams succeed. 3. Quarterback - Kirk Cousins is having problems. In his case, it's all in his head. Cousins finished 2015 with an overall QB rating of 101.6, 10th among quarterbacks. Following two games in 2016 Cousins is rocking a 72.7 and 32nd in the league. Beyond the numbers, his accuracy is way off. On Sunday he overthrew two wide open receivers, both of whom would have run into the end zone untouched. He also tried to force a throw into the end zone to a receiver covered by multiple defenders. The result was an interception. The subsequent Dallas drive resulted in the game-winning touchdown run from Alfred Morris. If the Redskins would have fixed two of these today they would have won. Unfortunately, the real list of problems are longer than the above. There is an ineffectual rushing attack. Poor personnel groupings on key plays.Poor defensive scheme, especially in the secondary, and of course; penalties. This team has a lot if issues. And now they get to travel to New York and play the Giants. Anyone remember what happened last year when they went? Can you say 0-and-3? I wonder if succession planning has already begun. A loss next week and I have to believe it will begin. * According to teamrankings.com

Week 1 Loss Leaves Redskins Searching for Answers By John Pappas (ES Coverage Staff) For Redskins’ fans, this offseason was filled with excitement and anticipation. Washington won the NFC East in 2015, riding the back of an offense and quarterback in Kirk Cousins that seemed to get better each week until losing in the first round of the playoffs. Despite the loss, the team entered the post-season with no major injuries to key players. There were no salary cap issues and fans expected the team to keep their major stars. Even better, General Manager Scot McCloughan would have another free agency and draft to enhance the overall talent-level of the roster. Then there was quarterback Kirk Cousins, who, unlike last year when he was named starting quarterback late in preseason, would have the benefit of an entire offseason working and learning as the starter. Despite the franchise tag placed on him by the team, which some construed as a lack of confidence in the hurler, reports from camp and limited play in preseason suggested he would pick up where he left off in 2015. All of which left fans with a hopeful feeling for 2016, which even extended to week 1 verses Pittsburgh. Sure, there was the fact that the Redskins don’t seem to play very well in prime time. Nor had they managed a winning campaign against the Steelers since 1991. But the expectation was a competitive game featuring scoring and a close finish. Following the division title, many thought Washington poised to change the dynamic in nationally televised games at FedEx Field. Instead, the game unfolded like so many other Redskins’ losses. Competitive early, Washington could not take advantage of turnovers and field position. Settling for field goals instead of touchdowns gave way to huge, momentum-shifting scoring plays by Pittsburgh. They had no success running and excepting a few passing plays beyond 20-yards, were limited to check-downs in the passing game. Only when the Redskins abandoned the huddle for the hurry-up in the second half did they find any kind any sort of rhythm which led a touchdown drive. In all, the loss left fans with more questions than answers. And now, the week two matchup verses the Dallas Cowboys becomes a must-win game. Sure, the Redskins can afford a non-conference loss at home to the Steelers. But add to that a division loss at home to the Cowboys, while arriving at an 0-2 record, and it becomes intolerable. But there was one question answered in the loss: The Redskins are not an elite NFL team. Oh they can still be good. They can still win the division. But they are not-yet ready to be discussed along with the top two or three teams in the league. They haven’t yet staked their claim. As the sting of the loss wears off, fans are left with serious questions. Can the Redskins run the ball? Washington allowed Alfred Morris to leave following the season. They decided instead to hook their wagon to Matt Jones and players to be named. To begin the season, the Redskins backfield features Matt Jones, carry-over Chris Thompson, and rookie Robert Kelley. Against Pittsburgh the rushing attack totaled 55-yards on 12 carries (one being a quarterback scramble). Jones was the top rusher with 24-yards on seven-carries. But half of those came on a single carry. Washington’s offense ran 55-plays. But only 11 designed running plays. With so few attempts it is apparent the Redskins abandoned the run well too soon. In order to answer whether Washington can have an effective rushing attack, the Redskins need to stay with the run-game to see if it can work. Can Washington’s defensive front pressure opposing quarterbacks? The Redskins registered no sacks against the Steelers. Ben Roethlisberger is a master at getting the ball out quickly, and the result was 300-yards passing with three touchdowns and an interception. Following the game, Washington made roster moves, bringing in defensive line veteran Cullen Jenkins. Jenkins spent the final week of the preseason on the Redskins’ roster, registering a sack in game 4. Washington hopes his addition will lead to more pressure on the quarterback, which will result in quarterback sacks and hurries. Will the Redskins secondary be as good as advertised? If Washington can generate more pressure up front, it will reduce the obligation of the secondary to cover for as long. Conversely, if the secondary can cover the receivers longer, it will create opportunities for the pass-rushers. Defensive coordinator Joe Barry was asked why new addition Josh Norman wasn’t assigned to Anthony Brown full-time. Barry explained to the press this week Baushad Breeland was in excellent position for the first Brown touchdown Monday night, but that Brown made a near-perfect catch. In fact, Barry stated, on very few occasions was Breeland beaten badly by Brown. The challenge was the exceptional skill of Brown, whom he described as one of the best receivers in the league. Still, it is hard to imagine Norman not being assigned exclusively to Dez Bryant this weekend. And with the New York Giants and Odell Beckham Jr. on the horizon, the subplots involving Norman matching up against star receivers have fans salivating. In the big picture, Washington will need to do these things somewhat effectively to make the transition to a top-tier team. The Redskins have not logged back-to-back winning seasons since 1993. But this year, they have a good chance to do it. The division remains weak and Washington need only to register performances akin to last year to compete for the NFC East. But in order to take the next step, real improvement is required on both sides of the ball. Gregg Williams, when he was in Washington, used to say a team is never as good or as bad as a single game suggests. This is likely true and it is likely the Redskins are a better team than their first game suggested. But in order to make the case of an improved squad, they need to start to answer the questions above. John Pappas (JimmiJo) has covered the Washington Redskins since 2006 for Extremeskins, Warpath Magazine, Skinscast Podcast, and others. His mind-numbing rants can be enjoyed on Extremeskins and on Twitter @Skinscast

DEFEAT!!! Steelers 38 - 16 Redskins Opening Thoughts JimmiJo For me, real football is played in the biting cold of late fall, when the leaves are down and the first snows are come. That said, it is hard to argue with the weather to start this Washington Redskins football season. Bright sun, mid-80s, and low humidity add up for a spectacular late-summer day outside. And while it may be a little on the warm side, I am sure when the sun sets we will settle into a beautiful night for football. Hello friends, JimmiJo here and I am joined by my partner of old, Murf. Together we will bring you the sites and sounds of tonight's action. So what can we say about this matchup? Experience tells us the Steelers come in the more seasoned, accomplished side. From the roster to the coaching staff, Pittsburgh brings a formidable reputation to FedEx Field. Actually there a few reasons to not like this game if you root for the Redskins: - The time - The Redskins do not do well in nationally televised prime-time games - The history - Pittsburgh are winners of five on the trot against Washington. In fact, the last time the Redskins beat the Steelers during the regular season was 1991 - The fans - Few teams' fans travel to FedEx Field as well as those of the Steelers (save perhaps Philadelphia). Though the Redskins won the division last year (which should help ticket sales), expect to see more yellow towels than you'd like Beyond what Pittsburgh bring, Washington has the some question marks coming into the new season: - Run-game - The Redskins first-team offense struggled last season to run the ball consistently. This preseason did little to reassure it is fixed. - Defensive pressure - Washington runs a 3-4 defensive front without a bona fide nose tackle. Admittedly, this is less and less important these days when a high number of snaps are nickle and dime packages. Still, the question of whether opponents can exploit Washington's interior line is unanswered. - Josh Norman - Norman was arguably the best cover-corner in the league last season. And most fans were extremely confident the Redskins had landed a top-tier guy in Norman. But then training camp came and Norman was more than once the victim of a Washington receiver. Tonight we will find out if Norman is the stud the team believed they signed. - Ring-rust - Washington hasn't taken a snap in anger since January. The body of work from the first team offense was minimal and week 3 preseason showed an offense not exactly clicking on all cylinders. Given their recent dominance over Washington, Pittsburgh will be coming in expecting to win. I suspect the Redskins will need to have early success to have a real chance to get this one. My prediction? Who the hell knows... Murf Hello again, my friends. Seriously, it feels like it's been entirely too long since last we spoke. While last season's unexpected playoff run ended in disappointment, it's safe to say that the bulk of the headlines coming out of Redskins Park these days are overwhelmingly positive. Continuity has become the norm with the Washington Redskins, which hasn't really ever been the case since Daniel Snyder bought the franchise. But the roster is no longer in a state of constant turnover, the coaching staff hasn't been radically redone and the foundation of a respectable franchise are evident. In short, the Redskins don't really resemble the punching bag the rest of the NFL lovin' world has come to know and mock. And I, for one, couldn't be happier. When the most constant storyline out of camp was how boring this team has become, you've finally reached respectability. When an NFC East team is drastically overpaying free agents (Giants) or blowing up the roster every offseason (Eagles) and it's not the guys in burgundy and gold, it's time to crack open a frosty and refreshing adult beverage. Welcome to the 2016 Washington Redskins. Know them. Love them. And enjoy the ride, because who knows how long this might last. Chances are, the Redskins will go as far as Kirk Cousins' arm takes them. While that might have been a terrifying propositions a season or two ago, it's actually kind of comforting now. Cousins, as you know, made $660,000 last season, which was respectable considering he was a fourth-year veteran who had done little to show he deserved to be paid as anything more than a backup quarterback. Fast forward to this year and, after putting together an electric second half of the '15 season, there's little doubt of just how important Cousins is to the Redskins. While the team and the player have yet to settle on the terms of a long-term deal, the Michigan State product will play this season on a franchise tag worth a staggering $19.95 million. That means, by the time the season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers has concluded, Cousins will have easily surpassed his earnings for all of last season. That's what happens when you throw for more passing yards in a single season than any other quarterback in Redskins history. Yeah, you like that. But questions still remain: Can Cousins prove he's more than just a flash in the pan quarterback? Sure, his second half statistics were fantastic, but can he sustain those kind of numbers over the course of an entire season? And can the Redskins actually defeat a team with a winning record (which is something that didn't happen one year ago)? That doesn't entirely fall on the shoulder of Cousins, but he'll play a vital role as Washington tries to post back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1991-92. Fortunately for the burgundy and gold, the season opener takes place at FedEx Field -- a place where Cousins shined in 2015. At home last season, Cousins threw for 16 touchdowns and only two interceptions while averaging 271 yards per game. Conversely, Cousins threw for 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions while averaging 249 yards per game on the road. Aside from Cousins, I'll be squarely focused on the ground game -- for both teams. Matt Jones, for one reason or another, has essentially been given the starting job, even though most people not currently employed in Ashbury rightly wonder why. With injury and fumble concerns and very little to show in his NFL body of work, it's not crazy to wonder why this guy has been named The Guy. Tonight is his first chance to prove skeptic (like me) wrong. And on the other side of the ball, can anyone on the Redskins' defensive line other than Chris Baker become a factor in the team's run defense? I would have preferred to see the front office spend a little more time and resources upgrading this particular area of concern, but in Scot we trust, right? Right?!? Other than that, I just want to see how Josh Norman handles his first game in burgundy and gold. I'd also like to see Su'a Cravens get some playing time and, most importantly, witness a primetime game involving the Redskins that doesn't end in embarrassing fashion. Is that too much to ask? ANNOUNCEMENT OF INACTIVES LANDOVER, Md. – The Washington Redskins have announced the following inactives and lineup changes for tonight’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers: The Redskins declared the following players as inactive: o No. 2 QB Nate Sudfeld o No. 19 WR Rashad Ross o No. 29 S Duke Ihenacho o No. 38 CB Kendall Fuller o No. 62 C Austin Reiter o No. 72 DE Anthony Lanier II o No. 74 G Arie Kouandjio The Steelers declared the following players as inactive: o No. 11 WR Markus Wheaton o No. 18 QB Zach Mettenberger o No. 27 CB Senquez Golson o No. 45 FB Roosevelt Nix o No. 51 LB Steven Johnson o No. 72 C/G Cody Wallace o No. 96 DE L.T. Walton Stand by... 6:50 PM KEYS TO VICTORY So the consensus among the writers I have spoken to in the pressbox is a loss for the good guys. Will the Redskins win tonight? I don't know. But I think they CAN win tonight if they do the following: - Establish an effective running game early: In Washington, the pass sets up the run more often than not. This is fine, as long as the Redskins can be effective when they do run. - Make Pittsburgh one-dimensional: The Redskins need to take away one aspect of the Steelers' offense. If Big Ben and company are able to gain yardage on the ground and in the air it is going to be a long night. - Sudden change: Protect the ball and force turnovers. The team that does so usually wins. What did I miss? Twitter - @skinscast & @HomerMcFanboy Pressbox Menu Alert! The Redskins' pressbox menu this evening features a carving-station and prime rib with au jus. Without question the best meal I have had in 11-years covering this team at FedEx Field. Same Old Redskins (Half) Frustrating half. Washington did some good stuff early, but as per usual they failed to take advantage of their chances. Pittsburgh on the other hand showed the one characteristic the Redskins lack: Killer Instinct. When you catch a break you have to make the other guy pay. They did. Washington didn't. And for the record I am cussing out Chris Thompson from now on for not getting past the first down marker on 4th down. Inecusable. There is still hope, but not much. And if the Steelers score on this first drive... AUDIO 2016 Week 1 Steelers at Redskins Post Game JimmiJo I asked head coach Jay Gruden if the lack of significant playing time adversely affected Kirk Cousins’ play and his timing with the receivers. “I don’t know how much an extra series against the [New York] Jets, or Buffalo [Bills] would have made a difference. There could be some merit in that and we will look into it for next year.” Spoken like a coach who has no idea what went wrong. At least, until he sees the tape. One thing Gruden was sure about was the lack of effective running really hurt the overall cause. The Redskins managed a total of 55-yards on 12-carries. Matt Jones led all Washington runners with 24-yards on 7-attempts. But half of those came on a single run. Washington’s inability to run allowed Pittsburgh to focus on the pass rush and secondary. Washington’s heavy emphasis on the passing game was reflected in the stats. The Redskins ran 55-plays; 43 pass attempts and the afore-mentioned 12 rush attempts. Kirk Cousins and the receiving core managed 384 net yards passing, but it should not be construed as success. Yes, Cousins had some big connections with passing plays of 33, 31, and 20-yards. But Cousins managed no touchdowns for the first time in 17 games. Conversely, he was intercepted twice, ending the night 30/43 for 329-yards and a rating of 72.7. Washington lost in almost every statistical category: - total net yards (435 – 384) - Third Down Efficiency (64% - 30%) - Rushing (147 – 55) - Red Zone Efficiency (100% - 25%) - Time of Possession (33:18 – 26:42) But the stats alone cannot convey the extent of the miss-match. After the first few series, Pittsburgh’s offense had their way with Washington’s defense. In the trenches they pushed the Redskins around, which was reflected in their success running. Once the run game got going it was just a matter of time before their passing attack awoke. Antonio Brown had a banner day; going 8-catches for 126-yards and 2 touchdowns. Pittsburgh added two more touchdowns via rushing and another via the air. Ben Roethlisberger went 27/37 for 300-yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception to finish with a rating of 112.4. The most disappointing aspect of this game, beyond the score, is the number of unanswered questions that were either not answered, or answered in a way that is not good. Pregame we said the Redskins had to run the ball, pressure the quarterback, and prevent the big play. They managed exactly none. Early last year Washington ran the ball very well. But then Shawn Lauvao got hurt and the run game disappeared. There was some hope that with him back, the rushing attack would return. It didn’t. When Washington parted ways with Terrance Knighton, they decided they could bring pressure without a traditional nose tackle. They also figured they could deal with the run. Neither were true tonight. I’m not suggesting Knighton is the answer and they should bring him in. But I am suggesting the defensive line is at best a work-in-progress. Watching tonight I wondered how much Junior Galette could have helped. Offensively, Gruden admitted they abandoned the run too soon. He said they suffer from having too many weapons in the receiving corps. But as good as Cousins can be, he is not so good that this team can excel without a running attack. I spoke to Chris Baker and Kedric Golston in the locker room. I wanted to get a sense of how this game will affect their psyche. Both said it’s about watching the tape and working on the things they did poorly. But both seemed to admit they came into this game with high confidence. Golston agreed this is sort of a gut-check. Based on the demeanor of this teams since last year, I think it is safe to say they came into tonight thinking they were a lot better than they showed. But it is only one game. Against a non-conference opponent at that. How much should Gruden and company be concerned? For me, because the challenges are in core-areas such as rushing and defending the run – alarm bells should be ringing. Loudly. See you next week.

best thread ever

I am sitting here looking at the players and it is a bit strange. Might take me a while to get used to...

Being coverage staff for the official message board of the team has it's benefits.

I just heard from Murf who has confirmed with team sources that the team will in fact be wearing burgundy on burgundy.

Well, if you're going to bring back a thread, you may as well bring back the best thread ever...

Is that what passes for a smile on the Jumbo face?

Well no wonder we argue so much ghosty - they say whenever you have two greeks together you will get three opinions

Now there's a fellow aging greek man. I only wish I had his money....

What is he an aging greek man too? The only guy I ever would mistake for me was the drummer for Faith No More. Back in the day when I was a rock and roll drummer myself in LA I used to be mistaken for the guy a lot.

Well I figure nothin' from nothin' leaves nothin'....