OK, Now I'm Angry (at David Patten - merged)

[InGibbsITrust]

Like many on this board i was, to put it mildly, slightly upset after Sundays destruction at the hands of the hated Giants. Upset but still glass half-full about the year. I figured the 49ers game and the Giants game was pretty much awash. We aren't as good as we looked against the 49ers and we aren't as bad as we were against the Giants. Anyway i was prepared to move on, to look ahead to Sunday night against the eagles (:eaglesuck) And then i go to the WaPo online and I feel like losing it.

In tomorrow's paper there is an article about David Patton complaining about being underutilized (thats how I read it anyhow). Lots of quotes from Patton crying about not getting catches, etc. I can now tell you how angry this makes me. Why you ask? Because of what i consider to be one of the biggest plays from yesterday's game.

Its in the 2nd quarter, the redskins are down but they have the ball and are looking desperatly to start something, anything on offense. Its not looking good but there's still hope, we aren't out of it yet. Its 3rd and 10 Burnell gets the snap, waits, looks, gets some pressure and rolls out of the pocket to the right. He's looking, buying time with his legs and then he throws a perfect strike on the run to David F'ing Patton (to whose credit has come back to help out burnell). The ball is a little low and Patton has to go on his needs to catch it and then the unthinkable...it bounces off his freaking chest. Just bounces off. My 3 year old sister would be expected to catch that ball, forget a freaking NFL wide reciever who just signed a 15 million dollar contract.

Anyway the drives over, we punt and my dad says (correctly), "thats it. we drop balls like that we have no chance against them today". and we didn't, as I'm sure we all noticed.

Pattons drop is not the only reason we lost that game Sunday but the gall of this guy to come out and complain after that showing is just beyond me. How dare he? How freaking dare he? Show up Patton. Show me something before you complain in the media and kick the team while its down. I love the Skins, I try not to be a fairweather fan and i'm sorry if I'm off base here but I had to get this off my chest. Hopefully you guys can talk me down. Thats all i got. Sorry about the length. :2cents:

P.S. Heres the article, what do you guys think?

[PCS]

Passing Game Frustrates Patten

Redskins Yet to Complement Moss

By Jason La Canfora

Washington Post Staff Writer

Tuesday, November 1, 2005; Page E01

The Washington Redskins knew that Santana Moss would be their top wideout when they traded Laveranues Coles to the New York Jets for him in the offseason -- and Moss has exceeded their expectations. But the team's one-sided passing attack is causing frustration among the ranks.

David Patten, signed as a free agent from New England to bolster the downfield passing game as well, expressed his feelings yesterday over his largely silent role in the team's first seven games.

"It's been extremely frustrating, extremely frustrating, especially when you know you've been brought in to make plays and make things happen," said Patten, who left the defending champion for Washington. "It's not about being selfish, but you want to contribute to what they expect out of you. So from that standpoint, yeah, you want more balls; yeah, you want more production, but I'm not in control of that.

"I don't control where the quarterback goes with the ball or when my play is called, so the bottom line is being positive and focusing on the team aspect, and I've been conditioned over my nine years to do that. But it's extremely frustrating; I'd be lying if I told you anything otherwise. But it's just the way it is. It's the nature of the beast, and that's what shows a great team: when you have guys who can acknowledge that, accept that, and deal with what they are dealt with."

While Moss's immediate emergence has opened up plays for the running game at times, the Redskins have not found receivers to complement him, and the New York Giants prospered from that one-dimensional passing game in a 36-0 victory Sunday. Moss's run of three straight 100-yard games and six straight games of 85 yards or more came to a halt -- he finished with four catches for 34 yards -- and with dropped passes plaguing the team, no other Redskins player managed even that many catches or receiving yards.

Coach Joe Gibbs said he believes the Redskins have ample playmakers among the wide receivers, although Taylor Jacobs and James Thrash have been silent as well. "I think we've got other people. You're right. If it's just Santana, then we've got a problem because people can take one guy away," Gibbs said. "But I think we've got other receivers there, and hopefully they'll step up and do their part now."

With Moss racking up yardage each week, defenses have keyed on him, and the Giants were able to negate the deep threat despite taking the NFL's 31st-ranked defense into the game. Moss had caught a pass of at least 30 yards in every game, and had caught 10 such passes overall, but the Giants focused their zone defense on his side of the field and no one else could capitalize on the coverage.

"It's been that way the last couple of weeks," Patten said. "If you have any type of coaching in you, and the ability to evaluate another team and find out what their strengths are, you see that. In New England, the one thing [Coach Bill] Belichick was going to do, the key guy, the star guys, they're not going to beat you. Somebody else is going to beat you. That's the way this league is: We're not going to let guys beat us that we know can go out there and make it happen.

"So when you have all that attention focused on one guy, then the other guys have to step up around him and a day like [sunday] when they're doing that [to Moss], for me to come away with one catch is extremely frustrating. But a lot of things are out of my control. This is something we have to capitalize off of as an offense. If they're going to come in and take Santana away, then everybody around him has got to step up and get things done."

Moss said he could not pinpoint precisely why the Giants were successful against him. "It was just a lot of zones they played throughout the game," he said. "Whatever they did, they did it pretty well." But they avoided man coverage and had a deep safety often assigned to Moss. The double coverage and depth of the safeties should have helped the running and intermediate passing games, but did not.

"The scheme they had on defense for us was something quite a few people up here can play," Gibbs said.

The Giants also pressured quarterback Mark Brunell for much of the afternoon, disrupting the timing of the passing game, leading to sacks and throwaways.

"Some things weren't there [downfield] that we thought were going to be there," right tackle Jon Jansen said, "and we had to eat it a couple of times."

"They had a good game plan, and they executed it," Brunell said. "It was obvious that they had done their homework."

Moss has more than twice as many receiving yards as anyone else on the team (H-back Chris Cooley has 318 to Moss's 777) and no other receiver has had an 85-yard game (Cooley's high is 82 yards, Patten's 63). Thrash was involved more early in the season while Jacobs, who has the acceleration to be a deep threat, has two catches.

"We can't really control that," Jacobs said. "We have to do what coach says to do. We just need to capitalize on all of our opportunities, but that's something that's really not in our hands."

The coaches, naturally, want to exploit all of Moss's talents. He can catch 70-yard bombs and turn screen passes into 80-yard touchdowns, and he and Brunell have chemistry. They'll face an Eagles defense that has allowed 20 passes of 20 yards or more in the last five games. But it may take more than Moss alone to win another big NFC East game.

"I think it's going to be a defining moment for this team, for this season," Brunell said. "If we can get this one against a very good football team, then we'll be back on track. And if not, then we're going to be in a hole and we'll have to fight our way out of it."

[Joe Sick]

We need to spread the ball around. Teams have got to be guarding Moss differently now.

We need that 2nd WR to step up.

BTW, I though Patriot players never whined about catches?

[RYANJOHNXI]

We need to spread the ball around. Teams have got to be guarding Moss differently now.

We need that 2nd WR to step up.

BTW, I though Patriot players never whined about catches?

i never heard anything...is there something i missed?

[PCS]

Could have increased those catches by about 2 yesterday if he would have actually caught the ball.

[InGibbsITrust]

We need to spread the ball around. Teams have got to be guarding Moss differently now.

We need that 2nd WR to step up.

I agree completely but we don't need Patton griping after a tough loss about it, especially when its not like he's been catching every pass that comes his way. :eaglesuck

[dawgjk9]

this is the last thing we need...the only good i see coming outta this is that maybe he'll end up on the bench for this complaining and jacobs will get in and finally contribute (sarcasm incase nobody got it)

[Spaceman Spiff]

Ugh, internal strife, ****ing from players..hope this doesn't continue.

For some reason Patten thought he was going to be the man here, I don't know why he thought that. I don't know how many people expected huge things from him. Like the article said, Moss was brought here to be the #1 guy.

Anyway, I remember being at the seattle game and thinking that we were doing a good job of spreading the ball around.

The article acts like the Giants have finally found the solution to shut Moss down and that the word is out. I didn't watch the game (I was on a flight returning from a vacation) but didn't Moss drop some catches? It's not like that didn't help in his cause of him getting shut down this weekend.

One bad game, big whup. I'll be worried if the Eagles spank us. And Patten needs to cool off. Its not his fault that Brunell has good chemistry with Moss and Cooley.

[DjTj]

Well, I'm not going to jump all over Patten when I don't know what questions LaCanfora was asking him. Nobody's going to be saying anything very insightful after a loss like that - I mean, just look at this board - heck, look at this thread.

It sounds like Patten understands that he needs to step his own game up ... and if he doesn't we'll see probably see some more Taylor Jacobs.

Bring on the Eagles.

[terpfan]

Ive seen this quote and Im not so sure he is really blaming anyone. He says he only came up with one catch, alot of that is his fault, he had a few drops, and I think he may be acknowledging that. Our team has shown to have pretty good character so far, so lets not get to worked up about this quite yet.

And even if he is pissed, he should be, I hope the whole team is pissed off, and they take it out on the Eagles this week.

[Muzzah]

Well a deep ball to Patten would be unexpected.. No one expected Moss to be such a threat at the beginning, now he is respected... Havnt seen any (correct me if I'm wrong) long passes to Patten, have him fake one of those rink-a-dinks then hit him down the field and pull a Bengal "Who dey?"

With 2 strong Runners I think they could do what the Dolphins tried with Brown and Williams. Have both Ladell and Portis in the back and add another dimension that the opponent isn't expecting

[JoeKnowsBest]

Wow, just wow. Makes me wonder if this is the reason he's not on a Bill Bellichek team any more. You know, beings how Bellichek is such a team first attitude kind of guy.

At first glance, that puts me right up there with you InGibbsITrust.

[The Bounty Hunter #21]

yea if we expect to win we have to get the ball to Patten/Thrash more bc of the attention that Moss brings

[flexxskins]

I don't know if anyone remembers, but when Ramsey was starting during training camp...he and Patten had a very special thing going as far as QB WR relationship goes.

They were lighting the field up. Everyone thought that Patten was going to be the man. I don't know if anyone else has noticed this, but I have noticed that Patten seems to have trouble getting separation alot of the time.

The Giants seem to have exposed this when they were able to double cover Moss with success. Brunell was not able to find anyone else to go to.

[Dalecitymike]

I was one individual that expected Patten to get close to the same amount of receptions and yards as Moss. As the season went on I noticed time and time again Patten dropping the ball, or not getting open. How can you complain about not getting enough opportunities when you blow so many in the past? Put up or shut up in the NFL!

[Jumbo]

Well, I'm not going to jump all over Patten when I don't know what questions LaCanfora was asking him. Nobody's going to be saying anything very insightful after a loss like that - I mean, just look at this board - heck, look at this thread.

It sounds like Patten understands that he needs to step his own game up ... and if he doesn't we'll see probably see some more Taylor Jacobs.

Bring on the Eagles.

Agree completely. I think Patten should have made those two catches, but then everybody dropped the ball yesterday. I won't take this one show of frustration in this article, especially such a relatively mild display, as enough to start branding Patten a whiner or anything. I think we'll see a few changes and a lot of re-dedication come out of this loss.

[bubba9497]

he's not ****ing, just frustracted wanting to help the team yesterday.

your making more out of it than what's there.

[tr1]

I'm thinking we'll see some more of Jacobs this weekend...

Wrong place for Patten to complain.

[budski]

Well with everyone covering Moss the others have to get the ball more, I would think,

Cooley could be hurt too, so alot of people are going to have to step it up.

[GhostRider]

I really didn't read anything that I wouldn't expect. Patten has barely seen the ball all year(and the few he's seen were dropped). He wants to make plays just like everybody else, in the long run Brunell is gonna have to spread the ball out a little more to be successful and that's when Patten, Jacobs, and Thrash have to step up.

[Redskins4Life]

It did say in the article that he's been having a hard time getting seperation. He's not really that fast of a receiver. More of a possession-type player, if anything. If we're looking to get speedsters on the field, than Thrash and Jacobs would be the obvious choices there; however they all need to work on getting open, if the passing game is to get out of this 'one-dimensional' funk that the Post is trying to convey upon us.

[Mad Mike]

Doesn't sound at all like the guy we were supposed to have signed. I'll bet he didn't talk like that in NE. Hey Patton, you can start by making plays with the ones that ARE thrown your way, then we'll talk about you getting more passes. I'm trying to root for ya man but you have to meet me half way.

BTW nice grab by Jacobs for 26 yards there at the end. If anyone gets more chances to make plays, I want it to be him. He's shown some flashes of real talent and he's young enough that you know he can get much better than he is right now.

[monarch34]

Bottom line ... don't whine immediately, IMMEDIATELY, after you drop an easy catch that would have been for a crucial first down. Catch the d@mn balls thrown your way first and then you'll get more. This is unbelievable. I say bench the malcontent right now. Absolutely unbelievable that in a team game, he comes out blasting just as the team hits a bit of adversity that they have to work through. I'm really ticked about this and I hope the team is too. There is no room for this type of attitude, particularly when he hasn't made plays when given the opportunity.

[TheGreek1973]

Like many on this board i was, to put it mildly, slightly upset after Sundays destruction at the hands of the hated Giants. Upset but still glass half-full about the year. I figured the 49ers game and the Giants game was pretty much awash. We aren't as good as we looked against the 49ers and we aren't as bad as we were against the Giants. Anyway i was prepared to move on, to look ahead to Sunday night against the eagles (:eaglesuck) And then i go to the WaPo online and I feel like losing it.

In tomorrow's paper there is an article about David Patton complaining about being underutilized (thats how I read it anyhow). Lots of quotes from Patton crying about not getting catches, etc. I can now tell you how angry this makes me. Why you ask? Because of what i consider to be one of the biggest plays from yesterday's game.

Its in the 2nd quarter, the redskins are down but they have the ball and are looking desperatly to start something, anything on offense. Its not looking good but there's still hope, we aren't out of it yet. Its 3rd and 10 Burnell gets the snap, waits, looks, gets some pressure and rolls out of the pocket to the right. He's looking, buying time with his legs and then he throws a perfect strike on the run to David F'ing Patton (to whose credit has come back to help out burnell). The ball is a little low and Patton has to go on his needs to catch it and then the unthinkable...it bounces off his freaking chest. Just bounces off. My 3 year old sister would be expected to catch that ball, forget a freaking NFL wide reciever who just signed a 15 million dollar contract.

Anyway the drives over, we punt and my dad says (correctly), "thats it. we drop balls like that we have no chance against them today". and we didn't, as I'm sure we all noticed.

Pattons drop is not the only reason we lost that game Sunday but the gall of this guy to come out and complain after that showing is just beyond me. How dare he? How freaking dare he? Show up Patton. Show me something before you complain in the media and kick the team while its down. I love the Skins, I try not to be a fairweather fan and i'm sorry if I'm off base here but I had to get this off my chest. Hopefully you guys can talk me down. Thats all i got. Sorry about the length. :2cents:

P.S. Heres the article, what do you guys think?

I pointed out this play being the worse of the afternoon for the skins for me, worse than the first Tiki run because that that time we needed a spark. Getting a first down on the 50 yard line when converting a 3-14 would have been huge for the offense. Lets for argument sakes Patten makes that super easy catch. We are at the Giants 49 1st and 10. Even if we don't get another first we pin them back with a punt but if we get a couple of firsts and just kick a field goal the score is 6 to 3 and the Giants had to start feeling bad having missed two golden opportunities to be up 14-3. If we scored a TD on that possesion and taken the lead it would have been a huge letdown for the Giants having all those yards and still trail. In otherwords that non-catch killed us, and it set the patern for Moss, Royal etc to have their drops. IMO if you want a play to point where everthing went down hill fast from then on this was it.

So Mr 3 superbowl ring Patten STFU and start making the plays when the ball does come your way.

[cyfar]

yea if we expect to win we have to get the ball to Patten/Thrash more bc of the attention that Moss brings

Why not Mr. Jacobs? I believe it's his 3rd year in the league, and I'm tired of hearing how great of a player he is in practice. It's time either for him to step it up in the games or time for the qbs and the coaches to make an effort to get him the ball. Patten has valuable experience as a player, but I don't see him as a number two WR on this team.