WP: To Analyze Campbell, 'Jaws' Goes Straight to Video

[Dirk Diggler]

Good stuff. Don't know why the WP can't find unbiased sources like Jaws more often.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/23/AR2006112301041.html

To Analyze Campbell, 'Jaws' Goes Straight to Video

Former Quarterback Mostly Likes What He Sees After Film Session

By Howard Bryant

Washington Post Staff Writer

Friday, November 24, 2006; Page E01

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. -- In the inner sanctum of NFL Films, former all-pro quarterback Ron Jaworski is performing video surgery on Jason Campbell, an intense battery of cuts, freeze-frames and rewinds designed to meticulously dissect the quarterback who now is the Washington Redskins' most important player.

Jaworski sits in front of a large television holding a laser pointer, reviewing the same game film used by all 32 NFL teams. For the next two hours, Jaworski, an analyst for ESPN and its "State Farm NFL Matchup," and NFL Films senior producer Greg Cosell, nephew of legendary broadcaster Howard Cosell, will deconstruct all 34 of Campbell's passes from Sunday's 20-17 loss to Tampa Bay, focusing on five key sequences. The session provides a rare glimpse into top-level evaluation and film study that is as illuminating for its exposure of the Redskins' flaws as a team as it is for its study of Campbell.

First and 10, Washington 26 13:21, First Quarter

On the Redskins' first play from scrimmage, Campbell fakes to Ladell Betts and throws 53 yards in the air to a streaking Brandon Lloyd; the ball drops through his hands. Jaworski shakes his head. On the first play of the game, Lloyd has left a big gain on the table, but Jaworski likes Campbell's poise.

"The good thing he does here is that he looks down the middle of the field and keeps the safety honest," Jaworski says. "A lot of young guys, if they're throwing the ball there, when the ball is snapped, they stare at him. . . . The term is, 'If the receiver beats the corner, the quarterback's got to beat the safety,' and he did that by keeping him in the center of the field."

The play is perfect, Jaworski says, but Lloyd has blown it.

[BuryYourDuke]

Yeah, I'm sure we've all wondered what that game would have been like had B-Lloyd stopped making bad rap songs long enough to hold on to that pass.

[MonkFan8]

The link isn't working for me. I do like Jaworski, though. He's about the only ESPN analyst that I can stand.

[BuryYourDuke]

The link isn't working for me. I do like Jaworski, though. He's about the only ESPN analyst that I can stand.

True. Link is broken, and Jaws is good. I love that show that comes on EARLY on Sunday mornings with him where they break down film a little. Just wish it was longer.

[SkinsFTW]

Dead link? It's not working for me either.

[kwitt]

Jaws knows his stuff. He eats up the film room.

[Thirtyfive2seven]

That first pass was a thing of beauty!

He's only going to get better.

[TK]

Link's fixed.

[RedskinzOwnU]

Interesting read. Jaws says that we're leaving a lot of passing TD's on the field, and that it's the offensive line's fault. He especially singles out Jansen.

[Goaldeje]

The link is broken, but if you go to the Post's website, you can hunt it down.

The gist of the article is that the gameplan is sound, maybe even very, very good, but our offensive line is not giving our QBs time enough to execute it.

Very interesting stuff. Jaws likes Campbell a lot, apparently. Says he needs to work on his 3 step drops, but overall looks very solid.

Very good read.

[SkinsFTW]

""They're going to try for the big play here," Jaworski says. "This is a big-play design. Two-receiver route, eight blocking, and they're going to have it, too."

Campbell uses a play-action fake to Betts. Wide receiver James Thrash runs a square-out to the left, but tight end Chris Cooley is open deep in the right seam. Safety Jermaine Phillips blitzes. Center Casey Rabach slides the wrong way, allowing Phillips a clean shot, but Campbell spins away from the sack and hits Thrash for 15 yards and a first down.

For Jaworski, this is the play of the game. He loves Saunders's game plan, but says the pass protection, particularly tackles Jon Jansen and Chris Samuels, is preventing touchdown opportunities. Jansen, Jaworski says, is "getting pushed backwards more than I've ever seen him," while Cosell considers Samuels "a nice player, but not an anchor over there."

"You've seen two breakdowns in protection that have cost them," says Jaworski, the red laser zeroed on Rabach. "But that's a big-time play. That's a hell of play. You've got the blitz coming in clean, unblocked, off play-action. He turns back. That's really good. You see the arm strength. With all due respect to Mark, he doesn't make this play.""

[SkinsTillIDie]

I think he lost a lot of crediblity when he said at the end: "I really like Mark, and for the most part thought he played pretty well, maybe a little inconsistent."

[kovachs]

Great article and great analysis by Jaws.

[MonkFan8]

Thanks for fixing the link

Nice read. Makes me really wish our line was a bit more solid.

[Cheers, Beers and Mountaineers]

i think this is the first reacton iv seen about campbell's first start not from the local media. (jaws works for ESPN, not the WP)

[BuryYourDuke]

That's good stuff. It kind of bums me out to read someone confirm my suspicions. The O-line is the problem with our offensive execution. Let's hope we start to match players with the system if Saunders is sticking around.

[Warhead36]

I agree basically with everything he said.

The general gist of the article was "Campbell will be fine but the rest of the players aren't very good, especially OL."

Read that article and you'll find out what I and others have known for a while, it's NOT the playcalling.

[ThomasRoane]

Kinda scarey about the O-line. Love Jansen as a Redskin but that calf injury really seems to be hurting his play. That's one thing that bugs me. Put someone else in who's healthy. He might make a couple mistakes but at least he can be physical.

[Fifty Gut]

interesting

wish we could have breakdowns like this from Jaws weekly

[Joe Gibbs II]

Wow anyone see the ken harvey video?

I know hes trying to be a skins fan, but you could tell that man was lying about everything he said as he was trying to hold in his laughter. Plus, look at his eyes when he was saying the score. As fight club says, if you look down it looks like you dont know what you are talking about, and if you look up, you are making things up.

[mistertim]

Read that article and you'll find out what I and others have known for a while, it's NOT the playcalling.

I definitely agree. I have always thought that the people calling for Saunders to get the boot were being a little knee-jerk since we had no idea what the missed plays were supposed to look like, just what they ended up looking like. I agree with Jaws that the 1st to Thrash under pressure was a major indicator about Campbell's abilities. The fact that in his first start he was able to stay poised under pressure and complete that pass with a guy basically hanging on to him says loads. Obviously he isn't perfect but he has what it takes to be out there. I think the 3 step drop thing will come with time and experience at the NFL level. Same with the WR route issue he pointed out, though that had me a bit more concerned. Overall, a good article.

:applause:

[ARSexton]

Plain and simple... Jansen is a bum

[Rskins91]

I always thought Jaws to be very smart at evaluating talent and one of the better ESPN anaylists. My only problem with him was his occasional homerism for the Eagles, but nobody is perfect.

[meek]

Never knew that a single article could be so encouraging yet so frustrating at the same time.

BTW: I considered Jaws to be a Philly homer myself until last year when I went to the January game in Philly. After the game, a group of Skins fans were hanging around the players tunnel and Jaws actually came over, gave a couple waves, and was pretty friendly to us after we beat his old team. Pretty cool guy. Golic, on the other hand, is a different story.

[TomE]

I think he lost a lot of crediblity when he said at the end: "I really like Mark, and for the most part thought he played pretty well, maybe a little inconsistent."

Selective perception perhaps?

"But that's a big-time play. That's a hell of play. You've got the blitz coming in clean, unblocked, off play-action. He turns back. That's really good. You see the arm strength. With all due respect to Mark, he doesn't make this play."

Key words, "With all due respect"..... Jaws knows how hard it is to play NFL quarterback and what it's like to experience the downside of a great career. He's also mature enough to publicly critique a player without bashing him like an "ignorant grade schoolyard bully"