ESPN: Campbell fully prepared to lead Redskins (El Mergero)

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp07/columns/story?columnist=chadiha_jeffri&id=2959642

good stuff

[the krabber]

Just read it and was about to post it. Then saw you posted it.

Great article. Really puts Campbell in a good light.

Chadiha has shown himself to be a pretty solid writer. He writes good articles and stays away from the slights and bias that Pastabelly is known for.

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

and heres the insider stuff:

ASHBURN, Va. -- Four observations from Washington Redskins training camp, gleaned from the team's practices:

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

The Redskins will need a healthy Clinton Portis in 2007.

1. Injury bug bites early

The Redskins have to be nervous about the knee injury that has sidelined Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels for a month. Last year, they watched running back Clinton Portis sustain a preseason shoulder injury, a setback that wrecked their hopes of jumping out to a good start.

If Samuels is out longer than expected -- he sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee on Monday -- the Redskins would have major issues protecting the blind side of quarterback Jason Campbell. The backup options include veterans Todd Wade and Jason Fabini, and undrafted rookie Stephon Heyer, who actually practiced with the first team this week because injuries required a personnel shuffle along the line.

The Redskins are also hoping the tendinitis in Portis's right knee doesn't become a bigger issue. He has missed practice time this week as well. As guard Randy Thomas said: "As long as I've been in this game, people have been getting hurt. You don't know the timing and you don't know what's going to happen every day. You have to prepare and try to get back. The guys behind you have to step it up."

2. Spotlight on the defense

It's no secret the Redskins need a better performance from their defense if they hope to return to the postseason. The unit ranked 31st in the NFL last season. The Redskins couldn't stop the run (opponents averaged 137.3 yards per game) or rush the passer (19 sacks overall). The defense simply couldn't provide much assistance for an offense that had plenty of problems.

The Redskins hope their offseason additions will help solve the issues that plagued the unit last season. The return of cornerback Fred Smoot provides the secondary with another defender familiar with the schemes of defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

The addition of middle linebacker London Fletcher also gives the Redskins a reliable tackler at the heart of their defense. The defensive line still has some questions, as the group lacks a true difference maker, but there is at least some cause for optimism. "That side of the ball led us for the first two years I was back here," said head coach Joe Gibbs. "It feels like we're making strides to get back to that level."

3. Landry looks good

It is easy to understand why so many scouts rave about the potential of rookie safety LaRon Landry, who reported to camp on Tuesday after signing a five-year contract. He made an eye-catching interception while facing the first-team offense during Wednesday's morning practice.

When quarterback Campbell tried to complete a corner pass into the end zone, Landry broke quickly on the play and snatched the pass just before it reached the fingers of wide receiver Brandon Lloyd. If that wasn't enough, Landry dragged his feet along the sideline and managed to stay inbounds on the play.

The pairing of Landry and Pro Bowl free safety Sean Taylor should give opposing offenses fits for years to come. The key is how quickly Landry can acclimate himself to Williams' blitz-heavy schemes. That system puts a lot of pressure on the safeties to get people lined up correctly, but once Landry and Taylor familiarize themselves with each other, they should form an imposing tandem.

4. Brunell will be big

Campbell knows the presence of backup Mark Brunell will help his growth this season. Campbell spent the last two seasons watching how Brunell, a 15-year veteran, handled himself in the offense. Campbell realizes he will benefit from Brunell's wisdom, whether it is pointing out weaknesses in the defense or talking Campbell through a game-changing mistake. The assistance that a veteran backup provides can be essential to a young signal-caller.

Campbell actually talked about this with Cleveland Browns quarterback Charlie Frye, when both men were on vacation in the Grand Cayman this offseason. "Charlie told me that it made a huge difference when he had Trent Dilfer backing him up (in 2005)," Campbell said. "But he had nobody there to learn from last season and it hurt him."

[GhostOfLamontHollinquest]

Nice find BLC. Didn't he call the wrong play or change the play when he throw the winning TD pass to Cooley against Carolina?

[Vinnick]

That was a feel good read

[Vinnick]

Nice find BLC. Didn't he call the wrong play or change the play when he throw the winning TD pass to Cooley against Carolina?

No, the radio cut out in the middle of the coaches telling him the play. so, he picked one from that formation I believe, and threw the TD to Cooley.

[GhostOfLamontHollinquest]

That Landry note is the most promising thing I've heard about the Redskins this offseason. Awesome.

[SeanTaylorthePunterSlayer]

Thanks for the articles BLC...

Still counting down the days 'til 9/9

[ldysknzfn1]

That was a great read. Thanks for finding and posting that. Never hurts to have some good press to boost one's confidence. He seems to have it all in place, it's just a matter of enacting it on the field. I can't wait to see him in action this season as the starter!

Good story!

[Leonard Washington]

As Randle El tells it, Campbell was so green that afternoon that he actually called a play in the huddle that included the wrong formation.

"By the time we got to the line of scrimmage, we were all pretty confused," Randle El says. "I know I was thinking that something didn't sound right when Jason called the play. But he knows the offense much better now."

is this the famous "balco" incident?

[hail2thegibb]

Someone at ESPN wrote this???? I don't believe it... There was nothing negative... WOW!!

[Touchdown Redskins]

I love Jason Campbell's work ethic. Peyton Manningesque...

[HitStickTaylor21]

it's just like every other report I've read about Campbell, not that it's a bad thing, just really generic.

[BigMike619]

Brunell is going to be a great tutor. He didnt lose his mentality for the game, just his ability. It sucks when it happens, but he got old and thats just the fact. but in his prime he was a major factor to be dealt with. He just doesnt have the speed or arm strength. but he still has the wisdom and i bleieve that being a Christian man he also has the patience and want to tutor and bring Campbell along.

Landry will be starting game 1; that is my prediction. He is just too talented and will be too much of a force to be wasted on the pine. I almost feel sorry for the WRs who will have to keep one eye out for him or ST coming across to knock them stupid. almost feel sorry. i just hope that Glenn comes back in time for him to get knocked out by one of them. TO too.

HTTR!!

[21dave]

That Landry note is the most promising thing I've heard about the Redskins this offseason. Awesome.

Agree. That really fired me up.

[LoudMouth12thMan]

Good read. Thanks for the post

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

like i posted earlier in my comments about the camp i saw, landry looks like the real deal, and thats just from what i saw on maybe 5 or 6 plays. if you watch him closely, the guy has great instincts. he seems to have a very good grasp of reading a play and reacting, and he can react quick as lightening. the pick he had on blloyd from campbell in the endzone is clear proof that guy can play.

if we give this kid a pass rush, we'll have the best secondary in football by a landslide.

[[[ghost]]]

I truly think that Campbell is going to be very similiar to McNabb. Both are extraordinary at the long ball, both can run the ball well (McNabb was spectacular in his early years, before he excelled as a true QB), now Campbell just has to put it all together.

[Siven]

What's really promising about Campbell, is that he only really threw 4 picks, 2 others he was in the process of being sacked, and just did a really dumb thing by tossing it up. 10-4, with 53 % completion. Usually when you have a 53 % completion, your td-int looks more like 4-10.

[CamLwalk]

Shhhhh! I don't want the rest of league to know about JC...yet!

[JohnnyUtah]

This is from ESPN.com --> http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp07/columns/story?columnist=chadiha_jeffri&id=2959642

Campbell fully prepared to lead Redskins

ASHBURN, Va. -- There's a funny story that Washington Redskins wide receiver Antwaan Randle El likes to tell about third-year quarterback Jason Campbell.

It goes back to Washington's 20-17 loss to Tampa Bay last season, a game that also happened to be Campbell's first NFL start. As Randle El tells it, Campbell was so green that afternoon that he actually called a play in the huddle that included the wrong formation.

"By the time we got to the line of scrimmage, we were all pretty confused," Randle El says. "I know I was thinking that something didn't sound right when Jason called the play. But he knows the offense much better now."

This story is valuable for two reasons. One is that it still makes players like Randle El chuckle nine months later. The other is that it's an example of how far Campbell has come since his first day on the job. In one offseason, the young quarterback has transformed himself from a raw, wide-eyed novice into a confident, eager leader of a team hoping to bounce back from a disappointing 5-11 season. And the best thing about Campbell is that he already feels comfortable in his role as a full-time starter.

As he left Redskins Park after a practice Wednesday morning, he talked about how nice it is to enter a season with the experience he acquired by starting the final seven games in 2006.

"I really gained a lot from that," said Campbell, who completed 53.1 percent of his passes with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions last season. "It's one thing to sit and learn, but you can only get so much doing that. I had the chance to learn from being on the field, and that's really going to help me this year."

This isn't to say that Campbell didn't gain anything from watching as a backup behind Mark Brunell. During most of the past two seasons, Campbell took extensive notes while standing on the sidelines so he could recognize all the different looks that opposing defenses could throw at him. He watched how Brunell handled himself in the huddle and he eagerly accepted whatever tips Brunell offered. Campbell knew his time was coming and he wanted to be ready for his opportunity.

Jason Campbell did everything possible in the offseason to improve his all-around game.

That approach, coupled with those seven starts, has helped Campbell develop quickly this offseason. In fact, his receivers say he's already releasing the ball earlier on pass plays. Last season, he had a dangerous habit of holding the ball until his receivers made their breaks and then firing passes into tight coverage. Now Campbell is throwing the ball before his receivers make their cuts. Said Randle El: "That's a sign that he trusts us to be where we're supposed to be."

Campbell also has a better grasp of the offense. He gave himself one week of rest during the offseason, and that was only so he'd have time to enjoy the Fourth of July. Even when Campbell wasn't with the team, he was still working. Most nights he would take home a series of DVDs to study the throws he attempted during workouts and minicamp practices. If Campbell was going to struggle during his first season as a starter, it wasn't going to be attributed to a lack of preparation.

What Campbell understood was that this offseason provided a rare opportunity for him to learn. Prior to this season, he had spent the past six years of his career learning a new offense. He had four different offensive coordinators at Auburn, and the Redskins hired Al Saunders to hold the same job one season after Campbell entered the NFL.

"This is the first time in six years that I haven't had to start over from scratch," Campbell said. "Instead of learning new plays, I can actually watch film of the things I did last year and see how I can get better."

When Campbell watched that film in the spring, he saw things that bolstered his confidence. Despite his mistakes, he noticed that he wasn't that far away from making the kinds of plays he needs to produce in this offense. Now the next step is for him to take that knowledge and elevate his game. He's also willing to heed the advice he's received from former Redskins quarterbacks like Doug Williams, Joe Theismann and Brad Johnson, who all advised Campbell to play within himself and let his supporting cast help him.

Campbell certainly won't lack for assistance, by the way. He'll have a strong running game with the talented tandem of Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts. He'll have a sturdy offensive line as long as left tackle Chris Samuels returns promptly from a sprained right knee that is expected to sideline him for a month. And after an offseason of throwing to receivers like Randle El, Santana Moss and Brandon Lloyd, he should have better timing with that group.

"When you're the backup, you rarely get a chance to work with the first-team receivers," Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs said. "Now that Jason is the starter, he'll have a chance to find his rhythm."

One thing Gibbs tries to do is temper the expectations on Campbell. He knows how easy it is for the pressure to get to a player so eager to begin his tenure as a full-time starter. But it already looks like Campbell is ready to deal with all the scrutiny that comes with his position. He's waited for this opportunity. He's prepared for it. And he knows that his success comes down to one thing: putting his teammates in the right position to win games.

[McMetal]

Merge-o-rama~

[Commander Adama]

Hey Johnny, I believe this was already posted by BLC. Sorry. Thanks though!

[JohnnyUtah]

Sorry all...I searched for it, but obviously I didn't search well enough. Sorry Mods.

[terpfan]

It's a fluff piece, but a positive one at least. That's nice to read. And I'm pretty sure that quote at the beginning is about JC's accent, not his lack of understand of the plays...