Biggest Surprises of the year (O and D)

[zoony]

the dline was in terms of pressure. we are still lacking a consistent pass rush from our front four and we are still lacking a complete stud DE. carter had a solid year, but we are still missing that scary DE that teams are terrified of.

#4 overall against the run. 10th in the NFC in sacks, however I think much of this is due to the defensive gameplan thru the first 8 weeks of a soft cover-2 zone.

[Stone Cold]

let's not forget the third facet of nfl football: special teams.

much props go to suisham...nice to have a kicker again

[MrJL]

good call too, wonder what theyre gonna do with this guy.

Keep him and keep doing what they're doing with him. His official position can be J, for Jumbo, because he comes in on either side of the ball when it's time to bring in more big guys.

[MrJL]

good call too, wonder what theyre gonna do with this guy.

Keep him and keep doing what they're doing with him. His official position can be J, for Jumbo, because he comes in on either side of the ball when it's time to bring in more big guys.

[JMS]

Neither. The biggest suprise of the year is the depth on both the O and the D. The biggest suprise is when we loose a starter, then loose his backup, our third string young guys like Blades, Heyers, and Caldwell are all playing great.

We've got youth and depth again. That's the biggest supprise of the season.

[GSF]

actually yes, and its incredible he finally played a full 16 game season. but lets be honest, springs just came on in december, he hadnt been playing that well up until the bears game. it was like he turned on the 2004 switch when the weather got cold.

Don't downplay Springs' season. He played well ALL YEAR, but really turned it on down the stretch when we needed it. He is a big part of the winning streak. He had a great season. Still think he's a bum?

[JMS]

Don't downplay Springs' season. He played well ALL YEAR, but really turned it on down the stretch when we needed it. He is a big part of the winning streak. He had a great season. Still think he's a bum?

Williams said he thinks Springs is playing the best football he's played since signing with the Skins during this stretch. Williams also had huge comlimentary things to say about Smoot. Said basically our outstanding corner back play is a big reason for the stretch.

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

Don't downplay Springs' season. He played well ALL YEAR, but really turned it on down the stretch when we needed it. He is a big part of the winning streak. He had a great season. Still think he's a bum?

get off your high horse of "oh i told you so". i never said springs was a bum, i said he was constantly injured (which he was) which in turn affected his playing (which it did). he somehow miraculously didnt get injured at all during the season, and i think its cause they really took it easy on him early in the year.

somehow for the first time in 6 years he didnt get injured. we all know HGH heals guys faster and helps regenerate damaged muscles, and we all know he missed training camp to spend time in arizona, but im not about to point that finger. just saying maybe is all. it wouldnt shock me to hear he was doing something like that. 33 year old guys with a history of injury dont usually just heal up and stay healthy all year.

[GSF]

Whoa. You're gonna throw him under the bus with those kind of allegations(steriods)? You have any reason at all to believe that is true, or are you just willing to stoop that low just to not have to admit you were wrong?

[thelarkascend1ng]

no way you can't put todd collins on that list for offense.

[Thetimeisnow]

The season isnt over yet.

[SkinsFanAnt]

Heyer was definitely a surprise but the biggest surprise BY FAR IS:

JASON FABINI

OMG, you guys don't remember how bad this guy was in Dallas. He couldn't block a pebble. I remember loving that the Pukes had him because I knew it meant Bledsoe on his back all day. But Buges man, Buges is the shizzit. He has this dude playing very well...I mean...against the Giants and Pukes? Are you kidding me!

Defense: I'm going to go with...mmm....I guess Doughty. I thought this dude was a scrub remembering back to when he was constantly toasted against NE but the dude is turning into a 'Bill Bates' type of safety. The D-line gets a close second (yes, the entire line...remember how bad they were last year?)

[Smoot Point Really]

Any conversation that doesn't include Todd Collins on offense is missing the point.

On defense, I'll pick Andre Carter... 10 sacks seems good to me. Hopefully, we can improve and take more pressure off him and he gets more next season.

BTW, I can't believe the continued love that Carlos Rogers is getting... 1 INT for a TD in garbage time and he gets a mention? He helped lose the first Giants game by whiffing on Plax... Please... you'd think some guys grant him the same "infallibility" that Catholics grant the Pope...

[Larry]

I said this offseason that the Dline wasn't going to be an issue this season. I was laughed at.

I didn't laugh at you out loud. But I did think it.

How many people wrote off our season when we didn't spend our #1 pick on DL?

[Califan007 The Constipated]

BTW, I can't believe the continued love that Carlos Rogers is getting... 1 INT for a TD in garbage time and he gets a mention?

If that play is the only good thing you remember about Rogers then you definitely were NOT paying attention...

[Rufus T Firefly]

Offense:

1. Heyer

2. Collins

3. Fabini

Defense:

1. Springs staying healthy

2. Montgomery

3. Doughty

Honorable Mention for play on all units:

Lorenzo Alexander

[haileysbadoldad]

Offense Todd Collins by far

Defense Shawn Springs

honorable mention Fred Smoot

Collins has played like a pro bowler since he came in, and Springs has returned to his old form and been a shut down corner.

And lets be honest we were all worried whether we were getting the Vikings Smoot or the Redskin of old, and since Rodgers went down he has shut down that side of the field.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Collins is the biggest surprise in football.

For me, on D, the biggest surprise is that Andre Carter is not a total liability in the running game. He's an average run stopper...which is really all you want from someone with his pass rush skills.

[Smoot Point Really]

JASON FABINI

OMG, you guys don't remember how bad this guy was in Dallas. He couldn't block a pebble. I remember loving that the Pukes had him because I knew it meant Bledsoe on his back all day. But Buges man, Buges is the shizzit. He has this dude playing very well...I mean...against the Giants and Pukes? Are you kidding me!

Fabini is pretty useless on running downs. Did you see him get wasted by the Vikings? Our running game has mostly suffered because Randy Thomas isn't in there and we're stuck with Fabini. It's a pity Wade never materialized as a good Guard, because Fabini is clearly our "weakest link" on offense... This I say after I claimed that we had no weak links in that other thread.

[haileysbadoldad]

And if you know about HGH and Steroids it actually makes people not only get injured easier but more violent of an injury. I am a die hard Griffey fan but when you tear muscles suck as hamstrings its because your muscles are grown to the breaking point. Just look at the wrestlers who tear calf muscles and triceps

[Smoot Point Really]

If that play is the only good thing you remember about Rogers then you definitely were NOT paying attention...

I've documented this hundreds of times... Just read other threads on Carlos Rogers... The guy went from being very bad to almost good this year. In his brief stint this year, he made costly mistakes and his absence of positive plays were equally as bad. While everyone bombs Fred Smoot for his poor play, which of his mistakes have actually cost us points or games?

Please, the love affair with Carlos Rogers has to end... He's a decent player and a Redskin. We all root for him, but he isn't worthy of being mentioned as a "big surprise"... Just too many folks consider it anathema to call him merely average and up until this point in his career "a bust".

[SkinSince87]

Rock has been solid returning kicks and given us good position all year

[redskins59]

I've documented this hundreds of times... Just read other threads on Carlos Rogers... The guy went from being very bad to almost good this year. In his brief stint this year, he made costly mistakes and his absence of positive plays were equally as bad. While everyone bombs Fred Smoot for his poor play, which of his mistakes have actually cost us points or games?

Please, the love affair with Carlos Rogers has to end... He's a decent player and a Redskin. We all root for him, but he isn't worthy of being mentioned as a "big surprise"... Just too many folks consider it anathema to call him merely average and up until this point in his career "a bust".

So, let me get this straight: You claim to know more than Gregg Williams eh? Is there a reason why Smoot was used by GW as our #3 CB? Let me tell you why: Carlos Rogers is better than Smoot by leaps and bounds. Before the New England game(the game in which Rogers went down), our team was giving up about 14 points a game, if I remember correctly. Since then, the number's gone way up. Why? Smoot is mediocre at best in coverage, and not physical enough.

In Minnesota, a Panthers WR named Steve Smith burned Smoot for 200 yards or so. Smoot can't handle tough, physical receivers like Rogers can. Carlos Rogers is probably our most physical corner. Now, don't get me wrong, Smoot is a good player, but he is our #3 CB for a reason. He's just not physical enough. Plays his guts out, but physical WR's like TO and Steve Smith eat him alive. Last year I remember TO getting shut by Rogers.

[Siven]

No one mentions the Iron Man that is Alexander?

O-lineman, D-lineman, special teams, even lined up as TE & WR ??

Definately.

Golston, montgomery, Wilson, Blades, Doughty, Mix, Heyer, the list goes on of low round draft picks or rookie FA who are making serious contributions to this team. If we keep it up, we will definately be building something special. Great teams have loads of role players that let them be solid or better in all phases of the game.

The FO might just be figuring it out, young core of players to build around, near full set of draft picks, etc.

(knocks on wood)

[Siven]

Any conversation that doesn't include Todd Collins on offense is missing the point.

On defense, I'll pick Andre Carter... 10 sacks seems good to me. Hopefully, we can improve and take more pressure off him and he gets more next season.

BTW, I can't believe the continued love that Carlos Rogers is getting... 1 INT for a TD in garbage time and he gets a mention? He helped lose the first Giants game by whiffing on Plax... Please... you'd think some guys grant him the same "infallibility" that Catholics grant the Pope...

Sean Taylor also took a horrific angle. He was terribly out of position. It's called Plax is a very talented receiver and he made a play. Sean could have contained that and stopped that touchdown but he got beat bad. Seems like you dont mention that.