JLC: Michael Vouches for Abundant Talent; How About You?

[SonnyJ]

No question Collins came in and played better than Campbell was playing last year, but when the oline couldn't protect him in Seattle he had the same results Campbell had been getting.

So, your argument is that, the moment Collins came in, the OL just started playing better until the Seattle game, then it regressed to how it was performing with Campbell at QB? Seriously? You really believe that?

Or, is it more likely that getting down early against a team with speedy DEs playing in the loudest stadium in the league will cause protection issues? And why is Campbell's standard of measurement a career backup QB? Shouldn't we expect at least a similar standard of performance, time in system notwithstanding?

You know what is kind of stunning? Campbell, in his 30+ starts, has only had one game where the Redskins beat the opposition by double digits (Lions last season 34-3, a game where the D/ST helped generate a bunch of points). But, in the last 3.5 games last season where Collins played, the Redskins won by 8 (played only about half the game and the Bears kicked a meaningless FG at the end of the game), by 12 (at the eventual SB Champs, a game where the Redskins were up 22-0), by 11 (another game where the other team closed the gap late), and 21. Each of these margins is greater than just about everything that Campbell has produced. Interesting...

Campbell was playing very well early this season, there is no denying that. Everybody was saying how he had arrived. He's been inaccurate and indecisive in the last 6 weeks, but he also had very little time and was taking a beating. You hit any QB that much and he's either going to start throwing pics or patting the ball and taking sacks. It happens to the best of QBs. When you can't protect and you only have 1 receiver that can make plays you're in trouble, no matter who your QB is. Favre looked completely done 2 years ago when Green Bay let the veteran olineman go elsewhere. Their oline started playing better last year and suddenly Favre could play again. Now he's getting great protection in New York and he's lighting it up.

Campbell still is a guy who hasn't played a whole lot of games. Early in the season last year Giants fans were calling Eli a bust and look at him now. Campbell needs a good oline in front of him and some big targets that can get open(hopefully the rookies) and build up some confidence. If he gets those things he has a chance to develop into a very good QB. It's too soon to say he's a bust, and to blame the teams' results on Campbell with all of the problems they have is just not seeing the big picture. Sure Campbell has largely stunk the last 6 weeks. The whole damn team has.

I fundamentally disagree with you. I believe Campbell is the principal cause of the protection problems, not the line. Teams are forcing Campbell to make quick decisions to beat them, and he has been unable to do so.

You think Campbell is the first QB to take some shots? All of them do, but the good ones adjust and burn teams for coming after them. Did you see Romo sits to pee play against the Giants last week? The dude got pummeled in a way that Campbell never saw in his worst nightmare, but he came back and still made plays and led his team to victory. MAKE other teams pay for blitzing. You think it's any coincidence that, behind the same OL, Matt Cassell has been sacked 2-3x as much as Tom Brady?

I remember Jay Schroeder throwing a 30yd TD pass to Monk against the Bears in the playoffs when Steve McMichael was on top of him as soon as he got the ball. QBs get pressure. Make the other team pay.

The OL may not be great, but it's not awful either. It's functional. There are other QBs doing more with less. Same with the receivers. Receivers are an extension of the passing game design and QB - if one and/or both aren't functioning, then receivers pretty much disappear. You can't judge receivers too much given the current state of the passing game. We hear from people who are at games that such and such receiver was open, but Campbell is locked into one guy (usually Moss) and blows the read.

You seem to think that the QB should just be another cog in the machine. That's fine, and that may be the ideal scenario. Unfortunately, I think the ideal scenario is largely a product of a bygone era. You may get teams, in stretches, that function at such a high level collectively that the role of the QB is to merely not make killer mistakes and the team can still be almost dominant. But that won't endure. The nearly universal stamp of a consistent contender is a QB that can consistently elevate the level of play of his teammates. Campbell just hasn't proven himself capable of that.

A guy concluding his fourth season should be showing consistent signs of QB savvy, regardless of system, if it is ever going to be there. Maybe Campbell is an exceptionally late bloomer, but, really - if a guy needs a dominant defense, exceptional OL, dazzling receivers, and a potent running game in order to succeed, does it really matter who is taking snaps? A lot of guys could perform pretty well in that situation.

[Smoot Point Really]

I'm not sure JLC could answer the following: How many times has Marion Barber run for 1k yards in a season?

[GSF]

The oline is far from functional. It has been downright dominated for the last 6 weeks thanks to Samuels' injury and Rabach and Jansen getting dominated by stronger, faster dlineman. Interesting that the oline was actually a little better with Fabini and Heyer in there last week and Campbell started to make a few plays again.

I'm not saying Campbell isn't part of the problem, he's played poorly the last 6games. I'm agreeing with you there, but it's way too early to call him a bust under the current circumstances. 30 starts is not that many. New Yorkers were screaming bust at Eli after his first 35 starts until he got it going. Eli also got it going as his youngish oline started to gel.

Campbell was showing that savvy you mention earlier in the season. He was looking off safeties, avoiding sacks, and finding his 3rd options. He didn't half a pic for half a season. He lost his confidence when he started taking that beat down from around mid season. Zorn also lost confidence too when he realized he couldn't protect Campbell long enough to make plays down field and it really did a number on his play calling.

I want another offseason of Zorn and Campbell together before I can write them off as busts. I think they both have a ton of potential, but found themselves in very difficult situations this season. JLC was right in this article and so was Wilbon when he pretty much said the same thing a few days ago: The Skins are paying the price for not drafting lineman and trading away draft picks in general.

[TSO]

Even fools can utter truths at times.

Enjoy it while it lasts JLC.

[Fifty Gut]

JLC was on point with this post

[SonnyJ]

The oline is far from functional.

I disagree with you on this point, and neither of us is going to convince the other that he's wrong, so any further discussion is pretty much moot.

[Pounds]

I agree with most of what JLC had to say with this particular blog (I disagree with his assessment of LaRon's strengths). The verbal spat and name calling, however, between "The Sourcerer" and "Mouthpiece" Michael is just silly and childish though and JLC should not lower himself to Michael's lap-dog level.

[Dustin Oldfather]

Please stop posting JLC. This guy tried to get a tampering charge against our GM...no matter how goofed up the FO is...costing the team draft picks in a pissing contest is dis-respectful to the fans.

[KingGibbs]

Please stop posting JLC. This guy tried to get a tampering charge against our GM...no matter how goofed up the FO is...costing the team draft picks in a pissing contest is dis-respectful to the fans.

Vinny doesn't need help with costing us draft picks. He does a fine job of costing us picks on his own.