Top 10 most pivotal Redskins

[rtandler]

Not that I would ever plug another Redskins site here , but there is a nearly-completed series of articles that I wrote for CPND about the Ten Most Pivotal Redskins for 2003. Here's my list with a brief explaination as to why:

10. C Larry Moore--Was the middle of the O-line weak last year because of him or in spite of him?

9. S Infanye Ohalete--Team has passed up opportunities to upgrade this sport; can he live up to it?

8. DE Renaldo Wynn--A pretty big contract for a two-down player. Can he perform on passing downs with Lavar staying in a two-point stance?

7. LB Jeremiah Trotter--Cap dollars demand that he round into Pro Bowl form

6. P Bryan Barker--The Redskins punting game was the worst in the entire NFL last year.

5. FB’s Bryan Johnson/Rock Cartwright--They'll have to be content with doing the dirty work picking up blitzed.

4. CB Fred Smoot--For the reasons discussed.

3. WR Rod Gardner--He has to make the defense pay for doubling Coles.

2. DT Dan Wilkinson--Gets paid too much to be mediocre.

1. QB Patrick Ramsey--Obvious.

[Henry]

Interesting. I don't necessarily disagree ... especially with a published writer on the Redskins such as yourself.

But let me throw a few more names out there:

11) RB Betts/Canidate -- One of these guys had better be the real deal. I think Watson is gone, but if not add him to the list.

12) WR Coles -- We know what Gardner can do in this offense, but we paid the big bucks to the other guy.

13) DC Edwards -- I know he's a coach, but I sure hope he doesn't suck.

14) QB Ramsey -- He needs to be on the list twice.

[Awesome]

L. Coles: If he flops, we're fauked!

[Art]

RT,

I suggested you move this to another thread, and I was so anxious I did it for you. Worth a breakout for everyone I think. Here would be my Top 10.

1. Ramsey -- Reason is obvious. The QB in a QB-centered offense. Everything falls on him more than to many QBs. He's not Michael Vick who will be protected all year. He's going to have to run things the way Spurrier wants and he'll have to do it well if we can expect any real success.

2. Coles -- Let's not overthink this. Coles is coming off a 90-catch season. He's been selected as our No. 1 receiver. If he can emerge as a legitimate Top 5 receiving threat in an offense that is more centered on receivers in the passing game than most, we'll have great success here.

3. Morton -- His benefit to us in the kickoff return game is obvious. He's one of the best and he's dangerous enough here that teams change how they kick the ball to him to prevent big plays against them. But, his real value is more likely to come in the punt return game where he has less experience. First, by having him it allows us to keep Champ out of the way. Champ was more dangerous to us than the opposition last year. Our punt returners continually lost field position by not knowing how to field punts. We lost turnovers in this. We were atrocious. If Morton is even average in this position coupled with his strength on kickoff returns, we suddenly go from having the weakest special teams return units in football in total to one of the best and that will win games.

4. Smoot -- With Bailey on the other side and coming off as fine a year for a corner as anyone has ever seen, Smoot has to be a guy who makes teams feel it's worth testing Bailey. He doesn't have to be as consistent in coverage. He has to be more dangerous. Bailey isn't dangerous. Smoot can be and if he can be he'll make teams continue to test Champ and that works to our advantage. If he's able to consistently take his man out of the game it allows relatively weak or at least unknown safeties to appear as strengths, similar to 2001.

5. John Hall -- Too many kickers. Too many missed kicks. Hall is far from the most accurate kicker, but he's a proven weather kicker and can kick under pressure. Consistency from this position wins us a couple of games we've lost in the past. It allows Spurrier not to run the risk of going for it and giving the ball back to the opposition in great territory. It changes how we call plays as we're driving. We can go for more touchdowns on third down knowing that we either don't have to go for it on fourth down so much, or more, that NOT getting it on third down essentially cripples us on fourth due to lack of trust. This will increase our potency inside the 40.

6. Barker -- Same reasons. We lost the field position and special teams battle almost every week. Barker is a good kicker. He had a terrible year. A rebound to his average self forces teams to make an extra couple of plays on each drive and consistency will prevent some of the atrocious situations we saw last year.

7. Gardner -- Here's where Gardner can emerge in one of two ways to be key for us. He has to be enough of a threat that teams can't simply game plan for Coles and think they are safe. But more, if he has more in him than 70 catches for 1000 yards, he can actually emerge as a No. 1 receiver, allowing Coles to run free against coverages he might never see again. Many Redskin fans seem to think Gardner is all he's going to be. If he emerges as more it assures Ramsey's success as he'll have a lot of open guys to throw to.

8. Trotter -- Probably could be higher and would be higher if he played as horribly all year last year as he did early. But, he rebounded. He showed how when he's making plays the defense around him improves. He's still in a heavy linebacker-centered defense and he's got to be the guy who pulls it together. He has all the talent in the world and the pedigree to vault the defense to an elite unit if he is, from the opener to the final game, the guy he was in Philly.

9. Arrington -- along the same lines as Trotter. He's a backer in a backer defense. But, more. When Arrington is not happy, those around him are unhappy. He's the most visible member of the team. He's had miserably slow starts each of his first three years. If he hits the ground running this year there's no telling how good he can be and how good he can make those around him be.

10. Bowen -- We've been a team with a void at the free safety position. Terrell is out there, but you rarely know it. We never make plays out of this spot and this spot is ideal in our defense with two good corners to come up big. Bowen proved he has big games in him last year with the Pack. He now has to emerge for us on a regular basis and he has to show up around the ball. In one playoff game last year Rod Woodson was in on more plays for the Raiders in one game than Terrell was all of last year -- in terms of tipped balls and interceptions -- it seemed. Bowen needs to double our production in this area of the game and we'll be a better team for it.

In general I wouldn't have put our fullbacks or Moore on the Top 10 list because fullbacks just play so small a role for Spurrier. Moore may not even start if Dockery emerges and Fiore can be nudged over. But, even if he does, he is the guy who's in shared duties along our line. He doubles a guy by design. He's rarely so important on any given play that he could be pivotal.

[glorydays]

Larry Moore, though he can play some NFL level Center is more notable as a Guard, where is very effective in pass blocking and enough, at times, but not dominating on the run.

I think, that he can be replaced by someone that has far more low center blocking. We'd still be in a win win situation, because we can use him in depth at either position.

Bowen most likely will add to names of favorites as the season moves on. His strong suit is being up to the challenge when it is a redundant attack by an offense at his position or zone, especially in those playoff games for the Pack. He's isn't the World beater in a HOF context, but he's better than average. This is one gritty dude and that is what it will take to be successful on defense, in an emerging power division.

Big Daddy is like the friend you want to keep, but just keeps irking you. It's not the personality, it's his psyche and that purse.

I wonder if the person who signed him still has nightmares at night. :laugh:

The Rock. Like what I see in the guy, but wonder if down the road there's a lean to someone else, based on tradition and comfort of height. He and Del Cowsette can be very good depth at the worst, so I'd keep him for his athleticism, special teams and guts. Always handy in the last 8 and a stretch drive to the playoffs. Cowsette is has at least removed the mystery of his usefulness. Depth.

Ohalete isn't going to be an every down Safety unless he can convince coaches he's the man. He must "clearly" show he is THE guy on the weak side. He has shown flashes of outright electrifying play, and other times, being slightly out of position, though his speed has made up for most of it. He still covers very well with TE's or WR's. He isn't afraid to hit, challenge the lead blockers, blitz from a distance and is highly motivated on special teams, often coming up big when it counts. Watson, Terrell, Rock, Mitchell and Pierce have come up big in ST also.

[TerpSkin]

1. Dan Wilkinson

2. Brandon Noble

3. Regan Upshaw

4. Renaldo Wynn

5. Chris Samuels

6. Jon Jansen

7. Randy Thomas

8. Larry Moore

9. Dave Fiore

10. whatever other lineman gets a lot of playing time.

If the lines kick a$$ then everyone else just needs to avoid regressing and we will dominate.

[Redskinswhoopass]

Top Ten Most Potivital That is a tough list to make... But mine would go as followed.

1. Ramsey: Obivious,+ most povital postion

2. Canadte/Betts/Watson: Without a RB were up a Creek.

3. Steve Spurrier: Has to learn from last year. Cause some games like the 49ners game we got out coached.

4. Fred Smoot: We are going to need him to Cover opp. Baeily

5. Coles: Needs to stay healthy, and perform like he did last year

6. Trotter: ILB is a staple of the Defense

7. Bryan Baker: field postion is a key factor

8. Bowmen/ I.O.: Needs to help Defend the deep ball we got burned a lot last year on Deep balls

9. John Hall: So we can get 3 when we have too

10.Randy Thomas/ David Forie: So we can keep Ramsey Vertical this year

Honarble Mention: Renaldo Wynn: We need to get some Pass Rush wihtout blitzing.

Edwards: Needs to prove he can be a D. Cordnatior.

For this list i only put players that have not proved themself as a Redskin, or need to bounce back from sub par years.

Excluded and Why

Rod Gardner: Had a solid season last year dispete having a QB Merry-Go-Round

Dan Wilk: Just needs to take up Space and that is what he is good at. With all pro LB's we should be fine.

Larry Moore: Started all 16 games last year, it seemed to do ok.

Brayn Johnson/ Rock Cartwright: With the signing of new OG's there blocking job should get easier. Plus there both soild FB's.

[bulldog]

nothing disrupts an offense more than inside pressure. Wilkinson has the capability of putting up good sack/hurry numbers, he just hasn't been asked to do it recently.

on defense I think his performance may be the most critical for the very reason that we CAN count on Bailey, Armstead, Arrington and others to be effective players.

DT is one of the spots on the team, along with safety as Art mentioned, where we sort of need a break and have someone really come through. At DT, Noble and Haley are good run stoppers and with Trotter back I think the defense vs. the rush will be BETTER than it has been.

The question comes down to pressure. If Smith stays healthy and Wilkinson is able to get upfield, the Skins will not have to blitz and sell out to get to the qb, opening up space for big plays down the field.

[Posse81]

1. Patrick Ramsey

2. Fred Smoot

3. Rod Gardner

4. LeVar Arrington

5. John Hall

6. Ladell Betts or Trung Candidate

7. Regan Upshaw

8. Randy Thomas

9. Matt Bowen

10. Chad Morton

10t. Bryan Barker