Hooper Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 From his Burning Questions at SI.com. I hate Banks more than Pasquerelli because on top of hating the skins, he also almost always goes out of his way to praise his beloved Ravens, or in this case somehow leaves them out of question number one. Seriously, after week one, how many of you think the colts, who should have beat the pats, are in more trouble than the Ravens, a team without a qb on their roster and a receiving corps so bad they are actually considering putting past-his-primetime into the lineup? Then, in question number three, he gives the skins no credit at all for beating Tampa (a team with a defense almost as good as Baltimore's and a better offense if you ask me). 1. Which 0-1 playoff contenders are in the biggest trouble? We'll give you two nominations, one in each conference. And here's a hint: Both of these teams started 5-0 last season and went deep into the playoffs, meaning they've already strayed from their 2003 blueprint. It's early, early, early, but in the NFC, you can't like how things are looking in Carolina. Having dropped its home opener Monday night against Green Bay, to become the sixth consecutive Super Bowl loser to start the next season 0-1, Carolina now must travel to Kansas City this week, where the Chiefs will be just as eager as the Panthers to not start 0-2. Carolina has a Week 3 bye, followed by a tough home game against division rival Atlanta, then brutal road games at Denver and Philadelphia. It's not a stretch to imagine a 1-4 record at that point. Throw in a home game against San Diego and a trip to Seattle, and the Panthers could easily be 2-5 on Halloween night. The saving grace is that nobody in the NFC South is going to run away with things, giving the Panthers time to salvage their season if they can manage to hang in there in the first half. With five of their six division games falling after Thanksgiving, Carolina could still be heard from even with a 3-5 record at the turn. In the AFC, the Colts don't have it quite so tough, but they will be severely tested in the season's first month. Losing at New England was painful enough for Peyton Manning and Co., but now the Colts face this week's trip to Tennessee. A loss and Indy is two games behind the Titans, their toughest division rival, after just two weeks. Last year, the Colts and Titans both finished 12-4, with Indianapolis winning the division based on its two-game sweep of Tennessee. In Week 3, the Colts open at home against Green Bay, and we all found out what the Packers can do on the road Monday night at Carolina. Then Indianapolis makes a trip to Jacksonville, where the Jaguars upset the Colts 28-23 last year, a win that sparked Jacksonville's resurgent second-half showing. Are we talking an 0-4 getaway for the Colts? Probably not. But 1-3 could be a reality. That would make things mighty difficult for playoff positioning (Cue the Jim Mora "Playoffs?'' sound bite), given that Indy still must play at Kansas City and Denver in the season's final 10 weeks, in addition to home games against Minnesota, Tennessee and Baltimore. 2. Which Week 1 injury will be most costly to his team? It was tough luck for the Lions to lose receiver Charles Rogers again and the injury-plagued Eagles must do without the services of their first-round pick, guard Shawn Andrews. The Bucs' feeble offense is lessened by receiver Joey Galloway's groin injury, and the Titans O-line took a hit when it likely lost guard Zach Piller for the year with a biceps tear. But none of those compare to Carolina's plight after seeing No. 1 receiver Steve Smith go down with a broken left fibula late in its Monday-night loss to visiting Green Bay. What does Smith bring to the Panthers offense? Only a ton of swagger, leadership and toughness, to go with an undeniable big play-making presence. And then there's his valuable special teams role as the Panthers' top punt returner and No. 2 kickoff returner. Smith's monster season last year -- a career-best 88 catches for 1,110 yards and seven touchdowns -- had as much as anything to do with Carolina making its first Super Bowl. His 404 receiving yards and three touchdowns in the playoffs was highlighted by his dramatic 69-yard game-winning score in double overtime at St. Louis. With Smith out indefinitely, the Panthers will need that much more from No. 2 receiver Muhsin Muhammad, veteran No. 3 man Ricky Proehl and promising rookie Keary Colbert, the team's second-round pick out of Southern Cal. If Colbert comes on quickly and helps fill the void, the Panthers will consider themselves lucky. But Smith was the X factor in the Carolina passing game, and his contributions aren't really replaceable. 3. Is it too early to anoint Joe Gibbs the miracle worker in Washington? You better believe it. Look, the Redskins will be a more disciplined, fundamentally sound football team this season than they ever were in the seat-of-his-pants Steve Spurrier era. But let's not get too carried away with Washington's 16-10 conquest of visiting Tampa Bay on Sunday. Was it a case of the Redskins being really good, or the Bucs being really bad? If I have to choose without any further data to go on, I'm leaning toward the latter. The Redskins statistically dominated Tampa Bay on the ground, and had more of the game's breaks go their way, and still the outcome was in doubt until the final minute. While Washington assistant head coach/defense Gregg Williams did a masterful job of blitzing the Bucs into oblivion, not every team is going to allow him to use that game plan to obscure the Redskins' most glaring defensive weakness: It's mediocre front four. At some point soon, Washington cornerbacks Shawn Springs and Fred Smoot will be tested by a team that actually throws the ball downfield (unlike the Bucs, who prefer to go sideways), and the Redskins run defense will be under the gun as well. Then we'll see just how much chicken salad Williams can make out of his current ingredients. On offense, running back Clinton Portis answered the bell early, but at 33 touches a game, he might not make it to election day. Quarterback Mark Brunell, he of the ever-so-soft tosses, must do more to pull his weight than the 13-of-24, 125-yard day he had against the Bucs. One quick reminder: The Redskins won a tough, low-scoring home-opener in Week 1 last season, beating the Jets 16-13, and started an impressive 3-1 in Spurrier's second year on the job. Then all the holes started showing up, and Washington went 2-10 the rest of the way. Gibbs' Redskins are better than that. But how much better we can't possibly know just yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeSkins Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 I don't see anything that isn't a valid argument. I was thinking of the 3-1 start to last year this week, as well. Not doubting Gibbs or the team, but I can see how others are. It wasn't too impressive of a win in most circles' standards. Convincing to most people is lighting up someone through the air, and having pretty good success on the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba9497 Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 you need to post a link:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooper Posted September 16, 2004 Author Share Posted September 16, 2004 http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writers/don_banks/09/14/don.banks/index.html It's not that some of his points aren't valid, it's that he constantly goes out of his way to write something negative about the Skins (he really hates the Gibbs hype) and praise the Ravens (he lives in Baltimore and is buddies with Billick). Any longtime reader of his work knows what I mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingGibbs Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 I think this was a fair analysis of our 'skins. I to do not know what to expect from this team other than I know we will be discplined. My :2cents: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skins11 Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Without addressing your whole post, I do agree that "past-his-prime time" should be Peon's new name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntotoro Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Man, when the haters come out, they come in full force, don't they? :doh: No way, no how is CP gonna' get 31 carries every game this season. The Coaches took advantage of what they had. You'd be a fool to think he'd be used that much over 16 games. No way, no how. Then he holds breaks going our way as something against us? Isn't that how teams win? You take advantage of the breaks that go your way. This is just full-on hate. Comparing this year's opening win to last year's is the icing on the cake. Whatever... Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba9497 Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 While I agree that we can't expect miracles over night.... some of the stuff he writes is pure stupidity. 1. Portis ran 29 not 33 times. And Joe Gibbs history shows he doesn't "overwork" his back. He is a HOF Coach... you think he may know a little bit about how to use his players He didn't get dumb in the past 12 years. 2. Okay so Washington is going to use the same defensive schemes against every team...exactly the same. RIIIIIIIGHT! Fred Smoot has proved the past year he can handle WR one on one, down field, plus Shawn Springs didn't just fall off the turnip truck.... I love how he implies they are untested 3. The DL is no where as bad as many expected, while they may not generate a great pass rush often... they have been very good against the run in pre-season (I Know) and the first game. Charlie Garner & Mike Alsott are no slouches and are at worse considered an average RB tandem. 4. The offense will come. Brunell, and the WR are still learning, and working on getting in sync. Having Portis & Betts will help while they do. 5. Who got most of the breaks in the game?????? what game was he watching, even the announcers mentioned how the Skins got hosed on a couple of calls (like the spot of the ball) I believe it was the Bucs got a freebee TD on the Skins fumble, their only miscue of the game. I am not proclaiming the Skins are super bowl material yet.... but they were not just lucky to win, as his tone indicates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinsfan93 Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 While his points are valid, I can see what you mean about him making his little digs against us. The comment about chicken salad is an example. He seems like a deuchbag... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk Diggler Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writers/don_banks/09/14/don.banks/index.html Love how he claims that we "got the breaks" in that game. Was he even watching? Did he miss the botched hand off and the fumbled snaps? How bout the bad spot that cost us 4 points? 3. Is it too early to anoint Joe Gibbs the miracle worker in Washington? You better believe it. Look, the Redskins will be a more disciplined, fundamentally sound football team this season than they ever were in the seat-of-his-pants Steve Spurrier era. But let's not get too carried away with Washington's 16-10 conquest of visiting Tampa Bay on Sunday. Was it a case of the Redskins being really good, or the Bucs being really bad? If I have to choose without any further data to go on, I'm leaning toward the latter. The Redskins statistically dominated Tampa Bay on the ground, and had more of the game's breaks go their way, and still the outcome was in doubt until the final minute. While Washington assistant head coach/defense Gregg Williams did a masterful job of blitzing the Bucs into oblivion, not every team is going to allow him to use that game plan to obscure the Redskins' most glaring defensive weakness: It's mediocre front four. At some point soon, Washington cornerbacks Shawn Springs and Fred Smoot will be tested by a team that actually throws the ball downfield (unlike the Bucs, who prefer to go sideways), and the Redskins run defense will be under the gun as well. Then we'll see just how much chicken salad Williams can make out of his current ingredients. On offense, running back Clinton Portis answered the bell early, but at 33 touches a game, he might not make it to election day. Quarterback Mark Brunell, he of the ever-so-soft tosses, must do more to pull his weight than the 13-of-24, 125-yard day he had against the Bucs. One quick reminder: The Redskins won a tough, low-scoring home-opener in Week 1 last season, beating the Jets 16-13, and started an impressive 3-1 in Spurrier's second year on the job. Then all the holes started showing up, and Washington went 2-10 the rest of the way. Gibbs' Redskins are better than that. But how much better we can't possibly know just yet. Don Banks covers pro football for SI.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk Diggler Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 My bad, didn't see this was already posted:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big z Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 let them hate, just don't let them jump on when the gettin is good. all these righters are saying, don't get too excited....true skins fans know what's up...we're excited cuz Joe is back, the team is on the right track....Superbowl Champs aren't built in a day, i'm just sick of these writers saying "hold the phone, come down from your high horse" when the vast majority of us are grounded, realistic, and happy as hell to have Joe on the sidelines again..... these writers are idiots. i don't want their praise, and to hell with their criticism..... WTF is don banks? c'mon....when was the last time King had the pads on? Dr Z? lets be real.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldskool Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 The only thing that I can agree with Banks here is the D line. Still a huge issue and our obvious Achilles heal. The rest is utter trash. This is piss poor journalism. How else do you describe getting facts wrong, making baseless assumptions, and an overall lack of knowledge on the topic that you are writing about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingGibbs Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Originally posted by Hooper http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writers/don_banks/09/14/don.banks/index.html It's not that some of his points aren't valid, it's that he constantly goes out of his way to write something negative about the Skins (he really hates the Gibbs hype) and praise the Ravens (he lives in Baltimore and is buddies with Billick). Any longtime reader of his work knows what I mean. Billick is such a pompous a$$. I don't understand how Raven's fans can defend this guy. Last night he told the fans who are in panic mode to soil themselves and go somewhere else. What a d!ck. :ravensuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyDave Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 I would like to be over looked all the way to the playoffs including no SI covers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neophyte Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Ahhhh Bubba? Portis had 29 rushing attempts and 4 receptions for a total of 33 touches, just like the man says. However, that being said, I take pretty much same view of this article as Bubba does. While it is factual as far as it goes, Banks is making some assumptions for the Skins staff that no self respecting NFL coach would do. Williams will have custom game plan for every team. Hell, the game plan will different the second time we play each NFC east opponent than it was the first. Portis will not average 33 touches a game. Gibbs has already said that and there is no reason to disbelieve him at this point. No other Washington back has averaged anywhere near that and Portis won't either. The D-Line was designed to stop the run, not rush the passer. Williams has said that all along. His priority with them was containing the other teams running game which will then allow him to open up the blitz to stop the pass. This D-Line did just that on Sunday and managed a sack to boot. Please. There are other teams whose coaching staff stayed intact from last year whose passing offense did not look that good in the opening week of the season. Gee, Baltimore comes to mind in this catagory. Not only that, their rushing attack did not look good either. At least we got one of out two. while I don't consider last sunday a mircle, I think it important to point out that it was exactly the type of game we lost most of last year as the team laid down in the 4th quarter. There was no laying down last week and the game was not as close as the score indicates. Banks needs a new outlook on the NFL. Gibbs isn't in the Hall of Fame for nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ECU-ALUM Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Hmmmm...notice how you never see Lenny and this guy in the same room together....hmmmm...very interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skins11 Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Haters wanna hate Players wanna play Don Banks don't want None of the above He wants to pee on you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrfriedm Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 :finger: You just have to remember who said things like this so in four months we know who's had their head up their @$$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeSkins Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Originally posted by bubba9497 1. Portis ran 29 not 33 times. I think by touches he was counting receptions, which leads to four more tackles he absorbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba9497 Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Originally posted by Neophyte Ahhhh Bubba? Portis had 29 rushing attempts and 4 receptions for a total of 33 touches, just like the man says. :doh: thought the blow hard wrote carries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba9497 Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Originally posted by ECU-ALUM Hmmmm...notice how you never see Lenny and this guy in the same room together....hmmmm...very interesting. Have you ever seen anyone fit into the same room with Lenny? I mean still able to breath that is..... :laugh: When he sits around the house.... he sits AROUND the house... :bow: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntotoro Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Forgot one thing about CP... On offense, running back Clinton Portis answered the bell early, but at 33 touches a game, he might not make it to election day. Isn't he one of the guys who lambasted the 'Skins for cutting Stephen Davis... someone who was supposed to be a workhorse getting 30 touches per game? The same Stephen Davis who'd turn gimpy the last quarter of every season... ? Now we have a back and they're saying he's getting the ball too much... ? WTF? Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatty P For The Pulitzer Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 This clown just picks out teams he isn't impressed with and highlights the negative aspects of the team, and does the opposite for the teams he is impressed with. All of his points are valid, but as someone said, this is S.O.P. for Banks' analysis of the Skins. He'll point out that Portis got too many touches and Brunell looked bad, but will "forget" to mention that teams who have had the most success against Tampa the last few years are teams that have run at them between the tackles all game. What is he going to say when Deuce McAllister gets 100 yards on 25-30 touches later this year against them? "The Saints had a great gameplan to run it up the middle against Tampa"? And next week, if Brunell throws for 300 yards and Portis only gets 65 rushing, he'll say Portis' week 1 performance was a fluke instead of pointing out that Gibbs threw the ball all day because of the Gint's poor pass D. I do agree with him picking Indy over Bmore as being in more trouble because the Colts have some tough games coming up. Bmore has Pittsburgh and Cinci, 2 teams they should be able to beat because of their mediocre defenses. Banks probably was assuming the big matchup on Oct. 10th is a gimme win for his beloved Ravens, too. Can't wait to see how he spins that loss for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avg Joe Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 I admit, I would like to see what happens when a team actually does open their offense up. And I don't expect them to play the same way against every team. To compare this team to any of the teams of the last 12 yrs is just plain foolish. They will be better, one cause the schedule sets up nicely, and two, cause there are real coaches here, with game sense. That alone is going to be worth more wins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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