Dead Money Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 From the Post this morning.... I REALLY REALLY look forward to seeing him play next year (WITH RAMSEY) For Cooley, a Dismal Moment but a Bright Future http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64638-2004Dec14.html Cooley also is a perfectionist. The pass that trickled off his fingertips in the end zone at the end of the first half Sunday will not soon be forgotten ("I mistimed my jump," he said), and Cooley believes he should catch any pass he gets a finger on. Speed, however, does not come so naturally, and Cooley will dedicate the offseason to getting more explosive in hopes of developing into one of the league's elite players at his position. After such a successful rookie season, expectations will be high."I know I can make plays," Cooley said. "I have at every level I played football in, but I didn't know what to expect coming here. I didn't know if I would be a third-and-short guy or just a blocking tight end. I wouldn't say I'm surprised that I'm catching balls out on the field, because it's what I've always done, but it's been nice to be actually like an impact player for the team. It's been neat." The WHOLE ARTICLE By Jason La Canfora Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, December 15, 2004; Page D01 Long after a tough 17-14 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night, Washington Redskins rookie H-back Chris Cooley was still pondering what more he could have done. Sure, he caught five passes for 75 yards and continued to emerge as a consistent playmaker in an offense that desperately needs one, but he could think of nothing except the last pass thrown his way -- the one that got away. Quarterback Patrick Ramsey was locked in on Cooley, and the duo had already combined on several significant plays to put Washington in position to pull off what might have been the biggest upset in the NFL this season. Chris Cooley, right, has become one of Patrick Ramsey's favorite targets. (Jonathan Newton - The Washington Post) With Washington trailing by three with less than two minutes left in the game and the ball on the Philadelphia 27, Ramsey looked for the massive target (6 feet 3, 265 pounds) in the back of the end zone one final time. He figured that Cooley generally catches anything within reason and held a significant height advantage over anyone in Philadelphia's secondary, but this jump ball was not to be. Ramsey's pass veered too far to the left corner of the end zone and into double coverage; Cooley had no chance to catch it while two Eagles fought for the ball and safety Brian Dawkins came down with a victory-clinching interception. "The end just kind of kills you to lose a game like that," Cooley said, "especially on a pick in the end zone. I mean, I was far away, but anything I could have done to break it up or something. It's tough to have something like that happen. I saw it [replayed] on TV, and I know I didn't have a play on the ball, but if I could have just got my hand under it and knocked it out or something we could at least kick a field goal and tie the game. So that [stinks]." While the result was yet another setback for the Redskins (4-9), Cooley's performance bodes well for the future. Coach Joe Gibbs has repeatedly criticized himself in recent weeks for not getting the 22-year-old more involved in the offense early in the season, and there is no way Cooley's role is going to diminish now. He and Ramsey have a growing chemistry, and Cooley has all the tools -- size, athletic ability, exceptional hands, an ability to run well after the catch -- to become a dynamic cog in this offense for years to come. "Take out the fact that he's a rookie and he'd still be showing us something," Ramsey said. "If he were a third-year guy he'd still be impressing me. He's got a great feel, he gets open, he catches the ball, he holds on to it after he catches it, he makes plays with it afterwards. So I would say he's certainly been -- I wouldn't say a surprise -- but a real weapon for us this year." The Redskins traded up in the draft to select Cooley in the third round (81st overall) from Utah State. Gibbs prizes H-backs and tight ends for their versatility, and they are integral to his offense. Cooley has emerged as the best of the bunch, starting eight games. He played both H-back and tight end in college (as well as fullback and defensive end) and led NCAA tight ends in receptions and yards his senior season. Cooley absorbed Gibbs's challenging system, including his various blocking responsibilities, and the coaches have begun expanding his duties in recent weeks. In addition to lining up in the backfield, on the line and in the slot, they are sending Cooley out wide with more regularity -- similar to how the New York Giants use mammoth tight end Jeremy Shockey -- to create matchup problems for opposing defenses whether the opt to cover him with a linebacker or defensive backs. It worked for a critical 31-yard gain Sunday, when Cooley was able to shed the linebacker nearest him while crisscrossing with wide receiver Rod Gardner. Cooley exploited a gaping hole in the middle of field by reading Philadelphia's zone defense, and then managed to cling to a rocket thrown by Ramsey. "Teams monitor our offense," receivers coach Stan Hixon said, "and when we go three wide they play certain a coverage and when we go two wide they play a certain coverage, and we try to take advantage of what they're giving us. Chris gives us that added dimension as a wideout and also a tight end-type player." Cooley is tied for second on the team with five touchdowns -- he immediately became a focal point inside the 20-yard line even when Mark Brunell was the starting quarterback -- and he has had 15 catches for 127 yards in the past three games after catching 13 passes for 118 yards over the first 10 games. He uses his lumbering body to run over defensive backs after the catch and has the fundamentals of a wide receiver in his ability to get his hands around balls securely and use his size to block out defenders "like a basketball player gaining some space," Hixon said. "He's a playmaker," Gibbs said. "He gets balls thrown to him in there that I don't give him a nickel's chance of catching, but he makes a play on them." Cooley also is a perfectionist. The pass that trickled off his fingertips in the end zone at the end of the first half Sunday will not soon be forgotten ("I mistimed my jump," he said), and Cooley believes he should catch any pass he gets a finger on. Speed, however, does not come so naturally, and Cooley will dedicate the offseason to getting more explosive in hopes of developing into one of the league's elite players at his position. After such a successful rookie season, expectations will be high. "I know I can make plays," Cooley said. "I have at every level I played football in, but I didn't know what to expect coming here. I didn't know if I would be a third-and-short guy or just a blocking tight end. I wouldn't say I'm surprised that I'm catching balls out on the field, because it's what I've always done, but it's been nice to be actually like an impact player for the team. It's been neat.":notworthy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCS Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 Preface this with Coooooooooooooley. "Teams monitor our offense," receivers coach Stan Hixon said, "and when we go three wide they play certain a coverage and when we go two wide they play a certain coverage, and we try to take advantage of what they're giving us. Chris gives us that added dimension as a wideout and also a tight end-type player." Ah. So that would have to do with playcalling and what's done in order to call them. Okay. I'm with it now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead Money Posted December 15, 2004 Author Share Posted December 15, 2004 I think the crowd should just say... COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cphil006 Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 I hope he gets more explosive next season, it will only make him better... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afparent Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 Another positive offseason acquisition Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budski Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 Cooley gets better every game, and I believe he is opening up the passing game to the other recievers, which opens up the long ball and PR is good at that. Cooley is the key to our passing success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfbovey Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 we didn't have many draft picks this season, but I like the players we got with them. Trading to get Cooley is looking like a very smart move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75004 Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 One of the highlights of the offence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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