Late Monday Observations One Day After Being in the Press Box
FedEx Field has not been a place for the faint of heart two games into the season as both contests have been decided on the final play. Depending on your vantage point , either the Washington Redskins blew a 27-10 lead or the Houston Texans rallied from a 17-point hole. Either way, nobody can say games involving the Redskins are boring anymore, that's for sure. Here are my thoughts on that game as well as other notes from around the league,..
Houston
1) It was obvious already, but on the football field, Andre Johnson is a man. Forced to the sideline with a sprained ankle – one that later was wrapped King Tut-like – Johnson went to the locker room to get "treatment" and came back out telling the coaches he was going back in even after the trainers said he was done. We know the rest; scores the game-tying TD on a fourth down, jump-ball pass. He was moving slowly in the press room after the game, enough to show that he was not 100%, but the effort he gave upon his return clearly was.
2) Fine, Arian Foster will not run for 200+ yards each week, but his 138 total yards were impressive all the same. Unlike the gaping holes he had against the Colts defense in the opener, Foster had to dance a lot more to find space against the Redskins run defense, but when space was there - or he created it - he exploded up the field. Looking oh so shifty, Foster also turned a short pass into a 50-yard pickup and overall. Almost any production was going to look ordinary in comparison to his stunning opener, but Foster was an effective weapon when the Texans weren't pitching and catching the ball down field. Keep the faith, no doubt.
3) For all the pre-season hype surrounding Jacoby Jones, the Texans best receiver without the last name Johnson continues to be Kevin Walter. Even when AJ went out, Walter had no issue being the main option and he ripped the Redskins for long plays. In all he had grabs of 35, 24 and 21 yards. Plus he hauled in each of his 11 targets; talk about efficiency. Granted Jones had a fine day and also found the end zone, but If Walter is available in your league, get a piece of this high-powered offense now while you can.
4) Number of targets in a game where the QB throws the ball 52 times may not be a true indicator, but Johnson (17), Walter (11) and Jones (9) all saw plenty of looks. Tight end Owen Daniels caught two of his five targets for 24 yards.
5) Had someone in one of my fantasy leagues this past week ask me if I was nervous about Matt Schaub because of how great the Texans ground game looked in their first game. I think I was able to withstand laughing in his face or giving him the old stink eye, but either way, I don't think anyone is going to be asking that again anytime soon.
6) If the Texans had blown this game, botched kick returns by Steve Slaton would have been mentioned as one of the reasons. At least the former starting running back still appears to be the number two back behind Foster with Derrick Ward nowhere in sight. The former Giants and Bucs runner was the only active Texans player not to see the field.
7) It would have been very, very easy for the Texans to not show up for this game, coming off an emotional win over their arch nemesis in week one, especially since the hunger for that win had been building for months. The factor in the 20-7 and 27-10 holes they found themselves in. Instead, the Texans rallied not just for the win, but to make it clear to the rest of the league – and to any remaining doubters – that this squad was in it to win it. Said Johnson after the game, "My thought coming into this week was that I knew that a lot of people was going to be questioning us, asking if we were for real. I think we showed a little something today."
Washington
1) The epitome of the silver lining - How desperate have the Redskins fans been for not just winning, but simply having a viable, exciting and professional product on the field after years of unimaginative offensive schemes and Mickey Mouse coaches? Many are singing a happy tune today even after their team blew a 17-point lead because the passing game was electric and the team overall played inspired, even if ultimately losing football.
2) I have called Donovan McNabb the "best-worst QB" I have ever seen due to his penchant for tossing worm burners or getting into a John Starks in Game 7 of the NBA Finals like accuracy drought. But when he is on like he was for the most part on Sunday, it is a sight to behold. His staggering stats were thisclose to being even greater, but two receivers were tackled at the one after catching a pass and McNabb was oh so close on hitting Joey Galloway on a deep ball late in the game. Too bad his overall weapons are rather mundane, but based on this performance McNabb is a low-end QB1 at worst.
3) Whether it's Clinton Portis or Larry Johnson or John Riggins, the Redskins cannot run the football right now. The backs are getting hit in the backfield. The runners they have are simply too old and no longer have the ability to make anyone miss. Portis is running hard and makes for a potential RB2 play against the Rams this week, but tread lightly overall. In fact, see which owners in your league will bite on his two-TD performance and ignore the 2.5 yards per carry average. As for Johnson, even though I was a pre-season advocate, I am ready to the pull the plug if need be. The best Redskins back to own my very well be rookie free agent Keiland Williams, who is seeing increased playing time and caught four passes against the Texans.
4) Albert Haynesworth was inactive due to an ankle injury. Hmmm. Maybe his presence on the field doesn't make a difference, but considering the Redskins defense gave up a whopping 497 passing yards to Matt Schaub, it would have been nice to see what a consistent pass rush push from the middle would have done to slow that roll. This situation continues to be a nightmare all the way around.
5) Speaking of the defense, safety LaRon Landry is looking much more like a heat-seeking missile, not to mention potential Pro Bowler, now that he has been moved – FINALLY – to his more natural "strong" spot His aggressive style was a poor, poor fit when he was asked to play a reactive center field. He and the rest of the Washington defense make for a fine play against Sam Bradford in week three.
6) Two games into this rookie year, left tackle and fourth overall pick Trent Williams has faced DeMarcus Ware and Mario Williams. Though both of the premier pass rushers made plays against him, Williams more than held his own. Assuming he gets back on the field quickly from a toe injury – the initial fear that he also suffered a knee injury has fortunately been ruled out – Williams is on his way to becoming a fine anchor for this evolving line. However, if he is forced to miss time, McNabb, et al will be running for their lives.
7) Cue up Alanis Morrisette please…Speaking of Williams, one of the key – and ironic - plays took place right after the big man was forced the sideline. Last week the Redskins snatched victory from the jaws of defeat when officials called a holding penalty when Cowboys RT Alex Barron nearly put Redskins OLB Brian Orakpo in a sleeper hold on the final play of the game, negating the game-winning touchdown. In this game with less than 90 seconds in regulation and the Redskins trying to get into game-winning field goal position, McNabb completed a 22-yard pass on 3-and-20 that would have given them the ball just shy of midfield. Instead, Stephon Heyer - the man that replaced Williams – applied a near copycat hold on Mario Williams; the refs too spotted this infraction, wiping out the play.
NFL
1) After watching Michael Vick pass and scat all over the field in his first NFL start since going to the pokey, add me to the list of those that does not see why he should not be the Eagles starting QB in Week three and perhaps beyond. This is not a knock on Kevin Kolb, but the man expected to be Donovan McNabb's replacement is far from entrenched. Vick's mobility is a major asset for a team that has lost key blockers early on and his playmaking skills looked sharp to boot.
2) Drafting Jahvid Best as early as the fourth round in mock drafts dating back to June is looking more and more brilliant with each passing week. Sitting him yesterday for Brandon Jackson, not so much. The Lions rookie will be starting from here on out and is on the verge of becoming an RB1, if he isn't already with four scores in two games.
3) Of all the QB benching that took place in week two, the spots that I am most interested in seeing what transpires are in Carolina and Arizona. I was buying the Jimmy Clausen hype at draft time – not in the top-10, but as a talent – and now he gets a very early chance to show what he can do. Not a fan of throwing rookies into the fire this early, but the Panthers do have a typically strong ground game to take the pressure off of him and Steve Smith has a hstory of running under passes no matter who throws them. Fellow rookie Max Hall also got a taste of the pro game, coming in late during the Cardinals blowout loss to the Falcons. From a winning and losing standpoint, the Cards might be better off making a change at QB, but it would likely not benefit Larry Fitzgerald owners to see the erratic bomber Derek Anderson replaced by the former BYU star.
4) No Jay Cutler. Adios Brandon Marshall. Guess what? The Broncos can still sling the ball. Kyle Orton continues to look might efficient and highly productive, throwing to what is now looking like a deep pool of receivers. Considering the struggles that the likes of Joe Flacco, Carson Palmer and Brett Favre have had so far, you could do a lot worse than plugging Orton into your fantasy lineup.
5) Reggie Wayne has clearly been the apple of Peyton Manning's eye in the first two weeks while Pierre Garcon has been MIA with only four catches in that span. It might not be fait to call Wayne a sell-high candidate, but let's not forget how his numbers tailed off in the second half last season. At the same time, do not rush to send Garcon to the waiver wire as Manning will spread the ball around and is sure to find the third-year receiver sooner or later.
6) With the news that his groin injury is not serious, Michael Turner can breathe easier. Also, they should not be worried about Jason Snelling stealing too many touches even after his stellar relief effort against the Cardinals. However, those that own Ryan Mathews, who also left his game due to injury, should be a bit more concerned about their prized rookie's situation. Yes, most of Mike Tolbert's yards came after Mathews went out with an ankle injury in the second quarter, but the big back also pounded one in from the goal line in the first, before the injury. The injury does not serious and thus Tolbert is nothing more than a deep reserve for now, but Mathews value will take a hit if he loses out on this close-in bunnies.
7) Kudos to those that kept Hakeem Nicks in their lineup despite the ankle injury and late Sunday start and were rewarded with what was perhaps a game-winning score in garbage time. That's what fantasy football is all about; grabbing victory from the jaws of defeat. For those like my buddy Tim who were on the other end of that...well, the sun did come out today, right?