Redskins sign Calvin Armstrong and Kevin Sampson

I think the fact that we can still put together a decent line is un-effing-believable. If you were told about all of our injuries at the beginning of the season, what would you guess our record to be? I'd check the box for 0-5. Even though we're still 3-2, we were right in the two games that we lost. I think there are a couple reasons we've got to give this team some credit for.



1) The depth of our o-line. You've got to hand it to Bugel. I was writhing this off-season on how I felt our o-line was weak in depth, and I've been completely proven wrong. How many teams in the NFL could have lose two of their starters, then there back up, and still managed to perform. We'll continue to be tested throughout the season... but so far it looks promising.

2) Teams are afraid to attack Campbell. If I'm a defensive co-ordinator I'm not sending the house against JC. He reads the blitz better than anyone could have predicted. He's also got a great outlet (Chris Cooley) that he can basically just chuck the ball at and a catch will be made. He's hit Yoder on some nice scrambles, and he's improved his timing, pocket movement, and release. If your a beat up offensive line, the best thing you can have is a mobile QB who can pick up the blitz well. So far, it's been much better than anyone could have anticipated.

3) Coaching. Reasons 1 & 2 have been made possible, in part, by your Washington Redskins coaches. Thanks also goes out to those that make this possible, viewers like you.

But seriously... MVP goes to Bugel. It appears right now Joe Shmoe could walk onto this o-line and look at least adequate. It may be the schemes, it may be depth, it may be in part to Saunders' play calling. I don't know, but this guy over time has consistently fielded great offensive lines.


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At any rate. The verdict is still out for the rest of the season... and bar none the o-line worries me the most. I don't expect catastrophic results, and I've been conditioned to expect an adequate o-line out there. I guess we'll see.

The O-Line is a major concern obviously. I just went back and watched the first part of the Green Bay game and watched Wade and Fabini on the right side. In my opinion they are a major liability even when they were healthy. Fabini is ok in pass pro, but still plays too high and could get overpowered pretty easily if he faces an elite DT. He is below to far below average in the run game and he is slow getting out in front of run plays (and struggles in inline blocking too, the movement stuff is just more obvious), though the Skins don't seem to be asking him to do that much, probably because they realize he is not able to do it very well. Every time the Packers brought pressure with their LBs from the right side they got through easily. They ran a couple of stunts with the Mike and Sam, Sam crashing inside, Mike looping over the top of him. Once Portis picked up the backer, the other time both Wade and Fabini both went with the DT and both LBs came free. It's an obvious point, but that right side was a problem before the injuries. The guys are serviceable but I think some might give them more credit than they probably deserve. There's obviously nothing the Skins can do, injuries are killing them, but I think if anyone goes back and really watches that right side you wouldn't say that they looked promising. The Skins are surviving despite those guys, not thriving because of them. Just my opinion.

The O-Line is a major concern obviously. I just went back and watched the first part of the Green Bay game and watched Wade and Fabini on the right side. In my opinion they are a major liability even when they were healthy. Fabini is ok in pass pro, but still plays too high and could get overpowered pretty easily if he faces an elite DT. He is below to far below average in the run game and he is slow getting out in front of run plays (and struggles in inline blocking too, the movement stuff is just more obvious), though the Skins don't seem to be asking him to do that much, probably because they realize he is not able to do it very well. Every time the Packers brought pressure with their LBs from the right side they got through easily. They ran a couple of stunts with the Mike and Sam, Sam crashing inside, Mike looping over the top of him. Once Portis picked up the backer, the other time both Wade and Fabini both went with the DT and both LBs came free. It's an obvious point, but that right side was a problem before the injuries. The guys are serviceable but I think some might give them more credit than they probably deserve. There's obviously nothing the Skins can do, injuries are killing them, but I think if anyone goes back and really watches that right side you wouldn't say that they looked promising. The Skins are surviving despite those guys, not thriving because of them. Just my opinion.

Great analysis....tell us your opinion on Wade, we all kinda knew Fabini was marginal.

Nice post SC.

I think you alluded to my general point, that despite catastrophic injuries we are managing to survive. I'm curious to see how DeMuelling (or however you spell is last name) contribute to the system.

He's not known to be a bruiser, so maybe we should expect more outside runs to compliment his speed? It will definitely be an interesting watch on Sunday.

Yea, i think the oline is treading water which is not bad all things considered. It could have been a major catastrophy but it hasn't been up til now. The coaches i feel have done a great job so far, but coaches can't run block or pass block. There's only so much "coaching em up" to be done.

With our "backup" o line we've been marginal running the ball and ok pass protecting. I didn't go back and watch the game but i do remember Wade getting pancaked a couple of times by Kampman (sp?). I'm no expert by any means but it just looked like Wade's opponent was getting lower than he was and knocking him on his a**.

Don't get me wrong i think everyone has done a good job w/ what we have to work w/ so far. There's a reason that these new lineman don't have jobs, so there's only so much we can expect in the coming weeks.

I too was worried about our depth at oline coming into the season. I thought that the lack of drafting young talented o-lineman might hurt us, but some of our backups (heyer, fabini, wade) have done a serviceable job.

I'm not sure that teams are afraid to blitz JC though. If I'm AZ's D this week, they've got to be looking forward to facing what amounts to a 2nd string line.

Can it get any worse? Well I guess if can if Samuels and Kendall went down. :doh:

All I know is we can't continue on with these injuries, if Rabach and Wade can't get healthy in the long run we're going to be really screwed.


I agree, and I have to hand it to Bugel for having the players on hand be able to perform to the level they have already. We still have a long way to go, but the injuries to the o-line so far this season is something I've never witnessed before. Will be interesting to see how well we perform Sunday.

Hmmm, Sampson and Armstrong.

Any guys out there called Hercules or Atlas?

WE just hope these guys are in shape and ready to play if they need to. They should be familar with the schemes.