Smoot Lays the Smack Down (Redskins vs. Patriots)

I'd like to add a smack down to Shanahan for not benching Hall after the flag incident. I thought he did well when he benched Williams for the personal foul in the Philly game. While I understand players were frustrated with the refs (London Fletcher came within seconds of getting flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, although I can't blame the guy for reacting the way he did), he's basically letting the flag situation slide. There was no need for that and he is allowing that type of behavior to go unpunished.

As Ruh said, I'm not really going to hate on Hall for that Gronk run. I mean it looked like the play was dead. Even Wes Welker, who never ever accuses of being lazy, was basically loafing and not trying to block Hall out of the way until everyone realized Gronk was still in bounds.

I'd also like to mention that Fed Ex Field has basically become a home game for the opposing team. Very very sad.

Orakpo strikes me as someone who is contented to do things one way because doing them that way has gotten him to the level he is now. And I think really good, fundamentally sound, offensive tackles who have good footwork and balance, can use their size advantages against him to take him out of the game.

When we blitz, Orakpo typically gets home to the quarterback before anyone else in the rush scheme. He takes on the back really well, and is still likely our best pure pass rusher. He is not the complete player that Ryan Kerrigan is, and the truth is that based on the position he plays in our defense, he needs to be more complete than Kerrigan because he is asked to do more.

As Ruh said, I'm not really going to hate on Hall for that Gronk run. I mean it looked like the play was dead. Even Wes Welker, who never ever accuses of being lazy, was basically loafing and not trying to block Hall out of the way until everyone realized Gronk was still in bounds.

Im gonna hate more on our safeties for that play, but still doesnt excuse Hall. How can two NFL safeties not able to tackle one tight end? I mean wft planet do i live on where that safety play is deem acceptable.

I'd also like to mention that Fed Ex Field has basically become a home game for the opposing team. Very very sad.

Yeah its terrible, and i dont understand it. I do know that Pats, Phili, Giants Ravens, have had much more success in the area but like when Dallas is in town it wtf? Why why, id give my tickets away befor i sold them to opposing supporters. Snyder should do something about that.

Snyder should do something about that.

What exactly should he do?

I like Sellers but I think he'll either hang it up or get cut after this season. The guy is old and doesn't get much play time anymore. It's been a good run Mike, but I think you're done.

Orakpo was invisible yet again. I mean... ??? What's going on? No pressure. Not being in on any tackles? Is he really as good as we think he is or is he just going to be a flash in the pan? 1 break out season and then falls into obscurity? I'm really hoping its the former and not the latter.

I've been saying all season Rak is a little overrated. Is he thinking about Geico too much? I dunno, I wouldn't trade him or anything but something's going on with him. I wonder if he's been 100% this year. A few games he would pull himself out, get stretched on the sidelines and come back in a few plays later. Just saying.

As Ruh said, I'm not really going to hate on Hall for that Gronk run. I mean it looked like the play was dead. Even Wes Welker, who never ever accuses of being lazy, was basically loafing and not trying to block Hall out of the way until everyone realized Gronk was still in bounds.

Like they teach you in Pee Wee football, play until you hear the whistle. No matter how dead the play looked there was no whistle and no reason for Hall to let up. Welker didnt try to block Hall because he could tell Hall had already quit on the play and therefore didnt need to "waste" time blocking Hall.

I think NE is in the running for worst safety play in the entire league as well. That said ours are no better. Safety was supposed to be a strength, and instead both of them are invisible.

With that said, I don't feel the need to smack down anybody here. I know we have plenty of guys that will take care of that, but I'm just glad I got to see a close competitive game from the Redskins today. And I'm not mad we lost because it's the Pats. We play them once every 4 years, and it's funny because the team we had today is probably 10 times worse than the team we had 4 years ago, but today we played them a hell of a lot closer than we did last time.

Landry and Atogwe were invisible yesterday because they were hurt and didn't play much.

I can agree that neither of them has lived up to their billing this season, but their "invisibility" yesterday is excusable.