Set it all aside -- Training Camp Begins

Dear september
You're taking to long to get here :(

Dear september

You're taking to long to get here :(


True, but the start of football means the end of summer, so it's a little bittersweet. But hey, if summer is over the next best distraction is football!

True, but the start of football means the end of summer, so it's a little bittersweet. But hey, if summer is over the next best distraction is football!

It may be bittersweet for you, but for me the end of 100+ degree high humidity days plus the start of football season equals the best time of year.

This is definitely whiny of me, but I'd take a few 90-100 degree days before summer is out. We had maybe 2 weeks of good swimming weather and now it's cloudy and barely breaks 80 all day. Hardly any rain, just clouds. Our nephew described this weather as "poopy" outside.

Got caught up on my Keim reports this morning. I am concerned that my burgundy colored glasses are beginning to lose their tint. My biggest concerns are (1) Griffin's progression as a passer; and (2) Tackle depth.

Starting with the OL, and after reading some of the reports, I don't think we really have a solid 3rd Tackle right now.
- Polumbus is adequate as a starter but nothing more. He SHOULD be the third tackle as an adequate/good back-up but clearly is the best of a not-so-great group of 2nd/3rd tackles.
- Moses has physical gifts but seems like he has a lot of issues playing to upright. I am concerned that this may end up not being a correctable habit - he has probably been used to just engulfing his opponents b/c of his size and now, well, he just can't at this level. He seems to be losing a lot of battles against back-ups.
- I like Compton and have been pulling for him, but I beginning to think he just doesn't have the ability. This is his 3rd year and he still appears to struggle against starters.

If Williams goes down, we are serious SOL. The drop-off in talent after him is HUGE.

As to RGIII - First, I am in no way saying we should either ditch RGIII or that KC should start. I just think RGIII is a lot further from being an NFL QB then I originally imagined. Sure, he has a big arm and great speed. However, as I read Keim's reports about how he handles progressions and pocket awareness, it seems he has a long way to go before he becomes a solid passer-from-the-pocket (NOTE: I am note saying "pocket passer" b/c I don't ever see him as a Manning/Brady type, but, to really become an elite QB, he has to function at a high level in the pocket). Right now, it seems to be a real struggle for him to go through progressions quickly and to anticipate defenses. Because of this, I think he may be in for another rough year developmentally and the Skins - even with all their weapons - could face another 5 or 6 win season.


I hope I am wrong.

Thoughts on Washington Redskins QB Robert Griffin III - ESPN (http://espn.go.com/blog/washington-redskins/post/_/id/9760/thoughts-on-redskins-qb-rg-iii)

Did you read this.

Jay Gruden on Jordan Reed: Should be 'full go Thursday' | Comcast SportsNet Washington (http://www.csnwashington.com/redskinsblog/jay-gruden-jordan-reed-should-be-full-go-thursday)

Hopefully DJax, Garcon, and Reed play against Cleveland so we can get a little better look at our first team offense. And, of course, get our first look at Reed in game action.

Got caught up on my Keim reports this morning. I am concerned that my burgundy colored glasses are beginning to lose their tint. My biggest concerns are (1) Griffin's progression as a passer; and (2) Tackle depth.

Starting with the OL, and after reading some of the reports, I don't think we really have a solid 3rd Tackle right now.
- Polumbus is adequate as a starter but nothing more. He SHOULD be the third tackle as an adequate/good back-up but clearly is the best of a not-so-great group of 2nd/3rd tackles.
- Moses has physical gifts but seems like he has a lot of issues playing to upright. I am concerned that this may end up not being a correctable habit - he has probably been used to just engulfing his opponents b/c of his size and now, well, he just can't at this level. He seems to be losing a lot of battles against back-ups.
- I like Compton and have been pulling for him, but I beginning to think he just doesn't have the ability. This is his 3rd year and he still appears to struggle against starters.

If Williams goes down, we are serious SOL. The drop-off in talent after him is HUGE.

As to RGIII - First, I am in no way saying we should either ditch RGIII or that KC should start. I just think RGIII is a lot further from being an NFL QB then I originally imagined. Sure, he has a big arm and great speed. However, as I read Keim's reports about how he handles progressions and pocket awareness, it seems he has a long way to go before he becomes a solid passer-from-the-pocket (NOTE: I am note saying "pocket passer" b/c I don't ever see him as a Manning/Brady type, but, to really become an elite QB, he has to function at a high level in the pocket). Right now, it seems to be a real struggle for him to go through progressions quickly and to anticipate defenses. Because of this, I think he may be in for another rough year developmentally and the Skins - even with all their weapons - could face another 5 or 6 win season.


I hope I am wrong.

I agree with all these points.

On the tackles, yeah we have no real depth as of yet, but I'm not sure we expected to. I think coming out of the draft we knew that Morgan Moses had some developing to do.

On RG3, I definitely agree he needs to get quicker in his progressions. I was even frustrated by how slowly he dropped back in the first preseason game. Seems to move too slowly. But I think that's a function of being in the new system for only a short time. He needs time. If he doesn't make progress with it as the season progresses, then we have a real problem on our hands. But I'm not ready to worry just yet.

These issues are a reminder that we are a 3-13 team with a new head coach trying to learn and improve. We shouldn't expect a playoff berth overnight. We should be looking for the team to scrape by in the early parts of the season, hopefully winning enough games to keep it close so that they can try to surge forward in December and close out a playoff berth.

All that said, I do think the defense is going to be MUCH better. Like way better. I loved seeing Orakpo and Kerrigan charging hard upfield in the first preseason game, looks to me like it will work because Haslett is not hesitant to let Meriweather come up and defend the run and fill the gaps. We'll put the onus on Amerson and Hall that way, but from what I've been reading they look up to the challenge. And we haven't even seen what Hatcher can do yet.

RG3 is smart, very athletic, has a strong accurate arm, and is one of the hardest-working, most driven players on the team. Hard to see a scenario where he isn't eventually one of the top QBs and playmakers in the league. Even last year amid the sh*t show that was our team, he made big play after big play.

If you're getting discouraged, check out this highlight video of the supposedly horrible 2013 RG.

9gARRX67GUc

I for one love RG3 and am truly grateful we have such a great athlete and even better person leading our team. Hail to the Redskins!

Griffin looked fine to me the other night and was pretty close to having a TD pass if Robinson could have stayed in bounds.


He also missed Reed wide open in the end zone on the play before when checked down to Young and it was almost picked.

RGIII threw 4 passes in the first preseason game, yet we have such keen observers here that they can project his 2014 season from that.