Yesterday's loss was so ugly I'm just getting over it. Not to mention that Dolphins-Bengals game put me into a coma. Anyways I finally feel refreshed and here are my thoughts on yesterday:
- Coles - first time I EVER remember Coles dropping a pass, which says it all. Nothing bad to say to my favorite Skin.
- Ramsey - First pick shoulda never happened but still a poor decision. The second pick was partly Coles' fault but still a forced throw. The third pick was just plain ugly. Despite Ramsey's struggles he still moved the offense MUCH better than Brunell. Plus we were in pass mode with no time for help from the running game. Let me ask you this - if the game went to overtime and Brunell came back healthy who would you have wanted in there? Neither choice was too appealing but personally I'd rather have seen Ramsey. I'm a huge Ramsey fan and yesterday didn't change that. I will concede though that PR will never start until he can make better decisions.
- Brunell - far from the calming influence I was hoping for. Some poor decisions and nothing generated downfield. The playcalling was partly to blame and the OL didn't do much to help either, but still a very unimpressive effort.
- Samuels - thanks for the crucial penalty and the $9M cap hit.
- Gardner - where to start? I'm one of RG's only supporters. I've said before I think Gardner can be HUGE in Gibbs' offense. The first 2 weeks have proven that. Of course, he needs to catch the f#%#$#@% ball!!!! How can he make that 50yd circus catch then drop the one in the endzone??? It's mindboggling. What's 50/50 mean anyways? If it's because he catches only 50% of the passes then I suggest it be changed to 25/75. Anyways I will continue to stick by Rod a little longer, but not sure that Gibbs and the Warpath will.
- Portis - I love this guy. Let me be the first to congratulate CP on 3 MONSTER blocks. I was amazed. Also, he's proving to be a very dangerous threat as a receiver. I'd like to see them bust him outside more and run a few more screens. There's no point for Portis to grind out those 2-3 yd gains up the middle when we're just pounding and killing clock. Let's get Betts more involved on those. That being said, the fumble on our 15yd line was inexcusable, especially against that team. I think that was the biggest mistake we made all day (there were MANY to choose from). But I'll let it slide, this time.
- Thrash - Don't worry JT, I did notice you were the one who stripped the ball on their fumble. Great job and it's good to have you back on ST. By the way you might be starting at WR soon.
- Defense - another solid outing. I really like Williams' blitzing schemes. I can't wait to see who he's brining next. The only bad call I saw all day was on that key 3rd down late in the game. He brought Springs but not enough else. Still waiting to see how we look against a real offense but so far this unit has been the brightest spot on this team. PS - Keep bringing Bowen, cuz he's a coverage timebomb.
- Cooley - So far I really like what I see. I hope he can keep it up. This was a better draft pick than Taylor (just kidding).
- Gibbs - hard to blame the coaches for 7 turnovers especially from the stars. My only complaint is I'd like to see the Skins more aggressive downfield early. There's no rule that says we can't build a 14 or 21 point lead. Then again I've been lodging the same complaint since 1982 so I hope coach Gibbs never listens to me.
- Summary - despite the UGLY way we lost yesterday I still have very high hopes for this team. I do see a playoff caliber team with many offensive weapons and a defense that seems to be on the right page. Hopefully this loss will be a blessing in disguise. I hope I don't see 7 turnovers total the rest of the season. Also keep in mind these are the sh$%#$%#y Giants. They ALWAYS bring their opponents down to their level. Does that 7-7 tie bring back any memories? I can't remember one single Giants game where the Skins actually played well. So boys and girls keep your heads up and keep looking forward.
WE WANT DALLAS!
GO SKINS