Skins News of the Day - Fri 11/20

[Caliskinsfan]

Excerpt

“I think I’m a corner playing safety right now,” Hall said. “Who knows what the future holds.”

The Redskins have depth at corner with starters Chris Culliver and Bashaud Breeland and backups Will Blackmon and Kyshoen Jarrett. They do not have the same depth at safety. Hence, Hall's move to safety. The Redskins aren't ready to say if that was a one-week deal or a permanent switch. But Hall said Wednesday that he's part of their dime or six-defensive back package as a safety.

That’s where he played all 18 of his snaps against New Orleans, mostly in the Redskins’ dime package.

Monday, coach Jay Gruden said of the move, “You look at the success that [Charles] Woodson is having at Oakland... He can play until he's probably 45. He's playing unbelievable. D-Hall has similar-type ball skills and that's what you look for in a free safety. We have two corners that are playing pretty good so there's a chance he'll get work at free safety. We're not throwing him to the curb at corner by any stretch. But it'd be a great transition for him because of his athletic ability and his ball skills."

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

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[Caliskinsfan]

Know we were talking about Leonard Williams' production this season yesterday.

FWIW here are the PFF rankings for rookie pass rushers

Rank Name Team Pass Rush Snaps Total Pressures Pass rushing productivity (PRP)
1. Markus Golden ARZ 176 28 12.4
2. Vic Beasley ATL 223 24 8.3
3. Leonard Williams NYJ 280 29 7.9
4. Henry Anderson IND 237 22 7.1
5. Eddie Goldman CHI 154 13 6.7

The biggest story here: sacks don’t tell the whole story—much less an accurate one—when observing pass rushers. Pro Football Focus grades every player on every play of every game, taking each snap into account.

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Tandler




Moses started off a bit shaky as he was moving from playing the left side at Virginia and as a backup as a rookie over to the right side. But according to Williams, he has had a very quick learning curve.

“It’s night and day,” said Williams about Moses’ transformation. “It’s funny, I just had a talk with Morgan in between [practice] periods. And I was just telling him, man, like watching him work today and then thinking about how he looked the first day we took the field in camp. It’s night and day. I’ve never seen anybody make that vast of an improvement in that short a period of time.”

Moses has not only picked up the physical aspects of the game he has done his work watching film and in the classroom.

“He understands what’s coming, he understands what the defense thinks,” said Williams. “He understands what they’re looking for when he takes a certain set. And he’s cleaned up his footwork. He always had pretty good feet for being 6-7, 6-8, 340.”

“After the Lisfranc the guys kind of thinking, how could he bounce back from that and still be as good as he was. He worked extremely hard in the offseason. It’s night and day. I know it sound cliche but to actually see that transformation take place in person, I mean, it’s incredible. It’s an incredible experience. It’s amazing what they’re doing over there.”

Moses is in his second year with the Redskins and Williams just signed a five-year contract extension. The two of them could form an impressive set of bookend tackles for years to come.

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Caliskinsfan]

As most of us said at the beginning of the season...consistency in play takes time, especially at the Oline. The surprise was that they started the season so well. As injuries took a toll, a re shuffled group had to learn how to play together.

Really exciting to see these guys develop and learn.


Excerpt

ASHBURN, Va. -- The first move involved securing the tackle, so Washington Redskins left tackle Trent Williams and guard Spencer Long doubled him. Then Long moved from there to the linebacker, quickly filling a gap. Meanwhile, Williams buried the tackle as Long secured the linebacker -- and Alfred Morris ran through the hole for 12 yards.

It’s the type of play that involves two players working together. But it also illustrates what happens the more they play together. And it also speaks to why it can take time: The Redskins see so many defensive fronts that players need to learn how to block each one -- and knowing their assignment might change based on one player’s movement.

“That’s the type of stuff that takes a little time,” Williams said. “It’s like a quarterback and receiver with a tackle and guard working together. You’ve got to know each other.”

Four of the Redskins’ five offensive linemen are not only trying to learn the NFL game -- thanks to injuries at two spots, only Williams has started more than 10 games in his career -- but also their teammates. It leads to inconsistency.

Brandon Scherff.

“From a talent standpoint, they’ve got all the tools to be successful,” Redskins coach Jay Gruden said.

It’s little things. If the nose tackle shifts, the blocking responsibilities change. Or if the linebacker fills a different gap, then it switches them up as well. Some teams present more challenges: No team stacked the line more than the Jets; the Patriots showed more looks than anyone.

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Caliskinsfan]

I think some of what this guy captures in this column is in each of us long term skins fans...we'll really buy in when we see more...till then cautious optimism rules the day...


Excerpt


But even though I’d heard that, and even though I regularly write about how D.C. sports is proof that the universe can kill any joy, I hadn’t realized just how fully I’d internalized the doomed-and-awful narrative.

Because even as they went into the half leading 27–14, I assumed that the best they could hope for was to hold on and eke out a win. I assumed that Cousins would throw catastrophically stupid interceptions, and/or that the defense would remember that they don’t like tackling.

I didn’t think these things in a malicious way, or even a self-pitying one. This is just what I assumed would happen, because this football team simply doesn’t win blowouts.

It’s too soon to say that this one win heralds a legitimate culture change, just like it’s too soon to declare that Cousins’ streak of three good games is anything more than a dead cat bounce in a career that winds up Rex Grossman–esque.

But one thing happened during and in the wake of the game against New Orleans that does give me a little glimmer of genuine hope. The last time Washington and New Orleans faced off was Robert Griffin III’s first game at QB, and Washington hung 40 on them and won. It was the start of that fascinating, electrifying, and devastating playoff season. And I didn’t see any articles on it, nor did I see it mentioned on the TV broadcast. Even postgame, I haven’t seen the comparison between Cousins’ numbers and Griffin’s. (And they’re pretty comparable.)

Impossible as it seemed in preseason, the team seems to have put the Robert Griffin III saga behind it. The questions surrounding Cousins now have to do with contracts, not competition. Griffin is inactive every game and the cameras seem to have stopped looking for him.

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Anyone watching his play from the beginning of the season until now could tell there was really something wrong. And that is was most likely injury related.

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Hmmm

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Breeland and DJax

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Eleven men, one goal

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Caliskinsfan]