The Washington Post Sports Bog ran a then and now set of photos of Jim Zorn--the day he was hired in January of 2008, and after the loss at Philadelphia.
Poor guy. I feel for him. And here is another before and after. This is the emotional health of the average Redskins fan before Dan Snyder took over the team.
And this represents the emotional health of the average Redskins fan now:
From halftime until a few minutes into the 4th quarter, the Eagles offense did nothing but punt and get intercepted by Justin Tryon on the Eagles 20 yard line. During this time, the Redskins overcame a 2 point deficit and took and 8 point lead. But as I said to Dad as we watched the third quarter unfold, we were watching the Redskins lose the game. Each time we took back possession and didn't take advantage--especially when having a first down at the Eagles 50 and gaining 1 yard--the Eagles realized, oh they don't want it, I guess we'll just take it.
After Tryon's interception, every Redskins fan was thinking again: a field goal here means we lose, a touchdown, to make it 28-16? That might do it. Two runs and a throw out of bounds later, we knew what was coming. And that is what is eating up Redskins fans inside.
Not the losses, as much as it is identifying the moments when a game needs to be seized, and knowing that the team is not driven with some unquantifiable energy/killer instinct/sense of purpose to make it happen. At this moment, the finger has to point at Zorn/The situation that makes Zorn toothless.
The Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend should be cloudy and windy, with dead leaves flying everywhere. Instead, it was one of those weird, off-putting warm November days that I hate. Joey and I got a late start heading out of the house, so our visit to DSW Shoe Warehouse was a little rushed, and we ended up not getting anything. After a Chipotle lunch sitting outside next to a couple of idiots home from college, we drove over to the Redskins Club.
Dad and Cindy presented Joey with a late birthday present--a gray "Fantasy Football Commish" sweatshirt that Joey proudly and happily accepted. She has big plans for her all female "Pretty Pretty Princess Fantasy Football League" scheduled to premier in September 2010.
The game started ominously positive, as the Eagles tried to catch us sleeping with an onsides kick off. However, it hit one of their guys in the foot, causing an illegal touching penalty, and Quinton Ganther snatched it and ran it down to the 2o yard line. After a couple of short passes to Moss and Randle El, Campbell ran to his right, cut back, and dove into the end zone. 7-0.
When the Eagles got the ball, they pretty much knifed through the non-Albert Haynesworthed defensive line all the way to the goal line. They ended up scoring on fourth and goal, but the play was called back for offensive pass interference, and they kicked a field goal.
The Skins moved the ball about 12 yard on the next series and punted. Then that bastard Donovan McNabb escaped a collapsed pocket and fired a long pass down the left sideline to a completley wide open DeSean Jackson for a touchdown. Once again the secondary didn't know who was responsible for what, and Fred Smoot just let the Eagles most dangerous player walk right by him. "I've hated that guy for a long time. Its been a decade of hate!" I said about McNabb. Dad said I couldn't hate him more than he hates Roger Staubach.
It was around this time that Cindy brought out, in my opinion, the highlight of the day--a cheese platter with crackers that included a cranberry goat cheese. Excellent.
Campbell really looked great on the next drive, converting several third downs--a 11 yard screen to Cartwright, a 11 yard slant to Thomas--both on third and long. He also found Kelly on the sideline on a go route with a perfect tear drop touch to get inside the 10 yard line. On second and goal, Campbell hit a wide open Moss for a slant touchdown. 14-10.
But then Campbell started to stink. The Skins had a first down at the Eagles 40, but got 1 yard and punted after 2 incomplete passes.
The D held, and Philly punted back. On third and 2, Campbell tried to jam a throw in to the right and got picked off by Samuel. Philly got to the 10, but had to kick a field goal. With less than a minute left, Campbell on third and 8 tried the same thing, and got picked off by Samuel again. Field goal good, 16-14 at the half.
Good Campbell returned for the 3rd quarter thanks to a rumbling stumbling 29 yard 3rd down catch and run by Sleepy Davis down the right side line. On Third and 7, Campbell was definitely going down for a sack but somehow did a Houdini, broke away running to his left, and found Devin Thomas in between the corner and safety for a 35 yard reception. One again, on Third and 10 from the 10, Campbell left the pocket, this time running right. He got all the way up to the line of scrimmage, and as the coverage loosened up, he found Sleepy Davis at the goal line for the touchdown. I was pretty sure he stepped over the line, but fortunately, he released it in time. 21-16.
The Redskins' trapezoid offensive super efficiency mega-system was clicking.
The next Philly drive ended well, for us, as London Fletcher body slammed DeSean Jackson short of the first down yardage needed, and Jackson left the game with a concussion.
Campbell converted another third and long on the next drive to Moss on a slant play, but they got bogged down and punted. The Skins were moving, sort of, on the subsequent drive when Campbell scrambled for 15 yards and a first down, but it was called back by Heyer's holding penalty. Heyer negated 2 or 3 first downs yesterday. Thanks, Dude!
And as the sun began to set, we realized we were entering make or break time. As valiant as the efforts have been from our extremely injury-ravaged team, when its time to behead the turkey for the Thanksgiving feast, the Redskins get distracted by a shiny thing, the bird gets free, and goes gobble-gobble-gobble all up in our face.
Chris Wilson got his hand on McNabb's arm, causing the ball to pop up, and Justin Tryon grabbed it about the 20. Run, run, incomplete. The announcers on FOX even said that they were giving up and taking the 3 points. It was sad, pathetic. 24-16.
So the Eagles have the ball, and on the first play, Justin Tryon made a nice play to knock the ball away on a long pass down the middle. On second down, however, McNabb found Avant, who bounced off of LaRon Landry's tragically predictable failed shoulder bump tackle attempt, for 46 yards. This was followed by another completion to Avant, for 20 yards.
Then, just like the US Army might do after acquiring a big, expensive cannon that fires cotton candy, the Eagles brought in Michael Vick who threw a 3 yard pass way too hard, falling incomplete. Such a terrible waste of a play after the Eagles had just found their momentum. I almost felt bad for Eagles fans who have to put with that needless nonsense. I said, "if I was a Eagles fan, I'd burn my house down." It was funny, but also probably true, because I think Philadelphians actually do this kind of thing.
A few plays later, they scored on a short run. They went for 2 to tie it. It was a shovel pass, and it looked like McCoy might have been going down, but he stayed up and got in. 24-24.
Campbell gave us a smidgen of optimism on the first play of the next drive, with a play-action fake sweep handoff and throw back to the right to Kelly for 23 yards. But then Run, run, short-pass + holding penalty, punt.
The Eagles slowly moved down the field, but got a big chunk on a long throw over Rogers to Maclin. Field goal made it 27-24
We got it back, but couldn't get anywhere. Campbell got flattened on his fourth down throw that was short to Moss. Game over.
In Boswell's column, he made the point that I've been stressing to the other Club members recently--that Campbell is actually playing quite well considering the sieve of an offensive line in front of him, and the "starting to get it" at best receivers he is throwing to, not to mention the average at best running backs he is handing off to. We almost gave the house away, again, for Cutler and Sanchez. How many of us wish that deal had gone through now? On the flip side, what is the alternative:
The top 10 or so NFL quarterbacks that are more talented/competent than Campbell are not ever going to be walking through "that door."
The fancy rookie phenoms like Clausen or McCoy or Bradford--regardless of what's going on with Ryan and Flacco--will probably suck, and suck quite egregiously, especially with an offensive line that will be in transition next year. Campbell was 6-2 with a healthy, competent line last year. Yeah, the answer is in -- he is not going to turn into Tom Brady ever. But as Boswell said, it might be time to "love the one you're with."
Will Campbell say, "uh, come back to the Redskins? Uh, I don't think so." He might want to, and who could blame him. But will he get a chance to start on a team in a better situation? Rams-Raiders-Browns-Bills-Jaguars-Niners-Seahawks-Panthers? Perhaps yes, but it really doesn't look likely that any team's grass will be greener.
So, now we're 3-8, and the season is an official disaster. Now we'll just look forward to maybe spoiling things for the Giants or Cowboys, maybe pulling an upset on the Saints, and eating some fancy cheese.
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