Tag: Rex Grossman (Page 3 of 6)

Sunday Evening Quick-Hitters: Reactions from Week 1 in the NFL

September 11, 2011 / Anthony Stalter

Every Sunday evening throughout the 2011 NFL season I’ll compile quick-hit reactions from the day that was in football. I vow to always overreact, side with sensationalism over rationalism, and draw conclusions based on small sample sizes instead of cold, hard facts. It’s the only way I know how to write…

DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING…

– According to every NFL analyst in America, there was a better chance of Cam Newton putting his pants on backwards than resembling anything even close to a quarterback. But lo and behold the kid can play a little. He completed 24-of-37 passes for 422 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, setting a record for most passing yards in a NFL debut. He also rushed eight times for 18 yards and scored on the goal line in the Panthers’ 28-21 loss the Cardinals. Thanks to Newton, Steve Smith looked rejuvenated after spending a year in NFL hell last season. Obviously the former Auburn product isn’t going to throw for 400-plus yards every week but even his biggest critics have to be impressed with how he performed in his debut. And hey, the young man even put his pants on straight, too.

– The Steelers, the Falcons and the Chiefs: What are three teams who apparently forgot that the preseason was only four weeks long, Alex? Give credit where credit is due – the Ravens, Bears and Bills were dominate on Sunday. But it’s not like any of those teams used black magic to fool the Steelers, Falcons and Chiefs, who were absolutely shocked that they had to suit up today. Those three teams, who all won their divisions a year ago, mind you, managed to make flying to the moon look easier than playing football.

– Speaking of the Bills, this team isn’t a pushover any more. Forty-one points on the road? Good grief, man. Ryan Fitzpatrick is just good enough to be dangerous and they have some offensive weapons in Steve Johnson, Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller. Given how bad the offensive line looked in preseason, Chan Gailey has to be thrilled with his team’s performance. And the best part about the Bills today? They acted as if they expected that outcome. I dare say they were fun to watch.

– Not many people had the Bengals beating the Browns in Cleveland today, which is why they wind up in the “DIDN”T SEE THAT COMING” section. But I’m telling you, if Andy Dalton can play mistake free and just mange games in his first year, Cincinnati won’t be as bad as everyone expects.

External Sports, NFL

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Shanahan’s running game is starting to take shape in Washington

August 26, 2011 / Anthony Stalter

Say what you want about Mike Shanahan’s ego, but the man knows how to install a good running game.

Just two years into his tenure as head coach of the Redskins, Shanahan has the team’s ground attack heading in the right direction. Two weeks after racking up 140 yards versus the Steelers and one week after torching the Colts’ defense for 215 yards, the Redskins were at it again on Thursday night, compiling 103 rushing yards against a stingy Baltimore front seven.

Granted, 103 yards isn’t overly impressive but don’t forget that the Skins were playing against a very good Baltimore defense and Week 3 of the preseason is when teams play their starters well into the second half. It appears as though Washington’s offensive line has taken to Shanahan’s zone-blocking scheme and is starting to gel. Cohesion is crucial to Shanahan’s system and the Redskins’ front five has apparently found it, allowing Tim Hightower to gain 56 yards on nine careers (6.2 YPC) with one touchdown last night.

Shanahan has taken a lot of heat over the past two years for the way he’s run things in D.C., specifically in his handling of free agent bust Albert Haynesworth and quarterback Donovan McNabb. And seeing as how this Rex Grossman/John Beck situation seems destined to blow up in his face, there may be more criticism of Shanahan to come.

That said, he didn’t just fall into his 152-108 career coaching record and let’s not forget that the man has won two Super Bowls. He’s quirky yes, but it’s not that big of a stretch to think that he’s starting to turn things around in Washington. We’ll know more once the regular season starts, but I don’t think the Redskins’ success on the ground this preseason is a fluke. Take notice, NFC East.

External Sports, NFL

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Will John Beck be the Redskins’ starting quarterback in 2011?

May 18, 2011 / Anthony Stalter

Rotoworld has two interesting tidbits today on the quarterback situation in Washington:

John Beck is expected to enter training camp as the Redskins’ starting quarterback, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
“It will be his job to lose,” said Schefter, who is tight with coach Mike Shanahan after the two collaborated on a book in the late ’90s. Per Schefter, the Redskins bypassed QBs in the draft because they believe Beck is better than most of the group that was available in the middle of the first round. Beck doesn’t have a touchdown to show for his four NFL starts. He completed 27-of-48 passes (56.2 percent) for 300 yards (6.2 YPA) with a 2:2 TD-to-INT ratio against backups in last year’s preseason. Former Dolphins coach Cam Cameron has given up on Beck twice now, which leaves Shanahan as the 30-year-old’s lone backer.

And:

Free agent Rex Grossman appeared on ESPN 980 Radio Wednesday and said he is under the assumption that he will re-sign with the Redskins.
“I’m assuming that’s what’s going to happen,” he said. Grossman added that OC Kyle Shanahan and QBs coach Matt LaFleur personally asked him to throw with the Redskins’ receivers during the lockout. For now, we consider Grossman likely to be back in Washington to compete with John Beck. Most reporters covering the situation believe Beck will be ahead on the depth chart.

Am I the only one flabbergasted that people believe John Beck will be the Redskins’ starting quarterback next season? I get that this is all just speculation at this point, but I can’t be the only one who is raising an eyebrow to Mike Shanahan’s (potenital) madness here, right?

Beck isn’t without talent, but he didn’t exactly set the world on fire in Miami and I’m wondering what Shanahan sees in him to make him believe that he can start in Washington. I figured that Grossman, who Shanahan benched Donovan McNabb for last season, would be the favorite heading into training camp when the lockout lifts in the summer of 2032 – not Beck. (Assuming Grossman re-signs with the team, of course.)

But hey, what to do I know? Maybe Beck is the best fit for Shanahan’s offense and he just needed to find the right situation to succeed. Clearly the Redskins believe in him or else they would have drafted a signal caller in April, although they still could sign a veteran free agent like Vince Young when/if he becomes available later this summer.

Still, does anyone else envision Shanahan throwing a whole bunch of mediocre talent into a mixing bowl and just going week-by-week in terms of whom he starts at quarterback next year? Because I sure can…

External Sports, NFL

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McNabb speaks out about benching, says he felt “disrespected”

December 21, 2010 / Anthony Stalter

ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 19: Quarterback Donovan McNabb of the Washington Redskins on the sidelines against play against the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium on December 19, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Donovan McNabb has remained a class act throughout his NFL career despite facing many difficult challenges in both Philadelphia and Washington, including being benched for Rex Grossman.

But if anyone thought he would bit his tongue after tumbling face-first down the Redskins’ depth chart, then you sir or madam, were sadly mistaken.

From ESPN.com:

“Everything was handled awkwardly,” McNabb said Tuesday on his weekly radio show on ESPN980, “somewhat to a disrespect to me and to the team.”
Making his first public comments since his demotion last week, McNabb said he strongly disagreed with the decision, but he has a bigger problem with the way he says the organization leaked the news to the media before informing him.
“Because of the timing and because of all the leaks and everything that was put out there, and no putting out the fire, so to speak,” McNabb said, “I’m hearing everything through the media.”
“I was pulled back by it. All of a sudden you get this news a couple of days before the game, you do feel somewhat disrespected,” McNabb said. “You could have told me earlier or at least prepared me for it. … The term I did use was professional. You would like to hear it early, and if you hear it late, it kind of throws off the preparation for a lot of guys.”

McNabb went on to say that he loves the fans in Washington and that he thinks, “we can do some good things here.” But it’s hard to envision a scenario where he comes back to D.C. next year. If the Shanahans thought McNabb could run their offense at any point in the future, they would have left him in as the starter. After all, if you’re a head coach or an offensive coordinator and you’ve established that someone is “your guy,” then you stick with him through thick and thin. Look at the Jets and Mark Sanchez. They know he’s their future and no matter how much he struggles, they’re committed to his development.

But it’s clear that the Redskins are not committed to McNabb fully grasping the offense or else they wouldn’t have benched him for Turnover McGee. Therefore, he probably has two weeks left in Washington unless Dan Snyder fires Shanahan and sticks with McNabb. Anything could happen (especially when Dan Snyder is involved), although it’s highly doubtful.

External Sports, NFL

Donovan McNabb Rex Grossman Washington Redskins

Mike Shanahan: See, I told you that Grossman kid can play

December 19, 2010 / Anthony Stalter

ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 19: Quarterback Rex Grossman of the Washington Redskins during play against the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium on December 19, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Boy, do I have egg on my face. Silly me for thinking Rex Grossman would go out and completely make an ass of himself as Donovan McNabb sits on the sidelines for no reason. Turns out Grossman is super, super awesome.

All right, so maybe not. But he was good on Sunday in Dallas.

Grossman completed 25-of-43 passes for 322 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions in the Skins’ 33-30 loss to the Cowboys, but he was far from perfect. He put his team behind the 8-ball with a poorly thrown interception in the first quarter and he showed some rust after not playing in a couple years. He was also facing a Dallas secondary that was comprised of three scarecrows and a turned-over bucket, so it probably wasn’t difficult for him to move the ball with regularity.

That said, nobody can deny that he performed better than McNabb did at any point this season. Considering Grossman threw for four touchdowns with the same group that McNabb has been working with all season, it shows you how bad the former Eagle has struggled this season. The Skins’ 30 points was a season high for them and regardless of who they were playing, it’s impressive that Grossman was the one who led them to their highest scoring output of the year.

Grossman now gets two more games to prove that he can compete in Mike and Kyle Shanahan’s offense next season. While it’s imperative that the Redskins draft a quarterback for the future, if Grossman continues to play well at least they’ll have a veteran on the roster that’s comfortable running the offense. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if Grossman was a disaster over these next two weeks, but kudos to him for rising up on Sunday when everyone thought he would fail miserably. He gave the Skins a chance to win and that’s all Shanahan could ask for.

External Sports, NFL

Anthony Stalter Dallas Cowboys Donovan McNabb Rex Grossman Washington Redskins

Tag: Rex Grossman (Page 3 of 6)

Sunday Evening Quick-Hitters: Reactions from Week 1 in the NFL

Shanahan’s running game is starting to take shape in Washington

Will John Beck be the Redskins’ starting quarterback in 2011?

McNabb speaks out about benching, says he felt “disrespected”

Mike Shanahan: See, I told you that Grossman kid can play

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