Fantasy Freaks-- the Dread Pirate Roberts took some major torture this past week (the man with six fingers has no mercy on a team that starts Derrick Ward at RB)... this week we've got Michael Turner and Steve Breaston coming off byes-- so all looks good... to lose a second straight week would be inconceivable.
Skins spotlight-- Tuesday the team brought on Sherman Lewis as an offensive consultant... not to be confused with Sherman Smith, offensive coordinator-- or even Marvin Lewis, former defensive coordinator (2002)....although we wouldn't be upset if you confused the Shermans: both played college football in the midwest (Smith at Miami (Ohio), Lewis at Michigan State) where both enjoyed success (Lewis finished third in the Heisman Trophy balloting while Smith led Miami to a 33-1-1 mark as their quarterback). Both arrived a generation too early...Lewis built a nice career as an assistant with San Francisco and Green Bay but never got the head coaching call while Smith despite posting a ridiculous record (33-1-1!) never had the opportunity to play quarterback in the NFL-- situations that probably would be different if each were coaching/playing today.
What does this mean in Ashburn? VP of Football Ops Vinny Cerrato says it gives the offense an extra set of eyes... and a set that's used to the west coast offense as well as Mike Holmgren's brand of that attack. It means the staff recognizes that 14 points a game and no first quarter scoring is an issue that won't go away. It means the brain trust in Ashburn wants to be pro-active and solve the offensive hiccups while the team is 2-2 with possibilities before a scoreboard drought buries their postseason hopes. It means that while there's not widespread panic, there's definitely extra attention to the team's less than ideal production (17th in yards, 27th in points).
It could mean a shorter shelf life for coach Jim Zorn; twice previously the Redskins have added "consultants"... in 1999 Bill Arnsparger came aboard to provide an extra set of eyes for a defense that allowed 421 points the year before. Within two years coach Norv Turner was fired. In 2002 Joe Bugel and Foge Fazio were drafted to assist with Coach Steve Spurrier's transition to the pro game. Within two years Spurrier resigned from the golf course. Even in the case of Return to Camelot, the Consultant Curse continues: Al Saunders was added in 2006 as "Associate Head Coach--Offense"...although the team currently had an Offensive Coordinator in Don Breaux...and Joe Gibbs was an offensive guru. Coach Gibbs re-retired less that two years later.
Looking around the league...there are five 4-0 teams and five 0-4 teams (with an 0-3 Carolina coming off a bye week...while a hot start is no guarrantee of a playoff berth (last year the Redskins turned a 6-2 into an 8-8, the New York Jets fell from 8-3 to 9-7 and Tampa Bay collapsed from 9-3 to 9-7)... it's extremely difficult to bounce back from a cold start-- especially a zero first quarter (San Diego went from 0-4 to 11-5 in 1992, but that's about it). The question with a few of the winless teams is how bad things will get:
Tampa Bay and St. Louis both have the 2-14 feel of something dreadful. Cleveland and Kansas City aren't doing anything to add to first-year coach karma (didn't just about every first year coach have some success last year?) or the Belichick coaching tree while the two biggest mysteries remain Tennessee and Carolina. Both had first round byes last January-- and the Jake Delhomme trajectory (just when you think things have gotten their worst--look out) and the Titans hard-luck (first three losses by a combined 13 points) look to sideline both by Halloween.
Should we buy or sell the following 4-0's?
New York Giants... a tough division means they'll probably suffer a few stumbles, while the injured foot of quarterback Eli Manning may hamper them like the loss of Plaxico Burress last year.
Minnesota looks very good with Adrian Peterson and Brett Favre a combination that feeds off of one another behind a stellar offensive line. Just remember, Favre went belly-up after 11 games last fall and the Vikings started 6-0 earlier this decade only to finish 9-7 and out of the postseason.
New Orleans can score in bunches, and with Gregg Williams coordinating the Saints defense looks like even though it might not be able to stop anyone...can at least slow most teams down. Plus they play in a division with Carolina and Tampa Bay (0-7 combined).
Denver has a first year coach who looks like the kid from Swimfan, a new quarterback who's replacing a guy who pouted his way out of town and a wide receiver who almost napalmed the team in training camp. Here's to creative tension...and being in a division of rebuilding Chiefs, hopeless Raiders and Norv-led Chargers.
Indianapolis has a new coach in Jim Caldwell, but it's the same old story for Peyton Manning and company. Lose a Hall of Fame receiver? Goodbye Marvin Harrison--hello Pierre Garcon. It is odd getting used to Lucas Oil Stadium...watching Peyton and company in home colors outside is just another strange thing about a journey that will end at the same destination-the postseason.
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2 comments:
we will see if Denver is for real this weekend
even if they lose Sunday...
they still get the Raiders again... the Chiefs twice... and Harrison Ford's kid from "Presumed Innocent" is their coach.
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