Redskins Rehash-- so you're telling me there's a chance?

So much for six weeks of slumber before the season ends... can you believe that FOX had the Skins listed as "in the hunt" this past Sunday? And a 23-17 victory over Seattle puts the team in position to get into position for the 2005/2007 late season playoff runs we've grown to know and love. What's helpful is that despite a 4-7 mark the team is 4-5 against the NFC-- so there's a chance to hold tiebreakers at 7-5 in the conference and 9-7 overall. As difficult as it sounds... a win over the consistently uneven NY Jets would place this team within striking distance of being within striking distance. So you're telling me there's still a chance? Drink up the burgundy and gold kool aid.


Turnoverasaurus Rex-- two interceptions? That was it? No pick sixes? No fumbles lost or safeties allowed? I'm so there it's not even fair. Grossman isn't the longterm answer for a playoff team-- that is obvious. But he's gives this team a chance to win more than any other QB on the roster. Like a restaurant makes room for spoons that get thrown in the trash in their budget-- the INTs are merely an accounting move. Except when they really cost you.

Channeling Jack Bauer-- 24 remains one of my favorite shows... taking the proud mantle from Seinfeld, The Simpsons, Dallas, Cheers and Happy Days. Last week Rex Grossman said that their goal was to match the 24 points scored against Dallas each and every week. If that were the case-- Skins scoring 24 points in every game-- they'd be 9-2. Granted, this is with opposing offenses putting the game plan in the freezer after jumping out to seemingly insurmountable 19-3 leads.

Finishing with a Flourish-- for an team that has had problems producing points this fall... it was nice to see the Skins come up huge in the fourth quarter. Trailing 10-7... they outgained the Seahawks 151 to 61 yards and put 16 points on the board. That outburst was more than 4 complete games since the bye week.


Holy Helu!-- one month after setting a Redskins record with 14 catches against San Francisco, rookie Roy Helu rumbled for 108 yard and a touchdown. He also led the team in receiving with 7 catches for 54 yards. Will he remain the primary producer from here on out or simply fall back into the runningback rotation like Ryan Torain?



Feeling Fredtastic-- Mr. Davis found the endzone for the first time since week two. His four catches for 58 yards keeps him on pace for 75+ catches and 1000+ yards... and he began with a bang-- notching 3 grabs for 53 yards and a score on the team's opening drive. But on that drive an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty while not costing the Skins certainly slowed them down... and after that possession #83 notched just one 5 yard reception.

Flags Flying-- talk about airing dirty laundry. The Skins were whistled for 10 penalties and 115 yards... as the Seahawks were flagged 9 times for 91 yards... leading to a day that was rather disjointed.

Safety in lack of numbers-- it's been nice to see Laron Landry and Reed Doughty make big plays and tally impressive tackle totals... but any coach will tell you they don't like it when their safeties are making a lot of stops. Not so the case against Seattle--linebacker Perry Riley led the way with 6 tackles and 8 assists while London Fletcher added 4 solo stops and 11 total tackles. One big reason Seattle went 6 of 16 on third down and saw 5 of 8 second half drives go three and out or end in a turnover.


Third and lost-- 3 of 10 when trying to move the chains isn't a way to take control of a game... and at 35.1% on the season the team ranks 22nd in the NFL. Now let the record show that the Skins second and third touchdowns of the day came on third down... so maybe there's progress.

Dissecting the Division-- Dallas takes over sole possession of first place (#4 NFC) after a Thanksgiving win over Miami... the New York Giants drop to second (#8 NFC) following their Monday Night loss to New Orleans... Philadelphia's third in the division and ninth in the conference after losing to New England... followed by the Skins in fourth place/tenth place thanks to their week six loss to Philly. They need to leapfrog the Eagles (with Vince Young at QB a definite possibility) and the Giants (slumping with 3 straight losses)... plus two of the following: Detroit (a definite possibility with the Suh suspension)... Atlanta (not likely with an easy December for the Falcons) and Chicago (with Bobby Douglass now a QB option--anything is possible).

Losing out in the Luck Lotto-- the win over Seattle does provide a major setback in the race to get a franchise quarterback... as the Skins would be drafting anywhere from 7th to 14th. Indianapolis remains the leader/loser in with five games remaining-- and a two loss advantage. St. Louis (2-9) has Sam Bradford and Minnesota (2-9) has Christian Ponder...(recent first rounders at quarterback)..so conventional wisdom says they pass on Andrew Barkley and Landry Jones (isn't that the kid from "Friday Night Lights" who hooked up with Tyra and then killed her stalker?). How far will those two fall? And does Indy once locking up the number one pick (it could happen as early as week 14) reverse it's previous post-clinching behavior and try not to "not to win"...?

College Football Corner-- Destiny and Density...

I've often said that November is Closing Month. Legacies are determined... seasons are salvaged or lost... and champions if not crowned are weeded out to a handful of contenders. In Closing Month some schools find their destiny-- while others find their density (thanks George McFly). No exception this fall with the three area schools... and the post Thanksgiving weekend has leftovers of celebration (pumpkin pie and sweet potato souffle) in Blacksburg, consolation (mashed potatoes and stuffing) in Charlottesville, and desperation (very dry turkey... even drier lima beans and wet mushy canned peas) in College Park. Eat up.



Championship Fever? First Clemson has killed whatever buzz there may have been for the upcoming ACC title tilt by losing to South Carolina. This after getting thrashed by NC State a week before. Nothing like advancing to a title game after two straight defeats. But there's worse: UCLA at 6-6 wins the Pac-12 South by default (USC on probation) and plays Oregon (who at 10-2 isn't even the highest ranked team in the North) for a shot at the Rose Bowl. The Big Ten's first title game has Michigan State and Wisconsin... although I don't know if who won the Leaders Division and who took the Legends Division...although I can imagine the pride of hanging that banner. Conference USA has unbeaten Houston asking itself if they want to be officially snubbed by the BCS or lose their way out of the conversation. And the crowning jewel? The SEC Championship game has #1 LSU not really needing to beat Georgia to advance to the BCS. What do the college koolaid drinkers tell me--every game's important?



Alma Mater Update-- the Paper Tigers continue to crash to earth on a weekly basis. This time SU fell to Cincinnati 30-13... and there are grumblings around coach Doug Marrone's job status. This one year after he guided a rebuilding roster to a bowl berth (albeit the Pinstripe Bowl-- next year I hope for the Seersucker Bowl in Savannah, GA)... the first postseason play for SU since 2004. It took Dick MacPherson five years to get the Orange to the Cherry Bowl. Some patience, please. Meanwhile my worst fears came to light regarding Bernie Fine-- and his wife. Hopefully the University will continue to handle this situation the right way.


Maryland (2-10) closed this season with a mammoth collapse-- one that I'm still attempting to get my head around. 41-14 with 6 minutes to play in the third quarter? Gone? Wha' happened? I thought the collapse to Clemson was where the worm completely turned on this fall (the first sign of a rough season coming against Temple)... but at least the Tigers were nationally ranked. A 56-41 loss to North Carolina State puts a sour exclamation point on the 2011 campaign. Terrapin Triumphs-- for 39 minutes, quite a few positives... 2 defensive touchdowns... 91 yards rushing and a touchdown for Davin Meggett in his final game as a Terp. Terrapin Troubles-- a defense that allowed touchdowns on five straight possessions in the second half...265 of the Wolfpack's 439 yards came in the game's final 23 minutes. An offense that after taking a 27 point lead went three and out twice... followed by a fumble and an interception... another three and out... and then a pick six. Major ouch. Also, the uniform combo looked rather Steeleresque.

Coaching Carousel Firing Up... with a hair-trigger-- Memphis... Illinois... Arizona State... who's next? With Ohio State being filled by Urban Meyer and Penn State currently radioactive... what other jobs will open up? I was caught off-guard by the Tigers... only two seasons despite a 3-21 mark is not nearly long enough to give a coach's new regime a chance. If an AD fires a coach after 1 to 2 years... he/she should follow him out the door.

#5 Virginia Tech (11-1) entered its annual showdown with #24 Virginia (8-3) with more than commonwealth pride on the line-- and once again the Hokies dominated from the opening kickoff to the final gun. The 38-0 rout sends the Hokies to a rematch with Clemson for the ACC title... and the Cavaliers back to the drawing board. At least Kippy and Buffy went with Port on their final tailgate... a Taylor Fladgate 20 year tawny when paired with Monterrey Jack on Captains Wafers. Hokie Highlights-- David Wilson rushed for 153 yards and two scores... a turnover free 60 minutes... and how about starting strong while finishing with a flourish? VT held somebody scoreless in the first quarter while pulling away with 17 fourth quarter points. Hokie Humblings-- four three and outs kept the Cavaliers around early... and a missed field goal? Where was BEAMER BALL! this fall? Cavalier Congrats-- Kris Burd caught 7 passes for 100 yards... wrapping up a fine career and senior season by reaching the century mark for the fourth time this fall. The defense held the Hokies to 6 of 13 on third down. Cavalier Concerns-- 30 yards rushing and 3 of 11 on third down... four turnovers... and a fourth quarter fold that saw UVa get outgained 99 to 11 in the final fifteen minutes.

Presto's Picks-- Commonwealth Clash plus a State of Disarray...

College football's closing month concludes with the best of times and worst of times in the region. While Virginia Tech finds itself in a familiar place-- one win away from playing for another ACC title... and Virginia tries to wrap up a Cinderella stretch that saw the Cavaliers go from pretenders to contenders... Maryland tries to figure out what went wrong and regroup for 2012. Each school has had moments this fall-- and while coaches will say each game counts equally, some are more equal than others. For VT, the signature moment was an October game against Miami where the Hokies bounced back from a loss to Clemson-- Logan Thomas threw for 310 yards and three touchdowns while running for two more scores... including the gamewinner with under a minute to play. From that point the Hokies were no longer a shaky team that feasted on cupcakes in September but a solid team that was on the road to a top ten ranking. UVa's hallmark moment was a Thursday night game at Miami-- the Cavaliers up to that point were consistently uneven and one whisker away from dropping out of ACC contention. Three big play touchdowns and 60 minutes of sound football later, postseason wasn't just a dream but an eventuality. Maryland's moment of truth was the Temple game-- a 1-1 club that almost beat nationally ranked West Virginia felt they could still have a special season... only to learn an undersized defensive line wasn't going to stop anybody and the high-octane offense was going to misfire early and often with dropped passes... missed assignments and a revolving door at quarterback.

Alma Mater Update-- SU takes on Cincinnati... needing a victory this Saturday or next to wrap up a second straight bowl berth. I'm not confident. For whatever reason, after lurking as a paper tiger (first four wins coming by a combined 20 points) the Orange played their best game of the season against West Virginia October 21st-- and apparently went into hiding immediately thereafter. At least SU hoops won the NIT Tipoff... as Orange Nation waits for the other shoe to drop in the Bernie Fine case.

Maryland (2-9) tries to avoid a second ten-loss season in three years... making the trip to Raleigh to face North Carolina State. Can they contain Mike Glennon? They've allowed 32.3 points a game this fall-- most in the ACC. Can CJ Wilson continue his growth at QB-- despite a wide receiving corps that never established itself this fall? The Wolfpack pace the conference in takeaways and are fourth nationally in turnover margin. Terps tumble, 30-14.

Virginia (8-3) plays Virginia Tech (10-1) for bragging rights, the Commonwealth Cup and the Coastal Division title. The two schools have long been viewed through the prism of establishment and upstart...with UVa owning the traditional moniker and VT the new kid on the block status. Not so in football--especially now with Mike London trying to construct something similar to what Frank Beamer has built. VT has plenty of firepower with Logan Thomas throwing and David Wilson running-- and you'd have to think the Cavaliers will have to contain the Hokies as Michael Rocco probably can't keep pace in a shootout. Still, there's a definite window of opportunity: VT has had problems beginning games all season-- if UVa can jump on them early with a big play or two... Wilson's not as much of a factor. I'm still waiting for the Hokie special teams to steal a game this fall. Is this the week? Hokies allow two touchdowns in the game's first five minutes-- before rallying... taking the lead for good on a blocked kick (BEAMER BALL!)...27-24.


Last week: 3-4. During Closing Month? Put that coffee down!
Overall: 62-29.

White Album Trimmed...

Wasting time has always been one of my specialties. So when The Beatles White Album celebrated its 43rd birthday this past Tuesday... I turned to producer George Martin's long-held statement that he wished they could have released it as a stronger single record.

What do you keep? Which songs go to the dustbin? And how much do you change the sequence? Because years of listening has trained the ear to think "Dear Prudence" after "Back in the USSR" and "I Will" after "Why Don't we Do it in the Road?".

Now I set about the revamped White Album with a few guidelines:

1-- Balance between the writers. That means 5 songs each for John & Paul... 3 for George and 1 for Ringo. Also in sequencing the songs the goal was to have no back-to-back songs by the same primary writer.

2-- Post positions-- the Beatles took great care in the sequencing of the albums they had control over (all UK releases and all US releases from Pepper onwards)... and that meant beginning with a bang... finishing with a flourish... and building a bridge between the sides.
"Taxman"sets the tone for Revolver..."Ticket to Ride" makes you want to flip the side on Help!... "Here Comes the Sun" opens Abbey Road's side two with ease and "Twist and Shout" ends Please Please Me with an exclamation point.

3--Single spotlight-- I took the liberty of removing "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" from the pool because with a 14- track album they probably would have looked to release another song as a 45... and Paul had been pushing this one like nothing else (much to the others dismay). But it's catchy in a "Hello Goodbye" way-- George Martin would have pushed for it-- and having "Everybody's Got Something to Hide, Except for Me and My Monkey" follows the trend of John's earthier stuff backing Paul's commercial fare ("Walrus/Goodbye", "Revolution/Hey Jude").

So here we go...

Side A--
1-Back in the USSR
2-Dear Prudence
3-Piggies
4-Don't Pass Me By
5-Glass Onion
6-Blackbird
7-While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Can't shake the starting sequence that's been ingrained for 43 years... the plane's engines are like the opening chord on "A Hard Day's Night". I also wanted to bring George and Ringo in early on side one. I tried to balance the rockers and ballads as well as sarcasm and idealism (Glass Onion/Blackbird). Plus-- "Guitar" is a nice Side A closer in the same vein as "She Said She Said" or "Michelle"... you felt fulfilled but your appetite for more is in play.

Side B
1-Helter Skelter
2-Julia
3-Rocky Raccoon
4-Savoy Truffle
5-Cry Baby Cry
6-I Will
7-Happiness is a Warm Gun

From the harsh to the soft to the sublime (Paul's narrative is memorable but George's recounting of different chocolates that Eric Clapton likes is pure gold). John goes from reflective to haunting to the final song that's literally helter skelter-- three different styles and tempos somehow stitched together. Their better finishing tracks summed up the album's tone while also letting the curtain come down. After hearing "Tomorrow Never Knows" or "A Day in the Life"... I was cool with silence for a little bit. One reason I think the double album suffers is by placing "Happiness" at the end of side one the listener gets completely sucked into the song-- it takes a while to get back into things on side two. I'd mentally go to lunch until about halfway through "Blackbird".

Easy Cuts-- "Honey Pie" and "Revolution #9"... opposite ends of the spectrum-- one could have been released in 1938... and the other maybe in 2038.

Tough Cuts--"Why Don't we do it in the Road?" is a fantastic track but has B-Side written all over it like "I'm Down".

Redskins Rehash-- Turkey Drop...

If you have a chance this Thanksgiving season, check out "WKRP in Cincinnati" on youtube or hulu. There was a first-season episode titled "Turkey's Away" where the station decides to hold a Thanksgiving Turkey giveaway-- only to drop a few out of a helicopter. Evidently the station manager thought that "God as my witness-- I thought turkeys could fly". And obviously they "hit the parking lot like sacks of wet cement". Welcome to the Redskins 2011 season. The optimism of a 3-1 start has long crashed to the earth like sacks of wet cement. The notion of John Beck as a starting NFL QB now as valid as turkeys flying. Oh the humanity!

Turnoverasaurus Rex-- Mr. Grossman threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns while running for the team's other score. Still... a 4th quarter interception nearly cost his team in regulation. More thrills, chills and spills on the menu next Sunday in Seattle.

Third and out... with multiple drops-- the Skins converted 6 of 15 third downs... although they began disastrously in the first half: 0 for 5 with three fumbles-- one recovered by the Cowboys... one recovered by the Skins... another reversed by instant replay.

Secondary Seams-- Dallas retook the lead in the fourth quarter with a 59 yard pass from Tony Romo to Jason Witten on a broken play. Romo also found Dez Bryant on a 26 yard strike on 3rd and 15 in overtime to move the ball to the Redskin 23... setting up the gamewinning field goal.

Feeling Fredtastic?-- #83 tallied 6 catches for 49 yards with a long of 24... meaning he averaged 5 yards on his other 5 grabs. Davis' total of 49 receptions and 636 yards prorates to 78 and 1017. So why does his season feel so underwhelming?

London Bridge-- Mr. Fletcher recorded 16 total tackles and a sack... proving that he is the heart and soul of this defense. One wonders how much longer the 36 year old will maintain this level... and will he be able to contribute when this team finally turns things around (whenever that will be).

Ryan the Rookie-- Kerrigan tallied one sack and two quarterback hits... giving him six on the season. The Skins need more picks like him-- and soon.

Ganoing ganoing gone?-- the Skins kicker missed a pair of field goal attempts... from 49 and 52 yards. He leads the league in misses with 8... and that is never ideal. Will the Skins do some Christmas shopping for a new kicker or stand pat on PATs and FGs for 2012?

Dissecting the Division-- Philadelphia's win over the Giants drops New York behind Dallas... as the Cowboys take the division lead thanks to a better NFC East record. The two teams tangle twice between now and the end of the season. While Dallas takes the #4 seed... the Giants are in 8th place. The Eagles hang onto hope in 10th while the Redskins are 12th... officially still in the hunt but you know the deal.

College Football Corner-- of turkeys and trimmings...

College football and Thanksgiving go hand in hand. Everybody comes home from school to brag about how well their school did... or play down how poorly their school played. While the NFL rules Thursday, there's plenty of pigskin helpings Friday and Saturday with rivalry games on tap-- and more than a few of them carry division, conference or national championship implications. While Virginia Tech is thankful for a soft September schedule and minimal growing pains for quarterback Logan Thomas, Virginia's thankful they're playing meaningful games in late November. Maryland, meanwhile, is thankful the autumn nightmare is coming to a close-- with work already underway on 2012.

Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse had the weekend off with games against Cincinnati and Pittsburgh pending. At 5-5 they need a split to make postseason play... but with 3 straight losses where they've allowed 30+ points a game, I think we might be looking forward to basketball. Oh yeah, that. Longtime assistant coach Bernie Fine has been accused of molesting a former ball-boy in the 1980's and 90's. I covered the team while I was a student and never heard anything sketchy about Fine-- but my minimal exposure to SU hoops during that time obviously counts for nothing. You just don't know people. If the claims are true I hope appropriate action is taken. If the claims are true I hope my university didn't cover anything up or turn a blind eye when they had the chance to do the right thing. If these claims are false, I have no mercy for those who have lied and slandered... and hope a longtime coach gets his reputation back.

Maryland (2-9) enjoyed a tale of two halves against Wake Forest... playing the Demon Deacons even for 30 minutes before allowing 4 scores in the first five possessions after intermission-- slipping 31-10. Once again there were bright spots with more than a few breakdowns. Bring on 2012. Terrapin Triumphs-- CJ ran for 110 yards while throwing for 186 and a touchdown... Demetrius Hartsfield tallied 14 tackles while Andre Monroe notched 2 and a half sacks. Terrapin Troubles-- 514 total yards allowed... 340 after halftime. Two missed field goals from 32 and 36 yards. And another double digit defeat. Next up: Saturday at North Carolina State.

Virginia (8-3) somehow survived a last-chance Florida State rally and won for the first time ever in Tallahassee... 14-13. Any time you win for the first time in a conference foe's building, it becomes a big season. Kippy and Buffy got into the pre-Thanksgiving celebration by enjoying Louis Jadot Beaujolais with Port Wine Cheese on Wheat Thins. Now Saturday's Commonwealth Cup also means a ticket to the ACC Title game. Cavalier Congrats-- 238 yards passing for Michael Rocco against the best defense in the ACC... and a turnover free game for the offense. The UVa D held FSU to 3 of 13 on third down and allowed the Seminoles to cross midfield just twice after halftime. Cavalier Concerns-- 7 penalties is never ideal... and going 5 of 14 on third down is one way to keep the opponent in the game.
Next Up: Saturday against Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech (10-1) continues to rule Thursday night with the clarity of a Bill Cosby sweater. Despite a late North Carolina rally, the Hokies hold on 24-21. Now the overachieving little brother once again faces his instate rival-- with a trip to the ACC Title Game on the line. Hokie Highlights-- Logan Thomas threw for two scores while running for a third... VT moved the chains on 9 of 16 third downs... Jarrett Boykin tallied 10 catches for 106 yards. Hokie Humblings-- another sluggish first quarter resulting in an early deficit... that I'm used to. But now a fourth quarter where the defense allowed 179 yards and two scores? Special teams saw a field goal missed/-1 punt return yards/under 20 yards a kickoff return. BEAMER BALL?Next Up: Ray and Louann square off with Kippy and Buffy in a tailgating tilt... as the Hokies visit Virginia.

Presto's Picks-- tournament time? Or bowl of confusion...

Every year I basically write the same thing. About how college football needs to decide its championship on a field instead of by voters and computers. Let the candidates decide their fate in the open! I've had 4-team, 8-team, 12-team and 16-team fields. And the band plays on. I've incorporated the bowls and gone to neutral sites. I've sent automatic qualifiers to different regions. I've made January 1st the day for the Final Four and the Elite Eight. And the band plays on. So I'll draw up my pretend bracket after this weekend's games and write about how a tournament actually makes November games meaningful for more than the top 5-7 teams... and how the lower level bowls really do nothing but reward mediocrity (yes, Syracuse-- I know last year's 7-5 mark deserved some celebration... but a trip to the Bronx and a Banner?). I watch the SEC self-perpetuate its perch atop the college football landscape while unbeatens like TCU and Boise State get the shaft. But the bowl band plays on.

Maryland (2-8) visits Wake Forest-- a team that needs a victory to wrap up a bowl berth. The Demon Deacons are led by Tanner Price-- who has a pair of wideouts (Chris Givens and Michael Campanaro) to stretch the field. The Terps' defense has had problems recently stopping anyone and everyone (40ppg in last five weeks). Offensively, what was a quarterback rotation is now simply CJ Brown and hold your breath-- walk-on Troy Jones and punt returner Tony Logan are the backups. Read that last sentence again. Terps tumble 44-27.

Virginia (7-3) turns to Tallahassee-- a place they've never won-- and needs to beat #23 Florida State in order to stay alive in the Coastal Division race. Perry Jones and Kevin Parks have powered the Cavalier ground game effectively this fall-- but haven't run into brick wall like the first in the ACC Seminole defense. Do you feel confident putting your Orange Bowl hopes in the hands of Michael Rocco? But if there's been one team that's been predictably unpredictable this fall- it's been Kippy and Buffy's alma mater. Cavs come up short 23-20.

Navy sinks San Jose State, Howard defeats Delaware State, James Madison falls at Massachusetts (they're not losing on Thanksgiving week), William & Mary beats Richmond.

Last Week: 6-1.
Overall: 59-25 (12-2 in closing month!)

Presto's Picks-- Thursday Night Thriller...

What is it about the Hokies and Thursday Night Football? Fried Turkey Legs... BEAMER BALL!... and Maroon and Purple rule like Cheers and ER. I initially wasn't a fan of the Thursday night game but have warmed up to it on the college front (still not a fan of NFL games on Thursday night... but whatever). And Virginia Tech seemingly has been at the forefront of Thursday night action from the beginning.

#9 Virginia Tech tangles with North Carolina and can wrap up the Coastal Division with a victory plus a Virginia loss at Florida State Saturday. While the Hokies boast the ACC's leading rusher in David Wilson, the Tar Heels are ranked third in the league in stopping the run. Bryn Renner doesn't throw for a lot of yards but is extremely effective when he does air it out (#1 in the ACC in passing efficiency). Logan Thomas has grown from a raw product to a quarterback with plenty of polish-- and UNC may be a more inviting target (last in the league in stopping the pass while rating 9th in pass defense efficiency). And oh my those Turkey Legs taste good. Hokies hang on, 30-24.

Coming up tomorrow-- full slate of picks with the "playoff bracket" you've been waiting for...

Redskins Rehash-- Are they on the clock yet?

Okay-- I've tried to avoid the obvious. Each week I try to dissect the Redskins' game with snarky comments and witty repartee... but we all recognize the obvious. This team is bad. This team won't be a contender or even a pretender this year. And there's a chance that next year might not be much better. Things are that bad. I didn't think that 5-11 ("not too good"--Steve Spurrier, before faxed resignation-2003) was a possibility... now 3-13 is mentioned with all seriousness after a 3-1 start.


So the Skins lost 20-9 in Miami. To a very bad team that was winless two weeks ago and will probably finish last in the AFC East (although Buffalo could fashion a classic second half collapse-- "nobody circles the wagons to finish under .500 like the Buffalo Bills!"). This was another game that was there for the taking and wasn't taken.



Turnoverasaurus Rex... still better than Beck-- Mr. Grossman threw two interceptions... including one on the supposed go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter. This after connecting on 7 of his first 9 passes in the first half. But at least he's throwing the ball more than ten yards downfield. John Beck is also the name of the actor who played "Mark Graison" on Dallas-- he was Pam's love interest after her divorce with Bobby-- and although you didn't mind the guy, you knew he just wasn't Bobby. I don't mind this John Beck, but I just know he's not an NFL quarterback.


Torain goes off the rails-- somehow the Dolphin defense knew how to stymie Ryan Torain: 10 carries for 20 yards... and a first half sequence from the 5 that lost three yards over five plays. Let the record show he did have a touchdown wiped out by a holding call-- but Roy Helu was introduced as an option a little too late.

Backup Plan? Ha!-- Don't be so quick to roast Mike Shanahan, because the fruits we are tasting were planted during the Vinny Cerrato era. With the recent injuries we learn further about the complete lack of depth developed over the last decade. A good organization's backups are almost good enough to be starters-- a bad organization's backups are almost bad enough to be out of the league.

Hankering for the IR-- rookie Leonard Hankerson tallied 8 catches for 106 yards in what appeared to be his breakout game. Unfortunately the game during which he went off on a tear also was the one where he tore the labrum in his right hip. So the Skins go to plan H or I at wideout.

Feeling Fredtastic... dropping-- okay, so everybody's favorite tight end dropped a pass in the numbers. Still, Mr. Davis recorded 3 catches for 28 yards-- and his prorated numbers are 76 grabs for 1043 yards. But he hasn't found the endzone in some time (second three game stretch without a touchdown); on a team desperately needing a go-to receiver in the red zone... he's not it.

Red-faced-- three trips into the red zone with no touchdowns to show for it. What's worse... the 0 for 3 or the fact that they got inside Miami's 20 just three times (one aided by a interception return)?

Grading the D on a curve--the Skins allowed just 20 points... but allowed 8 of 14 third down conversions. Jim Haslett's unit did provide a pair of takeaways that led to points... and Ryan Kerrigan continued his promising rooking campaign with a pair of sacks. But the leading tacklers were safeties Reed Doughty and Laron Landry: any time your DBs are making a lot of stops-- it's not necessarily a good thing.

Dissecting the division-- Despite the Giants loss at San Francisco, New York remains atop the NFC East as the # 3 seed. Dallas is alone in second place and their 4-2 conference record puts them ahead of Atlanta for 7th place in the NFC. Philadelphia stays in third place of the division but drops to #12 in the conference with their underwhelming loss to Arizona. And the Redskins remain in last place... now 13th place in the conference. Much closer to last place than the last playoff spot in the NFC.

All signs point North... with a West Surge--- both North Divisions continue their dominance-- the NFC is 23-13 while the AFC is 22-15 after ten weeks. Major props to the much-maligned NFC West-- going 4-0 to improve to a pedestrian 16-20. Not ideal, but decidedly better than the AFC South's 15-23.

College Football Corner-- the Confounded Confluence...

The middle weeks of November always make me shrug. As the excitement of Closing Month focuses on teams playing for conference or national championships-- or simply trying to become bowl eligible-- college hoops tips off its regular season. Isn't there enough going on? Can't they push back opening weekend one week? Not to pull my "old codger", but when I was young they'd wait until the weekend before Thanksgiving for games-and we liked it! It doesn't help now that just about everybody plays through the last week of November-- this isn't 1985 when the Big Ten was wrapped up before Turkey day. Instead, you have non-conference games that get shoved to the side because 1/12 of a football season (usually a conference or rivalry game) takes precedence over 1/30 of a basketball campaign (usually against a non-conference foe on a lower level). Which brings me to the Maryland-Georgetown womens showdown. Has the feel of a Saturday December tilt, right? The perfect appetizer to conference play? No-- the Terps and Hoyas get shoved into a Sunday slot where the Redskins and Ravens have meaningful games (okay, Skins fans-- humor me here). I know the audience for womens hoops and the NFL isn't exactly the same demo-- but if you schedule that game for early November you're almost asking for it to be buried under Skinsationalism and Ravens coverage (working on a Ravens hybrid word...I will take suggestions). Meanwhile, the college football season still has two more regular season weeks to sort out.

Maryland (2-7) punted four times in the first quarter allowed Notre Dame to score on four of their six first half possessions... and the second half wasn't much better: the Irish scored on their opening drive...and then returned a pick six. A broken arm would then end Danny O'Brien's year as the team falls 45-21. With two games remaining in the 2011 season, one wonders what happened to a 9-4 team-- and what will need to happen between now and next Labor Day to get this program on the right track. Terrapin Triumphs-- DJ Adams saw his most serious action since the West Virginia game, tallying 55 yards rushing and a touchdown while catching two passes... Alex Twine tallied 12 tackles with one sack... Nick Ferrara averaged over 40 yards a punt. Terrapin Troubles-- 3 of 12 on third down while allowing the Fighting Irish to move the chains on 10 of 16 opportunities... the run defense allowed almost 6 yards a carry when adjusted for sacks... and no turnovers generated against a Notre Dame team that has had trouble hanging onto the football. Next Up: Saturday at Wake Forest.


Virginia (7-3) made a team bowl-ineligible for the second straight week, defeating Duke 31-21 in a game that had every inkling of a letdown. Kippy and Buffy raised the bar once again for their tailgate: Mollydooker "Blue Eyed Boy" Shiraz with pepperjack cheese on triscuits. Cavalier Congrats-- Michael Rocco threw two touchdown passes while the defense held the Blue Devils to 34 net rushing yards. Cavalier Concerns-- 6 of 15 on third down led to 6 three and outs in twelve possessions... 6 penalties... and the lack of a first half knockout punch won't help UVa as it transitions from lambs to lions on its November schedule. Next Up: Saturday at Florida State.


#9 Virginia Tech (9-1) owns Closing Month and usually owns Thursday Night: the two forces collided in VT's 37-26 victory over Georgia Tech. This matchup has played like an ACC Semifinal since divisional play began: either the Hokies or Yellowjackets have played on the first Saturday of December. Hokie Highlights-- Logan Thomas threw three touchdown passes while running for two more scores... David Wilson ran for 175 yards... VT converted 10 of 16 third downs-- and on two non-conversions followed with moving the chains on fourth down. Hokie Humblings-- Guess who scored first? Yes, VT was blanked in the first quarter 7-0. I can't think of a better team worse in the opening period. And the start of the college basketball season already has me thinking about how Seth Greenberg's team is on the bubble. Next Up: Thursday against North Carolina-- bring the Turkey Legs.

Presto's Picks... from under the rubble at State College.

I grew up liking and following Penn State. In the northeast during the 70's and 80's, the Nittany Lions were the only major football program who consistently mattered on the national stage. Yes, Pitt won a national title and Boston College had a Heisman Trophy winner... but Penn State every year took on the bullies from the big conferences (this was the era of the Independent)- beating the USC's, Alabama's and Nebraska's. They did things the right way-- in an era of everybody in the SWC going on probation, never a whiff of impropriety in the program. The team was always more than the sum of its parts: there was a stretch where they beat Marcus Allen, Herschel Walker, Doug Flutie and Vinnie Testaverde the year each won the Heisman. And Joe Paterno represented what was good-- steering the ship through the unseemly waters of college athletics. Even when I didn't attend Penn State (going to a rival Eastern Independent), I still respected what the program stood for and what it meant to college athletics.

And now it's gone. Paterno fired? For off the field issues? Surely you mean some renegade coach paying players? Something so far off base that it possibly couldn't be true-- you mean Paterno's former longtime assistant coach was molesting kids while running a children's charity? If you haven't read the Grand Jury transcript, sit down before you do.

But it's not what Jerry Sandusky did... as much as what Joe Paterno didn't do that caused everything to tumble down. The famed quote: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing". For at least 12 years, a lot of good men in and around State College did nothing-- or not enough. One wonders how long Paterno knew of this behavior. If there was one thing you felt you knew about Joe Paterno-- whether his team was 11-1 or 7-5 he was always doing the right thing. Somewhere the right thing was replaced by the bare minimum.

We like to think the best of people... and give people the benefit of the doubt. We can't imagine the horrors evil men do... because you ask yourself, how can a heart be that dark? You curse Sandusky for his ruining the lives of at least 8 young people... and setting in motion the toppling of all Paterno created. You look at what the people in charge did and didn't do-- and hope that you would have done the right thing if you were in that spot. You feel for the at least 8 people irreparably harmed by a predator-- and hope that they are in some way able to cobble together a decent life... even as those buried traumas come back to haunt them.

I work in the "toy department" of journalism. The Maryland-Notre Dame game is important to some but not as crucial as a jobs bill or hurricane or election. Sports is supposed to give people refuge from the ills of the day. Unfortunately at State College, it's going to be a while before Happy Valley has reason to be happy again.



Maryland meets Notre Dame-- the Terrrapins are in a tailspin... having dropped five straight. They've put together drives and quarters here and there-- but not the consistency they need to beat a team like the Fighting Irish. Terps come up short, 38-16.

Virginia faces Duke-- November begins like a Lamb and ends like a Lion for the Cavaliers (Florida State and Virginia Tech conclude the UVa slate). One more W for Kippy and Buffy, 29-17.

Navy comes up short against SMU, Georgetown slips at Lehigh, Howard defeats Delaware State, James Madison edges Rhode Island, William & Mary falls to Old Dominion, Richmond loses to Delaware.

Last Week: 6-1.
Overall: 53-24.

Redskins Rehash-- Fools' Gold and playing the hits...

So much for 3-1 and a potential playoff appearance. This is a crazy league and I've seen 3-6 New England teams go to 10-6, but does anything this team has done since opening day against the New York Giants inspire confidence? A 19-11 loss to San Francisco (and that's with the sluggish 49ers kicking off at 10am West Coast Time) generates the question of not "how are they going to turn this around" to "how far can this team fall"?

There's been quite a bit of dysfunction with the Redskins in the last 20 years-- from the Pettibon one and done to the Zorn "Maroon and Black" era-- so anytime things go wrong, there's a recent example to say "Deja Vu!". The only question is which year do we turn back the clock to. At first I was going to draft my "Bobby Gold!" persona from Rock 101-WGIR-FM... but he played the 70's and 80's in the 90's... good Redskin years and good stuff. This DJ plays everything from the Goo Goo Dolls to Plain White Tees... with the Gibbs II era sounding like latter day Lame REM. Nostalgia's awesome only when it's good.

Underwhelming afternoon-- at least the weather was nice. The Skins never led... and never really threatened... not reaching the SF red zone until their 12th possession of the day. Reminds one of the 2004 Skins that was massively offensively challenge... allowing opponents to post 15 to 20 points and then run clock.

Beck Lite-- if you look at #12's numbers, 254 yards doesn't seem like a bad outing... until you realize he needed 30 completions to get there. Makes one yearn for Jason Campbell's "Captain Checkdown" era of 2007-09.

Torain off the tracks... or "helluu...Roy"-- with Ryan Torain no longer the main engine in the ground game--after gaining 135 yards on 19 carries against St. Louis, Torain's been held to 33 yards on 21 tries over four games-- rookie Roy Helu was the meal ticket against San Francisco. And the Penn State product shined with 14 receptions (a Skins record) for 105 yards while running the ball 10 times for 41 yards.... but what's not awesome is he was targeted 17 times in 47 Beck attempts (over 33%) and they only ran the ball 15 times. Fifteen! That's not just a bad Nickelodeon 90210 knockoff with Ryan Reynolds in the cast... but a lack of commitment to the run. And they weren't necessarily in a pass-only mindset until the fourth quarter. Makes one recall the glory days of pitchin' and catchin' as well as droppin' G's under Steve Spurrier in 2002-03.

Feeling Fredtastic... ankle and all-- now #83 knows what it's like to be the lone threat on a banged up offense. Minus Tim Hightower, Chris Cooley and Santana Moss the open seams tighten up a little bit-- but Mr. Davis grabbed 4 passes for 42 yards. The prorated totals for the season are now 72-1034... but he hasn't scored in some time. Effective use of a tight end means he gets plenty of red zone chances-- and that's not happening here. This time we look to 2008 when Chris Cooley caught 83 passes for the Maroon and Black but scored just once.

Third and out-- both teams had problems moving the chains Sunday... with the Skins converting 5 of 12 and the Niners getting the job done on just 3 of 12 attempts. So a lot of punting (10 on 23 non-kneedown possessions) gave the Skins a chance to get back into this game early and often.

Quick Kicks-- sustained drives even when you don't generate points is a quiet stat: you're able to control clock and generate better field position... setting yourself up for success over the entire half. In the Skins 12 possessions, they had 3 three and outs-- with a fumbles on the first or second play of two other drives. Two more drives generated generated one first down and then a punt. An eighth possession came at the end of the first half and resulted in a 59 yard field goal.

Graham not cracking-- so much for a kicking controversy. How about a franchise record 59-yarder? The kicker's now 12 of 16 on the season with one miss since the end of September.
Feels like the good old days of Mark Moseley and Chip Lohmiller? Not exactly.

Secondary the primary tacklers-- three of the four leading tacklers against the 49ers were defensive backs... and that's not necessarily a good thing when your DBs are making most of the stops. That means your front seven's either getting blocked out of the way or not making plays. The OLB combo of Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan did total a combine 11 stops with each notching a sack-- two of the better personnel moves made by this and the previous regime. Nice to see solid linebacker play on a day where the Skins honored Chris Hanburger's Hall of Fame enshrinement.

Dissecting the Division-- the Giants win at New England places Big Blue atop the NFC East; the Giants would own the #3 seed if the playoffs began today. Dallas thanks to a win over Seattle and a 4-2 NFC mark owns the #8 spot in the conference, while the Redskins currently rate 11th in the NFC. Philadelphia can move up to 7th with a win over Chicago; a loss drops the Eagles to 10th.

Changing of the Conference Guard?-- since the late 1990's, the AFC has been the better conference: taking 9 of 12 Super Bowls between 1997 and 2009 and annually taking the interconference series (although one year it was tied at 32 wins apiece). Now back to back Super Bowl wins... the declining Colts and Patriots... and a midseason 15-12 edge by the NFC may mean that turnabout is on its way.

College Football Corner-- thank goodness for shrimp dip...

Congrats to Kippy and Buffy. My UVa tailgating friends--popped collars with woven sweaters, argyles with Doxides and all-- can lord over their Terrapin counterparts on the gridiron for the next year... and enjoy their clinching a postseason berth to boot. It's kind of odd that Virginia Tech was idle this weekend-- it only magnifies the Maryland-Virginia matchup for all the right and wrong reasons.

Alma Mater Update-- Paul Pasqualoni gets his revenge win as UConn rallies past the Orange 28-21. Thanks for recruiting a decent QB after McNabb, Paul. And thanks for always finding a way to lose to the East Carolinas and NC States from out of nowhere... and oh yes... Temple. My cousin Liz went to that fine institution, but losing to Temple in 2004 still stings. Unless John Chaney is threatening me. Then I'm cool with that. So now not only is the air officially out of the season, the SU bandwagon is ruining its tires by driving on the rims. Pinstripe Bowl here we come! Unless they add another bowl to be played at CitiBank.

Virginia began with a bang against Maryland-- returing a kickoff 47 yards and then scoring from 47 yards out on its first play from scrimmage. After a Terrapin rally, the Cavaliers owned the third quarter: grinding out 207 yards to 65 for the home team, scoring 14 points while being en route to a field goal as the quarter ended, and holding the Terps to a pair of 3 and outs with an interception on the other drive. The final wasn't as close as the 31-13 score would suggest. For the Cavs it means a bowl-- and for the Terps it means 2012 or bust... as 2011 is already officially a bust.

Cavalier Congrats-- Perry Jones gained over 6 yards a carry (139 yards on 22 tries) while setting the tone with a 47 yard scamper for a score and had a game-changing touchdown on 4th and 1 to put UVa up 8 after its first drive of the second half... Kris Burd and Tim Smith tallied 100+ yards receiving... and Rodney McLeod notched three interceptions. Cavalier Concerns-- after a strong start the defense allowed the Terps to score three times in four possessions...
both lost fumbles occurred well within field goal range... and Kippy Cavalier makes a pretty lame mascot. Easily the least threatening I've seen on the sidelines this fall. And that includes the Temple Owl (who fears a nocturnal animal in the afternoon?) and Miami's "Sebastian the Ibis"-- really. "Sebastian the Ibis"? Legally, you can't be intimidated by anyone named "Sebastian". Or "Kippy". Next Up: Saturday against Duke (don't worry, November begins like a Lamb and ends like a Lion-- Florida State and Virginia Tech wrap up the UVa schedule).

Tailgating Tandem-- truth be told my UVa pals Kippy and Buffy brought it big time-- breaking out the Cain Five 2007-- an incredible blend with 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 6% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cab Franc (the vanilla extract of grapes)... paired with a nice dose of Jarlsberg (Nowegian swiss-type cheese) on Keeblers "Toasteds" snack crackers. Still, I had a better time in the non-popped collar land with the Nobles: Matt and Stacia offered a pregame spread of crabdip and breakfast quiche (Stacia's Mimosa recipie calls for Triple Sec), and postgame Bubba Burgers with shrimp dip and frito's... with cans of Coors Light (raised in honor of my cousin David Watson's birthday) and Pumpkin Ale (I forget the brand; we were holding a "production meeting" for the womens' basketball broadcasts). I was given the leftover shrimp dip and let's just say it was gone within 24 hours.

Terrapin Triumphs-- Quentin McCree notched 7 catches for 117 yards in his final home game... Darin Drakeford tallied 11 tackles, a forced fumble and an interception... and the weather was really nice for the first time in seven home games this fall. I'm the sideline reporter for the Terrapin Sports Radio Network-- and I've seen rain, snow, sleet, slush and even a hybrid I politely title "snushleet". Terrapin Troubles--five turnovers on their last seven possessions (the other possessions failed to gain a first down)... 3 for 14 on third down (all 14 third down plays were 3rd and 6 or longer)... a defense that allowed two huge plays in the first half (a 47 yard run and a 35 yard pass). Next Up: Saturday against Notre Dame.

Presto's Picks-- Closing Month Opens.

While September is Show Me Month and October is Moving Month, November is Closing Month in college football. Seasons are won or lost; champions are determined (okay, I throw the first week of December into November here) and legacies are established. The definition of a successful season depends on the school and the situation: for Virginia Tech, nothing short of an ACC Championship Game appearance will suffice. For Virginia, a win over the Hokies would make the season-- even with a 7-5 or 8-4 finish. For Maryland, four straight wins may seem unlikely against a fourpack that's 19-13... a 2-2 closing month wouldn't be ideal, but an 0-4 would be beyond disastrous.

Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse tries to clinch bowl eligibility this weekend with a game against Connecticut. One thing I'll miss about not being in the Big East is my friend "UCONN JAMES"-- the loudest Huskies fan on the planet-- and a guy I only see during the hoop season. I don't believe he actually exists otherwise. SU's path to the postseason is littered with also-rans... as only Big East leading Cincinnati has a winning record. But if there's one thing I've learned from following the Orange-- they will make this interesting for everyone watching.

Virginia visits Maryland in the annual Potomac posturing... and recently the road team has fared rather well: 5-0 since 2006. The two schools recruit in each other's backyards (11 Cavaliers are from Maryland, 11 Terps hail from Virginia) and there's always a sneer from Charlottesville ("academic institution") towards the more Salt of the Earth College Parkers. Let the record show my tailgating pals Kippy and Buffy don't look down on their Terrapin counterparts-- because to look down on someone you have to acknowledge their existence.

UVa has been consistently inconsistent this fall, barely beating IDAHO in overtime before upsetting unbeaten Georgia Tech... then losing to then winless in the ACC North Carolina State before beating Miami in their house (alas, not at the defunct OB). The Terps are injury ridden and even healthy have had problems defensively... and offensively the weekly quarterback question has to be taking its toll at some point. Cavaliers come through, 25-22.


Navy tops Troy, Howard slips at Hampton, Georgetown rips Fordham, James Madison falls at New Hampshire, William & Mary loses at Rhode Island, Richmond falls to Old Dominion.


Last Week: 6-2.
Overall: 47-23.