Skins don’t think so, tab Campbell to start
Jason Campbell admitted he felt the pressure — even when there wasn’t any. All week long he heard about his patchwork offensive line and the trouble that awaited him. By the time the game started, Campbell anticipated being under siege.
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So even though on most throws he wasn’t under pressure, he reacted as if he was. And he’d step up too soon, trying to run through lanes that weren’t open. He hesitated on throws. Then he got benched.
He was given his starting job back Tuesday when coach Jim Zorn announced it during his weekly appearance on ESPN 980.
With left tackle Chris Samuels sidelined and right guard Randy Thomas already out, Campbell knows what went wrong for him last week.
“I was uncomfortable in last week’s game,” Campbell said. “I came out thinking that because Chris was out I would get hit before I went through my progressions. I went into the game with the wrong mindset. I have to have trust in the guys in front of me and let them do their jobs. I got distracted.”
The result? Nine of 16 passing for 89 yards and one interception (on a Hail Mary). He was sacked once and replaced by Todd Collins in the second half.
Campbell knows he can’t approach Monday’s game vs. Philadelphia the same way.
“I’ve got to come out Monday and let it loose,” Campbell said. “Because the line did a whole lot better than everyone expected, that gives me a lot of confidence to go out this week. They bring a lot of pressure, but I can’t worry about that. I have to drop back and just let it go. I was doing that in week’s past and I told myself I didn’t look like the same guy when I was watching it on film. I distracted myself.”
Campbell said Zorn has not told the quarterbacks yet of his decision, but that he never expected his benching to last more than the second half of Sunday’s 14-6 loss to Kansas City.
Zorn pointed to Campbell’s hesitancy on some plays, his desire to run when the pocket was still fine and the missed deep ball to receiver Santana Moss.
“But I haven’t given up on the quarterback,” Zorn said. “He’s worked hard. This is where I think I will head … a quarterback, when you get protection, you set a base and throw it. He’s an accurate passer with a hose. He can do a lot of things back there.”
Zorn said Sunday’s move was only about the Chiefs game and not an accumulation of games. For the season Campbell is completing 65.6 percent of his throws for 1,197 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions.
He hopes to remember his lesson learned from last week.
“I went out there thinking I have to make plays with my feet or make decisions a lot quicker than I wanted,” Campbell said. “If I just play the game and trust guys … the outcome would have been different. You learn from it and you move on.”
