During the offseason, they developed an on-field chemistry, built one throw at a time, usually with few people watching. It carried into training camp, where Jason Campbell found new passing buddy Chris Cooley. And it was evident to all: they would connect on many throws this season.
After three games, however, Cooley’s hands often are attached not to the ball, but to a defender. Because of injuries on the right side of Washington’s line, among other reasons, Cooley has had to block much more than anyone would like.
He’s fourth on the team with six catches for 54 yards and two touchdowns.
“I expected to have six catches in each of the first three games,” Cooley said. “I don’t have an answer for why it hasn’t happened.”
Last year, he opened with seven catches in the first three games en route to a team-best 57. A similar progression is expected.
“By the end of the year he’ll have the kind of numbers everyonewill be excited about,” Redskins associate head coach/offense Al Saunders said. “He will have a great year.”
Two of the first three teams liked to blitz a lot and the third, New York, had strong pass-rushing ends, requiring tight end help.
On the Redskins’ line, they have a new starting right guard (Jason Fabini) and right tackle (Todd Wade). The coaches helped them by allowing them to work often in tandem. That meant a tight end or back had to help on their side. Also, left tackle Chris Samuels missed all preseason and they wanted to provide him more help early in the year.
“We got into the second half of the [Giants’] game and we had some issues going on and I was there to help out,” Cooley said. “I don’t know if it was problems in the game, or if there might have been a comfort level in having someone else over there.”
Saunders said it won’t be like that every game.
“There will be times when we go to five- or six-man protections where he won’t have to stay in,” Saunders said.
Cooley’s anxious for that game.
“It’s frustrating, especially in a game where you see [Giants tight end Jeremy] Shockey make a bunch of big catches on third down,” Cooley said. “You go, ‘Yeah, I know I can do that.’ At the same time you have to look and say maybe we’ll have issues even getting the ball down the field. … I’ve caught a lot of balls in practice. It just hasn’t worked out that way.”
