1. The Redskins claimed running back Tashard Choice off waivers, two days after the Cowboys cut him. They released cornerback Brandyn Thompson, who likely will be re-signed to the practice squad. Choice is an interesting pickup because he’s had some big moments in the past: In four seasons he rushed for 1,139 yards and eight touchdowns.
But this season he’s managed just 75 yards on 28 carries and was clearly not a favorite of coach Jason Garrett. Choice fumbled twice this season – he also fumbled vs. the Redskins last season (the DeAngelo Hall play).
2. Choice played hurt this season, injuring his shoulder earlier this season. He pulled a hamstring last week. Choice told ESPN Dallas that he does not expect to play this week.
Choice told the website about leaving Dallas, “It’s a blessing. I wanted to be there and they wanted to go a different route. It’s time for me to make my mark [with another team] and it’s time for me to take advantage of my opportunities.”
3. Here’s one report on Choice from this summer. This article gives Choice a B for his pass protection. However, other reports from Dallas say Choice was not great in that area. And Pro Football Focus ranked him in the bottom 15 over the past three seasons for his pass protection efficiency. Guess we’ll find out.
4. Not sure yet why they signed Choice and did not promote Evan Royster off the practice squad. Choice offers experience, however, and the Redskins need someone right now who offers a little more explosiveness than Royster. But don’t write him off; the way this season is going he’ll get his chance and I’m curious to see him after a full offseason.
5. Tight end Fred Davis wore a walking boot on his left foot Monday after suffering a ‘grade one’ ankle sprain in Sunday’s 23-0 loss to Buffalo. Coach Mike Shanahan was uncertain about his status for Sunday’s game vs. San Francisco, but this sort of injury often doesn’t result in missed time. If it does, the Redskins would lose their best offensive weapon. Davis leads the Redskins with 36 catches and 517 receiving yards and has been the one offensive target who consistently separates from defenders.
6. Shanahan said there’s a chance left tackle Trent Williams will be able to play Sunday vs. San Francisco. Williams missed the last two games after suffering a high ankle sprain Oct. 16 vs. Philadelphia.
“He’s improved, so there’s a chance he’ll be ready this week,” Shanahan said.
Don’t know how much of a chance, but that would be a huge help to the offensive line. They badly need someone dependable on the left side. It was ugly over there Sunday.
7. Shanahan said he would consider moving Will Montgomery back to center, but that depended on Williams’ health and how much shuffling that would cause along the line. Montgomery really struggled vs. the Bills.
8. Shanahan also said he was “pretty comfortable with the play-calling. I’m heavily involved with the offense.” So there you go. He also seemed pleased with the preparation for the Buffalo game, including the offense. My question: what else would he say? In a lot of cases it was lost one-on-one battles that ruined a play. But if players keep losing certain battles, they should not be in them, right?
9. Shanahan blamed Graham Gano’s low kick on the blocked field goal Sunday and not the blocking in the interior of the line. “The kick was a little bit lower than normal,” Shanahan said.
10. Beck was under duress for most of Sunday’s 23-0 loss to Buffalo, but some of those problems stemmed from his inability to make quicker decisions, leading to at least some of the nine sacks. “There’s going to be some good games, there’s going to be games that are a little off,” Shanahan said. “John was a little off.” Beck continues to be off on the deep passes, but that was evident in training camp, too. In practice this summer, even the informal offseason workouts, and in games I have yet to see him have a lot of consistency from one day to the next.
11. Mood of the locker room? Resigned and determined, maybe? Many of these players have been around long enough to see an ugly stretch turn around in a hurry. But the injuries throw a wrench into that optimism.
“You can’t feel sorry for yourself,” nose tackle Barry Cofield said. “The 49ers will come in here looking to capitalize. They’re gonna love what they saw on film. They’re gonna look to pound us…. It was ugly yesterday, there’s no hiding that. People will be looking to write us off and hopefully we can thrive off that.”
Cofield saw a season turn around in 2007, the year the Giants won the Super Bowl. They started off 0-2, allowing 80 points – and then trailed 17-0 in Washington before rallying to win.
“We’ll see what kind of character we’ve got in this locker room,” he said. “That’s what coach Shanahan preached and that’s what everyone around here was preaching, that that was what was different about this team. It doesn’t guarantee you a win, but you should see a competitive team. You shouldn’t see arguing and infighting and people going to the media and airing out dirty laundry. If we avoid those things we have a good chance going forward.”
The finger-pointing has yet to really begin. This team was sold on Shanahan just a few weeks ago and that doesn’t seem to have changed. If the losing continues, well… But for now it’s not an issue (though if Beck doesn’t perform well, just keep in mind that Rex Grossman was the popular choice among the players).
“We are a strong locker room,” Lorenzo Alexander said. “We’ll be just fine… When you lose games, people want to start trying to divide, ‘There must be something going on in the locker room.’ It’s really not. We’re just not showing up on game day. Guys are still fighting for each other, guys still love each other whether we win or lose. It’s just easier to love somebody when you’re winning.”
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