Thanks as usual for the questions; had a lot of them to get through this week. Keep ’em coming.
John: What do you think the chances are that we will see the following in the starting line up (not due to injury) sometime this season: Perry Riley, Niles Paul, Leonard Hankerson, John Beck?
Tim Murray
Tim: I think Beck’s chances are greater than the others. Paul already is playing but I don’t see his role expanding. I don’t see him passing the receivers ahead of him. Hankerson will take time just because of the receiver depth. And his inability to play special teams means he’d have to be one of the top three or four receivers. Just don’t see him passing those ahead of him right now. I like the spot he’s in; there’s no pressure to produce and he can just develop. Riley? That’s a tough one. They sounded as if he had a ways to go this summer to grasp the entire responsibilities of the weakside inside linebacker spot. With Rex Grossman’s inconsistencies, I could see Beck getting a shot at some point.
JK
John: Thanks for the great work. Not sure how you saw things, but to me lots of the calls against the Cowboys, particularly down in the red zone, felt odd. Not just because they often failed, but they just seemed ill-conceived and did not take advantage of the team’s strengths (such as they are). The second hand off to Cooley, the Moss hand off, the sequence of plays after the fumble – doesn’t this team need Kyle Shanahan to call a game best suited to Rex in order to win? Long shot plays seem less than ideal as the talent does not exist to either make something happen or overcome constant 3rd and longs.
Thanks,
Joe Nogueira
Joe: I think they’re struggling to find something that works inside the 20. They were hurt, in part, by having a first and goal from the 10; always a tough one (but clearly not impossible). They trusted Rex to throw in the Arizona game and he forced a hurried pass. One thing I’ve heard from scouts or evaluators: they don’t have the playmakers to make enough plays down here. Seems like at least a couple of the scores came off the play design, allowing guys to get wide open. A consistent ground game would help here and they haven’t had that.
JK
John: In my opinion Rex has followed the first game where he played well with two mediocre games back to back. My biggest disappointment is the lack of zip Rex has on the deep ball. Do you think Rex has a stranglehold on the job or is there a chance we see Beck in the second half of the season?
Mike
Mike: I don’t think he has a stranglehold on the job. You can’t keep averaging two turnovers a game and hold onto this position, unless you’re also throwing four touchdowns. He has the arm strength on the deep ball, but sometimes the timing is off. That’s what happened on the throw to Fred Davis vs. Arizona. Other times he lacks zip because he’ll throw flat-footed and not reset his feet so it’s all arm. But if the Redskins go through a tough stretch and he turns it over a few more times then yeah I think Beck will play.
JK
John: What can you gather regarding Leonard Hankerson’s development? I can see Shanahan developing him like he did Brandon Marshall in Denver, another big-bodied, athletic mid-round wide receiver with enormous potential. Marshall didn’t dress until week 7 of his rookie year, where he caught 2 passes for 22 yards and a TD, then didn’t play again until week 11, where he then was subsequently dressed for every ensuing game but finished with a meager 20 receptions for 309 yards and 2 TDs. Of course, his 2nd season is when he blossomed, breaking out with 102 receptions for 1325 yards and 7 TDs.
What do you know about Hankerson’s progress? What do the coaches and his teammates think of him? We very badly need that physical target for the redzone, and we don’t have a receiver on this team outside of Fred Davis who can get yards after the catch (besides Armstrong getting behind a defense). Hankerson’s development seems crucial to our plans for the draft, and having that big WR “safety net” to throw it to when a play breaks down has become a necessary component of nearly every good offense in this league (Calvin Johnson in Detroit, Dez Bryant last week, Plaxico in his career, etc. etc.). Does it look like Hankerson can be that guy? Can we expect to see him make an impact this season?
Sorry for the long-winded question. And thanks again for all the work that you do, and for not getting in embarrassing brawls with other DC beat writers.
All the best,
Jacob in LA
Jacob: Ha. I’d like to think we’re more civil here… And thank you very much. I think he’s being very patient with Hankerson and with the added depth they can be that way. I thought he showed a few good things this summer, in practice and a couple times in games. At times he used his body very well to wall off defenders or make it hard to get around him. Unless there are injuries my guess is that he’ll continue to have a quiet year. I haven’t talked to many guys about him in a couple weeks but I know this summer they liked him and his approach. He worked awfully hard and routinely stayed after practice (he did this during the player-run workouts too). John Beck liked him because of his size and long arms; he knew he could throw to a certain side and Hankerson would block out the defender. But he’s not nearly the athlete that a Calvin Johnson or Plax or Bryant are. They’re more explosive. Height is not the only prerequisite to be a good red zone receiver. Plus he’s only 6-foot-2. Give him time.
JK
John: Love interacting with you on twitter, you know me as @RedskinsST21 but I have a question that is too long for twitter. What does Mike Shanahan actually do during games? I know Kyle and Haz call the plays – but does Shanahan come up with the strategy? Is he in Rex’s helmet speaking to him as well? Was curious if you could give some insight as to all the coaches roles on game day.
Thanks and keep up the good work.
Zack
Zack: Thanks. Mike is on the headsets and will give his opinion. He’ll make decisions on what they should do – going for it on fourth downs, field goals, etc, challenges, time outs. He’ll discuss with Kyle what he wants done in terms of strategy. My guess is he’ll talk to Jim, too, about things he wants done — maybe not specific plays, but in terms of direction or strategy. It would be tough to go through what each coach does; in some cases I wouldn’t know. But I’ll try to find out for another time.
JK
Hello John: Love your insights thanks for all you do! What’s the deal with Hankerson? He was supposed to be the “steal of the draft” and we haven’t even seen him on the field! Other teams rookies are jumping right in there and making an impact….where is Hankster? He’s become invisible in all the media coverage of the Skins since training camp. Is he a bust like the Kelly/Thomas experiment? Our current receivers aren’t doing that great at getting open or else there would be more TDs, so why not give him a shot when we’re in the Red Zone? Help us fans understand, because I, for one, am totally baffled on this guy.
Thanks,
Martin Hain
Skins Fan since ’78
Martin: Man, another Hankerson question. I wouldn’t call him a bust in the Kelly/Thomas mold for one reason: I think his attitude is more conducive to being a pro. That wasn’t Kelly’s issue as injuries were a culprit. But Hankerson appears to be more willing to do extra things. Hankerson didn’t do a whole lot this summer that made you think he should be among their top three wideouts. Because of that he’d also have to play special teams and that’s something he hasn’t done in the past. Niles Paul does this and Donte Stallworth and Terrence Austin also play special teams. Also think his hands were too inconsistent this summer to really trust him in games just yet. I would hope that Hankerson would get on the field at some point this season. It’s a bad sign if your third-round pick is inactive all the time. However, he’s talented enough to warrant a good look next summer too.
JK
John: Do you think that the redskins offense is not designed to execute inside the Red Zone because Kyle is use to the AFC Style of Play & The Skins play in the NFC & I believe there is a Contrast in how the 2 Conferences play (especially the Physical Play in the NFC East)?
Thanks For Taking My Question.
Elbert
Elbert: Interesting take. No, I think the problem is that they haven’t had enough playmakers to make it work inside here. Philly, Dallas and New York all have had more in recent years. Also, they were three of four against the Giants in the red zone but only two of seven vs. Arizona.
JK
John: Am I the only one who clenches up every time Rex is about to get hit when he still has the ball? I feel like every other hit he’s going to fumble. Is there a stat for # of times a QB loses the ball per sack? Is Grossman high on that list?
What do you think are the major causes for his fumbles – small hands, poor awareness, wrong mechanics? It looked like even on the one play where he wrapped up the ball with 2 hands before he was hit, he let go of the ball on the way down in order to break his fall – it seemed we got lucky that the Cowboys didn’t challenge that one.
2 – Where was the pass rush? All week we heard about what a weak O-line the Cowboys have and what a great day our pass rushers will have against them. From my viewing, we didn’t get much rush at all. Heck, how many bad or fumbled snaps did they have – and we only get 1 sack on those plays? On the 3rd and 21, we send the house and still can’t get to Romo? I know they picked it up, but what about our great rushers flat out beating the blocker? Did we have any 1:1 wins? If so, I didn’t see many. Based on the first 3 games – do you think we actually do have a good pass rush?
Julian Castelli
JC: Rex isn’t the biggest guy nor does he have the biggest hands. Plus when he runs with the ball he tends to keep it too loose. On that last play he was caught between trying to make a play downfield and needing to protect the ball. He lacks the speed to beat guys so once he didn’t see anything downfield he could have tossed it away. He’s long had this problem. Know who holds the NFL record for fumbles by a quarterback? Hall of Famer Warren Moon. The point is: it’s not as big an issue if you’re throwing a few touchdowns a game.
As for your second question, the pass rush was fairly solid in the first two games. Monday, they did not apply enough pressure with their four-man rush, one reason they blitzed on third and 21. On the blitzes they threw short all day except the last one in which it was improvised. A great play by the quarterback. They haven’t had enough one-on-one wins all the time, but I want to see a couple more games yet to see how guys like Cofield and Bowen fare. They would have been helped by having Jarvis Jenkins. He would have been their best pass-rushing lineman. Their best rush will come from the linebackers now.
JK
John: Love your work. So was Leonard Hankerson that bad in preseason and practice that Niles Paul and other receivers keep being activated over him? I’m really curious to see him play. When do you think he gets that chance? Thanks!
Pascal Todd
Pascal: Welcome back. One Redskins source this summer said Paul looked like the best of the 10 draft picks. Hankerson looked OK at times this summer, but also a little raw and had too many drops. Not sure when he’ll get that chance barring injuries to one of the top three. I know Anthony Armstrong is hurt and my guess is he won’t play Sunday. But if he can’t play I think Donte Stallworth will. Hankerson will have to keep waiting.
JK
John: A fan can second guess, but not Deangelo Hall (who got twisted like a pretzel on said blitz by the way), and judging from Laron Landrys comments, he didn’t give Haslett a ringing endorsement for his decision either. I was hoping this element of the Skins had been replaced, but between comments last night and some things that Trent Williams has said, it is starting to get bothersome. I know Deangelo Hall is a big play/bad play guy who likes to talk, but what was said last night is not right. The team does not need that kind of whining anymore.
How will/should the coaching staff handle this? How will the team, particularly the defensive players respond. We need to right quick because we could easily lose to the Rams next week in ugly fashion.
Charlie C
Charlie: I’m sure you have read some of the reactions by the coaches by now. But Haslett isn’t bothered by this stuff. A guy like Gregg Williams would have been. And there’s no way Mike Shanahan was pleased. But Hall handled it properly on Wednesday, addressing the media immediately. This is the second year in a row Hall has said things. Clinton Portis used to say stuff too and eventually players would roll their eyes at it and say, “It’s just Clinton being Clinton.” When you don’t produce, then it becomes a bigger issue. I think Hall didn’t handle it the best after the game, but did so the rest of the week. But when you say stuff like that, you’d best respond with a strong game.
JK
John: Thanks for all of your reporting and in-depth analysis. This question isn’t a knock against Hightower (who I have on my fantasy team by the way), but where is Ryan Torain? He was the team’s leading rusher last year and is a very solid back and now he’s MIA. Hightower isn’t even averaging 4.0 yards per carry, give Torain a shot if he’s healthy. Have we heard anything to the contrary?
Rich in Tampa
Rich: I’m a little surprised he hasn’t received any carries, but it’s hard to get three running backs work. In the past Shanahan usually only kept two backs active. This year it’s been three each game. And Roy Helu’s productivity in limited carries makes it imperative that he gets the ball a little more. Tim Hightower is better all-around than Torain because of his third-down abilities. But in two of the three games the ground game hasn’t worked. My guess is they’ll continue to be inconsistent; there’s nothing to suggest otherwise yet. If Helu becomes better in pass protection we could see more of him rather than adding Torain to the rotation. But I’d like to see Torain for the same reasons you do.
JK
Chris: Your 10 observations were an excellent summary. I hope no one was kidding themselves thinking Rex is the answer. Do you think there will come a time in the season when Beck will get a chance to play regularly to confirm (or not) that he is not the answer, either?
Chris Day
Richmond, VA
Chris: Thanks. Yes, I could see a time when Beck plays, whether because of injury or because they start struggling. One thing that hurt Beck was the loss of offseason work with the coaches and then missing a week in camp. Everything I’d heard is that the coaches liked him more going into camp. But I think they had to be concerned with some of his decisions this summer. If Rex continues to turn it over a couple times a game it’ll be tough to keep the job. But based on the first three games I wouldn’t be ready to sit him yet.
JK
John: My question is, at what point does a quarterback having to use his “short-term memory” and “amnesia” to forget disastrous plays multiple times in a game every single week become a bad thing??
It seems like Rex gets a lot of credit for recovering from his predictable unforced errors, and some people act as if the unforced errors aren’t killer. Or avoidable. We’ve played 3 games so far. In the first, he had a fumble where he saw the pressure but couldn’t hold the ball that could have killed us if the defense hadn’t come through. The second game, we should have won in a laugher but Rex threw one horrific interception and another that people blame pass interference. We were fortunate to win the game (and heaven forbid he hadn’t connected with Santana). Finally, this week his terrible interception early hurt us and the late fumble sealed the deal. We’re lucky to be 2-1 when we have these costly plays every week. These are not fumbles where he was blindsided or interceptions where he was under duress, it’s just “Rex being Rex” and I don’t think the good outweighs the bad with him. At all.
I guess I have to trust the coaches and believe that Grossman gives Washington the best chance to win, but if a situation arises where we have to use QB2, I can’t say I’d shed a tear. Hope Rex is better next week.
Adam Crocker
Adam: When they lose their job or the team starts losing games. But, yeah, if you keep having to talk about short-term memory every week then there’s something else wrong. Mistakes will happen, but turning it over too much is a problem. Thus far Rex has five turnovers and five touchdown passes. That ratio needs to be better, obviously.
JK
John: Knowing that Dallas was going to bring the house toward the end of the game…why didn`t Kyle give Rex more protection(blockers) in the backfield. Dallas gave Romo two blockers for extra protection…and it worked for them.
Peter Vann
Peter: On the Redskins last play, they used five blockers and Dallas only rushed three. That should be acceptable on any play. But DeMarcus Ware got inside Trent Williams and Kory Lichtensteiger’s help wasn’t good enough. So it was one guy beating a double team. Tim Hightower was in the backfield and went out for a pass, drawing a potential fourth rusher. So the play had plenty of blockers. Just bad execution.
JK
