First, the injury report:
..For the Redskins: CB Carlos Rogers (ankle), FB Mike Sellers (quad), DT Albert Haynesworth (hip) and RB Clinton Portis (calf) did not practice today. Coach Jim Zorn said all are expected to play Sunday. Portis said his ankles have responded well to treatment and he’s not worried about the bone spurs.
… For the Bucs: DE Gaines Adams (groin), C Jeff Faine (triceps), QB Byron Leftwich (hip), DE/DT Kyle Moore (knee) and RB Derrick Ward (knee) did not practice. WR Antonio Bryant (knee), CB Torrie Cox (ankle), RB Earnest Graham (hamstring), WR Maurice Stovall (knee) were limited.
Notes/analysis:
…Portis on using a bootleg at the goal-line: “We haven’t [run a] bootleg since I’ve been here. I don’t think teams are worried about the bootleg. Maybe that would be a nice wrinkle to throw in.”
Amen, we say. When you watch the Lions’ reaction on the failed run at the goal-line, only one defender stayed on the backside, a defensive back. A bootleg would have worked.
…On the failed fade route, WR Malcolm Kelly needs to do a better job of pressing the defensive back more. He drifted too soon off the line and let the DB ride him too far to the outside, leaving Jason Campbell little room to throw. Campbell has not always thrown that pass well since camp started, but this time the receiver did not help him out.
…Sellers was the guilty party on the failed run at the goal line. He was supposed to go through a different hole and take the linebacker. Had he done so, the Redskins would have scored easily. Sellers is a fierce player, but in the red zone he has not helped them lately. Doesn’t always make the best decisions.
…Zorn on worries about his job security: “None. Why would I worry about my job security. We’re three games into the season and we’re working to win.”
Zorn needs to study a bit more on the history at Redskins Park under Dan Snyder. Outside of Joe Gibbs, every other coach was on the hot seat in their first or second year.
…The Redskins had Tampa Bay QB Josh Johnson in for a visit before the 2008 draft and liked him. They considered him a good athlete and think he’ll be dangerous. Zorn likes his arm, though scouting reports coming out wondered about his arm strength.
…Zorn on whether or not he wants to run the ball more: “I want more plays in the first half.” But pretty much every player who has commented on this topic has said they need to run more. They did well out of the I-formation last week; I liked that strategy in the second half. They went to it almost exclusively until they had to throw more. Before, it was a bit predictable that they would run out of this, especially if they motioned Sellers. That changed and it helped set up play-action, which is how they scored the touchdown to Santana Moss.
…On Campbell’s interception, the Lion who picked it off, Ko Simpson, was out of position on the play. He broke off his coverage. Still, Campbell’s mistake was trying to force the pass. He should have thrown that pass away. And the pressure on that play, when Stephon Heyer blocked down instead of picking up the linebacker, was a miscommunication. Randy Thomas’ absence probably hurt on this play; he would have been able to tell Heyer to be heads up for the linebacker.
Zorn actually likes Heyer, but we don’t get it. He lacks punch and gets beat too often to the outside. The Redskins say he must do a better job of widening the pocket, by taking an extra step before engaging. However, his punch never gets defenders off-stride.
