1. Strong safety LaRon Landry said he still hopes to play in the season opener. But he admitted that he’s not really sure when he’ll be able to start practicing again thanks to his injured right hamstring. Landry said he was ready to return this week after missing the previous three weeks of camp because of his Achilles.
“I’m a little upset,” Landry said. “It happens. Better it happens now than going into the season. My Achilles is fine, I was ready to go. I couldn’t wait. Now I’ve just got to wait and see what happens.”
Landry injured his hamstring running sprints before the Indianapolis game Friday. The injury occurred on the last sprint he was scheduled to run.
“I was trying to idle down and felt a little pop and was like, Oh [crud],” Landry said. “I was upset.”
2. Coach Mike Shanahan said he’s still not sure if Adam Carriker will be able to play Thursday because of blisters on his feet. Shanahan also said he’s not sure how he’ll split the carries at running back after starter Tim Hightower. Evan Royster, a sixth-round pick and Westfield alum, did not play vs. the Colts. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t play Thursday. And I’d want Roy Helu to play, too; just to see how he handles blitzes.
3. Receiver Donte Stallworth has had a solid camp, though it remains uncertain if it will be enough to earn a roster spot. Will they keep him at the expense of a young receiver? Of course, if Brandon Banks isn’t ready for the start of the season they could keep Stallworth and use Terrence Austin on returns.
In two preseason games he’s caught four passes for 69 yards. He’s looked, oh, 10 times better than Joey Galloway last season. But Stallworth would like to show more of his game.
“There are other things I can do,” Stallworth said. “Not saying I haven’t had the opportunity… but I like to catch the short passes and run, that’s what I like to do. I’ve had plenty of opportunities to go down the field and do different things and read coverages.”
4. Shanahan on the red zone issues: “You have to look at why you made mistakes. A lot of times you have long drives and maybe a penalty, maybe a dropped ball, maybe a missed assignment. The hard part is consistency in whatever you do. … We still have a long ways to go.”
Got a couple thoughts on the red zone woes. First, they are in position to score a lot of points and that’s a good thing. They’re moving the ball better. But once inside the 20, I wonder if they have enough playmakers to threaten teams. The scheme gets them to the 20, but the talent needs to take over the smaller the field gets. That means their line has to improve their pass-protection when it’s a straight dropback and the receivers have to make plays.
I also know the Redskins haven’t game planned in the red zone yet. But guess what? Neither have the defenses they’ve faced.
5. Yes, this is a big preseason game because it’s the third one. But teams still only show so much on the field. They just play their starters more. For Shanahan, he uses this week in part to show the scout team how he wants them to work during the regular season. He wants them practicing at a certain tempo and this affords him that opportunity.
6. Shanahan said both quarterbacks would play with the starters vs. Baltimore. Makes sense. I’d still start John Beck to see how he handles the Ravens’ defensive pressure. That was one concern people had of him coming out of school. He struggled with this while in Miami – yes, with a bad team. May as well see how he handles it now.
7. Tell me if this quote comes from Barry Cofield or Albert Haynesworth. Might be hard to tell.
“My job is to make sure London Fletcher has 200 tackles. If he has any less than that I’ll be disappointed.”
If you guessed Cofield, you’re right. Yes, this sort of thinking represents a major departure from Haynesworth, who wanted only to pressure the passer and make big plays. Refreshing is one word that comes to mind.
“I always felt I had the right skill set [to play nose],” Cofield said. “And I play with leverage and technique. … The willingness to go in there and bang and play a position that [doesn’t have] a lot of glory attached, I have that mentality.”
9. Both buildings at Redskins Park shook for maybe 10 to 15 seconds because of the earthquake this afternoon. Sort of a weird feeling. The building moved; it felt like trucks were passing underneath us (had the same sensation being in the old Mile High press box in Denver when the crowd cheered). It took a couple seconds to realize what was going on. Being on the East Coast, we’re not used to that sort of thing. Fortunately there was no damage, but there were a lot of cracks about Haynesworth.
Guard Artis Hicks told WUSA-TV, “If that’s what it’s like living in California, then I don’t want to live in California.”
10. Wrote a story on Jarvis Jenkins for Wednesday’s Examiner. If the coaches can get him to play with consistent technique, he could be really good. Remember the play vs. the Colts in which he drew a holding penalty – on Ryan Kerrigan’s sack? Had Jenkins used proper technique – like bend his knees – he could have made a huge play. Think about it; he shoved the center back and drew a hold without bending his knees that much.
11. Shanahan on Anthony Armstrong: “He’s had a heck of a camp. He’s playing with an excellent attitude. He’s playing like an experienced wide receiver. Anytime a guy is fighting for a position, a lot of times you get nervous and sometimes their concentration drops a little bit. I’ve seen him play with a lot of confidence and he’s making some plays.”
12. Guys like Armstrong help you win. Why? Because he pushed himself harder after the Redskins drafted three receivers. It forced him to maintain that chip on his shoulder. Now, even if he’s not one of your top two, he’s probably better than a year ago and now you have a decent No. 3 or 4 (if Leonard Hankerson pans out). But it’ll be a credit to Armstrong’s attitude that he didn’t think he had “arrived” after just one pretty good season.
