1. Strong safety LaRon Landry did not practice once again because of a sore groin and Achilles. And there’s doubt as to whether or not he’ll even return for any of the final three games.
Coach Mike Shanahan said Landry remains day-to-day, but added that “there’s still hope.”
“Even if he does come back, what speed can he practice at?” Shanahan said. “What speed can he play at? Usually when a guy comes back after being away for a week or two weeks, it takes time to get back in football shape and play in a game.”
Right tackle Jammal Brown (groin), fullback Mike Sellers (elbow) and receiver Donte Stallworth (ill) also did not practice.
2. Limited in practice Wednesday: DE Stephen Bowen (knee), SS Reed Doughty (rib), LB London Fletcher (ankle) and P Sav Rocca (left ankle).
3. Rocca is a big star in Australia, where he starred in their version of football – his brother is a big shot there now. So a TV crew was at Redskins Park Wednesday to spend time with him. And they asked coach Mike Shanahan about him, he said, “He’s exactly what you want. He’s a great punter. … The bad thing is he’s probably our best offensive weapon and that’s not good.”
4. Shanahan said he did not see corner DeAngelo Hall throw an official’s flag Sunday vs. New England or he would have benched him for at least a play, the same thing he did with left tackle Trent Williams when he received an unnecessary roughness penalty vs. San Francisco last month.
“If I would have saw what happened,” Shanahan said, “I would have took him out too.”
Hall did not talk to the media Wednesday, which is unusual. It would be wise if he explained himself. He’s a captain after all.
5. Shanahan on newly-signed TE Richard Quinn: “I liked him as a blocker. I thought he was a dominating blocker coming out of college. I thought he was a dominating blocker with the Broncos. [He] didn’t have a lot of catches his senior year, but I was very impressed with the way he moved defensive linemen and linebackers off the line of scrimmage. We’ll get a chance to evaluate him and see how he helps our football team.”
The Redskins could use more help blocking at tight end. Though Logan Paulsen is a good story, he’s so far an inconsistent blocker. And with Sellers possibly done for the season – don’t know that for sure yet but this signing suggests it’s not a far-fetched notion – they could use more blocking help.
6. Quarterback Rex Grossman said he knows he needs to do a better job with his internal clock, especially inside the 5-yard line. Yes, he was asked about this because of last week.
“It’s got to change. In that situation [against the Patriots], with where we were and the timing of everything, I just need to throw it away. Not go to No. 2, just go to No. 1 and just get rid of it and punt. Live to play another series.”
The hard part: If he hasn’t learned it by now …
7. Two good quotes from Adam Carriker about the Giants. First, on Brandon Jacobs’ size and how tough it can be to tackle him, “He’s a big dude. A lot of the linebackers, maybe the smaller guys try to go low. I’m pretty big so I’m going to hit him any way I can. He’s like a d-end running the ball.”
And on QB Eli Manning, “This year he’s become an elite quarterback. Not that he wasn’t good before, but the fourth quarter comebacks, the 400-yard passing games, the running backs going down, he’s kind of carried that team.”
8. The Giants had seven players who did not practice Wednesday: C Davis Baas (neck), TE Travis Beckum (chest), RB Ahmad Bradshaw (foot), LB Mark Herzlich (ankle), S Derrick Martin (back), DE Justin Tuck (toe) and DE Osi Umenyiora (ankle/knee).
It’s sort of amazing what the Giants have done this season given all their injuries. Just shows when you’re able to build depth and have a QB capable of playing at a high level what can happen. After only two years of a new staff the Redskins were not in a position to be in a similar spot.
