what the NFL thinks of the skins

[Ken Gargett]

below is the headline/story from the link on the NFL site about the browns/skins game today.

even when the poor buggers finally get a win, even if in pre-season, they can't win a trick.

hell's bells, NFL. the skins won it! not the browns.

as for bagging RG3, is that the national sport in the states? the bloke starts off and in the first set, throws an inch perfect pass 60 metres to a wide open garcon, who spills the simplest catch possible, a few metres from the endzone. what more can he do?

McCown, Manziel score in win over Redskins

By Associated Press

CLEVELAND -- Josh McCown scored on his first preseason possession with Cleveland.

Robert Griffin III and Washington's starters still can't find the end zone.

McCown threw a touchdown pass in his debut for Cleveland and backup Johnny Manziel scrambled for a TD as the Browns, busting out new uniforms for the first time, built an early lead before losing 20-17 to the Redskins on Thursday night in their preseason opener.

[anacostiakat]

Being a pre-season game I didn't watch too much. They looked pretty much like last year to me. Horrible kick returning special teams. I agree they should have had a TD on that dropped pass. I would give RG3 an ok. He is getting bashed for his poor performance last year and his comments. He needs to keep his mouth shut and improve. The loss of the tight end is bad. They have now lost two tight ends leaving them with one experienced one who is not a blocking tight end.

Both lines looked better but the defensive secondary with the injuries they have didn't look great. Although I understand they snagged an interception late in the game. Cousins looked pretty good.

We'll see how they show more improvement. Or not.

[SCgarman]

Pre season means absolutely nothing! It is NOT a gauge to how good a team really is. I have seen teams go undefeated in pre season and have dismal regular seasons. Conversely teams have gone winless in pre season and have gone on to win the Super Bowl. We can accurately judge the Skins after the first 4 regular season games to say whether they are decent or they stink. BTW Go Giants!

[Cohiba007]

[Ken Gargett]

Being a pre-season game I didn't watch too much. They looked pretty much like last year to me. Horrible kick returning special teams. I agree they should have had a TD on that dropped pass. I would give RG3 an ok. He is getting bashed for his poor performance last year and his comments. He needs to keep his mouth shut and improve. The loss of the tight end is bad. They have now lost two tight ends leaving them with one experienced one who is not a blocking tight end.

Both lines looked better but the defensive secondary with the injuries they have didn't look great. Although I understand they snagged an interception late in the game. Cousins looked pretty good.

We'll see how they show more improvement. Or not.

agree with pretty much everyone re pre season.

the interception was more the browns poor throw and catch attempt than anything we did.

[jcolan1]

Some local beat reports love to crush Griffin. The media in general is pretty tough and often negative in DC.

As for the game, I liked what I saw out of Griffin for the most part - seemed to go through his progressions (at least from what I can tell from watching on TV), got the ball out quick, seemed more decisive. I also liked what I saw from the right side of the offensive line (Schreff/Moses), new CB Chris Culliver, Ryan Grant, and really liked what I saw from rookie RB Matt Jones. Cousins looked good, but I still don't think he should start. Also of note - Andre Roberts has no business returning punts.

With all that said, @NYCgarman has it right - pre-season doesn't really mean much.

The Niles Paul injury looked brutal; one of those injuries I don't like to watch on replay. I feel bad for the man, apparently while on the ground he told Darrel Young "DY this was supposed to be my year man...".

[DrunkenMonkey]

Poor RG3-and-out. Everyone so hard on him.

Know what would bring people around? Not sucking.

He was a disaster last year. A few good throws in a preseason game, and you're selling tickets for the bandwagon? Ken, please.

[ImTripN2]

_{I think the problems with RG3 started long before he even took the first snap. ESPN & the rest of the media soooo overhyped him.... everyone thought he would be the next great quarterback, but neglected the fact he has a inaccurate arm, poor leadership qualities, and poor on field judgment, as well as a "me first'' attitude. The 'skins showed poor judgment as well by giving him the big bucks without him proving anything. He'll be selling cars or insurance this time next year.}

[Ken Gargett]

_{I think the problems with RG3 started long before he even took the first snap. ESPN & the rest of the media soooo overhyped him.... everyone thought he would be the next great quarterback, but neglected the fact he has a inaccurate arm, poor leadership qualities, and poor on field judgment, as well as a "me first'' attitude. The 'skins showed poor judgment as well by giving him the big bucks without him proving anything. He'll be selling cars or insurance this time next year.}

seriously? wow. the kid might not be perfect but he won the heisman, ahead of andrew luck. he was rookie of the year, ahead of andrew luck. not suggesting he'd end up with being better but he was clearly close, at the very least. he had, by the standards of anyone who has ever played the game, a phenomenal rookie season.

he should have kept quiet at times but his college coach does nothing but rave about him as a person and as a team leader. first in, last out of training. his team voted him in as a captain after only a month or two as a rookie. or perhaps they all got it wrong and you are right. he is playing behind a crap o-line and had a coach who threw him under the bus with injuries. his team has pretty much all said that he is a team player. all that media driven crap about throwing his team under a bus, which you seem to have swallowed, listen to the entire interview and he does no such thing. had he not suffered from a number of serious injuries, who knows. he was quoted as a role model for young leaders by both obama and romney in the last presidential election. who obviously know less than you.

as for the skins poor judgement, they have made a heap of appalling decisions however with this, they sign up a QB who might be the future or might not. barring him being out due to injury, if he is not, he can be cut and it doesn't cost them anything. if he is, they have locked up a star player. i'd suggest they have made a hell of a lot of worse decisions than that.

sure, he has fallen well short of where everyone (other than the guys like yourself who are happy denigrating everything) would like him to be but it is hardly all his fault. those injuries would have driven many out of the game. they might eventually drive him out but, with respect, to your idiot comments about selling cars, you really need a new hobby.

sorry to all for the rant but i just get so sick and tired of trolls and rubbish like that.

[Colt45]

sorry to all for the rant but i just get so sick and tired of trolls and rubbish like that.

Oh Ken, I've been in need of a good laugh for a while - thanks! Heisman, rookie of the year, league mvp, superbowl mvp - popularity contests. Endorsements by politicians?! - of all people! Precious!! What next, Bozo Goodell is a fair and impartial inquisitor?

Trust your eyes.......

Have a great weekend!

[Ken Gargett]

Oh Ken, I've been in need of a good laugh for a while - thanks! Heisman, rookie of the year, league mvp, superbowl mvp - popularity contests. Endorsements by politicians?! - of all people! Precious!! What next, Bozo Goodell is a fair and impartial inquisitor?

Trust your eyes.......

Have a great weekend!

morning colt. and apols to our other friend - not intended as personal - all i was trying to say was i was a bit tired of the endless hating and denigrating of the bloke. a lot of hardly deserved. sure, some is but i don't believe he deserves anything like what he cops.

you have a league full of wife beaters, drink drivers, all manner of crimes and this kid is treated like a serial killer and a catholic priest all because he has not met expectations.

i may not have had a completely straight face when i mentioned the politicians but even that has to be better than here is his mug shot!

[DrunkenMonkey]

So I just saw the highlights from that Browns-Washington game. So that play where Garçon dropped the sure TD pass? Definitely should have been caught, but that pass was thrown behind him and he had to come back to it. If that's an inch-perfect pass, I'm Joe Montana. Might want to clean those rose colored glasses?

[brutusthebuckeye]

RG3=Johnny Football...overhyped,gimmick offense Qb's...when they get on the field with real men they **** down there leg...

These guys are not Qb's there athletes...

[Colt45]

not intended as personal

Goes without saying ( but I'm still smiling :-) I don't follow DC as you and other members do, but from my perspective, the unfortunate reality is that we'll probably never know what Griffin might have been. Like most team sports, football is institutional, starting from the top. Talented athletes without a solid framework might not do as well as talented ( or just good ) athletes in a solid system with good ownership, etc.

So, what might have been if Griffin played for Indy, and Luck for DC......

[Ken Gargett]

So I just saw the highlights from that Browns-Washington game. So that play where Garçon dropped the sure TD pass? Definitely should have been caught, but that pass was thrown behind him and he had to come back to it. If that's an inch-perfect pass, I'm Joe Montana. Might want to clean those rose colored glasses?

fair point. perhaps inch-ish.

[Ken Gargett]

RG3=Johnny Football...overhyped,gimmick offense Qb's...when they get on the field with real men they **** down there leg...

These guys are not Qb's there athletes...

hang on. rg3 at least had one brilliant season. whatever might have followed.

johnny football has not had a brilliant ten minutes.

[Ken Gargett]

Goes without saying ( but I'm still smiling :-) I don't follow DC as you and other members do, but from my perspective, the unfortunate reality is that we'll probably never know what Griffin might have been. Like most team sports, football is institutional, starting from the top. Talented athletes without a solid framework might not do as well as talented ( or just good ) athletes in a solid system with good ownership, etc.

So, what might have been if Griffin played for Indy, and Luck for DC......

i think that sadly, this is spot on. even with a full recovery, one has to doubt that he'll ever get to his full potential.

i don't know a lot about the colts but you have to feel for rg3, ending up in synder's mess. i am still at a loss to understand the gruden appointment. he was brought in apparently because he convinced the powers that be that he could fix rg3. and as soon as he was there, decided to play in a way that clearly did not suit rg3 and began publicly belittled him. baffling. can't have impressed synder. gruden needs a winning year or he must be toast.

i think the new GM might be the best pick up they have made in a couple of decades. he seems to have things on track.

be fascinated with what happens over the season. if rg3 is solid, and if he is fit, one has to think he should at least be that, but we don't chalk up a winning record, who goes? gruden or rg3? one or both will have to. and if rg3 solid, they will surely stick with him. so gruden goes and all the trolls and haters will claim rg3 destroyed another coach. poor kid can't win.

i don't think gruden can coach plants to grow so the sooner he is gone the better but it means more pain first.

[MrGTO]

RG3 is not black enough. That's his problem.

[brutusthebuckeye]

Screamin A Smiths hairline is brutal in that clip...

[ImTripN2]

seriously? wow. the kid might not be perfect but he won the heisman, ahead of andrew luck. he was rookie of the year, ahead of andrew luck. not suggesting he'd end up with being better but he was clearly close, at the very least. he had, by the standards of anyone who has ever played the game, a phenomenal rookie season.

he should have kept quiet at times but his college coach does nothing but rave about him as a person and as a team leader. first in, last out of training. his team voted him in as a captain after only a month or two as a rookie. or perhaps they all got it wrong and you are right. he is playing behind a crap o-line and had a coach who threw him under the bus with injuries. his team has pretty much all said that he is a team player. all that media driven crap about throwing his team under a bus, which you seem to have swallowed, listen to the entire interview and he does no such thing. had he not suffered from a number of serious injuries, who knows. he was quoted as a role model for young leaders by both obama and romney in the last presidential election. who obviously know less than you.

as for the skins poor judgement, they have made a heap of appalling decisions however with this, they sign up a QB who might be the future or might not. barring him being out due to injury, if he is not, he can be cut and it doesn't cost them anything. if he is, they have locked up a star player. i'd suggest they have made a hell of a lot of worse decisions than that.

sure, he has fallen well short of where everyone (other than the guys like yourself who are happy denigrating everything) would like him to be but it is hardly all his fault. those injuries would have driven many out of the game. they might eventually drive him out but, with respect, to your idiot comments about selling cars, you really need a new hobby.

sorry to all for the rant but i just get so sick and tired of trolls and rubbish like that.

Sorry you did not like the tone of my post, perhaps it is a little blunt, but I do believe I am still entitled to my own opinion, as are you. So I take no offence when you label me as one who is "happily denigrating everything" among other things which have since been edited out,. I've read many of your posts about sports over the years, and all I can say is those who live in a glass house shouldn't throw stones.

Also my apologies to all the car and insurance salespersons out there.

[Ken Gargett]

Sorry you did not like the tone of my post, perhaps it is a little blunt, but I do believe I am still entitled to my own opinion, as are you. So I take no offence when you label me as one who is "happily denigrating everything" among other things which have since been edited out,. I've read many of your posts about sports over the years, and all I can say is those who live in a glass house shouldn't throw stones.

Also my apologies to all the car and insurance salespersons out there.

as i did say, not meant to be personal and i may well have responded a little strongly. i just get sick of so many people bagging this kid when he is trying his best and done nothing wrong, amongst a large line of people (enough of them from the skins) who are the very opposite of him. i don't understand why he attracts such venom and i'm sure he doesn't either.

[anacostiakat]

RG3's injuries don't really allow him to play the game he played in that first season. Too fragile at this point. He played behind a horrible pass-blocking offensive line the last two seasons, which I am hoping will improve quite a bit this season. Although that remains to be seen.

I think it fair to say that it is not easy to reinvent yourself. But I don't see any other option for him. This year is his to define himself.

As pre-season really only gives you glimpses and doesn't mean much we will just have to see how it goes. Happy with the draft and the new GM. Not a huge Gruden fan but I think you have to give him his chance. At least now that he is able to sign his own coaches for his staff.

[DrunkenMonkey]

Ken's main point is valid, though. The personal hate directed at RG3 is over the top, especially from people who want the Washington team to win. He's a magnificently talented athlete, and among the Washington team's problems, the quality of their QB barely registers on the scale. They probably had the worst collection of DBs in the league, maybe the worst secondary in recent memory. That's just one of seven or eight glaring problems that are much bigger than their QB problem. I agree with Colt that if he had been drafted to play for Indy, or any other more complete team, we would have had a better picture of his potential. Probably too late now; even if Washington gets a team together for him to play for, it's several years away, and he'll be taking God knows how many hits in the meantime. When he's healthy it's too tempting for a losing team to want to cut him loose and let him run, and they'll likely destroy his body before they can put a team around him.

[kuma]

Rg3 great rook year nothing ever since. Coach not a big fan of this guy. not much shown this last game.

Go Cowboys!

[Ken Gargett]

Ken's main point is valid, though. The personal hate directed at RG3 is over the top, especially from people who want the Washington team to win. He's a magnificently talented athlete, and among the Washington team's problems, the quality of their QB barely registers on the scale. They probably had the worst collection of DBs in the league, maybe the worst secondary in recent memory. That's just one of seven or eight glaring problems that are much bigger than their QB problem. I agree with Colt that if he had been drafted to play for Indy, or any other more complete team, we would have had a better picture of his potential. Probably too late now; even if Washington gets a team together for him to play for, it's several years away, and he'll be taking God knows how many hits in the meantime. When he's healthy it's too tempting for a losing team to want to cut him loose and let him run, and they'll likely destroy his body before they can put a team around him.

i think that this will be sadly true.

his all-too-brief career reminds me of the old sir walter scott poem - and i so rarely quote poetry, because i know bugger all but i have always loved these lines -

One Crowded hour of glorious life

is worth an age without a name.

we saw what could be with his rookie year but that might be all we get. and far better to have seen that, as frustrating as what might have been can be, than just another old rehashed vet who is bog average.