Redskins Roundup: No moral victories?
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ESPN blogger Dan Graziano's take on the loss to New England: ]
Rick Snider writes that the Redskins have clearly not quit on their 4-9 season, but they too often seem just one play away, as they were yesterday against the Patriots.
John Keim dissects another lousy performance from "Pro Bowl" CB DeAngelo Hall: attempted to wrap him up near the sidelines. Hall later said, “I thought he stepped out [of bounds].” But it’s clear the play was ongoing and with a guy like that you keep trying to bring him down. If nothing else go for a strip. Instead, nothing. It won’t look good on film at all. Players can say that the new rules have taken away some of their edge and leads to plays like this. But this was not good. Hall did come up hard enough but he has to help finish the play. Just a bad mistake.
Later, Hall was flagged for defensive holding on an incomplete pass. OK, it happens. But he then picked up the flag and threw it drawing another 15 yards. You want to know why teams get to 4-9? There you go. Hall considers himself a defensive leader, but you can’t lose your cool like this. Not in any game, but certainly not against a team that scores like New England. His tantrum turned it into a 20-yard gain on what turned out to be a touchdown drive. There’s a difference between playing with passion and emotion and losing your cool. Two weeks ago in Seattle the Redskins wanted to show the Seahawks they weren’t going to back down. In my mind they were becoming too mouthy and worrying about extra-curricular things that didn’t matter. And guess what? It cost them 15 yards in this game and has cost them in others. Behave that way long enough and it ALWAYS bites you in the end. Period. Scouts and analysts that I talk to consider Hall an undisciplined player. It leads to plays like this. Coaches like to talk about “winning plays”. This is an example of the opposite. Here is a good look at Hall standing around doing nothing on the Rob Gronkowski 49-yard catch and run.
Dan Steinberg lists the best and worst from the Redskins-Patriots game.
Former Redskin Andre Carter had a phony roughing the passer penalty called on him that nullified a horrid Rex Grossman interception, but before that he sacked Grossman in the Washington end zone, causing a fumble which was recovered in the end zone for the first touchdown of the game. It turned out to be the difference in a game in which both offenses scored 27 points.
The Redskins started two newcomers at tackle yesterday, with Tyler Polumbus getting the start at right tackle after creaky and crumbling Jammal Brown managed to injure himself during pregame warmups. With LT/marijuana aficionado Trent Williams suspended for the rest of the season, the Redskins used both undrafted rookie Willie Smith and veteran Sean Locklear at left tackle. Smith gave up the sack in the end zone that turned into the Patriots touchdown, but overall had a pretty good game. Besides, that sack was the fault of QB Rex Grossman, who knew he had a rookie at left tackle and decided to hold on to the ball for a long time in his own end zone anyway.
Speaking of Trent Williams, you may have heard he tested positive for marijuana ten times in September and October of this year. got the start at his position.] Gomes got schooled repeatedly by TE Rob Gronkowski, but he's not the first safety to have that happen to him.
There was a bit of good news yesterday. Rookie TB Roy Helu rushed for 126 yards on 27 carries, becoming the first Redskins rookie to rush for at least 100 yards in three straight games. [4 catches for 96 yards] and Dante' Stallworth [6 catches for 92 yards and a TD] played well against their former team, the Patriots, yesterday.
