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Skins-Bengals Winners & Losers
By Jamie Mottram | September 23, 2012
Handing out labels following the Skins’ 38-31 home loss to Cincy …
Winners
Robert Griffin III – The first half was ugly, but then the second half happened, with RGIII running an option attack that brought them all the way back and then leading a fourth-quarter flurry that nearly brought them all the way back again. He’s now topped 300 yards of total offense and accounted for more touchdowns than turnovers in each of his first three games. Taking way too many hits, though.
Danny Smith — Credit where it’s due. The special teams stuffed Cincy’s fake FG attempt, pinned them at the one with a 58-yard punt, brought a kick return out past the 50, almost recovered an onside kick, converted both FG attempts and didn’t allow one blocked kick or punt. Hallelujah.
Alfred Morris — Between the tackle-breaking runs, the baseball-swing celebration and the great nickname (FroMo) this guy is really growing on me. And he’s still on pace for 1,400 yards and 16 TD.
Note: The run game in general is out of control with 150-plus yards in each of the first three games. You usually win more than you lose that way.
Ryan Kerrigan and Brian Orakpo Rob Jackson — Kerrigan got a piece of Andy Dalton on that zero-yard pick-six, and Jackson made a really nice play on the ball. Kerrigan also picked up a sack and I counted three backfield tackles for Jackson.
Fred Davis — Seven catches for 90 yards. That’s more like it.
Losers
Mike Shanahan — Two things I’ll pick on him for: 1) punting on 4th-and-less-than-1 from the Cincy 43 and 2) using his last timeout to challenge a call that was clearly correct, which ended up costing them in the end.
Jim Haslett — The defense has given up at least 31 points in each game.
The secondary — Pro fantasy tip: If you’ve got a quarterback or receiver playing against the Redskins, START HIM. They’ve given up 10 passing TD in three games.
DeJon Gomes — He’s included in the secondary, sure, but I have to mention that opening Wildcat TD pass specifically. How in the hell do you let A.J. Green get behind you there? Gomes looked like he was limping, so maybe that’s how, but he played the rest of the game, so maybe that’s just how he runs.
Trent Williams — Down with a knee. Be well, Silverback.
Jordan Black – Tried to replace Williams but mostly just allowed a blindside rush on RGIII all day.
Replacement refs — Blew a pass interference non-call on a deep ball to Leonard Hankerson. Called Josh Wilson for a phantom PI. Blew a fumble dead too early, thus negating Wilson’s would-be TD. Flagged Kyle Shanahan amid some late-game chaos of their own making. Other stuff, probably.
Solomon Wilcots — Called Kerrigan “Carriker” twice. Said it was “3rd-and-10-and-a-half, almost 11″ after incompletions on first and second down. Called A.J. Green a “great hand-ball catcher.” Assured us Shanahan-Allen will get it right if given time (presumably more than three years).
Medium
Kyle Shanahan – The first half was just brutal, with the offense only putting three on the board, but then they switched it up and went option-heavy in the second half, scoring three touchdowns.
Brandon Banks — Had a nice kick return and got involved in the option-style offense. Did fumble a pitch, though, as he’s wont to do.
Santana Moss — Tana caught a TD! It was his only catch.
Topics: Redskins, Winners & Losers | 12 Comments »
September 23rd, 2012 at 9:49 PM
I was at the game so I didn’t fully understand what the hell happened at the end of the game. How in the hell didn’t the Bengals get flagged when their entire sideline was on the field? Also, D Hall shall remain a permanent fixture in the loser column until we finally cut his ass.
September 23rd, 2012 at 10:02 PM
Such a frustrating game. I know that Griffin was a beast in the second half, but taking a sack on the last drive was brutally awful. Throw the ball! Throw it anywhere! Because as soon as he took that sack the game was over. Not trying to blame the loss on him by any means, but I think it is worth noting. I mainly blame the horrid secondary.
September 23rd, 2012 at 10:12 PM
No one knows. Not the people who watched on TV, not the Shannahei, and as far as I can tell, no one in the media. Also, it appears they made the final penalty a 20 yarder, so there’s that as well.
Anywho, back to business.
LOSERS:
Tyler Polumbus: aka the sentient tackling dummy. He spent the entire day being pushed backwards in the pocket, and let up a majority of the hits on RG3. At one point during the game I said out loud “My god when does Jammal Brown get back?!!” in a non-ironic way. This made me incredibly sad.
Pete Priscoe: Mr Goodells personal Pravda staff writer. He’s moved into the Bayless/Cowherd/Berman echelon of loathing for his unceasing scab ref apologies. Speaking of which….
Scab refs: I don’t even have the energy to rehash their latest colossal incompetence. It’s breathtaking on an epic scale, like watching a Taj Mahal of failure being raised before our very eyes. The only consolation is that I’m pretty sure last week’s skins game crew is currently butchering the Sunday nighter.
Haslett: How many times do we have to watch the same movie? PSGO.
September 23rd, 2012 at 11:39 PM
i’ve refrained from killing the replacement refs until now. they are awful. Jesus Christ… this is a multi-billion dollar business with ten cent oversight. unreal on so many levels.
Shanny got out coached today. you know your timeouts and clock management is bad when Eagles fans are giving you shit.
I’m also convinced the only reason Cincy attempted a fake FG was because they knew Danny Smith was our ST coach. no points awarded, PSGO.
September 24th, 2012 at 1:51 AM
i have taken a liking to calling Alfred Morris “zoom zoom” bc he drives that 91 Mazda still. Keep feeding him the ball
As bad as the refs were I won’t go there, but the 2 positions we absolutely could not afford injuries were OL and Secondary and next thing you know, Jordan Black is leaving his job as shift manager at Bavarian Pretzel to play tackle for the Skins and AJ Green is getting checked by some donk named Crezdon…..
…..Crezdon.
September 24th, 2012 at 3:59 AM
Nothing says “I don’t trust my players” more than desperation onsides kicks and 60+ yard field goal attempts.
September 24th, 2012 at 7:44 AM
Didn’t most of Fred Davis’s yards come during the unsuccessful two minute drill? That doesn’t scream winner to me.
September 24th, 2012 at 7:57 AM
Shanny Sr. coached like a complete donkey. And I swear Griffin was getting hit on EVERY single play…freakin obscene. Did K. Shan not adjust to the pass rush with a H-Back blocker? or can we just not block at all? Or is the Cincy d line that nasty? I don’t know but if this keeps up Cousins will be seeing some serious play time this year…no bueno
September 24th, 2012 at 8:04 AM
If Andy Dalton and Sam Bradford are carving up our defense, I can only imagine what Romo and Eli will do.
FML
September 24th, 2012 at 9:58 AM
Another loser is Shanny, Bruce Allen, and the scouting department. Williams goes out and you have no depth. Meanwhile you draft Josh LeRibeus 71st overall in the 3rd round? No one had him being drafted within the first 6 rounds. If you pick a project in the 3rd round, it better be someone who can start. He didn’t get a sniff, yet the retired Jordan Black goes in and gets worked.
September 24th, 2012 at 2:40 PM
I’m still not sure how we won that Saints game, and they nearly pulled off a comeback at the end. That O-line is scary bad. Running the option maybe takes some heat off them by moving the ball outside, but then RG3 gets hammered on every play.
The DBs are just horrendous. I know they were counting on Merriweather and the drug suspension guy, but DeJon Gomes couldn’t cover Clara Peller. Looking like another solid 5-11 for the Shannys.
September 24th, 2012 at 5:25 PM
Running the option was always a short term fix at the best. It’s not run generally because over the long term defenses just drill the QB. O-line and secondary are just outright scary.
The regular refs were blowing calls left and right before the lock out. The real tragedy is the complete loss of control, the lack of any respect, and the impossibly long games. The Steelers/Raiders game took until 8PM to complete and it was decided in regulation.