NFC East: Levi Jones
LANDOVER, Md. -- After being sacked for the third time, Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell has left the game with a shoulder injury and his return is questionable. Looks like Osi Umenyiora beat left tackle Levi Jones on an outside move to sack Campbell from behind.
But Campbell's already been hit so many times it's hard to determine when the injury may have occurred. I don't expect Todd Collins to do a lot better, although he did hit Santana Moss on a deep ball.
But Campbell's already been hit so many times it's hard to determine when the injury may have occurred. I don't expect Todd Collins to do a lot better, although he did hit Santana Moss on a deep ball.
The Beast Prediction: Eagles escape with a win
November, 29, 2009
11/29/09
8:00
AM ET
By Matt Mosley | ESPN.com
Everything points toward the Eagles taking care of business at home against the Redskins, but I don't think it will be easy. All eight of our esteemed NFL experts picked the Eagles to win.
I've struggled with this one because I still don't trust Philly. And I just watched the Redskins outplay the division-leading Cowboys. Even without Albert Haynesworth and DeAngelo Hall, the Skins have a pretty formidable defense. I think they'll force Donovan McNabb to settle for short passes and do everything possible to limit DeSean Jackson's opportunities downfield.
The Redskins have nothing to play for but pride, but so far, that's been enough. Quarterback Jason Campbell had an excellent game in his team's 7-6 loss to the Cowboys. Seriously. He's capable of making the Eagles pay if they try to blitz him too much. The Redskins' offensive line is in shambles, but left tackle Levi Jones has given it a little more stability. I don't think Trent Cole's about to roll out a three-sack game against Jones.
Here's my pick: Eagles 21, Redskins 13. As much as I like the way Campbell's playing, I still think he's going to take too many shots in this game. He doesn't have any playmakers around him these days, although Devin Thomas has shown signs of being the deep-threat that he was in college. If the Redskins can block it up, I think they'll have one or two chances to hit Santana Moss on a deep route. He's been far too quiet this season and Jim Zorn needs to do more to get him the ball.
Actually, I guess that's Sherm Lewis' job. I think this will be a close game into the fourth quarter -- unless McNabb hits Jackson with one of those 60-yard touchdown passes early in the game. And that could definitely happen.
I've struggled with this one because I still don't trust Philly. And I just watched the Redskins outplay the division-leading Cowboys. Even without Albert Haynesworth and DeAngelo Hall, the Skins have a pretty formidable defense. I think they'll force Donovan McNabb to settle for short passes and do everything possible to limit DeSean Jackson's opportunities downfield.
The Redskins have nothing to play for but pride, but so far, that's been enough. Quarterback Jason Campbell had an excellent game in his team's 7-6 loss to the Cowboys. Seriously. He's capable of making the Eagles pay if they try to blitz him too much. The Redskins' offensive line is in shambles, but left tackle Levi Jones has given it a little more stability. I don't think Trent Cole's about to roll out a three-sack game against Jones.
Here's my pick: Eagles 21, Redskins 13. As much as I like the way Campbell's playing, I still think he's going to take too many shots in this game. He doesn't have any playmakers around him these days, although Devin Thomas has shown signs of being the deep-threat that he was in college. If the Redskins can block it up, I think they'll have one or two chances to hit Santana Moss on a deep route. He's been far too quiet this season and Jim Zorn needs to do more to get him the ball.
Actually, I guess that's Sherm Lewis' job. I think this will be a close game into the fourth quarter -- unless McNabb hits Jackson with one of those 60-yard touchdown passes early in the game. And that could definitely happen.
» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South
Three nuggets of knowledge about the Redskins-Eagles game in Week 12:
The Eagles need more from their pass rush against the Redskins on Sunday. In the first game against the Skins, the Eagles sacked Jason Campbell six times and he was constantly under duress. The Eagles only have three sacks in the past two games and they need their front four to generate more pressure in order to help a banged-up secondary. Sack leader Trent Cole (8.5) needs to have a big game against Redskins left tackle Levi Jones. It's a matchup that should favor the relentless Cole. The Eagles have allowed five yards per carry over the past two games, but I have a hard time believing that Rock Cartwright is going to go off on them. I'd be more worried about him in the passing game.
The Eagles will have some favorable matchups on the outside. I know the Redskins have the No. 1-ranked pass defense in the league. Skins fans remind me of this all the time -- even though I think those rankings can be misleading. I like to trust my eyes, which allowed me to see Brandon Marshall running free behind the Redskins' secondary two Sundays ago. And the fact that DeAngelo Hall could miss the game with a knee injury is a major issue. That means that Fred Smoot could end up on DeSean Jackson from time to time. That's a matchup the Eagles really, really like. LaRon Landry better be playing about 30 yards off the line of scrimmage and I'm sure fellow safety Reed Doughty will be in retreat mode, too. Jackson and Jeremy Maclin only need one play to knock you out, so the Redskins have to be on guard at all times.
What do the Skins have to lose? I'd like to see Jim Zorn and his playcaller Sherm Lewis loosen up a little in this game. They bogged down in the red zone against the Cowboys last Sunday, in part, because they went conservative for no apparent reason. If you have a chance to take a shot at the end zone before settling for a field goal, then by all means. Believe it or not, this season has actually been good for quarterback Campbell's development. He'll never again play behind an offensive line this bad. In a few short weeks, he's learned how to unload the ball quickly and how to successfully identify hot routes. I thought he played perhaps his best game of the season in a 7-6 loss to the Cowboys. That might sound crazy, but his ability to keep getting up after repeated shots to the chin was pretty remarkable. Keep your eye on this Richard Bartel situation. The Redskins tried to quietly insert a third-string quarterback onto their roster. I think they'd love to take a look at him soon. Maybe not in a divisional game against the Eagles, but you may see the Grapevine, Texas, native out there at some point this season.
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Win McNamee/Getty ImagesQuarterback Jason Campbell has had to adjust while playing behind a leaky line.
Win McNamee/Getty ImagesQuarterback Jason Campbell has had to adjust while playing behind a leaky line.The Eagles need more from their pass rush against the Redskins on Sunday. In the first game against the Skins, the Eagles sacked Jason Campbell six times and he was constantly under duress. The Eagles only have three sacks in the past two games and they need their front four to generate more pressure in order to help a banged-up secondary. Sack leader Trent Cole (8.5) needs to have a big game against Redskins left tackle Levi Jones. It's a matchup that should favor the relentless Cole. The Eagles have allowed five yards per carry over the past two games, but I have a hard time believing that Rock Cartwright is going to go off on them. I'd be more worried about him in the passing game.
The Eagles will have some favorable matchups on the outside. I know the Redskins have the No. 1-ranked pass defense in the league. Skins fans remind me of this all the time -- even though I think those rankings can be misleading. I like to trust my eyes, which allowed me to see Brandon Marshall running free behind the Redskins' secondary two Sundays ago. And the fact that DeAngelo Hall could miss the game with a knee injury is a major issue. That means that Fred Smoot could end up on DeSean Jackson from time to time. That's a matchup the Eagles really, really like. LaRon Landry better be playing about 30 yards off the line of scrimmage and I'm sure fellow safety Reed Doughty will be in retreat mode, too. Jackson and Jeremy Maclin only need one play to knock you out, so the Redskins have to be on guard at all times.
What do the Skins have to lose? I'd like to see Jim Zorn and his playcaller Sherm Lewis loosen up a little in this game. They bogged down in the red zone against the Cowboys last Sunday, in part, because they went conservative for no apparent reason. If you have a chance to take a shot at the end zone before settling for a field goal, then by all means. Believe it or not, this season has actually been good for quarterback Campbell's development. He'll never again play behind an offensive line this bad. In a few short weeks, he's learned how to unload the ball quickly and how to successfully identify hot routes. I thought he played perhaps his best game of the season in a 7-6 loss to the Cowboys. That might sound crazy, but his ability to keep getting up after repeated shots to the chin was pretty remarkable. Keep your eye on this Richard Bartel situation. The Redskins tried to quietly insert a third-string quarterback onto their roster. I think they'd love to take a look at him soon. Maybe not in a divisional game against the Eagles, but you may see the Grapevine, Texas, native out there at some point this season.
» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 9:
The Cowboys believe they can attack the Eagles' defense in the middle of the field. I just returned from Valley Ranch, where two Cowboys offensive players said they thought the middle of the Eagles' defense would be vulnerable. In particular, the Cowboys believe Eagles safeties Sean Jones and Quintin Mikell could leave some holes in that area of the field. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is very respectful of cornerbacks Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown, but he also knows that both players like to gamble at times. The Cowboys hope to use some of that aggressiveness against the Eagles. Players are saying that Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott has been a little more aggressive with his defensive backs than his mentor Jim Johnson. The past couple of games, McDermott hasn't had to blitz a lot to generate pressure. I think you'll see a few more blitzes Sunday because the Eagles believe that quarterback Tony Romo doesn't respond as well to contact as some of the other quarterbacks around the league.
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| AP Photo/Stephan Savoia | |
| Tom Coughlin is trying to motivate the Giants to a victory over the Chargers. |
The Redskins will be relieved to return to the field. With the constant drama surrounding owner Dan Snyder and his organization, it has to be somewhat refreshing to actually play a game. Unfortunately, the Redskins will face a Falcons team in desperate need of a win to stay in the playoff hunt. Even though he'll probably be rusty, the Redskins have to find a way to get offensive tackle Levi Jones on the field. He's better than some of the lightweights they've been putting out there. Hopefully Jim Zorn and Sherm Lewis holed up and figured out a way for quarterback Jason Campbell to get the ball away quickly. They need more three- and five-step drops in the game plan. Otherwise, the Falcons will be in Campbell's face the entire game. It's encouraging that second-year tight end Fred Davis is making some progress. I think he'll need to become Campbell's best option until tight end Chris Cooley returns. With this offensive line, you don't have enough time to hit Santana Moss on a post pattern. Perhaps Devin Thomas is ready to take on a larger role, too. This team isn't going to challenge for a playoff spot, but a win over the Falcons would certainly help the atmosphere at Redskins Park.
Cowboys coach Wade Phillips will match wits with his old pal Brian Stewart. When Cowboys owner Jerry Jones vowed to take his organization "to the woodshed" after last season's 44-6 loss to the Eagles, he soon fired his defensive coordinator, Stewart. Phillips and Stewart have been close friends for years, so it's made for an awkward situation. Now Stewart is the secondary coach for the Eagles. And he spent part of the week prepping the Eagles' offensive coaches for the Cowboys' defense. As Bradie James told me yesterday, "Stew knows our entire defense." But Phillips have changed up a couple of things and he thinks the new personnel will help disguise his approach in some ways. It will be interesting to see if Stewart's inside knowledge pays off for the Eagles.
How effective will Brian Westbrook be after missing time with a concussion? Westbrook has admitted to being worried about his long-term health -- and that's understandable. But he can't take that mentality onto the field Sunday. Westbrook isn't having a big season, in part, because of injuries. The honest truth, though, is the Eagles haven't really needed him much this season. Rookie LeSean McCoy's been pretty effective and DeSean Jackson, Brent Celek and Jeremy Maclin have all played starring roles at times. The Cowboys will try to defend Celek one-on-one with Gerald Sensabaugh, which could be a mistake. Sensabaugh has done a pretty nice job on tight ends this season, but Celek's having a Pro Bowl-caliber season. He's tied with Jason Witten in catches with 37, but he's averaging over 12 yards per catch. Witten is under 10 yards per catch right now and he hasn't been a vital part of the offense since Miles Austin began lighting up the league. Keep your eye on that Sensabaugh vs. Celek matchup. It could be huge.
Thursday Beastlines: Giants and Skins edition
October, 22, 2009
10/22/09
11:26
AM ET
By Matt Mosley | ESPN.com
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
Giants
Giants
- Paul Schwartz from the New York Post says the Giants could play the "what if?" game with all their injuries -- but it would be pointless.
- Tom Rock of Newsday wonders if the Giants' once-vaunted pass rush can get to Kurt Warner. Special shoutout to defensive tackle Barry Cofield, who recently admitted to being a daily Beast enthusiast.
- Apparently Giants beat writers are now fascinated by how quickly quarterbacks release the ball after taking the snap. Kurt Warner's at 2.2 seconds, according to Giants defensive end Justin Tuck.
- Ralph Vacchiano of Daily News fame has a similar story on getting to Warner.
- Tara Sullivan from The Record talks about the Giants' interception drills Wednesday.
- Antonio Pierce left practice with a stiff back Wednesday, according to Vacchiano.
- Levi Jones thinks a roster spot with the Redskins is a "golden opportunity." All together now: hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
- Michael Wilbon has a really good column in The Washington Post pointing out that Sherman Lewis isn't the clown that he's being made out to be in some circles. But Wilbon's conclusion confused a little bit. It's like Lewis is being forced to do this job against his will. I get the fact that he was passed over for a head-coaching jobs years ago, but if he didn't want this job, he could've simply said no.
- Rick Maese and Jason Reid teamed up to write the Steve Largent story for the Post.
- Longtime Hashmarks and Beast supporter Ryan O'Halloran also has a take on the Largent comments.
- If you're looking for hard-hitting analysis of the Skins situation, this writer really seems to be on point.
- Jason Campbell explains where he got in trouble against the Chiefs.
- Mike Wise of the Post sat down with John Kent Cooke. Fascinating interview.
Skins the worst-run franchise in sports?
October, 21, 2009
10/21/09
1:00
PM ET
By Matt Mosley | ESPN.com
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
I know a few Redskins fans would like for me to focus on the addition of offensive tackle Levi Jones, but it's tough to ignore the elephant in the room. The Skins are an organization on the brink, and who knows what will happen next. There have been reports this week that former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan was offered the head-coaching position, but he declined because he didn't feel like the current situation was conducive to turning the team around.
If those reports are true, I think Shanahan's made a wise choice. No matter how much money owner Dan Snyder's willing to play, most folks don't like being set up for failure. That's why I feel sorry for temporary head coach Jim Zorn. There's a chance he would've been a decent offensive coordinator -- but he was given a bump in title when Snyder and his right-hand man, Vinny Cerrato, couldn't find a splashy enough name to become head coach.
On Monday, native Washingtonian and my former colleague at the Dallas Morning News, Kevin Blackistone, called his beloved Redskins the "worst-run franchise in pro sports in the country, if not on the planet."
The Redskins are embarrassing themselves on many levels right now -- and it all starts with Snyder. Sally Jenkins of the Post thinks that firing Cerrato and replacing him with a strong general manager might be a good place to start. And while that sounds logical, it certainly doesn't sound like something Snyder would do.
I have a list of two or three excellent young candidates for a GM position in the league, but I hate to waste it on the Redskins.
I know a few Redskins fans would like for me to focus on the addition of offensive tackle Levi Jones, but it's tough to ignore the elephant in the room. The Skins are an organization on the brink, and who knows what will happen next. There have been reports this week that former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan was offered the head-coaching position, but he declined because he didn't feel like the current situation was conducive to turning the team around.
If those reports are true, I think Shanahan's made a wise choice. No matter how much money owner Dan Snyder's willing to play, most folks don't like being set up for failure. That's why I feel sorry for temporary head coach Jim Zorn. There's a chance he would've been a decent offensive coordinator -- but he was given a bump in title when Snyder and his right-hand man, Vinny Cerrato, couldn't find a splashy enough name to become head coach.
On Monday, native Washingtonian and my former colleague at the Dallas Morning News, Kevin Blackistone, called his beloved Redskins the "worst-run franchise in pro sports in the country, if not on the planet."
"This isn't an easily won designation," writes Blackistone. "There are a lot of poorly run sports teams around, like Al Davis' Oakland Raiders, Donald Sterling's Los Angeles Clippers and Peter Angelos' Baltimore Orioles. But those teams aren't on the Forbes magazine list of ten highest valued sports franchises on earth like Washington."
The Redskins are third on that list, right behind the Dallas Cowboys. Of the top three teams on the list, only Manchester United of the English Premier League has experienced consistent playoff success over the past decade or so. Of course, the Skins' 2-3 record in the playoffs during the Snyder era beats what Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has accomplished during that same time period, but I think it's fair to say that Jones enjoys a better relationship with his club's fan base than Snyder has with his.The Redskins are embarrassing themselves on many levels right now -- and it all starts with Snyder. Sally Jenkins of the Post thinks that firing Cerrato and replacing him with a strong general manager might be a good place to start. And while that sounds logical, it certainly doesn't sound like something Snyder would do.
I have a list of two or three excellent young candidates for a GM position in the league, but I hate to waste it on the Redskins.
Skins sign former Bengals first-rounder Jones
October, 20, 2009
10/20/09
7:19
PM ET
By Matt Mosley | ESPN.com
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
Good news, Skins fans. Help is on the way with former Bengals first-round pick Levi Jones on the way to town. The Bengals released their left tackle a month after selecting Alabama's Andre Smith in the first round of the '09 draft. Jones started 89 games for the Bengals, but he missed the final six games of the '08 season with a leg injury.
He had a tryout with the Packers in September, but nothing came out of it. If he's healthy, I'm sure the Redskins will plug him in immediately at one of the tackle spot. In fact, I would bet he'll end up at left tackle, which will allow Stephon Heyer to move back to the right side.
I have no clue why the Redskins waited so long to bring in Jones, but maybe they were waiting for word on Chris Samuels' neck injury. The Redskins released running backs Anthony Alridge and Marcus Mason on Tuesday and re-signed Renaldo Wynn.
I'm told Jones was a fan favorite with the Bengals. He went to Arizona State on an academic scholarship before deciding to walk on the football team. And some of you will recall his infamous Las Vegas fight with Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter. The Skins could use a brawler up front -- and it shouldn't take Jones long to crack the starting lineup.
Good news, Skins fans. Help is on the way with former Bengals first-round pick Levi Jones on the way to town. The Bengals released their left tackle a month after selecting Alabama's Andre Smith in the first round of the '09 draft. Jones started 89 games for the Bengals, but he missed the final six games of the '08 season with a leg injury.
He had a tryout with the Packers in September, but nothing came out of it. If he's healthy, I'm sure the Redskins will plug him in immediately at one of the tackle spot. In fact, I would bet he'll end up at left tackle, which will allow Stephon Heyer to move back to the right side.
I have no clue why the Redskins waited so long to bring in Jones, but maybe they were waiting for word on Chris Samuels' neck injury. The Redskins released running backs Anthony Alridge and Marcus Mason on Tuesday and re-signed Renaldo Wynn.
I'm told Jones was a fan favorite with the Bengals. He went to Arizona State on an academic scholarship before deciding to walk on the football team. And some of you will recall his infamous Las Vegas fight with Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter. The Skins could use a brawler up front -- and it shouldn't take Jones long to crack the starting lineup.
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