From: williamf@umbc4.umbc.edu (TheBigBopper)
Newsgroups: dc.redskins
Subject: Re: Come on, Skins' fans
Date: 8 Sep 92 22:12:14 GMT
Organization: Univ. of MD, Baltimore County

In article <BtzKo4.CDF@gtsi.com> rich@gtsi.com (Richard Lawrence) writes:
>In article <92240.151912KCRUZ@auvm.american.edu> KCRUZ@auvm.american.edu writes:
>>OK, the season is about to begin and I'm getting hyped up about it.
>>When I look at this newsgroup, though, it seems like every redskins fan
>>is on vacation or something.  Let's get some traffic going! It's only
>
>Maybe they, like me, are mourning the fact that they went and saw the last
>preseason game. Can anybody say pathetic, inept, terrible, bad, joke? You
>want funny? I was reading the defense faster than Rypien was. People sitting
>around me thought I was Mr. Wizard. The thing is, I'M NOT. The guy was 
>throwing the route blindly, which is an amazing ability considering he just
>about bee-line tracked every receiver on a passing play. I swear if I had
>been a Viking linebacker in that game I could have had 5 interceptions just
>by following Ryp's eyes. I like the guy, but he sure as hell better get it
>together before he faces a Dallas defense that likes to gamble.
>

 Unfortunately he didn't.  I sincerely hope that the line couldn't HEAR
 Rypien's count because if not...Washington is in real trouble.  Last
 night *something* was out of kilt and if they're still getting used to
 Rypien's play-calling then its going be tough early on.

>Not that Ryp was alone. Tackling was so pathetic I had to turn away every
>once in a while. That running back Allen was having a field day, and he's
>not Emmet Smith.
>

 This bears out something thats been true with Washington for a while.
They're not a great team against the run.  Someone observed earlier that
Matt Millan was brought in as a run specialist:  the real reason why he
became expendable was Wilber Marshall's decision to finally play both
the run and the pass as his great skills allow him too.  Quick, strong
and small running backs eat Wash. for lunch.  Remember Joe Morris?  We 
use our free safety to help stop the run...but it only works if he has
read the play correctly.  If he is late getting up and the back is thru.
the line the play is worth 5 yds.  Barry Saunders got a whole lot of
yards this way in the playoffs last year against us doing this.  Detroit
was just outclassed everywhere else.  Look for them to try this again in
game three.

>On the other hand, blocking pretty much sucked too. If it hadn't been for
>the late addition of Lachey, then Byner never would have broken that half
>field run.
>
>I has been nine years since I saw the Redskins play this poorly, and then
>they had an excuse. That was the '83 SuperBowl against the Raiders, and
>the Raiders were reading their signals, so the game was a throw away in any
>case.

 Has this play stealing ever been proven?  I have heard this claim
before but I have never read any definitive proof.  But, you're right. 
That was easily the worst game I have watched Wash. play. 

>Just about the only positive thing I can say about that game was that 
>Richie Pettibon was hiding our real defense. I don't think we brought the
>extra man for a blitz even once, and in regular season you can look for that
>every third down or so.

 Its kind of hard to blitz when you're constantly facing 2nd and short.
 If they can't stop the run on 1st down consistently enough then forget
 blitzes (sp) and stunts...they're not going to work when the other team
 has receivers coming over the middle. 
  
    TheBigBoppeR
Newsgroups: dc.redskins,rec.sport.football.pro