Tuesday, November 3: Time For Young Guys To Step Up
Last year, as the 2008 season wound down and the Redskins seemed unable to get themselves back in the win column on a consistent basis, head coach Jim Zorn was emphatic about playing his starters to the very end. Every week, reporters (and emailers, and blog commenters) would ask about getting more playing time for the then-rookies, and every week Zorn stuck to his guns.
As Sunday's game against the Falcons approaches, it appears that this year will be different; this next game is shaping up to be a flashpoint for this year's rookie class AND the largely-underachieving crew from 2008.
In some cases, such as rookies CB Kevin Barnes, LB Robert Henson, and FB Eddie Williams, this is because of injury, not by design. With H.B. Blades and Byron Westbrook out this week following surgeries, Barnes and Henson are getting more work in practice, Zorn said yesterday.
"I know Henson and Barnes are both getting reps," he told the media after practice. "There is going to be a lot of conversation before I make the final decision on inactives this week. It will be because of Eddie [Williams] coming up, Quinton [Ganther] still developing ... Barnes, Henson, with two tight ends, less offensive linemen and more defensive linemen, I am not really sure where I am headed yet. I couldn't put it together for you but they will be under consideration for sure."
At this point, all of this year's draft picks that remain with the team are currently signed to the active roster, and they all have a chance to be active on Sunday. (And, before anyone asks, I haven't heard any news about more playing time for Marko Mitchell this week.)
But it's not just this year's rookies that find themselves at a potential crossroads; the big three from last year -- Fred Davis, Devin Thomas, and Malcolm Kelly -- also need to represent in Atlanta.
Davis cancelled his planned bye week vacation to stick around and work on his blocking with tight ends coach Scott Wachenheim, just as he'd said he would after Chris Cooley's injury. Which is a very good thing, because everyone acknowledged that his blocking needed work.
Here's Coach Zorn after yesterday's practice, after being asked where Davis needed to show improvement. "Two areas," Zorn said. "One is his blocking. He hasn't been at the point of attack as much as Chris has. We just haven't had him in the game. Also, just the details of route running and things like that he hasn't had a lot of work with. He did a nice job in our last game of catching eight balls but there were some details of those things that he can improve on as well."
Even Davis himself knows it. "Blocking, that's my focus. I think everything else is going to come natural as far as catching and stuff. My main focus is making sure I get my blocking right."
But being named the starter in place of Cooley has given Davis new focus. "You are more aware now," he explained. "It's different than when you just get thrown in there; you need to get your technique right. You can't be a little bit sloppy."
Devin Thomas hopes to build on his breakout game, and shelved plans for an elaborate Halloween costume in favor of a recharging, restful bye week. "I just relaxed," he said. "I got off my feet and stayed low key. Other than that, I'm back and happy to be back."
Which leaves Malcolm Kelly, who flashed the most promise in preseason and -- by virtue of not living up to that promise -- has been the biggest disappointment so far in 2009.
"More than anything, I just need to pay attention to detail," he said yesterday. "It's the smallest things. It wasn't catching the balls, because that's one thing that I do. It's just the small things. I've gotten a lot better at certain routes and stuff like that. [Wide receiver coach] Stan [Hixon] said this week, I ran routes better this week than I have all season long. It's just stuff that I'm working on and when I put all the pieces together I'll be good."
But, I pointed out, this is more or less how he was talking during preseason and so far the results have been disappointing.
"I'm still confident," he said. "If the ball is in the air and coming my way and I have a chance I'm going to make a play on the ball."
But the second-year second-rounders realize that how they are viewed -- and possibly their actual production -- is almost irrevocably intertwined at this point.
"We're all looking forward to try to do our best and really help this team out as much as possible," Thomas said. "We are definitely trying our best in any way possible."
Kelly agreed. "We're trying to get that together. We're trying to work that out so that Devin and I can be out there at the same time. Some people have to move around a little bit to get everybody out there. But we're working on it. Hopefully we are moving toward it."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-03-2009 @ 10:45AM
LBrown43 said...
After reading about the development of these three receivers since the preseason, I am wondering if Zorn is putting too much emphasis on the details. Maybe this is filling up their heads with "I've got to step here and fake like this", etc. when they should be relaxing and just using their natural and learned abilities to get open and make the plays.
I remember when I was in high school basketball, our coach drilled us and drilled us to run the plays to the letter. With everyone concentrating on being exactly where they were supposed to be and passing the ball exactly to the designated people. All of my thoughts were on where I was supposed to be rather than on looking for and making opportunities to make plays. I know my level of high school basketball and professional football are miles apart, but I just think there is such a thing as overcoaching. Maybe Zorn and/or the receivers coach (Hixon) are guilty of that, especially with Zorn being a new head coach and being under the microscope so much.
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11-03-2009 @ 11:10AM
petloversmd said...
LBrown43, I think you hit the nail on the head. I thought this last year. When you watch JC's eyes and the young guy's eyes, they appear to be thinking/concentrating too much. Since Zorn was a position coach (for I can't remember how long) before his arrival here, I think, and you can tell from his interviews too, that he is sooooooooo detail oriented it's to his detriment. Like I said in the begining, you hit the nail on the head!
11-03-2009 @ 12:02PM
egirardin71 said...
Fred Davis might turn out to be okay in the Clint Didier (great pass catcher not a great blocker) mold but Mike Westbrook #1 and #2 (Thomas and Kelly) might as well hang up the cleats and start working on their MMA careers while they are still young.
One would have thought one of those 3 picks might have drafted and O-lineman but I guess not. The so called "skilled postions" are very hit and miss while it seems easier to draft lineman who can contribute. I understand finding the next Joe Jacoby, Jim Lachey or Chris Samuels is not easy but getting a few servicable guys who can provide some depth and youth should not be that hard. I can name 50 WR, QB or RB who were taken in the first round who were huge busts but can only think of 1 O-lineman (Manderich). I know picking lineman isn't the "sexy, exiting way to go" but follow the Parcels model Vinny (you moron) as he seems to have had some success.
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11-03-2009 @ 4:12PM
DrKrull said...
Who the hell is Mike Westbrook? There is nobody on the team with that name. Did you perhaps find a time machine and go back to '99 (I think that was one of the years he was here) when he played for the Skins?
11-03-2009 @ 12:01PM
egirardin71 said...
It's football it doesn't need to be that complicated. Zorn likes to talk about it like he is splitting the atom but basically every 8 year old kid has played it in his backyard without worrying about every little detail. Basically you line up and beat the guy in front of your period. The Redskins don't have the talent to beat teams so they have to try and do it with schemes which never works.
They need to go back to basics get a new front office in place, a new coach then cut all the high priced dead weight from the salary cap and start building a new team intelligently through the draft, following the Parcels Bellicheck model.
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11-03-2009 @ 11:26AM
georgel722 said...
I think its idiotic to keep talking about these second year recievers. There are only so many plays you can run on a three step drop. 5 and 7 step drops are no longer options for this team. Campbell worries too much (rightfully so) about getting killed in deeper drops. The line will NOT give him enough time to scan and throw. Lost cause talking about these guys Matt. Sorry. Hopefully they keep in touch with Desean, Jeremy, Eddie and all those other young recievers making plays in order to keep tabs on how it feels to be in the NFL. With no line you are just shooting blanks. I guess there isn't too much to right on with the cuffs on you as well. Sailing the lonely sees of the "C Flight".
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11-03-2009 @ 1:17PM
jaytee2000 said...
OK the vacation is over! Time to earn your money. Do you seriously think that the skins can beat the falcons? Thanks for the poll! Majority of fans want a qb change!! I read that one GM said that we have one dumb QB! Start the young guys and find out who we got! Defense is tired of losing coz the offense can't score. Falcons 31 skins 13
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11-03-2009 @ 1:45PM
japes1974 said...
Kelly and Thomas can throw the ball to themselves...can't they? We are placing too much blame on these receivers...
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11-03-2009 @ 2:21PM
Mike said...
yeah when it comes to Thomas and Kelly I think there are a ton of factors to look at. They are rookies last year along with a rookie coach plus kelly was out last year, horrible o-line, horrible o-line makes QB that much more horrible. Look at the run and pass game. No one is really doing anything. There are times where Moss gets shut out. I don't know if these guys are busts or not but the situation surely isn't in their favor.
To hear davis cancelled his vacation is hilarious to me. I understand these guys work hard and need a break but to me it comes off as Davis saying if i'm a backup I don't need to worry about how to block since i'm not playing anyway so i'ma take a vacation. So now he is starting he wants to learn how to block. Shouldn't you be working hard on that anyway and focusing on trying to take cooley's job. take a vacation after the season is over!! am i too hard on em?
11-04-2009 @ 10:03AM
JeffreyHaga said...
Put in Marko Mitchell. He is a huge target and has great hands. Use the young talent and try not to over coach. It gets to be to much of a worried mind game for em. Let them play the game the way it should be played by letting them use all there abilities. We also need a totally new o-line. 16 HITS and 5 SACKS a game on an average.. are you kidding me. Ray Charles could see the problem that needs to be fixed there. No wonder campbell looks bad. Everyone would see campbell succeed if he had an o-line like brady / favre / payton. Also he needs to be "allowed" to autible the plays if he sees the defense is in perfect position for that specific play. He has no freedom to do that which is a load of BS. He is a professional athlete, let him use his capabilities in which case we can succeed (given a better o-line).
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11-04-2009 @ 9:44AM
deaconpreizt said...
Nope Mike your not but remeber A.H. and D.H. have been saying a year that some guys didn't show they wanted it bad enough. I'm glad he did it better late then never and you got to believe the coaches where probably like well we know he isn't a balance tight end so hey let's just see if he catches the ball when he gets in the game other then that he seems to be blocking in pratice but to quote A.I. "We talling bout ractice" lol sorry to easy.
I played football and studied it and have family in friends in 4 different professional sports and they have told me on many occassions how some guys just get by on doing what it takes and no more extra and they either have great success and then fizzle or never get because there team sucks and they get exposed.
and about the recevers M.K. is one of the slowest young recivers in the league if not the slowest so he never is gonna be great down the field unless he runs great routes "football speed" not "track & field speed" like Larry.F. and Marques C. will help him. D.T. will have the most success if he has the ball thrown his way alot he has all the desire, skill, and, cofidence of a star reciever but if we don't have a QB that doesn't care if he has a line or not or get better, healthier and younger at O-line he's gonna contnue to look like a draft bust.
P.S. if those 3 were on the Colts, Saints, or Pats we wouldn't be speaking about this right now. Duces!
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11-03-2009 @ 6:56PM
egirardin71 said...
Krull
Sorry to confuse you by making a comparison between the current WR's and Mike Westbrook. In the future I promise to use smaller words and type slowly so you can understand.
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11-04-2009 @ 11:23AM
DrKrull said...
Ha ha, very funny. Didn't quite catch your comparison part there. Please use smaller words - actually, re-read your first paragraph. I didn't make a whole lot of sense - perhaps some punctuation might help.
Have a good one!
11-04-2009 @ 11:43AM
gjmcglaflin said...
Let me see........Michael Crabtree catches 7 balls last week and has no training camp and is thrown into an NFL game for the 1st time. Our two young receivers have never caught that many balls in one game combined! Has to be the system! no? Kelly please look at Marcus Colston of the Saints. Get the damn ball! Your 6'4 inches tall.
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