Monday, September 22, 2008

Redskins 24, Cardinals 17

In theory, going to a Redskins game to cap off your bachelor party weekend is an incredible idea. A few beers, friends, nothing but blue skies and not-completely-hot-as-balls temperatures -- a recipe for certain good times, right? Well, yes. Unless, of course, you’re more hungover than you’ve ever been and fighting off puke scares all afternoon.

Don’t get me wrong... yesterday’s game was great. The Skins looked very solid and the outcome was certainly favorable -- it’s just hard to really enjoy a game when you feel like your head is going to explode midway through the first quarter. Am I right?

My impressions of yesterday’s game at the Stadium Formerly Known As Raljon (from what I remember)...

01. It was hot. Definitely hotter than it should’ve been (and hotter than those damn meteorologists said it was going to be). Maybe it was the fact that we were 3,800 feet above the field and therefore that much closer to the sun -- who knows. Regardless, it was brutal. (And yes, I know it was about 15 degrees hotter last week against the Saints, but I wasn’t there, so I can’t compare.)

02. I’m more likely to buy something from a vendor who makes an effort and / or makes people laugh. “Ice cold lemonade! Tastes better than my ex-wife!” That’s what one of the guys said as he was soliciting the fine patrons of Sections 412 and 413. He looked kind of young to have an ex-wife, sure, but he gets bonus points for that brilliance.

Taken by the author's sherpa.

03. The Redskins looked good. Not Super Bowl good, but much better than I thought they would just 3 weeks into a new offensive package. Jason Campbell’s confidence, after being essentially shattered in the first game, has to be higher than it’s ever been. Heading into Week Four and not having thrown an interception is impressive -- I don’t care who you are.

04. Certainly helping the confidence situation is the man I like to call Santiggity. Why I call Santana that, I have no idea -- all I know is that I love that dude. He’s got better hands than he had last year -- remember that game in Green Bay? -- and he’s getting some nice yards after the catch, which is where he can be potentially explosive. I do think that the Skins need to take more shots down the field, but I’m very content with the current situation, so I’ll be patient.

05. Speaking of Santana, I wish he had a chance to actually do something as a punt returner rather than let the ball bounce into the endzone. Let’s hope that wasn’t a one-time gig and he gets another shot in Dallas next week.

06. Speaking of Dallas, I spotted quite a few irrelevant jerseys at the game yesterday. A Romo jersey here, a T.O. jersey there, a Brian Westbrook jersey there. What gives with these people? Why would you possibly wear the jersey of a team that’s not playing at the game you’re at? Are you trying to prove a point? I don’t get it. Help me understand this.

07. Speaking of Chris Horton -- I didn’t actually mention him... just seeing if you’re paying attention -- it looks like he may have snuck past Reed Doughty on the depth chart. After Doughty got burned by Fitzgerald on that deep bomb from Warner, I knew we weren’t going to see much more of him (at least not in this game). It sucks that he may have lost his starting job due to getting sick before last week’s game, but this is the NFL, and sometimes these things happen. Horton has been a stud so far, so I think the Skins need to ride that train until it runs out of steam.

08. Nice INT by Carlos Rogers. I know everyone and their mothers have been talking about he saved himself after being ridiculed for having bad hands, but that was sweet. Good for him for having the sense to get up and take off, too -- that was the biggest play of the game.

09. Malcolm Kelly Devin Thomas, you knucklehead. Two offensive pass interference calls in one game? Seriously? You’ve got potential, bromaldehyde, but you’ve got to get your head out of your arse if you want to make some noise in this league.

10. How about Clinton Portis? Just a long week after he made the comments heard ‘round the Beltway, I’d say Dolemite Jenkins is doing pretty well, wouldn’t you? Sure, his yardage hasn’t been earth-shattering, but he’s found some holes that he wasn’t finding last year and has been great where it matters most -- in the red zone.

11. Speaking of the red zone -- is it me, or are the Skins capitalizing way more efficiently than they were under Gibbs? Just something to think about.

12. Walked right past Mike Sellers after the game. Good gracious, that guy is a monster.

13. Good to see Zorn mixing up the playcalling a bit. Randle El is an aerial threat on both sides of the ball, and the laser that he fired to Cooley in the second half was sweet. I’d love to see more of that down the road.

14. All things considered -- it’s only Week 4, it's their first meeting of the year -- is next Sunday’s game in Dallas one of the biggest between these two bitter rivals? The NFC East is a collective 10-2, with both of those losses coming within the division (the Skins to the G-men and the Eagles to the Cowboys). If the Burgundy and Gold can take the swagger that they’ve shown in the past 2 games into Texas Stadium, do the unthinkable and walk out of there 3-1, the best division in football would potentially turn into one of the best division races in league history. Sure, the season is very young, but it’s been pretty damn exciting so far, hasn’t it?

15. Hail.

3 comments:

  1. #9 it was Devin Thomas w/ the 2 OPI's ..I believe Kelly didnt play.

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  2. You are correct, sir. Thank you for pointing that out.

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  3. #6: This boggles my mind too. Nevermind wearing jerseys of a team that's not even playing...I wouldn't even wear the jersey of my team in an opposing stadium...it's just asking for trouble. Sure you can cheer for your boys, but why draw unwanted attention to yourself in enemy turf?

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