|
|
|
|
|
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sports: Redskins
Mark Maske
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 09, 2003; 11:00 a.m. ET
What is your reaction to the Redskins game against the Eagles? Can this team make it to the playoffs? Who are the breakout players this season? Who isn't living up to your expectations?
Washington Post staff writer Mark Maske was online to discuss the team, their upcoming game against Tampa Bay and your forecast for the season.
The transcript follows.
Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control
over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
|
Mark Maske: Hope everyone is ready to go. Let's get started.
_______________________
Fairfax, Va.:
Mmark,
Does the Skin's O-line have a snowball's chance in hell of stopping the front four of the Bucs?
Mark Maske: I like their chances a lot better if Randy Thomas is able to play.
The Redskins have done a better job of safe-guarding Ramsey the last few weeks. He hasn't been sacked as often or taken as many really hard hits as he did in the first few games. The next step is to get rid of all the false starts.
_______________________
Arlington, Va.:
Hey Mark,
I know the audible thing has been overkill in the
news but does Spurrier scream audibles in
Ramsey's ear while he can (up to 15 seconds left on
the play clock) or is it all Ramsey?
Mark Maske: Spurrier gives Ramsey the play, which Ramsey calls in the huddle. When the team gets to the line of scrimmage, it's up to Ramsey to look over the defense and go with the play that's been called or audible to another one. The key there is that it's up to Ramsey to make sure they're not in a really, really bad play for what the defense is doing. Spurrier puts a lot on his quarterback's shoulders in that regard, and Ramsey will get better at it as he goes. You didn't see this many problems last season when Wuerffel and Matthews were running the show because they'd been around Spurrier for quite a while. I don't think the system itself is that big a problem. You need to audible sometimes. Peyton Manning audibles until he's blue in the face, and it works fine for him. I just think you need to see Ramsey get a little more time with Spurrier, and everything will click a little smoother.
_______________________
Arlington, Va.:
Mark,
Assuming Patrick Ramsey can get enough protection to pass, how do you think the Redskins receivers will do against the Tampa Bay secondary? Is there any chance Coles could have a big game?
Mark Maske: The Bucs certainly will make adjustments after the way Marvin Harrison got open deep so often in the Monday night game. Usually they have two very good corners in Ronde Barber and Brian Kelly, but Kelly got hurt and you saw Harrison abuse a young corner, Tim Wansley. The Bucs probably won't have Kelly against the Redskins but they could move Dwight Smith back to corner from safety at least some of the time, and I think there's a good chance you'll see Barber cover Coles all over the field rather than just cover whichever guy comes to his side of the field.
Coles and Gardner should be able to get open. But the Redskins need to protect. Ramsey needs to make the sorts of throws that he missed last week in Philly. And the Redskins need to be patient since that's what the Bucs force you to do with the way they play their safeties in their Cover 2.
_______________________
Helena, Mont.:
I know that the QB and the coaches have wireless communication, but is there a rule against outfitting the offensive line with a similar device to hear the QB? Given the Redskins' inability to hear because of crowd noise, it might help. It's also got to be a problem for other teams in a hostile environment (although the Redskins seem to have the same problem in every stadium).
Mark Maske: Only the quarterback can have that radio device in his helmet, as far as I know.
_______________________
Langley Air Base, Va.:
I think Tampa blitzes less than Philly did because of their talented front four. For that reason the 'Skins should have a better day protecting Ramsey than last game. What is your take on that?
Mark Maske: That's true. Tampa doesn't have to blitz much because the Bucs usually can generate pressure with Rice, Spires, Sapp and McFarland. But if they're not getting there with four, they'll start to blitz more. I still think it's a great, great challenge for the Redskins.
_______________________
Pleasanton, Calif.:
Mark,
Your article today about LaVar points to a contradiction of his personality. Arrington One one hand, he has fun playing football. He smiles and picks up opposing players after the whistle. No nasty streak. When Boswell mentioned players joking after the Eagles loss, it's not hard to imagine LaVar among them. On the other hand, he is often portrayed as intense and hard-hitting. Which LA is it?
Does he have the discipline, seriousness and dedication to lead the Skins to excellence? Not just flashes but Derrick Brooks-like excellence day in and day out? washingtonpost.com:
Arrington to Sapp: Don't Tread on Us (Post, Oct. 9)
Mark Maske: I think LaVar is pretty intense most of the time. I think he takes losses hard and takes them personally and you wouldn't ever see him joking around after one. I think he has a major nasty streak during games. He is one the hardest clean hitters in the sport, if not THE hardest. When you say he enjoys playing, I think he enjoys the intensity and the competition and, yes, the violence. He might need to add just a bit more discipline to his game over time but he is a tremendous player, a game-changer on the defensive side of the ball.
_______________________
Stafford, Va.:
Mark,
What do you think about this little trash-talking between Lavar and Sapp? Do you really think that Lavar will level Sapp if he comes across the 50 durring warmups on Sunday?
Mark Maske: I think it is partially real. LaVar tries to wallop anyone who lines up across from him, and he will try to wallop Sapp if he's there. If Sapp prances through the Redskins' pregame stretching, I think LaVar will start something. Both these guys see their teams coming off bad losses, and I think they both see this as a way to make sure their teammates are into this game right from the start.
Part of it is theatrics. Sapp is the current-day Deion. He knows how to sell himself. He knows how the media works. He knows what's a story and he knows how to generate headlines and how to get on TV. LaVar is cut from that mold and wants to get to that point, I think.
Another point: LaVar and Sapp have managed to stop everyone from talking and writing about the Redskins' false starts and the Bucs' Monday night collapse. That's smart and that helps both their teams.
_______________________
Annandale, Va.:
If the FedEx Field crowd was so deafening when the 'Skins played the Giants, why didn't Ramsey or another Redskin motion the fans to quiet down so the center, Larry Moore, could hear the snap count? I didn't see any mention in the Post's coverage of a reporter asking Ramsey or Spurrier this obvious question. Instead, there's just general talk of "disastrous" false start penalties. Why didn't anyone at the Post ask Ramsey about this or write about his failure to shush the crowd?
Mark Maske: That came up here after it happened and I said that Ramsey needs to take charge like that, yes. That's just another of the many, many things that's part of the maturation process for a young quarterback who's got a lot of things to worry about during a game.
_______________________
Ellicott City, Md.:
Why are the Redskins so seemingly unprepared to play a blitz happy team like the Eagles? Jimmy Johnson is known league wide as a defensive coordinator that likes to blitz on almost every play yet you rarely see the Redskins try and couter by keeping extra blockers in to pick up the blitz. I would just like to know why we don't adjust.
Mark Maske: The Redskins' approach is to sometimes keep extra guys in to protect but also, at times, to just come up with a play that makes the defense pay. Against the Patriots, for instance, the 30-yard play to Chad Morton on a short pass came when the Redskins knew they were leaving two guys unblocked. Ramsey is a quarterback who's willing to take some hits if it means making some plays work.
I actually thought the Redskins did a decent--not great, but decent--job against the Eagles' blitzes, but Ramsey missed some throws he usually makes. That was the key to the game, in my mind. He may have been shaken up from that early sack but, for whatever reason, he was not as sharp as he has been in previous games and they missed making some plays when they had opportunities. The receivers also had some drops.
_______________________
Mclean, Va.:
Do you seen Ladell Betts getting more involved in the offense as the year progresses? I keep hearing of Trung Candidate's 'big play' ability, but I seem to be seeing a lot of dancing and not a runningback consistently gaining yards. Who would you prefer see carry the load?
Mark Maske: Even without a run longer than 23 yards this season, Canidate is averaging 5 yards a carry. I think he's been pretty productive and I don't see the time-sharing changing any time soon. Betts has a bad shoulder this week so his workload could be curtailed a bit.
_______________________
Arlington, Va.:
Trotter's interception last week was one of the most athletic plays I have ever seen a linebacker make and showed me he still has something in him. Do you think he is capable of playing at a high level consistently, or is he on a decline like some football analysts have suggested?
Mark Maske: I think he's played pretty well this season, much better than last season. As with all of this team's starting linebackers, you are going to have to live with a few mistakes because they all will take gambles to try to use their athleticism to make plays all over the field. Trotter still is having some problems with his knee in the middle of weeks, between games, but he's been able to make it out there every game so far. I still think he's a productive player who can be part of a very good defense.
_______________________
Frederickburg Va.:
Hi Mark,
I was wondering what your take on Boswell's assertion that he felt like he was "in the winning locker room" after last weekend's loss in Philly. Somehow I have a hard time believing it was quite that way. Was there a touch of exaggeration in that quote? Is there that little discipline and focus on this Redskins team?
Mark Maske: Personally, I didn't see guys joking around, but you can't watch the entire locker room the entire time you're in there. I've said from the start, and I still believe, that this is a team that has good unity and cares about winning and trying to be successful.
_______________________
Stafford, Va.:
Mark,
How much time will Bryon Chamberlain get this weekend. I'm not too familar with him, does he bring a new level of recieving to the TE position, or is he simply a blocking TE? Was this a significant upgrade to the skins TE position?
Mark Maske: This weekend, you'll probably see Robert Royal start and get most of the playing time at tight end. Chamberlain only got here Monday. I do think he'll play some Sunday and play more and more over time. He has pass-catching skills that the Redskins haven't had in a tight end previously under Spurrier.
_______________________
Rosebud, S.D.:
Do you velieve the skins will run the hurry up offense to offset the Bucs stellar defense? It seems to work well at the end of games.
Mark Maske: You could see a little bit of no-huddle, I guess. But getting the play called at the line of scrimmage hasn't exactly been the Redskins' strength so far, so I doubt you'll see too much of it.
_______________________
New York City:
Mark,
It is true that other teams audible but nobody since Jim Kelly has audibled to the extent that Spurrier asks, but Kelly called his plays! The commentators on Sunday remarked how fluid the offense became in hurry up mode. Do you see this offense inching toward a quarterback calling system in the future, like the K-gun?
Mark Maske: Spurrier is a really, really good play-caller. I don't think he ever will--or should--take himself out of that mix. The longer that Spurrier and Ramsey are together, the more fluid that whole process will become.
_______________________
Desperately Seeking a Pass Rush in McLean, Va.:
Warren Sapp in burgundy and gold would look mighty fine for our D-line and pass rush next season.
Is there any chance he could be a Redskin in 2004?
Mark Maske: I do think a defensive tackle and a pass-rushing defensive end will be the Redskins' two main areas of need next offseason. But I think you'll see them stick to what they did last offseason and try to make sure their major acquisitions are younger players entering their primes.
_______________________
Alexandria, Va.:
With the key injuries that Tampa faces, it's really up to Brad Johnson to carry the offense. Do you see a lot of blitzing this week by the Skins?
Mark Maske: The Redskins' pass rush was much better last week in Philly. They got a better push up the middle from their defensive tackles, in particular. But I would like to see LaVar more involved in the pass rush. He had 11 sacks last season. Now, his role has changed. He's not lining up at defensive end on every passing situation, like he did last year, and he's dropping into coverage more often. But I don't think you can take your best pass rusher so far out of the pass-rushing mix and still expect to get to the quarterback regularly.
_______________________
Washington, D.C.:
What do you make of Dockery moving back to the bench? Is this confidence in Fiore or lack of confidence in Dockery?
Mark Maske: At least for now, this is Fiore's starting job. If his knee is healthy enough, he will start. Certainly Dockery is a future starter for this team, and there will be a gradual transition toward getting him in there. But he made some big mistakes in Philly, so there's no need to hurry that process along. Still, if Randy Thomas can't play, you'll see Dockery in there at right guard this week.
_______________________
Dale City, Va.:
What are the 'Skins chances this weekend if Randy Thomas doesn't play? The Colts showed that you do not need a power running game to beat the Bucs, as many commentators stated after their loss to the Panthers, but what are the chances of another high-octane passing game torching them a second week in a row? Will the 'Skins attempt to beat them deep, as Indy did?
Mark Maske: I think you'll see Spurrier get back to a more balanced approach between running and passing after not getting very good results last week when they threw 50 passes to try to take advantage of Philly's beat-up secondary. The key for the Redskins is to take advantage of the opportunities in the passing game when they're there. They should be able to get some chances working against the "other" cornerback, whether it's Wansley or Dwight Smith (assuming that Kelly doesn't play), but Ramsey can't miss the throws and they can't have the drops that they had last week. Tampa's strategy is to take away the big plays in the passing game and make you throw underneath, then use their athleticism to cream you after you make the catch. That way, an offense has to make a lot of good plays to score, not just one. Obviously that strategy didn't work late in the Monday night game.
_______________________
Gainesville, Fla.:
Spurrier lost to Florida State in 1996 (regular season) because the defense was all over the QB. Then Spurrier met Florida State in the national championship game and kept the QB in the shotgun. Obviously, the gators destroyed Florida State in that game in it is because the QB had much more time to make plays. Why doesn't Spurrier put Ramsey in the shotgun when playing teams like the Eagles and the Bucs? It sure would give Ramsey more time and less hits!
Mark Maske: The problem is, when they've tried the shotgun, the offensive linemen haven't been able to hear the signals and they've had lots of screwups and false starts.
_______________________
Philadelphia, Pa.:
I'm a Redskin fan stuck in Philly who is taking some abuse now. I'd still like to think the Redskins are the best team in the East, but after losses to the Giants and Eagles, I don't really have much to say. Who do you think is the best team in the NFC East right now?
Mark Maske: I don't think there is a "best" team right now. The Redskins, Eagles and Giants all seem pretty equal about now. The Cowboys are in first place, but I'm not a believer in them, not yet. I'm a huge believer in Parcells, but I still think they're a year away. I might have to admit I'm wrong, though, if they beat the Eagles this weekend.
_______________________
Washington, D.C.:
Do you think LaVar just having fun, trying to get publicity, trying to give the Skins an identity, or just a little crazy? Regardless, I like it.
Mark Maske: All of the above.
_______________________
Mark Maske: I'm going to head out to practice now. Thanks for the questions, and we'll do it again next Thursday morning at 10:45.
_______________________
Automatically Update Page
Get New Responses
Submit Question
© 2003 The Washington Post Company
| 
