Rich Tandler's Real Redskins

Future Redskin? Free agent QB Flynn likely to start Sunday

By Rich Tandler

The Packers’ 35-21 win over the Bears may have set up a situation that could help the Redskins decide on their future quarterback.

The win wrapped up home field advantage throughout the playoffs for the Packers. Like the Redskins, the Packers will be playing what amounts to an exhibition game next Sunday against the Lions. Given the presence of Ndamukong Suh, who is not above going beyond the letter and spirit of the law when it comes to rough stuff, Green Bay will have good reason to keep quarterback Aaron Rodgers on the sideline and out of harm’s way.

That would put backup Matt Flynn in at signal caller. Flynn, 26, was a seventh-round pick of the Packers in 2009. He has attempted 88 passes in his career and he has one start under his belt.

If Flynn starts, or if he sees considerable playing time after an early exit by Rodgers, it would be on interest to the Redskins because Flynn is an unrestricted free agent after the season. He could be of interest to teams looking for a quarterback, which, of course, the Redskins have been for the past two decades. Any more film on Flynn beyond those 88 regular-season pass attempts and some preseason action would help the Redskins make an evaluation.

There will be plenty of time to talk about Flynn’s fit in Washington and whether or not he has the potential to be the answer. There could well be some more fodder for that discussion added on Sunday. 

Will Sunday be Reid's last game with the Eagles

By Rich Tandler

The Redskins and Eagles might as well go out on New Year’s Eve and party hearty. The two teams will have nothing at stake when they face each other on Jan. 1 at Lincoln Financial Field.

There is no doubt that the Eagles will be suffering from the biggest hangover when the season ends. They had the high “Dream Team” expectations going into the season but they need a win on Sunday to finish at 8-8. They were officially eliminated from the playoffs on Saturday after the Giants beat the Jets but in reality the end came when the Seahawks thumped them 31-14 on Thursday night football to drop Philly’s record to 4-8.

Given the expectations and the disappointing results, will the Redskins’ game be Andy Reid’s last as the Eagles’ head coach?

The calls for Reid’s dismissal have been quieted somewhat by the Eagles’ recent three-game winning streak. Most of the beat writers who cover the team seem to believe that Reid will be back.

However, the Philly media will not be making that decision and nobody has heard from the men who will be making the call. On Philly.com, columnist Bob Ford wrote:

As for the front office, owner Jeffrey Lurie and team president Joe Banner have remained in the witness-protection program somewhere in Utah. They didn't stand up to defend the coach when Reid was getting pummeled and they haven't come forward to put a happy face on the recent resurgence. Now that the team has been eliminated from postseason contention, maybe there will be a break in radio silence but it is more likely that the front office's search for perspective will take a while longer.

So, don’t necessarily expect a decision on Reid’s future within hours after the Eagles’ game with the Redskins. Although it does look like he will survive to coach a 14^th season we will have to wait until some point a little later in the new year to find out.

 

It's bad for the Redskins but it's been worse

By Rich Tandler

As many have pointed out, the Redskins have now lost 10 games this season and they will finish with 10 or more losses in three straight years for the first time since 1993-1995.

As sparse as victories have been, this is not the worst three-game stretch in team history nor was that string of double-digit loss totals in the mid-‘90’s. That dubious distinction would go to the 1959-1961 editions of the Redskins.

The current Redskins have won just five games this year. The early 60’s group won five games in three seasons. They went 3-9 in 1959, 1-9-2 in 1960, and 1-12-1 in 1961. There was a 23-game winless streak in there. They didn’t win a game between October 9, 1960 and December 17, 1961.

The Redskins could be due for some improvement in 2012 if history is an indication. They won five games in 1962, the same number they had won in the previous three seasons combined. The 1996 Redskins went 9-7 to break that skid of 10-loss seasons. 

 

Game notes: Gano is booming them

By Ryan O’Halloran

With a nod to the Redskins’ media relations department (plus some of our research), some notes from the 33-26 loss Saturday to the Vikings: 

* Evan Royster’s 132 yards rushing, combined with Roy Helu’s three 100-yard performances, are the first time the Redskins have two rookies eclipsing 100 yards in a single in franchise history.

* The 5-10 record means the Redskins have 10 or more losses in three consecutive years for the second time in franchise history. The other time was 1993-95 (4-12, 3-13 and 6-10).

* The 2-6 home record is tied with the worst in owner Dan Snyder’s tenure (2009). The Redskins and Colts are 2-6; Minnesota and St. Louis (both 1-6) play at home next week.

* Although it came on a gift – Vikings quarterback Joe Webb was trying to burn clock, Redskins linebacker Perry Riley posted his first NFL sack. 

* Royster’s effort gave the Redskins three 100-yard, single-game rushers this year – the aforementioned Helu and Royster and Ryan Torain (Week 4 at St. Louis).

* Graham Gano’s 53-yard field goal was his fourth this year of 50 or more yards, tied with John Hall (2003) and Mark Moseley (1977) as the most in franchise history. 

* Gano’s 30 field goals are tied with Chip Lohmiller (1990, 1992) for the third-most in team history for a single year. Moseley is next – 33 in 1983.

* Safety O.J. Atogwe appeared in his 100th NFL game.

* The Redskins are 7-17 at home the last three years, including 4-12 under Shanahan.

Contact O’Halloran at rohalloran@comcastsportsnet.com

 

Gerhart stars against Redskins again

By Rich Tandler

The Redskins will play the Vikings again at FedEx Field in 2012 and it’s a good bet that Toby Gerhart is looking forward to the trip.

Gerhart was Minnesota’s second-round pick in 2010. The Stanford product will never be the Vikings’ feature back, not with Adrian Peterson signed to a long-term deal (assuming, of course, that Peterson will be recovered from that frightful knee injury he suffered yesterday in time for next season). But if Gerhart can play the Redskins often enough, he might have a pretty nice career.

Yesterday, he gained 109 yards on 11 carries, including a 67-yard rumble early in the third quarter that set up a Vikings touchdown. It was the first 100-yard game of his career.

Peterson went out of last year’s game at FedEx Field as well and Gerhart also filled in capably in that game. He gained 76 yards on 22 carries and scored his first career touchdown.

The Redskins handled Peterson fairly well before he went out, yielding just 38 yards on 12 carries (3.2 average per carry). If they had stopped Gerhart as well as they did the player many consider to be the best running back in the game, the Redskins might not have ended up with that lump of coal in their Christmas stocking. 

 

Richie Petitbon inducted into Ring of Fame

Former Redskins player, assistant coach, and head coach Richie Petitbon was inducted into the Redskins' Ring of Fame at halftime of yesterday's games (bet he could have come up with some adjustments to stop Webb and Gerhart).

Our Kelli Johnson talked to him before the game.

 

Up-Downs: Royster's coming out party a plus

By Ryan O’Halloran

Up-Downs from the Redskins’ sixth consecutive home loss, a 33-26 decision to Minnesota on Saturday:

UP

Evan Royster’s debut

Making his first NFL start because of Roy Helu’s injury, all Royster did was rush 19 times for 132 yards. The Redskins don’t have a Franchise Back on the roster but they do have some depth with Tim Hightower (if he re-signs, Helu and Royster … not to mention youth).

DOWN

Home-field advantage

A sixth straight home loss made the Redskins’ record at FedEx Field this year 2-6. Just dreadful. Period. 

UP

The third quarter

Minnesota entered 2-12, the Redskins 5-9 and what the teams produced was 23 points and nearly 300 yards of offense.

DOWN

Costly penalties

A tough day for Darrel Young. He was off-sides on a punt return that gave Minnesota a first down (and touchdown) and was called for holding Jared Allen that wiped out Brandon Banks’ touchdown run. We also agree with the officials who thought Reed Doughty hit a sliding Christian Ponder.

UP

Graham Gano’s comeback

The Redskins’ kicker was good from 23, 53, 25 and 47 yards and the last four games, he’s 13-of-13. It’s a nice job-saving performance.

DOWN

Run defense

The Redskins allowed Minnesota to rush for 241 yards … and Adrian Peterson had only 38 of those yards before sustaining a knee injury.

UP

Jabar Gaffney’s season

Acquired from Denver for a guy (Jeremy Jarmon) that wasn’t going to make the Redskins’ roster (and didn’t make the Broncos’ roster, either), all the veteran receiver has done is set a career high in receiving yards (919) and tied the mark for TD catches (five).

DOWN

Referee John Parry

Just a pathetic job on the microphone. On several penalties, he failed to identify who the penalty was on. Kind of important on plays like who was off-sides on a Redskins punt return that equaled a Minnesota first down. (Mike Shanahan said it was Young).

UP

The weather

Game-time temperature of 45 degrees, wind chill of 40 degrees, no snow = good commute home.

DOWN

Mike Sellers

Young had a tough game and as the media waited at his locker while he got ready to leave, it was Sellers – who is supposed to be a mentor for the second-year fullback – telling the group Young wasn’t talking. What a non-leader. D.Y. did his duty and was a professional/accountable for his penalty. A flag should have been thrown on Sellers.

Contact O’Halloran at rohalloran@comcastsportsnet.com

 

Alexander takes charge of special teams

Lorenzo Alexander knew that he would no longer be a starter on defense after the team drafted Ryan Kerrigan in the first round. But he did not mope about, he went about doing his job, which is to be they lynchpin and captain of the Redskins special teams. He is performing at a Pro Bowl level on teams, but like everyone else on the Redskins, he is disappointed with the team's record this year.

 

Redskins 2012 opponents are set

By Rich Tandler

The Redskins 33-26 loss to the Vikings clinched last place in the NFC East for Washington so we now know what teams they will play in 2012.

Fourteen of the 16 games were predetermined. They will play home and home against their three division foes, the Cowboys, Eagles, and Giants. The Redskins also will play the four teams from the NFC South and the four in the AFC North. They will also play the last-place teams in the NFC North and West divisions.

The dates for the games are usually set sometime in April.

2012 home games

NFC East
Cowboys
Giants
Eagles

NFC South
Falcons
Panthers

AFC North
Ravens
Bengals

4th place NFC North
Vikings

2012 road games

NFC East
Cowboys
Giants
Eagles

NFC South
Saints
Buccaneers

AFC North
Browns
Steelers

4^th place NFC West
Rams

 

Kerrigan: 'We let them off the hook'

Ryan Kerrigan said that the Redskins gave the effort  yesterday but he admitted that after Adrian Peterson and Christian Ponder exited the game in the third quarter, "we let the off the hook