Need to Know: Can Jackson keep it up?

Here is what you need to know on this Friday, December 7, two days before the Redskins take on the Ravens at FedEx Field.

Live blog all weekend, chat starts at 12:30

With the biggest game since 2007 looming last Monday, we introduced the Minute-by-Minute live blog, giving you news and nuggets all day long through the Giants game. Since the Redskins won and made the next game bigger, we’re going to roll out the Minute-by-Minute blog again for the Ravens game.

We’ll get that going on Saturday morning. On Sunday, we’ll chat our way through the game as we always do. It will be Tarik, Tandler, and Jen X live from the press box at FedEx Field. We’ll get going at 12:30, maybe a little earlier since it’s the biggest game of the year until, well, the next one. Keep an eye on Twitter @Rich_TandlerCSN and we’ll let you know when we get rolling.

See you then.

Jackson “on fire”, can he keep it up?

Rob Jackson may have saved the Redskins’ season last Monday night.

Sure, RG3 and Alfred Morris and Pierre Garçon helped a lot. But if Jackson doesn’t make two big plays after the Redskins took a 17-16 lead with an eternity left to play they might have been wondering what could have been instead of having a chance to take first place in the NFC East on Sunday.

“Rob was on fire,” said Jim Haslett. “He did a nice job rushing and we put him back in; actually, we just put him in there and let him rush in the end and he did a good job.”

“He had a couple pressures, got a couple holding calls, got a sack. I think if Rob can rush that well with time, or will, then we’ll just get better.”

The sack came on third down in the Giants series right after the Redskins scored to take a fourth-quarter lead. One of the holding calls negated a New York first down in Washington territory on what turned out to be the Giants’ final possession. And it was no ticky-tack call; if William Beatty doesn’t grab Jackson around the neck he sacks Eli Manning.

But can the Redskins rely on Jackson to provide pressure the rest of the year? We don’t know that. Going back to the Vikings game, remember how Lorenzo Alexander went in at that right outside linebacker spot and got 1.5 sacks and recovered a fumble deep in Vikings territory. He hasn’t had a sack since.

Perhaps Jackson can remain on fire. Or maybe Haslett will have to go on finding a pass rush solution from week to week.

Today’s schedule

11:50—Practice (closed to the media after first 15 minutes)

After practice (approx. 1:30)—Mike Shanahan news conference, open locker room

In case you missed it

The Redskins will go with a nickel back by committee approach

Ray Rice is “violent” when he runs.

Days until: Ravens @ Redskins 2; Redskins @ Browns 9; Cowboys @ Redskins 23; 1^st round of NFL playoffs 29

Comments

[Oakland Red]

Very good point that we don't win the Giants game without Rob Jackson.

Rob Jackson knew what he could do if consistently given the chance. He asked to be given third downs to get after the passer before the game, Haslett and co. did it, and he responded by saving our season.

The team has a great need for pass rushing, and now has a player who had a statement game in that area, at a critical moment. It's time to let Jackson loose.