Muhast
Newo
- Messages
- 7,661
- Reaction score
- 368
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-stagnantredskins&prov=ap&type=lgns
Gibbs: Commanders are 'biggest underdog in the history of sports'
By JOSEPH WHITE, AP Sports Writer
October 23, 2007
AP - Oct 22, 1:19 pm EDT
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/gallery;_ylt=Ag6ohNDu3kdPOXqJlbo.Z6wdsLYF
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) -- Clinton Portis is having the worst stretch of his career. Santana Moss has a total of 8 yards receiving in his last two games. Jason Campbell put up the kind of numbers Sunday that had fans screaming for Mark Brunell's benching three years ago.
The Washington Commanders had barely enough offense to beat the Arizona Cardinals. That kind of output won't do next week against the juggernaut otherwise known as the New England Patriots.
"We'll probably be the biggest underdog in the history of sports," coach Joe Gibbs said Monday. "Has anything held up against them? Do you have a game plan that will work against them? If you do, leave it here. Because I don't think anybody else has got one right now. We're going to struggle hard."
The Commanders produced a tepid 160 yards in their 21-19 win over the Cardinals. Once again, the offense kept going three-and-out while trying to protect a big second-half lead. Washington and Buffalo remain the only teams without a touchdown pass to a wide receiver this season. In fact, Campbell has fewer TD passes on the season (five) than New England's Tom Brady had Sunday (six).
"Their quarterback has thrown for 27 touchdowns, and we don't even have 27 touchdowns," Portis said. "We've just got to find a way to exploit our talent."
The Commanders have scored only 14 touchdowns this season, and Gibbs' idea of exploiting the talent on Sunday was to call what assistant coach Al Saunders called "a very conservative game plan" and let the defense do the rest.
"I really felt like the defense was going to have a dominant day," Gibbs said, "so it kind of affected some of the things we were going to do on offense."
So instead of coming up with creative ways to overcome injuries to the offensive line, Gibbs and Saunders stuck with a running game that went nowhere and a passing game that included only one downfield completion.
"Right now," Saunders said, "the strength of our football team is our defense."
No argument there. Portis, still trying to find his legs after missing all of preseason, hasn't broken 100 yards in 11 straight games. He's averaging only 3.9 yards per carry, well below his career average. The top receiver is Antwaan Randle El, whose 23 receptions ties him for 50th in the league. Campbell, who threw for 95 yards Sunday and hasn't really been turned loose by the coaching staff, has a 78.5 rating that ranks him 25th among quarterbacks.
Now they have to find a way to keep up with the Patriots (7-0), who have scored at least 34 points in every game. The Commanders defense, although ranked No. 1 in the NFC, can't win this game alone.
"We want to get big plays down the field," Gibbs said. "We talk about that all the time. It's been a big negative for us."
Center Casey Rabach, who missed Sunday's game with a groin injury, said the multiple offensive line injuries were starting to take their toll on the unit's chemistry.
"It's kind of showing itself right now," Rabach said. "It is tough in the running game because things happen so fast -- we have to work together so much. That cohesiveness is a factor."
Fortunately for the Commanders, they enter the Patriots game with some money in the bank. With the record at 4-2, a loss without would not ruin playoff hopes or otherwise derail the season. The picture would have been far bleaker had the Cardinals' 55-yard field-goal attempt not sailed wide left with 2 seconds to play on Sunday.
"We're 4-2 and we're not even close to the things we're capable of," Portis said. "If we can ever get on track, I think we're going to be dangerous."
Gibbs: Commanders are 'biggest underdog in the history of sports'
By JOSEPH WHITE, AP Sports Writer
October 23, 2007
AP - Oct 22, 1:19 pm EDT
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/gallery;_ylt=Ag6ohNDu3kdPOXqJlbo.Z6wdsLYF
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) -- Clinton Portis is having the worst stretch of his career. Santana Moss has a total of 8 yards receiving in his last two games. Jason Campbell put up the kind of numbers Sunday that had fans screaming for Mark Brunell's benching three years ago.
The Washington Commanders had barely enough offense to beat the Arizona Cardinals. That kind of output won't do next week against the juggernaut otherwise known as the New England Patriots.
"We'll probably be the biggest underdog in the history of sports," coach Joe Gibbs said Monday. "Has anything held up against them? Do you have a game plan that will work against them? If you do, leave it here. Because I don't think anybody else has got one right now. We're going to struggle hard."
The Commanders produced a tepid 160 yards in their 21-19 win over the Cardinals. Once again, the offense kept going three-and-out while trying to protect a big second-half lead. Washington and Buffalo remain the only teams without a touchdown pass to a wide receiver this season. In fact, Campbell has fewer TD passes on the season (five) than New England's Tom Brady had Sunday (six).
"Their quarterback has thrown for 27 touchdowns, and we don't even have 27 touchdowns," Portis said. "We've just got to find a way to exploit our talent."
The Commanders have scored only 14 touchdowns this season, and Gibbs' idea of exploiting the talent on Sunday was to call what assistant coach Al Saunders called "a very conservative game plan" and let the defense do the rest.
"I really felt like the defense was going to have a dominant day," Gibbs said, "so it kind of affected some of the things we were going to do on offense."
So instead of coming up with creative ways to overcome injuries to the offensive line, Gibbs and Saunders stuck with a running game that went nowhere and a passing game that included only one downfield completion.
"Right now," Saunders said, "the strength of our football team is our defense."
No argument there. Portis, still trying to find his legs after missing all of preseason, hasn't broken 100 yards in 11 straight games. He's averaging only 3.9 yards per carry, well below his career average. The top receiver is Antwaan Randle El, whose 23 receptions ties him for 50th in the league. Campbell, who threw for 95 yards Sunday and hasn't really been turned loose by the coaching staff, has a 78.5 rating that ranks him 25th among quarterbacks.
Now they have to find a way to keep up with the Patriots (7-0), who have scored at least 34 points in every game. The Commanders defense, although ranked No. 1 in the NFC, can't win this game alone.
"We want to get big plays down the field," Gibbs said. "We talk about that all the time. It's been a big negative for us."
Center Casey Rabach, who missed Sunday's game with a groin injury, said the multiple offensive line injuries were starting to take their toll on the unit's chemistry.
"It's kind of showing itself right now," Rabach said. "It is tough in the running game because things happen so fast -- we have to work together so much. That cohesiveness is a factor."
Fortunately for the Commanders, they enter the Patriots game with some money in the bank. With the record at 4-2, a loss without would not ruin playoff hopes or otherwise derail the season. The picture would have been far bleaker had the Cardinals' 55-yard field-goal attempt not sailed wide left with 2 seconds to play on Sunday.
"We're 4-2 and we're not even close to the things we're capable of," Portis said. "If we can ever get on track, I think we're going to be dangerous."
