Ronald Martinez/Getty Images 
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Friday, April 20, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
Peyton Manning to the Redskins?
This would suck! Not where the Skins should be heading! Peyton Manning great QB, but at the end of his career. Ugh! :P
Current ESPN anchor and former Redskins radio beat reporter Bram Weinstein put out an interesting tweet this morning:
Weinstein grew up a Redskins fan in the D. C. area and he maintains an interest in the team.
This certainly doesn’t mean that Peyton Manning and Jeff Saturday to the Redskins is a done deal or even that it is likely, despite the view of Weinstein’s source. But it an interesting bit of smoke that may have a little bit of fire behind it.
Current ESPN anchor and former Redskins radio beat reporter Bram Weinstein put out an interesting tweet this morning:
Weinstein grew up a Redskins fan in the D. C. area and he maintains an interest in the team.
This certainly doesn’t mean that Peyton Manning and Jeff Saturday to the Redskins is a done deal or even that it is likely, despite the view of Weinstein’s source. But it an interesting bit of smoke that may have a little bit of fire behind it.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Matt Flynn To the Washington Redskins?
Although newcomer Brad Johnson had just quarterbacked the Redskins to their first NFC East title in eight years and their first playoff berth in seven, Snyder and righthand man Vinny Cerrato signed Jeff George, he of the million dollar arm and the 10 cent head, to a lucrative contract. By mid-season, Snyder had prompted coach Norv Turner to bench Johnson for George. As the Redskins collapsed from a 6-2 start to an 8-8 finish, Turner was fired and Johnson soon left for Tampa Bay whom he would lead to victory in the 2002 Super Bowl.
Ever since then, the NFL's most critical position has been a revolving door in Washington. The Redskins have tried lower first-round draft picks Patrick Ramsey and Jason Campbell, aging veterans Mark Brunell and Donovan McNabb, stopgaps Tony Banks and Rex Grossman and Steve Spurrier alumni Shane Matthews and Danny Wuerffel without once having the team's main quarterback finish with a passer rating above 86.5.
For comparison purposes, a dozen NFL quarterbacks had higher ratings this season. Not coincidentally, nine of the 12 teams led by those men made the playoffs. Not coincidentally, the Redskins have failed to make the playoffs in 10 of the 12 seasons since Snyder turned on Johnson after the latter's wildly successful 1999 debut.
Going with Grossman or the unproven 30-year-old John Beck this season while NFC East rivals Dallas, Philadelphia and the New York Giants started Pro Bowl perennial Tony Romo, dynamic run/pass threat Michael Vick and Super Bowl winner Eli Manning, respectively, was like surrendering before the games even began.
So whom should Shanahan pursue? To me, there are two serious options: Robert Griffin III and Matt Flynn.
Griffin, who won the Heisman Trophy for Baylor last month, is in the mold of Vick and Carolina's Cam Newton, the almost-certain Rookie of the Year, a quarterback who can beat defenses with his arm and his legs as anyone who watched Baylor outlast Washington 67-56 (no it wasn't basketball) in the Alamo Bowl could plainly see.
And unlike dog-killer Vick or Newton, whose father wanted to get paid by his son's college, Griffin has no character issues himself or in his family. He has already earned his political science degree, is working on a master's in communications, his parents are retired military sergeants and he's engaged.
I'm sure that Shanahan would love to try to rebuild the Redskins around Griffin. Trouble is that Cleveland, due to choose fourth to Washington's sixth in April's draft and has another first-round pick to trade, might be able to offer more to St. Louis, which holds the keys to Griffin with the No. 2 overall selection.
What's more, the free agent market opens more than a month before the draft so the Redskins can't wait on Flynn to see whether or not they land Griffin.
Although Flynn has been in the NFL for four years, he has mostly sat and watched while Aaron Rodgers has starred for Green Bay. But when Flynn has played, he has been brilliant.
Last Sunday in cold and windy Lambeau Field against a Detroit team trying to avoid a first-round playoff visit to New Orleans, Flynn set franchise records with 480 yards and six touchdowns in a 45-41 survival of the Lions.
In his only previous start last year against powerful New England, Flynn passed for 251 yards and three scores. His career passer rating is 92.8 (In comparison, Grossman's was 72.4 this year and 71.4 for his career).
Flynn, a seventh-rounder out of LSU in 2008, is even a hotter commodity because Mark Brunell, Matt Hasselbeck and Rodgers (all of whom were backups to Hall of Fame lock Brett Favre) each rose from obscurity in Green Bay to championship games and Pro Bowls (Super Bowls in the case of the latter pair).
And don't forget that gambling on a backup to a star worked out well for Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan in Houston. He was the Texans' quarterbacks coach in 2007 when they moved down two spots in the first round and gave Atlanta a pair of second-rounders for Matt Schaub, who had started just two games in three years for the Falcons (the second of which, coincidentally, was a narrow loss to the Patriots in which the ex-Virginia standout threw for 298 yards and three touchdowns) while sitting behind Vick.
In his third year as the Texans' starter, Schaub led them to their first winning record in their eight seasons while topping the league in passing yards and being named the Pro Bowl MVP.
Who knows if this Matt will work out as well as that Matt? But after a dozen years of frustration capped by 2011 with turnover machine Grossman, it's way beyond time for Snyder to allow coach Mike Shanahan to finally go get the young, potential franchise quarterback that Washington has lacked for so long.
WUSA-9's Redskins Insider, David Elfin
John Clayton predicts Redskins will trade up, draft Robert Griffin III
By Dan Steinberg
I like RGIII for the Skins, I also like grabbing Flynn and keeping all our draft picks. Then again, grabbing Flynn and trading up in the draft to grab Justin Blackmon OKST WR would be so sweet as well. We win in the off season! :P(EDUARDO MUNOZ - REUTERS) Just as I pledged to post every meaningless but hopeful-feeling quote from Robert Griffin III about coming to D.C., I hereby pledge to post every meaningless but hopeful-feeling quote from NFL analysts predicting that Robert Griffin III comes to D.C.
My first offering comes from John Clayton, who was on Vinny Cerrato’s Baltimore radio show this week, and began talking about the Matt Flynn Sweepstakes.
“You can see how the dynamics go,” Clayton said. “You’re at the mercy of the draft. I would have to think if you’re gonna be Matt Flynn, send a nice thank you to Matt Barkley for making you $12 million, because think about where he would fit in.
“If you’re Cleveland, you do have a chance to trade up to get RGIII, but if you can’t get him, then you might consider Matt Flynn because he’s in that Green Bay West Coast offense system. Seattle, sitting down with the what 11th or 12th pick depending on the coin toss, they’re gonna be out of position to get a quarterback, so I think they’re gonna have to be in the mix. Miami is gonna have to choose between Orton or Matt Flynn.”
“How about Washington” Cerrato interrupted.
“Ah, they’ll trade with St. Louis and get RGIII,” Clayton answered.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Redskins vs. Giants: Washington sweeps New York for first time since 1999
By Mike Jones,
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Pulling off the improbable, the Washington Redskins went up to MetLife Stadium and overcame an ugly start against the NFC East-leading New York Giants to come away with a 23-10 victory Sunday afternoon.It was the Redskins’ fifth win and, in beating the Giants for a second time this season, Washington registered the first sweep of its division rival since 1999.
“The Giants, they’ve really been our nemesis around here the last five years,” said Redskins linebacker London Fletcher, whose team had fallen to New York nine of the last 10 games entering this season. “To sweep them, it means a lot, because they’re a well-coached football team.”
With quarterback Rex Grossman turning in a shaky performance, the Redskins relied heavily on their defense. Washington intercepted Giants quarterback Eli Manning three times, winning the turnover battle for the first time all season.
And when Manning went to work in the final quarter — aiming for his seventh fourth-quarter comeback victory of the season — the Redskins twice denied the Giants in the shadow of their own end zone.
Manning finished the game 23 for 40 for 257 yards and no touchdowns. Ahmad Bradshaw led New York in rushing with 10 carries for 58 yards and a touchdown.
Grossman connected on 15 of 24 passes for 185 yards and a touchdown but threw two interceptions. Roy Helu’s streak of three 100-yard rushing games came to an end as the rookie picked up 53 yards on 23 carries while Evan Royster added 36 yards on 10 carries. Jabar Gaffney led Washington with six catches for 85 yards.
“You feel good about the way they played,” Coach Mike Shanahan said of his team, which had lost two straight and last week fell short in a last-second bid to upset the New England Patriots. “I was really disappointed that we couldn’t close the door last week. . . . So to finish the way we did today was nice.”
Washington’s first defining goal-line stand came three minutes into the fourth quarter. After the Redskins extended their lead to 23-3 with 14 minutes 57 seconds left, the Giants finally started showing signs of life. Manning completed four straight passes to march his team to the Redskins 13-yard line.
But on his fifth pass attempt, Manning’s fortunes changed. Redskins cornerback Josh Wilson made a leaping catch in the end zone for an interception and touchback. It was Wilson’s second interception of the season, and his second straight game with a pick.
The Redskins’ defense answered the bell again later in the fourth quarter. Wilson made a strong tackle to deny Giants running back D.J. Ware as he caught a pass and tried to cross the goal line. Initially, the officials ruled the play a touchdown. But a review showed that Ware had bobbled the ball at the line and didn’t secure possession until Wilson wrestled him back the 2.
With the Giants facing fourth and goal from there, Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo rushed from the edge and drew a holding call from tackle David Diehl, backing the Giants up to the 12-yard line. New York tried for a touchdown on the next play, but rookie linebacker Ryan Kerrigan sacked Manning to deny the Giants and register Washington’s first sack of the game.
The Redskins were up 23-3 with just 4:03 left and a majority of the seats in the stadium empty before New York finally moved downfield to score on a three-yard touchdown by Bradshaw.
Washington got off to a forgettable start as Grossman threw an interception to cornerback Corey Webster on the first play of the game.
On the play — a called flea-flicker — Santana Moss had a three-step cushion on Webster, but Grossman held on to the ball too long and underthrew the pass. Webster turned, waited for the ball and caught a pass that traveled 49 yards. An unnecessary roughness call on Giants defensive tackle Chris Canty away from the ball backed the Giants up to the New York 18.
Washington held the Giants to three-and-out, then put together a 10-play, 52-yard drive that was capped by a 36-yard Graham Gano field goal.
On Washington’s next possession, Grossman threw another interception. Going deep for Gaffney on first and 10 from the Washington 20, Grossman overthrew the receiver and Kenny Phillips made the catch, giving New York the ball at its 27-yard line.
But Grossman redeemed himself on the following possession, and Washington’s offense started to click, fueled by crucial gains on third down. On the first play of the second quarter, on third and one, fullback Darrel Young picked up three yards to extend the drive.
Three plays later, on third and eight from the New York 20-yard line, Grossman found a wide-open Moss in the left corner of the end zone for a touchdown. It was Moss’s fourth touchdown catch of the season and Grossman’s 13th touchdown pass.
“When things go bad early, you usually have 55 minutes to fix that problem,” said Grossman, who completed 11 of 17 passes for 151 yards on that drive and thereafter. “You obviously don’t want to have that. But if you have something bad happen late in the game, you lose the game.”
The Redskins’ defense continued to hold the Giants in check and forced Steve Weatherford to punt a third time. Washington’s offense kept rolling, however, cranking out a nine-play, 41-yard drive capped by a six-yard touchdown run by Young — the first of his career.
New York got on the board in the final seconds of the half, going 46 yards in six plays. The Giants scored on a 40-yard field goal from Lawrence Tynes with seven seconds remaining.
A week after hurting his team by giving up on a play that led to a 49-yard gain by Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski and being called for unsportsmanlike conduct for throwing an official’s flag, cornerback DeAngelo Hall provided a big play for the Redskins to start the second half.
Hall intercepted Manning with a one-handed grab and returned the ball 26 yards to the New York 34-yard line just two plays into the third quarter. The offense couldn’t fully capitalize, but Gano hit a 43-yard field goal to extend the lead to 20-3.
“We didn’t really lose hope,” Moss said. “Right now, we’re just playing and having fun. This is something that we should’ve been doing a long time ago. We’re going out there, our minds not really on nothing, no negative plays, no negative thoughts.”
Friday, December 16, 2011
Redskins vs. Giants: Playoffs Be Damned, Washington Must Win This Game
By
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images The Washington Redskins are out of playoff contention and on their way towards their seventh losing season in the last 10 years. To make matters worse, they've lost their last two games and eight out of their last nine.
However disheartening this season has become, the Redskins absolutely have to beat the New York Giants come Sunday.
Some fans may bemoan any attempt to win a game for the rest of the season for the sake of draft position. The truth of the matter is, the Redskins could win out the rest of their games and still nab a potential first-round franchise quarterback.
Andrew Luck may be out of reach, but Matt Barkley is more than capable of being Washington's quarterback for the foreseeable future.
Just look at the last two games the Redskins played against the Jets and the Patriots. The scoreboard doesn't tell the story of the Jets game, as Shonn Greene broke through awful tackling on two late possessions to put 14 points on the board. The Redskins had all but come back against New England when Santana Moss tossed an Rex Grossman pass into the waiting arms of Jerod Mayo.
Those are two teams projected for the playoffs that the Redskins probably had no business being so competitive against.
If the Redskins roll over and die, what does it say about the players, the coaches and the franchise? We all know things haven't been the same since Dan Snyder took over, but why play into the stigma? Why not work to change the image of the team and show the league that there's still some fight left in the Redskins?
Scott Cunningham/Getty Images At this point, it shouldn't matter if the Redskins can make the playoffs. The rest of the season is for pride more than anything else.
In the wake of the suspensions of Trent Williams and Fred Davis, the Redskins will be able to really evaluate the talent they have. They have the potential for a great backfield tandem in Roy Helu and Evan Royster, as well as an improving defense that should be ranked closer to the top of the NFL if not for a largely anemic offense.
If not for the rash of injuries that hit following the early bye week, the Redskins could easily have another game or two in the win column.
This week, the Redskins head to the Meadowlands to play the Giants in their second to last division game of the season. After enduring a four-game losing streak, New York rebounded with a victory of the Dallas Cowboys that tied the two for the division lead in the NFC East.
The Giants boast the fourth best passing attack in the NFL, and seventh best overall offense, but are somehow worse than the Redskins on the ground.
Washington's defense is ranked 11th in total defense, but could be in for a rough day against the Eli Manning, who has thrown for an average of 384 yards over the past three games.
One reason New York isn't currently riding a five-game losing streak into their game with Washington is because of poor game management by the Cowboys last week. Though they are 7-6, and atop the division, the Giants are one Cowboys field goal away from being 6-7 and on their way out of playoff contention.
Patrick Smith/Getty Images The Redskins aren't fighting for the playoffs, but could easily spoil the Giants aspirations with a win this week.
The Giants have some good receivers, but have not seen their best ground attack in recent weeks. Ahmad Bradshaw was benched last week, and Brandon Jacobs managed an admirable but unimpressive day to go along with his unimpressive season.
Washington's defense hasn't been great against the run, and Jacobs has hounded them in the past.
In terms of the importance of this game, you have to consider the morale of the team and what another loss would mean.
Think about the impact another loss could have on this team. Snyder may find it too difficult to remain silent any longer and toss Mike Shanahan out the door like he did with Jim Zorn two before. London Fletcher is up for a new contract and has said he would like to return to Washington, but is he willing to endure more losing when he could be competing for another ring elsewhere?
Whether fans think so or not, the Redskins absolutely must win this game against the Giants. Success starts in the division, and if the Redskins can't beat their rivals in all-around down years, how can they expect to stand a chance when they've regrouped and restocked?
How much do you think Barry Cofield wants to walk away with a 2-0 record against his former team? Or how much Rex Grossman wants to show that he can recapture the early season form that had Steve Young heaping praise upon him?
At this point in the season, Washington can show off their young running backs, show some new wrinkles in their offense as they did last week with Brandon Banks. Anything to show that they haven't quit, and that the change in culture that everyone raved about to start the season was more than just sunshine being blown up everyone's behinds.
However disheartening this season has become, the Redskins absolutely have to beat the New York Giants come Sunday.
Some fans may bemoan any attempt to win a game for the rest of the season for the sake of draft position. The truth of the matter is, the Redskins could win out the rest of their games and still nab a potential first-round franchise quarterback.
Andrew Luck may be out of reach, but Matt Barkley is more than capable of being Washington's quarterback for the foreseeable future.
Just look at the last two games the Redskins played against the Jets and the Patriots. The scoreboard doesn't tell the story of the Jets game, as Shonn Greene broke through awful tackling on two late possessions to put 14 points on the board. The Redskins had all but come back against New England when Santana Moss tossed an Rex Grossman pass into the waiting arms of Jerod Mayo.
Those are two teams projected for the playoffs that the Redskins probably had no business being so competitive against.
If the Redskins roll over and die, what does it say about the players, the coaches and the franchise? We all know things haven't been the same since Dan Snyder took over, but why play into the stigma? Why not work to change the image of the team and show the league that there's still some fight left in the Redskins?
Scott Cunningham/Getty Images In the wake of the suspensions of Trent Williams and Fred Davis, the Redskins will be able to really evaluate the talent they have. They have the potential for a great backfield tandem in Roy Helu and Evan Royster, as well as an improving defense that should be ranked closer to the top of the NFL if not for a largely anemic offense.
If not for the rash of injuries that hit following the early bye week, the Redskins could easily have another game or two in the win column.
This week, the Redskins head to the Meadowlands to play the Giants in their second to last division game of the season. After enduring a four-game losing streak, New York rebounded with a victory of the Dallas Cowboys that tied the two for the division lead in the NFC East.
The Giants boast the fourth best passing attack in the NFL, and seventh best overall offense, but are somehow worse than the Redskins on the ground.
Washington's defense is ranked 11th in total defense, but could be in for a rough day against the Eli Manning, who has thrown for an average of 384 yards over the past three games.
One reason New York isn't currently riding a five-game losing streak into their game with Washington is because of poor game management by the Cowboys last week. Though they are 7-6, and atop the division, the Giants are one Cowboys field goal away from being 6-7 and on their way out of playoff contention.
Patrick Smith/Getty Images The Giants have some good receivers, but have not seen their best ground attack in recent weeks. Ahmad Bradshaw was benched last week, and Brandon Jacobs managed an admirable but unimpressive day to go along with his unimpressive season.
Washington's defense hasn't been great against the run, and Jacobs has hounded them in the past.
In terms of the importance of this game, you have to consider the morale of the team and what another loss would mean.
Think about the impact another loss could have on this team. Snyder may find it too difficult to remain silent any longer and toss Mike Shanahan out the door like he did with Jim Zorn two before. London Fletcher is up for a new contract and has said he would like to return to Washington, but is he willing to endure more losing when he could be competing for another ring elsewhere?
Whether fans think so or not, the Redskins absolutely must win this game against the Giants. Success starts in the division, and if the Redskins can't beat their rivals in all-around down years, how can they expect to stand a chance when they've regrouped and restocked?
How much do you think Barry Cofield wants to walk away with a 2-0 record against his former team? Or how much Rex Grossman wants to show that he can recapture the early season form that had Steve Young heaping praise upon him?
At this point in the season, Washington can show off their young running backs, show some new wrinkles in their offense as they did last week with Brandon Banks. Anything to show that they haven't quit, and that the change in culture that everyone raved about to start the season was more than just sunshine being blown up everyone's behinds.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
EPL TV and Internet Viewing Schedule
Merry Christmas! Here's the Schedule Through February. :P
Wednesday, December 14: - Europa League, Besiktas v Stoke, 1pm, DIRECTV
- Europa League, Fulham v Odense, 3pm, DIRECTV/GOLTV
- Europa League, Shamrock Rovers v Tottenham, 1pm, DIRECTV
- Europa League, Birmingham City v Maribor, 3pm, DIRECTV
- Draw for Champions League first knockout round, 5:30am, FOX Soccer (coverage from Sky Sports News airs 5-7am)
- Everton v Norwich City, 10am, FOX Soccer (available after midnight from foxsoccer.tv)
- Fulham v Bolton, 10am, FOX Soccer Plus/foxsoccer.tv
- Newcastle v Swansea, 10am, ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes
- Wolves v Stoke, 10am, foxsoccer.tv/FOX Deportes
- Blackburn v West Brom, 10am, foxsoccer.tv
- Wigan v Chelsea, 12:30pm, FOX Soccer/FOX Deportes (available after midnight from foxsoccer.tv)
- QPR v Manchester United, 7am, FOX Soccer Plus/foxsoccer.tv
- Aston Villa v Liverpool, 9:05am, FOX Soccer Plus/foxsoccer.tv
- Tottenham v Sunderland, 10am, foxsoccer.tv
- Manchester City v Arsenal, 11:10am, FOX Soccer/FOX Deportes (available after midnight from foxsoccer.tv)
- Wolves v Norwich City, 2:45pm, foxsoccer.tv
- Blackburn v Bolton, 3pm, ESPN3.com
- Manchester City v Stoke, 2:45pm, FOX Soccer Plus/foxsoccer.tv
- Aston Villa v Arsenal, 2:45pm, ESPN3.com
- Newcastle v West Brom, 2:45pm, foxsoccer.tv
- Fulham v Manchester United, 3pm, FOX Soccer/FOX Deportes (available after midnight from foxsoccer.tv)
- Wigan v Liverpool, 3pm, ESPN3.com
- Everton v Swansea, 3pm, ESPN3.com
- QPR v Sunderland, 3pm, foxsoccer.tv
- Tottenham v Chelsea, 3pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com
- Chelsea v Fulham, 8am, FOX Soccer (available after midnight from foxsoccer.tv)
- Manchester United v Wigan, 10am, ESPN2/ESPN3.com
- West Brom v Manchester City, 10am, FOX Soccer (available after midnight from foxsoccer.tv)
- Arsenal v Wolves, 10am, FOX Soccer Plus/foxsoccer.tv
- Bolton v Newcastle, 10am, ESPN3.com
- Sunderland v Everton, 10am, foxsoccer.tv
- Liverpool v Blackburn, 10am, foxsoccer.tv
- Stoke v Aston Villa, 2:45pm, FOX Soccer (available after midnight from foxsoccer.tv)
- Swansea v QPR, 12pm, FOX Soccer/FOX Deportes (available after midnight from foxsoccer.tv)
- Norwich City v Tottenham, 2:30pm, FOX Soccer (available after midnight from foxsoccer.tv)
- Liverpool v Newcastle, 2:45pm, FOX Soccer (available after midnight from foxsoccer.tv)
- Manchester United v Blackburn, 7:45am, ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes
- Arsenal v QPR, 10am, FOX Soccer Plus/foxsoccer.tv
- Norwich City v Fulham, 10am, foxsoccer.tv
- Bolton v Wolves, 10am, foxsoccer.tv
- Stoke v Wigan, 10am, foxsoccer.tv
- Swansea v Tottenham, 10am, foxsoccer.tv
- West Brom v Everton, 7:30am, FOX Soccer Plus/foxsoccer.tv
- Sunderland v Manchester City, 10am, FOX Soccer/FOX Deportes (available after midnight from foxsoccer.tv)
- Wolves v Chelsea, 10am, FOX Soccer/FOX Deportes (available after midnight from foxsoccer.tv)
- Aston Villa v Swansea, 10:00, foxsoccer.tv
- QPR v Norwich City, 10am, foxsoccer.tv
- Blackburn v Stoke, 10am, foxsoccer.tv
- Fulham v Arsenal, 12:30pm, FOX Soccer (available after midnight from foxsoccer.tv)
- Wigan v Sunderland, 2:45pm, FOX Soccer Plus/foxsoccer.tv
- Manchester City v Liverpool, 3pm, ESPN3.com
- Everton v Bolton, 3pm, FOX Soccer Plus/foxsoccer.tv
- FA Cup 3rd round, Birmingham City v Wolves, 7:30am, FOX Soccer Plus
- FA Cup 3rd round, TBA, 10am, FOX Soccer
- FA Cup 3rd round, TBA, 10am, FOX Soccer Plus
- FA Cup 3rd round, Bristol Rovers v Aston Villa, 12:30pm/FOX Soccer
- FA Cup 3rd round, Manchester City v Manchester United, 8:00am, FOX Soccer
- FA Cup 3rd round, Peterborough United v Sunderland, 10:30am, FOX Soccer Plus
- FA Cup 3rd round, Arsenal v Leeds, 2:45pm, FOX Soccer
- Carling Cup semifinal 1st leg, Crystal Palace v Cardiff City, 3:00pm, FOX Soccer Plus
- Carling Cup semifinal 1st leg, Manchester City v Liverpool, 2:45pm, FOX Soccer
- Tottenham v Everton, 2:45pm, FOX Soccer Plus
- Newcastle v QPR, 8:30am, FOX Soccer Plus
- Swansea City v Arsenal, 11am, FOX Soccer
- Wigan v Manchester City, 3pm, ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes
- Norwich City v Chelsea, 7:45 am, ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes
- Bolton v Liverpool, 12:30pm, FOX Soccer/FOX Deportes
- Manchester City v Tottenham, 8:30am, FOX Soccer Plus
- Arsenal v Manchester United, 11am, FOX Broadcasting Company
- Manchester City v Fulham, 12:30pm, FOX Soccer/FOX Deportes
- Chelsea v Manchester United, 11am, FOX Broadcasting Company
- Liverpool v Tottenham, 3pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes
- Manchester United v Liverpool, 7:45 am, ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes
- Tottenham v Newcastle, 12:30pm, FOX Soccer/FOX Deportes
- Wolves v West Brom, 8:30am, FOX Soccer Plus
- Aston Villa v Manchester City, 11am, FOX Soccer
- Liverpool v Everton, 7:45 am, ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes
- Norwich v Manchester United, 12:30pm, FOX Soccer/FOX Deportes
- Arsenal v Tottenham, 8:30am, TBA
- Carling Cup final, TBA
Mike Shanahan disappointed with DeAngelo Hall
Washington Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan expressed disappointment in cornerback and defensive captain DeAngelo Hall for costing the team with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Patriots and for quitting on a play that led to a long New England gain.
Hall, an eight-year veteran, racked up 20 yards in penalties on one third-quarter play, helping fuel a Patriots scoring drive that resulted in them taking a 27-20 lead.
Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker (83), right, drags Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall (23) into the end zone on the game-winning touchdown catch Sunday.(John McDonnell/The Washington Post)Hall initially was called for a five-yard defensive holding as he tried to cover Wes Welker, and unhappy with the penalty, Hall walked over to the flag, picked it up and chucked it back up the field at nobody in particular. Four referees immediately threw their flags at Hall. The unsportsmanlike conduct penalty earned the Patriots another 15 yards.
The ball was placed on the Washington 46-yard line, and five plays later, Tom Brady completed a 37-yard touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski.
Shanahan said the penalty would have been disappointing regardless of who committed it, but was especially disappointing because Hall is one of the team captains and is expected to set a good example. The coach said infractions like that test his patience.
“Especially when guys are in a leadership role, we understand that you have to keep your cool, regardless of if you like a call or don’t like a call,” Shanahan said. “That’s your job to handle yourself in a professional manner, and more importantly, not put your team in a hole by having a 15-yard penalty. That’s one of the things that I talked about to our football team. You make too many of those mistakes and you’re not with us.”
In the first quarter, Gronkowski made a diving catch at midfield and ran another 10 yards as safeties DeJon Gomes and Reed Doughty tried to tackle him. Hall ran up but slowed down before he got to the players and watched as Gronkowski broke the tackles and ran past him for a 49-yard gain. One play later, Brady hit Gronkowski on an 11-yard touchdown pass.
Hall said that he thought Gronkowski was going out of bounds and thought the play was ending. But Shanahan said the cornerback was wrong in not playing until the whistle sounded.
“Yeah, that was disappointing,” the coach said. “One of the things DeAngelo usually does is finish. A lot of corners don’t like to tackle. He’s one of the more physical guys in the league, and I know he was embarrassed by it, as well as our whole football team. You’ve got to finish when somebody’s in bounds, because sometimes things like that do happen.”
Hall has been assessed face-mask, unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties this seasonl. After an early season loss to Dallas, he criticized defensive coordinator Jim Haslett’s decision to call an all-out blitz rather than give Hall help with safety coverage to prevent a big play. Hall gave up a catch to Dez Bryant that set up the Cowboys’ winning play.
In light of fellow captain Trent Williams’s suspension for failed drug tests, Shanahan was asked how he handles captains who set poor examples.
“Yeah, if I thought a person wasn’t a leader for one example or another, I wouldn’t revoke it. The players vote on the captain,” Shanahan said. “But I think people would lose confidence in the captain if he kept making bad choices and bad decisions. A captain is a player that you want to lead your football team and play at a very high level. That’s why he’s selected as a captain. Now, saying that, everybody makes mistakes. That’s part of the process. You’ve got to keep your cool, you’ve got to keep your poise. Just because somebody throws a flag doesn’t mean he’s a bad guy. It means you have to keep your poise and you can’t cost your team a 15-yard penalty. You’ve got to put your team first. … That’s the game, putting your team No. 1, you No. 2.”
By | 05:43 PM ET, 12/12/2011
Hall, an eight-year veteran, racked up 20 yards in penalties on one third-quarter play, helping fuel a Patriots scoring drive that resulted in them taking a 27-20 lead.
Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker (83), right, drags Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall (23) into the end zone on the game-winning touchdown catch Sunday.(John McDonnell/The Washington Post)Hall initially was called for a five-yard defensive holding as he tried to cover Wes Welker, and unhappy with the penalty, Hall walked over to the flag, picked it up and chucked it back up the field at nobody in particular. Four referees immediately threw their flags at Hall. The unsportsmanlike conduct penalty earned the Patriots another 15 yards.
The ball was placed on the Washington 46-yard line, and five plays later, Tom Brady completed a 37-yard touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski.
Shanahan said the penalty would have been disappointing regardless of who committed it, but was especially disappointing because Hall is one of the team captains and is expected to set a good example. The coach said infractions like that test his patience.
“Especially when guys are in a leadership role, we understand that you have to keep your cool, regardless of if you like a call or don’t like a call,” Shanahan said. “That’s your job to handle yourself in a professional manner, and more importantly, not put your team in a hole by having a 15-yard penalty. That’s one of the things that I talked about to our football team. You make too many of those mistakes and you’re not with us.”
In the first quarter, Gronkowski made a diving catch at midfield and ran another 10 yards as safeties DeJon Gomes and Reed Doughty tried to tackle him. Hall ran up but slowed down before he got to the players and watched as Gronkowski broke the tackles and ran past him for a 49-yard gain. One play later, Brady hit Gronkowski on an 11-yard touchdown pass.
Hall said that he thought Gronkowski was going out of bounds and thought the play was ending. But Shanahan said the cornerback was wrong in not playing until the whistle sounded.
“Yeah, that was disappointing,” the coach said. “One of the things DeAngelo usually does is finish. A lot of corners don’t like to tackle. He’s one of the more physical guys in the league, and I know he was embarrassed by it, as well as our whole football team. You’ve got to finish when somebody’s in bounds, because sometimes things like that do happen.”
Hall has been assessed face-mask, unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties this seasonl. After an early season loss to Dallas, he criticized defensive coordinator Jim Haslett’s decision to call an all-out blitz rather than give Hall help with safety coverage to prevent a big play. Hall gave up a catch to Dez Bryant that set up the Cowboys’ winning play.
In light of fellow captain Trent Williams’s suspension for failed drug tests, Shanahan was asked how he handles captains who set poor examples.
“Yeah, if I thought a person wasn’t a leader for one example or another, I wouldn’t revoke it. The players vote on the captain,” Shanahan said. “But I think people would lose confidence in the captain if he kept making bad choices and bad decisions. A captain is a player that you want to lead your football team and play at a very high level. That’s why he’s selected as a captain. Now, saying that, everybody makes mistakes. That’s part of the process. You’ve got to keep your cool, you’ve got to keep your poise. Just because somebody throws a flag doesn’t mean he’s a bad guy. It means you have to keep your poise and you can’t cost your team a 15-yard penalty. You’ve got to put your team first. … That’s the game, putting your team No. 1, you No. 2.”
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Decorating a Cube for Christmas? Check This Out!
Vegas Style! This is actually a cube where I work. And yes, that is a fine grill on Da Nutcraka! :P
Friday, December 9, 2011
LaRon Landry ‘day-to-day’ but not planning to rush back
Landry, who missed Sunday’s game with the injury and sat out Wednesday’s practice, said he planned to test it out Thursday to get a better idea of how well it has healed.
The fifth-year pro -- playing in the final year of his contract and hampered all season by hamstring, Achilles’ tendon and now groin strains -- sounded determined not to rush back prematurely, however.
“I can only be true to myself, true to the team and true to the coaching staff,” said Landry, who this season has appeared in eight of the team’s 12 games and has recorded 48 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble. “So if I’m not able to perform the way I’m capable of performing, then I won’t put myself out there, coach won’t put me out there. So I’m just taking it day-by-day.”
Earlier this season, coach Mike Shanahan elected to hold Landry out of a game against the Dallas Cowboys although the player strongly disagreed and wanted the chance to play.
Four weeks later, Landry appears resigned to the fact that in a hobbled state, he is not effective enough to make a real impact for the Redskins.
“Even though it’s frustrating, injuries, season alone, it’s just something you have to persevere and fight through,” the 6-foot, 220-pound Landry said. “If it’s not ready, it’s not ready. I just have to fight through it. Nobody’s 100 percent at this point in the season. But they wouldn’t have me out there, and plus I wouldn’t be out there hurting my teammates, if I’m not capable of playing.”
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
English Premier League US Television and Internet Viewing Schedule
thanks to epltalk
Wednesday, December 7:
- Basel v Manchester United [Champions League], 2:45pm, FOX Soccer (available after 5pm from foxsoccer.tv)
- Manchester City v Bayern Munich [Champions League], 2:45pm, FOX Soccer Plus/foxsoccer.tv
- Manchester United v Wolves, 10am, ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes
- Arsenal v Everton, 10am, FOX Soccer/FOX Deportes (available after midnight from foxsoccer.tv)
- Liverpool v QPR, 10am, FOX Soccer Plus/foxsoccer.tv
- Norwich City v Newcastle, 10am, foxsoccer.tv
- Swansea v Fulham, 10am, foxsoccer.tv
- Bolton v Aston Villa, 10am, foxsoccer.tv
- West Brom v Wigan, 10am, foxsoccer.tv
- Sunderland v Blackburn, 8:30am, FOX Soccer Plus/foxsoccer.tv
- Stoke v Tottenham, 11am, FOX Soccer/FOX Deportes (available after midnight from foxsoccer.tv)
- Chelsea v Manchester City, 3pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes
What do the Skins do with these two dummies?
December, 5, 2011
The soonest that either Trent Williams or Fred Davis will play for the Washington Redskins again is 2012, and the question now is what the Redskins can or will do about that. Davis is a restricted free agent, so if they wanted to send him packing they could do so by tendering him at a level that tempted other teams to sign him. But they're not likely to get fair value if they do that. Williams was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2010 draft, and he's not going anywhere. You could make a convincing argument that these are the two best offensive players the Redskins have right now, and as they look to rebuild their offense this offseason the way they rebuilt their defense in the last one, they seem to have little choice but to build around them.
That's going to be a headache for Redskins coach Mike Shanahan, who has not been shy about preaching his belief that high-character players are important to what he's trying to build in Washington. I don't know Davis at all. I do know Williams fairly well, and he's never struck me as a bad kid. But based on the repeated knucklehead actions that have resulted in their current four-game suspensions, it's perfectly fair for the Redskins to wonder whether they'll be able to count on either guy going forward. And that's a problem, because they need to.
If the season ended right now, the Redskins would hold the No. 5 pick in the draft. The Colts, picking first, are all but certain to take Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck. But the teams that hold the No. 2, 3 and 4 picks -- St. Louis, Minnesota and Jacksonville -- each has taken a quarterback in the first round in one of the past two drafts. So unless someone traded up and jumped the Redskins, at this point, they'd have their pick of Matt Barkley or Landry Jones or Robert Griffin III or whichever quarterback Shanahan liked the best. And they have to take a quarterback, honestly. They can't do what the Bengals did this year, draft an impact wide receiver in the top five and hope their Andy Dalton is waiting for them at the top of the second round. If Shanahan gets a top-five pick and doesn't come away with a quarterback, he's making himself fair game for every criticism anybody wants to level at him about stubbornness.
The point is that, come 2012, the Redskins are likely to have a talented rookie quarterback around whom they'll be building their offense. And it'd be awfully nice if that young quarterback knew his supremely talented left tackle and his huge pass-catching tight end were the kinds of guys on whom he could count, week in and week out. The problem now with Williams and Davis is that they're not. They're such determined and remorseless violators of the drug policy that the NFL was set to suspend them for a year before the NFLPA negotiated it down to four games. What evidence do we have that this suspension will deter them from further knucklehead behavior?
It's a problem, because in addition to quarterback the Redskins need to address wide receiver and probably at least one position on the offensive line besides left tackle. They believed they had a franchise guy at left tackle and an emerging star at tight end. What Williams and Davis have done is call those two positions, at which the Redskins believed they were set, into question.
Argue all you want about the merits of what Williams and Davis actually did to get themselves in trouble. Experience tells me that you will, and colorfully so, in the comments. But the fact is, whether you agree with the law or the NFL's rules, Williams and Davis knew the law and knew the rules and presumably knew what would happen to them if they kept getting caught. And they kept doing the drugs anyway. Which either means they don't care about being suspended and disappearing for months at a time when their teammates need them, or that they're too dumb to comprehend the consequences of their actions. Whichever it is, it's an issue for a Redskins team that's trying to build something sustainable and reliable and doesn't need new question marks popping up in places where they thought they had their problems solved.
[+] Enlarge
Robert Mayer/US Presswire
If the season ended right now, the Redskins would hold the No. 5 pick in the draft. The Colts, picking first, are all but certain to take Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck. But the teams that hold the No. 2, 3 and 4 picks -- St. Louis, Minnesota and Jacksonville -- each has taken a quarterback in the first round in one of the past two drafts. So unless someone traded up and jumped the Redskins, at this point, they'd have their pick of Matt Barkley or Landry Jones or Robert Griffin III or whichever quarterback Shanahan liked the best. And they have to take a quarterback, honestly. They can't do what the Bengals did this year, draft an impact wide receiver in the top five and hope their Andy Dalton is waiting for them at the top of the second round. If Shanahan gets a top-five pick and doesn't come away with a quarterback, he's making himself fair game for every criticism anybody wants to level at him about stubbornness.
The point is that, come 2012, the Redskins are likely to have a talented rookie quarterback around whom they'll be building their offense. And it'd be awfully nice if that young quarterback knew his supremely talented left tackle and his huge pass-catching tight end were the kinds of guys on whom he could count, week in and week out. The problem now with Williams and Davis is that they're not. They're such determined and remorseless violators of the drug policy that the NFL was set to suspend them for a year before the NFLPA negotiated it down to four games. What evidence do we have that this suspension will deter them from further knucklehead behavior?
It's a problem, because in addition to quarterback the Redskins need to address wide receiver and probably at least one position on the offensive line besides left tackle. They believed they had a franchise guy at left tackle and an emerging star at tight end. What Williams and Davis have done is call those two positions, at which the Redskins believed they were set, into question.
Argue all you want about the merits of what Williams and Davis actually did to get themselves in trouble. Experience tells me that you will, and colorfully so, in the comments. But the fact is, whether you agree with the law or the NFL's rules, Williams and Davis knew the law and knew the rules and presumably knew what would happen to them if they kept getting caught. And they kept doing the drugs anyway. Which either means they don't care about being suspended and disappearing for months at a time when their teammates need them, or that they're too dumb to comprehend the consequences of their actions. Whichever it is, it's an issue for a Redskins team that's trying to build something sustainable and reliable and doesn't need new question marks popping up in places where they thought they had their problems solved.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Boudreau Fired! Replaced by Dale Hunter.
ARLINGTON, Va. -- Tuned out by his players, coach Bruce Boudreau was fired by the Washington Capitals on Monday after winning 200 games faster than any coach in modern NHL history but stumbling regularly in the playoffs despite a talent-laden lineup featuring two-time league MVP Alex Ovechkin.
Boudreau was replaced by former Capitals captain Dale Hunter, who was greeted by loud cheers from more than 100 fans when he skated onto the ice at Monday's practice.
Hunter, never before a coach in the NHL, will make his debut behind the bench Tuesday night when Washington hosts the St. Louis Blues to begin a three-game homestand.
"This was simply a case of the players were no longer responding to Bruce. When you see that, as much as you don't want to make a change, you have to make a change," general manager George McPhee said.
"Bruce came in here and emptied the tank. He gave it everything he could and did a really good job, but the tank was empty," McPhee added. "When that happens, you get a new coach, where the tank is full and see if it makes a difference."
Via text message, Boudreau declined comment when reached by ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun other than to say he's had "better days."
McPhee told ESPN.com the "performance over the past 10 days'" was the tipping point.
Hired four years ago on Thanksgiving Day, Boudreau went 201-88-40 in the regular season but 17-20 in the playoffs -- exiting in the first or second round each time. This season he tried a new approach, emphasizing accountability and the willingness to bench his star players -- team captain Ovechkin included -- as punishment for subpar performances.
Capitals owner Ted Leonsis, in a published post on his website, thanked Boudreau.
"It's never easy to let a coach go, and Bruce was a popular personality who helped turn around our franchise," Leonsis wrote. "Despite what transpired on the ice this year, I always will be thankful for Bruce's time with the Capitals and will remember him fondly."
The Capitals started 7-0 -- a franchise record for consecutive wins to begin a season -- but have since slumped badly. They have dropped six of their past eight games, including a 5-1 loss Saturday night to a Buffalo Sabres team missing nine regular players.
"He is a great coach who I'm confident will land another spot in the NHL," Leonsis wrote. "Unfortunately the shelf life of a coach is short; Bruce was the fifth-longest-tenured coach in the league. That's amazing to me."
Ovechkin has only one goal in the last eight games.
"I don't think this has anything to do with Alex Ovechkin," said McPhee, noting that the team's highest-paid player will remain its captain. "I think it's got everything to do with this team not playing well."
The 51-year-old Hunter played for the Capitals from 1987-99, the last five seasons as captain, and is one of four players to have his jersey number retired by the franchise.
"Dale was a tenacious player and great leader," Leonsis said in the website post. "The reins are his, and we are here to support him."
A banner with Hunter wearing his red No. 32 hangs on a wall behind one end of the ice where the Capitals practice. He stood in a nearby corner of the rink for one part of Monday's session.
"Obviously Dale was an intelligent player. He had talent and he was tough," McPhee said. "And he was downright mean sometimes."
Hunter played 19 NHL seasons and is the only player in league history with 1,000 points and 3,000 penalty minutes. His career total of 3,563 penalty minutes ranks second all-time.
Hunter has coached the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League for 11 seasons, compiling a 451-189-23-24 record. He became the fastest coach in OHL history to reach 300 and 400 career wins. Like Boudreau, who was promoted from Washington's minor league affiliate in the AHL to replace Glen Hanlon, Hunter is getting his first NHL coaching job in Washington.
"Coaching's coaching, and he's been coaching at a good level and at a high level," McPhee said. "The same questions were asked of Bruce when he came here, and he had an outstanding record."
Boudreau turned around a moribund franchise when he was hired in 2007, leading the Capitals to the first of four consecutive Southeast Division titles and winning the league's coach of the year award in 2008. Nicknamed "Gabby" for his gift of gab, he bought an offensive philosophy that meshed well with Ovechkin and the team's other "young guns" such as Alexander Semin and Mike Green, but he was never able to get Washington deep into the playoffs.
Boudreau had the team adopt a more defensive mindset during a losing streak last season, but it failed to pay dividends in the spring. The Capitals were swept by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round of the postseason.
Boudreau's assistant coaches -- Dean Evason, Bob Woods and Blaine Forsythe -- will remain in their posts under Hunter.
McPhee said he began talking to Hunter a week ago about the possibility of returning to the Capitals. On Monday morning at 6:15 a.m., McPhee met with Boudreau and delivered the news. Now the team hopes its play will improve.
"Sometimes it's like having the same teacher for five years. How would you have liked to do that in high school? It's hard sometimes," McPhee said. "So you make the change and hope that a new voice and a new way of doing things and a new focus gets the best out of these players."
Pierre LeBrun covers the NHL for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Boudreau was replaced by former Capitals captain Dale Hunter, who was greeted by loud cheers from more than 100 fans when he skated onto the ice at Monday's practice.
Hunter, never before a coach in the NHL, will make his debut behind the bench Tuesday night when Washington hosts the St. Louis Blues to begin a three-game homestand.
[+] Enlarge
Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesBruce Boudreau had adopted a stricter approach this season, and Alex Ovechkin did not respond well, slumping with 17 points in 22 games.
"Bruce came in here and emptied the tank. He gave it everything he could and did a really good job, but the tank was empty," McPhee added. "When that happens, you get a new coach, where the tank is full and see if it makes a difference."
Via text message, Boudreau declined comment when reached by ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun other than to say he's had "better days."
McPhee told ESPN.com the "performance over the past 10 days'" was the tipping point.
Hired four years ago on Thanksgiving Day, Boudreau went 201-88-40 in the regular season but 17-20 in the playoffs -- exiting in the first or second round each time. This season he tried a new approach, emphasizing accountability and the willingness to bench his star players -- team captain Ovechkin included -- as punishment for subpar performances.
Capitals owner Ted Leonsis, in a published post on his website, thanked Boudreau.
"It's never easy to let a coach go, and Bruce was a popular personality who helped turn around our franchise," Leonsis wrote. "Despite what transpired on the ice this year, I always will be thankful for Bruce's time with the Capitals and will remember him fondly."
The Capitals started 7-0 -- a franchise record for consecutive wins to begin a season -- but have since slumped badly. They have dropped six of their past eight games, including a 5-1 loss Saturday night to a Buffalo Sabres team missing nine regular players.
"He is a great coach who I'm confident will land another spot in the NHL," Leonsis wrote. "Unfortunately the shelf life of a coach is short; Bruce was the fifth-longest-tenured coach in the league. That's amazing to me."
Ovechkin has only one goal in the last eight games.
"I don't think this has anything to do with Alex Ovechkin," said McPhee, noting that the team's highest-paid player will remain its captain. "I think it's got everything to do with this team not playing well."
The 51-year-old Hunter played for the Capitals from 1987-99, the last five seasons as captain, and is one of four players to have his jersey number retired by the franchise.
"Dale was a tenacious player and great leader," Leonsis said in the website post. "The reins are his, and we are here to support him."
A banner with Hunter wearing his red No. 32 hangs on a wall behind one end of the ice where the Capitals practice. He stood in a nearby corner of the rink for one part of Monday's session.
"Obviously Dale was an intelligent player. He had talent and he was tough," McPhee said. "And he was downright mean sometimes."
Hunter played 19 NHL seasons and is the only player in league history with 1,000 points and 3,000 penalty minutes. His career total of 3,563 penalty minutes ranks second all-time.
Hunter has coached the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League for 11 seasons, compiling a 451-189-23-24 record. He became the fastest coach in OHL history to reach 300 and 400 career wins. Like Boudreau, who was promoted from Washington's minor league affiliate in the AHL to replace Glen Hanlon, Hunter is getting his first NHL coaching job in Washington.
"Coaching's coaching, and he's been coaching at a good level and at a high level," McPhee said. "The same questions were asked of Bruce when he came here, and he had an outstanding record."
Boudreau turned around a moribund franchise when he was hired in 2007, leading the Capitals to the first of four consecutive Southeast Division titles and winning the league's coach of the year award in 2008. Nicknamed "Gabby" for his gift of gab, he bought an offensive philosophy that meshed well with Ovechkin and the team's other "young guns" such as Alexander Semin and Mike Green, but he was never able to get Washington deep into the playoffs.
Boudreau had the team adopt a more defensive mindset during a losing streak last season, but it failed to pay dividends in the spring. The Capitals were swept by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round of the postseason.
Boudreau's assistant coaches -- Dean Evason, Bob Woods and Blaine Forsythe -- will remain in their posts under Hunter.
McPhee said he began talking to Hunter a week ago about the possibility of returning to the Capitals. On Monday morning at 6:15 a.m., McPhee met with Boudreau and delivered the news. Now the team hopes its play will improve.
"Sometimes it's like having the same teacher for five years. How would you have liked to do that in high school? It's hard sometimes," McPhee said. "So you make the change and hope that a new voice and a new way of doing things and a new focus gets the best out of these players."
Pierre LeBrun covers the NHL for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Redskins vs. Seahawks: Washington scores 16 points in fourth quarter to win 23-17
By Mike Jones,
SEATTLE — For the first time since October 2, Washington Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan smiled during a postgame news conference.After watching his team overcome two interceptions, a blocked field goal, a blocked extra point and a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit, Shanahan saw the team’s six-game losing streak come to an end with a 23-17 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
Shanahan’s team has been well acquainted with adversity this season. The Redskins have lost seven players to the season-ending injured reserve list, have seen their offense struggle and endured the longest losing streak in the coach’s career. But Sunday the team finally demonstrated the ability to overcome such obstacles, scoring 16 fourth-quarter points and befuddling the Seahawks’ offense in the final minutes to capture the victory.
“Any time you fight back like we did, you feel good about your football team,” said a grinning Shanahan, whose team last won at St. Louis on Oct. 2. “It’s nice to get a win. It’s nice to do it that way.”
The Redskins appeared headed for their seventh straight loss when Seattle took a 10-point lead on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Tarvaris Jackson to Golden Tate. But Washington, which to that point hadn’t managed to rekindle the offensive spark it showed on its first possession, finally made some critical plays.
Rookie running back Roy Helu rushed for a 28-yard touchdown with 9 minutes 51 seconds left, hurdling Seahawks defensive back Roy Lewis for the highlight of a career day that featured 23 carries for 108 yards and his first career score.
“Right where their DB was, where I hurdled him at, was the first-down marker, and I just wanted to make sure I got it,” said Helu, who started for only the second time this season. “I didn’t care if the safety came over and killed me in the air. I knew I’d get the first down with forward progress. I came down and ended up breaking the tackle.”
On the next Washington possession, quarterback Rex Grossman, facing third and 19, threw a 50-yard touchdown strike to Anthony Armstrong for the clincher with 6:18 to play. Grossman had his best outing of the season, completing 26 of 35 passes for 314 yards and two touchdowns, numbers that overshadowed a pair of interceptions that set back the Redskins.
Graham Gano , who had a field goal and extra point blocked on the day, nailed a 25-yard field goal for the deciding score, and cornerback DeAngelo Hall recorded an interception with 37 seconds left to play, slamming the door on Seattle.
For the game, Washington gained 416 yards and 22 first downs, dominating time of possession by holding the ball for 33:20 to 26:40. The Seahawks – paced by 131 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown by Marshawn Lynch – recorded 250 yards of offense and 15 first downs.
The game started with great promise for the Redskins, who improved to 4-7 and dropped Seattle to the same record. After mustering only 16 first-quarter points all season and failing to score a touchdown on a game-opening drive this year, Washington finally reversed its fortunes.
Stringing together a 14-play, 80-yard drive that ate up 7:49, the Redskins finally found the end zone on their first possession. After marching the team downfield by combining seven completions with five carries by Helu, Grossman completed a two-yard touchdown toss to tight end Fred Davis.
The drive was Washington’s longest since a 15-play drive in Week 2 against Arizona.
But just as quickly as the Redskins caught fire, the fire went out.
On Washington’s second snap of the second quarter, Grossman threw an interception to Seattle’s Brandon Browner, who snatched away a high throw intended for Jabar Gaffney and returned it to the Washington 20-yard line.
On the next play, Jackson hit Lynch on a swing pass, and Lynch raced 20 yards untouched to the end zone.
Washington got the ball back following the touchdown and appeared to have regained its offensive rhythm. In 11 plays, the Redskins moved the ball from their 34 to the Seattle 5. Grossman connected with Gaffney on a pass in the back of the end zone, but the touchdown didn’t stand because Gaffney had run out of bounds before making the catch.
Two plays later, forced to settle for a 23-yard field goal try, Washington came up empty again. Seattle lineman Red Bryant knocked Will Montgomery off the line and batted down the kick, giving the Redskins their league-leading fourth blocked field goal of the season.
The Redskins’ defense held the Seahawks in check, and Washington ran out the final minute of the first half before heading to the locker room in a 7-7 tie.
Grossman opened the third quarter exactly as he had started the second — by throwing an interception, this time after Seahawks place kicker Steven Hauschka missed a 51-yard field goal.
The Redskins got the ball on their 41-yard line, and Grossman faked a handoff to Roy Helu, looked downfield and fired a bomb in the direction of Santana Moss — and three Seattle defensive backs. Cornerback Richard Sherman made the diving interception at the 15-yard line and returned it to the 22.
The Seahawks couldn’t convert that turnover into points, but on their next possession, the team went 47 yards in four plays and took a 10-7 lead on a 36-yard Hauschka field goal.
The Redskins began their comeback following the Tate touchdown catch that made the score 17-7.
“We looked up on the board and saw we had over 300 yards of offense, so it was evident that they weren’t stopping us, it was us stopping us,” left tackle Trent Williams said. “So we knew we just had to get back to moving the ball, not shoot ourself in the foot and we would score.”
Facing third and 19 from the 50-yard line, Grossman shook off the pressure and hit seldom-used Armstrong for a touchdown. Armstrong, who hadn’t recorded a catch in five games, made the reception despite being held by Browner to give the Redskins the lead.
“After a losing streak like this, we stepped up and made plays we needed to make,” a relieved Grossman said with a smile after the game. “It’s a tough place to play in Seattle. It’s very loud, it’s a very long trip, so it’s pretty rewarding to win and also to come back from 10 points down to win.”
But Bryant put a damper on the big play by blocking the extra-point attempt to keep the Redskins’ lead at 20-17.
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