Doc Talk: Turkey Day 2006

[rskinsfan10]

So, I stop my FedEx truck on Tuesday, getting ready to make a delivery. When I come from the back of the truck, I see that my man Rodrick, who happens to be the UPS driver that shares my route, is waiting outside for me to come out (and please, spare me the Fed UP joke that we have been bombarded with for years, especially when people see him and I talking to each other and not trying to kill one another). He looks at me with this big smile and says "Kenny, tell your man that he almost made me wreck my truck yesterday. He is out of control". I have no idea what he is talking about, and I tell him exactly that. He then says "Your man Doc Walker was doing his Monday Morning QB show, and when someone said something to him about Carlos Rogers, Doc said something along the lines that the guy must cannot see the ball because of how many times it will hit him in the hands without him actually catching it. I believe that the man needs laser eye surgery or something". By this time, Rodrick is almost in tears, and I'm laughing hysterically as well. I whipped out my cell and called Doc, and asked him did he indeed say that. Doc confirms it, which makes Rodrick and I fall out in laughter again. Think about that for a second. The FedEx guy and the UPS guy standing on the corner laughing at a classic Doc Walkerism, when they both should have been delivering packages. My homeboy Rick from the West Side has that effect on people......

rsf10- For starters, give me your initial thoughts on what you saw from Jason Campbell.

DW- I thought that Jason did a very good job of controlling the offense and trying to advance the football with the forward pass. He wasn't bumbling and stumbling with the football. He handled the rush and he was close to making some very good plays. He kept drives alive. He didn't look scared or like a guy who had never played. He looked like a thoroughbred. He had a great start with the exception of a few passes that were a little high and a little low. His accuracy has to improve, and he's got to find away to make sure that his team wins. None of us knew what to expect. From a personnel standpoint, this was good because they gave up a few picks to get him, and clearly this guy isn't a bottom of the first round draft pick.

rsf10- Was there anything that stood out to you that that you feel he really needs to work on?

DW- Well, I think that he needs to use his snap count a little better. When they were showing blitz, I would have liked to have seen him use some hard counts or go on three, because he had them offsides. I thought that they went on the same snap count too much. I wish that they would put him in the gun and let him check off and audible some, but all of those things will come.

rsf10- You have to be impressed with what he did considering the weapons that were missing on the offense.

DW- I'm very impressed. He did that without the #1 and 2 offensive options, point blank.

rsf10- At this point, are you concerned about Moss and his hamstring, especially considering that he has a history problems with them dating back to his tenure with the Jets?


DW- Yeah, I didn't think that he should have played against Philadelphia because he is a sprinter. A sprinter has got to be just right. He is not just a football player that runs fast, he is a sprinter and he needs to make sure that his legs are 100%. He's not slacker; he goes all out with everything. If he's hurt, you have to let him heal.

rsf10- That very first offensive play was a deep ball to Lloyd. When he was brought in, we were sold on the fact that he had the ability to make some spectacular catches, but it seems as though we are rarely seeing that flair for the dramatics so to speak.

DW- Well, he has made a couple, but that one right there would have been worth his whole bonus. If he makes that catch, that could have been a season altering catch. If he makes that catch then they probably get inside the redzone and get at least 3pts, or maybe momentum allows them to punch it in for 7.

rsf10- Oddly enough with the Giants losing last night, we technically are still in it. Do you have a positive bone inside of you that would tell you that they can make a sudden turn around?

DW- No, no, no. I thought that it was a huge mistake to have lost to Tampa. I think that realistically it knocks them out of the box, but it doesn't stop them from possibly getting a streak going to prove that they are capable of doing it, and to help define the personality of this team. At his point, we still don't know anything about this year's team. We need to know who these people are so that you can make sure that you weed out the fake ones and keep the strong ones for next year.

cont.......

[rskinsfan10]

rsf10- It appears that Joe Gibbs finally got away from the usual ho hum speech and put some people on notice during his press conference.

DW- Yeah, it was ten weeks, and now he is angry. That's the angriest that I have heard him. Unfortunately, it's about seven weeks too late, but that's the demeanor that I like and that I have been looking for. We have a young team that hasn't won, and that's the only demeanor that he should have with these people. They have to learn how to be mentally tough. They tackle like crap, they didn't run block well. These people have to be pulled on from within. You know that we are going to support them no matter what, but they need to get after this thing. This is ridiculous. This team is better then 3-7. They are going to be 3-8 if they don't take this stuff personally and go out there fighting to make plays. Look at the Dolphins and the 49ers. Those are teams that we thought were left for dead, and they are getting wins. The Packers have more wins. I mean, this is ugly and unacceptable.

rsf10- He mentioned things like the "Redskins philosophy". Joe the Fan that I encounter on the street took that as direct shots at his offensive and defensive coordinators. Who do you think those words were directed at?

DW- I honestly think that he is mad at himself because he sets the tone for the offense. Whatever it is, I'm glad that he is at that point. Whatever it took to take him to get there, I hope that he stays with it. I hope that they practice this week with that same tone. The guys seem very eager to go and get after it. I just think that the staff needs to get itself together.

rsf10- I honestly don't have a particular question about the defense this week. I'll just say the 2006 Washington Redskins Defense and let you say whatever comes to mind.

DW- Well, it has nothing in common with the 2005 group. Daniels was right end and now he is left end. Carter is now settled at the end spot, but it's a different style of defense then he has ever played his whole life. Salave'a was nicked, Griffin has been nicked and now is coming back. Montgomery and Goldston have given you some minutes, but they are babies. Lemar Marshall is injured; he had off season surgery and he has hurt his ankle severely, and he clearly isn't having the year that he had last year because his body won't allow him to. They don't have anyone that is decent enough to replace him, so he is better off out there injured then your backup. Washington has been nicked up. He has missed a lot of practice time. Holdman has been healthy, but there are just too many people in the league that can block him. The TE from Tampa was stuck to him like Velcro. Rogers has lost all of his confidence at corner. They put him in man without any help, and he didn't even look competitive on that one play where he made Joey Galloway look like Bob Hayes. Springs is coming back. He made a great play, but he also got posterized on that one run. It's only his fourth week of football because of the injury. Sean Taylor is clearly suffering from the loss of Ryan Clark, and then Troy Vincent pulls a hamstring. And they don't go with Archuleta, they go with Fox, which is there third team guy. In a nutshell, the defense has not lived up to it's billing. The players are hurt and injured, and they need to get it together. I think that guys like Demetric Evans, Salave'a, Griffin, Washington and Springs are your catalysts. They didn't play that poorly; as a matter of fact I thought that they played well against Tampa. They just didn't have anyone behind them. You have to start with your offensive and defensive lines. That is the only way that you have a chance of being good. You have to be good up front, and I suspect this week that you will see a much more enthusiastic effort on both sides of the ball.

rsf10- I recognize that it may be way too early to start this type of talk, but people are starting to wonder if this is it for Joe, especially considering the expectations that were placed upon this team. Do you have gut feeling or any opinion at all about that?

DW- Too early. If they lose the rest or most of their games, I would hope so, but I don't think that they are going to lose the rest of their games. I think that the way Jason looks, and if they support him then I think that they will get hot if for no other reason then to prove that they can regain their respect and get a game plan going. If they regain their dignity and start applying their principles of Redskins football, then we will be okay.

rsf10- Steve Smith and the rest of the Carolina Panthers are up next. What does the good doctor prescribe this week in the hopes of getting a win?

DW- They have played against Terry Glenn, Witten and T.O. The Panthers are not as good as Dallas. So, you have to just go out and deny Steve Smith the one shot score. Make him catch it underneath and punish him. You have to run the ball. Hopefully we will see a lot of T.J. Duckett. Also, hopefully we can make them play catchup so that they have to throw it, and at that point you simply have to defend people. I think that Rogers and Springs are capable of getting it done if they can get some pressure along with some safeties taking good angles. I mean, Steve Smith is the only WR on their team that is capable of beating them on one play.