Biggie's Matchups

[Spence]

In this column, I will compare the three most important match-ups between the Redskins and their opponent for the week. My aim here is to compare the strengths and weaknesses of each team to get a better idea of what the Redskins could exploit and what they will have to be wary of.

Before we get started, I have one thing to say about the Giants game… ew.

Now, it’s time to move on, wipe away the bitter tears of giving up a 17-3 lead to an inferior, Tiki-less team, and focus on the Washington Redskins’ next opponent – the De-troit Lions.

To be quite honest, I’m not sure what to make of this team. The Lions, who have sucked since dinosaurs walked the Earth, are now 3-1 and coming off a record-setting comeback victory over da Bersss (who, by the way, are missing about half their defense). Rod Marinelli’s team has beaten the Raiders, the Vikings, and the Bears, but their only loss was a rout (I wasn’t sure what other word to use for a score of 56-21) at the hands of Donovan McNabb*. So, to recap, we have a team that’s beaten three crappy/injured/both teams but a team that also made the Eagles of 2007 look like the Eagles of 2004. Replace the Eagles with the Giants and change 2004 to the 1980’s, and we basically have the Washington Redskins in blue uniforms. Having said that, here are the three matchups which I think will decide this game:

Jon Kitna vs. Gregg Williams Cover-2 Defense

Biggie write, you read!

[shally]

Originally Posted by Spence

Biggie write, you read!

good stuff.

but pucillo should not be anywhere near the interior of the line.. fabini starts, but i would love to see de mulling playing against his former mates.. Lord knows we have been treated to enough former redskins trying to make our lives miserable. let's turn the tables on someone else for a change

and i very much like the matchup of samuels on white.. as much as i liked the idea of seeing white in B&G, i think samuels will control him and we will be able to run wide to the left if someone can keep mr rogers in his neighborhood. we will get a good look at how fine kendalls technique can be,
and hopefully pete plays with an edge after getting blown up by tuck onthe last series against the giants

as you say, we need to keep scoring and keep going after kitna or it will get ugly

[firehawk157]

Yeah, I don't mind seeing Samuels on White. I think we need to leave Sellers/Portis/Betts in to block and send everyone else out in patterns and force the back 7 to cover, which they have shown no ability to. Do that and we'll get rhythm and start posting points up on that jumbotron. Or danny's excuse for one.

[jaylen]

Good read.

I think the author is over doing one aspect of the Lions passing game versus our defense. I think we can cover Williams and CJ. I think Springs and Rogers can sufficiently make it tough on those guys. Which brings in their smallish 3rd and 4th guys, Furrey, Mcdonald and Walters whom are gonna get knocked out by Sean Taylor if they drift in the middle too often.

I think the Lions will run it more against us as well to blunt the pass rush somewhat like last week against the Bears they realize that Kitna won't survive if he continues getting hit at the current pace. So we need to start jamming and stuffing the run , the Giants did a good job disguising the times hey were gonna run , running out of the shotgun alot more so I look for the Lions to try and run against us.

[culpeper]

another good breakdown there biggie (pretty entertaining too).

we all know JC is going to have his struggles at times this year. but hes going to have great moments too, and we played like we had MB back there again in the 2nd half vs. the giants. let your hands go, mix it up JG/Al S

i think this game comes down to our D, and biggie you hit the nail on the head. soft coverages = L. press coverage and agressive D is our only chance. i havent commented in the GW thread, but he reminds me of trent green. he got hurt last year, and hasnt quite recovered....

[shally]

Originally Posted by culpeper

another good breakdown there biggie (pretty entertaining too).

we all know JC is going to have his struggles at times this year. but hes going to have great moments too, and we played like we had MB back there again in the 2nd half vs. the giants. let your hands go, mix it up JG/Al S

i think this game comes down to our D, and biggie you hit the nail on the head. soft coverages = L. press coverage and agressive D is our only chance. i havent commented in the GW thread, but he reminds me of trent green. he got hurt last year, and hasnt quite recovered....

green is clearly not the same player.. you think someone gave GW a concussion ??? that might explain a lot of things... lol

[culpeper]

Originally Posted by shally

green is clearly not the same player.. you think someone gave GW a concussion ??? that might explain a lot of things... lol

LOL...i dont know there shally! its a good point though. maybe we should get one of these guys to go over extensive film review of last year and see if there was ever a time GW got taken out on the sideline!lol.

at any rate, they both got rattled from last year, and neither of them look to be quite the same at this point.

[Biggie]

Originally Posted by shally

good stuff.

but pucillo should not be anywhere near the interior of the line.. fabini starts, but i would love to see de mulling playing against his former mates.. Lord knows we have been treated to enough former redskins trying to make our lives miserable. let's turn the tables on someone else for a change

Oh, my mistake. Got them mixed up.

Originally Posted by jaylen

Good read.

I think the author is over doing one aspect of the Lions passing game versus our defense. I think we can cover Williams and CJ. I think Springs and Rogers can sufficiently make it tough on those guys. Which brings in their smallish 3rd and 4th guys, Furrey, Mcdonald and Walters whom are gonna get knocked out by Sean Taylor if they drift in the middle too often.

I think you overestimate our secondary. Plaxico would have put up Player of the Week kind of numbers if he hadn't dropped balls the entire first half, and Rogers has no eye for the ball. Besides, we can say that our safeties will "destroy" anyone coming over the middle, but that doesn't seem to stop anybody.

[jaylen]

Originally Posted by Biggie

Oh, my mistake. Got them mixed up.


I think you overestimate our secondary. Plaxico would have put up Player of the Week kind of numbers if he hadn't dropped balls the entire first half, and Rogers has no eye for the ball. Besides, we can say that our safeties will "destroy" anyone coming over the middle, but that doesn't seem to stop anybody.

No I'm not overestimating our secondary I'm fully aware of their ability. CJ is hurt and isn;t lighting up the world, and Williams is good but he's a bigger guy who I think Springs and Rogers can run with. Plax always gets us he's a tough cover for our corners. he drops the ball though thats what he does particularly when Seam taylor is in the area.

The Lions lit up the Bears who were missing lots of players on defense, against the Eagles they didn't do all that much aside from a big play or 2.

I just think the author is slightly overrating the Lions attack. if they can't run they won't pass us to death, we'll generate some pressure and get some to's. They are no juggernaut to me and our defense is pretty good.

Rogers struggles finding the ball BUT he's covering his man better than he has previously.

If we press I think we can take them out of their game and win a close lower scoring game.

[Biggie]

Originally Posted by jaylen

No I'm not overestimating our secondary I'm fully aware of their ability. CJ is hurt and isn;t lighting up the world, and Williams is good but he's a bigger guy who I think Springs and Rogers can run with. Plax always gets us he's a tough cover for our corners. he drops the ball though thats what he does particularly when Seam taylor is in the area.

The Lions lit up the Bears who were missing lots of players on defense, against the Eagles they didn't do all that much aside from a big play or 2.

I just think the author is slightly overrating the Lions attack. if they can't run they won't pass us to death, we'll generate some pressure and get some to's. They are no juggernaut to me and our defense is pretty good.

Rogers struggles finding the ball BUT he's covering his man better than he has previously.

If we press I think we can take them out of their game and win a close lower scoring game.

Well, I am the author, and I'm still worried about our passing game. Eli and the Gints were the first legitimate passing attack we encountered this year, and we struggled mightily. It's not that I think the secondary can't slow down or stop Kitna; like I said in the column, if they play up to their potential they should win this game hands-down. My concern is that the combination of mistakes and bad playcalling from the Giants game will reappear in this one and sink us.

[Hr fan]

Ints, fumbles and sacks. Not to mention TOs. The Lions are a big play D, much like CIN 2 yrs ago. Big D plays will decide this game. The Lions have proven that they can get these plays. It's time for the 'Skins to man up and prove that they can too.

[shally]

Originally Posted by Hr fan

Ints, fumbles and sacks. Not to mention TOs. The Lions are a big play D, much like CIN 2 yrs ago. Big D plays will decide this game. The Lions have proven that they can get these plays. It's time for the 'Skins to man up and prove that they can too.

right now, i think the lion D is giving up more big plays than it is making..we need to keep that going

[Biggie]

Originally Posted by shally

right now, i think the lion D is giving up more big plays than it is making..we need to keep that going

Definitely, but when I was looking at the stats for the Lions defense, the sacks and the INTs really popped out to me. They get enough pressure to force QBs into mistakes.