Jason Campbell's Kimo Treatment

Yeah preseason games are sooooo important

Redskins lose preseason game number two to the visiting Steelers 12-10 in what was all in all not a bad game for the home team. But it's impossible even to start talking about this game without talking about injuries so let's get that out of the way.

First and most grisly was receiver Mike Espy. Last season a practice squad player that saw action in one game, the coaches obviously liked him and were giving him every opportunity to make the team. Right into the second half Mike went out on a square pattern where the receiver runs to a spot and cuts hard to his outside. When Mike planted on his left foot to cut to his right the patellar tendon in his left knee gave and ruptured and Mike is gone for the season. Although there are other receivers in camp to bolster the position I was hoping for Mike to make the team and I hope he can rehab and come back next season.

Next was Jason Campbell who did his best Carson Palmer to Brett Keisel's Kimo van Oelhoffen. At the 4:45 mark in the first quarter right defensive tackle Brett blew past Redskins rookie left tackle Stephon Heyer who bit on a linebacker feint, Brett stumbled and only rose enough to launch himself parallel to the ground, hitting Jason squarely in the left knee. From the looks of it Jason was done for the year and by the miracle of youth he sustained only a 'bruise' and an MRI showed no damage. Brett was flagged for an illegal hit and should be fined for his actions. I know it is hard when plays are all over in four seconds but you have to have the body control not to think it is ok to hit a guy below the belt, ever. Jason is day to day and may be available as soon as the Ravens game next week but with Baltimore blitzing on 70% of their plays in the preseason I doubt we will be seeing Jason.

Stephon has not garnered much in the way of blame for that hit but in this light and his being an undrafted rookie and all can we finally ask if it's time to end this experiment and put Todd Wade in at left tackle, his natural position?

Lastly and not at all unimportantly was Marcus Washington. At the 5:18 mark of the second quarter Marcus and Rocky McIntosh (more on him later) hit Pittsburgh tailback Kevan Barlow for a short gain, and Marcus (oof it's hard even to write) dislocated his right elbow. There is was, hanging there like a salami. The trainers popped it back into place and it looks like he could be out a couple of weeks or more. He says he's good to go but that injury can weaken your arm and he'll need it. Me, I can't even pop my car back into gear without getting nauseous to here is to football players.

The rest of the game? The first team offense looked better, with Jason working 6 for 8 and Chris Cooley hauling in five catches for 60 yards including a 29 yarder he caught as Jason was being downed by Brett Keisel. Once Todd Collins came in (interesting, Todd at number two instead of Mark Brunell?) he looked sharp completing 10 of 13 including a nice TD pass in the back of the end zone to Brandon Lloyd.

Todd seemed to have control of the offense, finding the open receiver though I wonder if the Redskins would be able to get through a whole season on Todd's deft touch passes. Although his arm does not seem as weak as Mark's did last season (and by all reports Mark's arm is much better) he still cannot match Jason's ability to get it downfield. The quarterbacks were improved overall.

The running game was again anemic with Derrick Blaylock getting most of the work but that guy Marcus Mason, when he got into the game in the second half, gave a spark with the first two plays going to him. It's obvious to me that Marcus Mason and Todd Collins have worked together. As far as the ground game goes it's hard to tell because I don't think the playcalls are for Ladell Betts and besides Clinton Portis is supposed to be 'fine' so who knows. The Redskins are hiding something in the run game and I hope it's a 1500 yard rusher and not an 800 yard rusher.

When Mark Brunell came in to play in the fourth quarter the game ended on an interception but you can't put that on him. He was driving but silly penalties by receivers that won't make the team stalled him. Credit where it's due he looked good.

The first teamers on defense were all over the ball. For the second consecutive game they scored no turnovers but I am happy with the way they are playing. No touchdowns against the first unit and Rocky McIntosh looks like he belongs. LaRon Landry did nothing to show he does not belong with the starters, taking out a lead blocker and sealing the edge in one great play. At one point London Fletcher burst through the line and got into Ben Roethlisberger's face at the end of the half rushing his throw and Carlos Rogers was there to bat the pass away. They seem cohesive. Even John Eubanks got a good hit late in the game.

Positive progress though I'd like to see some better running and a takeaway or two by the defense and the left side of the offensive line is in near complete disarray.

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Must reads: Dillweed's Redskins breakdown: offensive, defensive; Dagger's Steelers offensive line breakdown, all at Post Game Heroes. Seriously this level of detail is so pure most of you can't handle it.

Tom Boswell pretty well captures the horror of not only losing Jason but of knowing it's going to be Todd or Mark you've got to go with.

Note to safety Reed Doughty: Visine and saline are not the same thing. Visine contains preservatives that cloud the lenses and hurt your eye in large doses.

Mike Wise thinks LaRon is playing that position the Redskins wanted out of Adam Archuleta, and to perfection. I'm inclined to agree but think on this: they had to get that guy, spend a lot of money and be bad before they could get the other guy. So if LaRon is going to fulfill the Arch Deluxe role, LaRon will have to excel for a few seasons to average out the complete loss that was 2006.

Who else thinks we are hearing so much about Ryan Clark that he will be back someday, a la Fred Smoot and James Thrash? He's only 27 and damn the Steelers have a good pair of safeties in Ryan and Troy Polamalu.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was down on the Steelers first team offense, which only managed three points in the first half. Brett Keisel's low and illegal hit on Jason Campbell is not mentioned until the 25th paragraph of a 34 paragraph piece. At some point I'll stop whining about this. Money shot from sort-of-beatwriter-sort-of-columnist Ed Bouchette's analysis today:

Brett Keisel's hit on quarterback Jason Campbell deservedly drew a flag because the Kimo von Oelhoffen rule added in 2006 expressly prohibits hitting the quarterback low. (It appeared he hit him above the knee.) Of course, defenders can't hit him high, either, because that's consider head-hunting. It's the new strike zone in football, from the shoulders to above the knees. Jack Lambert, nearly 30 years ago, suggested outfitting the quarterbacks in dresses. The NFL should consider outfitting them in flags instead, one on each side of the belt. Pull it and they're down.

Ok you made your point, it's out of my system.

Next up, Ravens Saturday, the Ravens the 12 year old team that blitzes 70% of the time. In preseason.


NFL box score, recap, full play by play. Washington Post box score, recap.



Jason Campbell after low and illegal hit by Brett Keisel: Preston Keres / Washington Post from here. Now I'm over it. Ray Lewis: Uncredited image from here.