Preseason Game 3: Redskins (1-1) vs Ravens (1-1)

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It's a clash of football traditions as the Washington Redskins (b. 1932) host the Baltimore Ravens (b. 1996) tonight 8pm Redskins Stadium but with all the hubbub about sporting events on TV tonight I can't figure this out. Alls I know is the game better be on and it better be in high def. The weight of history is on both teams, the Redskins playing for the tradition of Hall of Famers Sammy Baugh, Vince Lombardi and Sonny Jurgensen while the Ravens strive to live up to murder charges, obstruction of justice, drug trafficking and drunk driving (op. cit.). Not to mention awful. purple. camouflage. Raven lunatics indeed.

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We interrupt this broadcast for an alert from the Curly R emergency network:

The Ravens blitz 70% of the time and made turkeyburger out of the Eagles!! Take care with Redskins starters!!

We now return to your regularly scheduled preview.
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Jason Campbell seems not to have a blown out knee and thank you NFL for dropping a 12k5 fine on Steelers defensive tackle Brett Keisel van Oelhoffen for his late and illegal hot on Jason last week and now there is a small quarterback controversy at backup with Todd Collins getting the start and Mark Brunell working later in the game. If you followed Mark's profile from Free Republic, don't send the goons out on me, he'll get the start in the final preseason game next week.

And when I say small quarterback controversy, I mean small, like a tiny mouse squeaking in the corner. If Jason is gone for any reason this season and the Redskins have to go with a backup there will be a lot less football watching in DC and a lot more time spent with family, outdoors or looking at porn or whatever because the Redskins will be as we say in the business demotivated.

on Brett Keisel van Oelhoffen for hitting Jason low and illegally last week, but Jason will not go tonight. The Redskins look to have themselves a

Curly R aside: interesting that the WaPo picked today to look at both Redskins kicker Shaun Suisham and Ravens kicker Matt Stover. Shaun is from Canada which means he can fix anything but probably has less in his pocket than he thinks and Matt keeps notes on every kick he has ever made, in practice, in games and in workouts which as a hardcore note taker I can appreciate this but his collection of notebooks on his work sounds like something out of Se7en.

Right about now is when starters start to to cement cement their place in the lineup and that apparently includes LaRon Landry (op. cit.). But with strongside linebacker Lemar Marshall cut (and signed immediately by former Redskins defensive coordinator and Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis) and 34 year old Randall Godfrey signed, who plays there? Randall is admittedly not in game shape so I guess we'll get a longer look at HB Blades and Dallas Sartz (op. cit).

To make matters not any better, despite trading a draft pick for left guard Pete Kendall, he won't play (op. cit.) so the Stephon Heyer Experiment continues one more week with Stephon at left tackle and Mike Pucillo at left guard. Todd Wade, who knows where the hell he is.

On offense the passing game looks pretty good but the running game has been weak (op. cit.). The solution? Marcus Mason but say it like a cheer: Mar-cus Ma-son!! (bump bump bump-bump bump).

On defense I just want to see the intensity continue. The Redskins defense is looking good and at least one paid pundit in the area is already looking ahead to the playoffs on the strength of the D.

The Ravens after shredding the Eagles (op. cit.) the Ravens looked pretty weak against the weak-ass Giants so look for them to have some intensity.

And I've heard (on Sirius NFL Radio) and read (here and here) some concerns about Steve McNair's arm strength so maybe we are seeing the reincarnation of Mark Brunell up the road.

Enjoy the game, the starters will play the first half. I'll be commenting here and at Hogs Haven (Skin Patrol can we talk? Do I need to put up an open thread for you?).

This is a gameday open thread.