Game 11: Redskins (6-4) at Seahawks (2-8)

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Out of the box: a meaningful game in more than one way as the Redskins travel to Seattle to play the Seahawks in a 4pm ET game on Fox. Jim Zorn left the Seahawks and they started tanking and now Zorn's new team has to beat his old team to keep playoff hopes alive.

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The story so far: schedule band three got off to an inauspicious start and now the Redskins offense seems to have shrunk down to its 2007 incarnation, Al Saunders and the 700 page Don Coryell meet Jim Zorn and the third generation Bill Walsh. Many things are contributing to Washington's offensive woes: injuries, poor offensive line play, lack of pass rush, all these things have helped make Washington's playoff scenario murky (op. cit.), it is no longer a sure thing.

So playing a 2-8 team is what the Redskins need right now, I just wish it was not a 2-8 with such a soap operatic relationship with the Redskins.

In 2005 Washington beat Seattle at Redskins Stadium in overtime and only after Josh Brown clanged a 47 yard field goal off the upright. The Seahawks then went on to beat the Redskins in the second playoff round. Washington had a chance to avenge that loss in the 2007 playoffs last season as the Redskins traveled again to Seattle, despite two fourth quarter Matt Hasselbeck interceptions by LaRon Landry and what amounted to a 56 yard onsides kick recovery by Anthony Mix the Redskins could not get out from under the Seahawks' swarming defense and were sent home again.

During the course of that 2007 season Seattle coach Mike Holmgren decided he had had enough and did the unwise thing, announcing a lame duck season for 2008. Former Seahawks quarterback and quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn was not aggressively in coach-designate Jim Mora's plans so he went shopping for another deal, landing in Washington as the Redskins offensive coordinator while Bill Lazor, the Redskins quarterbacks coach under Joe Gibbs, wound up in Seattle. We all know what happened with the Redskins coaching hunt and the end result is the Redskins have a great rookie head coach and the Seahawks are fading fast, playing for 2009 and the new coaching staff.

This is a chance to put a cap on the Mike Holmgren years, make Seattle realize they passed over the wrong guy. At least you know that is what all those former Seahawks on the Redskins' roster (op. cit.) are thinking.

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Curly R aside: ok he's a renaissance man, we get it. Enough with the funny Jim Zorn hobbies.

Curly R aside continues: normally I love George Solomon's Sunday wisdom, coming as it does on game day rather than the day after as is the case with the rest of the Washington sports punditry. This time however he has it wrong. Yes Washington needs a legitimate number two (and number three for that matter) receiver but with Chris Cooley already the leading receiver with 55 catches, that is more than five per game, the Redskins cannot Cooley their way out of this one, Chris is already giving the team everything he can.

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Oppo research: to paraphrase Will Forte as George Bush on Saturday Night Live, it's hard. Mike Holmgren announced last season he was retiring after 2008 and Jim Zorn went on the outs so he wound up in Washington. And now Seattle is 2-8 with injuries and age, is 31st out of 32 teams in yards per game with the 28th ranked defense. I don't even know why my opponent would want this job.

Still, the guy under center for Seattle is a former Pro Bowler and the last guy to benefit from Jim Zorn's tutelage. Given that Washington's defense trends toward forcing quarterbacks to beat coverage rather than evade tacklers, Matt Hasselback cannot be taken for granted simply because he has been hurt and has no one to throw to. Looking past all that though, take a look at Matt's ratings over the years in Seattle. Under Jim Zorn he played at a Pro Bowl level, now that he is gone, Matt is back where he was when the two first met. Coincidence?

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Trainer's table: many players that have been nursing injuries are expected to be in the game, Ladell Betts, Anthony Montgomery, Chris Samuels, Antwaan Randle El, Pete Kendall, hell there is even a rumor Shawn Springs could play. I'll believe that when I see it. Clinton Portis is a game time decision.

Marcus Washington got a high ankle sprain against the Cowboys and is out for some weeks. It bums me out how much Marcus gets hurt because the Redskins defense is just better when he is on the field.

But the biggest news has to be Malcolm Kelly, will he play and if so can he make an impact (op. cit.)? After nearly getting placed on season ending injured reserve going into the bye, the rookie receiver has fought to come back. With little in the way of a second receiver threat (no offense Antwaan, it is just not happening) much less a third, Jason Campbell needs another reliable target or else teams will just continue to collapse on Santana Moss. It would be great if he could get in the game, I'll settle for that, I have no expectations of Malcolm making a difference in this game. If Malcolm can go that will mean someone has to sit Malcolm has been inactive the past five games. My guess is rookie tight end Fred Davis, coach Zorn does not have confidence that Fred can run a route or commit a play to memory (ouch).

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Gameplan: statistically Seattle is a weak team so the Redskins should be able to have their way with them. The Redskins' number four overall defense is top ten in both passing and rushing and should bat the Seahawks offense around or at least force a bunch of short drives; Washington's offense should get many chances to make something happen. I would love to see lots of shots of a frustrated Matt Hasselbeck and an angry walrus Mike Holmgren.

Above all, Washington needs to work the playcalling balance back to run heavy, over the past two games, both losses, the Redskins have been pass heavy despite never being out of the game (op. cit.). This will require the offensive line to play better, I thought going into this season there was one more trip in the tank for these old dudes, maybe I was wrong, right now they do not seem able to run block or pass block very well.

One element the Redskins would like to work in tomorrow is some production from either or both rookie receivers. Devin Thomas has been a pretty consistent underachiever and Malcolm Kelly has not even had the chance to underachieve.

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My take in 60 words or less: head coach Jim Zorn and the Redskins need to take this opportunity against a bad team to force their will on the other team for a change, to dictate the game and not rely on the defense to keep giving them chances. Go ahead and blow out your old team, coach, it will feel good.

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Washington Post / AP preview, Gameday (PDF), the Zorn Zone, Seattle injury report, Washington injury report, projected starters. Broadcast coverage, this is not the marquee 4pm game on Fox, that would be Giants at Cardinals.

Other previews: Rich Tandler at Real Redskins, Mark Newgent at Redskins Examiner has a questions exchange with his counterpart in Seattle, Matt Loede at Redskins Gab.


We'll be watching at my house today, what with neighbor Bill hosting the return of 24 tonight.


This is a gameday open thread.



NFL helmets from here.