Talapia
02-10-2006, 04:01 PM
Good article on future of Redskins QB position
ExtremeSkins Fan View: Issue One
By Mark Steven
ExtremeSkins.com
February 10, 2006
In my view, there is only one true hot-button issue surrounding the 2006 Redskins; an issue against which all others--everything from Al Saunders' impact, to free agency and draft strategies designed to fill areas of need, to whether or not LaVar Arrington remains a Redskin, to the myriad other topics we'll spend the next few months forensically dissecting--pale in comparison.
You know where I'm going with this. I'm talking about the inevitable day that the Jason Campbell Era begins.
Yes, that statement assumes certain things.
It assumes that Patrick Ramsey will not be here. For the record, I have been and will remain a fan of Patrick Ramsey. But does anyone who regularly reads Redskin tea leaves still believe at this point that he is in their plans? When a wall is as covered in bold-face writing as this one, at some point it serves one better to read it than to continue beating one's head against it. The writing in this instance screams that Patrick Ramsey's NFL future is not in Washington, D.C.
It assumes that Mark Brunell will even make this an issue at all by returning healthy enough to keep his current hold on the starting job heading into camp. As of this writing, there is no reason to expect otherwise. Don't think for a minute that the Mark Brunell who finished last season struggling with injury and accumulated wear and tear is the Mark Brunell we'll see come training camp in July. After a full offseason of rehab and recharging of batteries, expect to see the same quarterback who took the 2005 training camp and preseason by storm. One thing is sure: if healthy, Mark Brunell won't cede his job without a fight.
It assumes that the aforementioned Al Saunders, newly minted associate head coach-offense, comes to feel about Jason Campbell between now and the end of preseason like Gibbs clearly does already. Along with Gibbs, Saunders' comfort level with young Mr. Campbell will play a vital role in determining when the youngster graduates from in the wings to first string.
And of course, most importantly, it assumes that Campbell himself will be up to the task at all. And that's where it gets fun. That's where as fans we get to speculate and make our "case," knowing that we can't be proven wrong until everything finally shakes out somewhere down the line.
So, as of mid-February, here's mine:
Exhibit A. From the first time Campbell took the field last preseason, he looked like an NFL quarterback. He displayed "it" right from the very first snap. He showed poise, instinctive awareness and elusiveness in the pocket, and was both decisive and accurate with the ball. Far more than I had even dared hope. And that arm.
Perhaps the most memorable thing about his showing, however, wasn't the effortless-looking lasers beaming around the field, or the touch on the ball when something less than lasers was called for, but from Gibbs' post-game reaction after an outing in which Campbell threw a particularly ugly, rookie-esque interception.
Asked about it after the game, I fully expected to hear standard Gibbs-speak: "He has to learn to protect the ball." Like that. Instead, Gibbs actually laughed...and then proceeded to marvel, at some length, about how Campbell came to the sidelines after the play and began telling the coaches about what he'd seen, why he did what he did, and what he should have done instead.
Jason Campbell
Having been a Gibbs Watcher for many years, the head coach's reaction was striking, and told me more about what he thinks he has in Campbell than anything I've been able to see through his limited playing time.
And then, of course, Campbell disappeared when the season started. As it should be. He didn't actually model the Sideline Sweater like the Redskins QBs-in-waiting used to do, but the effect was the same.
Fast-forward to Gibbs' season-ending press conference in mid-January.
People like to say Gibbs is a master at answering questions without actually saying anything. I disagree. Gibbs has a habit of telling us precisely what we need to know, as long as we're willing to listen. It's in what he does say, and just as importantly, in what he doesn't.
For a clear example of the latter, here are his comments, in their entirety, about Patrick Ramsey:
"Patrick and I had a good talk. We did talk afterwards. He felt a little bit like I did--the season is just over with. He hadn't had much chance to think about anything. I hadn't either. We agreed to continue to talk over these next few weeks. He'll probably do a little thinking. I'll do some thinking. Then, we'll do some talking over the next few weeks."
What is not said there is awfully clear; even more so taken in contrast to his response when asked about Jason Campbell.
I give you Exhibit B:
"Many times, you say to yourself, 'Okay, they're not getting to take snaps from a regular offense.' But what they are doing is [attending] meetings. They're getting all of Coach Musgrave's [now departed] coaching. They're getting all of the reps in practice as far as throwing all of the practice reps. They get the whole off-season program, where they do get to work with the first-team receivers. They get to play in pre-season. Because you have to absorb the whole offense and get everyone lined up in the right place, it's a lot to do from a mental standpoint. I feel confident that, if Jason had been thrust into things this year, he would have played well. It's probably best that he got to sit through a whole year. In my experience, when [former Redskins QBs Stan] Humphries, [Mark] Rypien, or Jay Schroeder went through that process and got put in there, they were amazingly prepared."
He wasn't done. Not even close.
"I know that there are guys that just stepped right in and had a great year, but not many. It's probably best for him to hear it, see it, go through it. They gain some confidence and know what to do. Then, they're kind of chomping at the bit--rather than saying, 'Hey, am I ready for this?' Well, we see in practice."
And what did they see?
"We see a lot. My impression is that he's very accurate. I think he's going to be a guy that can really roam with a football. I think he's going to make plays with his feet. I think he has a sense of what the pocket is. He'll slide. He's going to be hard to sack because he's so big. We've seen a lot out of him. Now, he needs to play. We'll get into that. I laughingly told him, 'Take the hat off and throw it away. You're getting ready to go work. You're going to have to earn your money.' "
I cannot stress this enough: Joe Gibbs measures his public words as carefully as any man who has ever bellied up to a microphone. He says nothing for the record that he does not mean, or does not serve the purpose he has outlined for his team.
Having parsed Gibbs for each of the 14 years he has coached my favorite team, his comments signify one thing very, very clearly to me:
Jason Campbell is going to play, and soon. The evidence, both based on straight observation of his play and careful attention to what the man whose views matter most has said, is very strong indeed.
I think it suggests Jason Campbell is farther along than almost anyone outside of Redskins Park really suspects at this point.
I think that even a healthy, revitalized Mark Brunell is going to have a serious battle on his hands come training camp.
I think that by the end of preseason, Jason Campbell is going to have made it clear to Messrs. Saunders and Gibbs that they need to get him on the field.
And I think that when that happens, we'll get to watch the fascinating decision process of when and how they made the switch.
And when that happens, I think we'll get to witness the even more fascinating and exhilarating transition of watching the Washington Redskins evolve at long last from a team with a revolving door at quarterback to one suddenly featuring a young stud at quarterback that scares the daylights out of opposing defensive coordinators.
Oh, I know what some of you are thinking: "Yeah, but can they win the Super Bowl with him in 2006?" Well, if I had that level of insight, I'd be writing this from the deck of my 400-foot yacht from somewhere in the Mediterranean. You'll note that I'm not. Meaning, don't bet the mortgage.
Just don't bet that they can't, either. Seriously, ask a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers today what a team with excellent coaching, a stout defense, a legitimate running game and a passing game good enough to keep defenses honest behind a poised, instinctive, athletic young quarterback can accomplish.
Jason Campbell's days of flying under the radar are just about over.
As if we didn't have enough to be excited about in 2006 already.
Hail.
ExtremeSkins Fan View: Issue One
By Mark Steven
ExtremeSkins.com
February 10, 2006
In my view, there is only one true hot-button issue surrounding the 2006 Redskins; an issue against which all others--everything from Al Saunders' impact, to free agency and draft strategies designed to fill areas of need, to whether or not LaVar Arrington remains a Redskin, to the myriad other topics we'll spend the next few months forensically dissecting--pale in comparison.
You know where I'm going with this. I'm talking about the inevitable day that the Jason Campbell Era begins.
Yes, that statement assumes certain things.
It assumes that Patrick Ramsey will not be here. For the record, I have been and will remain a fan of Patrick Ramsey. But does anyone who regularly reads Redskin tea leaves still believe at this point that he is in their plans? When a wall is as covered in bold-face writing as this one, at some point it serves one better to read it than to continue beating one's head against it. The writing in this instance screams that Patrick Ramsey's NFL future is not in Washington, D.C.
It assumes that Mark Brunell will even make this an issue at all by returning healthy enough to keep his current hold on the starting job heading into camp. As of this writing, there is no reason to expect otherwise. Don't think for a minute that the Mark Brunell who finished last season struggling with injury and accumulated wear and tear is the Mark Brunell we'll see come training camp in July. After a full offseason of rehab and recharging of batteries, expect to see the same quarterback who took the 2005 training camp and preseason by storm. One thing is sure: if healthy, Mark Brunell won't cede his job without a fight.
It assumes that the aforementioned Al Saunders, newly minted associate head coach-offense, comes to feel about Jason Campbell between now and the end of preseason like Gibbs clearly does already. Along with Gibbs, Saunders' comfort level with young Mr. Campbell will play a vital role in determining when the youngster graduates from in the wings to first string.
And of course, most importantly, it assumes that Campbell himself will be up to the task at all. And that's where it gets fun. That's where as fans we get to speculate and make our "case," knowing that we can't be proven wrong until everything finally shakes out somewhere down the line.
So, as of mid-February, here's mine:
Exhibit A. From the first time Campbell took the field last preseason, he looked like an NFL quarterback. He displayed "it" right from the very first snap. He showed poise, instinctive awareness and elusiveness in the pocket, and was both decisive and accurate with the ball. Far more than I had even dared hope. And that arm.
Perhaps the most memorable thing about his showing, however, wasn't the effortless-looking lasers beaming around the field, or the touch on the ball when something less than lasers was called for, but from Gibbs' post-game reaction after an outing in which Campbell threw a particularly ugly, rookie-esque interception.
Asked about it after the game, I fully expected to hear standard Gibbs-speak: "He has to learn to protect the ball." Like that. Instead, Gibbs actually laughed...and then proceeded to marvel, at some length, about how Campbell came to the sidelines after the play and began telling the coaches about what he'd seen, why he did what he did, and what he should have done instead.
Jason Campbell
Having been a Gibbs Watcher for many years, the head coach's reaction was striking, and told me more about what he thinks he has in Campbell than anything I've been able to see through his limited playing time.
And then, of course, Campbell disappeared when the season started. As it should be. He didn't actually model the Sideline Sweater like the Redskins QBs-in-waiting used to do, but the effect was the same.
Fast-forward to Gibbs' season-ending press conference in mid-January.
People like to say Gibbs is a master at answering questions without actually saying anything. I disagree. Gibbs has a habit of telling us precisely what we need to know, as long as we're willing to listen. It's in what he does say, and just as importantly, in what he doesn't.
For a clear example of the latter, here are his comments, in their entirety, about Patrick Ramsey:
"Patrick and I had a good talk. We did talk afterwards. He felt a little bit like I did--the season is just over with. He hadn't had much chance to think about anything. I hadn't either. We agreed to continue to talk over these next few weeks. He'll probably do a little thinking. I'll do some thinking. Then, we'll do some talking over the next few weeks."
What is not said there is awfully clear; even more so taken in contrast to his response when asked about Jason Campbell.
I give you Exhibit B:
"Many times, you say to yourself, 'Okay, they're not getting to take snaps from a regular offense.' But what they are doing is [attending] meetings. They're getting all of Coach Musgrave's [now departed] coaching. They're getting all of the reps in practice as far as throwing all of the practice reps. They get the whole off-season program, where they do get to work with the first-team receivers. They get to play in pre-season. Because you have to absorb the whole offense and get everyone lined up in the right place, it's a lot to do from a mental standpoint. I feel confident that, if Jason had been thrust into things this year, he would have played well. It's probably best that he got to sit through a whole year. In my experience, when [former Redskins QBs Stan] Humphries, [Mark] Rypien, or Jay Schroeder went through that process and got put in there, they were amazingly prepared."
He wasn't done. Not even close.
"I know that there are guys that just stepped right in and had a great year, but not many. It's probably best for him to hear it, see it, go through it. They gain some confidence and know what to do. Then, they're kind of chomping at the bit--rather than saying, 'Hey, am I ready for this?' Well, we see in practice."
And what did they see?
"We see a lot. My impression is that he's very accurate. I think he's going to be a guy that can really roam with a football. I think he's going to make plays with his feet. I think he has a sense of what the pocket is. He'll slide. He's going to be hard to sack because he's so big. We've seen a lot out of him. Now, he needs to play. We'll get into that. I laughingly told him, 'Take the hat off and throw it away. You're getting ready to go work. You're going to have to earn your money.' "
I cannot stress this enough: Joe Gibbs measures his public words as carefully as any man who has ever bellied up to a microphone. He says nothing for the record that he does not mean, or does not serve the purpose he has outlined for his team.
Having parsed Gibbs for each of the 14 years he has coached my favorite team, his comments signify one thing very, very clearly to me:
Jason Campbell is going to play, and soon. The evidence, both based on straight observation of his play and careful attention to what the man whose views matter most has said, is very strong indeed.
I think it suggests Jason Campbell is farther along than almost anyone outside of Redskins Park really suspects at this point.
I think that even a healthy, revitalized Mark Brunell is going to have a serious battle on his hands come training camp.
I think that by the end of preseason, Jason Campbell is going to have made it clear to Messrs. Saunders and Gibbs that they need to get him on the field.
And I think that when that happens, we'll get to watch the fascinating decision process of when and how they made the switch.
And when that happens, I think we'll get to witness the even more fascinating and exhilarating transition of watching the Washington Redskins evolve at long last from a team with a revolving door at quarterback to one suddenly featuring a young stud at quarterback that scares the daylights out of opposing defensive coordinators.
Oh, I know what some of you are thinking: "Yeah, but can they win the Super Bowl with him in 2006?" Well, if I had that level of insight, I'd be writing this from the deck of my 400-foot yacht from somewhere in the Mediterranean. You'll note that I'm not. Meaning, don't bet the mortgage.
Just don't bet that they can't, either. Seriously, ask a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers today what a team with excellent coaching, a stout defense, a legitimate running game and a passing game good enough to keep defenses honest behind a poised, instinctive, athletic young quarterback can accomplish.
Jason Campbell's days of flying under the radar are just about over.
As if we didn't have enough to be excited about in 2006 already.
Hail.