The arbitration hearing between the NFL, Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins on the salary-cap penalties levied against the teams will be heard May 10 in front of league system arbitrator Stephen Burbank.
Gaffney insists he’s on the block
Motions must be filed before the hearing, and while that process can take time, it’s expected to happen as scheduled. The site of the hearing is up to Burbank, who is expected to hold it in Philadelphia, near or at the University of Pennsylvania, where he works as a law professor.
The Redskins are appealing $36 million in cap space docked by the league, applied over this season and next. The Cowboys are appealing a similar cap-space penalty of $10 million.
ProFootballTalk.com was first to report that the hearing was expected in May.
The league penalized the Redskins and Cowboys in March for using the uncapped 2010 year to create what was characterized as an unfair competitive advantage going forward, dumping large base salary numbers into 2010 on contracts for wide receiver Miles Austin in Dallas’ case, and cornerback DeAngelo Hall and defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth in Washington’s case. The teams’ perspective is that there were no rules against doing that on the books, though other teams were upset about the moves.
A number of teams were adversely affected by the actions of the Cowboys and Redskins and were active in supporting the league pursuing the punishment, reflected by the 29-2 vote of owners (Washington and Dallas voted against it, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers abstained) taken at the March league meeting to move forward with the penalties.
Among those hit were the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens.
Austin’s contract was instrumental in pushing the franchise receiver price tag from $9.5 million in 2010 to $11.3 million in 2011. San Diego franchised Vincent Jackson at the latter number in 2011. The leverage Jackson gained from having an $11.4 million tender made him difficult to sign to a long-term deal, and the resulting 2012 franchise figure — by rule, 120 percent of the previous number, which came out to $13.7 million — made it even harder for the team to tag him again.
So San Diego, which likely would have tagged Jackson again had the number been more affordable, let Jackson walk. He signed a five-year, $55.6 million contract with the Bucs this offseason.
Similar to Austin’s deal, Haynesworth’s contract with the Redskins was central to the defensive tackle number soaring from $7 million to $12.5 million. Baltimore subsequently tagged Haloti Ngata at that figure in 2011. And while the Ravens wound up getting Ngata signed to a five-year, $61 million contract, having that extra $12.5 million on the cap from July until September cost them the ability to be more aggressive in free agency, according to team sources.
A similar dynamic existed, from a budget standpoint, in Miami, where Paul Soliai played 2012 under the $12.5 million defensive tackle tag figure.
The franchise tag number also soared at Hall’s position (cornerback), jumping from $9.6 million to $14 million. No player was franchised at the corner position in 2011.
The top 2011 free agent at that position, Nnamdi Asomugha, would’ve had a high number regardless, because of his already high financial numbers, and the Oakland Raiders contractually couldn’t tag him anyway. But Johnathan Joseph is an example of a player who might have been franchised if the number was lower than $14 million. The Cincinnati Bengals franchised kicker Mike Nugent instead, and Joseph bolted to the Houston Texans.
Follow Albert Breer on Twitter @AlbertBreer
Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.
Theirs is the latest in a rising number of concussion- and head trauma-related class action suits leveled against the NFL by former players. The league is facing about a half-dozen class-action suits and “many more” multi-action suits from an estimated 1,000 former players, according to Gene Locks of the Locks Law Firm in Philadelphia.
Locks’s firm is representing more than 600 former players, including Rypien, in class-action suits.
NFLConcussionLitigation. com, a site that tracks such cases, lists 51 suits against the NFL.
“We think the league delayed, didn’t do a competent job of monitoring, and in many cases disregarded what it knew about concussions,” Locks said in a telephone interview Tuesday. “It’s a sad commentary.”
According to the suit, Rypien, 49, suffered multiple concussions and head injuries during his playing days. He says he suffers from “various neurological conditions and symptoms related to multiple head traumas.”
Rypien did not immediately return telephone messages seeking comment.
The lawsuit involving Rypien was first reported by the Washington Times on its Web site.
Rypien spent six of his 11 NFL seasons with the Redskins, and in 1991 had his finest season, leading Washington to victory in Super Bowl XXVI and winning the Super Bowl MVP award. He also played for the Cleveland Browns, St. Louis Rams, Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles.
The former quarterback, who lives in Spokane, Wash., is joined by 13 other former Redskins players — Michael Batiste, Keith Biggers, Jason Doering, Brad Fichtel, Terrell Hoage, Ethan Horton, Ernie Hanet, Bruce Kimball, Ronald Middleton, Ed Simmons, Walter Stanley and James Steffen — in his suit.
They, along with the other plaintiffs, seek “medical monitoring, as well as compensation and financial recovery” for what the lawsuit describes as long-term and chronic “injuries, financial losses, expenses and intangible losses.”
“Our class-action wants the league to check all of these players out, and if they’re okay, give them a clean bill of health,” Locks said. “And if not, we want them to pay for medical care so these players’ conditions, hopefully, don’t get worse. And if the players’ conditions are serious enough, we hope the league will give them compensation.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said repeatedly that his goal is to lower the risk of head injuries in the league. He has handed out hefty fines and suspended players for helmet-to-helmet hits over the last several seasons.
In addition to changing rules to further protect quarterbacks and wide receivers, the NFL last season moved kickoffs up to the 35-yard line, which led to more touchbacks, and decreased the number of concussions by 40 percent, the league reported this week.
The new attention to preventing head injuries coincides with the timing of class-action suits from former players who have suffered concussions.
Last fall, a group of former players — including wide receiver Mike Furrey, who suffered a concussion in 2009 while in training camp with the Redskins and never played again — sued the league. Since then, the number has steadily risen.
Staff writer Mike Wise and researcher Julie Tate contributed to this report.
When NFL penalized the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins for seeking a competitive advantage by front-loading contracts during the 2010 season, when no salary cap was in place. They took $36 million of cap space from the Redskins and $10 million from the Cowboys as a penalty.
Did the NFL really think that both teams would sit by and do nothing?
Well, if they did they were wrong and now the leagues two most valuable franchises have come together to fight the NFL on this penalty. They filled a complaint against both the league as well as the National Football League Players Association with the hopes of getting the NFL to reverse the ruling.
At first, it seems like an unlikely combination but when it comes to protecting their franchises the Redskins owner Daniel Snyder and the Cowboysboss Jerry Jones are dangerous allies. Truth be told, both Jones and Snyder are good friends and fighting together against the league is something that other owners should fear.
As the NFL owners meetings begin today in Miami there will be plenty of behind closed doors conversations on how best to handle the complaint put forth by the Redskins and the Cowboys.
The complaint will be heard by federal arbitrator Stephen Burbank and both sides will be able to plead their case on the issue. In cases like this one both sides agree that the arbiter’s decision will be final and thus avoid a court battle.
The key point of contention between the two sides is that in 2010 the NFL contends that they warned teams not to dump salaries or to front load contracts during the uncapped year to take advantage of the lack of a salary cap while a new Collective Bargaining Agreement was being worked out with the National football League Players Association.
Will the Cowboys and the Redskins win the case?
Will the Cowboys and the Redskins win the case?
Yes
No
The league’s anti-salary-dumping and no front-loading policy was never put into writing.
In separate statements both teams deny any wrong doing.
“The Washington Redskins have received no written documentation from the NFL concerning adjustments to the team salary cap in 2012 as reported in various media outlets,” Redskins GM Bruce Allen said. “Every contract entered into by the club during the applicable periods complied with the 2010 and 2011 collective bargaining agreements and, in fact, were approved by the NFL commissioner’s office. We look forward to free agency, the draft and the coming football season.”
“The Dallas Cowboys were in compliance with all league salary cap rules during the uncapped year. We look forward to the start of the free agency period where our commitment to improving our team remains unchanged.” The Cowboys declared in their official statement to the press.
It really is uncertain at this point who will prevail the NFL or the duo of Jones and Snyder. But one thing is for certain and that is the process should be fun to follow.
The Washington Redskins are strongly considering arbitration to challenge the $36 million salary cap hit imposed on them by the NFL, according to three people with knowledge of the situation.
Two of those people said Monday they thought the Redskins were likely to file soon. The other said there had been discussions about the case being headed to arbitration. The Dallas Cowboys could join the Redskins in bringing the case before University of Pennsylvania law professor Stephen Burbank, the sport’s arbitrator, one person said.
The Redskins, the Cowboys and the NFL declined to comment publicly on the case.
Original post:
Is the Washington Redskins salary cap case headed to arbitration?
A person with knowledge of the case said there have been discussions about using an arbitration provision of the league’s collective bargaining agreement to challenge the penalty imposed by the NFL. The league took away $36 million in cap space over two years from the Redskins, and $10 million over two years from the Dallas Cowboys, for the way they structured player contracts in 2010, when the league had no salary cap.
The Redskins and the NFL declined to comment. People familiar with the case have said the Redskins have been considering their options in response to last week’s ruling by the league.
People with knowledge of the case have said the Redskins might contest the league’s ruling, either via an appeal or a legal challenge. The Redskins have not said what, if anything, they will do, and one person familiar with the case said last week that the Cowboys were unlikely to join the Redskins in a legal challenge.
Both teams have denied wrongdoing.
It is not clear, however, whether the Cowboys would join the Redskins in a proceeding before an arbitrator, which might generate less animosity among other team owners than a full-scale court challenge.
The sport’s labor agreement says that any club may bring a proceeding before the sport’s “system arbitrator” alleging a violation of those articles of the labor deal that governs the salary cap. Such a proceeding also could be initiated by the league, a player or the NFL Players Association.
Under the labor deal, the burden of proof would be on the team that initiaties the complaint. The arbitrator can award damages or provide injunctive relief, and his decision can be appealed to an appeals panel.
One person with knowledge of the case said it could end up before Stephen Burbank, the University of Pennsylvania law professor who was known as the sport’s special master when previous labor agreements were under the jurisdiction of a federal court in Minneapolis.
According to people familiar with the case, the Redskins technically violated no salary cap rules. But the league concluded that the team structured contracts during the uncapped year in 2010 to gain an unfair competitive advantage when the salary cap returned in later years. The Redskins paid millions of dollars to players during the year without a salary cap that otherwise would have been paid in seasons with a salary cap to give themselves extra cap space when the cap went back into effect.
The Redskins must absorb at least half the $36 million salary cap hit this season, people familiar with the case have said.
The players’ union reluctantly agreed to the salary cap reductions given to the Redskins and Cowboys, a person familiar with the union’s thinking on the matter said last week.
Washington Redskins linebacker London Fletcher officially made four tackles in Sunday’s loss to the Eagles, giving him 166 on the season, which remains a league high.
The second-most prolific tackler this season, Minnesota’s Chad Greenway, finished the year with 152 tackles.
Fletcher’s critics say part of the reason why he has such a high tackle total is because Washington’s offense is so poor, and thus, he is on the field more.
Fletcher disagreed with that notion saying he would still find a way to make plenty of tackles even if Washington’s defense was on the field less.
“I’m going to make plays regardless of whether I’m on the field a lot or not,” the 36-year-old Fletcher said. “If you look back, we were the fourth-ranked defense, up there leading the league in tackles or close to it. I’ve been on defenses ranked second in the league, making lots of tackles then. Playmakers make plays, regardless of how much they’re on the field.”
Fletcher let out a smile following his response.
As the 14th-year veteran enters the offseason, his contract with the Redskins is set to expire. He has previously maintained, however, that he wants to return to Washington, and Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan and defensive coordinator Jim Haslett have both said re-signing Fletcher ranks as the highest priority for the defense.
Fletcher on Sunday said his future was the furthest thing from his mind, however.
“I’m still frustrated, thinking about losing 11 ballgames. When you don’t win, it frustrates you. That’s the only thing you can think about. Losing. You replay the game over and over in your head at night. I ask myself what could I have done more to help this team win games. That’s really where I’m at.”
The enigmatic Philadelphia Eagle has fallen out of favor, and it looks for sure that he will be leaving Philly at years’ end.
The Washington Redskins will be interested in DeSean Jackson come the offseason.
DeSean has plagued the Redskins, most notably in last season’s blowout with a 91-yard TD on the first drive of the game. He would be a great weapon to have over the next few years.
There are a few concerns with D-Jax, though.
For one, it would be a bad idea to sign him for more than two or three years. He has been injury-prone and has not shown the ability to produce consistently.
Consider this—Jackson has never caught more than 63 balls in a season. In my opinion, to be a No. 1 receiver in this league, a wide receiver must be consistently great.
Jackson has only shown the ability to run fast and catch the deep ball.
Additionally, his skills as a punt-returner are overrated. In his four years in the league, he has only run back four punts for touchdowns.
Devin Hester does that in one season.
While D-Jax would be an exciting signing, I don’t think he would be the best fit in D.C. The ‘Skins need to sign a receiver who their new QB can throw to 10-15 times a game.
Jackson is a shiny toy, but the Redskins just need a solid possession receiver.
That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.
Read More: Tom Brady (QB – NEP), New England Patriots, Washington Redskins
If you have New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady on your fantasy football team you shouldn’t think twice about starting him Sunday, as the Patriots visits the Washington Redskins in a Week 14 NFL match up at FedEx Field in Landover, MD. According to numberfire.com, the Patriots quarterback is projected to score 17.5 points, which is the second-best total amongst NFL quarterbacks and the third-best overall.
Currently, Brady is on pace to throw for 5,221 yards and surpass the NFL record of 5,084 held by former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino, who tossed for 5,084 yards just 27 years ago. Brady is also on pace to throw for 40 touchdowns, which would be his second 40-plus touchdown season ever. Only Marino has accomplished that feat.
The Redskins do have the ninth-best passing defense in the league (208.8 yards per game).
For more on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, visit SB Nation’s Patriots blog Pats Pulpit.
Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.
Redskins safety LaRon Landry has already been ruled out for the Patriots game in Week 14.
Follow , and
Like SBNation.com on Facebook.
Dec 9, 2011 – The Washington Redskins will be without LaRon Landry in the secondary when they play the New England Patriots this weekend. Redskins coach Mike Shanahan has ruled Landry out for the second consecutive week with a groin injury. The Patriots are one of the league’s best offenses in the league (3rd) so his injury could’ve come at a better time.
Landry originally suffered this injury in the Redskins Week 12 game against the Seahawks and, even though he came back to play again in that game, he hasn’t returned to the field since. The Redskins said last week that they’re not considering injured reserve quite yet for Landry, which means they think he has a chance to return at some point in the season’s final four games.
Landry has gone through numerous injuries this year and Sunday will be the fifth game he’s missed throughout the season. He’s a free agent at the end of the season so, while the Redskins may be out of the playoff talk, Landry still has to play well in order to bolster his standing as free agency nears.
Check out SB Nation DC for more updates on Landry and check out Hogs Haven reaction to the news.
Read More: LaRon Landry (SS – WAS), New England Patriots, Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins on Sunday meet the New England Patriots for the ninth time in the history of the franchises. Washington owns a 6-2 record against New England, but the last time the teams faced off, the Patriots handed the Redskins a 52-7 thrashing in Foxborough.
Under normal circumstances, the Redskins would have a tough time keeping up with the Patriots. New England this season has scored 41 touchdowns. Washington, meanwhile, has mustered only 19 all year. And now the going gets tougher for the Redskins, who are without top playmaker Fred Davis and left tackle Trent Williams.
“I wouldn’t say it’s more pressure, but it’s definitely going to be tough to go out there and get a win,” cornerback DeAngelo Hall says. “But the guys in this locker room, we’re not going to quit. We’re going to go out there and fight to get a win.”
Here are some key matchups for this game:
WSH cornerbacks vs. NE wide receiver Wes Welker
Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan, defensive coordinator Jim Haslett and Hall all call Welker the best route-runner in the NFL. That’s a big reason why Welker leads the league both in catches (93) and receiving yards (1,253) and has eight touchdowns despite being only 5-foot-9. He lines up in the slot much of the time, so while Hall may find himself matched up with Welker some, a lot of the responsibility of covering him likely will fall on Kevin Barnes. The Redskins occasionally have put fellow corner Josh Wilson on the opponent’s slot receiver, however, and put Barnes on the outside. It will take a collective effort to limit Welker.
WSH tackles Sean Locklear/Willie Smith vs. NE defensive end Andre Carter
The Redskins haven’t yet announced Trent Williams’ replacement, but it will be either eight-year veteran Sean Locklear, who started two games this season at that spot with Williams injured, or Smith — an undrafted rookie, who boasts good athleticism and size. Carter, who spent the last five seasons with the Redskins, has revived his career after signing with New England this offseason and boasts nine sacks. He had a four-sack game against the Jets this season. Carter has long arms, great strength and explosion off the edge. Locklear or Smith must try to fend him off to give Rex Grossman time to throw.
WSH safeties Oshiomogho Atogwe, Reed Doughty vs. NE tight end Rob Gronkowski
The Redskins could be without strong safety LaRon Landry for a second straight game (groin strain), so they’ll rely heavily on Atogwe, Doughty and rookie DeJon Gomes, to try to limit Gronkowski, who leads the NFL with 13 touchdown catches. The 6-foot-6, 256-pound tight end also ranks seventh in the league with 65 catches and ninth in the NFL with 928 receiving yards. Washington’s linebackers aren’t strong in coverage, so the safeties will have to help over the top. The Redskins don’t have anyone in their secondary that has even close to the type of size that Gronkowski boasts, so Shanahan said the defensive backs will have to use their athleticism and leaping ability to try to combat Brady’s favorite red zone target.
WSH running back Roy Helu vs. NE middle linebacker Brandon Spikes
The Redskins will need another well-rounded effort from their rookie running back, who averages 4.7 yards a carry (15th in the NFL) and leads all rookie running backs with 42 receptions (third overall among NFL rookies). Washington’s offense runs best when the Redskins can put together a balanced attack that features runs from Helu and play-action passes. The Redskins in the last two weeks have started games with strong execution and game-opening touchdown drives. They couldn’t sustain that effectiveness against the Jets, however. But if Spikes and his fellow defenders can take away the run and put Washington in an early hole, it could be a long day.
WSH wide receiver Santana Moss vs. NE cornerback Kyle Arrington
Santana Moss hasn’t had the impact that he has had in years past for the Redskins. Part of that has to do with the four-week injury absence, and part of it has to do with the fact that teams are able to concentrate on shutting him down because the Redskins have few threats outside of Moss. Moss (averaging a career-low 10.9 yards per catch) needs to have a big game for the Redskins to help boost their struggling offense, which now is missing Davis (59 catches, 796 yards, three touchdowns). Arrington leads the NFL with seven interceptions and will likely match up with Moss often. Jabar Gaffney (46 catches, 665 yards, three touchdowns) also needs to have an effective game for the Redskins as he faces his former team, the Patriots.
More Redskins news:
Five storylines to follow
Patriots defensive player to watch
Patriots offensive player to watch
If anybody needs tickets to games, remember to click the tickets link at the top.
Williams and Davis were among 11 NFL players who failed drug tests at the start of training camp, immediately after the NFL lockout was lifted. But as part of the settlement between the NFL and the players’ union, those players received no punishment under a 30-day grace period granted players. During the four-month league shutdown, players were neither tested nor counseled about drug use.
Davis and Williams both failed an additional test during the season for recreational drugs, believed to be marijuana, according to people familiar with their cases. Under the settlement between the NFL and the union, the third positive test is being treated as a second offense, which carries a four-game suspension.
Both players allegedly failed tests for marijuana use some time earlier in their careers.
News of the suspension first broke Sunday, shortly before the Redskins’ 34-19 loss to the New York Jets at FedEx Field.
Davis, whose contract expires at the end of this season, was working with an attorney before the NFL issued its statement Tuesday afternoon to determine whether he could challenge the penalty. But he seemed to have little recourse. Because the suspension is part of a deal between the league and the union, he would have to challenge both if he went to court.
Davis’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has not responded to requests for comment.
Williams, according to one person who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, accepted the suspension after he and his representatives concluded they had no other choice except to fight both the NFL and the union. The Williams camp, the person said, was disappointed with the deal struck by the union, believing the final outcome should have been more lenient because of the circumstances of the lockout.
The Redskins confirmed the suspensions Tuesday afternoon, after the NFL issued its statement. Under league policy, neither player will be allowed to visit the team’s Redskins Park facility or take part in any team-related activities until the suspension is lifted immediately following the regular season. They also will be removed from the team’s 53-man roster.
Davis has career highs this season in catches (59) and yards (796). He is in the final year of his rookie contract and is scheduled to be a restricted free agent after this season. He was supposed to make $600,000 this year but will likely lose $141,176 by missing the final four games.
Williams, the fourth pick in the 2010 NFL draft, was set to earn $7.852 million in the second year of his rookie contract. He stands to lose nearly $1.85 million.
Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan declined Monday to discuss the matter until he was notified by the league. Williams and Davis were at Redskins park Monday and participated normally in team activities, he said. Players had the day off Tuesday.
“Number one, there’s a strict, confidential protocol between the NFL and the players association, and I have not talked or spoken with the NFL thus far,” Shanahan said Monday. “Until I do, there’s not really anything I can say at this point. . . . I don’t want to go through those scenarios — hypothetical situations — until I know for sure what the NFL and the players association has agreed to.”
Staff writers Rick Maese and Barry Svrluga contributed to this report.
Washington Redskins left tackle Trent Williams and tight end Fred Davis were formally suspended without pay for four games by the NFL Tuesday after failing multiple drug tests, according to a statement issued by the league Tuesday afternoon.The suspensions begin immediately
Williams reluctantly accepted the penalty earlier Tuesday, according to a person familiar with his situation. Davis’s response was less clear; he had been exploring other options over the suspension, which was hammered out in a deal between the NFL and the NFL Players Association.
Williams and Davis were among 11 NFL players who failed drug tests at the start of training camp, immediately after the NFL lockout was lifted. But as part of the settlement between the NFL and the players union, those players received no punishment under a 30-day grace period granted players. During the four-month league shutdown, players were neither tested nor counseled about drug use.
Davis and Williams both failed an additional test during the season for recreational drugs, believed to be marijuana, according to people familiar with their cases. Under the settlement between the NFL and the union, the third positive test is being treated as a second offense, which carries a four-game suspension.
Both players allegedly failed tests for marijuana use some time earlier in their careers.
Davis, whose contract expires at the end of this season, was working with an attorney before the NFL issued its statement to determine whether he could challenge the penalty. He seemed to have little recourse. Because the suspension is part of a settlement between the league and the union, he would have to challenge both in court.
Davis’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has not responded to requests for comment.
Williams, according to one person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, accepted the suspension after he and his representatives concluded they had no other choice except to fight both the NFL and the union. The Williams camp, the person said, was disappointed with the deal struck by the union, believing the final outcome should have been more lenient because of the circumstances of the lockout.
The Redskins confirmed the suspensions Tuesday afternoon, after the NFL issued its statement. Under league policy, neither player will be allowed to visit the team’s Redskins Park facility or take part in any team-related activities until the suspension is lifted immediately following the regular season. They also will be removed from the team’s 53-man roster.
Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan declined Monday to discuss the matter until he was notified by the league. Williams and Davis were at Redskins park Monday and participated normally in team activities, he said.
“No. 1, there’s a strict, confidential protocol between the NFL and the players association, and I have not talked or spoke with the NFL thus far,” Shanahan said Monday. “Until I do, there’s not really anything I can say at this point. … I don’t want to go through those scenarios – hypothetical situations – until I know for sure what the NFL and the players association has agreed to.”
Staff writers Rick Maese and Barry Svrluga contributed to this report.
More Redskins news:
Redskins await word on Davis, Williams suspensions
More shuffling ahead along the offensive line
Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.
The Jets’ Matt Slauson watched Barry Cofield’s game against the Cowboys back in Week 11, taking note of the way the Washington Redskins defensive tackle systematically “destroyed” Dallas’ center.
Slauson saw Adam Carriker there, too. Another player who didn’t bring back fond memories.
“That guy haunted my dreams for three years,” Slauson said of his former Nebraska teammate, whom he faced in practice every day. “Carriker? You line him up at a 4-3 defensive end spot and me at the tackle, it was scary. He was a freak there.”
D’Brickashaw Ferguson saw his target on Washington’s defensive line — rush linebacker Brian Orakpo — on television commercials in which Orakpo plays Scrabble against the GEICO caveman. Orakpo substitutes his last name for the word “sack.”
“I’ve seen the GEICO commercials,” Ferguson said. “I’m very aware of Orakpo and I think he’s doing a good job as an actor, he’s got a future there. But, like I said, I respect his game.”
The daunting Washington front, it seems, has been nothing short of omnipresent for the Jets’ offensive line recently.
Despite a 4-7 record, the Redskins stand out with the league’s third-best sack total. Four players have at least 4 1/2 sacks and two — Ryan Kerrigan and Orakpo — are in the top 25. Rex Ryan called it the biggest challenge for his offensive line since a disastrous Week 4 performance against the Baltimore Ravens.
Hanging in the balance, Ryan believes, is the collective confidence of his once sure-handed offensive line. This year, amid injuries and spurts of inconsistency, the offensive line has surrendered 26 sacks (tied for 14th). But shutting down the Redskins’ defensive front Sunday at FedEx Field, Ryan says, is imperative.
“I think it’ll be huge, because that group right there is third in the league in sacks,” Ryan said. “So, I think if we can play well against them, that will bode well for us down the road.”
After the team’s loss to the Denver Broncos, with almost 10 business days before their next opponent, Ryan listed pass protection as a top priority, something he revisited schematically throughout the week.
The result, Slauson said, was an increased usage of blocking backs and tight ends as a second layer of protection between the defensive line and quarterback Mark Sanchez.
While Ferguson said it’s more game-plan specific, guard Brandon Moore said the tight ends and backs may “be keeping eyes out a little more,” quicker to offer a chip block — something he said the team has been doing well of late.
“That’s kind of helped a lot just in case something happened or someone got beat,” Slauson said. “Those guys could lend a hand.”
In preparation for this week, tight end Matt Mulligan said he watched the last four Redskins games start to finish and planned to watch at least two more last night, and he wasn’t alone.
On the practice field Friday, scout team players wore Kerrigan and Orakpo’s numbers, shifting into a bevy of different rush-first fronts and going all-out after the quarterback while Metallica blasted on the loudspeakers to simulate crowd noise.
As if they hadn’t seen their targets enough, on film, from memory and on TV commercials, it was yet another reminder of what they’re up against.
“It’s the strength of their team,” Moore said. “Across the board, they all stand out on film.”
The Miami Dolphins are certainly feeling good coming off their first
victory.
Washington Redskins quarterback John Beck(notes) is still searching for his.
Going up against his former team, Beck looks to help the Redskins avoid
losing a fifth consecutive game for the first time in 10 years when they visit
the Dolphins on Sunday.
After opening with seven consecutive defeats, Miami took out its frustration
last Sunday with a 31-3 rout of Kansas City. The Dolphins (1-7), who rank 25th
in the league with 17.3 points per game, didn’t look like a team that has
struggled to score as Matt Moore(notes) threw for a season-high 244 yards and three
touchdowns.
Miami’s win was the third-largest margin of victory ever by a team that was
0-7 or worse entering the game. The Dolphins didn’t commit a turnover after
having one in 22 consecutive contests, leaving Washington (3-5) with the longest
active streak with a turnover – also 22 games.
“It was absolutely great to get a little reward for all the work we’ve put
in, just to have that feeling of getting a win under your belt,” Moore said. “I
think guys now understand that, ‘Yeah we can do this,’ and they’re hungry and
we’re going to enjoy this one and get ready for Washington.”
That means preparing for Beck’s return. He was a second-round pick of the
Dolphins in 2007, but he failed to record a win in five games that year – four
starts – and was released after the 2008 season.
Beck didn’t get another start until last month, a week after replacing Rex
Grossman(notes) under center during a loss to Philadelphia on Oct. 16. He fell to 0-3
as Washington’s starter after throwing for 254 yards with a TD and an
interception in a 19-11 loss to San Francisco last Sunday.
“When you’re the quarterback and the team hasn’t been winning games, you
want to step up to the plate,” Beck told the Redskins’ official website. “You
want to win games. I think in the league, week-in and week-out you see it – the
desire to win, the feel for the need to win a game. It’s always there.
“There’s always pressure every week regardless of who you’re playing or the
situation you’re in. Even when you’re winning all your games or you’re not -
there’s always pressure to win.”
Last Sunday marked the fourth straight loss overall for the Redskins, who
haven’t dropped five in a row since Sept. 9-Oct. 15, 2001.
The Redskins have been outscored 95-44 during their skid, including a 23-0
loss to Buffalo the previous week – the first time coach Mike Shanahan has been
shut out in 24 years a head coach or an assistant.
“If we come out and get some points on the board early, maybe the game would
be different,” receiver Jabar Gaffney(notes) said. “But these last four games, we’ve
fallen behind in all of them and, it’s like, as soon as the other team scores,
it’s not the same feeling on the sideline. People aren’t looking the same,
aren’t playing the same.”
With Tim Hightower(notes) (torn ACL) out for the season and Ryan Torain(notes) struggling,
Shanahan turned to versatile rookie running back Roy Helu(notes) last Sunday. Making
his first career start, Helu rushed for 41 yards on 10 carries and set a
franchise record with 14 receptions for 105 yards.
The fourth-round pick out of Nebraska, though, did lose a key fumble which
led to a San Francisco touchdown.
“Helu has the speed to make some big plays,” Shanahan said. “I think you can
see he is a pretty good all-around back. He made some plays. I think he’d like
to have that fumble back.”
Shanahan has yet to announce who will start against the Dolphins. Miami has
surrendered an average of 140.3 rushing yards in three home games this season.
The Dolphins have lost seven straight and 12 of 13 at Sun Life Stadium.
Washington is 0-4 all-time at Miami but took the last meeting between the teams,
16-13 in overtime Sept. 9, 2007.
The Dolphins are expected to have Vontae Davis(notes) back this week after the
cornerback was disciplined and held out against the Chiefs for showing up late
to practice.
The Washington Redskins have put cornerback Phillip Buchanon on season-ending injured reserve.
Buchanon has been troubled by neck and knee problems and appeared in only two games this season after being suspended for the first four games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
This was his second season with Washington and 10th in the league.
The Redskins replaced Buchanon by adding cornerback Brandyn Thompson to the 53-man roster Saturday. Thompson was a seventh-round draft pick in April and has played in two games.
Washington (3-4) hosts the NFC West-leading San Francisco 49ers (6-1) on Sunday.
