"DC" Skins PREgame #12 - vs Minnesota - Purple and Horned

First I want to get some more apologies out of the way for not blogging a lot more during this holiday break. I was spending some quality time with my family, mostly my nephew and niece. I hope you have had as nice and interesting of a few days as I have this holiday. Let's just say I am probably one of the most experienced single, child-rearing adults out there who has never actually sired a seed of his own, nor babysits for a living (that's a blog for another time). But, win or lose, since I've been consistent with doing my Redskins predictions week in and week out, I figured I should keep with it. I will make this short though.

The Vikings fired their coach this week. Does it mean that the organization and team will be inspired with new leadership and possibly play harder? Maybe. Take a look at the Cowboys.

With that being said, the Vikings still have been a mess as a team, and in the center of all that (literally and figuratively) has been their QB Brett Favre. His turnover numbers and passer rating are just plain atrocious, he's been playing hurt, and he's definitely had one of his worst years he's had in recent memory. And I didn't even get into his off-the field issues. (Let's just say that he's appropriate that he is a Viking, because his situation with Jen Sterger shows that he is one "horny" dude.) Favre is slated to start, but I do think the Vikings have a better chance if he gets out of the game (which, in my opinion, he may).

As far as the Redskins are concerned, even though the win against the Titans have gave them some renewed hope for the season, they are still a mess as an organization too. Not to mention, that win last week came with a huge price, as most of the players ended up banged up, or hurt considerably (as in the case of Clinton Portis and others, hurt for the whole year).

I think the Redskins will win this game. Though the Redskins are banged up (most especially on the offensive line), the offense should do enough, while their defense will probably carry the team by causing the Viking offense (mainly Favre) to make mistakes and put them in decent field position. However, I do think the Vikings will keep this game close. As I said, the Redskins are a dysfunctional organization as well, and some of that is going to show on the field somehow. Not to mention, though Favre will probably be expected to make mistakes, Adrian Peterson can ease him off a little bit on offense, as that Viking O-line is a lot more solid than the Redskins'. Furthermore, I did say earlier that the Vikes may have more of a chance if Bret Favre comes out sometime during the game. And with the history of the Redskins defense hurting people this year, there might be a chance he comes out... which may actually help them.

Final Prediction Redskins 21 Vikings 17

I just have a feeling this will be an ugly game, on both ends. And I think the Vikings the "ugliness" can hurt the Vikings more. As of now, it doesn't look like any serious championship contenders will be playing in this game, and it will probably show in the scoreboard.

The Redskins also have proven to play down to their competition, which is why I picked such a close score. But, I do think the Redskins need this game. They need all the wins they can get though, and they must pick up the games that they are expected to win down the stretch. Since they are at home, this could be one of those wins.

If the Redskins win, they will go 6-5. They simply can't go in a key matchup next week against the Giants at 5-6. Therefore, the sense of urgency should be up (despite what we've seen this season), and it should help make a difference. 

But, we'll see come roughly quarter after 4 PM EST.

HTTR,

-OBE

"DC" Skins Postgame #11 - Titanic Effort Returns Hope

Yes... another late blog. I do realize this should have been posted about two days ago, but who's keeping track?

Anyway, after being left for dead after the massacre against the Eagles last Monday night on national television, the Redskins have gotten some hope back with this 19-16 overtime win against the Titans. This was a game that the Redskins had to win, and going into the game, it didn't look good because the Titans won all the games against the NFC East, and they were very banged up with a lot of key injuries. Not to mention, the Titans are just plainly a lot more talented than them.

As the game was played, it didn't look to good for the Skins initially as well. They allowed the ball deep into their own territory for the first Titans possession, then allowed a touchdown punt return during the next. But fortunately for them, they were only down 7-0. They responded a possession later and tied it at 7, but they could have easily been down by a lot.

Then, the injuries started coming. Special teams players started to go down, then some offensive linemen, then Clinton Portis (again), then more offensive linemen. They were banged up already to start off the game, and they started to lose even more players? It looked bad. Very bad. The coaches were moving people around the line, putting tackles as guards, players who played normally played on the left on the right side, and so on. That offensive line was a patchwork job, and it didn't look like it was going to hold up, especially against a defense that sacked the quarterback the most in the NFL.

But the Redskins offensive line really surprised me. Despite this line being banged up and abnormal, it still probably put up the best effort it has all season. McNabb was only sacked three times, and in most cases, they gave him time to throw the ball. The mistakes that McNabb made and the interceptions he threw were more on him than on his offensive line. There was even one interception he threw where he had forever to throw the ball. Along with the fact that Vince Young was replaced by a rookie quarterback in the 4th quarter, this gritty play of this offensive line, as well as key stops on defense kept the Redskins in it in the end, and the game came down to a Redskins field goal in the end of regulation, which wasn't made. Therefore, it went to overtime.

Overtime was more of the same. The Titans moved the ball a little bit, and depended on Chris Johnson to do so, but apparently the Redskins play made it clear that they would make Rusty Smith (Vince Young's replacement) try to beat them. And of course, he wasn't able to. And after they punted, and when the Titans gave the ball back to the Redskins, offense did it's thing and allowed McNabb to make a few plays. But at the same time, Titans also committed a lot of stupid penalties in this period, including a few unnecessary roughness and holding penalties. So, in the end, the Redskins moved the ball far enough so they had a chance at a field goal. Ironically, that field goal was a yard longer than the field goal that was missed to end regulation. However, Gano (the Redskins kicker) was able to boot it in for the win.

As I said, this is a good win for the Redskins, and it restored some hope in this town and showed that the season is not lost (yet). They beat a team that they weren't supposed to beat and are clearly more talented than them on paper with a very bad offensive line, after a demoralizing loss a week before. Therefore, people in DC have started to rejoice for the week, because the smiles are more apparent after the win. Not to mention, the "P" word could be back in the conversation if there happens to be a couple more key wins. And that starts next week, with a very winnable game against the Vikings (who has a geriatric quarterback with some off-the-field camera phone "issues" and also just fired their head coach).

But, with this win, people here in the DMV should feel good, for now. If they play with that same heart, as they get healthy, they will definitely get back into the postseason conversation. But, it's still very hard to say whether this win determines if this team will be playoff bound. It may be doubtful that the line will perform the way it did that day, and how well (or if) everyone heels up as the season goes on. 

For now, just take it for what it's worth... a win against a more talented Titans team. Whether it gives momentum throughout the upcoming games, we'll just have to wait and see. It does restore hope though. I always believed that hope is the rope of the faithful and loyal. And from living here all of these years, the fans of this team are one of the most faithful in the country. 

That being said, Redskins fans can have something to hang on to for now. Let's just see how long it hangs out there.

HTTR,

-OBE

"DC" Skins PREgame #11 - at Tennessee - Remember the Titans

The Redskins are coming off one of the most disappointing losses in recent memory against the Eagles. In my opinion they simply have to get a win here to get back in the conversation as far as "playoff contenders". Most people aren't picking the Redskins to do a lot in this game, and that's understandable, considering that they stunk it up on National TV last week, and the Titans have some weapons on offense, and are pretty solid in defense. If they win a game that they are supposedly not to win, that will at least get a little of that bad taste out of their mouth, and get them confident for the next week.

But, as far as if it's actually gonna happen, that may be a whole different story. After this past week, most of the fans have been dejected and disappointed, and even the most loyal ones realistically believe they can't win this game, and to expect disappointment again. As it was said, Tennessee has way too many offensive weapons, with Chris Johnson, Vince Young, and Randy Moss (who was acquired not too long ago). And with the way the Redskins offense has been playing lately (mainly, the offensive line getting McNabb destroyed), the Titans D can shut them down.

I consider myself a pretty loyal Redskins fan. But realistically, like a lot of other Redskins fans out there, if you look at the situation realistically, it's just hard to pick them in anything right now. They're offensive line is terrible, they're missing a few key players on defense, and right now, they're just not a good team.

Prediction: Redskins 21 Titans 37

I will say, that Clinton Portis finally coming back should help the Redskins out a lot, and can possibly get McNabb that pass protection he needs, as a solid blocking running back. Ironically, Albert Haynesworth can be an ex-factor in this game too. He's coming back to his original team, and might be motivated to play, since that is where his brother died. Conversely, the way Shanahan and the defensive coaches play Haynesworth could have a huge say on this game as well.

As I always do whenever I picked the Skins to lose... I hope I'm wrong. But right now, all signs point to the Titans winning, and I just can't avoid those signs (especially if they're too obvious). Fortunately, realistically picking a team to win, and hoping for a win are two different things. So, although I'm doing the former, there's no reason that I can't believe in the latter.

But like I said, we'll see what happens.

HTTR,

-OBE

PS: If there are a lot of mistakes in this blog, I did most of it when I was only half awake. (Just so you know).

My thoughts on Pacquiao vs Margarito - A Story of Playground Supremacy

I realize I am a week late for this blog. I meant to do this blog sooner, but I was out and about working for the community. Not to mention, I had a lot of things on my mind that I am not really at a liberty to discuss here.

But about this fight... if you are a Manny Pacquiao fan and/or you are a Filipino (which, in both cases, I am), then you loved this fight. From the introductions when he came out to AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" and Joe Esposito's "You're the Best" (from the Karate Kid Soundtrack), all the way to the Larry Merchant post-match interview, you were entertained if you were a Pacquiao fan.

Since I am clearly not a boxing analyst or expert, instead of telling you my specific thoughts of what took place during the match, I am going to summarize my thoughts through a story that some people may relate to when they were kids...

Imagine if you knew a kid who was probably one of the smallest in the playground. He was always short, and initially was grouped with all the small kids. Since this kid is a small kid, he had to continuously prove himself. So in time, when kids his size pushed him back, he continued to hold his own and knock them down, until they were no longer a challenge for them. He then became the toughest little kid in that group.

As time went along, bigger kids started to notice him. These kids are part of 7 different groups, with each group having bigger kids than the previous group. Many of these kids tried to get a piece of this kid, but, as time went along, he got stronger. When each of the top kids in each of these groups tried to push him, he kept knocking them down.

After beating some of the best kids from the last 6 groups, out comes a very big kid from that last 7th group. Now the kid has some doubters that he might not do so well. He already went a tough road beating up kids from the last 6 groups. To add on, this big kid towered over the little kid. As big as this kid is, he could have easily been part of the 8th group. Not to mention, because the little kid got so popular standing up to the bigger kids, his classmates elected him class president. He was taking a lot more responsibilities, and probably cannot focus on standing up to the bigger kids as much. Therefore, there were a few people saying that he might not win if he fought this bigger kid, who was naturally much bigger than him.

However, the time came when the little kid had to confront the biggest kid he's ever seen. When the big kid tried to push the little kid around, not only did the little kid push back, but he hit him a lot... and I mean a lot. He hit the big kid so much, that his face was messed up really bad. And to add on, when it was obvious the big kid was already beaten, the small kid decided to show mercy and not "make a statement" by knocking him down.

In my opinion, this story of playground supremacy may somewhat mirror Pacquiao's journey through boxing. He started his career as a flyweight, then he kept moving up, beating guys and winning world championships in 7 different weight classes. This all then culminated into an 8th world championship in his fight against Margarito, who was a pretty big super welter-weight (Margarito had to cut weight to get this fight, while Pacquiao had to bulk up). And despite being elected to the Philippine Congress and taking a lot more responsibilities and having a lot more distractions, he managed to do his job and easily win his fight against Margarito, so much so, that he didn't need to send a message by going for a knockout at the end of the fight.

However, if I could add something else to the story, to make it even more accurate... a kid who's arguably as good as this kid (Mayweather), needs to get a confrontation with this kid to settle who really is the best in the playground. Every kid in this playground wants to see this confrontation, and kids from other playgrounds all over the world do as well. However, there's always an excuse being made (mostly from the other kid) to prevent this from confrontation from happening.

I doubt Pacquiao will move up another weight class and go for a world title in a 9th weight class. That would be unprecedented if that happened. But right now, the only fight that the boxing world wants to see, and the only fight that matters, is Pacquiao vs Mayweather. Hopefully, they would find a way to make it happen, but as it looks right now, with Mayweather's legal problems, it's highly unlikely that it will anytime soon.

But before I end this entry, I just thought I'd throw out one more factoid out there (which I posted after the fight). Manny Pacquiao has more wins all year in Cowboys Stadium than the Dallas Cowboys (with Pacquiao having two wins in 2010, while the Cowboys are still winless in their home stadium in the 2010 season). And as a Redskins fan, that gives me a comfort. LOL

D4P...PD!!!

-OBE

"DC" Skins Postgame #10 - Shocked and Embarassed

I'm not going to say too much about this game. Simply put, it was tough to watch if you're a Redskins fan. The team got embarrassed, humiliated, degraded, or any other negative verb you can throw out there that summarizes pure disappointment.

I am not going to blog about it, not only because it may be a little tough to do so as a fan, but also, the local, as well as the national reaction to the overall Redskins performance (as well as the overall Eagles performance) is practically mutual... the game was not even close. (And that's an understatement).

Instead of talking about it, I'll post a rant from one of the more respected sports radio shows out here in this area, because of the unbiased commentary. This was from Chad Dukes and Lavar Arrington from 106.7-FM "The Fan". Chad Dukes was mad, and really exhibited the passion, and frustration the fans from this area have been going through in years, and just shows how loyal the fans are in this town.

If anybody from the organization heard this rant, I hope they took some notes. People are really disappointed in major failure and expect the best from what they pour their heart out to, as it is in real life.

With that being said, for this team as it relates to this season... this is "Rock Bottom". And when you're at your very worse, you can only get better, which is the way I see it. Although I am probably as disappointed as Chad Dukes with this performance, I always try to find the positive that may come out of a bad situation.

We'll see how they play against another solid team in the Tennessee Titans next week, to see if that pain can actually serve as a motivator to turn the season around. But with this performance, even though I am cautiously optimistic, I still remain more skeptical that this team can turn it around for this season.

So until then, we'll see how it goes. But I will say right now, since I put a lot of faith in my team in that last prediction and lost a lot of it, it may be hard to pick them for the rest of the season.

I will say, that I was right about one thing though. I was right in titling the pregame entry "Redemption". That game yesterday was indeed "Redemption", but it was just more appropriate for the other team.

That's all I gotta say about that.

-OBE

"DC" Skins PREgame #10 - vs Philadelphia - Redemption Part 2

This is only going to be a quick thoughts blog, just because it a bit after 8:15 PM kickoff is in more or less 15 minutes. I'm just going to get a few quick thoughts in, and then my predictions.

First thought... the Redskins had a very long bye week to sit on their loss. They played the early game in Week 8, and play the final Monday Night game in Week 10. Unless they have huge injuries (like Clinton Portis) there should be no excuses that they aren't prepared or refreshed for this match.

In the two weeks leading into this matchup, all that the DC sports media can talk about is benchgate... did Shanahan do the right thing benching McNabb?, how would this affect McNabb and contract negotiations?, the long-term future of the Redskins?. But whatever happened two weeks ago, is the past. The Redskins have a chance to forget what happened two weeks ago with a huge victory tonight and right the ship (so to speak).

Some breaking news took place today as well. McNabb finally signed his contract extension. This is important because he doesn't have to worry about a contract anymore, and he can just focus mainly on football.

I do think the Redskins are going to win this game, but it's gonna be far from easy. The Eagles are coming off one of their biggest wins of the season against Peyton Manning and the Colts, a team that the Redskins lost to. The Eagles defense were able to contain Peyton Manning and the offense, and Mike Vick and their running back were able to capitalize on the suspect running defense of Indy. 

With that being said, the Redskins should be prepared with their two weeks off. McNabb and his team needs to redeem themselves after letting an opportunity slip two weeks ago. And given it's the Eagles and it's McNabb's former team and it's Monday Night football, they should be giving a bit more effort.

Prediction Eagles 24 Redskins 27

Whether I'm right and wrong in this prediction, we can all agree that this game is a crossroads of destiny for this Redskins team. In my opinion, whatever the results will be will be a huge indicator of how they will finish the season.

HTTR...

-OBE

These videos take me back... Way Back

Most people know that I was born in the Philippines. I don't really remember a lot from my very early years in the Philippines, from when I was born to when my family moves to the United States when I was 6, but I found a couple of videos in YouTube that really took me back.

The first is one of my favorite action series when I was growing up. I remembered it as "Bioman". Take a look...

Basically, it's an early version of the Power Rangers (although, not the earliest). I had fond memories of this show, as my brothers and I watched this with some of our friends in our neighborhood, right before "Muppet Babies". A key plot in this show, was when Yellow-4, one of the team members, died because she got killed by the bad guys. I remembered having dreams about that when I was a little kid, and crying. Looking back at some of the clips, I'm surprised how violent this series was, and had a lot of adult situations, considering that this was a kids' show.

Another show I ran into in YouTube that I remembered watching in the Philippines was Batibot. Basically, it's a Filipino Tagalog version of "Sesame Street"...

I remembered a lot about this show, most especially the big goofy turtle. This show would come on right before a real English and American version of Sesame Street. In fact, I learned that this show was actually sponsored and produced by Children's Television Workshop. Kind of makes me wonder though, that from all the Tagalog on this show, that my brother and I was able to "unlearn" Tagalog when we moved here to the US.

I also remembered a lot of other shows. Of course, I do remember watching Voltron, Transformers, and Thundercats, like many normal kids around the world. But as far as Filipino specific shows, I do remember watching a variety show called Eat Bulaga with "Tito, Vic, and Joey" that aired during lunch time. I also remembered watching Filipino soap operas too (which names I couldn't remember), which haunted me for a long time, because of so many "adult situations" like people drowning, and getting run over by cars. I couldn't find YouTube footage of those shows as I remembered them though.

Anyway, it was great to re-live a lot of my early Filipino memories through YouTube. It's always great to see where you came from, even when you were probably way too young to remember anything.

On an unrelated note, I hope Manny Pacquiao wins tonight.

D4P...PD!!!

-OBE

People are Awesome

I know I have been dropping the ball as far as posting blogs, therefore, I thought I'd do a very quick, yet very productive and upbeat post with this entry.

Saw this video the other day on my phone, because it's title caught my eye when I saw it on the YouTube widget. Check it out...

Enough said!

D4P...PD!!!

-OBE

"DC" Skins PREgame #9 - What Game?

The Redskins aren't playing this week, so I don't have anything specific to write about when it comes to "pregame" thoughts this week. During bye weeks, most sports blogs covering the Redskins would evaluate what the team has done so far, and what it can do to move on or get better. Frankly, I'm tired of reading about the McNabb-Shanahan controversy, bench gate, how our best cover cornerback can't catch, and how our best catching cornerback can't cover, so I'll refrain talking about the Redskins. They don't have a game until Monday the 15th, so there's definitely a long gap in between games. I will say though, that as far as recovery, this bye week came at a perfect time for the Redskins... right in the middle of the season, since you won't get burned out by having a bye week too late, nor do you lose your rhythm by having your bye too early.

But instead of talking about the Redskins, I'll just talk about Week 9 in general, and some short general thoughts...

I don't think there are really intriguing matchups this week that really jump out at you. The most, I guess would be Tampa Bay and Atlanta, since both teams are in the same division, and both locked in at 5-2 fighting for the top spot. I will say, that I am still not sold on Tampa, and I am pretty sure that the Falcons should win this game handily, and make the Bucs look like pretenders, while making themselves serious contenders in the NFC with the Giants.

Indy and Philly kind of looks interesting, considering that it is rumored that Michael Vick will be back. But, of course, I'm rooting for Peyton Manning and the Colts, because any loss by division rivals is a good one for the Redskins. If Manning looks as good as he did against the Redskins and pick apart that Philly defense, then Indy should have a win.

Kansas City and Oakland is an interesting game, because it's a NFC West rivalry game. We don't care too much about here in the East Coast, but the fans of these teams really value this rivalry. They're both not too far off of each other in the standings, but both are in the top-2 spots of this division, so this should be an interesting game.

I guess Pittsburgh and Cincinnati is an intriguing game as well, since they are also both on the same division, both with a lot of talent. Not to mention, they both love to talk trash to one another, which should make the matchup even more entertaining. But, since the Bengals are having a disappointing year, and the Steelers have managed to keep the ship together when their quarterback didn't play, the edge will go to Pittsburgh. But, don't be surprised if this game is close, or if Cincinnati happens to pull it off.

I will probably end up watching the Ravens and Dolphins game though. I could care less about this matchup, but since the Ravens are the team that I pay attention to whenever the Redskins aren't playing, I will probably see this game. There's nothing intriguing to me about this match though. However, I have bought in to the fact that the Ravens will go pretty far. Their offense can still use a good amount of work, but they are still one of the most balanced teams around.

I do have a meeting in my church that I have to attend after church, so I will be missing a good amount of the early games. I probably might not be watching too much of the late games either, considering that the Capitals play the Flyers later that afternoon.

But with that, it should still be an interesting week to watch football... so if you have nothing else better to do, go ahead and watch.

D4P...PD!!!

-OBE

PS: Don't forget to set your clock back before bed.

Another Reason Why I Love the Japanese...

The Japanese brought us innovative electronics, efficient automobiles, crazy game shows, and animation such as Akira and the Dragon Ball franchise. and Sasuke/Ninja Warrior. Now they have brought it's natives an outrageous way to learn English...



Go to YouTube and type in "Zuukin". There's a bunch of these videos. It makes me smile. :-)

D4P...PD!!!
-OBE

Ignore...

Normally, I'm all for acknowledgment. When someone does something notable (hoping that it's great) it deserves to be recognized. However, this blog post will discuss the other end of the spectrum (sort of).

A couple of nights ago, I attended the Washington Wizards home season opener. Before the game, the Wizards' star rookie, John Wall does the Dougie.

When I saw it, I viewed it as a kid trying to have fun and giving the home crowd something to be excited about in his first home game in the city that he represents, all the while, trying to zap some energy into a franchise that has been in need of it for years.

However, one national radio personality (who will remain nameless on this blog), decided to criticize this, and tried to spin this in the most elitist way possible. He compared Wall doing this dance to low-IQ street thuggery and robbing a bank, and that the "elite" point guards who play and have played in the league will never do something like this.

When I heard this, I just shook my head because it's completely asinine. Many times, I have respect for this guy and his opinions, as I think he usually has educated and well thought out opinions, but it's just obvious that he was just saying this to try to get a reaction... so people will call his radio show, waste some ink and pixels on him in paper or in the blogosphere, or take up bandwidth in YouTube. And believe me... it worked. There's tons of reactions all over the world wide web.

So the lesson to be learned from all this, is that whenever people say asinine things to try to get a reaction, the best thing to do is to ignore them. To give them any kind of reaction or publicity at all just plays into what they want you to do. So the best way to do not do that, is to not give them the light of day, and not do anything relating to them at all.

Look at it from a professional wrestling standpoint... whether you're a good guy and get heavily cheered, or your a bad guy and get severely booed, they are the ones getting paid and the ones with the most job security. If you're someone whom fans aren't sure to cheer or boo and practically gets little or no reaction, then you're gonna have trouble getting booked and getting paid. So the best way to try to make these people to go away is to ignore them.

But if you think about it, by giving John Wall some air time in his show, he probably had the reverse effect of what he intended, and more people probably respected John Wall even more after his rant, considering some well-researched bloggers refuted a lot of his points. Here's an example of such a blog that did a great job in doing so.

So, in case someone is trying to get under your skin... the best thing to do is to just ignore. Don't play into their hands by giving them the time of day.

D4P...PD!!!

-OBE

"DC" Skins Postgame #8 - Haunting Loss

Being that yesterday was Halloween, it is fitting that this loss against the Lions is haunting for the Redskins. As I said, they had all the momentum and the opportunity to go into their bye-week at 5-3, with a winning record, on the thick of things on the race for the division, or maybe in the conference. Yet, they blew a game they had a great chance to win down the stretch... and now more uncertain about the future than any point in the season. And I didn't even mention the "Bench-gate" scandal that took place in the end of the game.

As expected, the Lions were a tougher out than their 1-5 record indicated. Matthew Stafford is a decent young quarterback, he came back from an injury, they have a talented defensive line, and they were well rested, playing at home, coming straight out of their bye week. 

Stafford looked rusty to start off the game, but luckily for them, the Redskins offense couldn't capitalize with their opportunities. It was a defensive battle to start off, with the Lions defense getting pressure on McNabb, and the Redskins making a few plays. If I can recall, the first points weren't scored until the 2nd quarter.

But, as when the scores started to come, it was a see-saw battle. When the Lions scored, the Skins countered with another score. The Redskins were able to get two quick field goals in the end of the half to lead by 6 at break.

Come the 3rd and 4th quarter, the battle continued. It was a pretty good battle. Score after conter-score, with nice drives, as well as defensive and special teams plays. It continued up until down the stretch, up until the end of the game. When McNabb got intercepted, and the Lions scored that field goal, even though they were down by 6, the chances weren't that good.

But, what really sealed it was when McNabb got benched for Rex Grossman with under 2-minutes to play still only down for 6-points. And in the first play, "Sexy Rexy" got sacked, fumbled the ball, and gave up the go-ahead score to seal it.

Before I give my opinions on that particular "bench-gate" incident, I want to talk about what I generally saw in the game. The Lions defensive line dominated the front line, as they totally destroyed that shaky Redskins offensive line. And honestly, the way it looked, it could have been A LOT worse. With the pressure they got on McNabb, it's a surprise he didn't get hit more, or leave the game injured. Not to mention, the Skins couldn't get the run going, and most of their plays that they made in offense were on the air. And, a lot of the scores they got were from good special teams or defensive plays getting them good field position.

So now... the issue with Shanahan benching McNabb. Like many people who saw it... I'm not buying his reasons. Yesterday, he said he benched them because McNabb didn't know the two-minute terminology as well as Grossman did, since he's been in the system a lot longer. After the press conference today, he said that he wasn't well-conditioned and that his "cardio" wasn't good enough.

As much as I don't like to say it, that last statement is kind of making Albert Hayneswoth look more credible with his issues with Shanahan earlier in the year, and makes him look like he uses "conditioning" as a trump card to give him an excuse not to play people. And, the fact that Haynesworth actually had another solid game yesterday, shows that he isn't as bad as Shanahan made him out to be earlier in the year.

Regardless, no matter what shape you think your player is in... if he's clearly the best player you got, you put him in down the stretch. And clearly, McNabb is better than Rex Grossman. He's more mobile, can allude the rush, and has been and thrived more in pressure situations than "Sexy Rexy". Even if he knew the terminology more, the fact that you put an immobile quarterback against a shaky offensive line that has been killed all-day long by that Lions frontline was a very questionable move.

As far as the reason that it was said that McNabb wouldn't have been capable of running the two minute offense because of his "cardio" or his capability... I don't buy that at all. He says that the Skins have never been in a two minute situation all year. Apparently, Shanny couldn't turn the clock back a couple of hours, because McNabb got some much needed 3-points in a two-minute situation before halftime. Sure, it was only a field goal, and it was earlier in the game when he is supposedly not as "tired", but still... he showed he's capable of doing what he needed to do, when he needed to do it.

Looking forward to the rest of the season, this loss, and the "bench-gate" situation can lead to two different results, both on the opposite sides of the spectrum...

• One is (which is the one that most people I have heard in the airwaves are predicting), that this is a crippling loss, which will take the Redskins out of contention, and they will fall apart as the year goes on (adding all that to the fact that the McNabb negotiations have all been killed and this organization has to go back to square one, and be uncertain about the future again). 
• OR... this loss can fire up this team, like how the loss to the Rams ealier in the year fired them up to win against teams that they are supposed to lose to. And just like that Rams loss, who do they play in their next game? Donovan McNabb's Eagles. Rewind back into last year, when Andy Reid benched McNabb in favor or Kevin Kolb. When McNabb got his spot back, he played his best football of the year and almost closed the year with a division championship (until the Eagles pooped it out against the Cowboys in the last week of the season, then in the opening round of the playoffs).

As someone who is normally an optimist, I'm inclined to think that the latter option is more than probable for the Skins. And realistically, I do think they can come back from this loss and do better. I hate sounding like an apologist... considering that they haven't really done anything mind-blowing so far in the first half of the season, but from looking at the schedule, it looks like they might've gotten the tougher games out of the way. IMO, the toughest games they have left are against the Giants twice, and the Titans. If they can steal a couple of those games, and beat the teams that they're supposed to beat (and yes, I predict the Buccaneers to slowly as the year goes on), they can get back in the conversation.

But, as we all know, the NFL is a week-by-week, "what have you done for me lately?" league. You're only as good as your last performance... and if the Redskins happen to bounce back after this loss and convincingly win against the Eagles, people will start talking about them again.

It's a shame though that they will not get that chance in another 2 weeks. Their next game won't be until Monday the 15th, so they have A LOT of time to think about this win... and the local media has a lot of time to stew on this loss and fill the airwaves with a lot of chatter. That's why I said that it was important that they get this win... not only for their psychological outset in these two weeks, but also, because of what I previously said, that this area is so linked to this football team, that when the team loses, the mood in this area is terrible. Therefore, most people will feel terrible during the first half of November. (I say "most", because this statement won't apply to me.)

As I last year, the President isn't dead... so all is not lost in DC in these next two weeks. But, if this city's football team can bounce back from their latest setback (which I can see that they are more than capable of)... then all will be much better again.

D4P...PD!!!

-OBE

Happy Halloween

...from El Último.

He is said to be inspired by The Ultimate Warrior, Ric Flair, Eddie Guerrero, Delirious, and Spike Dudley. Showed up in a couple of Halloween functions this year. He loves to be loud and obnoxious. See the only wrestling promo he ever recorded.

Not to mention, he stole my championship belt (and my shirt). He steals them every Halloween, and gives it back the day or two after. (He's such a nice guy).

 

Happy Halloween.

D4P...PD!!!

-OBE

PS: Will do the Redskins Postgame blog tomorrow.

"DC" Skins PREgame #8 - at Detroit - A Win is Needed... I Ain't Lion.

I'm gonna try to keep this short... the Redskins need to win this game.

As this game is played, the Redskins have a huge chance to go into their bye week with a lot of momentum... as they currently have with a 4-3 winning record, a 2-1 NFC record, and they're unblemished at 2-0 in their own division. If they win against Detroit, they will be 5-3, and be alone in 2nd in the NFC East, and only a half-a-game behind the New York Giants for the division lead.

However, they can't afford to look back. The Lions are 1-5, and some people say the Redskins should win this game (since they should be motivated after what happened in Week 3 last year), but it's gonna be far from an easy win. As I said in last week's blog, the Lions have been in every single game they were in, and their win-loss record does not do them justice of how good this team is this year.

And, despite of the 1-5 record, this team has improved from last year. They've drafted a playmaking pass-rusher in defense with Ndamukong Suh, who can potentially have a field day and give McNabb a lot of trouble. They still have Calvin Johnson, who look like he's gotten even better. Their running back Jahvid Best, though struggling currently, is a solid young guy. And on top of that, their quarterback with the big arm, Matt Stafford should be back, who had his way with the Skins last year. Add that to the fact that the gamblers at Vegas are favoring the Lions to beat the Redskins to win by around 3 points, this should be far from an "easy win".

However, do I think the Redskins can rise above all that and pull of a win? Yes I do. Although, I do potentially see McNabb having some problems with the improved Lions pass rush, I do think he'll get some off to his tight ends. Not to mention, as crazy as it may sound, Ryan Torain and the Redskins running attack can have a big game this week. And I do think the Redskins defense will be aggressive against Stafford, and will never get that Detroit running game going. I do think that they will remember the loss from last year, and really use it as fuel to turn up the aggressiveness. Add that to the fact that the Redskins have put someone out in just about every game this year... the Lions may not be an exception, and can potentially hurt someone.

Final prediction... Redskins 27 Lions 19

Like I said, the Redskins really need this win, and the players and the coaches should be up for it. It would not only be great to go into a bye week with a win, but they'll go in as one of the more solid teams in the NFC with a 5-3 record. Add that to the motivation they should have for being humiliated last year, should add up to a Redskins win. Afterward, they can rest up on a long bye week and meet the Eagles at their homefield on 11/15. If they can pull off the win, it looks like the stars may start to align for a nice run for a playoff spot, or a division crown during the 2nd half of the season.

But, one thing I find interesting is that in this game, two specific players are playing in opposing teams... Kevin Barnes and Jahvid Best. This is what happened the last time these two met (in the college level)...

I doubt this would happen, considering that Kevin Barnes is far down the depth chart for the Redskins, but the fact that these two are on opposing sidelines. I'm kind of surprised this sports potpourri hasn't been mentioned in the airwaves (if it has, I must not have heard it).

Hopefully, I'm right with this prediction. A win really will get people around here very excited for the first half of November, and that's something I'd like to look forward to.

HTTR!!!

-OBE

Is Your Rent Too Damn High?

Jimmy McMillan thinks so...

In fact, "Rent is too Damn High" is not only the whole platform that he runs behind, but also the party that he represents. (High rent/cost of living or operation = bad economy, less jobs, hungry kids, poverty = EVIL).

Not to mention, he's a karate expert.

I'm not going as far as saying that he would win (or if a lot of people are going to take him seriously and actually vote for him), but he's definitely gonna get some attention come election day on Tuesday. (If he hasn't done so already, since he's gotten a few million people to watch his debate footage in mere days.)

I do agree with him though... rent is too damn high. Have you seen how much rent costs on average in downtown DC? sheesh

D4P...PD

-OBE

Greeting Your Friends A Happy Birthday...

I feel it's pretty important to greet the people in your life a happy birthday! A birthday is a day when something great happened... you came into this world, and you were given life. I feel it's always important to be thankful, and recognize that.

In fact, in Facebook, so long as your birthday is listed your profile (or even if it's not, and I just happen to know it), I greet you a happy birthday. I don't just do it any other way though, because so long as I can write on your wall, I do it with a personalized greeting (it's personalized to the level that I actually know you) and post it with the following video...

I like to think that I started this social media birthday video greeting craze. (A lot of other people are just starting to get into it recently). As this video said, this is the 3rd version of my personal Facebook birthday greeting (which I change every year on April 1st), and years before Facebook became my networking tool of choice, I used to do this on MySpace.

In MySpace, I had 25,000+ friends, and I managed to do it for everyone who listed their birthdays by initially posting a playlist of my motivational videos on their wall. Then, it evolved to me posting that playlist preceded by the following video...

Like I said, since I had so many friends on MySpace, this became one of my most popular videos. People love to be genuinely greeted a happy birthday, and they will definitely appreciate the gesture.

Unfortunately, I rarely log into myspace anymore, since it's interface is clearly inferior as compared to Facebook. Since my MySpace page is an Artist page, and has over 5,000 fans, it doesn't show the birthdays anymore, therefore I can't greet people a happy birthday on MySpace. However, it's definitely a different story when it comes to my Facebook page. I value the people in my network, and I greet them a happy birthday whenever it's time.
 
This week I happened to greet a lot of my Facebook friends a happy birthday. Therefore I thought it appropriate for me to do this blog.

But all in all, there's plenty of creative ways to greet your friends a happy birthday on social media, or just generally appreciate them. I am still trying to find a way to do it on Twitter, but apparently, it's not as possible, considering that you don't have to be as personable with your followers, as well as the ones you're following. 

Whatever the case may be, if you know if it's your friend's birthday, take the time to greet them. If you give it some extra kick (by doing something like a video), I'm sure they'll appreciate it that much more. 

Like I said, you can also do something like this even when it isn't someone's birthday. As I always believed... adding value to others' lives, will add value to your own.

D4P...PD!!!

-OBE

Wizards Making Magic in the Commuity

In lieu of the start of the NBA Season today, I just wanted to point something out that my hometown team, the Washington Wizards have done...

Salute to the Stars

Most of the Washington Wizards players, including this year's 1st round pick John Wall, took the time to serve veterans hors d'oeurves and food. That's definitely a great way to show appreciation to those who have served this country, and defend the right for all of us to be our own "destiny choosers".

Normally, I'm skeptical with these "NBA Cares" campaigns, considering that it's done more for positive PR purposes, to build face and credibility, and make themselves look good than they really are. I usually remember this quote from the Bible when I hear about big organizations "giving back" to the community...

Matthew 6:1-4

"Be careful not to do your `acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

But, as the case with the Wizards, I don't think that they aren't doing it so much only to show off they are servants of the community. For years, even before the "NBA Cares" Campaign, they followed the example of their late owner Abe Pollin and did stuff for the community all the time, without announcement and glorification. He has done tons for the DC community, like revitalize what practically was a DC slum into one of the most thriving parts of DC. but it wasn't until Abe Pollin died that we knew most of what he really meant to the community and all the things that he has done. That example follows with his successor, Ted Leonsis.

So with that, I would just like to say enjoy the NBA Season. If you were expecting an NBA prediction blog, I am not going to do one (as I didn't do one for the NHL at the start of their season). The season is just too long, with way too many games played. It takes a lot of work to analyze an NBA season (and even then, the so-called experts don't even to get it right)...

D4P...PD!!!

-OBE

"DC" Skins Postgame #7 - Game Turnover

As I noted while watching this game on Twitter, this Redskins game against the Bears has probably got to be one of the ugliest games I've ever seen. It was so ugly, that it was pretty comedic... and I had a lot of moments where I was laughing out loud.

As both teams' records indicate, this was a close game. However, I thought that more points were actually going to be scored. Cutler clearly has the capability to throw the ball and run up the score if given the protection, and I thought Donovan McNabb would put in a better performance than he had put, since he was playing in his hometown. Instead of an offensive performance on both sides of the ball, what we got is a low-scoring, and sloppy, defensive, turnover-laden game.

During the 1st half, the Redskins were dominating the field position battle, and usually got the ball on or around mid-field to start off possessions. However, they couldn't finish off drives, by either having 3-and-outs, or by turning over the ball when they were in enemy territory. The Bears D kept it close for the 1st half, and one interception by them put them over on the scoreboard come halftime (despite being dominated statistically by the Redskins).

In the 2nd half, the Bears seemed to have all the momentum, and they were moving the ball up and down the field. However, it was their turn to be sloppy. The Redskins defense (most notbably, Albert Haynesworth), caused a key goal line fumble that prevented the Bears from going up 21-10. But despite the opportunity, the Redskins offense didn't really capitalize and didn't move the ball deep enough out of their own territory to give the Bears bad field possession after a punt.

The Bears still continued to move up and down the field, however the Redskins defense kept showing up. DeAngelo Hall (the Redskins quarterback), kept on picking off Jay Cutler, and he ended up with 4 interceptions to end the day (which ties an NFL single-game record). One of those interceptions was taken all the way back for a touchdown, and gave the Redskins the lead. 

But even though the Redskins defense kept giving the offense opportunities, they failed to capitalize. As either McNabb immediately gave the ball right back by throwing an interception, or they would be relegated to a 3-and-out. Had the offense played a lot better during the game, they would not only had a chance to close the game down the stretch, but this game would not have been close (considering how much advantage the Redskins had in field position).

Overall, both teams' defenses keep their team in the game. They kept it close, and each had more than their share of turnovers. So this game could be classified as "ugly", because of all the turnovers, and all the mistakes. But a lot of people like low-scoring, "ugly" defensive battles in football, so if you're into that, this was the game for you.

I also thought that because of the Bears' offensive line woes, that the Redskins will sack Jay Cutler a lot more. If you checked my twitter, I was actually tweeting each time Jay Cutler got sacked, because I thought he would have gotten sacked a lot throughout the game. In the first 20 minutes of the game, it looked like my prediction was gonna be correct, because Cutler got sacked 3 times. But as the game went on, he was only sacked one more time. I probably should have tweeted the number of turnovers that took place in the game (9 total... 6 on Bears, 3 on Redskins). Or, if I tweeted every time DeAngelo Hall had an interception, I would have matched the Cutler sacked number.

I did say in the pregame blog post, that the winner of this game would look more like an NFC contender. I'll have to retract on that statement, because the Redskins have not really separated themselves from the "midcard" of the NFC. Seems like the defense may start adjusting to the scheme, but when the offense is not firing, and the running game is stalling (as it has been all year), then their chances of winning will go down significantly. Not to mention, the Redskins have yet to have a "statement game", in which there was no question that they were truly the better team on the field.

But, I will say that this was a good win. It was an important win that they had to get, because it's a win inside the NFC, and could play in down the stretch when it comes to tie-breakers. It was also a win against a team that played well so far in the season, and had a decent record with some wins against quality opponents. 

However, as good this win is, next week's game against the Detroit Lions actually worries me A LOT. Detroit has been a laughing stock of a franchise during a good part of the decade, but it seems they are slowly starting to turn things around. They are currently 1-5, but they're record is not indicative of how good this team could be, or actually is. They were pretty much in every game they were in (4 out of their 5 losses were by one possession), and they destroyed the Rams, which were a team that manhandled the Redskins earlier this season. Their rookie Ndamukong Suh seems to also be paying dividends for that defense. To add on, the Redskins seem to play down to their competition. If the Redskins looks at this team's record, and happens to take them lightly, especially if they are picked to be favorites (which they may be, because of their superior record), they are going to get embarrassed. But to make matters worse, the Lions will be coming off of their bye-week, which means they will be well-rested and probably be healthier than they have been all year. They might have their starting QB back, Matthew Stafford, and he picked the Redskins apart last year as a rookie to end the Lions' infamous 17-game losing streak.

I'll talk more about the Lions' next week. For now, Redskins nation can enjoy this win, as this was a hard fought win. They have to continue to work hard, and keep the momentum going. This area is so tied with this team, that if the Redskins continue to win (no matter what the circumstance), this area remains happy. 

Got to keep the happiness going.

HTTR,

-OBE

"DC" Skins PREgame #7 - at Chicago - Contender or Pretender?

For the Redskins, this game against Chicago has to be the biggest non-divisional game they've had this year. They are 3-3, and the Chicago Bears are 4-2. If you check at various power rankings, most "experts" will have these two teams ranked close to each other. More importantly, this game would put a bit of separation between the "midcard" (to put it in pro-wrestling terms), against the headliners of the NFC. To put it in layman's terms, this game will make the losers look like pretenders, and the winners look a little more like contenders possibly in line for a "push".

So, to break it down...

To win this game, the Redskins have to continue the ground game going. Ryan Torain had a pretty good game last week against Indianapolis. Although, as I said before, the Colts, have historically had bad run defenses. Chicago's defense, in my estimation, should be a bit tougher (as they have 3 playmakers in Urlacher, Briggs, and Peppers). So, if Torain doesn't have a good a game as he had last week, there shouldn't be a surprise. On the other end, they shouldn't allow big plays to opposing running backs (who happen to be slumping). During the past two weeks, Brandon Jackson of Green Bay, and Joseph Addai from Indy, who managed to be slumping, caught the Redskins in big plays. Matt Forte of the Bears is also slumping in the ground, and if the Redskins somehow let him get off the snide for this game, it may be tough.

But the most important key to the game, I feel, is that the Bears offensive line is allowing the most sacks against their quarterbacks, 29 total. Their starter Jay Cutler, got sacked 23 times alone. If the Redskins can take advantage of this and keep this going, and not give Cutler the opportunity to use that strong arm of his to find his receivers, and make him look like Peyton Manning, the Redskins are going to be picked apart.

An X-Factor for the Bears, would be their returner Devin Hester. He's returned a few back for touchdowns this year, and seems to be back in the saddle when it comes to his return game. One interesting storyline they've talked about in regards to Devin Hester as it relates to this game, is that he has a chance to beat the record of Brian Mitchell (a Washington Redskins alumni) when it comes to returning punts.

With that being said, I do feel the Redskins will do enough to win. If Haynesworth is back (which early reports say that he will be), there will be a huge body eating double teams from that bad offensive line, and the pass rush will definitely get to Cutler. And if that's the case, the Redskins will definitely get a few sacks, and possibly get some picks and add on to their turnover ratio. The Redskins offense may have some troubles against this defense, but I feel they will do enough in this game to score more than the opponents. As far as the "X-Factor" is concerned, I do believe that the Redskins would shut down Devin Hester and not let them break Brian Mitchell's record.

Final prediction: Redskins 31 Bears 21

I do feel the Redskins need this game more than the Bears, because if they lose, they'll be 3-4, with a worse chance of recovering in a competitive division (in which 2 teams are currently tied for 1st at 4-2), than the Bears who will be at 4-3 at a competitive, yet recently slumping division (Packers lost 2 in a row, and the Vikings had a slow start). Hence, I'm picking the Redskins win. It's not necessarily gonna be an easy game, but I do think they should win.

Hopefully, when all is said and done, my hometown team will look more like a contender than a pretender.

HTTR,

-OBE

The Old Washington Senators are Going to the World Series...

As you may know by now, I am a hardcore DC sports fan, so I just thought I'd mention that an old throwback Washington DC team is going for a world championship. 

The Texas Rangers are going to the World Series.

For those who don't know, they used to be the old school Washington Senators before they left for Texas in the 1960s. They've never made it to the World Series since moving to Texas, until tonight. So you can't help but applaud them.

With that being said, I should not like this team, since it left DC decades ago for Texas. However, since I wasn't in America (much less on this Earth) during that time, the animosity isn't there, and it wouldn't affect me that much. And since they beat the Yankees (the team that tries to buy a championship every year) and use ginger ale to celebrate instead of champagne, more power and bonus points go to them!

However, if the San Francisco Baseball Giants happen to pull off the NLCS against the Phillies, I will root for the Giants. Out of all the teams remaining, they have the least amount of reasons for me to root against them. Not to mention, I got to see my home team Nationals beat them during my birthday, so it would be somewhat of a consolation to see them in the World Series.

So congrats to the Washington Senators... err, Texas Rangers. Definitely well deserved, and a first time for everything!

-OBE

Movie Review: The Blind Side

I haven't done many movie reviews in this blog (if I've done any at all), but I feel I should do one. (Maybe I'll do more... who knows). But, I finally got to see "The Blind Side", because it finally debuted on HBO this month.

For most of you who don't know about this movie, to briefly summarize it (without spoiling it), it is based on the true story of Michael Oher, a big, athletic, but homeless teenager from the projects, who was sympathized and brought in by a wealthy Memphis family. Michael at first was reluctant to speak to anyone about his past, but as the movie goes on, the family (most especially the matriarch Leeann, played by Sandra Bullock) tries to get to know him, and eventually accepts him as one of their own. And as all of this was happening, we find out that Michael is a very gifted football player, who becomes one of the most coveted offensive lineman recruits in the country.

As far as inspirational sports dramas, this is a good one. As I said, I'm not going to spoil this movie (although, many have already seen it). After seeing it, I can see why this movie garnered the positive reviews that it did. Unlike many token inspirational sports movies, it didn't have the token ra-rah speech that is supposed to get you pumped. Don't get me wrong, a lot of times, I do appreciate those speeches... but this movie simply didn't need it. The story and character development alone was very inspirational, and made the movie outstanding. The humanity and personality of the characters jumped out of the screen, and you really started to care for the characters, as well as the story. Sandra Bullock did an excellent job portraying Leann Tuohy, and based on her performance, it was no wonder that she won an Academy Award for that role.

Maybe the fact that it was based on a true story made the characters and story more relatable (well, to me anyway). I felt that the fact that a good amount of the movie was real, made it more real to me, and something that can relate to your situation. Like I said, Michael Oher is a real person, and his "rags to riches" story about how he was brought up by the Tuohys is real... as he is now the starting offensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens. Even though Hollywood may have slightly changed/twisted the story a bit to make it more fit for the silver screen (as what they usually do in films based on true events), you can still feel the authenticity of this story.

But other from this movie being inspirational, it also had it's moments that would make you laugh, cry, or make you feel other emotions. Which is why overall, I think this movie is a pretty good movie, and that I would recommend you rent the DVD or check it out on HBO if you haven't yet done so. I can't give a "star rating" like the typical movie critic (since I don't consider myself an "official" one), but I would say that it is a pretty good movie that is worth your and your family's time if you need your heart strings pulled on. 

D4P...PD

-OBE

"DC" Skins Postgame #6 - Can't Stop the Colt Train

I would have done this blog shortly after the game, but I was sleepy and went straight to bed shortly after. But, this blog is just in time for lunchtime, and you could choose to read it since a popular topic around the DMV during break time would usually be how the Redskins played the day before. It could definitely add some new insight on your discussions.

If I could simply put it, if there was a game that would be considered a "good loss", in my opinion, this game would be it. For most of the game, Peyton Manning was what he usually is... a smart, calculating, quarterback with a high football IQ that can pick apart defenses at will. However, the Redskins defense exceeded my expectations in this game, forced key turnovers, had key stops, and kept it close. They did what they can do to keep Peyton Manning off the field and give the offense as many opportunities as they can, which included sacking Peyton Manning deep in Colts territory to cause a fumble which eventually led to a score. As I previously predicted, I thought the Colts offense would put up 30+, but they held them under 30, which was a win in itself.

However, contrary to what I just said, a lot of people would blame the defense for this loss, most especially, the secondary for allowing a few big plays (including one touchdown), and not catching interceptions. It would have been great to have those interceptions (and the result would have probably been different if that was the case), but defensive backs are not paid to catch balls. They are paid to mess up plays, and make sure the opposing offense doesn't go forward. Picks and turnovers are usually considered "icing on the cake", and it's the offense's job to score points. But, they have had 3 turnovers, so there's not much more you could really ask from them. Not to sound like an apologist, but although many people would blame the Redskins defense for losing the game, it's not simply the case.

In my opinion, the offense was more to blame for the loss. Don't get me wrong, they've had a solid game also. As expected, the running game seemed to have woken up playing a historically bad Colts run defense. Not to mention, Donovan McNabb led the offense to two long touchdown drives. But, it was down the stretch and when it mattered when the offense did not produce. When the Colts got greedy and decided to pass under the two minute warning to seal the game, the Redskins defense stopped them and held them to a 3-and-out. The Redskins offense got the ball back with the opportunity to tie or win the ball game. However, the Redskins didn't respond and was held to a 3-and-out of their own, which all but sealed the game for the Colts. (Sure, they had their remaining two timeouts left, and had a chance to hopefully get a last second touchdown with one big play, but more often than not, the odds weren't on their side, as the game ended with an interception.)

However, in my opinion, Redskins fans still can't feel bad about this loss. The Redskins played an all-around complete and balanced game. Unfortunately, they just played it against a pretty good team, and a very smart and a future hall-of-fame quarterback, so it just wasn't enough. Nobody likes a loss though, so there's definitely understanding that there will be some disappointment during the next few days here in the DMV. However, I will say that if they keep this kind of effort up in the next two weeks on the road (and not play down) against a improved and solid Chicago Bears team, and a much improved Detroit Lions team whose record isn't indicative of their performance, then they have a solid shot of taking a 5-3 record into their bye week, in time for a big Monday night divisional matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles (who destroyed a good Falcons team this week, and in my estimation, may already have Michael Vick back).

However, they just need to take it one game at a time. They have Chicago up next. And if they can build on the positives from this game, the Redskins can continue building that momentum and can possibly become one of the more solid teams in a wide open NFC.

But aside from this game, there were a lot of great games that were shown in my viewing area this week. The Baltimore Ravens lost a close one to the New England Patriots in overtime. Both teams played well and I thought it was going to end in a tie. But as good as Joe Flacco has played in this game and as much as he has grown in the past few years, we've seen why Tom Brady has earned the reputation he has now. As for the afternoon game, the Vikings pulled off a close victory against the Dallas Cowboys. This was a good game, and you can tell that both teams really wanted to win this game. I'm not a fan of either team, but as a fan of football, I enjoyed watching it. But as a Redskins fan, I had to be especially happy of the result, since the Dallas Cowboys stay in last place of the NFC East. But, it's already close to mid-season, and the quality of football should pick up (if it hasn't already). 

So until an entertaining NFL Week 7...

HTTR,

-OBE

"DC" Skins PREgame #6 - vs Indianapolis - Man(ning) Up

After last week's win, Redskins Nation feels good. They are 3-2, coming off consecutive wins over 2 teams that most people didn't give them a chance with, they played hard when it counted, and shut down a couple of high powered offenses down the stretch. Therefore, Redskins fans felt pretty good all week, and they have all the confidence in the world against the Colts.

I, on the other hand, probably wouldn't be as confident as every Redskins fan in this area. This Colts team really worries the heck out of me. Considering how much Donovan McNabb got hit last week by Clay Matthews, Dwight Freeney has the potential to do the same and leave Donovan sore the next day. Not to mention, overall, the defense has been solid this year, while the Redskins offense still lacks a running game, doesn't scare anyone in the passing game (and outside of Cooley and Moss, doesn't have a weapon that can scare you), and they've had issues with the offensive line.

As far as the Colts offense, they are still solid, and solid for one reason... Peyton Manning. No matter who you give him at receiver, he will find a way to use him, and make him a threat, (with Pierre Garcon, and Austin Collie being prime examples). Not to mention, they still have a solid wide receiver in Reggie Wayne, and Dallas Clark. And though the Colt running game hasn't been on par this year, it's probably as solid as the Redskins (if not, more threatening than the Redskins').

The Redskins do have a chance in this game though. The Redskins defense has been great when it mattered, especially late in games. They got pressure on the quarterback, and got key stops. If the Redskins can keep this up for most of the game, continue to get to Manning and get key stops, they have a great chance of winning. However, it would be a tough task, because Manning is such a great quarterback, and can direct an offense like no other QB in the game today. Technically, he's his own offensive coordinator. And as good as Aaron Rodgers is, and was last week until he was shut down by the Redskins in overtime, in my opinion, Manning is in a different level. He has been in the dance for a while... and have a tall task in shutting him down.

But, the best way to shut down that offense is to keep it off the field. As I said last week, it is CRUCIAL they find a running game and find some balance in that offense. Historically in the last few years, Indy has been weaker on the run. If they can keep the ball on the ground, play ground control offense, and pass when they need to... they can wear this Indy defense down, and more importantly, keep Peyton Manning and that offense off the field. If they do all this, the Redskins have an AWESOME chance of winning.

Many fans, and even prognosticators and radio hosts in this area are high on the Redskins, and feel they have a nice shot at winning this game. They feel the Skins have a lot of momentum going for them, their defense have been playing well, and they will ride this high to hold off Peyton Manning and the Colts (who have not been as impressive as they have been last year) at primetime. 

Although I do think the Redskins have a shot at winning this game, I don't think it's a big shot. Honestly, I do think that Manning would be too much. He has a high quarterback IQ and may figure out the Redskins and how to pick them apart. Not to mention, although the Redskins offensive line is healthier they have been than the past three weeks, I still think they are too banged up to contain the playmakers in the Colts' defense. So here's my prediction...

Colts 31, Redskins 24

I do think the Redskins will score some points, but the Colts will outscore them by a touchdown. I think Peyton Manning and his weapons will be too much for the Skins defense, and the Colts defense will be too much for McNabb, unfortunately.

However, I will say that an another reason I'm picking the Colts to win, is for reverse psychological purposes. I want the Redskins to win, and the past few weeks, I have been wrong more than I am right (regarding football prognostication). I'd be glad to admit I'm wrong if I'm proven wrong.

So to the Redskins, please prove me wrong. Hope they show me that Peyton Manning wouldn't be the calculating beast that I portrayed him to be in this blog entry.

HTTR,

-OBE