New SM & JG Era Beginning, Renewed Hopes

[SkinsJock]

The giants are not nearly as good as the 2 teams we just played, they are playing way better than they should

Completely disagree with this statement. The Dolphins squeaked by us and got beat BY JACKSONVILLE. I know the Rams beat Seattle, but they lost their last four games last year and Nick Foles was horrible on Sunday.

The Giants played very well against a quality Dallas defense week one. No doubt that they should have won that game. They led pretty much the entire game against the Falcons. This is going to be the toughest team we've played so far this year. Don't be mistaken.

we win this easy - we've outplayed both teams that everyone at that time knew were better than us - we win this game easy

I love it when we dominate and this team is dominating right now - beating the giants will be easy ... next!

[SkinsJock]

It's no secret what we want to do....so I see Cousins being the guy who has to win this week. Giants (and others team for that matter) are going to stack the line and make Cousins beat them.

no worries - Cousins will show that he's very capable of tearing up the giants secondary with play action - no worries

[FanofallthatisGibbs]

Giants injury report:

Did Not Participate in Practice
DE Robert Ayers (hamstring)
WR Victor Cruz (calf)
TE Jerome Cunningham (knee)
T Ereck Flowers (ankle)
DT Markus Kuhn (knee)
DE Owa Odighizuwa (foot)
CB D. Rodgers-Cromartie (concussion)
G Geoff Schwartz (illness)

Limited Participation in Practice
LB Jon Beason (knee)
DT Jay Bromley (knee)
TE Daniel Fells (foot)
DL Cullen Jenkins (hamstring)

They are hurting right now. If it were a mere matter of playing badly, I'd be worried about the G-men for Thursday night, but I am thinking the Redskins should be like a Lion licking his chops at the prospect of that wounded gazelle. Feeding time for MoJo & Co.!!!

[markshark84]

we win this easy - we've outplayed both teams that everyone at that time knew were better than us - we win this game easy

I love it when we dominate and this team is dominating right now - beating the giants will be easy ... next!

Whoa

Settle down SJ.

We lost (so I'm not sure we can use the term "outplayed") to a team AT HOME that got beat by Jacksonville the next week and then beat a team that was 6-10 last year (and played like it).....

I wouldn't consider us "dominating" in any respect. AT ALL. Scoring 34 points over the past 2 games isn't exactly what I would call dominating.....

The NYG are E-A-S-I-L-Y the best team we have played this year and we are playing them AWAY.

I know we have been horrible for a LONG time, but lets not get crazy over a 1-1 record......

[OldSchool]

I hope we give a steady dose of balance like we did Miami and St. Louis and are patient and confident. If we keep the penalties and turnovers down we can compete but Manning and Odel-Beckman are much better than the guys we've seen and I am still a little skeptical about the defensive improvement we've seen thus far. Also, the Giants owned Cousins the first two times he played against them so if any team has a handle on his reads its NY. Hopefully, his receivers come up big on 50/50 balls and we see a lot of MOJO.

[riggofan]

we win this easy - we've outplayed both teams that everyone at that time knew were better than us - we win this game easy

I love it when we dominate and this team is dominating right now - beating the giants will be easy ... next!

hah good point, man. If we just keep outplaying these teams that are better than us, we will definitely be on track.

[Countertrey]

we win this easy - we've outplayed both teams that everyone at that time knew were better than us - we win this game easy

I love it when we dominate and this team is dominating right now - beating the giants will be easy ... next!

hah good point, man. If we just keep outplaying these teams that are better than us, we will definitely be on track.

Just for the record... If we "keep outplaying (sic) teams that are better than us" , are they really better than us?

[oneman56]

we win this easy - we've outplayed both teams that everyone at that time knew were better than us - we win this game easy

I love it when we dominate and this team is dominating right now - beating the giants will be easy ... next!

Whoa

Settle down SJ.

We lost (so I'm not sure we can use the term "outplayed") to a team AT HOME that got beat by Jacksonville the next week and then beat a team that was 6-10 last year (and played like it).....

I wouldn't consider us "dominating" in any respect. AT ALL. Scoring 34 points over the past 2 games isn't exactly what I would call dominating.....

The NYG are E-A-S-I-L-Y the best team we have played this year and we are playing them AWAY.

I know we have been horrible for a LONG time, but lets not get crazy over a 1-1 record......

I saw, on Keim's blog I think, that the Skins have been 1-1 or 2-0 in 8 of the past 10 seasons. We definitely have reasons to pump the brakes, beating the Rams at HOME should not be reason for us to all the sudden think we are going to win easily on the road against our division opponents. Much less against one that's squandered two games, cannot afford to lose and has pretty much owned us recently. I agree with DEHog, teams are going to start stacking the box big time and once someone has success stopping the run Kirk and company will have to prove capable of beating that defense. If he can, then i'll get excited about the season but we haven't had any adversity in our first 2 games yet so i'm waiting for that to happen. I hope we come out and dominate them but i'm not expecting it, should be a tough game.

[OldSchool]

I saw, on Keim's blog I think, that the Skins have been 1-1 or 2-0 in 8 of the past 10 seasons. We definitely have reasons to pump the brakes, beating the Rams at HOME should not be reason for us to all the sudden think we are going to win easily on the road against our division opponents. Much less against one that's squandered two games, cannot afford to lose and has pretty much owned us recently. I agree with DEHog, teams are going to start stacking the box big time and once someone has success stopping the run Kirk and company will have to prove capable of beating that defense. If he can, then i'll get excited about the season but we haven't had any adversity in our first 2 games yet so i'm waiting for that to happen. I hope we come out and dominate them but i'm not expecting it, should be a tough game.

I had no idea the Skins have started 1-1 or 2-0 in 8 of the last 10 seasons, very interesting. At this point I am pretty confident the 2015 team is better than the 2013 and 2014 teams which I was hoping for prior to opening day but they might be more than modestly improved. Sure, opponents are going to stack the box against the Skins if they haven't already. Without Jackson, Ross, Grant or receiver another helping Cousins stretch the field the Skins opponents are going to crowd the box. This is an opportunity for Cousins to take a few shots as he did with Grant. Just don't do it with Garcon who doesn't seem to track a deep ball well, the DBs seem to see it better than him.

[cowboykillerzRGiii]

I'm still reserving my excitement...

This win was more so the D and run game, beastmode play from Reed, and improved special teams then it was qb play.
Now Kirk did a GOOD job of being the game manager, but never was he asked to do to much. Imho any three of the qbs would have had the same results with the D and run game firing on all cylinders like it was.

Now when we get stacked boxes, and even worse down a score or two, then we see what we have from Kirk. Vs MIA it was poor touch on the deep ball, interception aside (the outcome proved better then an incomplete pass and a punt imo)... The quick read intermediate routes he does well, but nothing really grabs me when he plays.

Now boring is good, and serviceable... But when the heat is on, can he rise to the challenge? THAT has yet to be determined, and imo partially why Griffin is still here. We know he can, and has performed at a high level when everything is on the table, and the game is on his shoulders.
Thursday's primetime game vs a division rivalry should answer some of my questions- I just pray it be in the form of a W!

Hail

[riggofan]

I'm hoping for a lot from both Cousins and Gruden but am also cogniscant of the fact that we have very little depth along both lines

We don't? Are you watching the rotation going on with the defensive line right now???

Interestingly enough in today's Post:

Depth along defensive line is having positive impact on Redskins’ defense
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/foo ... s-defense/

McCloughan completely revamped the group, adding Terrance Knighton, Stephen Paea and Ricky Jean Francois to Chris Baker and Jason Hatcher. The improved quality and depth has allowed the Redskins to rotate players up front and keep the defense fresh.

The depth is the key. While Hatcher and Baker have drawn most of the plaudits, and rightly so, Paea and Jean Francois have both rotated in and performed well, while Knighton has made his presence felt in the run game.

I think we have better depth on the o-line as well. A big key to having a good season for this team is going to be luck avoiding the injury bug!

[markshark84]

I'm still reserving my excitement...

Now Kirk did a GOOD job of being the game manager, but never was he asked to do to much. Imho any three of the qbs would have had the same results with the D and run game firing on all cylinders like it was.

Now when we get stacked boxes, and even worse down a score or two, then we see what we have from Kirk.

Now boring is good, and serviceable... But when the heat is on, can he rise to the challenge? THAT has yet to be determined, and imo partially why Griffin is still here. We know he can, and has performed at a high level when everything is on the table, and the game is on his shoulders.
Thursday's primetime game vs a division rivalry should answer some of my questions- I just pray it be in the form of a W!

Hail

Still about RGIII, man.

I completely agree that Cousins was in full on "game manager" mode, but disagree with your statement that all 3 QBs would have had the same results based on a number of factors, including how quickly Cousins had to get rid of the ball against very common 7 man fronts as well as his 72.6 QBR (a feat RGIII has only accomplished 3 times since 2012).

I agree that Cousins hasn't proved himself in big/everything on the table games, but he did make some solid 3rd down plays against STL. I think thursday may be an indicator, but it won't answer the question. I still need more from him in order for me to be all in on Cousins moving forward. I am also not sure where you are getting the fact RGIII can win with everything on the line. He was 1-6 last year and 3-10 in 2013.

But you are correct in that we will see what Cousins can do throughout the year. He has been solid/game manager type in the past 2, so I am hoping for more, but not sure we will due to our running game.

[StorminMormon86]

Despite the uncertainty of this season, I am, for the first time in a long time, actually hopeful that we can be competitive week in and week out. I don't go into games knowing we're going to lose, and I don't watch apathetically anymore. I'm actual into games, and I legitimately think we have a shot to send the Giants to 0-3. Their front 7 is nowhere near as good as Miami's or St. Louis'. Their offense worries me, but not their defense. TOP is going to be huge in this game, IMO.