The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

Here are the 3 players that I think are making a very quiet, yet HUGE impact for the Redskins this year, though not getting widespread recognition...

Andre Carter - While not exactly "dominating", he's having a great year and continues to improve week by week.

Stephon Heyer - Incredibly consistent for an undrafted rookie.

Reche Caldwell - He always seems to make a catch at just the right time, like if it's 3rd and long or something.

I think Doughty has stepped up nicely. He had a horrible game against Dallas the first time around. But he has now stepped it up.

Andre Carter, Reche Caldwell, Stephon Heyer, Pete Kendall have all played under the radar.

To be fair, Prileou was in for most of the horrendous plays against the Pies in the first game, not Doughty.

Jason Fabini has really stepped it up lately. He and Heyer are playing very well together.

Anthony Montgomery has done a great job of keeping blocker's off London Fletcher, along with making some play's himself.

Todd Yoder before he got hurt was making 1 or 2 play's a game that really helped the Redskins.

andre carter- he's really stepping up

Heyer-having a great rookie season stepping in late

James thrash (on special teams)- anytime the ball is downed within the five yard line, he's involved...leading to GREAT field position. probably the most quiet un-reckognizable playmaker on this team

Chris Wilson and Demetric Evans - These two always seem to make a play when they're put in. I really like Wilson. He reminds me so much of Evans but younger, skinnier, and faster. They are both very valuable members of this team, IMO.

Stephon Heyer - Could he be the next Joe Jacoby? We'll hold our horses until he becomes a permanent fixture on the line in the future.

VERY Honorable mention - Anthony Mix - The dude has been a special teams demon every game he has played for us.

Randell Godfrey

Casey Rabach

Shaun Suisham

Suisham I've been impressed with for the most part. That 49 yd FG in the Giants game and the 46 vs Dal in less than ideal conditions show me that he's got the potential (and production currently) to make it in the NFL.

Suisham- He has made some big kicks when we needed them.

Caldwell- Big time catches for first downs.

Godfrey- Has filled the WLB role and I actually think has improved the position over Rocky.

Anthony Montgomery - Solid DT has been key in run defense.

Kedric Golston - See above.

Chris Wilson - Good speed pass rusher

Really our young d-line men have all been key to the defensive play this year. Considering that at the begining of the year every expert said the choice to stick with in house guys rather that getting a big name free agent would be our downfall. Who's laughing now!

SkinsHead56 wrote:Anthony Montgomery - Solid DT has been key in run defense.

Kedric Golston - See above.

Chris Wilson - Good speed pass rusher

Really our young d-line men have all been key to the defensive play this year. Considering that at the begining of the year every expert said the choice to stick with in house guys rather that getting a big name free agent would be our downfall. Who's laughing now!

and to add onto that, we are rated 4th in the league against the run!

You gotta love what Doughty and Montgomery are doing, two young guys who weren't highly touted stepping up and playing solid ball in their first year as starters. I also think there is a huge difference in run D when Daniels manages to stay healthy, which he has, and i think that goes unnoticed.

Reed Doughty has quietly been a solid contributor.

Landry might be a strange one to call "unrecognised", but I really don't think he's got the credit that his play has deserved over the last month. He's taken up a lot of slack in that secondary, and is a leader. This year, we lost one great safety, but I really believe that we found one too.

Frost and Suisham both get a mention, because there really isn't any great debate on these boards about the kicking game this year - and that's down to these guys.

I'll go with a few guys that haven't been mentioned.

1. With all the injuries the O-line went though this year I'd say Lorenzo Alexander has done a great job filling in almost everywhere on the O-line, he's played guard, tackle, and TE in the Jumbo packages. Not bad for a un-drafted defensive lineman.

2. Every year Ethan Albright is a un-restricted free agent, and every year he signs a 1 year deal with the Skins for the "Vet Min". That's all you ever hear about him because he's the Long Snapper, you only hear their names when they screw up. Ethan doesn't do that.

3. Pete Kendall was a late addition but has been there all year. The fans don't even remember DD anymore. With all the different players that line up on the left side of the line. Kendall stepped right in. Samuels may not be going to the Pro Bowl had he been lined up beside someone else.


Three honorable mentions:

Reche Caldwell, took awhile to get on the field but once he did he found a way to get productive playing time.

H.B. Blades, has stepped up every time he's been called on. I'm sure the team didn't think they'd use him as much as they have in his rookie season.

Todd Yoder, has been very productive considering he plays behind Kaptain Kaos

It would be really hard to settle on only 3. Look at the list of those selected by various posters. Every one of them deserves recognition. I think maybe you should expand this to the 10 or 12 list.

Great selection of topic for a post.

I'm glad somebody put up some love for Suisham - all he did was have the second bet season EVER for a Redskin kicker.

I'm just doing up an article on him now for NFL Canada and I'll post it here as well.

29 of 35 for an 82.9% completion percentage - only Mark Moseley's 20/21 season in '82 was better.

My other two...

Stephon Heyer (what a season for an undrafted rookie)

And perhaps because he's been so good that people forget...

Pete Kendall = stud. The guy walked right onto the starting line-up and has probably been the steadiest, most consistent performer on the line.

Honorable mentions:

HB Blades
Randall Godfrey (last few games)
Leigh Torrence

and lastly: Antwaan Randle El - he's been a much better #2 than I would have ever given him credit for - I still like him out of the slot, but he's done a great job this year regardless.

Todd Collins (I did not even know how he looked with a helmet on and a clipboard off)
Lorenzo Alexander (outstanding abilities on both sides of the play)
Chris Wilson (surprising speed and skill)

Jason Campbell
Sean Taylor
Todd Wade

The loss of these 3 players has impacted the team the most.

Campbell: Fact: Without him going down we do not make the playoffs.

Taylor: OBVIOUSLY I would rather us have gone 0-16 and he still be with us but his death has helped galvanize the team more than anything and has gotten them to play much harder than they were prior to his death.

Wade: If Wade had not struggled so much in the early going we would not have traded for Kendall who is quietly having an excellent season.

1.montgomery 2. doughty

How about Rock Cartright? Hasn't broke any TD's, but the guy is a pretty solid return man AND an emotional leader on special teams. Always making tackles for the kickoff unit. I hope we keep this guy for a while. FYI, he's third in the league in 20+yd returns.

How about London Fletcher? How this guy isn't going to the Pro Bowl is total crap. He's 6th in the league in total tackles, 5th in the league in solo tackles. Among league LB's, he's tied for 7th for Int's and tied for 2nd for TD's. Plus he's the glue on this defense.

And finally, how about Stephan Heyer? What stats can you mention? He has had all but two or three plays that he has not made a mistake. He held Strahan to NOTHING. For an undrafted rookie, this kid's a stud.

One extra for good measure. Andre Carter is having a very solid year. This guy has 10.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, and 1 safety. Not bad.

I would like to say that my 3 are also NOT highly paid either........

Stephon Heyer - undrafted, doing great against big name opponents.

Chris Wilson - undrafted by NFL, Canadian League, potential sack monster

Lorenzo Alexander - undrafted, plays both side of the ball

I'd have triouble adding to the fine players that people have named -- although I love it every time they announce that "Number 79 is eligible, meaning Alexander has come in at TE.

However, collecting the names, it is striking that so many important players are not expensive free agents. Someone has been quietly gathering "good enough" players from the draft and the real free agent lists. This team looks solid without depending on nearly as many overblown contracts.

Of course, only Boss and 1Nik have a grasp on the cap, but it appears that, as Jeff Bostic said, Joe Gibbs is a collector of winning players. All sorts of personalities, from quiet religious guys to comical guys like Clinton Portis.

Did everyone notice the emotion Portis showed when he hugged Gibbs after the Cowboys game? Notice the mutual respect and affection?

My guess is that Gibbs doesn't care much about the surface -- "I don;t mind a sense of humor" -- but he looks deep for some serious winning quality. Monk had it, Riggins had it, Bostic had it, Portis and many current players have it. I think Gibbs saw it in Sean Taylor, just as he saw it in Wilbur Marshall. It took a couple of seasons for Marshall to work off the Buddy Ryan baloney, but he became a solid all-pro. Sean Taylor did the same.

So, after my little side comment, could this list indicate that the Redskins are working out of what Boss called "cap purgatory"?

Be interesting welch - tis almost upon us - I have a feeling that what we saw last year, letting some high priced FAs that we might have been able to use go elsewhere and having almost a complete draft this year might be a trend BUT from what I remember from a BH post recently - it's going to take some time - cannot be done in a couple of years

Todd Collins

Rece Caldwell

Joe Gibbs for allowing Al to showcase what this offense could be if allowed to run....

Montgomry- Although we all know who and what A.Carter is doing we never talk much about the 6th round pick DT who is starting his first full year.He might not be a pass rusher but he does clung up the hole good and has gotten our run D at#4.He might not be a pass rusher but he does make plays and sometimes pressures the QB.


Heyer-Alot of people havent gave credit to the undrafted rookie who already went up against the top 10 best DE each game we played.He hasnt been trained or looked at all this year but hes our future belive it or not and he'll improve by next year.

Doughty-Now that I think about it he never started as a starter in the Cowboys game @ there house.But after that game he has improved as a pass coverer and is continuing to impress me.hes sorta of a young Archuleta but actually improves.Gotta thank Vinny for some good late rounders.