First, this review of Dontrell Hilliard from day 13 of camp is a little more fair to him than calling him a "dud" vs the Redskins (with all due respect to Mr Dudukovich):
The Skins pretty much stuffed Hilliard when he took handoffs, and he fumbled and drew that costly penalty...ok Dude you got me he was a dud vs the Skins I stand abashed.
However, it was just one preseason game, and as Elliott Kennel points out, Hilliard (in only his second season) is a sweet receiver out of the backfield, is doing great in pass-protection, is (at least) an effective returner, and can r...well he's like Duke Johnson...like Randy Gurzi said last preseason.
You guys know I've been a Hilliard fan ever since.
Elliott Kennel did a nice piece on Derrick Willies, who is contending with Eric Murray as the "gunner" on coverage units.
This tells me that Willies has already made the final roster. Even if he's not THE gunner, he's very good at nailing returners (which is really unusual for a guy as tall as he is, with such an unimpressive clock-time).
My regulars know that predicted that Willies would make the final roster already (and was ranting about him last season before I even knew he was any good at Special Teams).
Rodney Mitchellfield isn't letting Greedy Williams take his job. In fact, this might be the closest competition between any 2 players on this roster.
Even as I was disgusted by those dumbass pundits who listed the need for a cornerback opposite Denzell Ward, hopping up and down waving my arms and pointing at Terrence Mitchell, who PFF ranked near the top of all cornerbacks, I figured that the taller, faster Greedy Williams would come right in and take his job.
I still think that, honestly, as Greedy vs the Skins proved he could tackle, (and I mean at or behind the line of scrimmage) as well as shut people down and get interceptions.
But Mitchell on Day 13 deflected 2 consecutive pinpoint Mayfield passes to Jaelen Strong in the end zone.
...Oops wrong link: Nick Snook says Strong just "dropped" those passes. I can't find the guy who credits Mitchell for the deflections, but I suspect he is right and Snook is wrong. Jaelen Strong has great hands.
Still, Nick singled out Terrence Mitchell as a top performer on Day 13, and is usually very good, so I'm not bashing him, and have not demoted him as a source.
I saved this: The Browns' coaches told the Redskins' coaches in advance that the Browns' Offense would start out in a hurry-up.
This is like Freddie/Todd telling the Browns' defense "we're going to run" so they can try to run when Steve Wilks and company see it coming.
Kitchens and co are truly maxing out Training Camp and preseason.
They have, from the start, stressed physicality. Nothing fancy. "We're gonna run it here, Steve. See if you can stop us."
This is exacty how I would do it, so obviously Freddie Kitchens is a genius (I rest my case).
The Redskins won't have an elite defense or anything, but well...you saw it. No OBJ or Landry...?
As QB Coach (Ryan?) Lindley points out, you really shouldn't "hurry up" all the time, no matter how good you are at it, because your own defense will wear down.
That's not strictly accurate, of course:
1: The "hurry-up" does NOT neccessarily preclude running plays (except in the extreme circumstances in which unimaginative blockeheaded Coaches use it ie only when they HAVE TO).
2: Once any team is down by 10+ points, they are pressured to pass more and run less. Obviously, there are tons of variables here, but the general idea is that:
If a hurry-up produces at least 3 points 90% of the time, and a TD 60+% of the time, you can use it "as neccessary", and should use it early to establish big leads, because:
Once it's futile for an opposing offense to run the ball any more vs the 2019 Browns, 3-and-outs are best-case scenarios, and here comes Nick Chubb.
3: While a bunch of pundits are stuck on Baker Mayfield's "volatility" (or whatever) and OBJ and Callaway's suspension and GOSSIP and stuff, only a rare few of us notice that:
The ROOKIE Baker Mayfield broke a bunch of Team and a couple NFL rookie records in 13.5 games (knock-knock anybody home!?!)
He did it with Higgins, Njoku, Landry, Callaway and errumm...well just whoever was there!
Willies was one of them (then got hurt). Jarvis Landry might have expected to be Baker's crutch "go-to" guy, but no.
Baker Mayfield has already conclusively proven that he is a "franchise" Quarterback. It almost doesn't matter who he has to hand off or throw to.
It's true! It's not just vs a weak defense in a preseason game, but Jake Burns (and PFF) spell this out over every snap of his R O O K I E season!
I hate to to redundate yet again, but dammit nobody GETS this:
When a Quarterback kicks ass, but you can't pick out his favorite receiver, that is a great Quarterback, see?
Let's compare Pat Mahomes in his second season to Mayfield in his first: Compare their respective WEAPONS (btw including HUNT) is any of this sinking in yet!?!
Don't get me wrong here: Pat Mahomes is almost a lock for the Hall of Fame, ok? I'm not even suggesting that Baker Mayfield is better than Mahomes, ok?
But Mayfield vs Mahomes? Oh HAYULL yes! It's already on, as far as the contenders are concerned.
Baker Mayfield left Texas Tech to walk on at Oklahoma when he found out that Mahomes was going to replace him as the starter.
1: The fact that Patrick and Baker are pals contradicts assertions that Baker is egotistical or selfish.
...Is any of this sinking in yet? Mahomes TOOK HIS JOB, ok? (and later in a head-to-head matchup racked up over SIX HUNDRED YARDS passing and running (vs Mayfield's paltry 400 or so)...
Baker Mayfield has been immature, but is not a punk. He should beat Pat Mahomes more often than not, because he's a stronger leader.
...okbye.
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