NFL 2011 Week 3 : Washington Redskins 5 Keys To Defeating The Hated Dallas Cowboys

Don't You Forget About Me

Tim Hightower rebounded from a mediocre first week as a Redskin to explode against the Arizona Cardinals, his former team, last week. He ran for 96 yards on 20 carries, most of which happened in the first half of the Redskins 22-21 victory.

His backup, rookie Roy Helu, piled up an additional 74 yards on just 10 attempts. Yet both did not get many touches in the second half as offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan seemed to call for a pass every down. Though Washington eked out a win, Shanahan's disregard for the effective running game hearkened back to 2010.

If was the first year he and his dad held jobs in the organization. There were quite a few games the team lost, like the their match up with the Indianapolis Colts, where he got obsessed with calling pass plays and it cost his team in the end.

The Dallas Cowboys have been stout at stopping the run for several years, so most teams have been attacking their dinged up secondary. Yet their offense relies on the pass so much, it could mean their defense spends much more time on the gridiron.

If this happens, then an effective run game will be needed even more. Especially in the fourth quarter, where most overworked defenses begin to tire. Hightower and Helu will need carries all game, not just a portion of it. The old adage that a good ground game gives the offense more options will certainly come into play if Shanahan decides to opt for a better offensive balance.
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No Mercy

Not only are two of the Cowboys best cornerbacks dealing with injury issues already, a third will not play at all because of an ankle problem. This could benefit Washington when quarterback Rex Grossman looks to pass.

Orlando Scandrick is out and his replacement, veteran Terence Newman, is playing in his first game this year because of a nagging groin injury. Grossman will probably test that groin a lot, as well as nickle back Alan Ball. The Redskins currently have the ninth best passing attack in the NFL, and four different wide receivers have receptions.

Santana Moss may be the best receiver Washington has, but Mike Jenkins may shadow him. Jenkins, who has a sore shoulder, is the best cornerback Dallas has right now. This means Anthony Armstrong and Jabar Gaffney will need to beat Newman and Ball.

Tight end Fred Davis has been amazing since coming into training camp in better shape. He is averaging a healthy 17.4 yards on 11 receptions, so Washington was afforded to let Chris Cooley fully recuperate from a knee injury. Cooley is now back, so he gives the Redskins another weapon.

Washington has had some early successes in the pass same this season, so this is a game to keep the momentum going. If Newman is still hobbled, it will draw safety help and give Davis or Cooley more chances to gouge Dallas for big chucks of yards after the catch.





No Miles To Run

Miles Davis is the best Cowboys receiver. He leads the team in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns this year. He has been vital to an offense with an inept ground game. Dallas averaged barely over two yards per attempt this season, and starting halfback Felix Jones is dealing with a shoulder issue.

The other starting wide receiver, Dez Bryant, has a thigh injury that has limited him to one game so far. This has made Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo rely heavily on Miles and Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten. Witten's 13 catches is one less than Davis.

If Bryant is still too hurt to be his usual dynamic self, this helps the Redskins because they have a few injuries in their defensive secondary. Josh Wilson and DeAngelo Hall are not at full health, but are expected to play. Strong safety LaRon Landry has yet to play this season, because of a hurt hamstring, and his is listed as questionable.

His replacement, Reed Doughty, is good against the run but mediocre versus the pass. Romo, now having to lean on Witten, will go after Doughty in a number of attempts that will exceed double digits. Even if Doughty is assigned to reserve tight ends Martellus Bennett and John Phillips, Romo will look to pick on him much like Eli Manning did two weeks ago.

If Dallas has wide receivers like Kevin Ogletree and Jesse Holly as their weapons, perhaps free safety Oshiomogho Atogwe can focus on Witten and give Romo a harder time. Since Romo is already dealing with broken ribs, the secondary shutting down the Cowboys passing attack will leave the quarterback more available to being hit by Washington's pass rushers.





Kicks Count

Dallas has two placekickers on their 2011 roster. One, rookie Dan Bailey, handles all of the short kicks. The other, David Buehler, is injured in the groin of his kicking leg and will try to play. Washington's diminutive return specialist Brandon Banks may get a shot a returning kickoffs if Buehler's injury shortens his kickoffs.

Considering Dallas may have the best punter in the NFL in Mat McBriar, it was unlikely Banks would get many opportunities whenever the Washington defense forced McBriar on the field. It will also be an uneasy situation for Dallas if Baily has to attempt anything longer than 50 yards, though Bailey did hit a critical 48-yard attempt last week.

Redskins kicker Graham Gano has yet to make a kick over 34 yards. He has missed twice already on attempts between 30 and 39 yards. If Washington struggles to get in the red zone against Dallas, they will have to rely on a player who has eight of his 13 career misses come from distances of 30 yards or more.




Remembering A Rivalry

Rivalries in the NFL today are harder to maintain because of free agency. Teams are no longer able to maintain the bulk of their roster like in the past, where they would develop their players and a stronger bond of unity would be an outcome.

Redskins Hall of Fame head coach George Allen taught his team to dislike the Cowboys, and the teams passionate fans followed suit. This came from the fact both Washington and Dallas dominated their conference when Allen joined the franchise in 1971.

The Redskins made the playoffs in five of Allen's first six seasons, which included a Super Bowl appearance. Dallas had made the postseason every season but two times between 1966 and 1985. They were the class of the NFC usually, once earning the nickname "America's Team."

Allen knew his team had to beat Dallas to achieve success, no small task with Hall of Famer Tom Landry as the head coach of the Cowboys. The 60 wins the Cowboys have in their meeting, out of 100 contests, is the most over any other NFL franchise. Washington, however, has beat them in both playoff games they met in.

Landry beat Allen eight times in the 15 games he faced Allen, but the Redskins great beat him in their only playoff game. That victory, a 26-3 drubbing, propelled Washington into their first ever Super Bowl and first NFL title game in 28 years.

Dallas took command in this series since the second game of the 1997 season. Washington has won just seven times in the last 27 meetings. The 2005 season has been the only time the Redskins won both games over that time.

Yet fans of both teams will admit the unpredictable often happens when these franchises battle. Good examples are the 1989 season, where the Cowboys lone victory that year came at the expense of the Redskins, and the 1991 season.

Washington had stormed out of the gates at an 11-0 record when Dallas came to town that year. After losing by three points, Washington's run at perfection ended. They rested their main players in the final game, giving them their only other defeat. Had they has beat Dallas, they stood a better chance of matching the 1972 Miami Dolphins for a truly perfect season.

Maybe the history of these franchises escapes most of those involved with both teams today, but the Redskins have legacy to remind. General manager Bruce Allen is the son of the Hall of Fame Redskins coach, so he certainly knows how important it is to beat Dallas. The Cowboys head coach is Jason Garrett, who was a backup quarterback with Dallas for eight years. He also understands this rivalry.

The Redskins are currently undefeated and alone on top of the NFC East. A loss here drops them into a tie with Dallas and the New York Giants. Washington already beat New York, so a victory over Dallas would give them two big wins within their own division, which is important at times when the playoffs approach. These two wins could give them enough in the percentage points department if there is a tie-breaker.

There may not be as much venom between these squads compared to the past, but there will be no love lost. With Hall adding fuel to the fire by being recorded by cameras saying he will try to tackle the injured Romo and Jones hard, players will come in fired up as the ghosts of legends egg them on to greatness.

NFL 2011 Week 2 : Washington Redskins 5 Keys To Defeating The Arizona Cardinals

Lean On Me

The defense has often been a big reason the Washington Redskins has won over the last several years. This was true again in their victory against the New York Giants last week.

The Arizona Cardinals offense is still a work in progress because quarterback Kevin Kolb is new to the team. Yet they did show the ability of production against the Carolina Panthers last week in several areas.

Halfback is a big question mark, but Beanie Wells churned out 90 yards on 18 carries last week. The Redskins allowed 75 total rushing yards last week, so it is important they shut down Wells and make the Cardinals defense one dimensional.

Arizona can throw the ball, which is seen by the 309 yards that Kolb put up on 18 receptions. The Redskins might have to play a lot of man-to-man defense because the Cardinals like to throw to their tight ends and even have four on their roster.

Todd Heap and Jeff King combined for 101 yards on four receptions. Both averaged over 20 yards per catch, which included King's 48-yard touchdown catch. King, mostly noted for his blocking ability, had averaged just over eight yards on 114 career receptions in his five seasons coming into this year.

Washington gave up two big plays to Giants tight end Jake Ballard, a rookie who is on the team because he can block well. This lumbering tight end exposed a weakness in a Redskins defense by getting 59 yards on a pair of receptions.

If the safeties are forced to pay closer attention to Heap and King, it will leave wide receivers like Larry Fitzgerald facing the Washington cornerbacks only. Fitzgerald is spectacular in a double-team situation, but he is an even bigger threat in single coverage.

Washington needs the return of strong safety LaRon Landry, who has been nursing a hamstring injury for months. Landry was the best safety in the NFL in 2010, piling up 85 tackles before getting hurt early in the ninth game of the season, is in a contract year and hasn't played since November 15th of 2010.

Landry is a week removed from criticizing the Redskins training staff via Twitter. He now defers questions to head coach Mike Shanahan, who only says Landry has been limited in practice so far.

The Redskins cannot rush him back too early, but Landry has already stated he is excited to play next to free safety O.J. Atogwe. It is the first time since Sean Taylor passed away in 2007 that Landry has a Pro Bowl-caliber player alongside him.

Reed Doughty has been in the lineup while Landry heals, but Doughty is basically an extra defensive back who plays a linebacker slot in a dime package. The Giants picked on him often last week, putting Washington in a precarious position against Arizona if Landry needs another week off.





Special Delivery

Redskins placekicker Graham Gano missed another chippie last week. He missed five field goals of 39 yards or less in 2010, something he did again on his only field goal attempt last week. Washington cannot afford to keep having Gano miss field goals that because points in the NFL are of premium importance.

Washington has the electric Brandon Banks are their return specialist. The diminutive Banks is capable of taking it to the house every time he returns a kick. Yet Arizona has two big threats of their own on special teams.

LaRod Stephens-Howling, who is about the same size as Banks, led the NFL in kickoff return yards last year. He also took two kickoff returns for touchdowns, his third in his two previous seasons as an NFL player. Gano must take advantage of the extra five yards he has kicking the ball off by not giving Stephens-Howling any chances to return the ball.

If that wasn't enough, Arizona also has a dynamic punt returner in rookie Patrick Peterson. Though he was drafted for his excellent coverage skills as a cornerback, the rookie went through college as a dominant punt returner. Peterson returned just two punts last week, but the second one was returned 89-yards for the winning score.

Sav Rocca might have been the Redskins best free agent signing in 2011. Rocca has averaged 43 yards a punt in his four NFL seasons, showing a remarkable consistency along the way.

But putting the ball inside the opponents 20-yard line is possibly what Rocca does best. He has dropped 106 of his 341 career punts inside the 20, and has an impressive net punting average of 37.5 yards. Four of his six punts dropped in inside the 20 last week, but the Redskins gave up 27 yards on the two punts that were returned.

Washington must not allow the Cardinals returners go off this Sunday. If they do not, it could take away any other successes they have on the field.



Bombs Away

Redskins quarterback Rex Grossman took advantage of a immensely crippled Giants defense by throwing for 305 and a pair of scores while tossing just 13 incompletions. Washington needs a similar performance against an Arizona defense that looked bad last week.

The Cardinals have a few injured cornerbacks of their own, and this was seen against the Panthers. Rookie Cam Newton struggled with his throwing accuracy all preseason, but he took the form of Johnny Unitas against Arizona with a record-setting performance.

Newton set a record for a first game by a player by carving up the Cardinals defense for 422 yards and missing on just 13 passes in 37 attempts. Eight different Panthers receivers got a reception, led by the 178 yards and two scores Steve Smith had on eight catches.

Washington could use another big game from tight end Fred Davis, who had 105 yards on five receptions last week, as well as a healthy Chris Cooley. Carolina's tight ends combined for 129 yards on seven receptions last week, so Grossman may want to look in the direction of Davis and Cooley often.



Payback

Tim Hightower was stunned a few months ago by being dealt in a trade between the Cardinals and Redskins. While he was happy to return to the Washington Metropolitan Area, where he grew up, he also saw the Redskins obtained him for just a sixth-round draft pick and 14-year journeyman defensive end named Vonnie Holiday.

Hightower had led the Big Red in rushing last year, his third NFL season, while averaging nearly five yards per carry. He led the NFL with an 80 yard run as well.

Despite 23 touchdowns and 118 receptions in mostly a reserve role in his Arizona career, the team dealt him because his 12 career fumbles bothered the Cardinals coaching staff.

He has a very impressive training camp, getting 170 yards on 25 carries in a few quarters of play. Yet the Giants shut him down to 72 yards on 25 attempts last week. Take away a 22-yard run he had, the 50 yards on 24 attempts showed the Redskins offensive line gave Hightower no chance.

Arizona faced a pair of productive Carolina halfbacks in DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart last week. They limited the pair to 56 yards on 19 carries, while also holding the athletic Newton to 18 yards on eight attempts at sacking the rookie four times.

Hightower will certainly want to make Arizona regret trading him, but his offensive line needs to help get that point across. The unit was just terrible last week against a Giants defensive line missing their two best players. Arizona has three excellent run stuffers in the trenches, so this game might ride on Hightower's shoulders.



Hog Revisitation

Football excellence has always followed Russ Grimm. Drafted in the third round of the 1981 draft by the Redskins, he soon became an integral member of three Super Bowl winners for the franchise.

Athleticism was just one reason for his greatness. He may have toiled in the trenches, but he was often listed as an emergency quarterback in a career that saw him go to four Pro Bowls before being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Amazingly, he is the only member of the famous Redskins offensive line, dubbed the "Hogs" by coaching great Joe Bugel, to be in Canton. When his playing career ended, he quickly became a coach and used the information the accumulated as a player. Not only did he have his own expertise, he was mentored by coaching giants Bugel, Jim Hanifan and Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs.

After spending nine years coaching Washington's tight ends and offensive linemen, he went off to coach the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line for six seasons. He helped Pittsburgh win a Super Bowl and reportedly was going to be Bill Cowher's replacement at head coach until the offer was rescinded at the last minute and given to current Steelers coach Mike Tomlin instead.

Since 2007, Grimm has been the Cardinals offensive line coach. Success in football continues for him and has now been inherited by his offspring. Cody Grimm is the starting free safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, an honor he won in the 2010 season as a seventh round draft pick. Chad Grimm is currently an assistant coach in the Cardinals organization.

Grimm has been a serious candidate for a NFL head coaching job several times. He excels at getting the most out of a players abilities, something he did himself in his career.

He has helped such great Redskins offensive linemen blockers like Chris Samuels and Tre' Johnson to become Pro Bowl players. He did the same in Pittsburgh with Alan Faneca, Marvel Smith and Jeff Hartings.

Arizona comes into 2011 with two free agent veterans now starting at guard. Grimm still has continuity at center and the tackle spots. But this one of his most experienced units with the Cardinals, even with losing 11-year veteran guard Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack to injury for the season.

The depth of the offensive line is bolstered by Duece Lutui, a starter since 2006 until losing his spot to eight-year veteran Rex Hadnot. Grimm has already helped the Cardinals reach their first Super Bowl in 2008, but he undoubtedly expects greatness from his present students.

Chris Nield is certainly on his radar this week. The nose tackle was the second to last player drafted this year, and he made the team because of a solid preseason with few highlights. That changed last week after Neild had a pair of sacks and forced a fumble while spelling starter Barry Cofield.

Not only do the nose tackles need to be as good as last week, but defensive ends Adam Carriker and Stephen Bowen as well. Both contributed a sack last week. Outside linebackers Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan's ability to pressure Kolb will also hold extreme importance.

While no real Redskins fan wants Grimm to experience failure, they are in the unenviable position of rooting against one of their heroes. It is real nice to see an "Original Hog" back in town, and there is a chance he sees fellow Hogs Joe Jacoby and George Starke, who have stayed in the area after their football careers, as well.

Grimm probably has a part of him wishing success for the Redskins as well. But torn emotions will reign on the sideline and stands this Sunday as present situations will temporarily have both rooting against each other.

The Debut

This is my maiden voyage on this site. Be gentle please. You only lose your virginity once.

I will ramble on various topics in time, but I will start on sports, for where I have already begun a blog late in 2007 on sportingnews.com.

If you ever are into seeing it = go to http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/3rdStoneFromTheSun

Here you won't find the most PC person typing slowly, but the attempts are humor are always an underlying theme.

I'm not here to make enemies, nor will I ever disparage others. Feel free to slam me if you must.

I believe in the First Amendment and free speech is one of the best rights we have in America.

Our differences make life interesting, and I respect these qualities.


Let us move forward now with a feeble charge at humor.


I went to a fortune teller a few weeks ago while visiting a friend in another city. I wrote these predictions down, hoping to cash in at Vegas. Granted, the fortune teller was a wino I had bought a bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 for, but he did say that his nick name was Nostrodamus. We'll see. My mortgage and kids college funds are riding on this:

Dan Snyder will continue collecting has-beens as if they were playing cards when he pulls out a page from the George Allen playbook and trades three #1 draft picks, and two #2 draft picks for Brett Farve. Farve then blows out his knee stepping over his new team mates for a better picture angle for the paparazzi, is placed on the IR, then retires in December. Farve then un-retires in January and cries on FOX TV, as Bill O'Reilly hugs him. Redskins GM Vinny Cerrato then announces he has traded Farve, two #1 draft picks, and a #6 draft pick to Oakland for Aaron Brooks and the rights to George Blanda. Brooks whereabouts are never ascertained, but Blanda kicks 21 field goals on 30 attempts and throws 11 touchdown passes in 2009. Farve rides the bench as a third stringer behind JeMarcus Russell and Andrew Walter, then retires for the final time.

George W. Bush, still struggling to try to lose the label of being the worst President in US history, will announce he may pardon Marion Jones. But only on the contingency that Roger Clemons is not found guilty of perjury, and that Jose Canseco never writes a book showing Bush knew his Rangers were on steroids, when Bush owned the team, and even supplied the clubhouse with syringes and HGH. Bush then quietly pays Canseco $2,000 to never write about how Bush and Juan Gonzales both did lines of coke off of Tom Hicks' taint in 1998. Bush then goes on a hunting trip with Dick Cheney and is shot in the buttocks by Cheney "by accident". It takes doctors 3 weeks to determine Bush is brain dead due to no changes in Bush's speech or thought patterns.

Adam Jones announces his now wants to be called "Galaga". He then makes the Cowboys offices "rain money" after asking Jerry Jones to give him a lap dance. A melee ensues, and Stephen Jones is shot and paralyzed from the neck down. Adam Jones is suspended by Roger Goodell for 11 months. When reinstated, Adam Jones announces he now wants to be called "Frogger".

Nancy Lieberman recants her previous statement of calling Becky Hammon a traitor. Lieberman then promptly defects to Cuba to be Fidel Castro's private night nurse.

The WNBA announces that every Wednesday will be "Fight Night" in hopes to increase viewership. After that fails, they have the players wear bikinis and wrestle in a swimming pool of chocolate pudding on Wednesdays "Fight Nights". Attendance and interest remains unchanged.

The Cubs get to the World Series and have Steve Bartman throw out the first pitch. Geovany Soto takes his eye off the ball and ends up having his right orbital socket crushed, rendering him out for the series. The Cubs commit 37 errors as the Red Sox sweep the series. Bartman is blamed for the loss and becomes the Salman Rushdie of Chicago. Bartman moves to Tehran and goes into hiding. Lou Pinella is then fired. Alex Rodriguez marries 50 year old Madonna in a lavish ceremony in the Beverly Hills Hilton. Instead of exchanging wedding rings, they swap kabbala bracelets and kabbala nipple rings. The press dubs him "Nim-Rod". Six months later, Rodriguez passes away by succumbing to complications from the multiple STD's that he contracted from Madonna on their honeymoon. George Steinbrenner demands his contract be fulfilled, and Madonna ends up playing 3rd base for the Yankees. The entire organization goes defunct within 15 months due to every member dying from contacting multiple STD's from Madonna. Madonna then releases her 12th CD, titled, "Those Damn Yankees Were Damn Good".