Redskins Thumbs Up Thumbs Down

Yet

Sorry for the lateness, but cut us a break, it was a late game.  Here are our Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down for Week 6 27-24 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.  Remember, these are not necessarily the players of the game, but a shout out or shout down based on a play or a series of plays that impacted the game. 

Of course, you can share your own as well.  Discuss Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down HERE.

Our THUMBS UP:

RB Ryan Torain.  Why?  Torain showed again last night another glimpse of why the Clinton Portis era is wrapping up in DC.  He runs with raw power, is tough to take down, and has a knack for finding the wholes.  He still makes some wrong runs, taking the wrong zone at times, but he is young and learning.  Torain provided two of the three Redskins touch downs.  The first was a pure power burst for a 9 yard TD, in which Torain broke a few blocks.  The second was one yard, goal line TD.  Torain also rushed for 100 yards on 20 carries, it was Torain’s first 100 yard game of his career.  Folks, the way Torain looks, it is not difficult to see what Mike Shanahan sees in Torain.  We have our present and future running back in Washington.

WR Santana Moss.  Why?  Let’s face it, the old Moss is back, compared to last season.  He makes big first down catches, gets open over the middle, and is hanging on to the football.  We could have given many more thumbs up here over others, but Moss made so many critical first down catches that fed and kept offensive drives alive.  I think this season, we talk often of Donovan McNabb, Torain, Anthony Armstrong, and others, and tend to overlook the contributions that Moss is making in this offense.  He is getting open and making big first down grabs.  Moss caught 8 passes for 77 yards.

Honorable Mention:  Brandon Banks for the 25.2 yard per kick return and 16.5 yards per punt return.  Philip Buchanan for two critical pass break ups in the final two minutes to force the Colts to punt.

Our THUMBS DOWN

Secondary:  Most deservedly so.  I think the secondary gave this game away.  We had three clear interceptions against Peyton Manning.  Manning may be a machine, but Manning made several bad throws last night, delivered gift wrapped, right into the hands of Carlos Rogers and Kareem Moore.  Both dropped them.  Easy picks that would have stopped drives the Colts delivered point on.  I will give Rogers a break in the second drop on his coverage of Dallas Clark, Clark got his hand in there to help break that up.  However, the other one was delivered right to Rogers.  I really do not get it at all.  I simply can not understand how a first round corner back can be so poor at catching the football.    In a defense that is stressing turnovers, these drops like last night with Rogers, is likely the number one reason Rogers was tendered and not signed to a long term deal.  Jim Haslett wants and preachers turnovers.  Rogers simply cannot deliver.  Moore is no better.  What the heck, Moore dropped two gift wrapped picks by Manning.  What is he rooming with Rogers?  Is his locker besides Rogers?  Whatever it is, Steven Jackson needs to correct it.  This defense does not need two players in the secondary that fail to convert gift wrapped turnovers.  It is killing this team.  Secondary, you get a well deserved Thumbs Down.

Late game play calling.  I though Kyle Shanahan called a pretty poor late 4th quarter.  The first drive that led tot he TD that pulled the Redskins to within 3 points was entirely too long.  Where was the time management?  Then on a 4th and 10, the play call is a deep pass play on a do or die play?  What gives?  The two Redskins scoring drives were things of beauty, mixing and matching a perfect combination of runs and passes.  Where was that late in the game?  Deep in the fourth quarter on the scoring drive, where was the hurry up offense?  The Redskins used the two minute offense earlier in the game with success, wearing down the Colts defense.  Yet in a scenario where you would expect it, it was never utilized.  Just as much as I fault the dropped passes in the secondary for this loss, I also place blame on Kyle Shanahan and the awful play calling and time management in the late fourth quarter.  Kyle, you deserve a Thumbs Down!

More Redskins coverage at http://dcprosportsreport.com/2010/10/18/redskins-thumbs-up-thumbs-down-5/