Smoke Signals: ‘We’ve got to do better’ edition

The Redskins got a break, so to speak, this week, when the Seattle Seahawks placed DE Patrick Kerney on Injured Reserve with a shoulder injury. Kerney led the Seahawks with 5 sacks [which doesn't sound like a lot unless you're a Redskins fan]. The Seahawks are 9th in the NFL in total sacks, which shows they can get after the quarterback — which is a problem for a Redskins offensive line that doesn’t like to block for QB Jason Campbell. However, without their best pass rusher, the Seahawks may have a tougher time putting pressure on Campbell this Sunday.

Seattle might also play without CB Marcus Trufant, who suffered a concussion in their last game. In any case, MLB Lofa Tatupu will still be leading the group and LB Julian Peterson, who terrorized the Skins in last season’s playoff loss to Seattle, will be on hand and leading the blitzing charge.

The offensive line has received a lot of attention lately, almost none of it good. The Steelers and the Cowboys made the line look awful and the offense as a whole look boring, predictable and far too conservative. The linemen believe they know what is wrong and how to fix it.

“No doubt about it, we’ve got to do a better job of helping Jason right now,” said Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels, the Redskins’ top offensive lineman. “I mean, it is what it is. Dallas played great, we didn’t, and they got it done. Pittsburgh, those guys do a great job of getting after the quarterback. We’ve just got to do a better job.”

In a 23-6 loss to the Steelers on Nov. 3, the Redskins gave up a season-high seven sacks. Ratliff had two of Dallas’s three sacks, and Campbell rarely was able to get comfortable in the pocket in either game. The Steelers rank first in the NFL in total defense and are tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for the league lead with 36 sacks. The Cowboys are fifth with 29 sacks. Washington has games remaining against the Eagles and New York Giants, who have the fourth-highest total at 31.

In other words, the Redskins need to play bad teams for their line to look good. Hardly ideal.

While teams have been getting good pressure on Washington’s quarterback, the Redskins defense, despite many impressive accomplishments, can’t seem to get to the opposing quarterback. Dallas QB Tony Romo, for example, almost never faced a real pass rush. Jason Reid of The Washington Post discusses using FS Laron Landry as a blitzer more. It seems like a good idea to me.

Not all tight ends taken in the second round of the 2008 draft have been as unproductive as Fred Davis. Seattle’s rookie TE John Carlson leads the team with 30 catches for 337 yards. [Seattle has had A LOT of WR injuries.] I wonder if the Redskins wish they had Carlson instead of Fred Davis, who is apparently regarded by Jim Zorn as someone not smart enough to know when he’s supposed to stay in and block and when he’s supposed to run a pattern.

One thing is quite clear with Jim Zorn, Zorn is Zorn, and he plans to keep it that way. He is not Mike Holmgren, he is Jim Zorn. The trip back to Seattle may bring back memories for Zorn, but it is also business, and Zorn is all about ending this two game skid.

There is no doubt, Jim Zorn is truly excited to return to the city in the Northwest that loves him, but this time in a different role.

Ryan O’Holloran (Times) and Lindsey Czarniak (Channel 4) chatted about how to fix the Redskins. Just another article on ‘what is wrong with the Redskins’.

On the offense … Ryan says …

No, this is about an offense that isn’t holding up its end of the bargain. They move the ball and then commit a drive-ending mistake.

and Lindsey says …

I think the question hinges squarely on the ability of Jason Campbell and the offensive line to hold up both their ends of the bargain.

But, you already know what DCPSR believes. This is not about Jason Campbell, Clinton Portis, or Santana Moss. This is all about the Lines. The Redskins lack pass pressure and pass protection, point blank, right to the point. All else falls into place if those issues are resolved. Just look at how third and longs end. Campbell either hurried or sacked. Look at how much time opposing quarterbacks have to scan the football field. How long do we expect corners to have to blanket receivers?

The both eventually get into the Line situations, but this teams ills lie right on the front, both sides of the ball. It literally is the Lines, stupid (meant for Cerrato, not Ryan or Lindsey).

Minor roster move — Redskins lost rookie LB Curtis Gatewood from the practice squad, signed tot he active roster by the KC chiefs. To replace Gatewood, the Redskins signed LB Steve Octavien.

Report from the Enemy

Zorn on Holmgren’s future (Seattle Times)

Hasselbeck, Josh Wilson return to practice (Seattle Times)

Seahawks believe they’ll rebound (Seattle Times)

Seahawks Notebook | Big plays add to big points allowed (Seattle Times)

He’s still the Z-Man (The Olympian)

Branch’s time running out? (News Tribune)

Zorn: Alexander might not suit up against Seahawks (News Tribune)

Seahawks’ Kerney done for the season (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

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