Tradeskills » Their passing game has struggled and now Cam Newton

The old saying that “Speed Kills” is alive and well in today’s NFL. Teams that have it thrive; teams that don’t https://www.theredskinslockerroom.com/authentic-terry-mclaurin-jersey , suffer. The Washington Redskins are a team that lacks speed, both offensively and defensively, and their brand of football suffers because of this.The goal heading into the 2018 off-season on offense was to get a deep weapon for new quarterback Alex Smith. The Redskins went to the free agent market and signed Seahawks speed wide receiver Paul Richardson. The former Colorado Buffalo is a legit 4.40 guy, who also possesses quick-twitch ability, and short-area burst. Problem is, Richardson can’t seem to stay healthy. The diminutive 6’0” 183 pound wideout played in just six and a half games with the Redskins, totaling 20 receptions for 262 yards and two touchdowns before being shut down for the season. Chris Thompson is another Redskins who has cat-like quickness and good long-speed, but his inability to stay healthy takes yet another weapon off the field for the Skins. Thompson played in parts of just 10 games in 2018, and his presence in many of them was non-existent. Battling a rib injury (among others) throughout the year, he had just 43 carries for 178 yards and caught 41 passes for 268 yards with one touchdown. In comparison, during the 2017 season in the same amount of games played, Thompson had 804 yards of total offense and six touchdowns before going on IR. Richardson’s and Thompson’s departure from the lineup left the Redskins with the least explosive offensive skill positions in the entire league, and it showed, as the offense averaged just 299.7 yards per game (28th), and 17.6 points per contest (29th). The best offensive skill positions for most of the 2018 season: - A 33 year old Adrian Peterson - who was a pleasant surprise - A pedestrian Josh Doctson- A diminutive Jamison Crowder- A slower-than-molasses Maurice Harris- A tentative Jordan Reed- A 34 year old Vernon DavisThe Redskins defense was not much better...Manusky’s unit started the season off well, but then got exploited by high-power offenses before their ultimate collapse over the team’s final six games. The reason - pedestrian athletes at key positions throughout the lineup. Ryan Kerrigan, for as great as he’s been in a Redskins uniform, is not, by any stretch of the imagination, an athletic 3-4 outside linebacker. He wins with exceptional effort, hustle and good technique, but no one is mistaking him for Von Miller or Khalil Mack when it comes to speed and athleticism. His teammate on the opposite side is even worse. Preston Smith might be a similar athlete to Kerrigan, but he lacks the discipline, motor and technique of the multi-time Pro Bowler. He has exceptional length, but that’s about it. He’s about as worse a 3-4 LOLB as you’ll find in this league. Could he be a decent 4-3 7-technique defensive end...possibly. ...but wait; it gets worse.At the MIKE linebacker spot, you have Mason Foster, who can’t even get out of his own way. Talk about pedestrian - Foster is about as bad as you’ll see for one of the most important positions on the football field for a defense. He has poor speed, no quick-twitch, can’t re-direct, can’t cover tight ends or running backs, and can’t stop opposing runners from getting the edge when they break contain. He was, by far Montez Sweat Jersey , the biggest liability on the 2018 Redskins defense. The secondary, when fully healthy, isn’t too bad in the speed category; with one exception - Josh Norman. At this stage of his career, Norman is a zone corner. He does not have the speed to trail a team’s number one wide receiver, when that teams player is a Odell Beckham, Julio Jones or T.Y. Hilton. Norman is still a very physical CB, but he’s best in a cover 2 or man-over look where he can have deep help if needed. The Redskins need to focus on speed on both sides of the ball this off-season. Getting a speed wide receiver who can beat man coverage is a must. A mismatch tight end with top-level speed would be nice as well, considering the team can’t count on Jordan Reed to stay healthy, and will likely move on from Vernon Davis due to age and a significant decline in his play.Getting Derrius Guice back at running back will definitely help with offensive team speed, as will a healthy Chris Thompson. Although Adrian Peterson doesn’t have the same speed he once had, he’s still fast enough to break off long runs. The Redskins would be wise to re-sign him for another season as a mentor and insurance for Guice. Defensively, the team needs a quality young speed edge rusher to play opposite Ryan Kerrigan. The draft is very deep at the position, and it would be wise for the team to take advantage of that somewhere in the first two rounds.Linebacker is a huge area of need and speed, but help may be on the way in the form of former 49ers first-round linebacker Reuben Foster. Foster has the speed and tenacity to drastically change this defense. There may be a suspension coming his way after the NFL finishes its investigation for off-field actions this past fall, but I think six games will be the absolute max (if he gets anything at all). In the secondary, an eventual replacement for Norman at cornerback will need to come sooner rather than later. If the right player is available in free agency or falls into their laps in the draft, the Redskins may be wise to pounce. 2019 Off-Season All-Speed Team:2019 Free Agent Acquisitions:Tyrell Williams (4.42)WRKwon Alexander (4.55)LBTyrann Mathieu (4.50)FSRodger SaffoldG2019 NFL Draft (first 3 rounds):Rd 1:Brian BurnsEDGEFlorida St.Rd 2:Parris CampbellWROhio St.Rd 3:Iman MarshallCBUSCRd 3:Jared PinkneyTEVandyIs speed important for the 2019 Redskins? What would you suggest the team due to improve on our overall team speed? Here’s a crazy thought: The Houston Texans with home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.Yep, the team that began the season 0-3 just might sneak past the Chiefs and Patriots and claim that coveted spot.The Texans have won nine in a row. They’ve done so in all sorts of ways, from strong defense to opportunistic offense to solid special teams to superb coaching.On Sunday, they face Indianapolis (6-6) and can pretty much knock the Colts out of postseason contention with a win.Indianapolis has won three of the past four against the Texans in a series in which the past eight games were decided by seven or fewer points.Should Houston get by the Colts, the remainder of the schedule has visits to the Jets and Eagles and a home finale against Jacksonville. Considering that two-month string of wins, why can’t the Texans run the table?“It’s a small accomplishment,” says defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who has justified being the top overall pick in the 2014 draft. “We still haven’t even won the division with winning nine in a row, we have no playoff spot, nothing right now locked up.“So, it’s a small accomplishment, but hopefully it will lead to bigger things for us. We’re playing for much more than just the division right now. We’re trying to play for first, second, third seed, whoever is ahead of us right now.”That would be Kansas City (10-2) and New England (also 9-3). Both have a more testing December.“I think it’s when you start to look ahead, or you start to get overly excited about accomplishments that Dwayne Haskins Jersey , not don’t mean anything, but winning nine in a row, winning a division, you take things one day at a time,” J.J. Watt adds.“I think that’s the biggest mentality I’ve taken away from it all is just control what you can control. If you try to start controlling things that you can’t control, then you can get in trouble.The weekend began with Thursday night with Tennessee‘s 30-9 home victory over Jacksonville.Derrick Henry sped and stiff-armed his way to a record-tying 99-yard touchdown run for Tennessee (7-6). Henry tied Tony Dorsett’s 99-yarder on Jan. 3, 1983, for Dallas against Minnesota for the longest TD run in NFL history. Henry set a franchise record with 238 yards on just 16 carries, topping the previous mark of 228 yards set by Chris Johnson in 2009 against yes, the Jaguars. Henry finished with a career-high four TDs, tying Lorenzo White and Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell for most rushing TDs in a single game in franchise history.Jacksonville dropped to 4-9.New Orleans (10-2) at Tampa Bay (5-7)The Saints take the NFC South with a win or a Carolina loss. They’re eager to get back on the field after their worst performance of 2018, a Thursday night loss at Dallas in which they were overwhelmed by the Cowboys’ defense.Tampa Bay, which has gained more yards on offense than anyone — yes, even New Orleans — won the first meeting to open the season. Then the Saints won their next 10 games.Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston has not turned over the ball since regaining the starting job two weeks ago. In the past three games, one in relief, Winston has completed 61 of 84 (72.6 percent) with six touchdowns and one interception for a 119.1 rating.Los Angeles Rams (11-1) at Chicago (8-4)The Rams already own the NFC West title. They earn a first-round playoff bye by beating the Bears.This is an intriguing matchup, LA‘s second-ranked offense against Chicago’s No. 4 defense. The Bears are second stingiest against the run, and the Rams’ Todd Gurley leads the NFL in both yards rushing (1,175) and yards from scrimmage (1,649). Chicago’s defense leads the NFL with 21 interceptions and will test Jared Goff.Chicago hopes to have regular quarterback Mitchell Trubisky back from a shoulder injury that cost him two games. He’ll need to watch for Rams DT Aaron Donald, making a strong statement for a second straight NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. He tops the NFL with 16½ sacks, has at least two in three straight games.New England (9-3) at Miami (6-6)A Patriots win — this is one place they don’t like, having lost four of the past five at Miami — means yet another AFC East crown, 10 in a row. Tom Brady has won 12 of his past 13 starts within the division. He’s also ready to establish another NFL record: Brady has 579 career TD passes, including postseason, tied with Peyton Manning for the most.New England also has found a rushing defense, not allowing a 100-yard gainer since Week 3.Miami has been outgained by 1,168 yards and is on pace to break the 1967 team record, yet is in wild-card contention. The Dolphins do rank third with 25 takeaways.Baltimore (7-5) at Kansas City (10-2)Cincinnati (5-7) at Los Angeles Chargers (9-3)Pittsburgh (7-4-1) at Oakland (2-10)Two AFC division races involved here.The Ravens have crept within a half-game of the Steelers in the North, but have a massive challenge at KC while Pittsburgh shouldn’t struggle much at lowly Oakland.Beating the high-powered Chiefs at Arrowhead calls for a monstrous defensive showing, and Baltimore has the top-ranked D. It also has a clock-killing run game with rookie Lamar Jackson at QB: The Ravens have had at least 200 yards rushing in three straight weeks.Still, Kansas City is 5-0 at home and leads the league in scoring at 37 points per game. Patrick Mahomes has a league-leading 41 TD passes and 43 throws of 25-plus yards.Kansas City Wes Martin Jersey , which gets a playoff berth with a win, can’t afford a stumble with the Chargers one game back; they meet next Thursday night. With Cincinnati in a rugged, injury-caused slump, LA could romp Sunday.The Chargers have a few complicated ways of getting at least a wild card this week. Philip Rivers has thrown two or more TDs in each of his first 12 games, tied for the third-longest streak to begin a season in NFL history.Rivers has 10 TDs and six INTs in six games against the Bengals, who have won four straight meetings in the regular season.The Raiders have won the past three home games in this series since losing in 1995 and the Steelers are 3-8 all time in Oakland. Still, unless they hand things to the Raiders, they should win even without standout RB James Conner (ankle).Minnesota (6-5-1) at Seattle (7-5), Monday nightWhoever emerges here has an inside track to a wild-card berth, though the Vikings still think they can grab the NFC North title.Seattle is exceptional in prime time: 24-5-1 since 2010. Russell Wilson has 29 touchdown passes and five interceptions through 12 games. He has thrown at least two touchdowns in eight straight outings and has 16 touchdowns and two interceptions in Monday night games. Plus, the Seahawks are leading the NFL averaging 148.8 yards per game rushing.But Seattle has been inconsistent defending the pass, and Kirk Cousins tops the league with 350 completions. Adam Thielen leads the NFL with 98 catches, is second in yards with 1,166, and tied for fifth in TDs with nine. Thielen and Stefon Diggs are the only pair of teammates in the NFC with 80 or more receptions.Philadelphia (6-6) at Dallas (7-5)A Cowboys victory gives them control of the NFC East; they won at Philly earlier this season. Dallas has won four straight and comes off that impressive victory against the Saints, followed by a nice rest.Eagles TE Zach Ertz has already established a single-season franchise record with 93 receptions He’s 18 away from breaking Jason Witten’s NFL record for TEs.New York Giants (4-8) at Washington (6-6)Remember Mark Sanchez? He’s now the Redskins‘ starter with both Alex Smith and Colt McCoy out with broken legs. It’s his first start since 2015, and the Redskins are a banged-up bunch everywhere.New York, which lost star safety Landon Collins (shoulder) for the rest of the season, has won three of four since its bye. RB Saquon Barkley and WR Odell Beckham Jr., are having big years despite a leaky offensive line.Atlanta (4-8) at Green Bay (4-7-1)Most interesting story line is Joe Philbin taking over as Packers coach and calling plays for the first time in his pro career. Aaron Rodgers has thrown a franchise-record 336 attempts without an interception, trailing only Brady (358 in 2010-11) for the longest such stretch in league history.Linebacker Deion Jones had a career-high 15 tackles and one sack last week, returning after missing 10 games while injured. But the Atlanta defense is 31st against third downs (51 percent).Denver (6-6) at San Francisco (2-10)The Broncos have awakened with three consecutive victories. But they have one road win in the past 30 seasons vs. the 49ers. They lost top wideout Emmanuel Sanders in practice this week with a torn Achilles tendon.San Francisco’s five takeaways are the fewest through 12 games since at least 1940. The previous low was seven for Jacksonville in 2016.Carolina (6-6) at Cleveland (4-7-1)A four-game slide has seriously endangered the Panthers‘ playoff chances. has a sore right shoulder. He was picked off four times last week.But they’re averaging 140.8 rushing yards per game, only behind Seattle’s 148.8.Coach Ron Rivera fired D-line coach Brady Hoke and assistant secondary/cornerbacks coach Jeff Imamura.Top overall draft pick Baker Mayfield threw three interceptions in the first half in a loss at Houston to dampen some of the enthusiasm in Cleveland. The Browns lead the AFC with 27 takeaways.New York Jets (3-9) at Buffalo (4-8)It looks as if Sam Darnold is recovered from his strained right foot, setting up a matchup with fellow first-round selection Josh Allen among rookie QB prospects.Darnold has a 3-6 record and has thrown a league-high 14 interceptions. Allen has 391 yards passing, three TDs and two interceptions, and 234 yards rushing and a TD in his past two games since missing four with a sprained right throwing elbow.Detroit (4-8) at Arizona (3-9)The Lions have lost eight straight at Arizona, their last win coming in 1993. Plus, Detroit is 0-3 against the NFC West this season.Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald needs one catch to move ahead of Jerry Rice for the most receptions for one team in NFL history. Fitzgerald needs one TD catch to match Antonio Gates for sixth on the career list.