Wildcard Weekend Discussion Thread!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

First topic message reminder :

Well the playoffs are here, and we have got some real humdingers in the wildcard weekend!

First up we have Houston at home to Cincy in a rematch of last year's playoff! I'm taking Cincy in this one for a couple of reasons. I like how the D matches up against Houston's offence, and I think Adkins will cause Houston no end of problems. Schaub's first playoff game as well, and I don't rate him that highly personally. I think if Dalton can play well Cincy pick up the win in this one.

Next we have Green Bay against Minnesota. Despite the Vikes picking up a huge win last week I can't see them replicating the performance this week in Lambeau. I see Green Bay going up early, then Minnesota has to go to Ponder and he can't go blow for blow with Rodgers on Rodgers's home patch in my opinion.

Sunday kicks off with the Colts heading back to Baltimore for potentially Ray Lewis's final ever NFL game, and his lats in Baltimore (I think). Tough one to choose this one because I have a gut feeling the Colts might pull it off, but the matchups with Ray Rice and it being Lewis's final home game make me pick Baltimore. Flacco at home as well is usually decent.

Finally we have the Seahawks going to the Redskins in a battle of the rookie QB's. I like Seattle a lot in this one. I think there secondary matches up well against Washington's receivers and I think Washington will still give up a big play every now and again which Seattle love to do. RG3 isn't fully fit and lot depends on Alfred Morris having another big game for Washington to get through for me, but I take Seattle.

What do you guys think?

[Number-25]

Odd decision tonight by the Redskins to bring Mark Brunell back in at QB for this game. At least I assume that's what has happened cos that sure can't be RG3!!!

[GSC]

RG3 has to sit now. Skins can't move the ball with his injury and its fairly obvious that 1 good hit on it could put his 2013 at risk. Shanahan has to make the tough call

[Number-25]

I agree. Never thought I'd say this but for the sake of the team, RG3 has to sit down now and hand the keys to Cousins. This is why Shanahan gets paid $7m a year - it's to make tough calls like that. All year we've been told it's not all just about RG3, well, now it's time to prove it.

[GSC]

And there it is. I'm sorry, injuries are unlucky and all, but Shanahan shouldve done his job as HC. Everybody knew that RG3 had to sit and its sheer luck hes still walking.

[Number-25]

Well Mike Shanahan should just be hanging his head in shame now. It's not even a tough decision to make cos the whole world can see that RG3 can't play. Cousins should have been in at least two series ago. This game is done and it's on you Shanny.

[RDuncan8]

Easy to say that in hindsight. If he'd thrown a hail mary TD everyone would be raving.

[GSC]

RG3 couldnt plant and he couldnt move. Its not hindsight, everybody on the box could see it. Shanahan has brought it upon himself

[Number-25]

I'm with GSC. It's been staring the whole world in the face for the last hour and a half that RG3 was done in this game.

[GSC]

The Redskins have about 50 yards total since RG3 got hurt if you want some stats

[RDuncan8]

The Redskins have about 50 yards total since RG3 got hurt if you want some stats

and half their points...

[GSC]

And nothing in 3 quarters. You can call hindsight, but it was an accident waiting to happen, and a fairly obvious one. The designed QB run when RG3 limped to the sideline pays to that

[RDuncan8]

Maybe it's not an "easy" decision to put in Cousins. Maybe there's no faith in him.
Nobody had sympathy for Cutler last year when he went out. Can't have it both ways.

[GSC]

He stepped up and won in Cleveland when the Browns got a bit of momentum.

Regardless though, RG3 couldnt play on the knee.

[GSC]

Seattle takes one that really shouldnt have been all that close after Washington did nothing offensively after its first 2 drives.

Lot of praise for Wilson, but tbh, I didn't feel he played that well.

As for Washington, a lot of what ifs.

[RDuncan8]

So the Browns are the same as the Seahawks then? It's far too easy to sit back and say "Just pull your starting QB, captain and star player" If the Redskins thought they could have won with Cousins he would have been in. They did what they thought was best to win that game which is how it should be.

Cutler couldn't play on a sprained MCL but it didn't stop everyone having a go at him for quitting on the team.

[GSC]

Yeah, but RG3 couldn't play. Its not an issue of faith in Cousins, RG3 literally couldn't plant his backfoot and drive into throws, nor could he move around or evade defenders. It was obvious.

[mikeygnfl]

What makes a top coach a top coach is they know when to make changes. It was clear in that game that the Redskins were not going to score again with RG3 at QB. Kirk Cousins should at the very least have come in at half time. It may have worked , it may not have worked but you have to give your team a chance.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Does anyone think that the turf at Fedex might have played a part in this? AP done his knee there last year, and it's hardly helped RG3's this season...

[Number-25]

I agree, it's not like Cousins was totally untested - he's shown enough this season to suggest that the Redskins still could win that game with him in there. It's not even just about this game, it's the long-term implications of injuring that knee even worse and perhaps to the point that it hinders RG3's effectiveness next season and beyond. That's the most off-target RG3 has been with his throws this season by a mile. He couldn't run at all and he couldn't throw effectively and it had been that way since the start of the second quarter. After all the hard work to turn the season around and get a home playoff game it was tough to watch us just throw it away like that. Cousins should have been in long before it became a lost cause for him. He should have been sent out to work while we still had a chance. Really mad at Shanahan for not making the call. I can't wait to hear his reasons for believing that a 10% fit RG3 gave us a better chance to win than a 100% fit Cousins. Like I say, it's not even just about tonight either - it's about next season and beyond too.

Rant over.

[Number-25]

I don't think so Olly - it was the hit from Ngata that did RG3s knee in. Ever since then the knee has been weakened so I think what we saw tonight was always more than possible regardless of the turf. The FedEx Field turf is dreadful though.

Part of me is kinda mad at RG3 too - surely a point must come where he realises that his knee is so bad that he can't play as effectively as he needs to and that by staying in there he's hurting the team. I know it's a mans game and all that and that these guys are competitors who live and breathe just to play football but at the end of the day we keep getting told about how it's a team game and it's all about the team so surely a guy should be able to say "I think the other guys gives us a better chance to win cos my knee is gubbed here" and surely that's what RG3 should have been saying to Shanahan. His knee crumpled just bending down to try and pick up the ball for God's sake!

[GSC]

Players wont ever come out of a game willingly. Vick had like 7 concussions and he still wanted to go back in

[GSC]

Its part of why coaches have to be able to take the emotion out of it and do whats best for the team. Cousins might not win the game for the Redskins, but RG3 wasnt in his current state.

[GSC]

All in all, a pretty underwhelming slate of games this week. Couple of good looking games in the NFC next week, Packers and 49ers a pseudo NFC Championship game in some eyes, though the AFC features 2 repeats of blowout wins

[Number-25]

Yeah, four pretty scrappy games this weekend. I think the Skins/Seahawks would have been better had both teams played with a QB for the entire game though! With the Skins' fast start it could have turned into a bit of a shootout had they not then decided to go for the new "No QB" offensive formation.

[GSC]

Chris Clemons may have an ACL tear which would see him put on IR.

[Pr4wn]

You say scrappy, I say crappy.

Disnt really enjoy any of them.

[Number-25]

An equally fitting description there Pr4wn

I'm still mad this morning - I hope RG3 and Shanahan are busy apologising to the rest of the team today. Shanahan's explanation of why he didn't pull RG3 just isn't good enough. It doesn't matter that RG3 said his knee was sore but not injured and therefore that he could carry on playing - Shanahan should have gone with what his eyes were telling him which was that the Redskins couldn't move the ball with RG3 in the game with that bad knee. I can't remember us even reaching the Seattle half after we scored our second TD. Also think it was a pretty selfish decision by RG3 to keep on playing - I don't like his explanation that his job is to be the QB of the team and to play - his job is actually to be the QB and to play at a high enough level that he can help the team win - if he can't do that, which he wasn't able to yesterday cos of that knee, then he should have been big enough to admit that and let them put Cousins in the game. In his limited action this season, Cousins has shown enough to suggest that he gave the team at least as good, and almost certainly, a better chance of winning than a crippled Griffin.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

An equally fitting description there Pr4wn

I'm still mad this morning - I hope RG3 and Shanahan are busy apologising to the rest of the team today. Shanahan's explanation of why he didn't pull RG3 just isn't good enough. It doesn't matter that RG3 said his knee was sore but not injured and therefore that he could carry on playing - Shanahan should have gone with what his eyes were telling him which was that the Redskins couldn't move the ball with RG3 in the game with that bad knee. I can't remember us even reaching the Seattle half after we scored our second TD. Also think it was a pretty selfish decision by RG3 to keep on playing - I don't like his explanation that his job is to be the QB of the team and to play - his job is actually to be the QB and to play at a high enough level that he can help the team win - if he can't do that, which he wasn't able to yesterday cos of that knee, then he should have been big enough to admit that and let them put Cousins in the game. In his limited action this season, Cousins has shown enough to suggest that he gave the team at least as good, and almost certainly, a better chance of winning than a crippled Griffin.

I know how you feel man. After the Super Bowl win I was fuming especially at the Welker dropped catch play. It still hurts

[Number-25]

Chris Clemons may have an ACL tear which would see him put on IR.

Now, the terrible FedEx turf probably was a factor in that one. You'd think, with all his money, Dan Snyder could afford some decent turf!

[sodhat]

An equally fitting description there Pr4wn

I'm still mad this morning - I hope RG3 and Shanahan are busy apologising to the rest of the team today. Shanahan's explanation of why he didn't pull RG3 just isn't good enough. It doesn't matter that RG3 said his knee was sore but not injured and therefore that he could carry on playing - Shanahan should have gone with what his eyes were telling him which was that the Redskins couldn't move the ball with RG3 in the game with that bad knee. I can't remember us even reaching the Seattle half after we scored our second TD. Also think it was a pretty selfish decision by RG3 to keep on playing - I don't like his explanation that his job is to be the QB of the team and to play - his job is actually to be the QB and to play at a high enough level that he can help the team win - if he can't do that, which he wasn't able to yesterday cos of that knee, then he should have been big enough to admit that and let them put Cousins in the game. In his limited action this season, Cousins has shown enough to suggest that he gave the team at least as good, and almost certainly, a better chance of winning than a crippled Griffin.

To fight all season long and then lose in that way must suck. It was clear Griffin wasn't going to get it done like half way through the third and it smacked of a HC scared to pull him and take the heat if they lost with Cousins. Griffin I feel sorry for - if he said "I can't play through it" he'd look like he was quitting on his team (rightly or wrongly). The decision was Shanahans and he sat on the fence too long.

Seattle are a good side. Wilson is a good QB, but if Washington had a fit RG3, that was theirs to win.

[Number-25]

Yeah, it was painful to watch last night. Feels like a really big missed opportunity. Got out to a 14 point first quarter off the back of a couple of really good drives and then just blew it. Who knows what would have happened had Cousins gone in the game but if he goes in while we still have a lead then you still like the Redskins chances. Was so frustrating sitting there watching us just let any chance we had slip away cos of the Head Coach and star QB's refusal to face the fact that was staring everyone in the face - that the QB's night was done. Shanahan just looks a bit weak today and RG3 a little selfish and immature.

Credit to Seattle though, they got the job done in the end. It was the first time I'd really seen so much of Wilson in action. He looks good. He's not as fast as I was expecting after having read a lot about him of late. He's definitely elusive in the pocket but I though he was going to be faster than he was. He made all the right decisions and did a good job taking what the Redskins defense was giving him. Had a handful of iffy throws that he should be making but overall he looked good.

[mikeygnfl]

Apparently RG3 said he could win the Super Bowl on his own standing on one leg... Or something like that.

[BamBam]

Chris Clemons may have an ACL tear which would see him put on IR.

Now, the terrible FedEx turf probably was a factor in that one. You'd think, with all his money, Dan Snyder could afford some decent turf!

I guess FedEx Turf just doesn't have the same ring to it

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