Jetée

The Redskins were thought to be a contender early in the preseason because of their improved defense (well, they were ranked 4th all-purpose last year, even if it was a sort of "shadow" / "bend-but-don't-break" sort of defense) and what could be the maturation of Campbell under Zorn, but what happened last year (midway through) has happened catastophically early this season: their aging O-Line collapsed again (Chris Samuels is thought to retire soon because of what might have been a career-ending injury), Portis wore down really fast with injuries (he was the NFL's leading rushing at this time last year with 1,006 yards thru 8 games, but couldn't muster another 500 the remainder of the season), and Jason Campbell unlearned how to effectively hold onto the ball (well, he does hold it too long anyway, but now he's fumbling and throwing INT at an alarming rate once again).

Both offenses have alot of trouble scoring, and both defenses are ranked in or near the top five in the major categories. I don't see the point total for this game being any higher than 30 combined. It has all the hallmarks of a typical "16-9" game.

So far... it''s only midway through the season, and both of those teams were highly overrated anyways. Both their QBs, while showing poise and elevated play at the beginning of the season, regressed back to their mean and typical ways (both of them are mediocre-above average signal-callers); as far as being two "elite" defenses, both these teams secondaries are in shambles, and vulnerable to multiple big-plays every game—if it wasn't for their still decent pass rush, they'd be in the bottom 10 defensively against the pass.
And although wide receivers were thought to be an issue for both teams since the end of last season, outside of Derrick Mason (who is 35, btw) and Steve Smith (Eli's answer to Peyton's Dallas Clark this year), the rotation and general "green-ness" of the other options has both QBs stumped for viable (and reliable) options when called on to facilitate a score in a deficit, aka 2-minute offense.

"There is no such thing as no such thing." While impressed by Freeman's first win, I still think they gave up way too early on Byron, and when Josh Johnson took over, I thought to myself, "What has Jon Gruden done? He drafted one of the most athletic and mobile quarterbacks I've seen outside of Aaron Rodgers (who is getting "creamed" by the way, to the tune of 35+ sacks in only 8 games!) and he hasn't even developed him yet!" I hope the Redskins (if in an a perfect world where their organizational skills, scouting coaches, GM, and OWNER weren't so inept) key on him and make a viable bid to acquire him via a trade, free agency, whatever. I think "the other Josh" has a real chance to thrive in this now "Wildcatty" league as a true playmaker.

I love "Bucco Bruce". And Orange Creme. Honestly, I was worried for the Bucs for a while; I thought their first chance for a win slipped away when they faced carolina a few weeks back, and then they'd go reeling until they faced Miami this week, and put up a decent shot to win. Let's go, Bucs. I don't know how you're going to win in the future, but I'm still rooting for you to do so (miraculously, if needed).

Well, of the coaches from the Belichick tree, he seems to be the only one who has a real chance to surpass all others before him. It's not that he hit the wall, I think, as it is more that he is short of ideas of how to teach Orton to throw touchdowns, instead of three straight completions for 11 yards, and then three straight wobbly ball incompletions. Also, it'd help if their running game could eclipse 60 yards a game sometime soon. Hell, even 30 yards is too tough for the rookie (Moreno) and the journeyman (Buckhalter). They combined for less than 25 yards rushing against the Steelers on Monday Night. That's no way to balance an offense, especially if you are counting on the skills and experience of Orton to entertain any semblance of a comeback.

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As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world (that is the myth of the Atomic Age) as in being able to remake ourselves.

—Mohandas K. Gandhi