Redskins notes and analysis 10/20/10

Published October 19, 2010 4:00am ET



1. The Redskins received good news involving three key players Wednesday.

Linebacker Rocky McIntosh, who missed last week’s loss to the Colts with a concussion, practiced and is expected to play vs. Chicago on Sunday. Tight end Chris Cooley did not practice, but should do so Thursday and, provided he’s symptom-free by that point, he will play Sunday.

“He’s feeling much better so hopefully nothing pops up,” coach Mike Shanahan said.

Finally, Shanahan said they play on making defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth active Sunday. Haynesworth has missed the past two games following the death of his half-brother on Oct. 7.

2. Carlos Rogers’ thoughts on his hands. I will say, the guy is playing well and if he could hold onto those picks he’d be generating Pro Bowl talk. He is the Redskins best corner.

3. Think the new guidelines for hits will slow a guy like LaRon Landry? Think again.

4. Just how close were the Redskins to obtaining Jay Cutler a couple years ago? Maybe five minutes. I remember getting a call from a source who said the Redskins were out of the deal. But he said to hold off because things could change. Sure enough, 15 minutes later this source called back to say it was a “done deal”. The Redskins had Cutler and it would be announced soon.

5. Of course, a couple hours passed and Cutler ended up in Chicago. The source said the turning point came when Denver knew it could get Kyle Orton instead of Jason Campbell.

“It was definitely a possibility,” Cutler said of a deal with Washington. “That’s all we heard for a week or so, that Washington was trying to make it happen. At one point we were really close and I thought that’s where I was going. Then at the last minute it fell through. If that had happened, I would have been under Mike [Shanahan] again. It’s just a funny league.”

6. Would you rather have Donovan McNabb or Jay Cutler? McNabb is a good quarterback with strong credentials. But if the Redskins had traded for Cutler, they likely would have made a move to sign Shanahan shortly thereafter. And that combination was a strong one in Denver. Then again, among the names rumored in the deal:  Cooley and Landry. So I’ll ask another one: would you rather have Cutler without those two players or McNabb with them?

7. Rogers is very honest about his assessment of the opposition. And he was dead-on with what he said about the Bears, who have allowed 27 sacks (23 against Cutler). The Bears’ line is dreadful; very young on the right side and in transition on the left side. They’ve started eight different players already this season, including ex-Redskin Edwin Williams at right guard.

Then there’s Mike Martz’s system, which does not protect quarterbacks that well. They want to throw long and don’t always have hot routes.

“It’s a combination of both,” Rogers said. “It’s him holding on too long and the line not picking up a lot of the stunts and blitzes. I’ve seen a lot of nickel blitzes open up, a lot of linebacker blitzes. They’ve been leaving holes open everywhere.”

8. And this is Shanahan on having Cutler in Denver: “I think he had 11 sacks out of 616 throws.” Hmmm, wonder what he means?

9. Bears coach Lovie Smith on why they wanted Cutler: “He’s everything you look for in a franchise quarterback. He has size, he’s able to make all the throws. He’s mobile also, which is an added bonus. Sometimes you need to be lucky to get some of the players you want. Most guys end up where they’re supposed to be and Jay is supposed to be a Chicago Bear.”

10. More Rogers. This time about the touchdown pass he allowed vs. Indy, in which he got frozen by Austin Collie’s fake run block, only to see Collie then sprint past him into the end zone for an easy catch.

“I’ll see it again this week,” he said. “It’s a copycat league; they’re gonna do it again in the red zone thinking I’ll be that stupid, but nah.”

11. Um, Smith might want to get a little more acquainted with Landry. He referred to him as LaRon Rogers in his press conference with the Chicago media today. Sure it’s just a slip-up.

12.    Six players did not practice for Chicago: CB Zackary Bowman (foot), LB Lance Briggs (ankle), G Roberto Garza (knee), S Chris Harris (knee), S Danieal Manning (back) and LB Brian Urlacher (groin). S Major Wright (hamstring) was limited.

13. A video of Rick Snider and I discussing the Redskins-Bears matchup. Um, not sure we’ll be getting an Emmy. Yet.


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