Grüße und Vorstellung » Looks Like Someone Has a Sixpack of the Mondays

Yesterday was one of the most amazing NFL Sundays I can remember. Not only did the Redskins escape the day without a loss Shawn Lauvao Jersey , but every single team in the NFC East took a beating. It feels like every team in our division has played three or four times since the last time the Redskins took the field. The manner in which our divisional brethren took their losses was also inspiring. Whether it be a record-setting kick off the foot of...Graham freaking Gano...or a loss to Kirk Cousins or even, well, any Dallas loss is inspiring—it was a very happy day in the Meringolo household yesterday. Coming off the bye week and watching the Eagles, Giants and Cowboys all lose before we take the field again is something that should be bottled up and sold as a magic elixir. The Redskins, at 2-1, have a little juice going into tonight’s tilt in New Orleans. The story is still going to be all about Drew Brees, but I love that. Nobody thinks the Redskins are coming. At all. Hell, maybe they’re right, but not because they know something we don’t. If people are doubting on the Redskins today, it is because the Redskins have inspired doubt over the years among the national audience. The coronation of Drew Brees as the all-time passing leader is an easy thing for fans around the country to glom onto, and the glomming will be in full force on national television. I can’t be the only Redskins fan excited about this.The most common question I get is what makes the Redskins think they have a chance at all against the Saints offense. Easy, I say: our defense. If there is a face of this Redskins team after just three games, it has to be the defense. That’s not because Adrian Peterson hasn’t been a great story, or because Alex Smith has failed to capture our hearts and minds. It is because the extremely brief and early success this Washington team has achieved thus far is due to the men on the defensive side of the ball. It is also true because for this team to have any chance at all against Drew Brees, Micheal Thomas, Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, it has to be the defense that makes it happen. A straight offensive battle is simply going to favor the league’s—say it with me—all-time passing leader.I was trying to think of a guy that we will need to play above his level for the Skins to emerge victorious, and I keep coming back to Quinton Dunbar. That seems pretty unfair, given he has been one the highest rated corners in the league so far. The mountains up front are going to have to do what they do, but Dunbar is going to be tested by Drew Brees and we are going to learn even more about the former wide receiver than we already knew. I think we need at least one turnover from #23 and if I’m being honest, we might need to see him take it to the house. Is it cool to make a defensive touchdown one of the keys to winning tonight? Because I think I just did...and I think it is true.Let’s do two more keys to victory and then we can see how we did on tomorrow night’s podcast. First up is the run game. It would be too easy to tie too much to Adrian Peterson. No...for the Redskins to be successful tonight, they will need two running backs perform at a high level—because the New Orleans Saints will. Chris Thompson has to have over 100 yards from scrimmage and at least one score. I don’t care how he gets it, but he needs to be productive. Let’s set the target level to 20—a total of 20 total touches for CT25 will give us at least a fighting chance.The last time we played the New Orleans Saints (you remember...our quarterback and dynamic running back got injured on the same play and we couldn’t get one yard in two chances) the Redskins had a chance to make a play to seal the win. They failed to do so and Drew Brees showed the world why he is...you guessed it...the league’s all-time passing king. The last key is this: Redskins need to sneak under the pomp and pageantry of tonight’s party in the French Quarter and make a game-winning play in the fourth quarter. It can be as simple as the quarterback sneak we failed to call and execute last year, or it can be a play made on the defensive side of the ball that results in the announcer saying, “Wow...that should just about do it tonight to lock up a victory for the Washington Redskins.” Nobody sees Washington coming, but that means absolutely nothing for a group led by what is already proving to be one of the league’s meanest defenses. You can’t win without making that last play. We have seen this team make that play already this season, but tonight Dexter Manley Jersey , the entire country is watching. In order for folks to wake up to what kind of team Washington can be in 2018, now is the time and tonight is the stage for that play. Jimmy Moreland, CBSchool: James Madison | Conference: CAACollege Experience: RS Senior | Age: N/AHeight / Weight: 5-10 / 175lbsProjected Draft Status: 4th - 6th roundNFL Comparison: Kendall FullerCollege StatisticsData courtesy JMUsports.comPlayer OverviewJimmy Moreland was a standout for JMU as a freshman. He started at corner in 12 of 13 games recording 3 interceptions, returning 2 of them for touchdowns, but also was a standout on special teams where he recorded 5 blocked kicks. However in March 2015 after his freshman season, Moreland and two other teammates were charged with petty larceny of less than $200 not from a person from an incident that February. Then coach Everett Williams dismissed Moreland from the team later that June. Moreland spent the 2015 season watching from the stands and working out on his own in hopes of earning his way back on to the roster. When new coach Mike Houston was hired in January of 2016, he gave Moreland an opportunity to rejoin the team for spring practice. Moreland seized his opportunity and went on to shine for the Dukes.Jimmy MF Moreland finished his RS-Senior season as a consensus first team All-American and a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award for the top defensive player in the FCS. He finished tied for ninth in the league with 5 interceptions, but 1st in the league in interceptions returned for a TD with 3 (all 3 coming in consecutive games). He is JMU’s all-time leader in interceptions (18) and interceptions returned for a TD (6), only 1 shy of the FCS all-time record. He participated in the East-West Shrine Game and was one of the standouts during the week of practice. He measured in smaller than his listed height, coming in at 5’9 戮”, but showed off his athleticism and ball skills. He impressed enough to earn an invite to the Senior Bowl, the first JMU player to do so. He is quickly climbing draft boards as more eyes are getting on this FCS product.StrengthsTwitchy. This is a word you will see used a lot with Moreland. He’s got quick feet and good hip movement allowing him to stay with receivers and recover quickly.Ball skills. He obviously has the stats, being JMU’s all-time leader in interceptions, but watching film, you can see it’s his ability to get his head and hips around and find the football that makes him such a ball hawk.Aggressiveness. His aggression helps make up for his size. It also helps in the run game. Despite being under 180 lbs, he has no problem sticking his nose in to make a tackle.Special teams skills. Has shown an ability to block kicks and could be a factor in the return game. Returned a missed FG at the Shrine Game for 61 yards.WeaknessesSpeed. Got beat a few times in flat out foot races. Testing at the combine/pro day will be big for his draft position.Size. Measured in at the Shrine Game at 5’9 戮” 179 lbs.Aggressiveness. While his aggression is a strength, it can also be a weakness. He can get caught on double moves or biting too quick on a break.Competition level. As is the knock with most FCS or below players.MediaHighlightsEast-West Shrine2017 FCS Semifinals vs. South Dakota St. How He’d Fit on the RedskinsIt’s no secret that the Redskins secondary needs some help. They played 3 different rookies at corner last season and could (read should) part ways with disappointment Josh Norman, saving $8.5M of cap space. That leaves them with Fabian Moreau, Quinton Dunbar, and the 3 previously mentioned rookies. Those players only accounted for 4 of the Redskins 15 interceptions last season. Moreland could be the ball hawk the Redskins need. His aggressiveness combined with his lack of top end speed means he will get beat deep occasionally, but that same aggressiveness will lead to support in the run game and turnovers. Washington has bigger needs elsewhere, including the back-end of the secondary, so they will most likely wait on a corner unless the right one falls in their lap. So Moreland may be climbing too high on draft boards for them to snag him, but if he’s available on day 3, the Redskins could pick up one of the biggest sleepers in the draft.