It's Only One Week - But please don't waste timeouts!

It's only one week... I know people hate hearing that, but it is. Who at this time last year ever thought the Cardinals would be in the Super Bowl? Even at the end of the season, they squeaked and limped into the playoffs. And the Eagles last year were done mid-season. After the tie with the Bengals, they were toast. Uh huh. It doesn't work that way. Seasons have ebbs and flows.

Now, having said that, you don't want to see bad trends continue. I'll be playing closely to these trends against the Rams.

Let me explain. I think the Skins have talent, and I think they play hard. They're main shortcoming last week (besides shoddy tackling) was mistakes and decision making. Why were the corners giving such a cushion? Does that ever seem to work? Why were so many run plays called on 1st and 2nd when the passing game in the middle of the field was showing success? To me, both of those were bad decisions. And they contributed to the loss.

As for mistakes, the players in their mid week interviews alluded to these. Good, they're aware of them. Of course that does no good if they keep continuing them -- or just as bad, make new mistakes each week (while correcting last week's mistakes.) Mistakes get you beat, especially against good football teams.

One thing I'll pay very close attention to this week is the timeouts. To waste 2 timeouts because the play clock is running down is inexcusable (especially on a 3rd down when you don't get the 1st down). Timeouts are like diamonds -- cherish and protect them! If the Skins had all 3 timeouts at the end of the Giants game, they could have gotten the ball back (as long as the Giants didn't get a first down). But since they only had one, all New York had to do was run out the clock. FRUSTRATING! All because two timeouts were wasted... Whose fault is that? Is the play not getting into Jason fast enough? Are the players not getting into the huddle or lining up quickly enough? Is someone lined up incorrectly? I don't know, but it can't continue. Would they have beaten the Giants if they got the ball back? No way to know, but wouldn't you like for them to have the opportunity at least?

On a side note, I am so glad the video interviews posted at Redskins.com finally have moved the Verizon Fios commercial that I had to watch all preseason, 4 million times, to the end of the segment... Because of that commercial, I hate Verizon Fios. I will never use Verizon Fios. If Verizon Fios was the only way to watch any TV or videos ever again, I would go back to reading books (well, maybe comic books.) This is a note to any advertiser -- insist that your commercials are not overplayed, and that people have the option to not watch it. On my computer, there was no way to fast forward past the commercial, which had me pulling my hair out and screaming for all 30 seconds of the spot. Since they moved the commercial to the back end, maybe someone finally figured it out.