The NFL Season is Just Around the Corner

Yesterday’s Hall of Fame Game between the Washington Redskins and Indianapolis Colts means the regular season is fast approaching. SWEET! (Side note to self: I can not fathom having a serious relationship with anyone who is not a football fan. So, blog readers, if you don’t like football, get lost. LOL.)

Granted, it was only an exhibition game and all that jazz, but I need to tell you about some stats. Jason Campbell had a QB rating of 157.1, while rookie Colt Brennan had a QB rating of 157.5. They combined for 14 completions on 15 pass attempts, 184 yards and 3 touchdowns, along with zero interceptions. Let me put that in perspective. The highest possible passer rating in a single game is 158.3. Campbell and Brennan both eclipsed the 157 mark.

It was an encouraging game to watch, apart from the fact that it doesn’t matter at all. Still, when the Washington Redskins drafted Colt Brennan in the 6th round, I was excited. Now, my excitement continues. Colt Brennan has a strange throwing style, but who cares if it works. And, boy does it work. He had some great throws and looked like a veteran.

Other rookies and backups looked good as well, like safety Chris Horton (2 sacks and a onside kick recovery) and 4th string running back Marcus Mason (18 rushes for 98 yards [5.4 avg]).

Washington Redskins Draft Pick Roundup

With 10 picks in the 2008 NFL Draft, the Redskins chose:

34th Devin Thomas WR Michigan State 6’2 215 – Strong and speedy, he ran a 4.40 40 yard dash (ranking 6th among WR’s at the Combine) and tied for the 4th best Combine Broad Jump among WR’s at 10’6.

48th Fred Davis TE USC 6’4 248 -Known for his hands and quickness for a tight end, the big guy tied for the third best Combine Bench Reps among TE’s with 24.

51st Malcolm Kelly WR Oklahoma 6’4 220 – Not a speedy WR, at 6’4 Kelly provides an additional target for youg QB Jason Campbell, especially in the red zone.

3rd Chad Rhinehart OG/OT Northern Iowa 6’5 320 – Potentially able to play guard or tackle, he is a mobile offensive lineman who can move around. He ranked as the seventh best lineman (in a tie) at the Combine in the 20-Yard Shuffle, with a time of 4.56 and the 3rd best (tie) offensive lineman in the vertical jump with a height of 28.5.

4th Justin Tryon CB Arizona State 5’9 190 – Providing depth at the corneback position, at the NFL Combine he tied for fifth best cornerback in the bench press with 19 reps.

6th Durant Brooks P Georgia Tech 6’0 204 – Initially listed as a place kicker, I’m not sure a punter is the best way to utilize the 2nd pick of the 6th round, although he has a strong leg. Durant Brooks was the first kicker taken in the 2008 NLF Draft, after winning the Ray Guy award for being the nation’s best punter. So, there’s a plus. He had a 45.1 yard per punt average, with 33 of his 65 punts inside the 20.

6th Kareem Moore S Nicholls State 5’11 213 – Didn’t start playing football until senior year of high school. Hopefully, his steep learning curve will benefit the Redskins.

6th Colt Brennan QB Hawaii 6’3 205 – I think the height and weight attributed to Colt Brennan is a little excessive, but I like him as a backup and 6th round pick. If you don’t know Colt, you’ve been living under a rock; he’s been downgraded for being in Hawaii’s spread offense, but the Redskins will be implementing the west coast offense, which is a good fit. Plus, he’s a backup. We still have Jason Campbell.

7th Rob Jackson DE Kansas State 6’4 259 – He’s a pass rusher but not a run stopper. If he turns into something, then great, but this is the 7th round folks.

7th Chris Horton FS UCLA 6’0 212 – I can’t say I expected another safety, but we’ll see how it works out. He is a big hitter so, if nothing else, he may find a place on special teams.