Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

[url="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/060113"]http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/060113[/url]
[b]SEAHAWKS (-9.5) over Redskins[/b]
Rule No. 10 of the Manifesto applies here: "Only pick an underdog or a road team if you're convinced it has a chance to win the game outright."

Four reasons why the Redskins seem cooked to me ...

[b]1[/b]. After they grabbed that two-touchdown lead in Tampa, Joe Gibbs clearly shifted into "I'm not taking another chance" mode. He doesn't trust their offense. It's obvious. There's a reason Washington's best drive on Saturday was 10 plays for 40 yards -- for the entire second half, they were playing not to lose.

[b]2[/b]. There's a difference between "a little banged up" and "laboring and suffering" ... and Clinton Portis was laboring and suffering with that bum shoulder last weekend. He looked miserable. Don't see that one getting better in a week.

[b]3[/b]. Six straight must-win games for the Skins ... that adds up after awhile, doesn't it? Let's say that Edell Shepherd hangs onto that game-tying touchdown pass in Tampa (and I'm not sure how he dropped it) with three minutes to play. Did anyone think the Skins had enough left in the tank to win that game? Now they have to fly cross-country and play in one of the toughest stadiums in the league? Against a well-rested team that puts up 30 points a game at home?

[b]4[/b]. Let's say the Skins fall behind by double-digits in this one. Have you seen anything from their offense lately to make you even remotely think they could come back? There's always one blowout in Round 2. Always. And this looks like the one.

[b]The Pick[/b]: Seahawks 30, Washington 6

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

Simmons isn't even a sports columnist anymore. He's basically just a comedian whose material goes into print. I've never heard him offer any real insight on anything, so I'm not real inclined to value this opinion.

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

[QUOTE=andy1282]
[b]4[/b]. Let's say the Skins fall behind by double-digits in this one. Have you seen anything from their offense lately to make you even remotely think they could come back? There's always one blowout in Round 2. Always. And this looks like the one.

[b]The Pick[/b]: Seahawks 30, Washington 6[/QUOTE]

The "experts" were probably saying the samething back in week two when the Redskins fell behind by a double digit lead and had a worse offensive showing than last week's game up until Brunell to Moss happens twice within a minute. So yes, the Redskins can comeback. The media is making the Seahawks out to be a much stronger team than what they really are. I don't mind having the worst team in the NFL playoffs make it to the NFC Championship game! :point:

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

30-6? aa-hahahahahahahaha.

Antonio takes the opening kickoff to the house. Skins D causes an early turnover. No way this'll be a blow out.

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

I find it interesting that the talking heads are prepared to sum up our entire season and come to a conclusion based on how we do this Saturday.

They so underestimate Clinton Portis' toughness. And they so underestimate Gibbs' ability to game plan and adjust.

He goes on to say six straight wins add up, well last time I checked Seattle ripped off eleven in a roll. Why is six or seven out of the question for us?

If Edell Shepherd holds onto that pass, if....if.....if....
....if he holds on, maybe he's playing in Tampa but somewhere else!

See you in Carolina next week Simmons!!

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

Not unless it's us blowing them out! The Redskins are about ready to prove the country..namely the critics all wrong. I hope everybody likes the taste of crow after this one!

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

[QUOTE=skinsguy]Not unless it's us blowing them out! The Redskins are about ready to prove the country..namely the critics all wrong. I hope everybody likes the taste of crow after this one![/QUOTE]

Trust me, the Redskins have nothing left to prove.

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

I guess that's why they play the games, to prove the blowhards wrong!

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

He's got the part about there always being a Blow Out in the second round right - but it will be the Skins on TOP!!!! 35-7

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

Ten reasons why the Redskins can beat the Seahawks.

1) Excluding their meaningless late-season games with the Colts and Packers (W and L, respectively), the Seahawks have played four teams with a winning record and have split those contests. The Redskins, meanwhile, have played eleven teams with a winning record and are 6-5 in those games.

2) The Seahawks two wins against teams with winning records came via monumental gaffes by their opponents. In week 7 against Dallas, Drew Bledsoe threw an ill-advised last-second interception that set up a game-winning Seattle FG. Five weeks later, in another home game against an NFC East opponent, Giants kicker Jay Feely missed three makeable FGs in the 4th quarter and overtime. Don't tell me Seattle is invincible at home.

3) In his nine games against teams with records worse than 6-10, Alexander is averaging 131.1 yards and 2.33 touchdowns. In four games against teams with winning records, Shaun Alexander is averaging 85.5 yards and .5 touchdowns. If A. Rod doesn't play in the World Baseball Classic, maybe Shaun A. could take his place, seeing as they both love piling up stats against inferior opponents but never seem to get it done in big games.

4) Everyone talks about how difficult it is to win a Wild Card and Divisional Playoff game on the road. And they're right. Only twice since the NFL expanded to a 12-team playoff in 1990 have teams won road games in the first two rounds of the playoffs. The last team to do it was the 1996 Jacksonville Jaguars. Their quarterback? Mark Brunell.

5) Joe Gibbs has a career 18-5 record in the playoffs and is 19-4 in games played in January.

6) The Seahawks franchise has not won a playoff game since 1984, the longest such current drought in the NFL. Under Holmgren, Seattle is 0-3 in the playoffs, including a home-loss last season to the underdog St. Louis Rams.

7) Mike Holmgren is a very good coach, but he hasn't won a playoff game without Brett Favre. Joe Gibbs, on the other hand, is a very great coach and has won playoff games and Super Bowls with Jay Schroeder, Doug Williams and Mark Rypien.

8) Seattle tackle Walter Jones is one of, if the not the, best offensive lineman in football. This should help quell Philip Daniels, but the strength of the Redskins d-line is not on the outside but in the middle with Cornelius Griffin and Joe Salave'a.

9) The Redskins have played four "rematch" games this season (Dallas, New York, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia). In the first games against those teams, Washington was outscored 95-66. In the rematches, it was Washington that did the outscoring: 118-57. Gibbs took them from a 29-point deficit to a 61-point advantage, which leads me to #10, the most important fact on this list:

10) Week 3: Washington 20 - Seattle 17. It's one thing to think the Redskins won't win. But to think they can't, especially in light of the fact they've already beaten Seattle this season, is absurd.

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

I just wrote this email to Simmons concerning Seattles "tough" stadium...



[size=3][font=Times New Roman]First of all, let me start off by saying that I am a huge Redskins fan, so this will obviously be biased. [/font][/size]



[size=3][font=Times New Roman]I'm not writing to argue with your picks. The Seahawks are the top seed and my Skins have been playing at a high level for over a month now (we'll still show everyone something nice tomorrow though). But I do have a problem with something you wrote in your reasons for picking Seattle to cover. Did I read you correctly when I saw that you said Seattle has one of the toughest stadiums to play in? Are you kidding me? Granted, any road playoff game has got to be tough on the visiting team. And yes, the constant rain may be a factor, but I don't think that is what you meant when you made this ridiculous statement.[/font][/size]



[size=3][font=Times New Roman]Just think of where the Skins have played this year and compare them to Qwest Field. [/font][/size]

[size=3][font=Times New Roman]1.) Philly - Notorious for their fans and their crappy field (I know it’s a new stadium but that field looked terrible the last time we played them). This is the same place that booed/threw snowballs at Santa. That's a home field advantage.[/font][/size]

[size=3][font=Times New Roman]2.) Dallas (on the MNF game that saw the triplets get inducted into the ring of honor) - The only place that hates Washington more is Paris or Hell (although I hear hell has wonderful locker rooms). The fans are always frenzied when the Skins are in town.[/font][/size]

[size=3][font=Times New Roman]3.) New York - Granted, the Panthers just ruined this place for awhile. Any field that more than likely has a dead union boss in one of the end zones has got to be a tough place to play. This is also the same stadium (true, for a different team) that had to recently ban alcohol for a game.[/font][/size]

[size=3][font=Times New Roman]4.) Tampa - The Skins have played here twice this year and come out with a victory TWICE (Alstott's elbow was down). On the radio this past Monday I heard that those running the stadium passed out white towels and basically instructed the fans to wave them whenever the Skins had the ball. Is this the student section at Cameron or an NFL stadium?[/font][/size]

[size=3][font=Times New Roman]5.) Kansas City - From what I understand Arrowhead is widely regarded as one of the toughest places to play in the NFL. The Skins lost here too, but it was a close game that came down to the last quarter.[/font][/size]

[size=3][font=Times New Roman]6.) Denver - This game was played in near freezing rain, and again the Skins got screwed out of a win because of the freakin' Tuck Rule (even though the ref said "the quarterback tucked the ball, so it is an incomplete pass and not a fumble into the end zone") which was an incorrect call.[/font][/size]



[size=3][font=Times New Roman]The other two stadiums the Redskins played at this year were not that tough as far as venues are concerned: St. Louis and Arizona. Maybe the NFC West just doesn't have tough stadiums, who knows?[/font][/size]



[size=3][font=Times New Roman]Let's also not forget where the Skins play their home games: FedEx Field, the largest and loudest stadium in the NFL. Away coaches are always saying how hard it is to get plays called when 90,000 people are screaming like idiots. Even when the Redskins have the ball it’s hard to get it quiet in that place (my eardrums are still pounding from the last game I went to). I know playing on the road is completely different than playing at home, but I think this Redskins team is used to playing in hostel environments. [/font][/size]



[size=3][font=Times New Roman]To say that Seattle has one of the toughest stadiums to play in has got to be a joke. You're a funny guy Bill, I just didn't think you were this funny. [/font][/size]

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

[QUOTE=andy1282][url="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/060113"]http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/060113[/url]
[b]SEAHAWKS (-9.5) over Redskins[/b]
Rule No. 10 of the Manifesto applies here: "Only pick an underdog or a road team if you're convinced it has a chance to win the game outright."

Four reasons why the Redskins seem cooked to me ...

[b]1[/b]. After they grabbed that two-touchdown lead in Tampa, Joe Gibbs clearly shifted into "I'm not taking another chance" mode. He doesn't trust their offense. It's obvious. There's a reason Washington's best drive on Saturday was 10 plays for 40 yards -- for the entire second half, they were playing not to lose.

[b]2[/b]. There's a difference between "a little banged up" and "laboring and suffering" ... and Clinton Portis was laboring and suffering with that bum shoulder last weekend. He looked miserable. Don't see that one getting better in a week.

[b]3[/b]. Six straight must-win games for the Skins ... that adds up after awhile, doesn't it? Let's say that Edell Shepherd hangs onto that game-tying touchdown pass in Tampa (and I'm not sure how he dropped it) with three minutes to play. Did anyone think the Skins had enough left in the tank to win that game? Now they have to fly cross-country and play in one of the toughest stadiums in the league? Against a well-rested team that puts up 30 points a game at home?

[b]4[/b]. Let's say the Skins fall behind by double-digits in this one. Have you seen anything from their offense lately to make you even remotely think they could come back? There's always one blowout in Round 2. Always. And this looks like the one.

[b]The Pick[/b]: Seahawks 30, Washington 6[/QUOTE]

I dont see anything that he says is wrong,everything he says is the absolute truth,the only thing i disagree with him on is the final score

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

[QUOTE=htownskinfan]I dont see anything that he says is wrong,everything he says is the absolute truth,the only thing i disagree with him on is the final score[/QUOTE]

Yea most of the stuff he says is legit, except #3(haha yea its another number 3). I hate when people complain about the what if's, and he does not give enough credit to our tough schedule. That being said, the score also pisses me off, 30-6? wtf

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

[QUOTE=htownskinfan]I dont see anything that he says is wrong,everything he says is the absolute truth,the only thing i disagree with him on is the final score[/QUOTE]

His argument number 1 is actually a good thing for the skins. So the offense went conservative in the last game after a 14-0 lead. That means that the offense is quite capable of putting up points and running up yards when we're not conservative.

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

hesscl34 - It was Theismann, Williams and Rypien. Williams took over for Schroder during the year they won the Super Bowl

htown - you're absolutely right, he hasn't said anything that isn't true. however, the one thing Mr. Simmons has done is underestimated Coach Gibbs and Coach Williams to prepare their team for war.

while the odds of continuting a winning streak lessens each week, there were 2 teams who got 9+ wins in a row this year (Hawks, Colts), while not add another to that list.

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

I love reading Simmons but his picks suck. They are all bias to his home team The Pats.... He completely contradicts himself by picking SEA and the reasons he picked the Pats...

[b]"But even beyond that, isn't this just Basic Gambling 101? Here's the first rule you learn as a gambler, whether you're betting on sports, blackjack, craps or whatever: [i]Never bet against a streak.[/i] It's the dumbest move you can make. And considering Belichick and Brady are 10-0 in the playoffs ... don't they need to lose one first before anyone starts throwing money against them?"[/b]

Hey Bill Skins are on a streak of 7-0, Sea hasn't wont a playoff game sense 1984. Do those not count as streaks?

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

I agree with all his points but #3. Sadly, this guy has a pretty good track record with this manifesto and I believe he picked the skins over Tampa last week.

While even if the skins lose I feel it will be a close game, our offense MUST produce tomorrow.

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

He was 2-2 last week, he picked the Skins and Pats, but had the Giants and Bengals on sunday.

For the season he was right around the .500 mark, that's nothing special.

[url="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/060106"]http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/060106[/url]

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

Maybe Im thinking of someone else that was at about .800. Saw it on ESPN.

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

[QUOTE=Daseal]Maybe Im thinking of someone else that was at about .800. Saw it on ESPN.[/QUOTE]

If there is someone alive who is .800 against the spread over the course of a season, and has picked at least 50 games, I would worship the ground he walked on. It's pretty much impossible.

Maybe you saw .800 in picking games straight up, which would still be remarkable. But there's no way someone was .800 against the spread.

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

Whatever--on the "playing not to lose" thing, that what good coaches do. And, surprise, surprise, it won the game. Gibbs recognized that his offense was having trouble with the bucs D, and that his D was doing well. So he left it to the D.

But, as is my refrain on this sort of BS, I'd much rather get negative press. It's better for motivation. And there's such enjoyment in proving these morons wrong.

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

What's really frustrating is after the skins beat the seahawks all of the talking heads won't be heard from. The redskins have never gotten any respect from the media going all the way back to joe gibbs first playoff game. Even after they won their first superbowl it was because of the shorten strike season. Even in their last superbowl season the redskins were favored but they never got whole lot of reconigtion. Joe gibbs is about winning and his style is not i guess flashy enough for the media i don't know. I do likethe fact the redskins beat the number one "D" with just 122 of offense The seahawks have got to be worried about that

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

[QUOTE=rock]What's really frustrating is after the skins beat the seahawks all of the talking heads won't be heard from. The redskins have never gotten any respect from the media going all the way back to joe gibbs first playoff game. Even after they won their first superbowl it was because of the shorten strike season. Even in their last superbowl season the redskins were favored but they never got whole lot of reconigtion. Joe gibbs is about winning and his style is not i guess flashy enough for the media i don't know. I do likethe fact the redskins beat the number one "D" with just 122 of offense The seahawks have got to be worried about that[/QUOTE]


You said it man!!

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

it was picking games straight up and only playoff games.

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

He's right about us going into a shell after we went up by 2 TD's, as it is written, the dog has returned to it's vomit, and Gibbs after opening up the offense at the players request, couldn't resist the urge to crawl back into a shell and hand over momentum to the Bucs last week. If there reciever doesn't drop that ball I am thouroughly conviced we lose that game.

Hopefully Gibbs get's it through his head you have to play every quarter and cannot win if you play scared, I hope that was just an islolated incident, and he's prepared to put the peddle to the metal against the hawks.

With that said the only blowout I see happening is the colt's game, I believe the Colts are going to hand the steelers their lunch.


As for Portis if he is to hurt to be productive we won't mis a beat with Betts in there.

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

Don't lose faith!!!!!!! God loves the skins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are going to the show!

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

I really didn't see anything different from our offense than we've seen the last 5 weeks, other than the fact someone finally stuffed our running game.

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

[QUOTE=Mattyk72]I really didn't see anything different from our offense than we've seen the last 5 weeks, other than the fact someone finally stuffed our running game.[/QUOTE]

I would add also that our opponents are taking away Brunell's outlets, his security blankets. When Cooley tries to release after pass protecting, they either have him zoned, or in the case of the Eagles, the pass rusher just grabbed him. Ditto Robert Royal. Those aren't big plays but they are the ones that keep the drive alive. And they're plays the Redskins used successfully all year, amazingly. I would have expected Parcells to handle Cooley well, but he tried to man Demarcus Ware up in coverage. Inexplicable. Sometimes I wonder if these coaches really watch films at all.

Something has to give, though. The #2 and #3 WR's are getting single covered whenever Moss and Cooley are not so they have to make plays in the passing game. I know there has been alot of criticism of Jacobs, etc and rightfully so, but the coaches and the quarterbacks also need to adjust and start making an effort to look for those guys. If they are not up to the challenge then we're basically out of luck against this level of competition anyways.

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

[QUOTE=70Chip]I would add also that our opponents are taking away Brunell's outlets, his security blankets. When Cooley tries to release after pass protecting, they either have him zoned, or in the case of the Eagles, the pass rusher just grabbed him. Ditto Robert Royal. Those aren't big plays but they are the ones that keep the drive alive. And they're plays the Redskins used successfully all year, amazingly. I would have expected Parcells to handle Cooley well, but he tried to man Demarcus Ware up in coverage. Inexplicable. Sometimes I wonder if these coaches really watch films at all.

Something has to give, though. The #2 and #3 WR's are getting single covered whenever Moss and Cooley are not so they have to make plays in the passing game. I know there has been alot of criticism of Jacobs, etc and rightfully so, but the coaches and the quarterbacks also need to adjust and start making an effort to look for those guys. If they are not up to the challenge then we're basically out of luck against this level of competition anyways.[/QUOTE]

you are exactly right,Cooley has 4 catches for 20 yrds over the last 2 games,and that will def not cut it when your only other threat is moss,since we started this winning streak the stats on our other wr's who caught a pass is this: thrash-1 rec,41 yrds jacobs-2 rec,6 yrds,thats in 6 games people,that is so unbelievably pathetic you wonder how we won 6 games in a row,if seattle shuts down cooley,gibbs has to figure out a way to get the other wr's the ball

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

I'd like to see Royal get a few balls his way to help open things up underneath.

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

[QUOTE=andy1282]

[b]4[/b]. Let's say the Skins fall behind by double-digits in this one. Have you seen anything from their offense lately to make you even remotely think they could come back? There's always one blowout in Round 2. Always. And this looks like the one.

[b]The Pick[/b]: Seahawks 30, Washington 6[/QUOTE]


I didn't see anything from our offense down in Dallas on MNF, but guess what? We were down by double digits to Bill Parcells who NEVER blew a lead like that in the 4th quarter. Tomorrow we shock the world(except us) and silence the critics.

Re: Bill Simmons can suck it...
 

[QUOTE=skinsguy]Not unless it's us blowing them out! The Redskins are about ready to prove the country..namely the critics all wrong. I hope everybody likes the taste of crow after this one![/QUOTE]

Even if it happens that way the critics will say the Hawks lost it more then we won it!!! :frusty: Then who ever we play next week will do what should have been done in the first two play-off games!!! Face it it is us alone and I who have no other way!!! :food-smil Love the Redskins and all Skin Fans!!! :towel: