How Will Campbell Be Handled?
 

Anybody care to guess with the coaching staff? How will Jason Campbell be handled this year? Here are some of the factors to consider:

a) Jason, a pocket passer, is better suited to the Saunders offense than Mark;

b) The mental side favors the veteran, Brunell. Al's offense is complex. Jason cannot be expected to grasp it in its entirety and, at the same time, read NFL defenses on the fly;

c) Brunell has started 26 games and has been bothered by nagging leg injuries in about 20 of them. Many fans think that his performance drops off rather sharply when he's not 100%. Mark will be 36 this season;

d) Rookie QBs will make mistakes but, if Jason Campbell is the future, the price for his inexperience has to be paid sooner or later;

e) Making the playoffs is the first goal but having your starting QB healthy for the playoffs is crucial if you're going to make a run at the Super bowl.


Will the coaching staff prepare Jason with a few selected starts against softer defenses?

Will they just give him a series or two per game, increase his playing time, and work him in slowly?

Will they just start him and go with him...keeping Mark in reserve for the really rough spots?

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

no way he plays unless the game is a blowout or brunell gets injured.the skins are looking at bigger and better things than last year and wouldnt tolerate a qb making rookie mistakes

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

Like it or not it's Brunell's job this year.

The only ways Campbell is the starter opening day:

1. Campbell totally outplays Brunell in the preseason, and what I mean by totally outplay is Campbell is unquestionably, without a shadow of doubt, the better QB. If it's close at all, Brunell wins out because of his experience and Gibbs' comfort level with him.

2. Brunell goes down with an injury.

Even then, depending on how well Campbell progresses, I wouldn't rule out Collins seeing the field before him based on his experience and trust level with Saunders.

The Skins are gearing up for a Super Bowl run, and it's unlikely a 2nd year QB will be handed the keys unless he really earns it and is ready to play at a very high level.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

[quote]Al's offense is complex.[/quote]
From everything I've read, Saunders offense isn't really that complex. The only hard part is learning some of the verbage.

I think Campbell has a great chance at starting this year.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

Brunell has to be the starting the QB. He had a good year last year. He may have fallen off towards the end and in the playoffs, but we won alot of games with him not losing games. 3000+ yards, 22 td and only 10 picks. Plus we have more weapons this year which will limit the hits he takes and the scrambling he had to do last year. I think he will put up good numbers again. Campbell will sit and learn, then handed the team in 2007.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

[quote=Mattyk72]Like it or not it's Brunell's job this year.

The only ways Campbell is the starter opening day:

1. Campbell totally outplays Brunell in the preseason, and what I mean by totally outplay is Campbell is unquestionably, without a shadow of doubt, the better QB. If it's close at all, Brunell wins out because of his experience and Gibbs' comfort level with him.

2. Brunell goes down with an injury.

Even then, depending on how well Campbell progresses, I wouldn't rule out Collins seeing the field before him based on his experience and trust level with Saunders.[/quote]

I think this is spot-on. I don't see any reason to sit Mark Brunell unless he's injured. I'll keep an open mind and let Campbell show me what he's got in the preseason, but he'd have to be a lot better than Brunell for me to think it's worth playing him.

Not to turn this into a QB debate thread, but Brunell is good when healthy. When he had Patten and Moss on the field, and was healthy, he was tearing it up. When his knee got banged up and when Moss was the only WR worth a crap, Brunell struggled.

This year Brunell has the weapons at WR, so unless he's hurt I see no reason why he won't do very well for us.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

We'll be debating about Brunell and Campbell all offseason; but yes, Gibbs will stick with the veteran. The only question that remains is how many games into next season will Brunell last? He probably will be rejuvenated by having a real receivers' corps next season. If all goes well, we won't need Campbell till 2007.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

Agreed. Unless Brunell is injured, he won't see any PT this year.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

I would sure like to see what Campbell has, this year. Why wait? He's the future of the franchise and we need to get him acclimated sooner rather than later. I say get him in there and let's see what he's got. He's held the clipboard long enough. He'll be learning the new offense just like Brunell, so why sit the young guy?

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

I think the receivers as well as getting Randy Thomas back will help Brunell out alot. When Randy got hurt the Offensive line play dropped considerably so I think Marky Mark will be okay for the season. Collins will probably be the one to replace him if he's injured in a game. I would like to see Campbell on the field though. Hopefully he sees more playing during preseason this year because last year he didn't touch the field much. Then again it was Brunell vs Ramsey II.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

If you watch Cambell recent interview at redskins.com, he is pretty comfortable with NOT playing. He is a bright kid, and he knows that in about 1 or 2 seasons he will be the starter. He will learn alot to, there is no need to put him in now. Remeber we put in Ramsey really quick, and look what happened. On the most part rookie QBs do not do well their first couple years. Let Brunell play, and I like the idea of putting him in when the game is a blowout. The annual QB controversy at DC does not look that bad. We have a vet QB, who did play well last year, and we have Campbell as his backup. I think the fact we have a solid reciever core will be good for Brunell, that way he has more options, and might get sacked less, which will prevent injuries.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

[quote]He'll be learning the new offense just like Brunell, so why sit the young guy?[/quote]
Great point!

If this were Gibbs' choice, I'd say Brunell all the way, but I think Saunders is a bit bolder. Brunell seems to rush through his options, Im not sold that more receivers will make him better at finding them.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

I think it is a superbowl year and you can't put a somewhat rookie QB in to run the team. Too much is at stake to try out the Jason Campbell experiment this year. Brunell is the man until he gets hurt. Todd Collins maybe the man after him if Jason can't figure it out. Gibbs saw talent in Campbell, but he loves experience.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

I think Saunders will not completely overhaul Gibbs playbook (that's why I'm not switching mine on Madden '06). Brunell should not have any us doubting his abilities. However, without Ramsey, Campbell should be more in tune with the offense instead of running the scout team.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

[quote=Daseal]Great point!

If this were Gibbs' choice, I'd say Brunell all the way, but I think Saunders is a bit bolder. Brunell seems to rush through his options, Im not sold that more receivers will make him better at finding them.[/quote]

I have the same concerns, Brunell actually seems to only go deep when we're in desparate times & I think he's slower at reacting to defenses so he compensates for it by not going through all reads even when he has time.
But he's played well when healthy, we can't fault him for not being all pro caliber at this age.
I agree w/all who said that its Brunell's job to lose. I think a mattyk brings up a good point - who will be 2nd string? If JC doesn't learn the offense quickly he may find himself 3rd string at the end of training camp. HOpe that's not the case.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

[quote=Daseal]From everything I've read, Saunders offense isn't really that complex. The only hard part is learning some of the verbage. [/quote]

Multiple shifts, fast-paced getting to the line of scrimmage, volume (200-300 plays in a game plan at Kansas City!)...no audibles, though, from what I read.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

No controversy. This is not a Sonny vs. Billy, or Gus vs. Heath discussion. There is no discussion. It's Brunnell's job to lose. He won't. Because the NFL season is a long season, he gets worn down, and he may succomb to injury around week(s) 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10. But MB won't lose his starter status until he goes down.

No one thought MB would be the starter last year, off of his performance in 2004. He rose up like a Phoenix, and became an 11 game winner for us. That speaks volumes, and tells me he's THE MAN, until his legs give out!

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

[quote=Daseal]Great point!

If this were Gibbs' choice, I'd say Brunell all the way, but I think Saunders is a bit bolder. Brunell seems to rush through his options, Im not sold that more receivers will make him better at finding them.[/quote]

You have about 3 to 4 seconds max to get rid of the ball. I think the progression of options has to be pretty damn quick when you have 300lb lineman coming to take your head off. Some might be use to Ramsey standing in there forever waiting for a WR to come open and getting blasted. Brunell goes through the progressions as any vet would, if no one is open, throw it away or scramble for a few.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

I would be surprised if we totaly changed from our current O. I think Saunders will modify the O but keep the same terms adding some here and removing some. I just don't think we need to change alot just fine tune what we have. Who ever started the thread stated that Brunell was injured about 20 of 26 of the games he started. Where did you get that from? I wolud say he may have been injured in 8 or 9 maybe.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

[quote=memphisskin]I would sure like to see what Campbell has, this year. Why wait? He's the future of the franchise and we need to get him acclimated sooner rather than later. I say get him in there and let's see what he's got. He's held the clipboard long enough. He'll be learning the new offense just like Brunell, so why sit the young guy?[/quote]

Even though they'll both be learning a new offense, Brunell's experience is something you can't teach overnight to a young guy like Campbell and that makes for a much shorter learning curve for Brunell. Along with learning the new offense, Campbell will still be figuring out NFL defenses, learning his reads and progressions, game management, etc.

Why wait you ask? Because when you have a team that is loaded up for a serious Super Bowl run, you don't hand the offense over to a green 2nd year QB when you have a perfectly capable veteran in Brunell who just led the team to the playoffs a year ago.

Campbell's time will come very soon, but for now you have to take your best shot with your most experienced players.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

[quote=Huddle]Anybody care to guess with the coaching staff? How will Jason Campbell be handled this year? Here are some of the factors to consider:

a) Jason, a pocket passer, is better suited to the Saunders offense than Mark;

b) The mental side favors the veteran, Brunell. Al's offense is complex. Jason cannot be expected to grasp it in its entirety and, at the same time, read NFL defenses on the fly;

c) Brunell has started 26 games and has been bothered by nagging leg injuries in about 20 of them. Many fans think that his performance drops off rather sharply when he's not 100%. Mark will be 36 this season;

d) Rookie QBs will make mistakes but, if Jason Campbell is the future, the price for his inexperience has to be paid sooner or later;

e) Making the playoffs is the first goal but having your starting QB healthy for the playoffs is crucial if you're going to make a run at the Super bowl.


Will the coaching staff prepare Jason with a few selected starts against softer defenses?

Will they just give him a series or two per game, increase his playing time, and work him in slowly?

Will they just start him and go with him...keeping Mark in reserve for the really rough spots?[/quote]

I think Campbell could be successful this season, because Gibbs' system is so QB friendly. Sure, Saunders is on board now, but don't expect a complete overhaul of the offense. Just some new wrinkles. It's still Joe's offense.

That sais, the QB is Brunell as long as he can go. He's still one of the best QBs in the league. I really like our QB situation right now.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

[quote=Mattyk72]Even though they'll both be learning a new offense, Brunell's experience is something you can't teach overnight to a young guy like Campbell and that makes for a much shorter learning curve for Brunell. Along with learning the new offense, Campbell will still be figuring out NFL defenses, learning his reads and progressions, game management, etc.

Why wait you ask? Because when you have a team that is loaded up for a serious Super Bowl run, you don't hand the offense over to a green 2nd year QB when you have a perfectly capable veteran in Brunell who just led the team to the playoffs a year ago.

Campbell's time will come very soon, but for now you have to take your best shot with your most experienced players.[/quote]
Great pep talk Matty'. I was saying to myself last night if Randy Thomas was playing with us against SEA we would've been playing CAR for the NFC championship game! We are not far from achieving...

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

[quote=backrow]No controversy. This is not a Sonny vs. Billy, or Gus vs. Heath discussion. There is no discussion. It's Brunnell's job to lose. He won't. Because the NFL season is a long season, he gets worn down, and he may succomb to injury around week(s) 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10. But MB won't lose his starter status until he goes down.
[/quote]

There is no controversy. Until we lose a game.

I'm not a big Brunnell fan. The season ending win streak and the win in TB as well as the fact we were in the game in SEA were in spite of MB, not because of him.

Going into the season with him as the starting QB scares me senseless.

That said, I'm going to make an arguement in his favor: TD to INT ratio.

It is the most important QB stat and the most under appreciated. MB put up a 2/1 TD/INT last year. With the new WRs and current rules Ray Charles would be able to find somebody open to throw the ball to.

That said MB is a bit long in the tooth and that means he will bounce back from hits more slowly and has a greater probability of going down.

There is at least a 1 in 3 shot we see JC as a starter at some point this season -- but I don't see it happening (without injury) opening night.

If JC does get any significant playing time, it will be very interesting to see how he is managed. Will it be the approach that was taken with Manning in NY or Rothlesberger in PIT?

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

[quote=EXoffender]Great pep talk Matty'. I was saying to myself last night if Randy Thomas was playing with us against SEA we would've been playing CAR for the NFC championship game! We are not far from achieving...[/quote]

I have no idea why Thomas was still playing in the 4th Quarter of a 35-7 game...

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

[quote=GTripp0012]I have no idea why Thomas was still playing in the 4th Quarter of a 35-7 game...[/quote]

The same reason everyone else was still playing, you can't pull everyone.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

[quote=RiggoRules]There is no controversy. Until we lose a game.

I'm not a big Brunnell fan. The season ending win streak and the win in TB as well as the fact we were in the game in SEA were in spite of MB, not because of him.

Going into the season with him as the starting QB scares me senseless.

That said, I'm going to make an arguement in his favor: TD to INT ratio.

It is the most important QB stat and the most under appreciated. MB put up a 2/1 TD/INT last year. With the new WRs and current rules Ray Charles would be able to find somebody open to throw the ball to.

That said MB is a bit long in the tooth and that means he will bounce back from hits more slowly and has a greater probability of going down.

There is at least a 1 in 3 shot we see JC as a starter at some point this season -- but I don't see it happening (without injury) opening night.

If JC does get any significant playing time, it will be very interesting to see how he is managed. Will it be the approach that was taken with Manning in NY or Rothlesberger in PIT?[/quote]

Chad Pennington is a guy who sat 2 whole seasons and 5 games extra before he got his first start. He came right out and played well in his first start. He would be one of the best around if he didn't tear his rotator cuff twice.

I expect the same type of thing from Campbell unless Brunell retires after this year.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

The job is Brunells untill his inevitable leg injury...then the fate of the offense is in Cambell's inexperienced hands.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

[quote=Daseal] If this were Gibbs' choice, I'd say Brunell all the way, but I think Saunders is a bit bolder. Brunell seems to rush through his options, Im not sold that more receivers will make him better at finding them.[/quote]
We see it the same way.

Mark is 6 feet tall and has a shoulder-high delivery. When the defensive line doesn't allow him gaps to spot his receivers, Mark's game since his Jags days has been to flush from the pocket. As often as he does it, it's not hard to tell that he has time enough for only one or two reads before he rolls left and throws short.

I don't think it's a given that Al Saunders will see what Joe Gibbs sees in Mark's game. And Joe didn't hire him to come here and do things the way they were done in 2004. He told Al that the offense would be his (Al's).

When you draft your franchise QB out of college, there's a price to pay in getting him prepared to play. I think 2006 is the time to begin that process. The talent we have now isn't going to diminish in 2007.

If Campbell has the physical talent we're told he has, then he will cancel out many of his mistakes by making some plays that the 36 year-old Brunell can no longer make.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

Curiously in Saunder's offense, there is [u]less[/u] to learn than in most. The reason is that there are no audibles. In fact, it's been whispered that he never calls the same play in any four-game stretch. Saunders calls a game predicated on catching defenses out of position.

The job is Brunell's to lose, and it will be difficult for him to do so.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

[QUOTE=GTripp0012]I have no idea why Thomas was still playing in the 4th Quarter of a 35-7 game...[/QUOTE] 2 words....Dallas Cowboys!!

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

From what I understand, Saunders offense gives all the motions in the call and they are supposed to be very self explanitory. So as long as Campbell can repeat what Saunders says, and knows the name of the routes (curl, hook, fly, post, etc all have different names) he knows what every receiver is doing.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

[quote=Daseal]From what I understand, Saunders offense gives all the motions in the call and they are supposed to be very self explanitory. So as long as Campbell can repeat what Saunders says, and knows the name of the routes (curl, hook, fly, post, etc all have different names) he knows what every receiver is doing.[/quote]

I read about a three-digit playcalling system that was the brainchld of Coryell. Somehow it tells each player his assignment. From that standpoint it sounds simple in use, but [I]volume[/I] is part of the plan. How do you practice 200-300 plays as part of the gameplan?

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

Given JG's loyalty to Brunnell, it's certainly Brunnell's job unless he's injured. My worry is that he'll get a "nagging" leg injury but won't sit, and his performance will drop off. How long until Gibbs sits him? Hopefully Saunders will have some pull here on that issue. My guess is he will, but JG has always made those QB decisions--it's one of his trademarks. We'll see.

The lack of audibles certainly simplifies things, but reading NFL defenses pre-snap takes experience, and Mark has that experience. I'd love to see us get a few blowouts, so Campbell can come in and get a feel for the game. Here's the plan: run it up early, and let Campbell ease it home.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

Short answer.. However the coaching staff deems will be most successful..

Brunell obviously is the unquestioned starter going into the season (assuming no injury) but Campbell will see playing time. Based on the interview on Redskins.com he and Larry Michael agreed he would likely play at some point this upcoming season so there may be a plan to get him some extensive time with the starters in the preseason and be the primary backup in the regular season..

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

[quote]Given JG's loyalty to Brunnell, it's certainly Brunnell's job unless he's injured.[/quote]
I don't think JG's loyalty matters. I don't think Gibbs is going to say "Yeah, this is your offense, but you better play my quarterback." This is Saunders choice. That said, anyone have a list of Saunders QBs?

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

Wait until the preseason and see how they're playing. All 3 WRs are good in space, so simple screens can end up as 20-40yard pass plays. Moss is great at adjusting to mis-aimed passes and lloyd can make something out of nothing every now and then. Portis and cooley can adjust too.

I think becaue of the amount of general talent outside the QB position, that it probably won't be the harshest system to learn or play in. Brunell is only above average (until he gets tired or hurt and becomes absolutely awful), so there's a chance campbell could be an upgrade there (besides just a younger QB). Its hard to tell when no one has actually seen him play outside 2minutes during a ravens preseason scrub session.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

[quote=Daseal]I don't think JG's loyalty matters. I don't think Gibbs is going to say "Yeah, this is your offense, but you better play my quarterback." This is Saunders choice. That said, anyone have a list of Saunders QBs?[/quote]

kurt warner and trent green are probably the best known ones.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

[quote=Huddle]Anybody care to guess with the coaching staff? How will Jason Campbell be handled this year? Here are some of the factors to consider:

a) Jason, a pocket passer, is better suited to the Saunders offense than Mark;
quote]

Huddle, I like a lot of your opinions, but I gotta question your premise on point "a." I haven't seen enough of Jason Campbell at the pro level to know what kind of QB he will be. And your statement implies that Brunell is [B]not[/B] a pocket passer. He actually is, but he's mobile [I]within[/I] the pocket to buy an extra half-second for someone to get open. With Lloyd and R-El, maybe he won't have to do that so much next season. It's rare that he runs past the line of scrimmage. (Brunell ran for 111 yards last season for 2.9 ypc. Mike Vick ran for 597 yards, 5.9 ypc, and was Atlanta's #2 rusher last season. NOT a pocket passer.)

There's nothing to suggest the Brunell is unsuited for whatever offense Saunders comes up with. His experience should give him a leg up on adapting to a new offense. If his knees hold up, he's the man. Incidentally, John Elway won his first Super Bowl at age 37.

I think Campbell gets the equivilent of two full games in the preseason with the start going to whoever is most effective (tie goes to Brunell).

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

[quote=Master4Caster][quote=Huddle]Anybody care to guess with the coaching staff? How will Jason Campbell be handled this year? Here are some of the factors to consider:

a) Jason, a pocket passer, is better suited to the Saunders offense than Mark;
[/quote]

Huddle, I like a lot of your opinions, but I gotta question your premise on point "a." I haven't seen enough of Jason Campbell at the pro level to know what kind of QB he will be. And your statement implies that Brunell is [B]not[/B] a pocket passer. He actually is, but he's mobile [I]within[/I] the pocket to buy an extra half-second for someone to get open. With Lloyd and R-El, maybe he won't have to do that so much next season. It's rare that he runs past the line of scrimmage. (Brunell ran for 111 yards last season for 2.9 ypc. Mike Vick ran for 597 yards, 5.9 ypc, and was Atlanta's #2 rusher last season. NOT a pocket passer.)

There's nothing to suggest the Brunell is unsuited for whatever offense Saunders comes up with. His experience should give him a leg up on adapting to a new offense. If his knees hold up, he's the man. Incidentally, John Elway won his first Super Bowl at age 37.

I think Campbell gets the equivilent of two full games in the preseason with the start going to whoever is most effective (tie goes to Brunell).[/quote]

Brunell does a great job picking his spots to run. He gets a lot of big gains doing so. That average is weighed down by scrambles where he runs out after one yard to avoid having to throw.

Re: How Will Cambell Be Handled?
 

we should establish more running game if we will use JC,
just like steelers do with Roetlisberger