Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?
The Skins are about to face the best football player in the world. Who is he?
Who is missing practice on Wednesday, but playing on Sunday?
Who will Laron Landry be missing on Sunday night?

The answers to those questions and more in today's edition of Smoke Signals. [URL="http://dcprosportsreport.com/?p=2053"]Read it now![/URL]

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

What happened to Chris Cooley? He is on pace to have to his best season ever (besides TDs). He already has as many catches this year as he did in 07.

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

Spence I think you are taking the Cooley comments by Zorn too far. It's not that he didn't know Cooley was a beast in this offense, he clearly did he isn't stupid. he just found it hard to get him going right away because he wasn't use to a great TE, he probably knew it would be growing pains. You can plan all you want, but you don't know how things run until gametime.

That answer was also kind of suggested by the reporter, and it wasn't straight outta Zorn's mouth, so I don't take it too seriously. Cooley has a ton of yards, but really isn't a threat because we don't get in the RZ enough. And remember the play where he almost got in during the Seattle game? Bad throw by Campbell in that one.

I think this is a non-issue, I doubt Cooley wouldn't trade all his receptions for a win this week.

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

I dunno, guys. Seems to me using Chris Cooley in the red zone instead of 3 wide receivers is a no-brainer. Especially when you consider the quality of our wide receivers.

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

[quote=maroonandblack30;507187]What happened to Chris Cooley? He is on pace to have to his best season ever (besides TDs). He already has as many catches this year as he did in 07.[/quote]If you take away touchdowns, I don't see how it can be his best season ever. Touchdowns are pretty important, they're the reason you put your offense on the field. Cooley has never caught fewer than 6 TDs in a season. Now he has one. His yards per catch have also declined this year to the lowest level since his rookie season. I don't think anything is wrong with Chris Cooley, but there is something wrong with this offense.

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

Cooley is also required to do more blocking, considering our 32 sacks. That being said, Cooley should be a prime target in the red zone. Cooley has been a go to guy for first downs. But, he clearly could be utilized more and better than he currently is, but, I don't take that as a slap at Zorn. I think more so, it is the reality of poor pass protection and the need to have TEs helping pick up blitzes.

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

[quote=Spence;507195]If you take away touchdowns, I don't see how it can be his best season ever. Touchdowns are pretty important, they're the reason you put your offense on the field. Cooley has never caught fewer than 6 TDs in a season. Now he has one. His yards per catch have also declined this year to the lowest level since his rookie season. I don't think anything is wrong with Chris Cooley, but there is something wrong with this offense.[/quote]

He is on pace for 88 receptions.... 20+ more than he has ever had in a season.

Lack of TDs is a product of the offense.... 10 total TDs thru the air. The Redskins BARELY even get inside the redzone!!!

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

I don't think Cooley's success this season should be discounted simply because he's not catching TDs. He's on pace for a career high in catches and he's been our most reliable receiver. It's not like he's missing in action this season and has 20 catches, I'm kind of confused about the question as to what happened to him.

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

[quote=Spence;507195]If you take away touchdowns, I don't see how it can be his best season ever. Touchdowns are pretty important, they're the reason you put your offense on the field. Cooley has never caught fewer than 6 TDs in a season. Now he has one. His yards per catch have also declined this year to the lowest level since his rookie season. I don't think anything is wrong with Chris Cooley, but there is something wrong with this offense.[/quote]Let's give opposing defenses some credit - they are giving Cooley more attention in the red zone than in years past. Taking away Campbell's security blanket has definitely impacted our red zone performance, and until someone else steps up (perhaps M. Kelly), Cooley will continue to be on opponents' radars when we get into the red zone.

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

As for Portis not practicing, I can't see how anyone should be making a big deal about this. Dude has taken a serious beating this year but keeps coming back for more on Sundays. I have zero problems with him taking Monday through Saturday off. He needs the rest.

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

[quote=Mattyk72;507207]As for Portis not practicing, I can't see how anyone should be making a big deal about this. Dude has taken a serious beating this year but keeps coming back for more on Sundays. I have zero problems with him taking Monday through Saturday off. He needs the rest.[/quote]

Nah, I don't either. Best way to keep him healthy is to rest him and the Redskins have had success with that this season.

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

11 starters not practicing.
Most if not all will likely play....it's that time of the season

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

Where is Chris Cooley?

2nd in the NFL among all tight ends in receptions and 3rd in yardage. I also suspect that if you charted all the red zone formations this season he was in nearly every package. He does not come off the field much and certainly not recently. Perhaps GTripp can confirm this.

The only tight end really having a great season is Tony Gonzalez (if we want to factor in touchdowns). Only Gonzalez and Gates have more than five tds (six a piece), Witten has three, Owen Daniels has two, Dallas Clark three, etc. The story is really about the drop in production from the tight end position league wide (which actually has not taken place in Washington). My guess is a move toward more athletic safeties and many defenses running less Cover 2.

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

[quote=PennSkinsFan;507196]Cooley is also required to do more blocking, considering our 32 sacks. That being said, Cooley should be a prime target in the red zone. Cooley has been a go to guy for first downs. But, he clearly could be utilized more and better than he currently is, but, I don't take that as a slap at Zorn. I think more so, it is the reality of poor pass protection and the need to have TEs helping pick up blitzes.[/quote]


This here is the reason Cooley isn't have the TD year that he did last year. Somehow we are screwing up on the O-line more than we were last year. If they are pulling him in to block more, it leaves him with less targets. I think he best catches of the year have been when he blocked, and then shed off the block for a catch. Can't do much when there's 4-5 defenders getting presure up the middle.

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

It's a catch 22....if Cooley had more TD's, the offense would be playing better/scoring more points.

If the offense was playing better and scored more points, Cooley would have more TD's.

Chicken - egg, cart - horse.

I think the real issue is that they have been calling routes for him that are very short to give Campbell a reliable hot route because the pass protection is so horrid. He doesn't have a chance to get up the seam because Campbell is running for his life by then.

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

Where is he? On pace for nearly 90 catches. No one on the offense is getting touchdowns. It feels like it's been a month since Portis scored (wait, I think it has), Cambpell never throws for more than one a game, and Moss has nearly disappeared of late.

It's also worth noting that Cooley's only TD (and Devin Thomas' for that matter) came on a trick play - a WR bootleg pass from ARE. Cooley never caught particulary long TD passes prior to this season, and right now our red zone offense stinks out loud.

I think his lack of scoring is much more a function of our putrid offense rather than a drop off in his skill/production. It's also worth noting that he is blocking better this season than at any time in his pro career.

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

Chris Cooley's problem is that other teams have discovered his high value to this offense. They know he is one of the few true talents in a very weak WR corps. Guard him well and you take away a major component of this offense.

He needs help from the WRs who are not carrying their weight, especially in the Red Zone.

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

[quote=A10sROCK;507364]Chris Cooley's problem is that other teams have discovered his high value to this offense. They know he is one of the few true talents in a very weak WR corps. Guard him well and you take away a major component of this offense.

He needs help from the WRs who are not carrying their weight, especially in the Red Zone.[/quote]

I agree that he needs help from the WRs (and the offense in general), but I don't think other teams are taking him away. His catches are better than ever, and his yards are right there. He's not scoring because the offense simply can't covert a damn thing in the endzone. Can you even remember the last time he was targeted in the endzone, or the redzone for that matter?? I sure can't.

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

[quote=GMScud;507368]I agree that he needs help from the WRs (and the offense in general), but I don't think other teams are taking him away. His catches are better than ever, and his yards are right there. He's not scoring because the offense simply can't covert a damn thing in the endzone. Can you even remember the last time he was targeted in the endzone, or the redzone for that matter?? I sure can't.[/quote]

I think Cooley is the best and have always really liked him as a player. He's doing well. I wear his jersey every game (bought it in his rookie year - custom made). I meet his wife at the Philly game this year, in the stands. Yes, she's beautiful and very pleasant to talk to.

All I'm saying is that the other teams know he's a Pro Bowler. He's not going to be able to hide under the radar. If others would step up [ROOKIES!], he'd be even more effective.

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

[quote=A10sROCK;507373]I think Cooley is the best and have always really liked him as a player. He's doing well. I wear his jersey every game (bought it in his rookie year - custom made). I meet his wife at the Philly game this year, in the stands. Yes, she's beautiful and very pleasant to talk to.

All I'm saying is that the other teams know he's a Pro Bowler. He's not going to be able to hide under the radar. If others would step up [ROOKIES!], he'd be even more effective.[/quote]

I agree, although I think the only time he flew under the radar was during his rookie year. LBs can't cover him and safeties and corners can't tackle him without help. He's a beast.

I guess my issue is with this thread, unless we are strictly talking about TDs. And if that's the case, again I believe the lack of TDs is a function of a sputtering offense, not Cooley individually.

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

[quote=GMScud;507380]I agree, although I think the only time he flew under the radar was during his rookie year. LBs can't cover him and safeties and corners can't tackle him without help. He's a beast.

I guess my issue is with this thread, unless we are strictly talking about TDs. And if that's the case, again I believe the lack of TDs is a function of a sputtering offense, not Cooley individually.[/quote]

Well said. This offense is not doing well. Hey, when you only have 5 more points then the Lions, your offense is bad.

Lots of blame, but Cooley is not the reason. He's a guy you build on.

My first idea this off season is that Zorn will pass the Oc duties to someone else. That will be the first of many changes.......

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

[quote=A10sROCK;507388]Well said. This offense is not doing well. Hey, when you only have 5 more points then the Lions, your offense is bad.

Lots of blame, but Cooley is not the reason. He's a guy you build on.

My first idea this off season is that Zorn will pass the Oc duties to someone else. That will be the first of many changes.......[/quote]

Not to split hairs, but we actually beat Detroit by 8...

Technically we have an OC in Sherman Smith, however I know what you're getting at, and that would be playcalling. I'm not sure who is better suited to call the plays on our current staff. I wouldn't mind seeing Zorn keeping those duties.

I think the execution needs to be better. Dropped balls, bad pass protection, WRs not getting open, etc etc ad nauseum... I think that hurts us more than Zorn's playcalling.

It will be interesting to see what kind of tweaks are made to coaching, but I don't want to jump the gun. Let's see how the rest of the season plays out.

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

[quote=GMScud;507391][B]Not to split hairs, but we actually beat Detroit by 8...[/B]

[/quote]What A10 was saying is that FOR THE SEASON, we have only outscored the pathetic Lions by 5 points. That is an indictment on how bad our offense really is. Take away Portis, and we would be far and away the lowest scoring team in the league.

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

[quote=GMScud;507391]Not to split hairs, but we actually beat Detroit by 8...

Technically we have an OC in Sherman Smith, however I know what you're getting at, and that would be playcalling. I'm not sure who is better suited to call the plays on our current staff. I wouldn't mind seeing Zorn keeping those duties.

I think the execution needs to be better. Dropped balls, bad pass protection, WRs not getting open, etc etc ad nauseum... I think that hurts us more than Zorn's playcalling.

It will be interesting to see what kind of tweaks are made to coaching, but I don't want to jump the gun. Let's see how the rest of the season plays out.[/quote]

No, I meant our offense has scored only five more points than Detroit in the [I]entire season[/I] [not the game].

Yes, we're only talking about a couple of points. We have the same idea.

Zorn impresses me as a top-caliber rookie coach. What I'm saying is that off season he'll recognize that his sometimes predictable OC play calling is holding the team back. He'll take himself out of that loop. Gibbs did it. Zorn will do the same [my prediction]. He'll get a full-time OC.

Zorn will be in charge of the strategy, emotion, big picture and winning next season. This team will be better for it.

Re: Smoke Signals for Dec 4: 'Whatever happened to Chris Cooley?' edition
 

more catches but more checkdowns for short yardage vs beating a LB over the middle