Curtains Fall: Redskins 2007 Season in Review - Part Two

Forming the bonds of team as family

With the disappointment of 2006's 5-11 campaign still fresh in their minds, the 2007 Redskins assembled for training camp. Curly R's Redskins 2007 Season in Review continues.

Part One: 2006 Season, 2007 Offseason
Part Two: 2007 Training Camp, Preseason
Part Three: 2-0 Hot Start
Part Four: 3-3 Sawtooth
Part Five: 0-4 Slump, Tragedy
Part Six: Monday Afternoon
Part Seven: Tuesday Morning
Part Eight: Tuesday Afternoon
Part Nine: Wednesday Morning
Part Ten: Wednesday Afternoon

Other Curly R Redskins Seasons in Review: 2006

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2007 Training Camp and Preseason
After blaming himself getting cocky and for not getting players in shape in 2006 training camp but still letting players condition away from Ashburn in the offseason, coach Joe Gibbs had promised that 2007 training camp was going to be much more intense, with twice as many two a days than the comparatively cushy 2006 camp in which the coaches deferred to a veteran team

As camp opened, offensive coordinator Al Saunders admitted the 2006 team was not ready for his 700 page playbook and hoped for more in 2007. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams promised the defense would do better than 2006's 31st overall rating. Receiver Brandon Lloyd claimed no idea how his 2006 could have been such a colossal fail and blamed Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El and James Thrash for being better and or more senior. Tailback Clinton Portis blamed his 2006 separated shoulder on the Redskins football culture and said if it were up to him preseason would be a quote resort unquote for players.

Camp got off to a quiet start, that ended when left tackle Chris Samuels injured his knee in the first week, he would not play a down in the 2007 preseason. Position battles and strange dreams continued. Confusion at left tackle continued. Not realizing how far in the shitter newspapers really were, a sports reporter at the Washington Post told football bloggers to step off. More irrelevant position battles.

Veteran tackle Todd Wade was moved to left guard when no one else emerged to replace the departed Derrick Dockery. Washington played Baltimore in a scrimmage where we met tailback Marcus Mason and Jordan Palmer threw his best pass as an NFL quarterback, Jordan would be cut after a wild thing performance at the end of preseason. More camp battles, a training camp practice was attended with the next generation of Redskins fans, Al Saunders had a stroke of genius, that passing the ball in 2007 could be a good thing. If only the team had a strategy for the backup QB spots. The Curly R turned one years old.

The Jason Campbell era officially begin with preseason game one as the Redskins beat the Titans in Tennessee, the starting offense was terrible, the defense was terrific; left tackle Stephon Heyer and right tackle Jon Jansen each yielded a sack of Jason Campbell, both times Jason coughed up the ball. Washington's starting offense scored zero points in a full half of play, the tandem of quarterback Todd Collins and tailback Marcus Mason was the most exciting combination of the night. Defensive tackle Lorenzo Alexander made a tackle with no helmet and earned his nickname, Scarface.
(Curly R preview / gamewrap | Washington Post recap | NFL box score / photos)

Camp wore on. Defensive tackle Jo Salave'a lost his position to rising second year tackle Kedric Golston. Jason Campbell's incremental gain in the Tennessee preseason game was better than nothing. Three weeks into training camp and receiver Brandon Lloyd still could run because of shin splints. The NFL totally revamped the NFL.com website, blowing away every box score and play by play link prior to the relaunch. Bastards. The backup quarterback spot is still unsettled.

The preseason continued with game two as the Redskins lost at home to the Steelers. Hopeful receiver Mike Espy blew out his knee in grisly fashion and Pittsburgh defensive tackle Brett Keisel blew by overmatched replacement left tackle Stephon Heyer and nearly tore Jason Campbell's leg off. To add injury to insult strong side linebacker Marcus Washington dislocated his elbow. The starting offense is incrementally better and the starting defense is all over everyone.
(Curly R preview / gamewrap | Washington Post recap | NFL box score / photos)

The situation on the left side of the line continued to get worse. Left tackle Chris Samuels was scheduled to come back in the regular season, if only replacement Stephon Heyer could keep quarterback Jason Campbell on his feet. Natural tackle Todd Wade finally have flamed out at left guard, giving way to Mike Pucillo, only marginally better.

In the fourth week of camp the Redskins released linebacker Lemar Marshall and signed 34 year old Randall Godfrey to fill in at strongside linebacker. Two days later the team finally recognized the complete failure to find a serviceable left guard by trading a 2009 fourth round pick to the New York Jets for disgruntled left guard Pete Kendall, thus ending the Todd Wade Experiment. Based mainly on the preseason performance of the defense, the first playoff whispers emerged.

Washington hosted Baltimore for preseason game three, a game they quote won unquote when the game was called early in the third quarter by a series of increasingly violent summer storms, safety LaRon Landry flew everywhere hitting everyone, tailback Marcus Mason impressed again and not much else was learned.
(Curly R preview / gamewrap | Washington Post recap | NFL box score / photos)

Three days later was the deadline to get the roster down to 75 players. Veteran defensive tackle Joe Salave'a was the most surprising victim, having been displaced by second year tackle Kedric Golston. Looking at the defensive secondary, there was almost no way it could not be improved in 2007.

Two days before final cuts the Redskins closed out the preseason with game four at the Jaguars and got blown out, finishing the preseason 2-2. Jason Campbell made his first start since being cheapshotted in the Steelers game and looked solid, almost no starting defenders played, Marcus Mason shined once again and there were no serious injures. Despite losing big the Redskins built some confidence heading into the regular season.
(Curly R preview / gamewrap | Washington Post recap | NFL box score / photos)

In the period between the final preseason game and final cuts, the team made an effort to trade former starting quarterback Mark Brunell, it failed.

Then it was cut day, the day the team went down to a final 53 man roster. The day football careers are made and ended. Standard post cut day maneuvering ensued, and then there was a 2007 depth chart.

Not all was quiet in the preseason outro. Superstar tailback Clinton Portis, a man accustomed to being treated differently his entire life, wondered aloud why he was being treated differently in the aftermath of a preseason vacation courtesy of knee tendinitis then three days later pronounced himself magically healed from that tendinitis. The team signed tight end Chris Cooley to a long term deal. Safety Sean Taylor granted interviews and talked about growing up. Curly R made the argument for Marcus Mason to get regular season carries. Final depth chart decisions were made.

Then, just like that the regular season was here. On the eve of the season opener at home against the Dolphins, the Washington Post published a giant season preview pull out. It was go time, 0-0 and the games would count.


Curtains Fall: Redskins 2007 Season in Review continues tomorrow with part three, 2-0 Hot Start.



Sean Taylor's empty parking space: uncredited AP photo from here.