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Cowboys @ Redskins: 5 Questions with Hogs Haven

Time for the weekly feature of 5 Questions where we talk to a SB Nation blogger for the opposition. This week, of course, the opposition is the hated Washington Redskins and that means another visit from one of BTB's favorite bloggers, Skin Patrol. He runs Hogs Haven and is a very good blogger and a nice guy with one humongous flaw - he's a Redskins fan. Ugh. But he gives a good interview so check it out.

Bonus Questions: Brandon answered 5 Questions from Skin Patrol over at his blog, here. I answered some questions over at AOL FanHouse, here.

[Ed. Note - This interview was conducted before the news on Clinton Portis got worse and before we learned Felix Jones won't play]

Blogging The Boys: Give us the skinny, Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts? Who is playing and who isn't? Will the offensive strategy change if the big guns aren't playing?

Hogs Haven: Latest word on Clinton Portis is no good news. I am increasingly skeptical regarding him playing this weekend though some part of me believes Clinton Portis simply wills himself to the field. Maybe that's not necessarily the best thing, as there is a lot of season left. Ladell Betts is a different story, as the most recent news of him is that he's cutting well and practicing, albeit with a brace. If I had to GUESS right now it would be no Clinton Portis, some Ladell Betts. If Ladell Betts is 100%, I don't think you'll see too drastic a change in offensive strategy. He's carried the rushing load in Washington before and he can do it again. Betts can play. If there is an offensive strategy change I think it's post-kickoff. However I want to spin it, we just aren't as good without Portis as we are with him, and coaches, rightly I think, are more likely to abandon a running game that isn't working. The short answer is: If Betts is ok, we go into the game with the same offensive strategy we would with Portis. By game's end, though, deviations from that gameplan are far more likely where the running game is failing for multiple quarters.

Click below to make the jump and read the rest.

Star-divide

BTB: Santana Moss has been a Cowboy-killer. When other teams have had success against him, how have they done it? Any tips for holding down Moss?

HH: Sure, teams are great against Moss when he's injured. That's by far the easiest way to limit Santana Moss. With Moss it is a pick your poison. You can keep him in front of you but then you risk him getting the ball in his hands with space to run, which is dangerous. You can play him tight underneath, or bump him at the line, but then you run the risk of him getting past you for the deep pass. The best way to limit Santana is to limit Jason Campbell. If you can get after the quarterback, Moss will not have the time to go deep nor will he have the chance to get much separation on short passes. Bad answer but if I knew how to stop Santana Moss I would be an NFL defensive coordinator.

BTB: What's the Redskins mind-set going to be on defense now that Tony Romo is back? Will they attack him and try to rough him up, or will they play guys back in the secondary and hope some of his throws go astray dealing with the pinkie?

HH: Jason Taylor is going to be back on the attack so I imagine we'll want to get after Romo. I'm sure Blache wants to first see just how Romo's hand is healing and how that affects his ability to throw the ball. Good chance there's considerably more blitzing in the second half of this game then the first, presuming Romo proves himself capable despite his boo-boo. I think Romo is a good enough quarterback where I want to throw some things at him from the get-go, but Blache is a bit more reserved when it comes to blitzes, moreso than Gregg Williams was at least. We've got enough talent in the secondary (that played pretty well against you the first time 'round) where we can take some chances early on giving Romo time.

BTB: On our end of things, we feel like this game is practically a playoff game. A must-win. How are the Redskins approaching it? Is there same sense of urgency?

HH: This is Dallas Hate Week. Every game against the Cowboys is must win. We are not playing as good of football as we were early on the season (particularly in our two week run against you and Philly on the road). A lot of people are worried that we're worse than our 6-3 record indicates, especially looking back on that St. Louis and Pittsburgh loss, both embarrassing in their own way. This is a division game against a foe that is finally getting their starting quarterback returned and healthy-ish, and thus are poised for a late season challenge for an NFC East wild card spot. Tie breakers, like head to head and division record, are crucial. I think we need 10 wins to get to the playoffs, and 6-4 is a lot farther from that goal than 7-3 is.

BTB: We feel a lot better about this game now that Tony Romo, Terence Newman and Kyle Kosier are back in the lineup (and possibly Felix Jones.) What's your take? Is this going to be another classic rivalry game that will go down to the final minutes?

HH: Well Vegas does obviously too, as you guys opened as favorites in our house. I wonder whether much of that is the result of us playing like crap at home. I hope it isn't close, I hope we smear you. Realistically, though, the Cowboys are a great team and I don't often tempt fate by saying the Vegas line, usually right, is unusually off the mark in this case. Yea, close game, I hope we come out on top. As much as I think the Cowboys can win even if they fall behind early, I'm of the opinion that my 'Skins are never out of a game against the Cowboys. See Question 2 in Re: Santana Moss. Felix Jones worries me the most. He was a non-factor in our first game I believe due to coaching error by the Cowboys. I don't want to face him. I'm not nearly as worried about Newman as I was in year's past given how well we matched up against him earlier in the season. I'd much rather be playing against Brad Johnson than Tony Romo but it can't be helped.

 

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I hope...

…Hogs Haven speaks for the Redskins in saying that he’s not as worried about Newman as he was in year’s past. The first Skins/Boys game this season could have been the worst game Newman has played in his career, but he was willing himself to play through a hernia. After that game, he got surgery, and they are saying he’s as healthy as he has been since training camp.

The dallas defense plays SOOOOOO much zone right now, but I think that has been to basically protect a secondary missing their number 1 corner (Newman) and without their starting SS (Roy). With Newman back, I think we can revert back a little more to the defense we were expecting; tight bump and run man coverage (instead of the 12 yard cushions we’ve been seeing employed) with exotic blitz packages from our front 7.

I can’t believe Dallas is -6 in turnover ratio with the players this defense has.

by commoncents on Nov 15, 2008 8:19 AM CST reply actions   0 recs

There's not much respect for Dallas even in the division

and that’s fine by me. They haven’t earned it this season, but I expect a good game. Skins fans love to talk about how Romo isn’t really that good a QB. Nothing like ignoring all the evidence to hang on to what you wish were true. Keep thinking that.

And umm… it’’s not a “boo-boo”. It’s a broken finger. I love how people (especially MSM) like to call it a pinkie as if to imply that it’s insignificant because it’s a small finger…

Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.

by dunkman on Nov 15, 2008 8:50 AM CST reply actions   0 recs

It's not a pinky!

I get so tired of this. It’s a fracture to the 5th metacarpal, which is in the meaty part of the hand, not on the digit.

5th Metacarpal graphic here

It’s completely different. I wish people would report it as such …

Stop the Madness - Enshrine Bob Hayes
"I played for the world's greatest professional sports team in history. Once a Dallas Cowboy, always a Dallas Cowboy." - Bob Hayes

by Raul Villaronga on Nov 15, 2008 10:28 AM CST up reply actions   0 recs

A better picture

Here’s a graphic that shows how the bone is situated in the hand – a better indicator of where in the hand the bone is located:

Check this one

Stop the Madness - Enshrine Bob Hayes
"I played for the world's greatest professional sports team in history. Once a Dallas Cowboy, always a Dallas Cowboy." - Bob Hayes

by Raul Villaronga on Nov 15, 2008 10:31 AM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Even better!

Thanks.

Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.

by dunkman on Nov 15, 2008 11:59 AM CST up reply actions   0 recs

dang...

sorry man. i guess i’m one of those guys who thought it was a pinkie. thanks for the graphic.

seems hard to do anything with that part of your hand injured. if i were romo I’d be getting all kinds of jessica simpson spongebaths….lol….

"They need security in the world, Craig!"

by Tuna Helper on Nov 15, 2008 12:25 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

The finger bone connected to the...

What bone do you have to break before some says you have a broken hand?

"Trust me, we're going to kick these Redskin's asses!" - George Armstrong Custer

by Jim Vance on Nov 15, 2008 5:49 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Re:

I’ve had plenty of good things to say about Romo, including in the above Q&A. If you think I’m a “Skins fan” who "love"s “to talk about how Romo isn’t really that good a QB” than you aren’t reading the things I write. But, just to clear up, I really think Tony Romo really is a really good QB.

Go register. Or else.

by Skin Patrol on Nov 15, 2008 12:58 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Actually

I live in VA, so I’m really referencing local/regional radio coverage. I know your writing well and respect you and the blog you run. But the boo boo comment brought up one of my pet peeves that I keep hearing, that somehow Romo should have manned up and played. And it’s not the only narrative I tire of. Owens has behaved great considering getting no throws for the majority of the season, but he gets only criticism and ridicule.

Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.

by dunkman on Nov 15, 2008 2:03 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Thanks Dude

Thanks for sharing your insights, it’s interesting to hear the perspective from across the field. Do you think DeAngelo Hall will make a real contribution this game?, during the rest of the season? I think he’s worth taking a chance on, but I wonder what really happened in Oakland.

"Trust me, we're going to kick these Redskin's asses!" - George Armstrong Custer

by Jim Vance on Nov 15, 2008 7:56 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

I doubt he will have much of a contribution.

He comes in playing behind Shawn Springs, Fred Smoot, and Carlos Rogers. That means he fills the void left by Leigh Torrence. He’s probably better than Torrence. To the extent people can contribute as dime backs, I think he’ll do fine.

More importantly, I think he needs to take over for Randle El on punt detail, because Antwaan can’t do anything right on PR.

Go register. Or else.

by Skin Patrol on Nov 16, 2008 3:10 AM CST up reply actions   0 recs

They

matched up well with Newman in the first game cause he wasn’t really healthy.

Now he is.

by what_the_crap on Nov 15, 2008 9:09 AM CST reply actions   0 recs

I love this

whole Dallas Hate Week thing. It is crazy how much they hate us, it used to annoy me, but I am actually starting to find it a little humorous. The local radio station was doing a whole segment on “The biggest reason I hate the Cowboys”. I once took a class with a girl who wore her Yankees hat just after Boston came back from 0-3 to win the ALCS. Our professor made a comment about it, and she replied “Redsox’s fans really hate us, we just feel sorry for them.” I know am beginning to understand that feeling, their level of hate for us is kinda pathetic.

On a separate note I am sure many of you have traveled over to Hogs Haven all week waiting to read a lot of trash talking and such, and have been disappointed in the amount of interaction and discourse on that blog. Between posting about TO and D. Hall’s feud they went 2 days without a post, and that was just the questions and answers. I am a little let down after reading the Eagles and Giants pages last week when they played each other.

First to six!!!

by sduncan24 on Nov 15, 2008 10:23 AM CST reply actions   0 recs

I spent time reviewing the first Redskins game. The offensive line played poorly. No place at all for Barber to run..the few times he ran. The defensive line could not stop the run. Newman’s inability to cover…presumably due to injury. Crayton was very good. Either Crayton or Roy Williams will have a big day tomorrow if Washinton commits again to doubling both Whitten and TO. That being said, if Romo doesn’t have time to throw, we will end up on the short end of the score again. The key is in the play of both lines.

by AZ Cowboy on Nov 15, 2008 11:29 AM CST reply actions   0 recs

That's exactly how I see it too

the key to offense – Romo and MBIII – is O-line play. If they can give those guys a little more time/room Dallas could win going away. I know Kosier will be an improvement but there needs to consistency above all else. Once the back and QB lose faith, it changes their game.

Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.

by dunkman on Nov 15, 2008 12:02 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

thanks hogs haven...

skin patrol always does a good job and he’s as big as homer as I am and I respect that.

that being said, i hope every team in our division has to deal with we’ve had to deal with for four weeks. i hope the portis loss paralyzes their offense like the romo loss did to our offense. try to win like that. believe me. it sucks.

"They need security in the world, Craig!"

by Tuna Helper on Nov 15, 2008 12:22 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

It can't make that much difference

Mathematicians still have not been able to express the drop off from Romo to Johnson. Apparently a new number of zeroes will be required…

Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.

by dunkman on Nov 15, 2008 2:05 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Most of these teams are pretty even….wins and losses are determined in large measure by: absence of mistakes, turnovers, and luck. The quality of line play is a given.

by AZ Cowboy on Nov 15, 2008 12:26 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

Injuries falls under luck I guess.

by AZ Cowboy on Nov 15, 2008 12:28 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

I dont mind

when someone uses words like Us, We, Our, when talking about their favorite sports team ( like they are suiting up for the game) but this guy was a little over the top. The " I hope we smear them" line was nice though. I dont thinkI have heard that since I was in grade school …and I am old.

by 082288 on Nov 15, 2008 5:08 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

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