Last year, an MVP-caliber start to the season by Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell came to a crashing halt during a Monday night visit to FedEx Field from the Steelers.
After throwing no interceptions in eight games, Campbell threw two picks in an election-eve 23-6 loss to Pittsburgh, generating a career-low passer rating of 49.2.
On Saturday night, Campbell completed only one of seven throws, for ten total yards.
That said, the Redskins ended their first drive with a field goal, fueled by fake punt that would have capped a three-and-out drive, and runs from Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts.
In halftime quotes circulated by the team, coach Jim Zorn was nevertheless optimistic about Campbell’s performance.
“[H]e is doing a great job on his decision making,” Zorn said of Campbell. “I can only think of one occasion where we had some miscommunication — on a third-and-three play at the beginning of the second quarter. He did a good job getting the team down the field on our first drive. We should have scored a touchdown, but the Steelers did a great job. We got stopped and we have to get better at the goal line.”
It’s way too early to begin guessing whether Todd Collins or Colt Brennan or Chase Daniel will win the starting job, but Campbell needs to show more than he did tonight if he hopes to hold the job from September through December.
I know he was 1-7 but he didn’t seem bad to me as I watched. He had good pocket awareness when the Steelers blitzed, he showed a very good arm on the first play which was a bomb and it wasn’t his fault that Polamalu made a great play staying with the receiver and batting down the ball, S.Moss dropped a pass which was right in his hands for about 10 yards, and one of the incompletes was a screen pass which the Steelers completely snuffed out so Campbell threw it into the ground. Most every QB struggles against the Steelers’ first team defense.
Yes florio, we know you’re a Steelers fan. Cambell did okay, could have been better. The 1st string offense did drive it down the field on the 1 defense and super bowl champs. Oh and u like to compare Brian Orakpo to last years bust Golston, not even close. Orakpo has had a bunch of QB hurries a sack and is getting double teamed already in limited play. I think it’s safe to
say he’s not another Golston. Oh yeah, almost forgot redskins beat your Beloved Steelers!!!!!!!’
Why so down on the Redskins Florio – we don’t hear that from Rosenbacher.
Steelers D is tough, those boys come to play…..He might not be a complete NFL QB…..But he has a certain toughness about him……seems he just needs to be coached….and more experience………….
Jason will be ready. This article is all about drama. It’s the 2nd preseason game….relax. Hail!
I think you intended to say, “…if he hopes to hold the job from September through February.”
The Skins in ’10!
It wasn’t as bad as the numbers.
Polamalu made a great play when Malcolm Kelly beat two guys down the field. That was a TD if any safety is back there other than Polamalu.
Santana Moss dropped a pass right in the hands.
One was a pass that had to be thrown away.
Amazingly…lost in all of this was the great play of the Redskins offensive line versus the Steelers pass rush. Although the O-Line is one injury away from falling apart.
As a Skins fan I am not one to bash Campbell and am truely hoping he pulls his head out of his ass this year and take the reigns of the team. But his performance tonight was piss poor. Not sure how else to explain it. It is said the 3rd pre-season game is the gauge on how the year will go. We shall see, but at this point Todd Collins seems like the best decision to start. Sad but true. The rest of the team looked good though. And “Sleepy” Davis looked good for once as well.
On another Skins QB note, it seems at this point Chase Daniel is the #3 QB and Colt Brennan is gonna get cut. Daniel led the team on 2 TD drives and Colt threw a pick inside the 20. Zorn has been expressing his preference for Daniel over Brennan in interviews. Seems Colt needs to pull a miracle out of his ass to keep his job.
I’m a life long skins fan. I grew up when we NFC champ games losses were disapointments. I love Jason Campbell, he’s a good dude. Given the option I’d hang out with the dude for dinner more than most. Having said that, he doens’t cut it. I’m not sure what it is, but whatever it be, he doesn’t have it. It makes me sad to say it but it’s true.
Rex Grossman
I was at the game. It sounds worse than reality. Two incompletions were screen passes that were correctly thrown away because the Steelers were all over both plays. One was a dropped ball. The first ball was a bomb that was nearly completed.
He did have one bad overthrow to a wide open receiver. As for the long pass to Malcom Kelly, I have to disagree with the first poster. Campbell badly underthrew that ball; or Kelly really outran the ball and a cornerback and two safeties. Kelly was flying down the field. A correctly thrown ball would have been a TD.
Steelers had the number one defense last year and our offense look fairly good against it for the first quarter.
There is NO QB controversy in DC.
And for the record, Campbell was not the problem last half of the year. Our offensive line broke down with injuries and Campbell did not have time to go through his progressions during the last eight games like the first eight. The offensive line provided exceptional protection last night. If they can stay healthy, Campbell will have a fine year.
Colt Brennan hasn’t looked good either this pre-season, which I’m sure won’t change the fact that most Redskins fans think he’s the chosen one.
Florio – there is no QB battle in DC unless you count Chase Daniel and Colt Brennen fighting it out for third string. J. Campbell is the QB for better or for worse. He has not impressed this preseason for sure. But, the D is playing well and if J. Campbell can just manage the game…wishful thinking.
It appears that this guy just does not have the confidence he needs.
It’s time to cut bate. Trade him to the 49ers or Browns let him start over. Both Collins and Daniel looked a million times more decisive with the ball.
Did i mention Daniels was really good and looks like a Vet already? Man this guy will do some things in this League. Alot of teams are gonna regret passing up on him.
I don’t understand what Jason Campbell has done in the NFL to have earned a starting quarterback job. Am I missing something here?
Colt Brennan?????—You’re kidding me –dudes a flyweight–He’ll never amount to be more than a clipboard holder..
“…isonic1 says: August 22, 2009 11:48 PM
Yes florio, we know you’re a Steelers fan….”
LMAO
Obviously you’re new here.
NFLed says:
August 22, 2009 11:25 PM
I know he was 1-7 but he didn’t seem bad to me as I watched. He had good pocket awareness when the Steelers blitzed, he showed a very good arm on the first play which was a bomb and it wasn’t his fault that Polamalu made a great play staying with the receiver and batting down the ball, S.Moss dropped a pass which was right in his hands for about 10 yards, and one of the incompletes was a screen pass which the Steelers completely snuffed out so Campbell threw it into the ground. Most every QB struggles against the Steelers’ first team defense
===============================
lol are you serious ? You think he was playing against our regular D ? The steelers didnt even blitz . Vanilla D and he struggled . If you want to see how Jason does against the steelers just refer back to last year on monday night . Last night was like practice lol .
Campbell sucks. Stop apologizing for him because he is a nice guy. He has a strong arm but he is inaccurate. He waits to see a receiver make a break on the ball before throwing when he should be throwing to a spot. All the greats do it. He isn’t one of them. I want this guy off my team.
Lol, *tries to imagine what these posts would be like if Tony Romo, Jay Cutler, or Joe Flacco had gone 1-7 in a game and 4-16 0TD, 1 INT for their preseason*.
Campbell is a good person, a good athlete, but I don’t think he’ll ever be more than a decent QB. He has the tools, my ‘book’ on him is he doesn’t process the information fast enough to be able to play QB at a high level. That isn’t something that can be learned with experience either.
He isn’t helped by what I think is going to be a truly woeful O line. The Skins D (which is very good) will keep them in most games so I see them losing deceptively ‘close’ games that will give their fans hope that the team is better than it really is. I have no idea why they spent so much this off season bolstering their already good defense and pretty much ignoring a very shaky offense, especially the O line.
in 07 collins took the skins to the playoffs. not campbell. collins.
campbell has been handed the job all along. it’s affirmative action for QBs.
he isnt a decision maker. being able to throw the ball 100 yards doesnt matter if there is no accuracy. and he has been in a few systems now under a few coaches. he is a veteran. he doesnt need more chances.
it already has been put-up or shut-up time with him. and he probly is the 3rd stringer at best.
Bill in DC……
Right on…If a book is ever written on blog posting, how to point out an athlete’s shortcomings without the hate and drivel…This comment should be exhibition A.
Campbell has the tool is right. When you look at Chase Daniel, even after all the NFL brass knocked him down simply because of the system he played in college, you saw last night how decisive he was and mistake free mostly he was with the ball.
That is huge in a QB’s development in the League. Processing info quickly and making good decisions as a consequence , then come the physical tools.
Campbell is slow on decisions in the pocket.
Which is why as much as people hate on Russell, I see him doing much better. He has the tools and he makes his decisions quickly.
So j.c. was 1-7 in a preseson game. If you break down his throws 2 of his throws we on screen play that hte steelers were all over throw aways. his first pass to m.k. was a nice pass very good play by the best safety. one pass hit s.m. in the hands drop he was 2nd in the league last year with droped passes. on the second deep pass was a 50-50 ball to s.m. iam see on poor throw in this game. how do judge a qb on 5 pass plays?
Campbell was one of my fantasy teams starting QBs after Brady went down week 1, so I’ve had a love-hate relationship.
The big excuse has been that he’s been under one change of system after another. And, remember, last year Zorn didn’t even have a 2 minute drill ready for regular season week 1!!!
So this year, Campbell has no excuses – unless it’s the coaching staff. I’m hoping that, Campbell or Collins, the coaching staff is doing right by their players this year.
Campbell didn’t look that awful yesterday, I would cut him a little slack due to the weather. It had been pouring all day and there was a ton of moisture in the air. At the beginning of the game you could barely see anything on tv because of all the mist on the field.
That said, Campbell is not the QB for the Redskins. Like others have pointed out, he takes too long to make decisions. To add to that, his release isn’t very quick either and his long ball accuracy leaves a lot to be desired. Which sucks, because because he has a big arm, the long ball should be one of his strengths.
“He might not be a complete NFL QB…..But he has a certain toughness about him……seems he just needs to be coached….and more experience………….”
You constantly bag on Romo but you’re gonna fellate this first round JAG and his sub-Rosenfels passer rating? Seriously?
The_Mick says:
“Campbell was one of my fantasy teams starting QBs after Brady went down week 1, so I’ve had a love-hate relationship.”
Yet another dude comes out about Cindy Brady goin’ down on him……go figure, Massholes!
thats funny, I’m in 2 fantasy football leagues and Campbell was a free agent in both leagues~
I’m a Skins fan but the fact is that Jason Campbell needs to find a new gynocologist before he will ever be an effective NFL QB.
whats killin me is having to wait another year for a real coach. I hate the redskins conservative offense. getting people on the wrong side of the ball in the off season. we are small on offense, and predictable. I luv 3rd & 10, 3 and outs. our offense is horrible & nothing will change this year if we cant SCORE.
Campbell can’t cut it, whatever “it” is he doesn’t have it. They were right to look at other OB’s to bad for them that they didn’t sign one.