Greetings from Newark (three hours late), where it’s misting with the temperature in the high 60s. The forecast for Redskins-Giants tomorrow is a high of 81 and sun.
The Redskins traveled by train up here today from Union Station.
SEE RELATED:
Earlier this week, Redskins executive VP Vinny Cerrato held court with four beat writers. I sprinkled some of his comments in stories throughout the week (including tomorrow) and here are some of the better leftovers from his 22-minute chat.
On what he likes best about the current 53-man roster:
“The offensive line depth is improved. The starting five did a good job in the preseason games. Jason didn’t get sacked one time. That’s a plus going into the season. Defensively, the deficiencies we had last year, sacks and turnovers, we addressed in the off-season. We’re headed in the right direction there. I think it’s going to be about consistency and playing consistent.”
On Jason Campbell’s preseason:
“I think he’s taken a leadership role. Number one, he’s the one that set up all the workouts for the receivers in the off-season and if they weren’t there, he would call them and make sure they were coming. The way he’s handled the preseason, he’s been calm, poised and confidence. I don’t think any quarterback in the league had the pressure put on them by you guys for a third preseason game and he responded well. He’s responded to every challenge thus far. He’s taken charge of the huddle and he’s become more vocal and he’s taken over the practices out there. Everybody looks to him now.”
On if the front office/coaching staff told Campbell to be more vocal:
“What happened is that he started to feel more comfortable. It was told to him that’s what he needed to improve upon and it’s much easier for him in Year 2 than Year 1 because he said it was hard to get on somebody last year if he wasn’t sure he was doing the right thing. He’s sure of what he’s doing and if you notice, every day he stays after practice and works on things that need to be worked on or he didn’t do well in practice. … I expect him to have a good season. If we can protect and give him solid protection throughout the year, he’ll have a good season. What Jason needs to do is lead the team, manage the games and I think he’ll make plays because of that with his feet and his arm.”
On Albert Haynesworth’s potential impact:
“I got a feel for that watching film of him last year and when we played Baltimore, Ozzie [Newsome] thanked me for Albert not playing in the game. Talking with the Jacksonville people, they thought he was the best defensive player in the league. The things we saw in film are the things we expect to see. He wants to show everybody also the of player he is. I expect him to [play all 16 games] and play close to 60 percent [of the snaps]. We have a rotation of guys to keep him healthy.”
On Dan Snyder’s 10th year as owner:
“You learn from your mistakes and you admit that you learn from your mistakes and he’s done that. And he’ll tell you the mistakes he’s made and where he’s made improvements and how he understands the NFL works.”
On the NFC East:
“The NFC East is the best division in football. The Giants won 12 games last year and the offensive line is outstanding, the defensive line is outstanding and they have a Pro Bowl quarterback and running back. They’re well coached and a solid football team. The Eagles went to the NFC championship game last year. They’ve got more weapons offensively and the thing they have to overcome is Jim Johnson [who died in July] on defense. The Eagles will probably be better offensively. Dallas had a quiet off-season. Romo is an outstanding quarterback. They have to find somebody to replace T.O. and they have one of the most dominant defensive players in DeMarcus Ware. Pick your poison – everybody is good.”
— Ryan O’Halloran
