Posted by Josh Katzowitz

When Rex Grossman said the Redskins were going to win the NFC East, I think most of us kind of laughed and shook our heads. Boy, that Rex is a funny one, we might have thought, considering Grossman wasn’t even going to beat out John Beck for the starting quarterback spot.

But then coach Mike Shanahan proclaimed Grossman the starter, and in the Redskins surprising 28-14 win against the Giants on Sunday, perhaps we can begin to understand why Shanahan went with Grossman instead of Beck.

Yes, Beck has more mobility* than Grossman, but he doesn’t have the experience and he hasn’t shown the poise Grossman did today. In holding off the Giants -- who, to be fair, were missing all kinds of defensive starters due to a vicious preseason attack of injuries -- Grossman went 21 of 34 for 305 yards and two touchdowns.

*This is what CBSSports.com wrote after a particularly good preseason performance by Beck, who “showed his athleticism in the first half, a stark contrast to Rex Grossman. Grossman gets rid of the ball faster, Beck holds onto it, knowing he can elude pressure and make plays with his legs.”

Said tight end Chris Cooley after Sunday’s win: "I know it means so much to Rex. He wants to be an outstanding quarterback. ... He deserved to play so well today. I'm so happy for him."

Though Shanahan said, when he named Grossman the starter, that the quarterback position was going to be continuously monitored and reassessed throughout the year, Grossman gave himself a pretty good head start on Beck with his performance Sunday. He wasn’t perfect -- he missed his first four passes, and he threw a couple that could have been intercepted -- but he was good enough to have flashbacks to the good old days.

Said Grossman: “Feeling like I was in Florida again.”

You know, the days when he was a successful starting quarterback. And when his team won a championship.

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Posted by Josh Katzowitz

Each Saturday, we’ll take the best -- and most clever -- odds collected by bodog.com for the upcoming week and give our take. This is important stuff, perhaps the most important post you’ll read all week. Because if you can’t lose money while watching a game in which you have absolutely no effect, what’s the point of watching sports at all?

Top-five Super Bowl picks

New England Patriots 11/2 
     
Green Bay Packers 7/1

Philadelphia Eagles 15/2  
    
San Diego Chargers 11/1

New Orleans Saints 12/1

Bottom-five Super Bowl picks

Cleveland Browns 100/1

Washington Redskins 100/1 
             
Carolina Panthers 125/1

Cincinnati Bengals 150/1

Buffalo Bills 150/1

The big change in the Super Bowl odds has to do with Peyton Manning and the Colts. Bodog’s head oddsmaker Adam Young explains: "When someone as important to a team as Peyton Manning is questionable for one or more games to start a season we are almost forced to pull down their season win total and divisional odds and in turn those of the Texans.  We have left up the Super Bowl odds with the Colts moving up from 16-1 to 20-1 and the Texans down from 28-1 to 20-1."

So, my advice: don’t put your money on the Colts. Instead, I’d put your money on New Orleans to win the whole thing.

Will Tiki Barber play in a game in the 2011 regular season? 
       
Yes 3/1   

Nope. Only the Dolphins have thought enough of Barber to give him a workout, and we’re not flabbergasted enough to think that somebody else will be that desperate to give him another chance.

Who will be the first coach fired in the 2011 regular season? 

Jack Del Rio 3/1

Tony Sparano 7/2

Gary Kubiak 11/2

Marvin Lewis 15/2

Tom Coughlin 15/2

Mike Shanahan 10/1

Norv Turner 10/1

Lovie Smith 12/1

Andy Reid 15/1

Field 2/1

You have to think the decision to release David Garrard and start Luke McCown until Blaine Gabbert is ready to play will seal Del Rio’s fate. At least with Garrard as the starter and with Manning out for the time being, you’d think the Jaguars would have a chance at the postseason and the chance to save Del Rio’s chance. There’s no chance now.

Terrelle Pryor -- total starts at quarterback in the 2011 regular season  
    
Over ½ (+110)

Under ½  (-140)

It’s the Raiders. Of course you go with the over.

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Posted by Will Brinson



Even though the Redskins quarterback battle was "wide open" as recently as the final preseason week, it was always kind of assumed that John Beck would get the job. That's just how Mike and Kyle Shanahan roll. Or not -- reports out of Washington today indicate that Rex Grossman will be named the Redskins starter.

Yes, that's right -- the man who earlier this offseason predicted that the Redskins would win the NFC East will get an actual chance to back up his prediction. According to Jason LaCanfora of the NFL Network, Shanahan informed the two quarterbacks of his decision over the weekend and will be rolling the dice with Grossman against the Giants in Week 1.

LaCanfora notes that the situation will be "re-assessed throughout the year" and that's the least surprising thing about this whole situation. Beck will almost assuredly get some starts at some point in the 2011 season, because not only do the Shanahans like him as a quarterback, but once the Redskins find themselves out of playoff contention, they'll want to really see what they've got in Beck to make a decision for the long term.

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Posted by Ryan Wilson

It's hard to believe, especially if you don't have any, but apparently money doesn't guarantee happiness. The latest evidence comes courtesy of Albert Haynesworth, the man the Redskins saw fit to sign to a seven-year, $100 million contract (including $41 million in guarantees) prior the 2009 season, only to bench him for most of 2010 before trading him to the Patriots this offseason for a 2013 fifth-round pick.

On Thursday, Haynesworth took the field as a Patriot for the first time all preseason and showed glimpses of what makes him one of the most disruptive defensive tackles in football. After the game he was unusually ebullient, no doubt happy about his great fortune, both financially (thanks, Dan Snyder!) and personally (thanks, Bill Belichick!). 

"To me, it's a career-saving place for me to come," Haynesworth said, according to NESN.com. "I had no idea it would be like this, but it's unbelievable, and I wish I took two years ago and came here."

When asked about the differences between Washington and New England, Haynesworth didn't hesitate.

"You name it." He continued: "You don't have to watch your back or anything like that," he said about playing for the Patriots. "You know everybody is here for you, and I really enjoy that. I know my head coach is for me. I know my owner is for me. I know my players are for me. I feel relaxed. I'm having fun again. I'm having fun playing football again."

You often hear the cliche that "a change of scenery" can be good for a player's career and Haynesworth is living, breathing proof. And it would make for a heartwarming story if not for all the Redskins' fans still bitter about Haynesworth quitting on the team.

Take the Washington Post's Dan Steinberg, for example. He has trouble reconciling the new Big Al with the guy who spent two years in DC collecting a paycheck and not much else. He found this quote from Haynesworth particularly irksome.

“Well, you know what, all said and done, hell, I’d give that money back and then come here," he said Thursday night, when talking about signing with the Redskins.

Cue Steinberg:

Sure he would. The man who accepted that 2010 option bonus even when he knew he would subsequently refuse to play the position the Redskins wanted him to play while throwing away a year of his prime would just give back that money to go elsewhere.

If there's a lesson here it's this: Skins owner Dan Snyder must be stopped. Haynesworth is clearly at fault for his no-show performance in DC, but he never should've been signed in the first place. But building the roster like you're playing Madden has been a hallmark of the Snyder era, and predictably, it's been a disaster. Hopefully that changes permanently under general manager Bruce Allen. Either way, the fans have every right to be angry.

There is a silver lining of sorts. Whatever happens, Big Al ain't coming back to Washington. "If God forbid I got cut from this team, yeah, I know I can go out there and play for another team, but I feel like this is going to be my last place that I'm going," he said.

So there's that.

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Posted by Ryan Wilson

When head coach Mike Shanahan benched Donovan McNabb last season for Rex Grossman, it seemed like the latest chapter in the unintentional comedy stylings of an organization that had been on the wrong side of seemingly every personnel decision in the Dan Snyder era. The faces change, yes, but the story remains the same.

Or so the thinking went.

And while it's way too early to make any grand proclamations about the 2011 season, we feel comfortable enough with what we've seen from Grossman and John Beck to say this: the Skins' quarterbacks aren't that bad. Soft bigotry of low expectations? Perhaps, but we are talking about the Redskins. Yes, that phrase was coined in Washington, and while it wasn't originally intended for the Skins it might as have been.

But as Shanahan begins his second season as the head coach (and his son, Kyle, as the offensive coordinator), the offense looks like something more than a hastily assembled pick-up squad. And we can't stress this enough: they're doing it with Grossman and Beck, one a former first-round pick destined for the life of a backup, and the other a guy who last started an NFL game in 2007 -- four of them, all losses.

So after Grossman made easy work of the Steelers in Week 1 of the preseason, Beck showed well against the Colts in Week 2, and both held their own against the Ravens Thursday night, the starting quarterback situation remains … up in the air. At least to hear Shanahan tell it.

“I’m going to evaluate them all the way through camp, all the way through the last preseason game, possibly up to the day before we play the Giants,” said Shanahan, according to CSNWashington.com, after the Redskins lost, 34-31, to the Ravens. “It all depends on if someone separates themselves.”

"If someone separates themselves" isn't always a positive. It could be the case that two prospective quarterbacks are playing so poorly that a coach is praying one can achieve mediocrity in time for the season. Grossman and Beck present the Redskins with a good problem: two guys playing well, moving the chains and, ultimately, scoring points. Of course, there's always the fear that Grossman reverts to the player we've come to know from his inconsistent days in Chicago. And Beck, despite a four-year NFL career, has next to no actual game experience.

Also not helping: the Skins play in the NFC East, the division the Eagles are predestined to win according to oracle and backup quarterback Vince Young.

But this is the preseason, where every team still has visions of the playoffs, and hopes haven't yet been crushed by the stark reality of the regular season. And for two Redskins' quarterbacks, that means trying to earn the starting nod.

“I do know both of us feel pretty good about what we’ve done,” Beck said. “I’ve tried to do everything I can. Is it enough? That’s hard to say, because I’m not making the decision.”

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Posted by Will Brinson

Surprise, surprise! Looks like the quarterback competition in Washington isn't totally dead yet, as Rex Grossman was named the starter for Thursday night's preseason game against Baltimore.

It's seemed like John Beck would be Mike Shanahan's guy going forward, particularly when Beck got the nod for the Redskins first preseason game and subsequently looked quite sharp during their second week of action.

But GM Bruce Allen, speaking to Chris Russell of ESPN 980, Grossman's getting the nod Thursday.

Of course, no one actually believes that he could end up taking the starter's gig away from Beck. It would require a ridiculous performance from Grossman's against Baltimore's first-string defense and an absolute meltdown by Beck.

Both quarterbacks are expected to play with the first-string offenses, though, so there's certainly some room for comparison.

But making any, ahem, guarantees about Grossman stealing the gig would probably be as unwise as predicting a first-place finish in the NFC East for Shanny's crew.

In other more random Redskins news, the team just announced it's hosting a Madden party at FedEx Field on Monday, August 29. It'll feature giveaways and prizes and stuff and one lucky winner will get to play a game against DeAngelo Hall.

If that lucky winner reads this blog beforehand, and you use the Bears and torch Hall for several touchdowns with Jay Cutler, I'll give you an even more awesome prize.

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Posted by Josh Katzowitz

If John Beck is unofficially the official starting QB this year for Washington, he proved tonight that he might actually be ready, looking awfully competent against an uninterested Colts defense while completing 14 of 17 passes for 140 yards.

Yes, yes. Cue the “it’s only the preseason” comments, and that’s most definitely true. But if you’re a Redskins fan, would you rather have Beck look bad? No, of course not. So, the fact he helped lead Washington to a 16-3 lead before exiting the game is only a positive (he also had plenty of help from RBs Tim Hightower and Roy Helu, who combined for 146 yards on 14 carries in the first half).

And if you root for Washington and you assume Beck WILL beat out Rex Grossman, you have to look at tonight’s game as a step forward, especially when you consider he’s only started four games in his career (and that was four years ago, and he lost all four games!), and his stats aren’t especially hot (as you can see here in the CBSSports.com player profile).

One question Rapid Reporter Tom James asked before the game started was how he would handle a pass rush. Beck -- who missed the first preseason game because of a groin injury -- has more mobility than Grossman, but he also hasn’t played well when the defense sends pressure his way.

Beck passed that test tonight, as James writes that Beck, “showed his athleticism in the first half, a stark contrast to Rex Grossman. Grossman gets rid of the ball faster, Beck holds onto it, knowing he can elude pressure and make plays with his legs.”

After the game, coach Mike Shanahan seemed relatively pleased with Beck's play, saying (via Chris Russell of ESPN 980) "John did a good job. Always room for improvement." Meanwhile, Beck said, "I feel pretty good about it, but I'm antsy to see the tape."

Some think Beck wrapped up his starting duties tonight, but remember, Grossman played pretty well in that first game (19 of 26, 207 yards and a TD) when he started. Still, if the Redskins end up choosing Beck, tonight’s performance should give you some insight into why it seems that coach Mike Shanahan likes him so much.

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Posted by Will Brinson

Because Mike Shanahan (and son Kyle) are genius offensive minds, and because the Redskins decided to move on without Donovan McNabb this year, the quarterback battle in Washington is one of the most interesting offseason storylines so far.

Anywhere else in the world where John Beck and Rex Grossman battled out for a starting gig would simply be called "Miami" -- but it's D.C., and we care. So you'll be excited -- although not as excited as he'll be! --  to hear that Beck is the starter for Friday's preseason game against the Colts.

That news comes courtesy of Shanny himself, via the Redskins official Twitter feed, and it's not all that surprising, really, even though the coach had vehemently denied naming a starter as recently as last week.

For whatever reason, the decision to make Beck the starter in Washington for the 2011 season feels like it's already made. Jason Reid of the Washington Post wrote in a column Tuesday that "the fix is in" when it comes to the competition and that the Shanahans are already set on using Beck as their starter "for better or for worse."

As my colleague Pete Prisco wrote, putting all the eggs in the Beck basket is most certainly a "baffling" decision. In fact, I keep trying to think of something else in life that it resembles but nothing's as accurate as the willingness of fantasy football and Madden players to start a season with a below-average quarterback.

The problem? Below-average quarterbacks work in those situations. Not in real life, when defenders aren't automated by the computer and piling up garbage-time statistics doesn't push you any closer to a win.

Plus, if they're all-in on Beck, it's a complete waste of all Grossman's ridiculous predictions. We can't hold him responsible for Washington not winning their division if he's not starting.

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