Standing up for Jason Campbell

Portis is a bum. They need to cut that guy loose so he can go backup someone next year.

Pretty sure Peyton could succeed in Washington. Maybe not as huge stats but he would be successful. Could Campbell succeed even in Indy. Not so sure about that one.

JC probably must find a new team, the Raiders or Rams, perhaps? On changing channels for games recently, it seemed he was looking for a wideout to flatten his route on a pass during an early phase of a game. The announcer complained about an underthrow, the ball was actually where the route was supposed to go, Jason did not try and fit a pass in where the coverage could get the ball. He threw where his team mate was supposed to work. He did not point the guy out either, he went back to his coach to work on the next possession instead. Little things in the development process could come along for him in maturity as a passer. Jason has the potential to be a stand up guy at the position.

Remember how people said Doug Williams would never win the big game. The Redskins have a Legacy to uphold at the position. Let's hope Jason can reclaim the cause, DC fans love big time football. Comparing him to Williams(a favorite player of mine in young years) is pretty unfair at this time, but the franchise he plays for has huge expectations.

With an injury to Cooley this season seems to have lost much of what they have that could make them competitive in terms of unique matchups. Jason has still been a solid interview, he says the right things. Doing the right thing is a matter of timing, he often has the right idea now, working to it is tough with so many injuries for the team.

Were I an East team I'd look his way, this guy could give you a solid insulation to a season's hopes, along the lines of David Carr. He could fit right in at Dallas, or New York, should Carr go on next season. Philly has all kinds of depth at this time for the position. Other East teams should think bigger/better, Jason fits the requirement. Working a new deal in along his old one could give him pay commiserate to starter money for some markets, if he has years remaining on his current deal.

Thus his agent would probably agree, and he could come along to the right situation.

Campbell will be great in a new system with a new coach and new owner. He is just screwed in Washington, but he has skills.

Tennessee or Minnesota would be wise to get him, both have good o-lines and running games to allow him more deep play action passes and rollouts to utilize his speed.

As a DC fan I think people are confusing "good guy" with "good QB." Campbell is undoubtedly a good guy. But he's not a good QB. He's average. He still has the same flaws he's had since he started: he doesn't see the field, he has a poor feel for pressure, and his decision-making is too slow.

Here's a fun game to play when watching JC: look for him tapping the ball. He'll get in trouble, start looking around, then tap the ball, then try to throw it. That tap? That's the moment he should have made his decision. If he had made a move when he tapped the ball, it would have been fine. But he doesn't make the move. He waits another beat, and by then it's too late.

Watch last night's strip/fumble. Campbell scrambles right, looks downfield, doesn't see the Eagle coming behind him, taps the ball, THEN raises his arm to throw it...and gets stripped. If he had thrown or tucked when he tapped the ball, he would have been OK. But he waited that extra beat and got nailed. Watch the opening drive of the game vs. the Bucs. It won't take long - JC fumbled twice in three plays. Both fumbles, he taps the ball right when he should have been getting rid of it. It's weird. But when the plan goes sour, Campbell is always a beat too slow and then bad things happen.

He's a good person and as a QB he has a certain skill set. He can come in and not lose a game for you. He should have a long career as a backup QB. But he's not THAT good.

I've always thought Campbell got too much flak. He definitely has skills.

You know what really makes me sick is the bias of announcers. Last night, two guys who I thought should know better in Jaws and Gruden complained for a full minute or two about Campbell's taking off running and not feeling a guy behind him and losing the ball. Yet, when 11 year vet McNabb was in the pocket and lost the ball because he didn't feel the rush, they made no comment. McNabb barely got a whit of criticism and absolutely none when his offense did nothing in the second half. Meanwhile Campbell while on the field with MAYBE half the talent level around him was under constant siege from a defense that is especially relentless once they have a lead and was doing everything he could and everything he did was relentlessly nitpicked by these guys.

I think McNabb has always been TREMENDOUSLY overrated as a QB though and given far too much credit for the success of the Eagles. That team has had a top 4 defense in points allowed overall in the NFL since 2002 or something. THAT'S what carries the Eagles, always has and did last night as well. Make McNabb have to come from behind rather than play with a lead and he's toast. With his D that doesn't happen too often though. Plus they give his O great field position when they aren't busy scoring themselves. Where was the criticism of him in the media when he failed to realize how many timeouts teams have in the first half and called the 4th when they were playing the Raiders? But when the media thought Romo didn't know what down it was a few weeks ago, they were ALL OVER him.

I have no agenda here, I am a Pats fan. It's just a shame how biased guys who should know well enough to be fair are towards the players they think are superstars.

Good points by all the previous posters.

The MNF game was telling for me - how would JC respond to the turmoil; would he lead the team or would sink deeper in the morass? Unfortunately for JC and the Skins (I'm not a fan but live in DC) he sunk deeper. Yes he was harrassed all game but earlier in the game there were plays where he had time, he was still rushed and he was off target frequently.

Watching him play he sounded like he has on his weekly radio show the last two weeks - despondent and dejected. It's a bad scene in DC, but he has to get his head straight because teh rest of the 2009 season is an audition for a job next year with the rest of the league. If he had been able to keep his head clear and stay focused, you could make the argument that he's a good player on a nightmare of a team.

Yes, JC ends up somewhere next year, but where? He's definitely a backup. I don't see him starting for any other team in 2010 except a hanful: Oakland, maybe Tennessee, Buffalo, or Cleveland, because of his skill set and mechanics. Maybe he could go to Carolina. He is not a timing or WCO or WCO-derivative QB. He is a drop back (5 to 7 steps) wind up and throw QB. For teams with QB problems I see him as a short term fix - would you rather bring in a veteran QB like JC who needs a LOT of coaching just to get his confidence back let alone fit a system or develop a younger player with more upside.

I don't mean to be overly negative on JC because he seems like a decent young man, but I have a hard time seeing him fit somewhere in the league and being anything other than a journeyman backup (the new Byron Leftwich) once he leaves DC.

Wow, great points by all posters. Campbell is a great guy, a standup guy, a great team guy, a courageous guy who isn't afraid to take a lick, plus he is the very epitome of an NFL QB, 6-5, and very athletic. Unfortunately, He has mechanical issues with his long windup and tends to be a tick slow in getting rid of the ball. Pocket presence and overall leadership have been issues. He would be a great backup at minnesota, particularly if Favre comes back for another year, as they are neighbors in Mississippi and good friends. Sadly, it appears he is not the right guy to fill the Sonny jurgenson/Billy Kilmer/Joe Theisman slot for the Redskins. Few are. It has been called the second most important job in the Nation's capital. I'll say this. The guy who can fill those shoes will own this town.

As a Skins fan who has watched Campbell from day one, let me just say: the guy is horrible. He's not good here. He won't be good anywhere. I pity the fans of whatever team takes him on next year. Even if they are Cowboy fans. And that's saying something.

Campbell is a classic drop back, play action QB. You can't force a QB like that to be a West Coast QB. His strength is to push the ball downfield, not throw slants and hitches.He gets with the right team and he could be very good.

Would you still back me if the other team got the ball everytime I fumbled it?