Ex-Redskin of the Week: Norv Turner, Head Coach San Diego Chargers
Patrick Ramsey competed with Norv Turner to be named Redskins Hog Heaven’s Ex-Redskin of the Week. Ramsey won consideration just for hanging around the NFL so long after his 2006 Redskins departure to be signed as back-up quarterback for the Miami Dolphins. Ramsey is a depth signing. When we say depth, we mean deep depth for a team that started and benched Chad Henne, tried out Tyler Thigpen only to see that fail, and lost Chad Pennington to IR. Ramsey was signed to replace Pennington, but the Dolphins would likely go back to Thigpen before starting Ramsey.
Instead, we are going with Norv Turner for Ex-Redskins honors after San Diego’s 35-14 win over division rival Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football. And we are making up for a guilty conscience. See, we named Turner Ex-Redskin of the Weak back on October 27 after a Chargers loss to the Patriots left the team with a 2-5 record and shaky for the playoffs. We said then how dangerous it was to name Turner for Weak honors in October. Turner is such a November-December guy.
Typical Norv; It’s November, so his Chargers won the next three games. At 5-5, San Diego trails Kansas City by one game for the AFC West lead. With recalcitrant hold-out Marcus McNeil back at left tackle and Antonio Gates on the mend, who has the guts to count the Chargers out of the post-season? Not I, said the duck.
Redskins Hog Heaven changed its policy of naming just anyone for Ex-Redskins of the Weak as we did for Turner. Now, you have to actually have a weak performance to earn it. Otherwise, the honor shall go unfilled. That’s better anyway. No Redskins alumnus should have a weak performance.
Ex-Redskin of the Weak, Jason Campbell, Quarterback, Oakland Raiders
Jason, Jason, Jason. Nobody does a better job proving both sides of the arguments about themselves than Jason Campbell. His fans say Campbell worked hard under great uncertainty to emerge as a solid journeyman NFL quarterback. If the Baltimore Ravens could win a Super Bowl with Trent Dilfer, any team can make the playoffs with Campbell. His detractors say there is no way Campbell could lead a team to the post-season, you know, dumps too many balls, too many turnovers, no command of the huddle, blah, blah, blah. Not good enough to carry a team; Not bad enough to permanently bench. Campbell exists in a virtual no-mans land.
Campbell was benched twice this season, the latest time against the powerful Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday. That’s why he made this honor now. Yet, Raiders coach Tom Cable named him starting quarterback for Oakland’s next game against Miami. Redskins fans have wondered if Washington made a mistake dumping Campbell after watching Donovan McNabb’s early performance. The jury is still out on that, but the Redskins players believe in McNabb more than they believed in Campbell. Oh, they liked Jason and they backed him, but they believe in McNabb.
I’m convinced the belief in McNabb played a role in the debacle against the Eagles. The team was shocked when McNabb was benched and was still in shock two weeks afterwards when the Eagles were in town.
Campbell still has youth on his side. His skills approximate those of 34 year old McNabb’s. Redskins Hog Heaven does not condone unsportsmanlike conduct, but we suggest Campbell take teammate Richard Seymour’s hint and just go slap somebody. He’ll write checks to the league, but he’ll also show a pulse that might ignite more confidence in him by his coach. Seymour’s sucker punch of Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger did nothing to alter the outcome of the game. But Seymour already had a fierce reputation. He doesn’t have to prove anything. Gentleman Jason has to do something less gentlemanly to stay on the field. Only, don’t do what that guy Vince Young did and figuratively smack down the coach.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
