| Craig Johnson. 31st August, 2006 - 11:48 am
 With little to be excited about this preseason and not too forget to mention being humiliated by AFC powerhouse New England Patriots Saturday evening, newly acquired T.J. Duckett may just add a spark.
So eight yards on 4 carries isn’t exactly much to write home about but, the possibilities that exist gives a little hope that “Smash-Mouth” football is returning to Washington. Atlanta’s three-headed monster of Vick, Dunn and Duckett, has now turned into Washington’s power-and-punch with Duckett and Portis.
I’m not saying that it’s time to call in “The Hogs”, but when Duckett played his college ball at Michigan State University, this Spartan cloned the nickname, “Diesel.”
If you were a Skins fan in the late 70’s and early 80’s, then you are familiar with the expression, “Here comes the Diesel.” Weighing in at 254-pounds and standing at 6-foot, Duckett may bare a slight resemblance to old #44, John Riggins. As if his size is not impressive enough his 31 touchdowns in just 54 games will be a reminder that the red-zone will no longer be known as the dead-zone.
With many experts believing that we are stock piling at the back position (that does appear to be pretty deep with Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts, Rock Cartwright and now Duckett), there is no need too worry. I’m not exactly expecting for Clinton to be donned in character as, “Touchdown-less Tyrone,” come week four during our bye week, in hopes of avoiding the media.
When asked if Duckett will become the primary back in goal-line situations, Gibbs simply put it, “Obviously, he has a bunch of touchdowns and is a big back. We’re real comfortable with Clinton running it down there, too.”
Gibbs knows first hand the capabilities of Duckett after a game in the Atlanta Dome on September 14, 2003, that played witness to Duckett bowling over the Washington defense for two strikes. Of course a game that Washington eventually won, but a head-ache he still was.
In other news, and speaking of head-aches, when it’s hard to find something good to write about when you are 0-3 in preseason, Skins fans can be reminded that at least they are vacated of any on-and-off field afflictions. In Dallas, T.O. is beginning to make quite a name for his self, “Terrell Oh-I might sleep in today.” I guess he believes that if Portis can become “Southeast Jerome” and still be a stud why can’t he? You know T.O.’s motto: 1 Super Bowl appearance, no rings, half a season and show me the money. How long will it be until he asks Dallas owner Jerry Jones, to put his second personality, “Terrell Outlandish,” on the payroll? Owens, don’t you know that you are already not loved in Dallas for dancing on the star? Well, come week three you will find out that you are not loved by the Washington secondary. You can sign this ball T.O.;10-to-1 odds that Portis, Betts, Duckett and Cartwright will score touchdowns that night. Not likely but, if Jeff George can be signed by the Raiders after not playing in five seasons anything can happen. No doubt (yeah right), that George has been tossing the pigskin through the old Good Year Tire that hangs from the tree in the back yard but, are you serious? In Washington we have had heard of quarterback controversies but that is a quarterback discrepancy. Hey remember that beer tree I wished for last year? Well, nothing seems impossible anymore!
Craig may be reached at Craigrealgm@yahoo.com |
