April 2010 Archives

Disappointment is probably an understatement. The Washington Capitals were defeated in Game 7 by the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 last night. As we noted yesterday, all they needed to do was win and some changes could have been the right adjustments. Obviously both were easier said than done.

This was the President's Cup winning team for the 2009-2010 NHL season. They had one of the highest scorers, and one of the 2 top stars of the league in Alex Ovechkin. May predicted the Stanley Cup would finally come to Washington, and those who didn't at least expected them to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals. Yet they lose to the 8 seed in the East, after leading the series 3-1. In quick order, here are the few things that faltered the Capitals in the playoffs.

• Alex Semin never scored. He had lead all NHL players in the playoffs in shots on goal, but failed to nail one in in four games.


• The stars never came out to shine. Sure, Ovechkin scored some. Niklas Backstrom had a couple of good games. But Mike Green was lackluster. Semin as mentioned above was a total no show in the goal department.


• Bad offense and bad defense. Semyon Varlamov minded the net better than the win-loss numbers show. But with little goal support in the losing games and a defense that couldn't seem to stop the Habs from advancing on Varlamov, it just wasn't enough.

It seems the only good coming out of this was that we know there is a great future with John Carlson. We do know this much. When the analysts break it down and ask if it was an epic Capitals loss or a great Canadiens win in the series, the former shines bright over the latter. Coach Bruce Boudreau will have to see why his team faltered when it mattered the most. Somehow, you get the feeling changes in lineups and matchups may not have solved it all. It may be that intangible thing that is missing. Somehow the magic just wasn't there.

As the Washington Capitals enter Game 7 tonight, Coach Bruce Boudreau may entertain some possible changes after toggling the line up the past couple of games to no avail.

Below are some possible changes that may occur:

Shadow Michael Cammalleri

Cammalleri has already netted five goals (two in Game 6) along with 5 assists in the series. Considering that Montreal has had difficulties lighting up the lamp this series even with Cammalleri, the Caps may want to force someone else to score.

Montreal has provided Ovechkin a personal escort on the ice; it's only fitting the Caps return the favor. He may not be as prolific a scorer as Ovechkin, but in this season ending elimination game he is their go to guy in the series.

It's not uncommon for the Caps to provide personal attention on the ice to a specific player as Ridley and later Poulin often were a reflection in the mirror to Super Mario or Jagr. Someone like Walker or Chimera springs to mind like an excellent candidate.

Sit Schultz or Morrison in favor of Erskine

If you're in an elimination game and are the favorite it's about time to stop adjusting your roster in a match up situation to the competition and force them to adjust to yours. It's a classic situation of do you go to a smaller and quicker lineup to match up better or as the Bullets often pondered force the other team to go big by extending Big Gheorghe Muresan's minutes.

The size of Schultz doesn't appear to be a factor on defense and he hasn't made much of an impact on offense. As for Shaone Morrisonn, he's had another less than spectacular post season. Considered more of a defensive defenseman he's turned the puck over way too much in his own zone as well as failed to clear the crease.

If you're going to go down why not go swinging with one of the guys that brought you to the dance? Erskine provides the tough rugged tenacity and imposing identity on the blue line that the team has lacked in the series. He may not have the speed, but playing a role in the final pair in a reduced capacity and PK unit couldn't hurt to change the momentum of the game.

Improve on the Power Play

The Caps post season power play has been a lesson on futility. The passes aren't precise nor is the decision making. The team must move the puck more quickly to force the defense to move and thus create more shooting lanes. If the Caps can skate and pass the puck more quickly they can also force Halak to move from side to side creating better scoring chances. Beyond anything else the team must shoot the puck more when opportunities present themselves and be in position to scoop up the many rebounds Halak has been generous to leave on the table that in the last few games has gone untouched.

So this was Bruce Boudreau's plan to let the Montreal Canadiens take it to 7 games, right? After a disaster of Game 6, and a not much better Game 5, the Washington Capitals will take on Les Habitants in Game 7 tonight at the Verizon Center. The winners of the President Cup against the 8 seed. This is not how it was supposed to go.

With Alex Semin outshooting everyone in the playoffs, but trailing virtually everyone in scoring, the Caps have lost one scorer. Add Tom Poti out 2-3 weeks with an eye injury at the end of the 2nd period in Game 6, and lackluster defense all together, there is a sense of worry in Washington. About the only Caps playing well are Varlamov and Carlson, but it takes an entire team to win in the playoffs.

From local radio talk this morning, many are saying the Caps are "due". Semin is "due" to score. Ovechkin is "due" to breakout. Green is "due" to step up. It comes down to this one game. The team that was projected to win the Stanley Cup by many now looks like a team in trouble. The Capitals have to score first tonight to put the pressure on presumed starting goaltender Halak. Varlamov has to put on yet another incredible performance in the Caps net. Most importantly, the defense needs to play up to their standards without the injured Poti and the Alex's have to score. An exit this early from the playoffs will be one of the greatest choke jobs in local sports history. Let's not let that happen.

The rumors had run rampant during March Madness. Now we have more detail on the Dance. While those early reports had suggested with an almost definitive tone that we'd see 96 teams, the NCAA appears to be expanding only to 68 from the current 65. The men's basketball tournament held every March is widely regarded as an almost "perfect" playoff structure. The addition of the 65th team bruised that image a bit, but it's still better the BCS of college football.

Right now the story focuses on the continuation of CBS coverage and the addition of TBS, TNT and even truTV as broadcast partners. Interesting that it now appears every game will be broadcast live starting in 2011. This halts a revenue stream for DirecTV who had been selling a March Madness package to cover all the games. But it's good for all of the fans who can now watch their Ivy League or WAC without the odd breakaways CBS producers seem to screw up every year.

Back to the expansion, there does not seem to be an explanation of what structure the extra games will take. It is assumed that now instead of one "play-in" game on Tuesday, we'll get 4 games. Are they all to play for the illustrious 16 seed in each corner of the bracket? Or, will the NCAA listen to fans (and their wallet) and go for at large play-in games, like for a 10 or 11 seed? I think in the grand scheme of things, most fans would rather watch the 3rd ACC team play the 4th SEC team than the Horizon and MEAC champions fight for the position. Of course the power conferences have great influence and would rather have their teams "safe" in the 64.

While the expansion was not favored by all, it was almost universally agreed 96 was an awful number to jump to. The growth was essentially a given and 68 is a good place to land. Is it March yet?

20th Pick - Houston Texans select: RB Ryan Matthews (Fresno State)

Schaub stayed healthy last season and Andre Johnson showed just how great the passing game can be in Houston. Slayton didn't prove as durable as the Texans would have hoped. Matthews should provide the additional size and strength to compliment the passing game.

21st Pick - Cincinnati Bengals select: CB Kyle Wilson (Boise State)

The list of candidates with off field issues isn't strong enough to garner consideration this year for Cincinnati. It's not the best year of hopeful 1st round worthy receivers, so Mr. OchoCinco will have to wait until later in the draft for some additional help. With so many of the leagues young top receivers in the AFC the Bengals will sure up their pass coverage and allow their front seven more time to rush the quarterback.

22nd Pick - New England Patriots select: C/G Maurkice Pouncey (Florida)
The Patriots staff would ideally like to rejuvenate and aging defense with this pick, but the team learned that protecting Tom Brady is priority #1. Pouncey adds an element to the O-line of a strong run blocker, as well as pass protector.

23rd Pick - Green Bay Packers select: OT Anthony Davis (Rutgers)

As Green Bay transitioned to more of a spread passing attack to allow Rodgers to make quick decisions with the ball rather than spend more time on the ground with their original passing game scheme they discovered they need more help on the O-Line. Imagine how much better Rodgers can be with even more time to read defenses and throw the ball.

24th Pick - Philadelphia Eagles select: DL Jared Odrick (Penn State)

His pass rush skills won't go unnoticed in Philly where his ability to draw double teams will free up the linebackers.

25th Pick - Baltimore Ravens select: FS Taylor Mays (USC)

Ozzie Newsome doesn't miss a beat. Many may think the only tight end worthy of being drafted could fall to the Ravens, but Ozzie has a talent for taking the best player on the board and knows which players should have already come off the big board. Mays ability to play the Lynch role made famous in Tampa Bay compliments Ed Reeds skills perfectly.

26th Pick - Arizona Cardinals select: WR Golden Tate (Notre Dame)

It's not the deepest draft for receivers in 2010. Couple that with the loss of Boldin via a trade and the Cardinals unnecessarily surprise folks by reaching for another play maker on offense since their most highly rated linebackers are already off the board in this mock draft.

27th Pick - Dallas Cowboys select: OT Bruce Campbell (Maryland)

It's hard not to like someone so versatile that is the comic relief sidekick in the hit USA Network show "Burn Notice", as well as the star of the Evil Dead / Army of Darkness trilogy. He's even appeared in all three "Spiderman" movies. He was the wrestling ring announcer in the first movie, the annoying theatre usher in the sequel, and the annoying maitre d' in the French restaurant.

All kidding aside, Dallas takes the next rated tackle on the board to replace Adams at tackle.

28th Pick - San Diego Chargers select: NT Terrence Cody (Alabama)

The Chargers beef up the D-Line. Think about Gilbert Brown a little but younger.

29th Pick - New York Jets select: DE/LB Jerry Hughes (TCU)

Coach Rex Ryan gets another talented edge pass rusher to enter into his attacking defensive schemes.

30th Pick - Minnesota Vikings select: QB Colt McCoy (Texas)

The Vikings don't want to return to the vacuum at QB in a season without Brett Favre and address their QB issue.

31st Pick - Indianapolis Colts select: OT Rodger Saffold (Indiana)

Similar to the Patriots pick, the Colts need to ensure Manning has time to run the offense, as well as beef up the run blocking to ease the pressure off of Peyton Manning.

32nd Pick - New Orleans Saints select: LB Daryl Washington (TCU)

The Saints add some depth to a depleted linebacking group as the season wound down last season.

The Matt Ryan Express rolled on last year and picked up Tony Gonzalez for a nice ride with Roddy White and Michael Turner. Another weapon on offense would be great, but in a division with New Orleans a good defensive player could only help.

19th Pick: LB Sean Weatherspoon (Missouri)

He's an outside linebacker that can step right in and play. His ability to play in different roles should give the Falcons more depth and flexibility, as well as throw different schemes at New Orleans.

Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger has been suspended by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for 6 games. He is also required to attend behavioral counseling. If he behaves, his suspension could be reduced to 4 games.

I have mixed feelings about this. While what has been alleged in both cases is deplorable, nothing has been proven in any court. It comes down to the point of whether Roethlisberger got his NFL punishment because he is a successful, Super Bowl Champion quarterback for one of the elite franchises, the Pittsburgh Steelers. And I'll add in that he is a white player. Are the allegations of sexual assault terrible. Of course. But no one has successfully prosecuted or sued him in court. Some might argue that Adam "Pacman" Jones also received punishment before charges, however he had a long history with the law and had been on probation for prior charges.

Now the fate of Roethlisberger is in his hands. The Steelers may well trade him away, as they value class above his talent. While I would disagree on the same grounds as the suspension, it is their right to trade players in the NFL for whatever reason they deem fit. They've prepared for the suspension, and possibly the future, by trading for Byron Leftwich, previously a starter, and still a serviceable QB. Whether as a Steeler or somewhere else, Roethlisberger can only try to keep clean the rest of his NFL career. He only needs to look at Pacman Jones and realize talent does not mean you can keep your job.

The Steelers would like to have an elite receiver fall to them after WR Holmes was traded away, but one doesn't exist this year. The road to the Super Bowl from the AFC involves weaving through a myriad of some of the NFL's best QB's and receivers. As a result, defenses need to find ways to force pressure on the QB or be able to cover receivers.

18th Pick: CB Joe Hayden (Florida)

The Steelers are delighted that the top corner in the draft fell so far and will find a receiver later in the draft.

San Francisco would have loved to have taken one of the top offensive tackles in the draft, but are pleased to have another offensive weapon in C.J. Spiller. Coach Mike Singletary can only have so many players to manage so taking more work than he has time for may continue to push OT Anthony Davis down the draft board.

Singletary knows the value of a good linebacker and with a top edge pass rusher still on the board balancing out his two first round draft picks with a top OLB would be a successful way to start day one of the draft.

17th Pick: OLB Sergio Kindle (Texas)

16th Pick: DE Jason Pierre-Paul (South Florida)

It's another poor year to need a receiver in the draft. Sure Kenny Britt developed nicely last season and hopefully for Tenn. fans he takes the next step this year because help won't be coming from their first round draft pick from the receiver position.

The most underrated coach in the NFL knows how to coach all types of players and always has a top defense. Coaching a raw talent and working him into a quality player suits the Titans coach Jeff Fisher well.

15th Pick: S Earl Thomas, (Texas)

The Giants have always had a strong front seven and now the defensive backfield gets some help. Whether Thomas is used as a corner or safety he can provide an immediate impact. The Giants could also eye Sergio Kindle LB for another edge pass rusher, but the need in the defensive backfield is stronger.

How many years have folks been saying Seattle really needs a LT to replace Walter Jones? Um yeah - so this year was no different in our mock draft as Jimmy Clausen was chosen with the 6th pick in the draft. The top three OTs are off the board and C.J. Spiller was taken already by San Francisco.

14th Pick: DE Derrick Morgan (Georgia Tech)

If G Lupati wasn't already taken, Seattle may have considered the top interior lineman to allow to folks forget the decision to let G Hutchinson leave for Minnesota. Derrick Morgan should help provide some pressure off the edge, as well as an insurance policy for Patrick Kerney.

The 49ers are on the clock with the 13th Pick in the draft.

Strange that Sam Bradford didn't slip down to the 13th pick in the draft. Clausen didn't last that long either so what's a team looking for a big play threat on offense to do?

The 13th Pick: RB C.J. Spiller (Clemson)

Spiller provides the home run threat every time he touches the ball on offense, as well as a game changer in the return game. Having a little thunder and lightening in the backfield with Gore and Spiller would be a great 1-2 punch and give defenses one more weapon to key on that could give Crabtree more space in the field.

The "Tuna" knows defense like Bo knows sports. Every team Parcells has been associated has seen their defense improve, so improving the defense after the offense received a boost in acquiring WR Brandon Marshall from Denver would seem like the logical move in the eyes of the "Tuna".

Certainly RB Spiller would draw some interest in the war room as Ronnie Brown battles back from surgery and Ricky Williams is just an inegma, but how many running backs does a team need.

12th Pick: DT Dan Williams (Tennessee)

Williams probably best fits a 3-4 defense and would be the best fit for the Dolphins. Lucky for Miami fans that he fell into their lap in our mock draft.

The Denver Broncos are on the clock with the 11th Pick in the NFL Draft.

11th Pick: WR Dez Bryant (Oklahoma St.)

With the trade of Brandon Marshall to Miami complete. The Broncos need a true #1 receiver to allow Eddie Royal to comfortably fall back to the #3 productive receiver on the roster. At 6'2" 225 lbs Bryant has the build to run similar routes vacated by Marshall.

Ideally the Broncos would have loved to have taken ILB McLain and take a receiver later in the draft, but with McLain gone in our mock draft receiver is the logical choice.

The Capitals left game three with their first dominating game of the series in a 5-1 victory. It was their most aggressive start to a game in the first round series. Montreal soon turned the tide forcing Varlamov, last season's playoff hero, to make some spectacular saves to keep the Caps in the game. Momentum had turned and by end of the second period and in the blink of an eye the Caps were up 4-0.

If the Caps take the President's Trophy all the way to adding a Stanley Cup Trophy at the end of the season fans and media may say Ovechkin 1 - Crosby 1, but it's Varlamov that may be the Russian hero to carry the team on his back towards a title. Varlamov proved last night just like the playoffs last season that he is indeed the team's best defender.

The pressure on Varlamov certainly could have surpassed the circumstances he was thrown into last year with the Caps down 2-0 vs. the Rangers. This season he battled injuries and played sparingly down the stretch as Theodore's stellar regular season performance left few games for anyone else in net. Not only did Varlamov face limited action down the stretch to prepare himself physically and mentally, but the added pressure of watching his teammates for two games and two subpar performances even chasing away Theodore in game two and allowing three goals himself that night could shake anyone's confidence.

Ovechkin plays a physical game at the forward position, as well as mentally like no other but Varlamov showed his toughness once again putting up a wall and carrying his team to a resounding win. The weight of the team and playoffs now hangs over Varlamov's shoulders once more.

Now if the Caps can play a relentless style for a full 60 minutes like the 2nd Period last night they'll wrap up more games and series more quickly allowing Varlamov additional time to rest (considering he's only recovered from injuries that plagued him much of the season). Rarely do championship winning teams go to 6 or 7 games in every series. Theodore will definitely be needed again during the playoffs, but a relentless winning style will help take some of the pressure off of the Caps young goaltender.

With the 10th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars take Tim Tebow, oh wait, that is supposed to be the second round. While it is almost inevitable that Tebow will be taken by the team who plays in the same town as the University of Florida, it will probably be in a later round. As of right now, the team that feature MJD, needs to improve its defense in the first round.

10th Pick: ILB Rolando McClain (Alabama)

Coming off of a National Championship, this hard nosed, smart and studious defensive juggernaut will immediately succeed in the NFL. With a big frame and quick feet, McClain will be able to take over a defensive game. Jacksonville should be very happy with this pick and will most likely get a high return for the money they will spend on him.

With rumors flying that Marshawn Lynch will be traded, one would think they could take C.J. Spiller. With no quarterback and no absolute stud receiver though, they will most likely stay away from the skill positions. Rebuilding starts in the trenches and that is where the Bills will be during the draft.

9th Pick: OG Mike Lupati (Idaho)

Buffalo has the book end tackels required to dominate on the offensive line, but need that guard to secure the interior. Lupati could be that guard. He is coming out of Idaho, which is not exactly a football power house, but has produced solid talent in the past. If Lupati can show he is an NFL caliber guard this year, then the Bills will be in a great position to draft that franchise quarterback next year.

With Spiller still on the board though, a trade would not be unheard of. This could be one of the most valuable picks in the draft, especially for teams who need a running back.

With C.J. Spiller on the board it would be easy to predict that the Oakland Raiders would take him. In reality though, Davis knows he does have to make a smart pick this year. After DHB was failure last year, the owner and general manager understands that a good pick this year will keep fans around for a few more years. Until he drafts yet another guy for speed, that is.

8th Pick: OT Brian Bulaga (Iowa)

The University of Iowa does two things very well, make offensive lineman and make defensive lineman. With JaMarcus Russell projected to be the starter next year, the Raiders are going to need to give him some time to throw. Bulaga can give Russell the time he needs. When a team has a quarterback that isn't accurate and doesn't move well, the best thing it can do is give him time to read the defense and find the open man. If he is truly NFL material, he will make the plays.

Keep in mind though, this is Al Davis and Spiller did run a 4.3 at the combine.

Game 3 in the series against the Montreal Canadiens proved to be a much better game for the Washington Capitals. Niklas Backstrom wasn't needed. The first period ended 0-0 but was intense. As expected, Bruce Boudreau gave Semyon Varlamov the start in goal. He got a workout, including a Montreal powerplay where the Caps goalie saw as much action as his counterpart across the ice. The crowd at the Bell Centre was obviously behind the Habs and were very loud througout the first period and going into the second.

The second period proved much more productive for the Caps. The combination of Boyd Gordon, Brooks Laich, Eric Fehr, and Alex Ovechkin scored in this period. Gordon got his shorthanded. Laich, Fehr, and Ovechkin scored at full strength. After the Fehr goal, the Canadiens opted to pull Jaroslav Halack in favor of Carey Price. It was bad toward the end of the period as Tomas Plekanec took a 2 minute penalty for interference and then got another 2 on top for unsportsmanlike conduct after complaining about it. They definitely lost control.

Calmer heads prevailed in the third. Montreal got their act together and scored a powerplay goal to bring it to 4-1. But that was all they could muster. Matt Bradley provided one more with 44 seconds left in the game to bring it to a close at 5-1.

Definitely a better show from Washington today. While the first period was tight, the second blew the game open and the Caps showed why they are the best team in the East. While it was great to see the Caps spread the scoring around, the stars are still not shining bright. Ovechkin got a goal, but missing tonight were scoring from Backstrom or Mike Green. Boudreau appeared to make the right choice in goal tonight, although he had said earlier in the day that he might swap Jose Theodore and Varlamov in and out. It's still the question of when he might rest Varlamov in favor of Theodore. Game 4 in Montreal will still be an interesting call for goaltender.

After being punished by Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu year, after year, after year, the Cleveland Browns will finally have their own play making safety. Cleveland's problems last year were not so much on the offensive side of the ball, as they were on the defensive side. Sure, Brady Quinn and Derrick Anderson didn't exactly light it up, but when they did the defense didn't keep them in the game. Rebuilding their swiss cheese secondary will start in the secondary.

7th Pick: S Eric Berry (Tennessee)

Current safeties Mike Adams and Abram Elam are solid players, on the second or third string. Berry adds a sense of controlled chaos and physicality that could fire this defense up. As mentioned earlier, a good d-line is required to have an outstanding secondary and you can't get much better than Pro Bowl nose tackle Shaun Rogers. Berry should have the opportunity to grab some errant passes if Rogers gets penetration.

One pick surely doesn't fix a defense, but by adding Berry the Browns are taking a step in the right direction.

One could argue that Pete Carrol would like to try to keep Matt Hasselbeck up right and see what he has. In reality though, Carrol seems to want to run things his way and if they wanted to keep up right why would they trade Rob Sims? The former USC Head Coach is the kind of guy who wants to do things his way and will most likely want to start of with his own quarterback.

6th Pick: QB Jimmy Clausen (Notre Dame)

Clausen is a good choice for Seattle because he has played through tough elements before. The midwest is not known for its warm and sunny conditions in November and December and neither is Seattle. Carrol knows he is going to need a quarterback that can not only throw the ball to vertical receivers, such as T.J. Houshmandzadeh, but can also power the ball through the elements. From what we have seen at Notre Dame, Clausen can do that.

Welcome to the NFL Jimmy Clausen, make sure you packed your umbrella. Oh, and make sure you keep an eye out for Patrick Willis from San Francisco when he blows through your line.

The Chiefs are on the clock with the 5th Pick in the 2010 Draft.

Kansas City has always been known for being able to run the ball, but over the past few years the offensive line has withered and degraded over time in both run blocking and pass protection. Last year Branden Albert was drafted to reinforce the offensive line.

5th Pick: OT Trent Williams (Oklahoma)

Drafting Williams would allow Albert to move to the interior or to RT. The selection would ensure that KC would have two talented young players along the offensive line to improve the pass protection and get back to running the ball downhill.

The Washington Redskins are on the clock with the 4th Pick in the 2010 Draft.

The Redskins would love to move down to acquire additional draft choices, but it may be difficult to do so and still have a top pick in the first ten. The Redskins didn't have enough ammunition to move up to take Bradford #1 overall so it seems even less likely now without a 2nd Round pick and the acquisition of McNabb. Is it possible Washington selects Clausen - absolutely, but the new team of Shanahan & Allen seem to have a plan in place and acquiring a top tier QB in McNabb without the protection to make use of his skills wouldn't make much sense.

4th Pick: OT Russell Okung (Oklahoma St.)

The Redskins could also select OT Bryan Bulaga who's versatility to play four positions along the line would fit nicely despite what some may say enough of a lack of arm reach to play LT or OT Trent Williams who could also warrent taking as the top OT.

Okung has all the physical talent to start immediately for an old and ailing offensive line. Detroit could also make things interesting if they decide to take Okung over DT Suh or DT McCoy. This would set the potential trade wheels in motion or make a difficult decision between one of the elite DT in the draft or the next best OT to replace Chris Samuels who retired in the offseason.

As Thursday's NFL Draft edges closer for the Redskins who currently hold the 4th, Washington has many decisions to make from which players to keep or trade to whether the pick is dealt to acquire additional picks. We at The DC Sports Page have come to our own conclusions regarding possible moves as we've listed below:

Trading Down To Acquire More Picks:

Allen and Shanahan have already made sound and reasonable decisions that sometimes were lacking in the previous administration at Redskins Park. With so many holes to fill at once during a deep draft year, the Redskins will definitely be looking to move down in the draft to gain more picks for the ones lost in the 2nd round (part of McNabb trade) and the 3rd round (due to the supplemental draft last year of DE Jarmon).

Cleveland is rumored to make a move to acquire Bradford with the #1 pick, since St. Louis has been unable to sign the QB prior to the draft. Without teams looking to move up to draft Clausen the Skins could have a tough sell. Their best ally would be the Lions. Yes, Detroit could draft an OL allowing one of the elite DT's to fall to the 4th Pick. Teams may want to move up and thus the Redskins could still acquire a top OL in the top ten and pick up an additional pick.

Seattle (6, 14) or San Francisco (13, 17) would make ideal trade partners with Washington as both teams have two first round draft picks, but this sounds more like a fantasy trade than anything else. Haynesworth, Portis, Campbell, or McIntosh could also enter the equation to make such a bold move.

Dropping down too far for additional picks wouldn't solve the long term issues the team faces. It still needs an elite LT, as well as a LB, S, and cover corner. Once Okung, Bulaga, and Williams come off the board the OT situation becomes a little more murky. Washington should retain their #4 overall pick if their only option to trade down is to fall out of the top 15 resulting in the top OL, ILB, RB, and DT falling off the board but trading to add more quality players via the top three rounds in draft should be a top priority.

So many things went wrong last night. Jose Theodore, the defense, lack of power plays. Then again, just enough went right. The Washington Capitals defeated the Montreal Canadiens 6-5 in overtime to tie the opening series up 1-1. Nicklas Backstrom put in the winning goal just 31 seconds into OT, which also capped off a hat trick for him.

The game was a disaster from the opening drop of the puck. Canadiens' Brian Gionta scored just 1 minute into the game, on the first shot on goal. 7 minutes later, Andrei Kostitsyn scored the first of his hat trick goals, on the Habs second shot on goal. Caps Coach Bruce Boudreau saw enough and pulled Theodore for Semyon Varlamov. Eric Fehr scored to make the score respectable at 2-1 to end the 1st.

The second was even worse. Kostitsyn scored 2 more, capping his hat, and leaving the Caps down 4-1 with about 3 minutes left in the 2nd. The Comeback Kids looked like there was no comeback that night. But with about a minute and a half left, Backstrom scored his first goal.

Entering the 3rd period, the Capitals were on a roll. A late 2nd period penalty on the Canadiens left the Capitals with 1:40 power play to start the period. They failed to capitalize (no pun intended). But the star, Alex Ovechkin, did finally strike gold and brought the Caps within 1 at 4-3. Backstrom scored his 2nd a few minutes later and it was a new game with half the period to go. Unfortunately, Tomas Plekanac doused the Caps fire by scoring with only 5 minutes left in the game. Comeback would have to happen quick. They made it interesting with about a minute and a half left in regulation. Rookie John Carlson, hero of USA Junior team, scored and tied it up again 5-5.

This being the Stanley Cup playoffs, the full overtime period required a full intermission for the Zambonis to smooth the ice. The layover was tense, but Backstrom cut through it quick. Before some fans returned to their seats, he scored, just 31 seconds in, to lift the Caps to victory 6-5.

This is not how Boudreau, the Caps, fans, and even the NHL envisioned the playoffs going. But a win is a win, even if it was luck, and not skill. Neither team was better than the other. Defense and goaltending were suspect. Sometimes the best defense is a better offense and the Caps, or more specifically Backstrom, was the better offense. Varlamov was not much better than Theodore, though some of the goals he let in were special situations including defensive breakdowns and a power play. Boudreau is in a similar situation as last year, pulling Theodore for Varlamov and now needing to decide for the Game 3 starting net-minder. Let's hope whoever is in goal at the Bell Centre Monday does a better job than Saturday.

Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs ended with a huge thud for the Capitals as Montreal dictated the pace of the game to defeat Washington 3-2 in overtime. The game didn't showcase what went right for the Canadians as much as what Washington failed to learn from previous years playoff experience.

The Capitals had proven they were the most talented team in the NHL by winning the Presidents Trophy by ending the season with the league high 121 points. They also proved they could win together and had confidence in one another during the season during their 14 game winning streak. They've been able to turn the switch to score in a flury when pushed to win a game. Regardless of wanting to stay healthy for the playoffs, the final games of the season aren't just about avoiding injuries but sending a message to the rest of the league by dominating games leading up to the start of the playoffs.

The team has total confidence in each other, but still appears to have some self-doubt as evidnece by they're win streak vs. the Penguins this season. The Caps seem to judge themselves by the Penguins rather than feel their equal or better and look for a style to dominate their opponent. Once a team has a style to dominate opponents the wins follow and so does the aura and psychological advantage.

Game 1 versus Montreal created an opportunity to flex the Presidents Trophy muscle and add a psychological element they haven't used before. Most of the great teams of the decade would begin to play playoff hockey in the final games of the season sending a message to the rest of the league that even with some of the starters playing reduced minutes they could still dominate their opponents. It's an advantage the Caps haven't really become accustomed to using yet.

Many of Mike Tyson's matches were over before the fight began as many were intimidated and prepared to lose before entering the ring. It's similar to teams overly concerned about Lawrence Taylor and the Giants defense in the 80s. Taking it a step further the Caps had a chance to show that defeating them in a seven game series was unthinkable. Now the Canadians have found much like Rocky vs. Drago that the Caps "are not a machine". This is a real series now.

The Caps find themselves on different sides of playoff hockey from who they are now to where they were in the 1980s. This series against the Canadians really boasts a matchup of Caps teams past and present. The Caps used to be a hard working team with some skill that relied on defense that must play near perfect hockey to defeat the vastly more superior and talented teams like the Super Mario led teams. Now the Capitals are the more talented team that even playing poorly could break a team's heart with a late game winning goal out of no where, but what's missing is the dominating performance of constant aggression that drains the will out of their opponents that they'd be lucky to win one game but cast doubt as to how they're opponent would be able to win four games. The Caps didn't force Montreal to play near perfect hockey like a Villanova vs. Georgetown game and thus have given Montreal more inspired hope.

The Capitals allowed Montreal to dictate pace and tempo of the game taking away the fluid skating and passing the Caps like to employ to a quick strike offense. It takes a mind set and focus to adapt to do what's necessary for winning while still being aggressive and dominating.

The Caps didn't appear willing to committ 100% to defeating the trap with a slower tempo with back passing or indirect passing off the boards. Instead the Caps were content to flip the puck out of the zone to aleviate the pressure temporarily only to have the Canadians ramp the pressure right back up.

The trap is the equivilent to the Bill Parcells defense with LT and the two deep zone. It's attacking style but at the same time forces the opponent to methodically move the ball down the field. With the trap the Caps must be more focused and committed to moving the puck up ices with precise passing and no turnovers to gain the zone and apply pressure.

Look for the Caps to start fast in game two and with a lot more intesity. If the Caps strike quickly the team's confidence could soar high enough to believe that the patience needed to defeat the trap can still be aggressive and yield goals. If the Caps energy tapers off or the early goal doesn't materialize, look for another close game.

Tampa Bay is on the clock with the 3rd Pick in the 2010 Draft.

It makes no sense in even rendering a Mortimer type wager from "Trading Places" on this pick. Similar to the Rams pick, you can almost "Hawaii Five-O" this pick and "Book 'em Danno."

3rd Pick: DT Gerald McCoy (Oklahoma)

The resurrection of the decade of dominating defense begins with drafting McCoy who can cave in the middle of the offensive line while still performing a run stopping role. He fits the Tampa 2 defense well.

Many of the players that fans recall during Tampa's playoff runs are gone. You can still find Warren Sapp on TV though - on the NFL Network, as well as on Twitter as @QBKILLA. Sapp's twitter name says it all. Getting to the QB is the number one priority on defense. The Buccaneers hope they have the right piece of the puzzle to gain more possessions from turnovers and shorten the field for their offense. Look for Tampa Bay to switch sides of the ball with their next pick in the draft.

The Detroit Lions are on part two of their three part plan to rebuild and that second part involves adding a "house of spears."

After last season's, largely successful, draft the team has a franchise quarterback, a decent set of wide receivers, a solid linebacking corps and a play making member of the secondary. With the offseason acquisition's of Kyle Vanden-Bosch and Corey Williams, the defensive line, and defense, is almost complete. The final part of that line is Ndamukong Suh.

He is hands down the best player in the draft and Detroit can't afford to pass on him. Suh has a quick release out of his stance and the strength to move NFL lineman. ESPN's Sports Science program examined what made his the best player on the board and lets just say they said he hit with the force of 1,200 pounds.

The Lions had an awful secondary last year. While it could be said that they had subpar players, which some of them were, they also had a terrible pass rush. If you look at a team like the Baltimore Ravens, their secondary thrived off of a great pass rush in the 2008-2009 season. Last season, their pass rush was less impressive and so was their secondary.

There may be questions about whether they want to drat left tackle Russell Okung, but their acquisition of Rob Sims should answer them. Head Coach Jim Schwartz said he thought Jeff Backus deserved Pro Bowl votes and that left guard was their real problem last season. When looking at the trade of Sims and Schwartz's comments together, its clear they think tackle is not what needs to be fixed.

For a team with so many holes, taking the best player on the board is never a bad idea. Detroit should be a respectable team next year, not a great one, but one that should be able to win between four and six games. Experts have said it is defense that wins championships and in Lions land, it looks like the team will follow that philosophy.

Pick 2 - Detroit Lions: Ndamukong Suh - Defensive Tackle, Nebraska

The Rams are on the clock with the 1st Pick in the 2010 Draft.

Defensive Tackles Ndamukong Suh (Nebraska) and Gerald McCoy (Oklahoma) can provide the pressure up the middle teams covet, but the rebuild on the offense begins with this pick. The release of Marc Bulger all but seals the deal that Sam Bradford will be the first pick in the draft. The last few years the Rams have pinned their hopes on a resurgance of Bulger, but it hasn't materialized.

The trade of McNabb from the Eagles to the Redskins also eliminated a possible trade partner to move down to acquire more picks and possibly take Jimmy Clausen from Notre Dame. No one else may have the picks necessary to move up or be so inclined to trade up knowing that Clausen may fall back to them.

1st Pick: QB Sam Bradford (Oklahoma)

Bradford should rejuvinate an offense that's sputtered for the past few years. He's an accurate quarterback that fits well in the Rams passing game. The pressure this season shouldn't fall on Bradford, but more so on the offensive line to keep him on his feet and provide Jackson the running lanes he needs to take the pressure off their new QB. Expectations of Ryan or Flacco may be unrealistic as a first year quarterback, but a new direction is in order for St. Louis on offense to stabalize the long term future at QB.

The Redskins make news again but this time through a trade and not via free agency. The Redskins often known for their offseason free agent spending sprees were busy on Easter Sunday dealing a 2010 2nd Round pick and either a 3rd or 4th Round pick in 2011 based upon performance for Donovan McNabb. McNabb earlier shot down Oakland and Buffalo as possible destinations and as Washington stepped up with an additional pick next year the Eagles felt it was the best offer on the table that was to both McNabb's and the Eagles liking. It was also very classy of the Eagles to honor McNabb's wishes and move him to Washington.

Redskins fans are rejoicing at inserting a team leader and Super Bowl starting quarterback into the lineup, while Eagles fans much watch their team be dismantled and stripped of its offensive statistical leader in most categories. Trades of this magnitude don't occur very often in the NFL let alone dealing a top player to a division rival. From an Eagles perspective the word rebuilding becomes a dirty and unecessary word to some fans, but after releasing and trading veterans the past couple of years the McNabb trade was the final blow to Philadelphia fans. They'll move forward with McCoy at running back and Kolb at quarterback.

The Redskins are now missing their 2nd Round pick (traded to Philadelphia for McNabb) and their 3rd Round Pick (due to drafting DE Jarmon in the 2009 Supplemental Draft), as well as their 6th Round pick for the DE Taylor trade.

At first glance the trade offers Skins fans the hope of leader at the most important position on the team. Much like UPS says, "What can brown do for you", Redskins fans can now see what a real GM can do for them as the Vinny Cerrato era seems even farther in the rear view mirror with more credible trades and free agent signings this past offseason.

Shanahan & Allen have remade much of the offensive personnel with the exception of the offensive line unless you count the versatile OL Artis Hicks as the savior. The duo of Shanahan and Allen have assembled Larry Johnson, & Willie Parker at running back and Donovan McNabb & Rex Grossman at quarterback with hold overs Clinton Portis and Jason Campbell creating the type of team compitition the new head coach had talked about.

At 33 years of age, how much is left in the tank for McNabb remains to be seen but now he'll have something he's never had before - a running game with a coach dedicated to pounding the ball. In the short term the Redskins have the ability to win now but how far they go is a different story. The Eagles receive a quality pick in a deep draft to rebuild. Washington receives a bonafide leader and starting quarterback it's desired after trying upgrade the position the past offseason. While the Eagles appear more ready to take a few lumps to rebuild and reload, the Redskins have chosen to defer that decision by taking a similar path of acquiring veteran players like Jason Taylor or Jeff George but hopefully with different results as neither of the afore mentioned players were still contributing near levels in the prime of their career.

The trade also seems to have answered other draft related questions. The acquisition of McNabb indicates that the team didn't have enough ammunation to move up to take the top rated QB on their board - Sam Bradford nor did they think highly enough of Clausen at the #4 overall pick or McCoy with the #37 overall pick.

It's still possible for the Redskins to take a QB with the #4 pick, but seems less likely at this point. The team may decide to take more action along the offensive line in order to keep McNabb and any future QB on their feet and not on the ground.

In what many feel is a deep 2010 draft, the Redskins may also move more aggressively to trade down to acquire additional picks in 2010 or in 2011 to bolster their chances of moving up to take Jake Locker of Washington (who may have been the #1 rated QB on some boards if he had declared for the 2010 draft.) San Francisco and Seattle could also be looking to move up in the draft to take a quarterback and both teams have two 1st Round Picks.

Some good fortune may strike DC twice in consecutive drafts. Should the Redskins decide to hold the #4 pick they could find the LT they so desperately need in Okung or if Detroit decides to keep Matt Stafford standing upright by selecting an OT one the top Defensive Tackles could slip right into their hands to pair up along side Orakpo & Haynesworth.

With three veteran running backs and quarterbacks on the roster, the team may not be finished with an extreme make over on offense before the draft. Adding more picks and quality along the both sides of the lines would be a top priorty especially if the team chooses to line up in a 3-4 defense.

The trade just changed the dynamics within the division and NFC besides stroking the fire of division rivalry games. The physcial division match-up just went up a few notches. The match up has a history of very close games being played dating back to Joe Gibbs Version 1.0 and now will take on even more meaning the next few years.