Smoke Signals: "Napoleon with a cell phone"

Find out what 21 former Redskins think about the current state of the team. My favorite comment came from former Hog and current ESPN college football analyst Mark May, who said of owner Dan Snyder: "Napoleon with a cell phone and deep pockets." Exactly, Mark. That's why I call him The Li'l General. Read it.Here is The Power Plug, DC Pro Sports Report's weekly round-up of all the major NFL power polls. In short, stop beating me up because some are meaner than I am. Well, meaner in their rankings anyway. Nobody is meaner than I am in the comments. Read it.As I wrote here yesterday, Will Montgomery and Chad Rinehart will compete for the starting right guard job this week, leaving me unsure why the team bothered to have 4 preseason games, a training camp and all those minicamps. Read it.The Redskins can't run the ball in the red zone and that helps explain why they can't score in the red zone. Otherwise, QB Jason Campbell wants to defend the offense. Jason, if the offense will just score points, you won't need to defend it. Read it.The Wall Street Journalist calls the Detroit Lions defense the worst ever and analyzes how it got that way. Read it.Blasting some poor sap in pads and a helmet into next week -- it's a precious memory for Redskins football players. Read it.Marcus Mason will be inactive for Sunday's game, while newly-reacquired Anthony Aldridge will take his place.OK, here's how Anthony Alridge has improved his hands: by flipping a tennis ball in the air. Seriously. Alridge had fumbling issues this summer, which is the biggest reason he was cut. He has the speed Washington wants, but fumbled often in practices and in the games."I got my tennis ball and I throw the ball up in the air and keep my eyes on the ball," Alridge said. "Just stay focused. Fumbling is a lack of concentration and I'm concentrating now."Rock Cartwright said he was told that Alridge would be active for Sunday's game at Detroit and that Marcus Mason would not."We expect to use his speed," Zorn said.Read it.Considering how the town reacted to an ugly and narrow win over a truly awful team like the Rams, Rick Snider wonders what would happen if the Skins lose to the Lions.If you saw the look on Snyder's face in the postgame locker room you'd have thought Washington lost to Dallas by 50. Very glum from someone whose victory celebrations became YouTube fodder. Snyder spoke briefly with players like it was a wake. I've seen that look before and it usually meant somebody was leaving.Read it.John Keim gives us a scouting report on the Lions. Short version: WR Calvin Johnson is fantastic, the quarterback is a rookie and the defense is awful. Read it.The big issue when defending the Lions: Cover Calvin Johnson. Read it.Here's the injury report for the Redskins-Lions game. Nothing too serious. Read it. Jason Campbell has a sore ankle but has no doubts he will start the game. Read it.Jim Zorn says the whole team is desperate for a win and Clinton Portis says everyone is on the hot seat. [I think that seat is a bit hotter for some than others.] Read it.Mike Wise tells everyone to calm down and that it is too early to be hitting the panic button. No offense, Mike, but I don't think you've adjusted for the Dan Snyder factor. Read it.Sonny Jurgensen denies he has a feud with Jim Zorn. I think that's right. It's not a feud. Jurgy does have serious doubts about the games Zorn is calling, though, and Zorn is extremely sensitive to criticism. Read it.Redskins fans mouth off about the pain of being a Skins fan right now. Read it.Former Redskins CB Martin Mayhew is the GM of the Detroit Lions, which is a pretty daunting job to have right now. Read it.WLB Rocky McIntosh is having a very good start to the 2009 season. Read it.Lions Coach Jim Schwartz grew up in Baltimore as a Colts fan. He went to Georgetown University and coached Albert Haynesworth in Tennessee. Read it.Ugly times for Chief Zee over at Extremeskins. Read it.Follow DC Pro Sports Report on Twitter!Discuss it at the Warpath!