Terry Robiskie, right, and receiver Albert Connell. (Reginald Pearman Jr. - washingtonpost.com)

Terry Robiskie, the Redskins' passing game coordinator, discussing the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys, said the players were eager to get started. The Redskins opened the season on Sunday, Sept. 12 at Redskins Stadium.

Robiskie joined the Redskins as wide receivers coach in 1994 after spending 12 years as a coach for the Raiders. Drafted by the Oakland Raiders in 1977, his five-year playing career includes three seasons with the Raiders and two with the Dolphins.

washingtonpost.com: Terry, welcome to Sports Online. We're glad you'll be with us throughout the season. With kickoff less than 48 hours away, what's the mood at Redskin Park?

Terry Robiskie: I think the mood is very high. I think everybody is burning with excitement. A lot has been said about us being a good team. I think, like everyone else, the players want to see how good we are. So the mood is very good.

Seattle, WA: Hello Coach Robiskie! I really enjoyed your comments the last time around. As Champ Bailey is expected to join the offense at some point, are there any plans in the works to use 4 or 5 receivers at once? Thanks!

Terry Robiskie: We have not discussed Champ Bailey on offense. Not yet, anyway. Yes, there is a plan to use some four wide receivers.

Rock Hill, SC: Does Stephen Alexander have the hands, speed and quickness to be a deep threat, and how is his blocking.

Terry Robiskie: Absolutely, he is a deep threat. His blocking is okay and getting better.

White Plains, Md: What are the problems with the downfield passing game? Are the wideouts running wrong routes or just having difficulty getting open? It seems you guys struggle a lot more than some of the better teams at completing passes downfield. Thanks. Wishing you and team great success this season!

Terry Robiskie: Thanks for your well wishes. We have not been a team that focuses on the long ball. We are hoping to do a lot more of that this season.

Front Royal, Virginia: Terry,

Will we see the no-huddle offense being utilized more frequently to add a new wrinkle for opposing teams or will game situations dictate whether it is used or not?

Terry Robiskie: It is strictly a game situation. One week, we might use the no-huddle and maybe for the next four or five weeks we won't. The no-huddle is okay in that it keeps the defense off-balance. However, when you are in a loud stadium it is a disadvantage as your offensive players will have problem hearing the calls.

Washington, DC: Terry-

In a radio interview with Don Geronimo, Michael Westbrook told Don that he would talk to him as long as he didn't call him the same name that you always call him. What is that special name you have for Michael?

Terry Robiskie: Tell him that I have a hundred of them and I'm sure he could not use them on the radio. But Mike knows, in my heart, I think the world of him. I strictly use those on the field.

Spartanburg, South Carolina: How much playing time should we expect Irving Fryer to get versus Dallas

Terry Robiskie: Possibly, 20 to 25 plays. I think Irving has done a tremendous job getting ready to go and getting ready for the game. He's a very energetic person. He will be a tremendous asset to the team, to myself and to Michael Westbrook. He is a true professional and a true Pro Bowler and I'm glad we got him.

Lake Ridge, VA: Most of the problems with Connell and Westbrook seem to be mental -lining up wrong, running the wrong route, etc.- . Is it possible for coaching to overcome this, and if so, how? Have you seen much improvement in this area so far this season?

Terry Robiskie: Well, I don't see that as a big problem for Mike. Where and how that rumor got started, I don't know. Mike is wrong no more than anyone else on the team and a majority of the receivers in the league but there is a misconception about him lining up wrong and running the incorrect routes. That is a misconception.

Rockville, Md.: How is Brian Mitchell going to be used this year on offense? I have always wondered how the team would do with Mitchell as the featured back. With the acquisition of Larry Centers, I am even more concerned that his offensive opportunities would decline drastically. What's the plan for him now?

Terry Robiskie: We intend to continue to use Brian Mitchell as our third-down back. We will use more three wide receivers and two backs being Brian Mitchell and Larry Centers to get the most out of both of them during the course of the game.

Lawrenceville, NJ: How do you honestly feel the Redskins will do this year.

Terry Robiskie: In my heart, I believe 11-5. In my head, I feel anything less than a 10-win season would be awful.

Washington DC: Have you guys been preparing to play against Sanders, or are you confident he will be out? Will his playing status in anyway effect the game plan? How?

Terry Robiskie: We do plan to go against him. I think all the hype about his toe being hurt, keeping him out, is just talk. We expect him to be there on Sunday at the opening whistle. Yes, he does change the game plan if he is not there on the field. We are very comfortable throwing any routes to either side of the field. When he is in there, there are some routes we can't throw toward him. The out route, comeback and go route, he's excellent in covering and playing those routes. If he is not there, we will throw them all. Yes, he does dictate the game plan a little.

Centreville, VA: Joey Galloway, your opinion of his abilities, and should the Redskins continue to pursue him, or just trust the receivers we currently have?

Terry Robiskie: I think he would be a tremendous asset. He is one of the fastest receivers in football. A big part of his problems in Seattle not signing is that his numbers, his stats are better than Antonio Freeman of Green Bay over the past three years. I think he has more catches, more yards and higher average per catch and more touchdowns. He would be a tremendous asset for this team.

Richmond, Virginia: Thanks for joining us Coach. How do the Redskins expect to pay the salary for Joey Galloway if the end up trading for him?

Terry Robiskie: That one I have no idea. I'm just the receivers coach. The only thing I wish is that they don't try to make me pay it out of my salary.

Wanamassa, NJ: Terry,
what about the left tackle problem?.....do you think that Brad will have enough time to control the offense properly?....do you have help for heck?

Terry Robiskie: I think Andy Heck is a good left tackle. Like most left tackles, he will need a tight end or a back on his side to help him but I think the more he is in there the more comfortable he will become and the better he will play. Of course, the better he plays, the better we play.

Washington, DC: Terry,

During the preseason, the 1st team offense moved the ball pretty well, then had a few problems finishing drives. Is this a cause for concern?

Terry Robiskie: No, because like you said we were happy that we moved the ball and did some things extremely well. Of course, we were disappointed when a drive ended in a field goal. Hopefully, we can finish those drives off with touchdowns this weekend.

Spartanburg, SC: What are your thoughts on the potential of Connell?

Terry Robiskie: I think he's got the potential to be a very good receiver in the National Football League. I think he can be a receiver along the lines of Ricky Sanders. Maybe not in the class of a Gary Clark or Art Monk, but a Ricky Sanders who can help you get to the Super Bowl.

Lanham, Md.: Terry, what role will newcomer Matt Stevens play on the defense? -sorry it wasn't a receivers question-.

Terry Robiskie: Matt Stevens will be a backup safety for us and will come in on third downs and hopefully make some plays. He should be a tremendous player for us on special teams. Matt is very talented, very quick, very fast and explosive. I think he will be a great special teamer and nickel player which is a third-down player.

Washington, DC: How adept is the coaching staff at anticipating "jail breaks" by the opposing defense? It looks like the offense is often caught unprepared in obvious blitz situations. How do you plan to make opposition pay for all out blitzes?

Terry Robiskie: Well, it's not that you are caught unprepared. It's just that when the all-out blitz comes it is a war and we win some and we lose some. For example, two weeks ago, Pittsburgh gave us an all-out blitz and Michael Westbrook scored a touchdown. One week later, Tampa Bay gave us the same blitz and we were unable to pick it up. So we got sacked but we intend to adapt to it by doing what we did against Pittsburgh. If they blitz, we got to make them pay with a big play or a big score.

Amarillo, Texas: Coach, What is the typical routine for receivers to prepare for a game? When do you add new routes or plays for a particular opponent? Does the increased use of short pass receivers-backs, TE- lead to better plays by the wideouts?

Keep up the great job and beat the Cowpokes!!

Terry Robiskie: We add new plays from Monday to Thursday. At the end of practice on Thursday, we cut off the list too late to learn anything new. The basic routine for receivers preparing is a good solid week of practice and a lot of rest and relaxation from Friday evening to Sunday-game day. Yes, the short passing games to the running back and tight ends is a big asset to helping the receivers having a big day. The short passing game makes the linebackers sit up closer to the line of scrimmage and it opens up a lot of holes behind them for the receivers. It also helps that sometimes even a safety may sit up close to the line of scrimmage because of a running back and this would allow a receiver to get behind the safety for a deep bomb. So yes, it is a big help.

Ocean, NJ: Terry,
do you think Steven Davis can have a breakthrough year, and what role will Skip Hicks have ?.....i think Hicks is the better back

Terry Robiskie: Well, I think we can only judge from what we have seen. Stephen, coming out of training camp, proved to be the better player. He might not be as we look at it all season but he is today. Skip will be a tremendous one-two punch for us. He will be able to come in and help us. He will be great for us coming off of the bench. Stephen is an inside power runner and Skip is an outside speed runner.

New York City NY: Have there been a lot of new plays designed for the offense now that Irving Fryar has joined the team?

Terry Robiskie: No, we are simply working as hard as we can to fit him in to what we are doing. There has been nothing new to fit him into our offense.

Forest, Va: Mr. Robiskie... do you think the Redskins made the right decision to release Joe patton even though Andy Heck hasn't had a good season in a while??

Terry Robiskie: That part I don't know. I think if the organization felt that Joe would not be able to help us we did the right thing. Of course, I am the receivers coach so I am not involved in those type of decisions. I think Andy will be a good player for us and again the longer he plays, the more he is in there, the better he will become.

Hollister, North Carolina: I remember when you were a player in Oakland you were solid and dependable; What are your NFL career ambitions?

Terry Robiskie: To become a head coach. Not necessarily in the NFL just become a head coach.

Funkstown, MD: It's been a while since Brian Mitchell threw an option pass in a real game. Will we see him throw one to Larry Centers in the Cowboys game?

Terry Robiskie: Well, maybe we will save that for the Arizona game. The last time Brian Mitchell attempted to throw one was the Arizona game last season in Arizona.

Rocky Gorge, MD: It's not a secret. Everybody and their mothers will be looking to put a lick on Brad Johnson. Are there more quick pass routes to counter blitzes this year?

Terry Robiskie: Absolutely. We will do everything we can to protect Brad and one of the ways to do that is quicker and shorter passes. Again, we do plan on taking more shots with the deep ball but we will do everything we can to protect Brad.

Alex VA: How is the energy level of the team - Are they excited about the game? Nervous?

Terry Robiskie: More nervous than excited. I think everyone wants to get after the Cowboys.

Syracuse, NY: Last week the opening series fizzled in part because on a first-down play Johnson threw a slant while Connell ran an out. Who messed up?

Terry Robiskie: That again is what I was speaking about earlier. We were in a no-huddle offense and the fans were excited and extremely loud and because of that Albert Connell did not hear the play. He heard the protection which was 6-6 and he did not hear the route which was 1-1. When he heard 6-6, he ran the route 6-6 and Brad threw the route 1-1.

Washington, DC: Hello:
What does it really mean when people say for example Michael Westbrook "only" caught 40 some balls last year. Was he dropping them? Was he not getting open? Did the game plan call for throwing to someone else? In other words, is it the receivers fault or is it mainly due to factors beyond his control?
Thank you

Terry Robiskie: It means that the expectations of every sports fan in the country for Michael Westbrook is higher than 44 balls. When people speak of Michael Westbrook, they speak of how much talent-the talent of Michael Irvin, Jerry Rice, Chris Carter, Art Monk-those type of players and a fan that knows football understands that for those guys to catch 44 balls in a season is just an average year. So when people say that Mike only caught 40 balls, they are simply saying he only had an average year. It's not because he is dropping 20 balls, 30 balls. Last season, for the season, he had six drops. It's just that the level of expectations for Michael Westbrook is higher than 44 balls.

Seattle WA: Hello again. I was wondering about game planning. Do you always pick from the same playbook or do you sometimes design plays from scratch for a particular opponent? Also, do you do any sort of historical research to find plays that might help you? Thanks.

Terry Robiskie: Always. Yes, we do pull from the playbook each week but we also pull from other teams' film as we may watch one team against another team we may pull one of their plays if we like it. As for doing research, that is something we do during the offseason. We study all teams in the NFL and a lot of teams in college from which we will pull out plays and use them to benefit us.

Fort Lauderdale, Fl: Coach:
I think we all appreciate your candor in answering these questions. Now, do you feel that you HAVE to have a winning record heading into the bye week or else coaching changes will be made? And does that affect the way you or Norv coach players and call games? Thanks ...

Terry Robiskie: I don't know what record we should have by the bye week. I know what record we coach each week to have by the bye week. I do know that we are coaching to be 4-0 at the bye. If it's 2-2 or 1-3, will changes be made? I don't know the answer. I do know that every day I coach to win and today I'm coaching to be 1-0. Starting Monday, I will be coaching to hopefully be 2-0. Every day that I coach, I continue to coach to try to win one more, one more game.

Upper Marlboro, MD: Terry,

First of all I'd like to commend you and the rest of the Redskins' staff for an excellent job during the preseason. There is once again excitement in this city regarding the Redskins' upcoming season.

What I'd like to know, however, is the role you've played in deciding the Redskins' final cuts. I imagine Norv probably has the final say -or maybe a certain somebody a little higher up, which would NOT be a good thing-. But is there anybody in particular who you've let go this preseason who you would've liked to have kept?

Terry Robiskie: No, not at all. I think the decisions that were made were all made together. Obviously, the final decision comes from the top where it is supposed to The head coach, the owner and the general manager but I think the guys we let go were not as good as the group we kept. I think the decisions we made were the correct ones.

Richmoond, VA: Is it my imagination, or does Stephen Davis run standing up tall? Does that make it harder for him to pound the hole inside?

Terry Robiskie: It is not your imagination. You are very observant. That is one of the things we are working to correct. And yes, that does make it harder to hit the hole and move the pile as we call it but there is a young man who was placed in the Hall of Fame this summer who ran upright. A guy named Eric Dickerson so hopefully Stephen Davis can do some of it but we are working with him to get his pads down.

Colorado Springs, CO: I am very excited about this coming season! How much time do you split in practice between Brad and Rodney? Have they both developed good communications with the receiving corp?

Terry Robiskie: They are getting better every day and the time we split is about 80-20 with Brad of course getting most of it.

Burke, Va: Given how prone to injury Michael Westbrook is, do you see Thrash as someone who is capable of stepping up and producing?

Terry Robiskie: Yes, I do. I think each and every year he's becoming a better player. I think last year he made strides, made some plays and helped us win a few games. This year, I am again expecting big plays from James. So yes, I think he's very capable.

Albuquerque, NM: In recent years, in my opinion, the Redskins have lived, and consequently, died, by the play of the defensive line. The inability to stop the run, and only Ken Harvey, a linebacker, generating any kind of a pass rush in recent years have been the team's undoing in the Norv Turner era. Noticeable improvement has always been promised, but never delivered. Please tell me that there is a reason for me to believe that this will all change this season.

Joseph Trujillo

Terry Robiskie: Well, as an offensive coach and an offensive guy, it's difficult for me to place blame on the defensive line. I do know that we have improved that area a tremendous amount this summer and I do know that we will play better this season in that area. But I think we, as an offensive unit, must carry our share of the load. We must maintain control of the ball and we must score points when we get the ball. So if we expect them to play up to their potential, I know we must play up to ours.

Dallas Texas: I'm stuck here in Cowboy land and it seems that the fans here are delusional on how good their team is. What is your take on the Cowboys...do you think they are a playoff team?

Terry Robiskie: I think the Cowboys are always a tough team. I know the loss of Leon Lett will hurt and will be a tremendous impact from their season. The loss of Kevin Smith will be a tremendous impact on their team. If Deion Sanders is unable to play, it will be a tremendous impact on their season. I think they are always dangerous on offense but without the few guys I mentioned they have a steep hill to climb. And of course, I don't wish them well.
Thank you.

Washingtonpost.com: That's all the time we have today. Thanks to Coach Robiskie for coming on. Join us again next week on Airing It Out With Terry Robiskie.