It was an awesome experience to play on Sunday night [against the Indianapolis Colts in the Hall of Fame Game].

The Hall of Fame Game is a good game for a rookie for a couple reasons.

One, you get there and you see the life of the NFL and the guys who have been in the NFL for years.

Second, it's kind of an intimate crowd. It's not that eye-popping crowd, where it is 50-60,000 fans. It's just a nice, intimate crowd where you can get in there and feel comfortable.

I feel like I played pretty well. The coolest thing of the night was when I walked out on to the field for my first drive, before I even started to play, and I could hear a little ovation from the stands. A lot of people were standing up and clapping. It just felt good. It was a warm welcome.

A lot of what I've heard these last few months has been mostly negative--people saying 'I can't [play well] in this league.' Just to see our crowd so excited on the field to see me playing--that was probably the best feeling of the night.

I know a lot of people called and sent me text messages after the game, congratulating me. But I just got this brand new phone, and it's horrible. I can't even text message on it. So I feel bad--I've had so many people call to say, 'Good job,' or they have sent me a text message. But until I get a new phone, I can't respond. I appreciate it, though.

Sunday's game definitely helped my progress. It definitely makes me excited about getting in there again. It's a good start, definitely.

We had practice for the first time this week [on Tuesday]. After practice, we were going to watch film, and Coach [Chris] Meidt turned to me and said, ?You were pretty horrible when it came to technique, but you made up for it with some pretty nice throws.'

That is something that I have been talking about and progressing through--just trying to get the footwork down and the mechanics down. At the same time, it all comes down to what you do when you get on the field and making sure I go out there and throw successfully.

Did it bruise my ego a little bit to hear Coach Meidt say that? No, not at all, because I know the things that I need to work on. When you get in a game, you just want to go do what is comfortable. I knew [the criticism] was coming. But I felt comfortable out there.

There is still a rhythm and a certain way coaches want it done and in this job you have to do it the way they want it done. So I still have to work. It is always good to have criticism.

Players had the day off on Monday. I slept in because we got in late [from Canton], then I came into Redskins Park to get some rehab done. Then I went to the movie theater--I went to see "Step Brothers." Very funny movie.

I saw a kid wearing a Brennan jersey in the movie theater, so that fired me up a little bit.

-- FRIDAY, AUGUST 8

I'm definitely excited about Saturday's game against Buffalo. I've been nursing a tight hamstring and I'm trying to make sure that's right for the game. I haven't even been to FedExField yet, so I can't wait to see all the fans there rocking it.

I've heard that Coach [Jim] Zorn may change the rotation of quarterbacks and I might come in after Jason Campbell. I don't for sure if that's true. I think Coach Zorn is just trying to get the rookies and young guys more work.

There's a huge difference between being in there against a second-team defense versus a third- or fourth-team defense. You get different looks and it's a tougher defense.

Coach Zorn could be trying to get us faster and more up-tempo, where we really have to read defenses and make check-downs. In the last preseason game against the Colts, [their defense] was pretty vanilla.

The rookies turned in a good showing in the Colts game last week, but in this league, you're only as good as your last game. If the rookies go out against the Bills and stumble, then there are going to be questions asked. 'What do you do now to get better?'

We just have to make sure we progress each week, get a little bit better, and really have no setbacks. We have to keep that upward hill.

Coach Zorn has worked with me on the mechanics of my release. He emphasizes having a good, strong, high release. My release moves around a lot--it is not in a steady place. When it came down to it in the end, he told me, 'As long as you're accurate with the football and you can get the ball there, I want you to be comfortable.'

But I think he is always going to make sure that my release is high and doesn't get too low--just for consistency reasons.

Coach Zorn has also worked with me on the mechanics of my drop [in the pocket]. With my footwork, I had hip surgery last offseason and my legs get tired, so it has been an even bigger learning curve for me.

Usually you just think and your body reacts. My body has been slow to react right now because I am rehabbing from surgery. Just getting my footwork down, being more rhythmic, being on time- those are the main things I need to work on.

Judging by all the dump-off passes he threw in this weekends game they clearly had him under wraps. He never even looked down field. That's not our Colt.

What's up with Zorn? Was he not Colt Brennan back in his hay day?

This is NFL politics at it's best!

Go Kick Some Ass Colt!!!

They're all just afraid that you're too damn good and they all know it! Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.