NFL on Fox: Has the Game Passed Gibbs By?

[joecrisp]

I don't think they're bashing Gibbs, I think they're simply analyzing what has caused the offensive struggles to this point. Any honest evaluation of the situation would lead to the conclusion that, to some extent, the game has passed Gibbs by-- the shorter playclock; faster, smarter defenses-- but that doesn't mean he won't catch back up with it in short order. Let's face it-- the game has changed significantly since Gibbs' first tenure, and it's obvious that this offense will be a work in progress until Gibbs gains enough experience in the new NFL to respond effectively to those changes. Past experience tells us that Gibbs is very adaptable, and he will effect the necessary adjustments sooner rather than later.

Of course, this adjustment period has been extended and complicated by poor execution on the part of the offensive personnel. Gibbs has been forced to scale back his offense to accomodate the learning curve of his players. Receivers have struggled with the formations and motion, linemen have struggled to execute the zone run-blocking concepts, his runningback has struggled to get in-sync with his blockers, and everyone who's supposed to get the ball and hold onto it hasn't been able to do so.

It will take some time to overcome all of these obstacles, but Gibbs is more than equal to the challenge. There's nothing wrong with questioning Gibbs's performance, either-- after all, "it all starts at the top," doesn't it? He has made some critical strategical errors, that's for certain, and he is the first one to admit it. But mistakes are the catalyst of the learning process, and Gibbs is every bit as much a student at this point as his players.