Smoot Lays the Smack Down (Redskins vs. Saints)

[mooby]

I hate this. For so many reasons. 3 straight games where we take care of business for 50+ minutes and we end up losing. And for me the worst part is, for all the positives we see, what of them will be positives for us next season? Because at this point it's clearly about evaluating the guys who will be here next season, and who needs to go.

What if Snyder doesn't get rid of Cerrato? What if we clean house, including JC, who has played excellent despite everything going on this season except for late game drives? What if someone new comes in next season at qb and destroys all the progress DT and FD have made? What if we don't get a competent guy who can run football operations? What if this season is a preview of the next ten years under Snyder? Lame duck head coaches who get soft in the red zone and play for the game clinching field goal that never materializes due to a crappy kicker who can't handle pressure?

Look at all the positives from here today. What will happen to all the progress we've made as an offense these last few games? From what I see an upheaval will happen at the end of the year but there's no guarantee Snyder or Cerrato will change. I could look at several positives from this game that might not be here next season.

- JC
- New play calling system that is actually putting up points
- Progress and chemistry DT and FD have made with JC (might not sync with possible new qb
- RB depth impressing (Ganther, Cartwright might be relegated to doing jack shit once Betts/Portis are healthy again)

As for the negatives such as Shaun Suisham, what happens if in 4 weeks everybody forgets that he shanks with games on the line and he comes back as kicker next year? We're opening ourselves up to the same kind of disappointment we've had for 3 seasons now.

I can't blame the refs because every once in a while you have a game where it feels like the refs make questionable calls. Those are out of our hands and as much as I was pissed at the refs for blowing calls today it's an unfortunate fact of life in the NFL that every team has to deal with.

It tears me apart watching these games week after week. The Redskins could write a new book on how to lose games that you've controlled for 50+ minutes. To be honest, I'm not excited about the future at all. I don't know how I can keep forcing myself to watch knowing the current regime given it's indication, doesn't have any idea on how to mold a successful franchise in the NFL.

I've never considered myself to be a hateful or insane type person, but after today's loss I'm starting to believe the Redskins will drive me to the brink of insanity for as long as I live if things don't change.

And to make things clear when I say if things don't change I don't mean new head coach and bringing in a bunch of new players, I mean if drastic, front office, management, philosophical, smart, whatever you want to call it type changes aren't made. I don't have a headache but I feel like the Redskins just threw a grenade in my head and said enjoy the confusion, the chaos, the false hope, and the appearance of a franchise headed in the right direction that we will give you. The Redskins have made me so mind numbingly inane that I don't even feel like I just typed a composed, literate post.

Hopefully for my sake one of these days I just get over being dragged into false hope by the Skins long enough to stop caring like so many of my Skins fan friends have done so that I can find 16 better things to do with my Sundays.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by mooby

I hate this. For so many reasons. 3 straight games where we take care of business for 50+ minutes and we end up losing. And for me the worst part is, for all the positives we see, what of them will be positives for us next season? Because at this point it's clearly about evaluating the guys who will be here next season, and who needs to go.

Well if we beat teams like the Lions, Chiefs, even Panthers these losses are easier to swallow

What if Snyder doesn't get rid of Cerrato? What if we clean house, including JC, who has played excellent despite everything going on this season except for late game drives? What if someone new comes in next season at qb and destroys all the progress DT and FD have made? What if we don't get a competent guy who can run football operations? What if this season is a preview of the next ten years under Snyder? Lame duck head coaches who get soft in the red zone and play for the game clinching field goal that never materializes due to a crappy kicker who can't handle pressure?

Let's give some credit to Cerrato. He did after all bring us DT and FD, didn't he? And Sherman Lewis

Look at all the positives from here today. What will happen to all the progress we've made as an offense these last few games? From what I see an upheaval will happen at the end of the year but there's no guarantee Snyder or Cerrato will change. I could look at several positives from this game that might not be here next season.

- JC
- New play calling system that is actually putting up points
- Progress and chemistry DT and FD have made with JC (might not sync with possible new qb
- RB depth impressing (Ganther, Cartwright might be relegated to doing jack shit once Betts/Portis are healthy again)

As for the negatives such as Shaun Suisham, what happens if in 4 weeks everybody forgets that he shanks with games on the line and he comes back as kicker next year? We're opening ourselves up to the same kind of disappointment we've had for 3 seasons now.

I can't blame the refs because every once in a while you have a game where it feels like the refs make questionable calls. Those are out of our hands and as much as I was pissed at the refs for blowing calls today it's an unfortunate fact of life in the NFL that every team has to deal with.

It tears me apart watching these games week after week. The Redskins could write a new book on how to lose games that you've controlled for 50+ minutes. To be honest, I'm not excited about the future at all. I don't know how I can keep forcing myself to watch knowing the current regime given it's indication, doesn't have any idea on how to mold a successful franchise in the NFL.

I've never considered myself to be a hateful or insane type person, but after today's loss I'm starting to believe the Redskins will drive me to the brink of insanity for as long as I live if things don't change.

And to make things clear when I say if things don't change I don't mean new head coach and bringing in a bunch of new players, I mean if drastic, front office, management, philosophical, smart, whatever you want to call it type changes aren't made. I don't have a headache but I feel like the Redskins just threw a grenade in my head and said enjoy the confusion, the chaos, the false hope, and the appearance of a franchise headed in the right direction that we will give you. The Redskins have made me so mind numbingly inane that I don't even feel like I just typed a composed, literate post.

Hopefully for my sake one of these days I just get over being dragged into false hope by the Skins long enough to stop caring like so many of my Skins fan friends have done so that I can find 16 better things to do with my Sundays.

Solid post overall, but don't let the Redskins rule your sanity. Don't let any team do that

[mooby]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Well if we beat teams like the Lions, Chiefs, even Panthers these losses are easier to swallow

True but as we know by now even games against lower tier teams like the aforementioned are no cakewalk. They didn't give any sign in any of those games that they were a competent football team capable of easily handling the bottom tier of the NFL. And there's no sign that that we will stop playing down to the level of our competition will change.

Let's give some credit to Cerrato. He did after all bring us DT and FD, didn't he? And Sherman Lewis

You're absolutely right and I agree that Cerrato deserves credit for DT and FD, as well as Horton, possibly Rinehart, Orakpo, possibly Barnes, and other draft picks that might be key depth in the future. But I hate what I perceive to be Snyder and Cerrato's win now mentality. I'd be completely fine with both of them staying if it meant they abandoned the fill all holes with high priced free agents and build sparingly in the draft, and built a philosophy based on building long term through the draft and filling in select holes through free agency. Based on Cerrato's drafting record you would think they would be more than willing to get draft picks. But draft picks won't work out if you don't have a coach that can guide them.

As for Sherman Lewis, who's to say he's not a 1 year deal? Do you see the new coach keeping him around if his way of doing things doesn't mesh at all with Lewis? Lewis' hard work with the current roster might be all for naught once the offseason comes.

As for Laron Landry, what are we to do with him? He could be a valuable player but I feel like he's playing out of position at free safety. But if we move him back to strong safety what becomes of Doughty and Horton? Then that leaves a hole at free safety that needs to be filled as well. So that leaves us with 3 competent players at strong safety but nobody that could start at free safety. Do we get rid of one of them? All I know is that Landry at free safety is not the answer. The announcers even noticed that on his second touchdown coverage fail that he was playing with that strong safety mentality in coming up towards the box and then not getting back deep until it's too late.

Solid post overall, but don't let the Redskins rule your sanity. Don't let any team do that

During the week I'm fine . I'd actually feel a whole lot worse if I didn't have this forum to help me get these things off my chest. Nothing helps me quite like expressing the state of my mind on a forum with people that share the same common interest like me. It's only when I can't find the right avenue to express myself that I feel frustrated and helpless. Who said a forum can't do good things for someone?

I'm just questioning where this franchise is heading, and what the direction of the front office is. We had positives from these last 4 1/2 games but none of them appear to be long term, at least at the moment. I want to see a united front that has both short and long term goals that they are building towards, and right now it's clear this franchise is just trying to play out the rest of the season so we can start cleaning out and starting over in the offseason.