Analyzing Mike Shanahan at the Midway Point

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by The Goat

I gave Shanny a D, which I realize is a little harsh but after a guy wins the big one (twice) and takes time away from the game I think the grading scale should get a little tougher.

Excellent point, and I think the thing that people are missing here.

Prevailing thought throughout the thread suggests that Shanahan is doing well enough with what he has. This is wrong. Absolutely wrong. Haslett, I think, is doing well enough with what he has. Not great, but good enough to keep the team competitive. Lou Spanos, yes. Danny Smith, yes. Maybe even Keenan McCardell, sure.

Mike Shanahan hand built this offense. They traded for McNabb, traded for Jammal Brown, drafted Trent Williams. This administration -- not the previous one -- extended Casey Rabach's contract. This coaching staff added Lichtensteiger and Hicks. This coaching staff kept freakin Will Montgomery over a couple of guards with upside in Rinehart and Edwin Williams. This offensive line was handpicked to start by Shanahan with the lone exception of Derrick Dockery, who hasn't played an offensive snap since Week 2 (and wasn't good anyway). It was their decision to make a move at the QB position that only made sense for THIS season, and go get Donovan McNabb.

It makes absolutely no sense to justify the offensive struggles as a hangover from the Zorn era because all of Zorn's toys are gone. None of the OL contracts from Zorn's tenure exist. That OL is gone. The most targeted complementary receivers last season were Devin Thomas and Antwaan Randle El. They are gone. The running backs who replaced Portis last year: Betts, Cartwright, Mason, and Ganther. All gone (and still in the league, with the exception of Mason). There's no Jason Campbell or Todd Collins or Colt Brennan, Jordan Palmer, or Chase Daniel to blame the offensive woes on.

This IS the offense that Mike Shanahan dreamed up in a year of sitting out from coaching. Look around. This is the final product. There is no great future plan that is being built to. You can blame injuries if you wish, because injuries have cost us Portis, Cooley, Trent Williams, and Jammal Brown for different lengths of time, but still, who is going to be accountable for a largely disastrous offseason? It's Shanahan, obviously.