McCants: Your thoughts?

[RedskinsJunkie]

Originally Posted by skinsguy

I certainly did! Why shouldn't I have? The man knows how to win championships. Are you telling me that we shouldn't trust his judgement because of the Brunell situation? Because of Brunell, the rest of Gibbs' resume is bunk?

No! What I am saying is even Gibbs can make mistakes and that was a HUGE one. OUr year would have been completely different if Ramsey started from day one. His first two starts were against Philly and Pittsburgh on the road??? I am just saying that Gibbs puts a lot into character and Ramsey and McCants are definitely not on his good side, but both were better options last year than the players that Gibbs played. McCants at worst last year should have been the number 3 WR.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by RedskinsJunkie

No! What I am saying is even Gibbs can make mistakes and that was a HUGE one. OUr year would have been completely different if Ramsey started from day one. His first two starts were against Philly and Pittsburgh on the road??? I am just saying that Gibbs puts a lot into character and Ramsey and McCants are definitely not on his good side, but both were better options last year than the players that Gibbs played. McCants at worst last year should have been the number 3 WR.

That's very very very debatable Redskinsjunkie! The way Ramsey looked in preseason and in the games in which he came in in relief of Brunell, I cannot see any indication that things would have been better. With all of us arguing over execution, playcalling, receivers, quarterbacks,Gibbs' rust; it's plain to see that Ramsey would not have put a big enough band-Aid on our problems with offense.

Not to mention the fact that Ramsey himself said he was not ready to play at the beginning of the season - Gibbs had no choice but to put in someone he felt could run the offense better - but enough of that..we've stomped that argument into the ground here already!

[offiss]

Originally Posted by skinsguy

That's very very very debatable Redskinsjunkie! The way Ramsey looked in preseason and in the games in which he came in in relief of Brunell, I cannot see any indication that things would have been better. With all of us arguing over execution, playcalling, receivers, quarterbacks,Gibbs' rust; it's plain to see that Ramsey would not have put a big enough band-Aid on our problems with offense.

Not to mention the fact that Ramsey himself said he was not ready to play at the beginning of the season - Gibbs had no choice but to put in someone he felt could run the offense better - but enough of that..we've stomped that argument into the ground here already!

Really? What indication did you see in pre-season that Brunell would be any better than he was in the regular season?

Didn't Ramsey come into a game when we were in a hole against the Giant's and started moving the ball up and down the field? Something we hadn't seen from Brunell all year, and if it wasen't for an easy drop by Gardner he would have probably won that game for us, and he did all that without getting the rep's in practice because he was the #2 QB, and running Gibbs offense for the first time in meaningful action. Then guess what the following week he was back on the bench.

As for Ramsey stating he wasen't ready? At least he's honest I am still waiting for Brunells reasoning behind horrific performance, either he wasen't ready, or he's just plain bad, either way Gibbs obviously made the wrong choice at QB.

My problem with this whole issue is both Brunell and Ramsey are being scapegoated here for what I believe was Gibbs offensive problems, and playcalling, and now Gibbs is looking to another QB as if that's the problem, Sooner or later he has to look in the mirror. Ramsey deserves to be afforded the same opportunity and confidence that Gibbs showed for Brunell.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by offiss

Really? What indication did you see in pre-season that Brunell would be any better than he was in the regular season?

Didn't Ramsey come into a game when we were in a hole against the Giant's and started moving the ball up and down the field? Something we hadn't seen from Brunell all year, and if it wasen't for an easy drop by Gardner he would have probably won that game for us, and he did all that without getting the rep's in practice because he was the #2 QB, and running Gibbs offense for the first time in meaningful action. Then guess what the following week he was back on the bench.

As for Ramsey stating he wasen't ready? At least he's honest I am still waiting for Brunells reasoning behind horrific performance, either he wasen't ready, or he's just plain bad, either way Gibbs obviously made the wrong choice at QB.

My problem with this whole issue is both Brunell and Ramsey are being scapegoated here for what I believe was Gibbs offensive problems, and playcalling, and now Gibbs is looking to another QB as if that's the problem, Sooner or later he has to look in the mirror. Ramsey deserves to be afforded the same opportunity and confidence that Gibbs showed for Brunell.

It's not a question of Ramsey being honest - if he said he wasn't ready to start, then he wasn't. Being able to lead a football team involves more than just physical ability...you've got to be mentally ready. Sure, Ramsey came in and moved the ball against the Giants in the first game - he also threw how many interceptions?

Before you jump to conclusions, I didn't say that Brunell looked that good in pre-season...actually I felt Hasselbeck probably should have had as much consideration to start as what Brunell and Ramsey had.

Let me put it this way: both Quarterbacks looked horrible in preseason to me. The decision probably came down to which one was more ready mentally. Performance wise, I don't believe either one of them should have started. That's the point my argument that putting Ramsey in more than likely would not have done us any favors.

[offiss]

Originally Posted by skinsguy

It's not a question of Ramsey being honest - if he said he wasn't ready to start, then he wasn't. Being able to lead a football team involves more than just physical ability...you've got to be mentally ready. Sure, Ramsey came in and moved the ball against the Giants in the first game - he also threw how many interceptions?

Before you jump to conclusions, I didn't say that Brunell looked that good in pre-season...actually I felt Hasselbeck probably should have had as much consideration to start as what Brunell and Ramsey had.

Let me put it this way: both Quarterbacks looked horrible in preseason to me. The decision probably came down to which one was more ready mentally. Performance wise, I don't believe either one of them should have started. That's the point my argument that putting Ramsey in more than likely would not have done us any favors.

I agree! My point was how mentaly ready was Brunell compared to Ramsey?
As for the INT's let's face it 1 should have never happened it came after the Gardner drop and he threw 1 up for grabs late in the game, persoanlly I think the cause of those INT's was Ramsey's willingness to try to make something happen in an offense with recievers who were running easily covered routes, where as Brunell just threw the ball away.

Obviously my thought on the capability of our QB's lies with gibbs and his offense last season, and not the QB's themselves, let's face it I am not, nor ever been a big Brunell fan, but even I have to admit that Brunell is a much better QB than what we saw last season, and I believe that falls on Gibbs.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by offiss

I agree! My point was how mentaly ready was Brunell compared to Ramsey?
As for the INT's let's face it 1 should have never happened it came after the Gardner drop and he threw 1 up for grabs late in the game, persoanlly I think the cause of those INT's was Ramsey's willingness to try to make something happen in an offense with recievers who were running easily covered routes, where as Brunell just threw the ball away.

Obviously my thought on the capability of our QB's lies with gibbs and his offense last season, and not the QB's themselves, let's face it I am not, nor ever been a big Brunell fan, but even I have to admit that Brunell is a much better QB than what we saw last season, and I believe that falls on Gibbs.

I think both quarterbacks suffered from mental flaws this past year. Ramsey wasn't mentally ready because he probably still had a certain amount of shell shock from the previous year, coupled with having to learn a new system. In preseason, Ramsey to me just did not look ready.

Brunell, I think he lacked the mental toughness in different way. Brunell had been out for what, a year or two with an injury? I believe overall, he knew how to manage the offense and he knew how the offense should have been ran. The problem was, I think Brunell tried to play too safe and conservative. That could be Gibbs fault, then again, it could have been Brunell wanting to make the least amount of mistakes as possible in addition to realizing he didn't have the arm he once had. In my opinion, it just looked like a quarterback who couldn't realize that his career probably ended a couple years ago.

In regards to the playcalling, yes, Gibbs wasn't the mastermind like I have known him to be in his previous stint. At times, he played it rather conservative; maybe putting too much emphasis on getting the most out of the least(running on 3rd and 4.) However, I give him the benefit of the doubt, because I haven't known any coach that can come back to a sport he has been away from for over a decade and pick up from where he left off 11 or 12 years ago. However, to ignore the fact that the execution was poor would not be wise. Even with Brunell in the game, he made some high percentage throws to our receivers only to see them drop a football that was heading between the numbers. So, it wasn't all on Joe Gibbs and it wasn't all on the players.

For the most part, I felt by season's end everything had improved. Playcalling was better, execution was better. I feel execution and playcalling go hand in hand. The reason is that when players continue to execute successfully on a consistant bases, it opens your playbook more. If your players can't execute the high percentage plays, I can't see adding a lower percentage play to be very logical or helpful. By that point, if you do, then you're gambling and guessing...which can put you in more trouble in games than keeping things simple. So, in that respect, certainly it would be on Joe Gibbs' playcalling..what choice did he have?

[BrudLee]

Originally Posted by offiss

I agree! My point was how mentaly ready was Brunell compared to Ramsey?
As for the INT's let's face it 1 should have never happened it came after the Gardner drop and he threw 1 up for grabs late in the game, persoanlly I think the cause of those INT's was Ramsey's willingness to try to make something happen in an offense with recievers who were running easily covered routes, where as Brunell just threw the ball away.

Ramsey also inherited a deficit (sounds like a defense of a politician). When he made it into the game we were down 20-7, so the Giants knew we were throwing, and adjusted their defense accordingly. Brunell left in the middle of the third quarter with a hamstring strain (dance! dance!) and ramsey had 18 attempts in the remainder of the game. To compare, Brunell had (I believe) three full games with fewer attempts, so that's a pretty big number for the team at that time.

[RedskinsJunkie]

Originally Posted by BrudLee

Ramsey also inherited a deficit (sounds like a defense of a politician). When he made it into the game we were down 20-7, so the Giants knew we were throwing, and adjusted their defense accordingly. Brunell left in the middle of the third quarter with a hamstring strain (dance! dance!) and ramsey had 18 attempts in the remainder of the game. To compare, Brunell had (I believe) three full games with fewer attempts, so that's a pretty big number for the team at that time.

HUH? Which makes it even more impressive that Ramsey was moving the ball on them when they knew he was going to throw...