AP Article: Redskins offense back to square one!

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by Beemnseven

That's a fair point. Good post.

People often forget that Gibbs was originally known as a pass-first coach. Only with Riggins and the talent he had along the O-line did he finally decide to go smashmouth. Bottom line is that he adapted to the personnel that was given to him. Something he needs to do now.

Back in 1992, in the playoff game against Minnesota, there was a stat totalling all of the plays Gibbs had run since 1981. It was perfectly balanced, but with one more pass attempt than running attempt.

No one is suggesting giving up the run. Of course you have to try to run it. But sometimes the passing game can open up the running game. I don't think it would be out of the question to tilt the play selection to something like 55-60% pass to 40-45% run.

I don't think it would signal the apocalypse if they tried that.

Indeed, Gibbs 1.0 adjusted to personnel on hand (recall that he was a pass happy O-coordinator in SD) when he hitched the wagon to the Hoggs and Riggo. I believe that he has become too stubborn/blind to reality to adjust today. The smashmouth approach looks good on paper today when the O-line is intact. While I don't want an all-pass, all the time approach, becoming more unpredictable, using the passing game to set up the running game, using multiple spread formations, or going no huddle might not be a bad thing given the shorthanded O-line. I fear that if our running game becomes even more predictable, the results will decline even further in the 2nd half of the season with this personnel.