Update: Saunders Signs Deal with Rams to be OC

[mcarey032]

Saunders wasn't given the benefit of the doubt here in Washington. Surely two years wasn't enough to judge him fairly. He was given an older QB last year who didn't have the wheels or the arm to make the big throws. Then he got a more physically talented QB, but far less experienced this year. At the end he got someone who knew how to run the offense and was able to execute it and got us to the playoffs. So he gets the boot after those two years? If Daniel Snyder didn't know that Joe Gibbs was handcuffing Al Saunders play calling then he truly doesn't know anything about football or worse, anything about his own team.

[freddyg12]

Originally Posted by BDBohnzie

Could very well be, which is why I'm sitting here at my keyboard, instead of having my name on a door at Redskins Park

But it would be hard to believe that Saunders didn't use his comfort level with Collins to do something different than what he did with Campbell. Saunders brought Collins in to help the transition to his offense go a lot smoother. Why wouldn't he have let Collins loose, knowing that he knows the system better than any QB in the league today?

True, and JC getting hurt might've scared Joe to the point that he told Al to max protect or keep Sellers &/or Portis in to block more.

It just seemed to me that JC could've made the same plays if given the extra protection. Until we got to seattle, collins had all day to throw in most of those games.

[Longtimefan]

Originally Posted by firstdown

So we can kick his butt when he comes back or we go there. I heard it takes two years to learn his system.

Yeah! Rams & Redskins both learning a new offense in the same year, should be interesting to see how much farther along the Rams will be with that 700 page playbook than we were in his first year here.

[BDBohnzie]

The Rams will be able to fast-track some of that learnin', since guys like Bruce and Holt were around the first time Saunders was in town.

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by QBall

Now the Rams can wait over two years before their offense can gell and understand what plays to run and how to score tds.

Think about it, who in the NFL has three f'ing years to wait? Gibbs worst move in my veiw was giving the offense to AL. He stopped calling plays and there went a piece of the Hall of Fame with it.....

Well STL didn't seem to have a problem picking up the offense when Kurt Warner came out of nowhere and won the SB. KC didn't seem to have a problem picking it up either. KC was a top 5 offense evey year Al was there.

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by Drift Reality

I feel like I'm starting to become a Saunders apologist and I don't even think that much of him, but in my opinion, all this criticism is sort of ridiculous.

When he had his guy in there at QB I think we saw the potential of the offense to move up and down the field at will.

Would you idiots please be reasonable.

THANK YOU.

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by hail_2_da_skins

WHAT IF?

Al Saunders goes to St. Louis Rams and the Rams return to being the greatest show on turf? What does that say about the Washington Redskins and their offensive personnel? Does that mean that the Redskin players are not talented or smart enough to run Saunders offense?

Marc Bulger, when he is healthy and has a good O-line, is probably a better qb than JC at this point of their careers. Steven Jackson should be a superstar. Holt is better than anyone we currently have at WR. STL just needs to get a better line and myabe another wr and they will be tough to stop. I remember when we played them in 06 and they just went off on our defense.

[Defensewins]

Saunders situation is unique. I think lot of the Saunders bashers need to take in to account that the players also bare some of the responsibility of the last two seasons. Saunders had to deal with a very green Campbell and all of his growing pains. Saunders did not throw the interceptions at the end of the Giants and Dallas loses that cost us the games.
I am tired of the NFL tradition of firing someone, usually a coordinator when
things do not go perfectly. They need a fall guy. It is not a magic pill situation to assume a new coordinator will cure all that is wrong with the offense.

[TheSmurfs22]

Good luck to Coach Saunders I do hope he does well in St. Louis, just not well when he plays us in 08!

[SFREDSKIN]

It's official he has signed with the Rams to be the OC according to JLC and ESPN. ESPN - Saunders gets 3-year deal as Rams' new offensive coordinator - NFL

[skinsfan_nn]

JLC Redskin Insider: Al, and a few other coaching moves, his son Bob, Lazor. Will Byner stay?

Meanwhile, here's a news update:
The St. Louis Rams have hired Al Saunders as offensive coordinator, according to an Associated Press report out of St. Louis. LaCanfora says that it's virutually certain that Saunders' son Bob, a Redskins assistant, will join his father there. QBs coach Bill Lazor, whose responsibilities will be taken over by Zorn, could end up in St. Louis as well. ... League sources say RBs coach Earnest Byner had a strong interview Tuesday in Tampa Bay, but the Buccaneers intend to interview one more candidate before making a decision. Byner's contract with the Redskins expires Thursday (Jan. 31) and he is the only coach not under contract for 2008. He is mulling a one-year offer from the Redskins.

[Dirtbag59]

Am I so wrong for wanting them to hire GW as well?

[Sean"Big Hurt"Taylor]

Al Saunders will have a top 5 offense in this league. Believe that!

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by Sean"Big Hurt"Taylor

Al Saunders will have a top 5 offense in this league. Believe that!

I'll take that bet. In fact I'll do you one better. I bet you the Redskins will have a better ranked offense in points and ypg then the Rams. Though I don't believe they'll finish in the top 5.

[irish]

Originally Posted by Sean"Big Hurt"Taylor

Al Saunders will have a top 5 offense in this league. Believe that!

I agree. I am sure the Rams will let him do what he is being brought there to do. There wont be a 2 year learning curve, the Rams will be humming by week 3 or 4.