Enlightenment

[Skins4Eva]

Greetings fellow Redskin fans!! I know three things with absolute certainty:

1. We here all love the Redskins
2. We all have very different opinions on the team's direction, personnel, etc.
3. With all of our "holes", we are better than or as good as atleast 5 of the teams in the playoffs this year

With that said, I have been racking my brain trying to figure out what is missing from our team. I do not think that we are that far from being a serious playoff contender and en elite team. You can say what you want about our offensive line being old, Jason Campbell not being top-tier yet, lack of turnovers, no pass rush, poor coaching etc. Nothing, and I mean nothing will change the climate around here until two things change: First, Vinny Cerrato should no longer on staff of the Washington Redskins. After watching his press conference today, it has been confirmed that he is totally aloof. Until the philosophy of outside-in team building is changed to inside-out, than we will will always struggle. I mean, if you really think about it, we started 6-2 with the same old and injury prone O Line, and the same things that we now say are horrible after finishing 8-8. Until our personnel decision making changes, continue to be ready to accept mediocrity. Second, that old-time philosophy of not playing players because they are not veterans needs to be scrapped. This is not church-league football, it is the NFL and the right amount of talent mixed with good judgment and sound coaching always wins. Throw the damn rookies out there and let them take thier lumps. Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly have a lot to learn granted, but they will not learn as long as the coaches keep throwing James "Never Open" Thrash out there. Get Randle-El's ass out of the two spot and put him in the damn slot. IF, we had a REAL GM, he would know that Randle-El would be a nightmare for a defense in the slot, just think of him as a faster and more elusive Wes Welker. (Just one example) Get Rinehart out there so he can get up to speed. Did anyone here or anyone in the organization think we were going to the Super Bowl this year?! I mean, seriously. The climate around our organization seems to be "playing not to lose". Put the rookies out there!!! Yes, they will mess up, but they may also actually develop into great players! Happy New Year!!!

[SBXVII]

Partially agree with what you said but the seasons over. Nows the time to go out and get a true WR coach who knows how to coach the WR position and teach the plays to our rookies. It's finally time to retire Buges cause he isn't a west coast type of coach and only likes the man-to-man blocking schemes. He is not a zone blocking style of coach and or cut blocking style like the Bronco's have. If you all want Portis to break open like he did in Denver we need a different OL coach. I think Portis has been telling all the coach's since he's been here that he could be getting more yardage. I think simply bringing in those two coach's knowing the WCO will greatly help Zorn in what he's trying to do. For all the times I screamed at the defense throught the tv, for them to go what 4th in the league is not bad......I guess. Pick up some OL, DL to collapse the pocket and maybe a DB and a LB or Safety. Can someone tell me why we still have Byron Westbrook still on the team? It's been what 2-3 yrs now on practice squad? He's either good enough for the field or can him. If they are developing him fine but other CB have hit the field and he still remains on the team on the practice squad.

Special Teams. What can I say. I was not impressed this year. Perhaps part of it is our kickers but punt return blocking is horrible. kick return blocking is average at best. Mostly refering to kick returns.

JC, not a bad QB and I truely think he's servicable. He definitly need to be coached up on reading the defenses and learning the plays better in order to be able to change the play at the line to protect the side the rush is coming on. Give him some better hot read routes. and.....everyone needs to learn the 2 min drill. I look at the Colts and Giants and Patriots and wonder why on earth does it seem so difficult to teach it. You can't have two min. left in a game down 2 scores and be getting up slowly from the last play and huddling up. Have several plays in mind to run during a 2 min. drill and use them.

[davy]

Originally Posted by Skins4Eva

3. With all of our "holes", we are better than or as good as atleast 5 of the teams in the playoffs this year

Name them please, I'm stretching credibility to get to 2 teams.

[rypper11]

Originally Posted by davy

Name them please, I'm stretching credibility to get to 2 teams.

Vikings and Cardinals definitely, and possibly San Diego too.

[Hail to the Redskins]

My own enlightenment...

Did anyone else realize that ALL FOUR of our Pro Bowlers come from our 28th ranked OFFENSE? (Portis, Sellers, Cooley, Samuels)

And our 4th ranked defense has ZERO representatives?

And... on top of that... most people around here, or on draft sites talk about us needing D-Linemen, a linebacker, and/or a cornerback in the draft.

The only position on offense being talked about in free agency & draft is O-line...

There is a lot more I could say about this, but I know one thing... it tells you a little about who's coaching each side of the ball.


and hey... don't forget the Eagles... we DID beat them TWICE... lol

[davy]

Originally Posted by rypper11

Vikings and Cardinals definitely, and possibly San Diego too.

Interesting, I think Miami are the worst team in the playoffs.

[BrunellMVP?]

We can't score and our defense isn't good enough to pitch shutouts...who cares if we are better than some (5 is a stretch) of the teams that made the playoffs- we know we aren't as good as several of the teams that didn't make it...

[WaldSkins]

Vikings, Cards, and Eagles, thats it.

[44ever]

Originally Posted by WaldSkins

Vikings, Cards, and Eagles, thats it.

We could not beat any of these teams post season this year. I know we swept the Eagles. Maybe the Cards. Maybe.

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by davy

Interesting, I think Miami are the worst team in the playoffs.

But at least Parcells is building Miami the way many of us have been SCREAMING for Snyderato to emulate. Of their 9 selections, Parcells drafted SIX linemen, including Jake Long with the 1st overall, and Phillip Merling with the 32nd overall. Great teams are built from the inside out, and given Parcells' commitement to that philosophy, I expect Miami to be a serious contender in the coming years.

[Skinny Tee]

Originally Posted by SouperMeister

But at least Parcells is building Miami the way many of us have been SCREAMING for Snyderato to emulate. Of their 9 selections, Parcells drafted SIX linemen, including Jake Long with the 1st overall, and Phillip Merling with the 32nd overall. Great teams are built from the inside out, and given Parcells' commitement to that philosophy, I expect Miami to be a serious contender in the coming years.

I like it...Merling too ended up with a Defensive TD in their huge game vs. the Jets. Not that it means much but it's a stat none of our DL rookies have.

[GusFrerotte]

Originally Posted by Skins4Eva

Greetings fellow Redskin fans!! I know three things with absolute certainty:

1. We here all love the Redskins
2. We all have very different opinions on the team's direction, personnel, etc.
3. With all of our "holes", we are better than or as good as atleast 5 of the teams in the playoffs this year

With that said, I have been racking my brain trying to figure out what is missing from our team. I do not think that we are that far from being a serious playoff contender and en elite team. You can say what you want about our offensive line being old, Jason Campbell not being top-tier yet, lack of turnovers, no pass rush, poor coaching etc. Nothing, and I mean nothing will change the climate around here until two things change: First, Vinny Cerrato should no longer on staff of the Washington Redskins. After watching his press conference today, it has been confirmed that he is totally aloof. Until the philosophy of outside-in team building is changed to inside-out, than we will will always struggle. I mean, if you really think about it, we started 6-2 with the same old and injury prone O Line, and the same things that we now say are horrible after finishing 8-8. Until our personnel decision making changes, continue to be ready to accept mediocrity. Second, that old-time philosophy of not playing players because they are not veterans needs to be scrapped. This is not church-league football, it is the NFL and the right amount of talent mixed with good judgment and sound coaching always wins. Throw the damn rookies out there and let them take thier lumps. Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly have a lot to learn granted, but they will not learn as long as the coaches keep throwing James "Never Open" Thrash out there. Get Randle-El's ass out of the two spot and put him in the damn slot. IF, we had a REAL GM, he would know that Randle-El would be a nightmare for a defense in the slot, just think of him as a faster and more elusive Wes Welker. (Just one example) Get Rinehart out there so he can get up to speed. Did anyone here or anyone in the organization think we were going to the Super Bowl this year?! I mean, seriously. The climate around our organization seems to be "playing not to lose". Put the rookies out there!!! Yes, they will mess up, but they may also actually develop into great players! Happy New Year!!!

Better than almost half the playoff teams? Are you kidding me? What are you smoking? Any NFC representative is better than us, with the exception of MAYBE Minnesota. San Diego came on strong in the end to get to the dance, unlike us who collapsed, so they are better. Baltimore and Miami are iffy, but Balt did beat us so you can chalk them up as being better. The Titans and Indy are definitely better, as are the Patriots.
As for getting a real GM? You can forget that!!!!!! WE have been demanding that for years and Danny isn't about to give up his power to someone else.

[GusFrerotte]

Originally Posted by SBXVII

Partially agree with what you said but the seasons over. Nows the time to go out and get a true WR coach who knows how to coach the WR position and teach the plays to our rookies. It's finally time to retire Buges cause he isn't a west coast type of coach and only likes the man-to-man blocking schemes. He is not a zone blocking style of coach and or cut blocking style like the Bronco's have. If you all want Portis to break open like he did in Denver we need a different OL coach. I think Portis has been telling all the coach's since he's been here that he could be getting more yardage. I think simply bringing in those two coach's knowing the WCO will greatly help Zorn in what he's trying to do. For all the times I screamed at the defense throught the tv, for them to go what 4th in the league is not bad......I guess. Pick up some OL, DL to collapse the pocket and maybe a DB and a LB or Safety. Can someone tell me why we still have Byron Westbrook still on the team? It's been what 2-3 yrs now on practice squad? He's either good enough for the field or can him. If they are developing him fine but other CB have hit the field and he still remains on the team on the practice squad.

Special Teams. What can I say. I was not impressed this year. Perhaps part of it is our kickers but punt return blocking is horrible. kick return blocking is average at best. Mostly refering to kick returns.

JC, not a bad QB and I truely think he's servicable. He definitly need to be coached up on reading the defenses and learning the plays better in order to be able to change the play at the line to protect the side the rush is coming on. Give him some better hot read routes. and.....everyone needs to learn the 2 min drill. I look at the Colts and Giants and Patriots and wonder why on earth does it seem so difficult to teach it. You can't have two min. left in a game down 2 scores and be getting up slowly from the last play and huddling up. Have several plays in mind to run during a 2 min. drill and use them.

JC isn't a bad QB, meaning he isn't a great QB, with stats that are just a tad better than my forum name's. Guy has one more year to prove his worth or I guarantee he won't be resigned. I say that mostly because he will almost assuredly ask for a hefty raise and the front office isn't going to think his performance is worth it if he doesn't turn the corner in '09. Gus didn't turn the corner in '97 and was shown the door, as will JC after '09.

[Paintrain]

Originally Posted by 44ever

We could not beat any of these teams post season this year. I know we swept the Eagles. Maybe the Cards. Maybe.

Seeing that we swept the Eagles and beat the Cards it's hard to buy that point.

That being said, as we're currently built we're closer to 4-12 than 12-4. I hope the FO realizes this and makes the necessary adjustments.

[53Fan]

Originally Posted by SouperMeister

But at least Parcells is building Miami the way many of us have been SCREAMING for Snyderato to emulate. Of their 9 selections, Parcells drafted SIX linemen, including Jake Long with the 1st overall, and Phillip Merling with the 32nd overall. Great teams are built from the inside out, and given Parcells' commitement to that philosophy, I expect Miami to be a serious contender in the coming years.

I have to agree. That's how it's done.