Looking Forward to the Bucs: Leftwich Benched

[Elephant]

I gotta admit, I am disgusted by what I saw on Sunday. There is so much that we can continue to harp upon, but I think we need to look forward.

I was reading the headlines on NFL.com and came across this: http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d812fe992&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true

I think the rookie coach, Raheem Morris, is making a huge mistake benching Byron Leftwich since he has always played his home town team tough, beating us last year when Big Ben was out.

I predict the Skins go out and hand the Bucs a convincing defeat. I would have been concerned if Leftwich was starting, but he has been demoted to 3rd string so it doesn't look like he will play at all.

Redskins win 24-7

 

[Sarge]

I can't remember who the Bucs were playing, but Leftwich looked like ass.

The commentators were talking about the way he holds the ball on pass plays vs runs and his big wind up, and that everytime he does that windup thing he overthrows recievers.

And sure enough, every time...........

 

[Lanky Livingston]

No. What happened last year was, Big Ben holds the ball for 10 seconds every time he drops back. So our coverage was good enough so that we were getting sacks and hits on Rothlispickle. If Big Ben got rid of the ball faster, he'd have torn us apart also. Leftwich came in, and was firing quickly, and exposed our soft "bend but don't break" D for what it is. He's nothing special - but any QB is going to tear us apart with the style of D Blache plays (because we get ZERO pressure on the QB).

 

[Lanky Livingston]

On a related note - Drew Brees might break the NFL passing-TD record against us for this very reason. Talented QB, with a lightning quick release and a wide-array of great WRs - that game is going to be UGLY.

 

[Sarge]

With the exception of Okland, everything after the Chiefs is ugly

 

[China]

Leftwich beat the dog snot out of us last year when we played the Steelers so this might be a blessing in disguise too.

This was my first thought as well. But then I thought if any defense can make an inexperienced nobody quarterback named Josh Johnson look good, I am confident the Redskins defense can.

 

[Elephant]

I'm not buying it Lanky. How do you explain Leftwich nearly beating us in the OT game against JAX? Some players simply perform better aganst certain teams and Byron Leftwich has performed well against the Skins. I am glad he is not playing this week. In 2 outings against us he has performed well, once against Blache and the other against Williams.
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[Boone]

There's no arguing that we've got a better chance against an unknown than against Leftwich (who's been an all-pro against the Redskins). You can argue Leftwich isn't a good QB, but you can't argue he's looked impressive everytime we've faced him. I'm thankful he's not going to start.

 

[servumtuum]

With the exception of Okland, everything after the Chiefs is ugly

Sarge, Oakland's QB sucks-but they dish out physical punishment on the ground like no team I've seen this year-can the Skins come through that game, win or lose, without somebody(s) winding up injured?

 

[Jimbo]

There's no arguing that we've got a better chance against an unknown than against Leftwich (who's been an all-pro against the Redskins). You can argue Leftwich isn't a good QB, but you can't argue he's looked impressive everytime we've faced him. I'm thankful he's not going to start.

We may have a better chance on paper but we've already been exposed by one rookie QB. Johnson is essentially a rookie but he's also extremely mobile. We haven't faced a guy like that in a while.

Our only chance is if the Defense or Special Teams score a TD. Then we might be able to snake out a 13-10 victory.

 

[Boone]

I don't completely buy that Jimbo. I think this team has plenty of chances to beat any team on any Sunday, if they show up and play to their potential. They aren't playing to their potential. That's the saddest part - we aren't the Lions or Bucs - teams almost devoid of top tier talent. We've got some of it. We just aren't performing.

All that being said - Johnson looks easier to defend on paper than Leftwich - who we've actually experienced shredding our defense and having career days. I'd rather face the 'possibility' than the known threat.

 

[Jimbo]

All that being said - Johnson looks easier to defend on paper than Leftwich - who we've actually experienced shredding our defense and having career days. I'd rather face the 'possibility' than the known threat.

Totally agree here. If Leftwich were starting, there's no way in hell I'd pick the Skins to win this game. The problem is that our Offense, no matter how talented they may be, can't score unless they're behind or running the no-huddle. No matter who was coaching, we've had problems against Tampa's defense. I don't expect much scoring this time either. I feel like we need a big break from someone not playing offense to win.

Then again, I'd MUCH rather be facing Johnson than Leftwich but it's not Johnson's rookie arm that scares me. Of course, if Johnson struggles then Brock could always put Leftwich back in. Don't really want to see that.

At least I have high hopes we'll actually win this game....especially a home. I'm just not expecting a great showing.

 

[Elephant]

...The problem is that our Offense, no matter how talented they may be, can't score unless they're behind or running the no-huddle. No matter who was coaching, we've had problems against Tampa's defense....

Jimbo, I just want to interject that I was present for the 36 -35 game the Skins lost on the Alstott B.S call. Both Defenses were ranked in the top 5 that season.

This offense simply needs to get clicking. I was a mad opponent of Jason Campbell at the beginning of the season. I still feel he is not the long term answer to the QB situation in DC, but he has been playing well enough to produce some significant wins against a sad team like the Bucs.

We just need for Zorn to stop playing for the future and play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. When you are inside the 10 on 4th down kick the field goal! Kick it even if the media and fans were angry because the week before you scored only on field goals!

And I maintain that seeing Byron Leftwich on the sideline gives "us" a better chance to win!

 

[servumtuum]

What I'm very interested in seeing is, despite the game history between the Bucs and the Skins, how the team acts on the field in light of Sunday's debacle. Will they come out with a more noticeable intensity and obvious effort or will they show a demeanor that says "oh well, let's try another one". This one's at home, Leftwich is on the bench, you were embarassed by a rookie QB Sunday-how are you-as a team-going to respond. This game, I think, will tell me more than the Lions game did.

I, by the way, will be delighted with a 13-10 win.

 

[Jimbo]

And I maintain that seeing Byron Leftwich on the sideline gives "us" a better chance to win!

As long as he STAYS on the sidelines.

 

[riggins44]

I know this gives us a better chance of winning. For some reason just not looking forward to Sunday. Have decided not to go to game, but will turn it on and watch some. If it starts like last week then it will be time to find something else to do.

Its a crying shame when we sit here and discuss how a winless team starting an unknown and untested QB gives us a good chance of winning.

I remember hearing the some former players during Gibbs I era discuss the gameplans.
They were like wow with this we can't lose. The difference in then and now is the team felt like if they executed the game plan we would beat anyone. Now we're just trying not to lose versus to win.

 

[China]

I, by the way, will be delighted with a 13-10 win.

And therein lies part of the problem. We as fans have become accepting of mediocrity. Fans are delighted with 13-10 wins against inferior (supposedly) opponents. Someone once told me that in business don't ever try to make all your customers happy, because inevitably you'll fail. Instead, keep them satisfied. Football is a business, and Snyder runs it as such. Struggling to win against low-tier competition may satisfy Snyder's customers, but as a fan it doesn't make me happy.

 

[servumtuum]

And therein lies part of the problem. We as fans have become accepting of mediocrity. Fans are delighted with 13-10 wins against inferior (supposedly) opponents. Someone once told me that in business don't ever try to make all your customers happy, because inevitably you'll fail. Instead, keep them satisfied. Football is a business, and Snyder runs it as such. Struggling to win against low-tier competition may satisfy Snyder's customers, but as a fan it doesn't make me happy.

China, I need to clarify something. I am by no means satisfied by the level of performance of the Skins-what I said was in reference to the Bucs game only. A win against the Bucs would give me at least some reason to believe that the tenor of the team is capable of changing. I'm looking for some indication that the team cares whether it wins or not. Is a 13-10 win satisfying as a "norm" in terms of performance? Of course not. Like everyone else I long for a return to the Gibbs team of the 1980s-a proud, competitive, and feared team. But right now, when the 9-7 win over the Rams felt bad and the loss to Detroit cut like a knife and the word everywhere is that we're watching a team die, I'm longing for some glimmer of hope that things can and will get better, that this team can win in spite of the Snyderatto regime, that they still at some level care, that the embarrassment in Detroit can motivate a "Jesus, we're better than this." uplift they can demonstrate at FedEx.

China, I have a psychological block of some sort that rebels at the thought of giving up. A 13-10 win, simply a win-when the conditions are apparently favorable-will at least give me a reason to hope. In my case, just a little is all it will take.

 

[Bulldog]

The Tampa Bay Bucs at least give some hope that there is a franchise more pathetic at the moment than our own.

How far this team has fallen from just a few years ago when they won the Super Bowl.

Now they are starting Josh Johnson at quarterback.

He ought to make Jason Campbell look like Peyton Manning.

I guess this kind of matchup is why it is truly difficult for a team to go 0-16 or 1-15.

The Redskins are a cream puff but they are in a zone where they are playing other cream puffs.

Can you imagine this team trying to get ready to play Baltimore or Indy right now?

This team would get blown out 37-0.

 

[Jimbo]

The Tampa Bay Bucs at least give some hope that there is a franchise more pathetic at the moment than our own.

And THAT....is the reason I will watch. I would be satisfied with a 13-10 win but I won't be happy with it. I guess I won't be "happy" until our Offense plays AND scores like they are capable (and Zorn makes great Red Zone calls that are executed to perfection) and the Defense applies pressure, gets turnovers and pretty much shuts the other team's Offense down.

Is that asking a lot? Probably, but I'm asking it anyway.