Random Commanders Thoughts

[Elephant]

Everybody needs to take a deep breath and relax. We are going to have a high draft pick in the next draft and will be able to select either the tight end or outside linebacker that we covet the most.

Lord knows we don't need offensive linemen. We already have one of the best of those groups in the league.

Not sure if this is tongue in cheek or not, but TE or OLB with the first pick in the draft?

Our OL one of the best in the league?

 

[Chris]

There really needs to be a sarcasm font.

 

[Elephant]

There really needs to be a sarcasm font.

I am tired...worked a long day...went to see a horrible football game...nearly annihilated a dude hitting his girlfriend...and got home just a little while ago.

 

[Chris]

I had the pleasure of watching the game at my bar with 4 Giant fans front and center.

Fun times.

 

[SkinsFTW]

Did anybody else get the "Maybe I underestimated this whole thing" vibe from Gruden in his post game interview?

Not quite Zornian but almost like maybe he realizes now that he's going to have to use his get out of jail free card by firing good ole Haz sooner than he expected.

 

[Ax]

I didn't see it that way, at all. I saw a frustrated coach giving credit to the Giants, that they deserved, and laying the blame on everybody in the locker room, coaches included, that they deserved, for a miserable performance on a national stage. All coaches have, or will, suffer through such performances.

Chances Haslett will be fired during the season are slim and none.

It's gonna be a long 11 days of dread around here.

Beat Seattle!!!

 

[Enforcer]

For whatever reason, I still have faith in Gruden...

But man, last night felt like groundhog day. Coaches, players change. But every season we consistently under-perform, find new ways to lose, bad streak busters for OTHER teams, etc...

 

[Canadian Hog]

After unsuccessfully trying to shake the numbness away from last night, I've come to one conclusion - we simply lack talent.

To sustain and maintain success for a long duration of time, the talent has to be there, and a lot of it.

L. Donnell caught three TD passes against us! THREE! L. DONNELL! He'll never have a game like that again. In fact, we see it practically every season where somebody has a career day against us. We've routinely been embarrassed year after year at least once a year. Teams have no fear walking into our stadium. We are a punching bag within the division repeatedly. To me, those are all signs of lack of talent.

Outside of Griffin, Morris, Garcon, Jackson, Williams, Kerrigan, Hatcher, and maybe Orakpo, there aren't too many other players on this roster that could start on likely 27 or 28 other rosters. That's 8 players. 8!

Essentially, once our coaching staffs and personnel departments find an eye for talent, we'll get back on the horse.

 

[Om]

Yeah, Gruden to me is the least of our problems at this point. Man is a rookie head coach. Can't start to judge him seriously for at least a couple full seasons.

Actually, I'll probably start to judge him depending on how many days after the season ends Jim Haslett is still drawing a paycheck. But we'll save that for now.

Last night was Jay Gruden getting his official welcome to the losing culture so deeply ingrained in this franchise. He has a lot of work to do.

 

[Boone]

I absolutely think he has the power. I think Snyder will give Gruden anything he asks for thats within his power to give.

The barrier to doing something about our longstanding defensive woes is not Snyder - it's Gruden's friendship/history with Haslett. The only explanation for Gruden retaining Haslett when his history here is, at best, one of mediocre underwhelming defenses, is his trust and friendship with the guy. I have also stated repeatedly that I believe keeping Haslett was, at some level, a sign of Gruden's own insecurity. Lacking any NFL Head Coaching experience, I think he kept Haslett on as a crutch to lean on and as someone who could 'steer' him during his first couple of years.

I can understand that impulse. But the problem is, Haslett is the frigging defensive coordinator, not some kind of surrogate head coach or mentor. His primary role and responsibility is fielding a competent defense. And that's a role he continues to show he is not up to.

Gruden's going to have to decide which is more important, helping out a friend and having a crutch to lean on, or being something other than a 1-and-Done NFL head coach. I think hitching one's star to a failed defensive coordinator because you 'owe him one' and are looking for an empathetic mentor - it's a recipe for failure.

You either get it done at the NFL level, or you'd better get your resume updated. And it's Gruden's job that in 2 or 3 seasons will be on the line if things don't change. He'd better realize that pretty soon.

 

[Om]

Well, he better have the power. If he doesn't our problems may be insurmountable.

 

[Boone]

You may be 100% right or flat out wrong on Haslett. Only Snyder, Gruden, and Allen know.

I have previously stated that Allen gets a total pass on his performance and that I think he's a marketing not a football guy. He's a GM in name only IMHO. He had a lot of ownership in the situation that went down with the Shanahans but came out of it smelling like a rose. I'm not sure how that happens.

 

[Gulf Coast Redskin]

I wasn't really expecting to win the Division, but I did expect us to at least compete. But, maybe my expectation is too high. I need to just accept that these guys aren't good enough to compete against even mediocre teams.

At this point, the morning after, I stand by my guns. Seattle is on the horizon & that is more than likely going to be a blowout as well. I'm pretty much done with this season.

 

[Burgundy Burner]

Any word on Niles today? He has been such a bright spot for us this season and was/is on the way to a stellar season.

 

[ntotoro]

He apparently went into Redskins Park this morning as usual, alone with no issues. Don't know much else after that, though.

Nick

 

[Boone]

The out of bounds hit on Nikes made me about as mad as I've been about anything. I understand that sometimes guys commit penalties or have errors in judgment on the field, but there is no excuse for crushing someone who is 3 ft out of bounds, and shame on that stupid official who stood right there and watched it happen and did nothing. Still fuming over that one. Oh - and a play or two later Paulsen, in as a sub, gives up a crushing fumble.

 

[MikeSr619]

I thought Logan's forward progress had stopped. When that happened I was shocked they didn't take a look at it.

But honestly, this whole "New York looks at it, too" is just more BS to try and fool us. They are not getting calls right and now just covering it up even more.

If Polumbus isnt benched this week I am going to be shocked. He is really the worst player on that OL and it isnt even close.

 

[Chris]

Let's see: We lose to Houston with JJ Watt playing The Equalizer, dominate Jacksonville who IS the Appalachian State of the NFL, lose a competitive game against the current and future division winner of the NFCE on the road, and do our Thursday Night impression of the Buccaneers at home in front of a national television audience.

That about right?

Well, we all know what's next.

We kick Seattle's ass one week from Monday night.

 

[micks113]

The whole game was a ref job on us. Right from the start on the personal foul when I really didn't see Baker hit Manning on the head. There was just too many "non-calls" and outright intentional bad calls. It is blatantly against the rules for one player to hold a ball carrierwhile another player is taking the ball away. Forward progress is the rule designed to prevent that from happening in this league. I can just see in the refs eyes he was holding off the whistle until stripped. The refs outright screwed us.

Oh and its about time more players are cut. I don't give a rats ass if we lose all games, get rid of guys that hurt your team. That includes Paulson and Polumbus. Get rid of them I dont' care if we don't have anymore tight ends, there are plenty on NFL practice squads.

And I'm a little sick of Gruden trying to make players like him. Haslett needs to be fired right now, not tomorrow, not next week, right now. Jax didn't have a problem changing offensive coordinators already. This is the NFL, if you fail, you go. Houston....WE HAVE A COACHING PROBLEM. Once again we were not only out played, we were OUT COACHED.

 

[Canadian Hog]

It's totally frustrating having Allen say he's NOW the guy responsible. Okay, so what's he done? He hired Gruden. That was a good move. This guy is totally likeable. He seems to have a head for the game. Let's see how he adjusts his game for the personne.l Gruden gets a pass until the middle of next year. Even I could have hired a likeable coach with no track record.

But, how do we draft a linebacker when we are desperate at so many other positions? Who made that personnel decision? I think Moses was drafted because he was from a local school more than anything else. This personnel office just DOESN'T value linemen. Or, more likely, just can't evaluate NFL talent. That's on Allen...because, he says he's in charge.

Sorry for the ranting, but it's hard to like much about the franchise right now. It's the same blunders. Same excuses. And, if the NFL were based on merit pay, Snyder would be long gone.

I despise the guy for ruining so many of my Sunday fall afternoons.

This is precisely why I have such a hard time placing too much of the blame on coaches over the years, especially when it's the same issues haunting this team through every new regime that takes over on the sidelines.

Constant change, but same results means there's a flaw at the top.

If Allen is the guy responsible the roster of players that we've assembled, then he needs to be harshly assessed. Like I said in an earlier post, we don't have more than 8 guys who can start elsewhere in this league. 4/5 of the offensive line are back after a disastrous season. 4/5 of the same offensive line are protecting the player you've pinned your franchise's fortunes on at Quarterback. There is doubt as to whether Long or Moses will even see the field this year, and they're all you got to show for in terms of drafting along the line. How is that tolerated?

At the end of the day, Snyder is responsible for Allen, Allen is responsible for the players (or so we are told), so it falls squarely on their collective shoulders as far as I'm concerned.

Years ago, we were all livid about how Cerrato was not a true talent evaluator and front office guy...were we really convinced that Allen is a talent evaluator, and has the credentials to do the job right?

I think the foundational problem of never having a legitimate and true front office guy running the organization might still be hanging over this franchise, as much as I hate to say it.