The Gruden Files - Year Two

[Boone]

Hard to argue based on numbers and results. I wanted Wade bad and the Barry hire was a head-scratcher. I was encouraged early on but obviously since then it's gotten ugly. Our secondary has damn near been decimated this year though - I'd feel more reasonable nailing Barry if it weren't for that. Honestly we are lucky to have won 4 games with our secondary in tatters. I also don't think Ryan Kerrigan is healthy and between the DBs and a less than expected pass rush, that's created some challenges.


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[Smoot Point]

We can give Barry a pass based on injury, but we had injuries last year too... DeAngelo Hall was out early on, Meriweather missed about 5-6 games & Orakpo had 1/2 a sack in 7 games (reminds me of Sons of Anarchy). Scot McCloughan added a bunch of new players on defense. We are deeper this year than last, so I can't so easily dismiss the numbers due to injury. We should be better, and a lot of teams are much better than us & have injuries...

I was also really encouraged after the 1st 2 games...

 

[Smoot Point]

Smoot, do you have time to do a run-game comparison for our offense? In fact, is there really anywhere statistically the team has improved this year? And, this isn't snark on my part. I hear we're improving, but I'd like to see some numbers.

I can try to run it tomorrow... Gotta head out for the day. Love me some stats...

 

[McD5]

It's way too early to draw any conclusions about Barry. This league really is crazy, where a coach can look like absolute trash, and then turn it around and look great.

Ron Rivera, for example. He started out 2-8 last year for the second time in three seasons. Everyone wanted him fired, including the local beat writers.

Ron Rivera expected to be fired today - NFL Videos

Now he's 10-0.

As for Barry, Wade Phillips would have been good, but for how long? He's no spring chicken.

And to be fair, Wade has a few HOF players on that defense in Demarcus Ware and Von Miller. He also has Aqib Talib in the secondary.

We don't have anything close to that.

 

[Boone]

We can give Barry a pass based on injury, but we had injuries last year too... DeAngelo Hall was out early on, Meriweather missed about 5-6 games & Orakpo had 1/2 a sack in 7 games (reminds me of Sons of Anarchy). Scot McCloughan added a bunch of new players on defense. We are deeper this year than last, so I can't so easily dismiss the numbers due to injury. We should be better, and a lot of teams are much better than us & have injuries...

I was also really encouraged after the 1st 2 games...

No one's giving him a pass. It's not always about the volume of injuries (although we've had many) it's about the injuries specifically in the secondary.


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[Henry]

It's way too early to draw any conclusions about Barry. This league really is crazy, where a coach can look like absolute trash, and then turn it around and look great.

Ron Rivera, for example. He started out 2-8 last year for the second time in three seasons. Everyone wanted him fired, including the local beat writers.

Ron Rivera expected to be fired today - NFL Videos

Now he's 10-0.

Ron Rivera was 2-8 coming off a 12-4 season.

He had taken a team that was 2-14 and went 6-10 then 7-9 then 12-4.

This team has no one in the front office, aside from McLovin, who has a track record even close to that good. Joe Barry, specifically, has had a particularly uninspiring track record leading up to his employment here. There's no 'yeah he sucks now, but last year ...' for Barry. In fact, it's the exact opposite of that.

Besides, what saved Rivera's job was the fact that he won his last five games. If the Redskins win five straight here I guarantee you everyone's job here is safe.

 

[Knightingale]

Knight, that's a perfectly reasonable take and I don't begrudge you your optimism. My slightly more critical take is that when you are 4-12, you shouldn't be making baby steps.

Small steps are acceptable when going from 10-6 to 12-4.

4-12 to 5-11 to 6-10 is rather pointless. At this level progress is 'utterly crappy' to 'mediocre' to 'above average'. Or so. We seem to have progressed from 'utterly crappy' to, possibly, 'just plain crappy'. What do we have, six games left? If we split them I'll be encouraged. The next two games should be interesting. Gotta win one of them.

'Mediocre' is within reach. We just gotta grab it.

IT'S MY OPTIMISM AND YOU'LL NEVER TAKE IT ALIVE!!!!!!

Hehe, after the last 25 years I'd happily settle for Mediocre at this point, as long as it's a stepping stone to Good next year and Great in 2017. I'm just tired of being Abysmal.

I think by baby steps I kinda just mean I want to see this team moving forwards even if we stumble a bit on the way. Personally I think we'll finish the season 6-10 or possibly 7-9. ( I think we maybe snatch one against the Boys, the Eagles and possibly the Giants at home this week or the Bills).

I'd see that as progress towards bigger things next year.

Having Gruden take another year with this staff and with Scott giving him some new pieces I'd be happy to see. I want to see this O-Line with a couple of new pieces and another year with Callahan. I want to see our Defense if we bring back Gallette, and I want to see Kirk and co with another ear in this system.

I'm optimistic by nature LOL What I'm hoping for the most is that we don't collapse down the stretch. If we can at least fight and scrap for these games, even if we lose most of them then I'll feel better about next year. This weeks Giants game is gonna be interesting. Win or lose we're at home. Fight or Quit? That's what I want answered.

Come Monday next week you may see me take my optimism outside and shoot it. LOL

 

[Knightingale]

My bottom line is that we are a rebuilding team with many new coaches and a 2nd year head coach trying to build a winning team and culture. We've had some pretty key injuries which hasn't helped and although we've added talent we are still a long way from being a roster like those consistent winners are fielding.

We had some bad luck and bad calls yesterday but the short version is a more talented more experienced team kicked our ass.

I was hoping we could give them a good fight too but I don't think the loss teaches us anything we didn't already know.


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This is pretty much how I feel

 

[Knightingale]

I doubt they differ to the extreme Henry, but since I own a fan site I do try to keep a tiny level of hope and optimism on life support. Even when I may not entirely buy into it myself. It's funny to me that no one seems to get that.


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Say it ain't so!!!!! HEAD SPLODES!!!!! :O

 

[Knightingale]

I can try to run it tomorrow... Gotta head out for the day. Love me some stats...

I've been crunching all manner of stats all week.... it doesn't look great on paper I have to admit. I'll share when I get a chance

 

[McD5]

Current Status, First Place:

 

[Fear The Spear]

Francois looks just like a much heavier Matt Jones

 

[bird_1972]

Besides, what saved Rivera's job was the fact that he won his last five games. If the Redskins win five straight here I guarantee you everyone's job here is safe.

I would love it if that happened

 

[TomE]

Mixed into a blurb about home field advantage was

Jay Gruden is not your stereotypical fire-and-brimstone coach, prone to undressing players with fits of rage. He is more of a laid-back guy, known for hearty “attaboy”s — or, in cases of frustration, eye rolls and sighs — rather than obscenity-laced tirades.

So when Gruden erupted on multiple occasions during this past week’s practices at Redskins Park, players took note. On edge both as a result of his team’s 44-16, transgression-laden blowout loss to the Carolina Panthers and the gravity of its current situation — as owner of a 4-6 record but with hope remaining as the NFC East-leading New York Giants come to town on Sunday — he didn’t hold back.

Gruden’s surliness rubbed off on his assistants. Offensive coordinator Sean McVay, also more naturally restrained, and offensive line coach Bill Callahan had a few outbursts of their own, players said. Defensive coordinator Joe Barry, routinely one of the loudest coaches on the field, cut his players no slack, either

might be one of those signs that he's getting a feel for his job and shaking off the fear of that 'higher authority' not having his back while gaining the trust of the players......or he might be just freaking out

Kinda like it either way.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...9a2042-9556-11e5-b5e4-279b4501e8a6_story.html

 

[Knightingale]

Honestly I'd prefer a coach like this that one who is all fire and brimstone. It's those that lose the players faster if they're not careful.

If a coach if always screaming and shouting eventually the players will tune it out as being the 'norm'.

I'd rather have someone who only uses the extreme fire in cases that REALLY warrant it. That way the player KNOW that this is important and not just "Oh coach is shouting again!" I think this week he obviously impressed upon the players that this is important because of his demeanor. I don't think it's panic, I just think it's the way Gruden is.

 

[Smoot Point]

I don't like Gruden, but he coached pretty well yesterday. He committed to the running game, even when it wasn't working and I feel it reaped dividends on the last drive. Morris didn't have a stellar game, but worked the Giants defense... and again Jordan Reed's penalty negated a decent run. However, the Redskins stuck to the run and looked for other ways to open it up (Crowder on sweep & Jackson on a fake).

High marks on Gruden for this game... I still don't have confidence in him, that he can learn.

 

[Fear The Spear]

If a coach if always screaming and shouting eventually the players will tune it out as being the 'norm'.
.....just "Oh coach is shouting again!"

 

[Miles Monroe]

Mixed into a blurb about home field advantage was

might be one of those signs that he's getting a feel for his job and shaking off the fear of that 'higher authority' not having his back while gaining the trust of the players......or he might be just freaking out

Kinda like it either way.

Could also be something the organization has lacked all year, urgency. With the season dwindling away, he may have realized he's being evaluated just as much as the players, and had to take a stronger line with the players.

Honestly I'd prefer a coach like this that one who is all fire and brimstone. It's those that lose the players faster if they're not careful.

If a coach if always screaming and shouting eventually the players will tune it out as being the 'norm'.

I'd rather have someone who only uses the extreme fire in cases that REALLY warrant it. That way the player KNOW that this is important and not just "Oh coach is shouting again!" I think this week he obviously impressed upon the players that this is important because of his demeanor. I don't think it's panic, I just think it's the way Gruden is.

I tend to agree that you don't want a constant screamer. The problem I see is, how do you define really warranting it ? The way this team has produced, or the lack there of, should have had him making noise much sooner. If that's all it took to have the team get their heads out of their asses, 6 or 7 weeks ago would have been a nice time to try it.

I'm old school, and like a fiery coach. While there's likely some hidden clause in contracts to prevent it, I'd be hammering players in practice when they screw up. Like the man said in the movie.... "drop a pass, you run a mile, miss a blocking assignment, you run a mile, you fumble the football..... and I'll break my foot off in your John Brown hind parts, and then you'll run a mile."

Gruden doing some yelling is him holding players accountable, and it's about time IMO. How do you think the team would react if a guy fumbles in practice, gets screamed at, and made to run a lap around the field. IMO, most players would shit themselves, then think to themselves... I better get my shit together, then call their agent.... Sad fact is, while their drivers licenses and pay stubs say their an adult, you dealing with spoiled children quite often, and they would blow a fit if you did that type of stuff.

 

[Fear The Spear]

I tend to agree that you don't want a constant screamer.

Why can't we have it both ways ?

Have a coach who is a constant screamer, but has varying degrees of screams.

Like a Mike Ditka scream......all the way up to a blood-curdling scream.

Basically a different type of scream for every situation.

So there's always respect-demanding screams, but they all have their meaning.

 

[micks113]

Could also be something the organization has lacked all year, urgency. With the season dwindling away, he may have realized he's being evaluated just as much as the players, and had to take a stronger line with the players.

More likely its the obvious observation. That the team is actually playing for something. Those opportunities are few and far between. He only has one chance at making a go of it with the Knute Rocky speech (spelling intentional). He better dig deep for the next game 'cause I'm not sure he understands the importance of the rivalry. I hope he's channeling George Allen right now.