Random Commanders Thoughts

[Om]

I understand some people believe Alfred's struggles this year were the coaches fault for not using him properly. I would just point out that that is opinion, not fact. An equally valid explanation could be that it fell on Alfred, or perhaps even some combination of the two.

Going forward though, I think that since there is almost universal agreement here that the GM has a pretty good sense of what he's doing, he's earned the general benefit of the doubt, for at least this one coming offseason, when it comes to what they decide to do at the RB position.

As to the Jones selection, I'm no more going to decide that was a swing and a miss any more than I did Morgan Moses after his first year. The kid showed flashes, and also looked very much like a rookie. We'll know a lot more about what he might or might not become as we head into the preseason next year after a second full offseason in a professional training environment.

 

[Henry]

RBs are not offensive linemen or WRs or QBs. Usually you know know right away with a RB what you have.

I wouldn't call him a swing and a miss unless we are talking about the starting role. I suspect Jones can fix his fumbling problem, but he seems to have durability issues. That was a question mark coming out of college and it seems to still be a problem for him now. There is a spot for him on the team, but I wouldn't be comfortable going into this next season with Jones as the workhorse, would you?

Are we ok going into the season with Jones, Thompson and Pierre Thomas (or some other interchangeable journeyman third option)? My guess is no.

And not to be a complete and utter curmudgeon, but no, when it comes to the running game I don't think anyone in the front office has earned the benefit of the doubt. Our running game was terrible. If the running game's woes fell on Morris, and Jones was a capable starter, we'd have had a running game. We can't say on one hand Jones was a successful pick, and then on the other blame the running game on Morris when Jones was on the roster.

 

[Goaldeje]

Yeah. I'd be a lot more willing to "blame" Morris if Jones had lit it up, but Jones looked very pedestrian to me most of the year, and I'm not even talking about his injury struggles. The dude could absolutely take a huge leap forward during the offseason, and I hope he does.

But I'm bothered that Alfred APPEARS to be scapegoated for the struggles the running game had last year. From the outside looking in, it sure looked like a system problem, not just on one player.

 

[McD5]

I thought it was pretty obvious from the start that Scot had no interest in keeping Morris in DC.

His speech praising Alfred sounded hollow, then he rushed to extend Kerrigan and Trent. Then he drafted Matt Jones early. Barring a 1,500 yard season from Alfred, Scot's actions before preseason even began made it clear that the writing was on the wall.

I'm guessing that Scot thought it was a scheme issue. He loved the person, but didn't believe the player would be a fit without ZB.

Hopefully Alfred can land on a ZB team, get a huge paycheck and kick some ass next year. I'll be rooting for him.

 

[Ax]

Maybe if Scot was calling plays I'd feel better about the running game going forward.

To date, I have seen nothing to suggest Gruden would know how, or want, to use the running game properly. Talk is cheap. All his talk since he got here has produced a regressing run game, having better talent.

Not very inspiring.

 

[Ax]

"CYA" speak for Gruden.

The head coach, on every team in the league, has final say on play calls.

Period.

 

[McD5]

The Alfred discussion reminds me a lot of the RG discussion.

A portion of the fans screamed for RG3 to start. It turned out that he was great in one system, and not so great as a pocket passer.

Then last week, RG3's college coach said he thought it would be best for him to sit on the bench for another 3 years in the NFL and develop more as a player. Now reality has set in.

What if Scot decided that Alfred wasn't a fit in his system before the first ball was snapped? What if Alf turns out to be another in the long list of Shanny RBs that only did well with ZB, and that's not what Scot wants to run?

Is it a fan favorite thing that causes people to get so emotional? If Scot doesn't believe he fits his system, then he doesn't fit his system. The sun still comes up tomorrow. We move on.

 

[Henry]

What if Scot decided that Alfred wasn't a fit in his system before the first ball was snapped? What if Alf turns out to be another in the long list of Shanny RBs that only did well with ZB, and that's not what Scot wants to run?

Is it a fan favorite thing that causes people to get so emotional? If Scot doesn't believe he fits his system, then he doesn't fit his system. The sun still comes up tomorrow. We move on.

I'm pretty sure I was talking about moving on:

This coaching staff does not seem capable or willing to use Morris properly. And that being the case they should find a guy they are comfortable with. I sure hope they find a decent RB to handle the majority of the snaps next season, or this team will be even more one-dimensional on offense than it already is.

As awesome as McLovin is at finding talent, his first attempt to replace Morris wasn't a hit.

Unfortunately, when talking about moving on, we also have to base our opinions on how we move and where we go on what we've already done. And when it comes to the running game, what we've done, thus far, has been less than inspiring.

 

[Ax]

Now it's Scot's system, huh?

 

[McD5]

I wasn't referring to you specifically Henry. You seem to be okay with it.

As far as Matt Jones goes, none of us have any idea.

Yeah, he was injured. No different than Jordan Reed. It was starting to seem like Reed would never be healthy.

Are we insane to believe that either Reed or Jones can stay healthy this year? I have no idea.

I'm sure that Scot will bring in another RB and another TE this offseason.

 

[Henry]

As far as Matt Jones goes, none of us have any idea.

Yeah, he was injured. No different than Jordan Reed. It was starting to seem like Reed would never be healthy.

Are we insane to believe that either Reed or Jones can stay healthy this year? I have no idea.

I'm sure that Scot will bring in another RB and another TE this offseason.

Look, I loved what Reed did this year but we'd be crazy to think we'd be set at TE if, say, Niles Paul was a free agent and we knew he wasn't going to be re-signed.

Reed can't block and is a concussion waiting to happen. We need another starting-caliber TE to go with him.

We need a starting-calibre RB to go with Jones.

So I guess we agree there.

EDIT: Ok, so apparently Logan Paulson is a FA this year. Yeah, we need a TE.

 

[Ax]

Careful Mike. You don't want to be scarred for life with the "emotional" label.

 

[McD5]

Now it's Scot's system, huh?

Scot has always preferred a power blocking scheme. Gruden seems to as well. Callahan ran the same in Dallas. Who even cares whose system it is? If he doesn't fit it, he doesn't fit.

I couldn't care less about the name of our RB. Smith, Thompson, Jones or any other name. Who cares about the name of the player?

 

[McD5]

I don't care who our players are. Literally, couldn't care less. I root for the team.

I don't look back on the SB we won with Timmy Smith and get depressed. I don't care what our RB was named in that SB.

Would we have been smart to trade Morris and get a 4th? rounder for him instead of nothing at all? Of course we would have. An extra 4th would be great right now.

 

[Ax]

Scot has always preferred a power blocking scheme. Gruden seems to as well. Callahan ran the same in Dallas. Who even cares whose system it is? If he doesn't fit it, he doesn't fit.

I couldn't care less about the name of our RB. Smith, Thompson, Jones or any other name. Who cares about the name of the player?

It's just funny how everything good that happens is all due to the glory of Gruden. While anything even remotely seen as negative is because of Snyder/Allen/2nd Shooter on the Grassy knoll.

Certain players, through performance, have earned the respect of fans. Some haven't.

Believe it or not, it applies to coaches too.

To date, Alfred Morris has done more good for this team than Gruden has.

 

[Goaldeje]

This debate comes down to whether or not you trust the guy that has performed in the past (NOT in the current scheme) or if you trust the scheme - specifically the running scheme. Gruden's coaching of Kirk was really impressive (might be giving him credit for Sean's tutelage, but HC gets all the blame, so I'm giving him some credit too) this year, but his running game was a disaster. Look at what GB did against us in the wildcard game. If we had been able to do that...

As I've said, if Jones looked great, or even just above average, in Gruden's scheme, I would have a lot more confidence in the (apparent) decision to move on from Alfred. As it is now, I am afraid we are ditching a quality player and past performer who simply isn't being utilized correctly in favor of an underwhelming (now) second-year player.

I absolutely trust Scot. But if (and I have NO evidence of this, but this is a message board, so whatever) Jay is telling Scot that Alfred isn't a good fit and he won't play him, then why would Scot resign him for anything more than the vet minimum? So Alfred can sit on the bench while Jay tries to find the perfect fit for his system? That's a sucker's choice.

I genuinely wish Gruden would try adapting his system. Alfred looked pretty effing good at the end of the system when Jay played him and gave him the majority of the snaps. Jones was unimpressive most of the year.

It's not loyalty to Alfred (though I certainly have some of that), it's pragmatism. I'd like to know for sure we can replace the best RB we have currently on the roster with someone as good or better before we kick him out the door.

 

[McD5]

No, we wouldn't have. We would have been stuck with a RB who fumbles and misses games as our primary, a running back who got injured and is a 3rd down back, and "even more one dimensional" as Henry puts it. So, no, a 4th round pick for a running back who actually made an entire season wouldn't be good.

But if you don't care so much, why constantly bring up getting rid of Morris and how "smart fans" can see that while "emotional fans" can't?

If Jones was a total disaster, or if five running backs went down with injury then we would have signed Pierre Thomas or someone else. It wouldn't have been the end of the world. And we'd have an extra 4th? round pick this season to sign a C or DB with.

 

[McD5]

This debate comes down to whether or not you trust the guy that has performed in the past (NOT in the current scheme) or if you trust the scheme - specifically the running scheme. Gruden's coaching of Kirk was really impressive (might be giving him credit for Sean's tutelage, but HC gets all the blame, so I'm giving him some credit too) this year, but his running game was a disaster. Look at what GB did against us in the wildcard game. If we had been able to do that...

As I've said, if Jones looked great, or even just above average, in Gruden's scheme, I would have a lot more confidence in the (apparent) decision to move on from Alfred. As it is now, I am afraid we are ditching a quality player and past performer who simply isn't being utilized correctly in favor of an underwhelming (now) second-year player.

I absolutely trust Scot. But if (and I have NO evidence of this, but this is a message board, so whatever) Jay is telling Scot that Alfred isn't a good fit and he won't play him, then why would Scot resign him for anything more than the vet minimum? So Alfred can sit on the bench while Jay tries to find the perfect fit for his system? That's a sucker's choice.

I genuinely wish Gruden would try adapting his system. Alfred looked pretty effing good at the end of the system when Jay played him and gave him the majority of the snaps. Jones was unimpressive most of the year.

It's not loyalty to Alfred (though I certainly have some of that), it's pragmatism. I'd like to know for sure we can replace the best RB we have currently on the roster with someone as good or better before we kick him out the door.

This is a great post Goal.

But what if Morris is truly a ZB running back?

What would "changing the system" have entailed? Going back to smaller, faster O-lineman? Sacrificing pass protection for the QB? More sacks? Could we have even done that in the middle of the season?

I don't see how any HC could have realistically done that. And from a LT perspective, I'm not sure that's a great plan. Few teams in the league use it.

 

[Neophyte]

What I find amusing was when we drafted Morris there was a lot of head scratching because he was NOT a ZB back in college. He came from a tradition power run game and everyone wondered if he could adapt to a ZB system under Shanahan. Now everyone calls him a ZB back and says he can't run in the more traditional system used by Gruden/Callahan.

 

[Henry]

If Jones was a total disaster, or if five running backs went down with injury then we would have signed Pierre Thomas or someone else. It wouldn't have been the end of the world. And we'd have an extra 4th? round pick this season to sign a C or DB with.

What I'm hearing is basically "We had a crappy run game with Morris. We could have had a crappy run game without him."

And that may be true.

However, front offices don't think that way. They can't think that way.

They have to think "which players give us the best chance to win" and go from there. No front office on this planet would go into a season with a rookie with a history of injury problems, and super-fragile third down back who had never lasted more than four games in a season and ... well that's it. No one would do that. No front office worth a damn is going to just throw up their hands and decide to have a terrible run game for an entire season in order to net a fourth round pick. I don't care what the circumstances are.

So if Morris was gone the team would have had to pick up another RB somewhere. Someone who at least gives us a SHOT at some sort of run game ... Who was available? Would whomever it was come cheaper than Morris, a guy on his rookie contract that had just rushed for three straight 1000-yard seasons?

Nah. It made more sense to at least see if Morris could adapt to the new system while finding out what we have in Jones. If Morris succeeds, good for us. If he doesn't, his contract is up and we let him go with no cap issues.