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Burner's Burning Questions: Week Seventeen Grades, Evaluations, Questions

Burgundy Burner

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Greetings from BBQ. We hope the holiday season was good to you. Best wishes for a happy, healthy, prosperous, and safe new year. Did you receive some nice Redskins gifts?

Week seventeen is in the books and now we take a look at how the entire team fared against the Giants. Farewell to the 2016 season and farewell to any playoff hopes. We will try to make some sense of it all as BBQ hands out grades, evaluations and questions. Feel free to offer your own grades, evaluations, questions, and opinions.

Let

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Week Seventeen Grades, Evaluations, Questions​

Greetings from BBQ. We hope the holiday season was good to you. Best wishes for a happy, healthy, prosperous, and safe new year. Did you receive some nice Redskins gifts?

Week seventeen is in the books and now we take a look at how the entire team fared against the Giants. Farewell to the 2016 season and farewell to any playoff hopes. We will try to make some sense of it all as BBQ hands out grades, evaluations and questions. Feel free to offer your own grades, evaluations, questions, and opinions.

Let’s take a look at week seventeen.

Quarterbacks:
Question: Has Kirk Cousins earned a long term contract?
Answer: If you were to base it on this game only - no. If you were to base it on the entire season – absolutely. This will be an interesting few weeks upcoming.
Grade: F

Running Backs:
Question: What running game?
Answer: Only fifteen rushing attempts for the whole game is all you need to know when answering this question. It is tempting to give an incomplete grade, but there was nothing special from the backs.
Grade: F

Wide Receivers:
Question: Why have there been fewer targets for Jamison Crowder these last few weeks?
Answer: It’s a mystery as he has been open for at least four scores and open for several long completions as well as a number of intermediate routes. Pierre Garcon had another solid game, but the other receivers had minimal impact.
Grade: C+

Tight Ends:
Question: Did the Jordan Reed injury limit him in this game?
Answer: It’s likely that is the case, but he gave a determined effort and kept the Redskins in the game at the end. Vernon Davis had a solid day and contributed key receptions.
Grade: B

Offensive Line:
Question: Why did they have problems in the running game – like much of the season?
Answer: The Giants defense is very good up front and they basically shut the running game down. No adjustments were made as the backs continued to run the same plays/directions. Left guard is a huge weakness and it has been that way for several weeks.
Grade: C-

Defensive Line:
Question: What grade would you give their effort against the Giants?
Answer: After a shaky start, this group actually had a decent game. Cullen Jenkins had a timely sack, but the offense could not take advantage. Ziggy Hood made some key stops. Chris Baker and Ricky Jean Francois played above their talent levels. However, the inability to shut down the running game lowers the grade a bit.
Grade: C+

Linebackers:
Question: And what grade would you give to this group?
Answer: It is always noticeable when Ryan Kerrigan is not on the field. While Mason Foster gave an inspired and spirited performance, the same can’t be said for Will Compton or Martrell Spaight. Preston Smith needs to overcome his sophomore slump.
Grade: C-

Cornerbacks:
Question: Was this the best unit on Sunday?
Answer: Not really, but it would have been an easy decision in the affirmative if a long pass by the opposing quarterback to a little-used wide receiver didn’t cost the team late in the fourth quarter. Bashaud Breeland continued to play better.
Grade: C

Safeties:
Question: How would you grade them for the last game of the season?
Answer: While it wasn’t awe inspiring, they made no glaring mistakes other than a long pass reception late in the game..
Grade: B-

Special Teams:
Question: Do we lower the grade for another missed field goal?
Answer: No way. Expecting a fifty-seven yard attempt to sail through the middle of the goal posts is a bit much to expect. Tress Way had a superb game. The punt returns were decent.
Grade: B

Coaching:
Question: What can we say about the coaches for this final game of the 2016 season?
Answer: Offense. The offense played like it was in shambles. There was no running game. Sean McVay did a poor job as did Jay Gruden. There seemed to be no sense of urgency. It was as if they were ready for a vacation.

Defense. They gave a spirited effort, even if the talent is lacking at certain positions. This unit wanted to play another game, but the offense did them no favors.

Special teams. Overall, a pretty good game.

Once again, Jay Gruden’s tirade after the Cardinals game obviously had zero effect late in the season and this speaks to his leadership. Joe Barry, quite frankly, is not the answer as defensive coordinator – even though the defense gave a good effort on Sunday.
Grade: D


How would you grade each position and the coaching staff for the final game of 2016? Do you want a new defensive coordinator? How much of the upcoming free agency should be spent on defense? Will you watch any playoff games?

On to the offseason as we kick off 2017.

Later this week we will post the annual BBQ self-evaluation of our predictions that we made just prior to the season. On Friday we will hand out seasonal grades for the entire team and coaches. Next week we will post the first look at free agency, then the first mock of 2017.

BBQ wishes you a very Happy New Year.

Hail to the Redskins!
 
Pretty fair scores I think.

It was a pretty bad time for Kirk to have his worst game of the season. F grade is fair.

While the RB's didn't do much I do wonder how much was them and how much was the O-line. The O-line was terrible all game. Bad in pass protection and bad in run blocking. Hell of a time for them to have their worst game of the season too! I'd probably have goe down to a D for the O-line and up to an E for the RB's.

That Giants D is really good, but our O-line is supposed to be a strength of our team and we were pushed around to the point where it disrupted both our run and pass game.

I think all the other scores are fair. :D

I'd maybe have not scored as high across the board for the D as the Giants offense is pretty poor. But they did hold them to below their average output (you can't blame them for the last 6 points!)

Everyone keeps saying we looked flat on offense... I thought we looked tight. This team looks like one which gets the nerves in big games and plays tight. Dropped balls, off target passes, holding the ball too long, hesitation etc are symptomatic of that. We don't have the calming presense of a been there/done that QB or Coach to steady the ship in those instances. I think that's why we struggle.

Is it too late to hire Phil Jackson to be coach? This team could benefit from the Zen Master. LOL

Great post as usual Burgundy! :D
 
Agree - Very generous grade for the OL who let the Giants pressure Cousins consistently and which could not run block effectively save a couple of sweeps in the 2nd half. They were a 'D' or worse imho.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I understand that some want a lower grade for the OL, but the tape tells a slightly different story. I went back and watched the game again (ugh) and Kirk missed several throws - including an easy TD to Crowder and another one late to DeSean.

RBs were the same old story - running to holes that weren't there and not cutting back on a couple of sweeps.

Not saying the OL is without fault, but the "D" grades I see here are so close to the "C-" in the blog. So we see it almost the same, but with a couple of differences.
 
A couple of things that are going to help the running game improve.

1. Acquire a true blocking TE that can be a factor at the line of scrimmage and specifically those third and short and goal line plays.

2. Coming to the conclusion everyone else has that Shawn Lauvao needs to be replaced at LG and an upgrade from Spencer Long at center would not be remiss either. I don't know how effective John Sullivan graded out as being when he came in for those 2-3 games but at 31 I can't believe after a couple of pro bowl seasons that even with the back he isn't a better option here than Long.

3. Adding the 6'2 Doctson and another 6'0 plus receiver to the active roster to join Pierre Garcon (who should be retained over Jackson) as blockers on the edge. Garcon is a very good blocker, but the Redskins just don't get anything in the run game out of Jackson, Grant or Crowder because they lack the size and strength to be real factors.

IMO, the Redskins need to move on from Matt Jones and keep Robert Kelley, although Kelley to me is a #2 back with Thompson as the third down and pass receiving specialist.

It would be nice to bring in a clear #1 like the Cowboys or Steelers have, but that's a luxury at this point.

But even if we go with Kelley again in 2017 he will be that much more effective with the changes above.
 
A couple of things that are going to help the running game improve.

1. Acquire a true blocking TE that can be a factor at the line of scrimmage and specifically those third and short and goal line plays.

2. Coming to the conclusion everyone else has that Shawn Lauvao needs to be replaced at LG and an upgrade from Spencer Long at center would not be remiss either. I don't know how effective John Sullivan graded out as being when he came in for those 2-3 games but at 31 I can't believe after a couple of pro bowl seasons that even with the back he isn't a better option here than Long.

3. Adding the 6'2 Doctson and another 6'0 plus receiver to the active roster to join Pierre Garcon (who should be retained over Jackson) as blockers on the edge. Garcon is a very good blocker, but the Redskins just don't get anything in the run game out of Jackson, Grant or Crowder because they lack the size and strength to be real factors.

IMO, the Redskins need to move on from Matt Jones and keep Robert Kelley, although Kelley to me is a #2 back with Thompson as the third down and pass receiving specialist.

It would be nice to bring in a clear #1 like the Cowboys or Steelers have, but that's a luxury at this point.

But even if we go with Kelley again in 2017 he will be that much more effective with the changes above.

Actually, Crowder certainly isn't going to maul anyone, but has had a number of key blocks over the course of the season.

As for Garcon, that is the less talked about, but very important re-signing we need to do. He was our best overall WR this year.
 
A couple of things that are going to help the running game improve.

1. Acquire a true blocking TE that can be a factor at the line of scrimmage and specifically those third and short and goal line plays.
2. Coming to the conclusion everyone else has that Shawn Lauvao needs to be replaced at LG and an upgrade from Spencer Long at center would not be remiss either. I don't know how effective John Sullivan graded out as being when he came in for those 2-3 games but at 31 I can't believe after a couple of pro bowl seasons that even with the back he isn't a better option here than Long.
3. Adding the 6'2 Doctson and another 6'0 plus receiver to the active roster to join Pierre Garcon (who should be retained over Jackson) as blockers on the edge. Garcon is a very good blocker, but the Redskins just don't get anything in the run game out of Jackson, Grant or Crowder because they lack the size and strength to be real factors.

IMO, the Redskins need to move on from Matt Jones and keep Robert Kelley, although Kelley to me is a #2 back with Thompson as the third down and pass receiving specialist.
It would be nice to bring in a clear #1 like the Cowboys or Steelers have, but that's a luxury at this point.
But even if we go with Kelley again in 2017 he will be that much more effective with the changes above.
You have very valid points. But as additional food for thought:
1> V Davis is an outstanding blocker. At his age, not a long term answer but how well was he utilized? How much better did the Skins run to the right side vs the left? They have a better G there, true but Davis certainly pulled his weight. How often do you get a solid inline blocking TE in the draft that's NFL ready? About once a century. Especially if you want one that can catch also.
2> Sullivan was fine but not the future and I don't know that he can carry an entire season - probably not. First year for Long - I'll cut him some slack. If they really wanted to draft a good C should've done that in the last draft.
3> Scott was gonna get some big WRs - it's what he's always done, there's more on the way. And as far as big WRs goes, Davis played WR for a lot of one season with SF because they ran out of receivers and he did very well. Let's see, Reed at one wide out spot and Davis at the other, just once in awhile. Who you gonna cover? Who you gonna cover them with? McVay was a TE coach - blind as a bat. Of course, Kirk would also have to be able to find the open man which he wasn't outstanding at this season.

How big of a jump does an RB make from his first year to his second? Generally not much unless they are solid as a receiver and can run. Mostly that's because it takes a team time to figure out how to effectively get the RB into the passing game. Skins don't have even a two-down back let alone a three-down one. I wouldn't be heartbroken if they moved on from any of or combination of RBs they now have other than Brown who I'd keep and give more opportunity to but the rest are what they are - don't expect much more.
 
You have very valid points. But as additional food for thought:
1> V Davis is an outstanding blocker. At his age, not a long term answer but how well was he utilized? How much better did the Skins run to the right side vs the left? They have a better G there, true but Davis certainly pulled his weight. How often do you get a solid inline blocking TE in the draft that's NFL ready? About once a century. Especially if you want one that can catch also.

And don't forget the return of Niles Paul, who's our best blocking TE.
Although, after 2 straight season-ending injuries, one has to wonder about his future.
 
I’d like to see a real commitment to the defense. We need improvement just about everywhere on that side of the ball. Sometimes stats lie but in this case we’ve earned our last place ranking against the run.

It has to start with a commitment from the GM. That doesn’t mean just drafting a DT in the first round of the draft and calling it a day. How about securing the absolute best coach available, paying him and then bringing in talent to suit what scheme he thinks will work best? Sounds simple right? Don’t tell me it can’t be done in one season because the team that beat us Sunday just did it.

To start Barry has got to go. He might be a great guy but consistently the defense looked confused and out of position this season. Yes, the players have some responsibility in that and if it were just one or two guys I’d focus more on showing that player the door. It isn’t.

We desperately need a defensive coordinator who has had success and will command respect. 3-4 or 4-3 scheme doesn’t matter to me. We’ve never brought in the right talent to run the 3-4 so what difference would it make at this point?

I could go position by position for where we need improvement but it may not be relevant to what a new defensive coordinator wants or how he uses the talent we have now. A new coordinator might turn Preston Smith into a superstar or he might decide that he should ride the pine. As much as I’d like to see Smith succeed on a personal level if he’s not helping the team, he’s out. That's just an example, but you get my point. It has the start at the top though.
 
Hog, are you saying Scot needs to replace Gruden, or the d coordinator?

Because the coordinators are chosen by the head coach. As they should be.
 
I admire loyalty - it's not by definition a weakness. I think the question that none of us knows the answer to is whether or not Gruden thinks Barry is getting the job done. Other than adding Norman (and that wasn't planned, he just fell into our lap), the only real impact defensive addition made so far has been Cravens. McCloughan has done almost nothing in terms of adding defensive talent. That could be an error in judgment or it could be that he has a more long term plan than meets our wishes. Bottom line, setting aside what we think of Barry, he hasn't gotten a lot of help on his side of the ball in terms of talent infusion. It remains to be seen if Gruden still thinks he's a good D.C. And if he sticks with him at the risk of his own job.


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I lean towards thinking Scot has a plan, but it doesn't fit our time table wishes.

I'd also agree that Barry has been given next to nothing to work with.

And, I feel the same about Barry, as I do Gruden. Fine with giving them both another year. Won't lose any sleep if both were replaced.

And if he's gonna still be here, then the Barry call should be Gruden's.
 
Hog, are you saying Scot needs to replace Gruden, or the d coordinator?

Because the coordinators are chosen by the head coach. As they should be.


I think getting rid of Gruden at this point would be a mistake. I also think that the head coach should be given as much latitude as possible to have “his guys” in place as coaches. That said that latitude has its limits. Dead last is a good limit.

Talent is a big issue on our defense, we all know that, but it can't be an excuse for everything. When you see players out of position consistently game after game, when you see confusion on coverage schemes time after time, sometimes you have to look at the people putting these guys in these positions in the first place. In this case that’s Barry.

I’d give Barry a little more leeway if he had any track record of success outside of being a position coach. He doesn’t. So yes, we need talent but we need new leadership as well.
 
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I lean towards thinking Scot has a plan, but it doesn't fit our time table wishes.

I agree that there is a plan in place and the fastest way to get competitive in today’s NFL is to get the offensive side of the ball sorted out first. We still have things to figure out there but it's a lot closer to playoff ready than the defense.

It’s a balancing act and it’s rare to have both sides of the ball clicking at the same time for very long.
 
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Gruden was asked in a recent interview if he was going to be involved in a decision on Barry and his response was,"I hope so because I brought him in". Maybe it has always the intention by the FO that he'd have a big voice in the decision, who knows. All it sayz is at present he doesn't know the level of his involvement.
Jay didn't say specifically one way or the other which way he was leaning as far as keeping Barry or letting him go. Obviously Scot will be getting more Defensive than Offensive players over the next couple of drafts. He also has a deep book on potential draftee's going well beyond 2017. So do they have a defensive plan in place that will match up with his goal? Again, who knows? I don't think so looking at what he's done in other places but I could be completely off-base.
If they didn't get Norman, would this defense have been any better or worse? Breeland doesn't face as many #1's because who on the other side? Would they have gotten another FA defensive player instead?

As far as Paul goes he was a WR in college, no reason not to believe he couldn't go back on occasion. I'd rather see him there than as an inline blocker. And he probably stays healthier - I don't think he's built for the added abuse on the inside.
 
Junior Galette is raring to go, says his tendons are now the size of his calves, money doesn't matter and has talked to Scot.

Wants to prove it all over again, coming up from an UDFA status to highly touted talent.

Figures his influence and attitude on the field can only help.....wants to work with Preston in particular.... the kid has the 'stuff' he just needs to be reminded of it.... forget the bad play, just tear it up on the next one.

We'll see
 
Junior Galette is raring to go, says his tendons are now the size of his calves, money doesn't matter and has talked to Scot.

Wants to prove it all over again, coming up from an UDFA status to highly touted talent.

Figures his influence and attitude on the field can only help.....wants to work with Preston in particular.... the kid has the 'stuff' he just needs to be reminded of it.... forget the bad play, just tear it up on the next one.

We'll see

I'd just assume see them both let go, sign Dion Jordan out of Miami and leave Trent Murphy to rotate in and out for Jordan and Kerrigan...then draft someone. After my brief experience with Smith, I was not impressed with his character and I just don't think we can tie up money and a position for someone who has been sent to the IR 2 season in a row before the season starts.
 
I assume that the Smith comment is about the perception that he doesn't 'love' football.

Cooley spoke on his own career (did not specify Smith) about his early years. He pretty much admitted that he didn't really care early on and the end of the season was almost a relief.

He had no real incentive go to the playoffs, he was making enough money without the extra $24K (or so) that the playoff games were paying. His comment basically was 'I don't need to get out of bed the next morning to go to work, cool'

In about his third year he started to 'love the game' and understood the work, camaraderie and pride needed to play at a high level.

Now that he's become a 'fan' he understands our ups and downs on almost every play......he was sorely disappointed after the Giants game.... something he did not really feel early in his career.

He said he sensed some of that 'meh' amongst some the players before the Giants, maybe that showed during the game.

That's apparently what Scot means about loving football and what Doc Walker refers to as 'manhood'.... some get it right away, some develop it and some never get it.... the latter are the ones that need to go.

If Preston doesn't get it sometime soon, he will be gone.
 

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