Random Commanders Thoughts

Boone said:

I'm not discounting what you're saying Al. I have some of the same concerns, believe me. But I think most of what we saw last year was the result of Griffin not being right physically (you can already see how much better his throws look this year), not having any prep, and the impact of all of the drama that went on. You're comparing last season to this season - and they aren't comparable - that's my only point. New coach. New offense. New players. I think we'll see growing pains. But I think Griffin is too talented and too motivated, and surrounded by too many weapons for things not to start clicking sooner rather than later.

Time will tell, but I'm still bullish on this offense, and Griffin.

Click to expand...

boone...I'll meet you half way...and agree that circumstances were unusual last season. I have been one of the biggest RGIII homers on this board. simply have reached the point where I am expecting results....and what I see suggests the underlying causes of some problems from last season have not been fixed yet.

we all know the potential is there - we saw it the first season. it's just recently that, in my mind at least, the proverbial bar has been raised. he needs do better. we shouldn't be sitting around discussing much of this. 4 first downs in the first half last night! sheesh!

We'll circle back around 4 games into the season. If the Redskins aren't a pretty competent offense by then, I will be surprised.

Lots of complaints and lots of excuses. Same old same old. I'll have some patience or lose interest before the "panic button" is pushed. For once I'm pretty much in the same place as fansince. Eventually all the hype and talk has to turn into progress... OR not.

Some cuts are expected to be made today, although the deadline isn't until Tuesday. It may mean very little to our success as a team, but it allows some of these guys a head start in finding new jobs. I like that.

First report, probably not a surprise:

The Redskins will keep both kickers through game 4 of preseason. Decision will be made after Tampa. #Redskins

--@nbcdianna

Griffin could return back to form and light the league on fire this year. Or, he could remain a shell of his rookie self and steer us all off a cliff. Or it may be somewhere in between.

I don't know what that's gonna be. What I DO know is that nothing we've seen in the preseason will give us a clue. Preseason, still, means nothing. It really does.

EDIT: Same goes for the defense, by the way.

McD5 said:

First report, probably not a surprise:

The Redskins will keep both kickers through game 4 of preseason. Decision will be made after Tampa. #Redskins

--@nbcdianna

Click to expand...

And that's unfortunate - because it means neither of them has impressed. I think at this point, if the guy with the supposedly superior leg (who couldn't put it out of the endzone on kickoffs last night) hasn't usurped the vet at this point, I say we stick with the guy we know in Kai Forbath.

McD5 said:

First report, probably not a surprise:

The Redskins will keep both kickers through game 4 of preseason. Decision will be made after Tampa. #Redskins

--@nbcdianna

Click to expand...

Who's got the edge right now ?

Couple weeks ago, I'd have said Hocker. But he's looked decidedly unimpressive since then. Who knows?

fansince62 said:

2) the next two weeks should be spent integrating the game plan for TX.....not teaching an individual who is entering his third season how to slide, when to throw the ball away, not to throw into coverage, how to find open receivers in scoring positions, how to pick up the extra second constantly lost figuring things out.

Click to expand...

Players, especially QB's, practice mechanics, year-round. Otherwise, what's his Position Coach going to do for the rest of the year ?
I just can't see Gruden and Matt LaFleur goin, "We got zero time to work on mechanics, for the rest of preseason, and the rest of the year. Screw fundamentals !"

I need the MIB to use the neuralyzer on me after that last game...

Fear The Spear said:

Who's got the edge right now ?

Click to expand...

I'd say that usually they favor the guy they used a draft pick on (then the guy they cut becomes a Pro Bowler in Philly/Pitt/Car)

Wow.....Rob Jackson cut.

I don't honestly feel like ANYONE'S looked particularly sharp. And really, I'm not concerned.

During Gibb's days, we would typically lose nearly all of our preseason games. Frustrating for sure, but after a winning season follows it, who really cares? These preseason games are practices in full pads and nearly nothing more. Situational, vanilla play calling is the rule of the day. Four dives on 4th and 1 from the goal line? Don't think we'd EVER see that in a meaningful game. The coaches are looking at certain things and certain things only.

It's been noted that Garcon and Jackson have been nearly absent from the stat sheet. Does anyone really think that Garcon will remain that way once the regular season starts? And, although there seems to be a ton of concern over RG's play, while I haven't checked the actual count, I'm not sure that he's yet thrown enough pass attempts to even add up to the total of one full game under normal circumstances. I just don't think we can make any reasonable judgments from that small of a selection of examples. Especially when you take into consideration that he's learning a new system, new terminology and working under a new set of coaches.

Still, I"m not blind. Cousins did something yesterday under center that I long to see RG do. Though he ultimately missed the pass, I absolutely LOVED when he changed calls at the line and essentially won the chess game against what turned out to be a full on blitz package. Just missed the toss to Grant for the TD, but he made the right call. I think it's that game intellect that we all seem to be longing to see from RG and so far have not. We all know he has the physical tools....we just want to see him win a game of chess. I think it's in him.....but I just haven't seen it yet. Not to the degree of that Cousins play, anyway.

Again, with the playbook opened up and RG having all the tools at his disposal come game 1 of the regular season, I'm hopeful that we'll start seeing more success. It's still gonna take some time to get things ironed out fully.....it always does under these type circumstances, but I just don't feel like his 4 for 8 stat line is representative of what this offense is all about with him at center.

I'm a patient man......I just hope my patience isn't being misplaced.

McD5 said:

Wow.....Rob Jackson cut.

Click to expand...

I am wowed also

Apparently Rob Jackson has been outplayed by Trent Murphy.

I like Rob Jackson, but his sack numbers haven't been overwhelming.

I share the sentiment of a few here...There is nothing the team can show me in the preseason to validate some of the concerns the team had at the end of last season...I think it's pretty hard not to say the 53 man roster we will have open day is a big upgrade...Is Griffin the guy? Who knows? I feel the same across the board from kickers to O Linemen...It's a better team, I believe better coached...if Griffin doesn't learn to play safer Cousins will be the next on deck... it's not that bad...Some of Y'all make it sound like you are accustomed to having a franchise qb...I don't know I've been told that's all we ever needed...I think I'm beginning to understand...what you mean is we need a sure fire guy that comes out of College and leads us to the promised land...He's pretty hard to find it seems.

Fear The Spear said:

Players, especially QB's, practice mechanics, year-round. Otherwise, what's his Position Coach going to do for the rest of the year ?
I just can't see Gruden and Matt LaFleur goin, "We got zero time to work on mechanics, for the rest of preseason, and the rest of the year. Screw fundamentals !"

Click to expand...

It will be interesting to see how Matt LeFleur will coach QBs from South Bend, IN this season.

Okay, going to upload some tweets here on cuts.......on a related note, but totally off topic, Sam Bradford just suffered another knee injury--a torn ACL, and is out for the year.

I fell awfully for that kid and his parents.

McD5 said:

Wow.....Rob Jackson cut.

Click to expand...

Notice that I did not have him on the roster (prediction thread) in recent weeks?

...Takes A Bow...