Random Redskins Thoughts

[Elephant]

Everything else Shanahan brought here we have jettisoned.

It’s time for the 3-4 to go.

There are a few teams that have the talent and FIT to run the 3-4.

We don’t have an LT or Terrell Suggs or guys the Steelers had like Greg Lloyd or James Harrison.

We also don’t have Jim Burt, Haloti Ngata or Casey Hampton.

It’s just time to admit that and move on.

A couple of us have been banging this drum for several years now. The reply is almost invariably..."we line up in a 4-3 base such and such percentage of the time anyway."

My reply is usually, if we are a 3-4 defense, but run the 4-3 more than 50% of the time...we're not a 3-4, and should stop scheming as such. There is no hybrid 3-4/4-3...just scheme the way the talent fits, not continue to plug players into a scheme they don't fit! You may be able to do that on offense, but not defense.

I am convinced this was a mandate from high up, and that pisses me off because they had the best 3-4 coach in the history of the game in the office and did not sign him. Now? He's running a good defense again in LA.

[Fear The Spear]

If the offensive line is gonna get manhandled like they have been against the Colts and Saints, it simply doesn't matter who the skill position players are.
The next time one of them even thinks the name, "Hogs 2.0" someone oughta hit them in the face with an aluminum bat.

I think the name Hugs is more appropriate than Hogs, because it seems like Hug is all they want to do to an opponent.

[Miles Monroe]

Thom Loverro has confirmed he's a blithering idiot.
"When does Jay Gruden stop telling everyone it’s all his fault and start pointing the finger in the only direction that counts — above him, at the Prince of Darkness, general manager Bruce Allen, and his sidekick, owner Daniel Snyder — where the blame and responsibility always lie with this franchise?"

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news...utm_medium=RSS

[Bulldog]

I thought about Gruden and why this team continues to flounder at mediocrity. Is it his fault? Is it the organization's? Is it the players?

What I came up with is almost ironic or one could say MORONIC based on this team's record over the past 20 years - namely, that this team has failed largely due to stubborn pride.

How so?

Some examples:

1. Failing to recognize publicly that they fumbled the Kirk Cousins contract and not trading him in the 2017 off-season when the team could have recouped real value in a trade.

2. Refusing to admit that Josh Doctson, the #22 overall pick in 2016 is a draft bust. No one needed to come out and say this in a press conference but going into the season counting on him to make a contribution was foolhardy. Want to keep him in 2018? Fine. But expect more of the same from him (until he shows otherwise) and protect the offense by going out and acquiring a veteran receiver with size who can be a consistent target for Alex Smith.

3. Keeping Josh Norman on the roster at his cap number. Norman has never lived up to the out-sized contract that the usually frugal and free agent allergic Bruce Allen coughed up in 2016 to bring him here from Carolina. Was he a good fit for this defense? Good question. But the other point I would make here is if a guy's #1 priority in the off-season is Dancing With The Stars then perhaps that already tells us something about him. Note a lot of the athletes who have appeared on Dancing With the Stars were ex-players or guys in the very twilight of Hall of Fame careers. At 29/30 I would be concerned Norman doesn't appear to have anything else to prove on the football field now that he has been paid. He's certainly not a leader here.

4. Continuing to run the 3-4 defense that Jim Haslett brought here in 2010. Haslett has been gone for years but the folly of the switch to the 3-4 is still with us. We have ONE sack from our 'edge rushers' in 2018 through 4 games. Our sacks leader, Matt Ioannidis, is a rotation tackle. Gruden screwed the pooch here with a bad hire in Joe Barry and now in Year 2 it appears Gruden and Greg Manusky continue to drink the Kool Aid on a scheme the team isn't well suited to run. It would make more sense to move to a 4-3 and use Zach Brown as a third down rusher with his speed. With a four man line, Brown at 240 can hold up as a rusher. It seems clear that Ryan Anderson and Pernell McPhee are not going to do much to supplement Kerrigan and Smith.

The use of Ziggy Hood at NT for almost 2 years was beyond believable and while that bandaid on the wound has been fixed it's notable how long Hood was compromised playing out of position without much relief.

Any team could have made any one of these types of mistakes, what makes the Redskins errors particularly sharp is the TIME it took to admit a mistake had been made and to move on from it.

[Elephant]

I just wanted to give Boone a big thanks! I cannot imagine how frustrating it must be for him to run a website with central theme being your favorite team, especially when that team is so bi-polar.

THANK YOU, JOHN!!!

[Win4us]

Whether Jay stays after this season or not I would like to see Callahan gone. At the very minimum get him m an assistant, this group is playing like garbage and they’re all vets.

[Boone]

I just wanted to give Boone a big thanks! I cannot imagine how frustrating it must be for him to run a website with central theme being your favorite team, especially when that team is so bi-polar.

THANK YOU, JOHN!!!

Thanks brother! Mark and I were talking about this here in Argentina... hard to keep the enthusiasm alive for sure but we have plenty of company on that front....

[Sarge]

We all know the base problem, the one constant for the past 20 years. Until Lord Farquaad decides to either sell the team OR decides to hire a real GM, we're going to continue to wallow in mediocrity. Gruden is just an extention of the atmosphere generated out of Redskins Park, but it's definately not a good sign that after 5 years, he still has that deer in the headlights look that indicates he's in way over his head.

[Elephant]

We all know the base problem, the one constant for the past 20 years. Until Lord Farquaad decides to either sell the team OR decides to hire a real GM, we're going to continue to wallow in mediocrity. Gruden is just an extention of the atmosphere generated out of Redskins Park, but it's definately not a good sign that after 5 years, he still has that deer in the headlights look that indicates he's in way over his head.

Yup! Part of the reason I have been able to remain detached from this team over the past few years, is because I have come to the realization that as long as Dan Snyder is in charge of this team, we will never see another Super Bowl Champion in DC.

Good to see you around, Sarge. You should join us more often.

[Enforcer]

Alas, I agree w/ y'all too. Even if they do flush out Gruden, I have zero confidence that Dan and Bruce will make the correct corresponding moves. The cycle continues.

[DieselPwr44]

This team needs a good dose of Marty Schottenheimer.

The idea that you came off a bye and some players got a "veterans" day off their first day back and then after taking an ass kicking on MNF your first practice is a walk thru???

Jay is Norv 2.0

[Win4us]

Is there any other coach on the roster you guys would be comfortable stepping in if Jay were fired this offseason?

[Elephant]

Is there any other coach on the roster you guys would be comfortable stepping in if Jay were fired this offseason?

Nope, get rid of them all! We let 2 of the hottest young minds walk out the door over the course of the past 5 years, and now they're both Head Coaches, one is a Super Bowl favorite, the other is struggling to find talent, but will likely see success.

We need to rob a successful franchise of one of their top young talents, and pair him with a solid veteran presence on the opposite side of the ball. Matt Patricia was plucked from New England, not sure who'd be a steal from their organization...who else?

[Henry]

Is there any other coach on the roster you guys would be comfortable stepping in if Jay were fired this offseason?

Honestly, I don't think it will matter until the GM and ... well ... and the owner are replaced.

But at least the GM.

[Win4us]

Any suggestions on the gm? I honestly don't know who's built a talented roster the last few seasons. And we`d have to pillage their deputy at that.

I was hoping Gray would eventually be that guy. In reality he still could be, but the secondary has been a hot mess lately.
Callahan has NOT earned another season imho. That unit's missing assignments like a mofo
Kotwica's teams are meh at best
Manusky's middle name is inconsistent
Hilliard, nah
Cavanaugh is a mystery. How much is the failings on him verses Jay's incompetent playcalling/discipline?
Wes Phillips has never graduated above te coach. Possible coordinator?
Jordan has never really developed a drafted rb so pass
That would leave Tomsula. With upgraded draft picks he's getting decent production, is it enough to consider promotion tho?

So basically we have no more coaches that another team would wanna take.

[Fear The Spear]

We let 2 of the hottest young minds walk out the door over the course of the past 5 years, and now they're both Head Coaches, one is a Super Bowl favorite, the other is struggling to find talent, but will likely see success.

So you believe that Kyle will eventually be a success as a HC ?

[Win4us]

If this is true then Jay has lost all respect from the team. Not sure if I'm more passed at Norman for clowning or Jay for not hitting him with a chair. To me it seems Norman isn't the main problem, it's this staff not holding players accountable.

Either way they may "like" Jay but they sure as hell don't respect him.

https://sports.yahoo.com/josh-norman...011623882.html

[Elephant]

So you believe that Kyle will eventually be a success as a HC ?

I do...if he learns not to get too greedy and play the smart play when the game is on the line.

[DieselPwr44]

Per Schefter, both Thompson and Crowder are out tomorrow.

[Boone]

If this is true then Jay has lost all respect from the team. Not sure if I'm more passed at Norman for clowning or Jay for not hitting him with a chair. To me it seems Norman isn't the main problem, it's this staff not holding players accountable.

Either way they may "like" Jay but they sure as hell don't respect him.

https://sports.yahoo.com/josh-norman...011623882.html

So one knucklehead (who's got a history of being more about his ego than the team) has an incident with the head coach and now players 'like Jay but don't respect him'?

Look. We've had two good games and two terrible ones. That's about on par with half the league. But it's very early, and we're in a weak division. I'm frustrated. But those 2 losses didn't turn us from a young talented team that has been a borderline playoff team since Gruden got here into an absolute disaster that needs to be blown up.

It's possible this all snowballs and we implode down the stretch. But it's also possible that we knuckle down and start playing well. Our biggest problem (just my opinion) is our offensive ineptitude to date and the lack of WR production. Those things, coupled with a QB who's new to the system, have made for a bumpy start.

I'm not ready to give up on the 2018 season after 4 games. A lot can happen.