The tough thing about this year is that it started with such hope.
Finally the Kirk Merry-go-round was over, and we had a competent QB under centre.
Our D was revamped.
Our injured players were all coming back.
We had hope that there was no way we could be snake-bit by injury twice.
Even after we lost Guice we kind of lucked into AP.
And then it started out so well, even with the offense underperforming, we hoped that it would click eventually and in the meantime the D was kicking ass and taking names.
Then it all fell apart in such dramatic fashion and now even me (Captain Optimistic) is looking at a teardown over the off season and a long term rebuild.
I have to agree with much said here.
Looking at it logically...
Snyder isn't going anywhere. So that's a pipedream
Allen needs to go. If the teams record and the empty stands don't do it then I don't know what will, but I'm hoping this is the year Snyder see's the light and he's out.
Coaching staff needs to be overhauled. At the very least even if Gruden stays, the Defensive staff need to be gutted.
Currently I feel like an offense that's trying but is struggling with injuries everywhere and that's the root of all the problems. Stupid penalties on that side of the ball coming from frustration and from cadence issues, or just trying too hard to do something.
The Defense however feels like it's just given up. No pride. At the very least the Coaching staff on that side of the locker-room have lost the players. Which is a shame because there's talent there.
How can you go from being a top 4 D to a bottom 4 D in a matter of weeks? The unit isn't particularly injured so why is it struggling?
And not being funny, I've watched Clinton-Dix make plays in Green Bay games for years and he was the number 2 ranked Safety before coming to Washington.... how did we screw him up so badly he looks terrible out there?
And if we're already overhauling the team, then it's time to evaluate and cut the dead weight and the injury prone players.
On O: Keep Williams and Scherff. Guice hopefully will be the future for us, but I'd try and hold onto Peterson too (he's shown to be a warrior this year and we NEED that mentality on the team). Crowder can stay, I'd give Doctson a chance. Davis can stay. I think I'd also ride with Simms, Bibbs and Quinn and hope that their injuries this year are fluke rather than the rule. Thompson I'd like to keep, I think he's a game changer when healthy. I don't consider a broken leg an 'injury prone' injury, and I thought they tried to bring him back too fast. I'd give him another shot. I'd also keep Chesson, mostly for his Special Teams work, but also because I'd hope that in the future we could harness that speed as a WR.
Every one else, including Reed, can go. Clean House.
On D: I like the like. Keep em. I would keep Kerrigan simply because he can stay off the IR list. I'd keep Swearinger (we need that fire) and Dunbar. Stroman has looked awful in his rookie year, but I'd probably keep to see if he makes the jump. And I'd try and retain Clinton-Dix because I've seen him play way better than he has, and I swear he's being mis-managed somehow.
We need help in the Linebackers (I'd maybe keep Anderson and Hamilton) and in the Secondary.
Then I'd settle in and see what happens next.
But on D, I think our bigger problem is coaching. I don't know what went wrong, but I don't think Manusky can fix it because I think he's lost the unit. Need new blood to kick them into shape now.
Finally the Kirk Merry-go-round was over, and we had a competent QB under centre.
Our D was revamped.
Our injured players were all coming back.
We had hope that there was no way we could be snake-bit by injury twice.
Even after we lost Guice we kind of lucked into AP.
And then it started out so well, even with the offense underperforming, we hoped that it would click eventually and in the meantime the D was kicking ass and taking names.
Then it all fell apart in such dramatic fashion and now even me (Captain Optimistic) is looking at a teardown over the off season and a long term rebuild.
I have to agree with much said here.
Looking at it logically...
Snyder isn't going anywhere. So that's a pipedream
Allen needs to go. If the teams record and the empty stands don't do it then I don't know what will, but I'm hoping this is the year Snyder see's the light and he's out.
Coaching staff needs to be overhauled. At the very least even if Gruden stays, the Defensive staff need to be gutted.
Currently I feel like an offense that's trying but is struggling with injuries everywhere and that's the root of all the problems. Stupid penalties on that side of the ball coming from frustration and from cadence issues, or just trying too hard to do something.
The Defense however feels like it's just given up. No pride. At the very least the Coaching staff on that side of the locker-room have lost the players. Which is a shame because there's talent there.
How can you go from being a top 4 D to a bottom 4 D in a matter of weeks? The unit isn't particularly injured so why is it struggling?
And not being funny, I've watched Clinton-Dix make plays in Green Bay games for years and he was the number 2 ranked Safety before coming to Washington.... how did we screw him up so badly he looks terrible out there?
And if we're already overhauling the team, then it's time to evaluate and cut the dead weight and the injury prone players.
On O: Keep Williams and Scherff. Guice hopefully will be the future for us, but I'd try and hold onto Peterson too (he's shown to be a warrior this year and we NEED that mentality on the team). Crowder can stay, I'd give Doctson a chance. Davis can stay. I think I'd also ride with Simms, Bibbs and Quinn and hope that their injuries this year are fluke rather than the rule. Thompson I'd like to keep, I think he's a game changer when healthy. I don't consider a broken leg an 'injury prone' injury, and I thought they tried to bring him back too fast. I'd give him another shot. I'd also keep Chesson, mostly for his Special Teams work, but also because I'd hope that in the future we could harness that speed as a WR.
Every one else, including Reed, can go. Clean House.
On D: I like the like. Keep em. I would keep Kerrigan simply because he can stay off the IR list. I'd keep Swearinger (we need that fire) and Dunbar. Stroman has looked awful in his rookie year, but I'd probably keep to see if he makes the jump. And I'd try and retain Clinton-Dix because I've seen him play way better than he has, and I swear he's being mis-managed somehow.
We need help in the Linebackers (I'd maybe keep Anderson and Hamilton) and in the Secondary.
Then I'd settle in and see what happens next.
But on D, I think our bigger problem is coaching. I don't know what went wrong, but I don't think Manusky can fix it because I think he's lost the unit. Need new blood to kick them into shape now.