- Joined
- Dec 21, 2010
- Messages
- 1,047
- Reaction score
- 12
- Points
- 38
Guys, I have a bad feeling about this season. After watching that crappy game tonight, guys can complain about RG3, Rambo and the defense, special teams, Gruden's play-calling, and probably a few more things I'm forgetting, but none of those things are really the problem. The Redskins have 1 huge problem that is the core issue that leads to so many other problems: The Redskins can't protect. They can't pass protect, and they can't protect the kickers or punters.
This is not a new problem. We all knew this last year. Most of us knew deep down we were going to have the same problem this year. How the Redskins don't know this year after year is absolutely mind boggling to me. We watched Polumbus and Chester get scorched play after play, game after game last year. How is it possible that we all see this but the Redskins do not.
There was nothing wrong with the special teams tonight. Returns were good, punts were good, coverage was mostly good. The only problem with teams tonight was the oline couldn't block for them.
The defense looked pretty decent early on. Just like they did in a lot of games last year. If you can't block, you can't consistently sustain drives, and if you can't do that the defense will wear down.
Play calling? Felt a lot like last year didn't it? Some stupid gadgets in the flats and some good runs, but couldn't make plays work down field and rarely called them. Blame KS and JG all you want, but the situation hasn't changed. They were/are very limited in what they can do b/c they know their line can't protect. The only thing I blame Gruden on in the game tonight was he should have just kept running the ball play after play until Houston stopped them, which they never did.
RG3? Ok looked a little jittery back there, but holy shit can you blame him? He knows what's coming: a beat down from JJ Watt. Watt is a stud, but it's going to be coming every week because most teams have at least one guy that can have their way with Polumbus or Chester whenever they want. RG3 is very close to becoming permanently damaged goods at this point. Most of you guys have been around long enough to remember the poundings Patrick Ramsey and Jason Campbell took behind similarly crappy olines. Both QBs showed a lot of potential early on and became damaged goods behind shitty olines. Just like what's happening to RG3. Again, how is it possible that we all see this year after year, and the Redskins do not?
How in the world have the Redskins allowed this to happen yet again? I had high hopes that Gruden would be different, but so far he looks to be going down the same exact road.
If this is going to be the game plan for the rest of the season, it's going to be a long season. This oline isn't going to suddenly figure out how to block. If I'm in charge, I would have to really give serious thought to Putting in Moses and Long now. They won't be as good at run blocking, and they will blow assignments for sure, but they really can't be worse than Chester an Polumbus at protecting the QB. Also, an I know this will be looked at as crazy talk by many, I would give serious consideration to making the change at QB. I'm not arguing that Cousins is better than RG3, though I have a feeling he might be. I would just do it until the oline gels enough to be able to provide some sort of consistent protection. If the Redskins keep playing RG3 behind this line, his career could be over by the end of the season, if not sooner.
The most frustrating part about this is the irony. What was the one constant with the Redskins when they were winning superbowls? The oline of course. Different QBs came and went, the defense was kind of up and down, but the Redskins always had a tremendous line in those days.
Jay Gruden needs to make a decision right now. Is he in this for the long haul, or is he just trying to win games now? I sincerely hope he is brave enough to rip off the band aid, and make the difficult decisions that need to be made to finally turn this team around for the long haul. Otherwise he's just going to be another failed coach in DC.
This is not a new problem. We all knew this last year. Most of us knew deep down we were going to have the same problem this year. How the Redskins don't know this year after year is absolutely mind boggling to me. We watched Polumbus and Chester get scorched play after play, game after game last year. How is it possible that we all see this but the Redskins do not.
There was nothing wrong with the special teams tonight. Returns were good, punts were good, coverage was mostly good. The only problem with teams tonight was the oline couldn't block for them.
The defense looked pretty decent early on. Just like they did in a lot of games last year. If you can't block, you can't consistently sustain drives, and if you can't do that the defense will wear down.
Play calling? Felt a lot like last year didn't it? Some stupid gadgets in the flats and some good runs, but couldn't make plays work down field and rarely called them. Blame KS and JG all you want, but the situation hasn't changed. They were/are very limited in what they can do b/c they know their line can't protect. The only thing I blame Gruden on in the game tonight was he should have just kept running the ball play after play until Houston stopped them, which they never did.
RG3? Ok looked a little jittery back there, but holy shit can you blame him? He knows what's coming: a beat down from JJ Watt. Watt is a stud, but it's going to be coming every week because most teams have at least one guy that can have their way with Polumbus or Chester whenever they want. RG3 is very close to becoming permanently damaged goods at this point. Most of you guys have been around long enough to remember the poundings Patrick Ramsey and Jason Campbell took behind similarly crappy olines. Both QBs showed a lot of potential early on and became damaged goods behind shitty olines. Just like what's happening to RG3. Again, how is it possible that we all see this year after year, and the Redskins do not?
How in the world have the Redskins allowed this to happen yet again? I had high hopes that Gruden would be different, but so far he looks to be going down the same exact road.
If this is going to be the game plan for the rest of the season, it's going to be a long season. This oline isn't going to suddenly figure out how to block. If I'm in charge, I would have to really give serious thought to Putting in Moses and Long now. They won't be as good at run blocking, and they will blow assignments for sure, but they really can't be worse than Chester an Polumbus at protecting the QB. Also, an I know this will be looked at as crazy talk by many, I would give serious consideration to making the change at QB. I'm not arguing that Cousins is better than RG3, though I have a feeling he might be. I would just do it until the oline gels enough to be able to provide some sort of consistent protection. If the Redskins keep playing RG3 behind this line, his career could be over by the end of the season, if not sooner.
The most frustrating part about this is the irony. What was the one constant with the Redskins when they were winning superbowls? The oline of course. Different QBs came and went, the defense was kind of up and down, but the Redskins always had a tremendous line in those days.
Jay Gruden needs to make a decision right now. Is he in this for the long haul, or is he just trying to win games now? I sincerely hope he is brave enough to rip off the band aid, and make the difficult decisions that need to be made to finally turn this team around for the long haul. Otherwise he's just going to be another failed coach in DC.