Step 1 of the Experiment Is a Success

[Bulldog]

Shaking off some early rust, I think Rex Grossman showed against Dallas that he can in fact execute Kyle Shanahan's system at a credible level in the NFL.

That to me was Step 1 in what is likely to be the 'plan' moving forward.

The coaches had to see if Grossman could take what he has learned the past 2 years and apply it in live action.

Now that he has I see the probability that Rex if the next two weeks are similarly successful will have the chance to come back in 2011 as the primary backup and mentor to a TBD franchise quarterback the Redskins will be in the market for in next April's draft.

John Beck may nor may not have a role to play in the final two weeks, but less likely now that Grossman did not crash and burn in his first start in 2 years.

Make no mistake Grossman did not have a perfect afternoon. But he moved the Redskins down the field for 4 scores against a solid NFL defense. And he did it while being sacked 5 times and hit another 7-8 times just as McNabb has been.

The Redskins scored 30 points for the first time this season and to me the most impressive part of the offensive performance today was that NONE of the Redskins points were attributable to defense or special teams.

There was no Brandon Banks scoring on a kick or punt.

There was no DeAngelo Hall INT return for a TD.

There was no fumble recovery and return.

The Redskins offense carried their own weight today and it has been a LONG time since we could say that about this team.

If anything, this game probably swung on the accumulated injuries the defense suffered after the first quarter when Orakpo, Daniels and Reed Doughty disappeared from the field not to return.

And the Redskins tackles and running backs still need to improve in pass protection 50% to even make the grade as 'average' NFL performers.

But those are things that won't be fixed in the final 3 weeks of 2010.

Again, it's a start in the right direction.

 

[Boone]

Amen. I said it in another thread, but if Grossman plays anything like he did today in the final two games, I suspect he'll be the starting placeholder QB while we do as you suggested we'd do, groom the successor we'll draft in this year's NFL draft.

 

[Skinsfan76]

I think Shanahan wanted to see if Rex could be the starting QB for the first six or seven weeks of the 2011 season. We will draft a QB in the draft and we will see how fast he develops.

 

[Burgundy Burner]

So now we can plainly that the Shanahans know how to coach. Well duh.

Before the season began, Boone and I were the only ones (at BGO) who were comfortable with RG as the backup. Today, he made Boone look like the genius he is and made me look a tad smarter.

Great points Twin. Today, the rebuilding process finally took a step forward and certainly in the right direction. Some of the quotes from Rex's teammates are noteworthy considering how angry some of them were this week.

I still hate losing to that other team, but this is the first time I can ever recall feeling good about it.

 

[fansince62]

Amen. I said it in another thread, but if Grossman plays anything like he did today in the final two games, I suspect he'll be the starting placeholder QB while we do as you suggested we'd do, groom the successor we'll draft in this year's NFL draft.

that's exactly what will happen. Grossman also demonstrated his limitations yesterday: turnover prone, a weak long ball and limited mobility. I think what we saw was either an ability or a willingness to work a wider set of the capabilities of this scheme than McNabb could or would. but Grossman himself will also still limit the offense. Shanahan needs to work his magic and find the right QB. I'm thinking they already have someone in mind. per other posts...I think this will slow down the transition of the defense.....but getting the right QB sets the stage for eveything else.

let's not forget...while defense and special teams were horrible....we lost by 3 points. how many points did the Pies score off Rex turnovers?

 

[fansince62]

So now we can plainly that the Shanahans know how to coach. Well duh.

Before the season began, Boone and I were the only ones (at BGO) who were comfortable with RG as the backup. Today, he made Boone look like the genius he is and made me look a tad smarter.

Great points Twin. Today, the rebuilding process finally took a step forward and certainly in the right direction. Some of the quotes from Rex's teammates are noteworthy considering how angry some of them were this week.

I still hate losing to that other team, but this is the first time I can ever recall feeling good about it.

so you're happy with the decisions he made vis the defense and giving up prime draft picks for DM?

 

[stevenaa]

I think too much is being made about the draft picks because of past failures with this organization. I'm willing to give them a pass on that IF, and it's a big IF, they don't go down the old FA road again. McNabb wasn't a typical signing that was looked at sideways by everyone because of the deal made. If he proved to be more than just a shadow of his former self, it would have been fine. Even though I didn't like the signing and didn't think he had the right skill set for this Offense, I didn't think he'd suck as bad as he has.

 

[Bulldog]

the point is that Grossman (ie another quarterback) CAN run this system effectively and score points with Moss, Armstrong, Cooley and Torain on the field.

the problem to a significant degree WAS McNabb and the baggage he carried with him.

he didn't like the scheme and wanted the Redskins to tailor things to the way he had them done in Philly for 11 years and refused to change.

Jenkins' article drew the right conclusion - McNabb's performance in the offense didn't improve over 13 games because he wasn't committed 100% to adapting himself to it.

Again, no one thinks Grossman is the 'answer' at quarterback and the Redskins can sign him for the next 5 years and move on to fixing other areas of the team.

BUT, a guy who can throw 4 touchdown passes after not being on the field for almost 2 years DOES look like a player I would like to have back as a primary backup and mentor to a younger franchise passer acquired in the draft.

 

[fansince62]

the point is that Grossman (ie another quarterback) CAN run this system effectively and score points with Moss, Armstrong, Cooley and Torain on the field.

the problem to a significant degree WAS McNabb and the baggage he carried with him.

he didn't like the scheme and wanted the Redskins to tailor things to the way he had them done in Philly for 11 years and refused to change.

Jenkins' article drew the right conclusion - McNabb's performance in the offense didn't improve over 13 games because he wasn't committed 100% to adapting himself to it.

Again, no one thinks Grossman is the 'answer' at quarterback and the Redskins can sign him for the next 5 years and move on to fixing other areas of the team.

BUT, a guy who can throw 4 touchdown passes after not being on the field for almost 2 years DOES look like a player I would like to have back as a primary backup and mentor to a younger franchise passer acquired in the draft.

BT...I get what you are saying. but you are skipping the point that he threw those TDs against a bad defense.....especially the secondary. careful what lessons you draw out of this. my take is that what got validated yesterday was the scheme. no doubt McNabb didn't fit...though as I passed to Ax...McNabb's performance against Houston was every bit as good as what Grossman did yesterday.

If finding a caretaker is what this is all about while we groom his successor slected in next year's draft...I'm all for that. But Shanahan isn't showing his cards and he mishandled the whole evolution.

 

[fansince62]

one game..against a team we know and play twice a year. he threw 2 picks that resulted in TDs.

hats off for throwing 4 TDs but there is no way in heck i am sold on grossman as anything else but a fluke.

UNLEASH THE DRAGON!!

lmao!........

 

[Sarge]

If by seeing Grossman run the actual plays of the offense we think stage one is complete, then I can see that.

But I'm with Mike, it's Rex Grossman.

We've had mediocre play from McNabb most of the year. I'm afraid we're only going to see another shade of mediocre from Grossman

It's awesome he finally got the offense to click, but he's a turnover machine and yesterday showed no indication that he has changed the ways that got him canned in Chicago

 

[bird_1972]

Amen. I said it in another thread, but if Grossman plays anything like he did today in the final two games, I suspect he'll be the starting placeholder QB while we do as you suggested we'd do, groom the successor we'll draft in this year's NFL draft.

The problem is that the only real starting QB out of this years' draft appears to be Luck and we aren't in a position to draft him.

We also can't forget all the needs we have in the interior O Line, WR, NT, OLB ...

 

[Ax]

no doubt McNabb didn't fit...though as I passed to Ax...McNabb's performance against Houston was every bit as good as what Grossman did yesterday.

And, it could be argued, that Houston's defense is even worse than the Cowboys.

 

[Ax]

its rex freaking grossman!! does anyone remember how inconsistent he was in Chicago?

I feel like Im taking crazy pills.

Doug Williams, if memory serves me, had horrible career numbers, before one quarter, in one game, cemented his place in Redskin, and NFL, history.

When we signed Williams, there weren't places like this around, but I clearly remember almost everyone I knew saying "It's Doug Freakin Williams!!. Doesn't anyone remember how bad he's sucked with Tampa Bay?"

Not saying this will work out the same. just that, ones past doesn't always turn out to be their future, as well.

 

[Yusuf06]

its rex freaking grossman!! does anyone remember how inconsistent he was in Chicago?

I feel like Im taking crazy pills.

For Pete's sake Mike, you're not crazy, whether pill induced or otherwise. Rather, you're just so far from the actual point that you're having problems figuring out how to get back from neverneverland.

You seem to be laboring under the mistaken premise that Shanahan and the folks here think that Grossman is now our QB of the future. Uhhh, no. I doubt anyone here or at Redskins Park sees him as anything more than the QB of the immediate future. Big difference.

Your comment does come close to the point though, because in fact we are talking about Rex freaking Grossman here!! If Rex freaking Grossman can have decent success sustaining offense and scoring points, what would a halfway decent QB be able to do in this offense? The idea was to figure out whether the problem with the offense lay in McNabb, our bad offensive line, or the scheme itself. I think the answers to those questions are pretty well clarified at this point. Ultimately, that was the point, not to somehow name Grossman the savior of the team.

 

[Neophyte]

its rex freaking grossman!! does anyone remember how inconsistent he was in Chicago?

I feel like Im taking crazy pills.

Kyle Orton wasn't much better (and often worse) while he was in Chicago. Now look at him. All he has done this year in Denver is through for the 5th best yardage in the league while posting 20 TDs vs 9 INTs.

Who is to say that Rexy might not go through a similar renaissance here?

 

[Bulldog]

I think the picture that is emerging is one where the coaching staff did not properly evaluate Donovan McNabb but went off his resume in making the deal and figured that #5 would adapt to the offense here and make a commitment to change to make it successful.

The other half of the picture is a 34 year old quarterback who is set in his ways, doesn't accept coaching in re any fundamentals or technique and wants the system to revolve around the 'pet' plays that Reid ran for him in Philly.

The resistance to any change on the part of McNabb is one of the biggest reasons the Redskins offense didn't improve from the beginning of the season.

He looked no more comfortable over 60 minutes against the Eagles or Giants than he did in earlier games against the Rams or Lions.

Once it became apparent that McNabb and the offense were in a holding pattern Shanahan (Sr.) had to take action to break the log-jam.

There was no way the team could go into 2011 with a quarterback that was treating his time here as a first step into retirement with pay.

Again, I think McNabb will be in the NFL for another couple of years. But he is no longer an elite player. He is in that 18-25 range of starting quarterbacks, and you aren't going to contend consistently with that type of player.

Ditto for Rex. Rex is not going to ascend to be a top 10-12 quarterback. But because he has been a backup for the past couple of years I think he is more realistic about what to expect at age 30 in the NFL.

McNabb is still looking at himself as the irreplaceable element, which he WAS for the Eagles 3 or 4 years ago.

But I think last year showed the Eagles that Donovan was on the decline and his decreased mobility made him into a pocket passer whose strong suit was never accuracy.

 

[fansince62]

Who is to say that Rexy might not go through a similar renaissance here?

watching his passing mechanics.....kinda provides a good inkling.....

 

[Neophyte]

uhh...the broncos are a good team? heck, grossman is putting up numbers that could rival that with time but he is still losing too.

I didn't say Denver was a good team, Mike, but Orton is putting up what might be Pro Bowl numbers if he were not in the AFC with Brady, Manning, Rivers and Schaub.

 

[Neophyte]

watching his passing mechanics.....kinda provides a good inkling.....

Again, not talking about Rex being the man for the next 5-10 years but if he can play well enough, long enough for a young guy to catch on...