 }})
The Gruden Files - Year Two
- Thread starter Om
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2009
- Messages
- 55,807
- Reaction score
- 17,399
- Points
- 2,743
- Location
- Greensboro, NC
- Military Branch
- Alma Mater
The way coaches handle themselves and the team makes a difference. Since we are where we are right now, I think it's safe to assume Gruden's style is working. Obviously he's not going to be judged by one season, either last year's or this year's. But if Gruden is a bad coach or a bad guy, the players certainly seem unaware of it. Time will tell whether Gruden is future HOFer, a one year wonder, or (most likely) somewhere in between on the coaching spectrum.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
McD5
The All-Time Great
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2010
- Messages
- 15,112
- Reaction score
- 132
- Points
- 393
- Location
- Clearwater/Tampa
- Alma Mater
He's no wuss. We heard how crazy he went in the locker room at halftime of the Tampa game. He'll raise hell if someone is slacking.
I think treating the 53rd guy as super important is the opposite of favoritism. It makes everyone feel important to the team's success. No one wants to work for an ass.
MikeSr619
The Cheerleader
I agree with that. I was just showing the other side of things and that its not really that telling of what "makes someone great" just because they had a little fun during a winning streak.
TomE
The Pro Bowler
You're right I remember those reports too, don't recall who they were and don't know if they're currently on this roster.
MikeSr619
The Cheerleader
me either...And I don't want to become "that guy" either. I am VERY happy we are in the place to have some fun and joke about people's kids being born. Much better than having a "who do we pick with the #1?" thread going and flaming everyone from the waterboy to the owner.
HAIL!!
At some point, winning consistently will over come our natural tendencies to point out the other side of the coin. After all, we're far more used to that side. 
Eventually we'll all just be able to enjoy the moments without the, yeah but's. I still go there first, but am trying to break myself of the habit and just focus on the now and believe that what I'm seeing is the truth of things, and not just some cruel joke to come tumbling down.
Eventually we'll all just be able to enjoy the moments without the, yeah but's. I still go there first, but am trying to break myself of the habit and just focus on the now and believe that what I'm seeing is the truth of things, and not just some cruel joke to come tumbling down.
Oh don't get me wrong. I'm much more thrilled that we are in the playoffs and won the division than I am worried about the running game.
Success first, perfection later is totally fine with me.
Success first, perfection later is totally fine with me.
Though with the some of the athleticism on the right side of the line, maybe some Counter Trey could make a resurgence.
McD5
The All-Time Great
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2010
- Messages
- 15,112
- Reaction score
- 132
- Points
- 393
- Location
- Clearwater/Tampa
- Alma Mater
A pretty good article on Gruden's mistakes in year 1, the changes he wanted to make (QB coach) and how he uses his sense of humor to make every player on the team feel important. This author has to be a member here.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...1e5-9388-466021d971de_story.html?tid=sm_tw_ps
https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...1e5-9388-466021d971de_story.html?tid=sm_tw_ps
Last edited:
Ax
Guest
One of the most beneficial qualities a person can have is self awareness, and the ability to be honest with themselves, about themselves. Many think they have it. But damn few actually do.
This line...
"He looked at this sour version of himself — green, overwhelmed, downtrodden — and knew he had to change".
...encompasses just about every negative assertion that any poster here had to say about his performance last year. And gives much weight to the validity of them.
That he recognized it himself, and has gone about the task to correct them is encouraging, and commendable. We can only hope that he fully succeeds. But it certainly makes it easier to stomach the growing process, while he continues to do so.
Sack The Pack!!!
This line...
"He looked at this sour version of himself — green, overwhelmed, downtrodden — and knew he had to change".
...encompasses just about every negative assertion that any poster here had to say about his performance last year. And gives much weight to the validity of them.
That he recognized it himself, and has gone about the task to correct them is encouraging, and commendable. We can only hope that he fully succeeds. But it certainly makes it easier to stomach the growing process, while he continues to do so.
Sack The Pack!!!
Bulldog
The Legend
Part of Gruden's slow start as HC you can put at the feet of Bruce Allen.
As the GM Allen kept the majority of Shanahan's assistants in place and Gruden had to work with them despite limited demonstrated success in 2013.
When you replace the Head Coach you need to clean house on the assistants unless you are talking about an internal candidate getting the top job or a HC coming onto a team with recent championship experience.
Here that was not the case.
The defense was atrocious for years and Jim Haslett was able to put the blame on everyone else and save himself.
His decisions on schemes and personnel groupings was disastrous.
He went to bat repeatedly for Brian Orakpo, whose contract hamstrung the Redskins in making other moves to improve the overall defense.
Meanwhile, Orakpo proved over time to be a 'solid' OLB in the 3-4 but not an elite performer that deserved franchise money.
Why he couldn't see that is beyond me.
On offense, we kept Chris Foerster and other coaches despite the fact Gruden was making a pretty significant scheme change.
The fact these assistants were already under contract for 2014 no doubt played some role in the decision-making, which to my way of thinking was penny wise and pound foolish.
A $2B franchise being held back by $10M in coaches contracts?
You can see in 2015 we have some better talent at certain spots on defense and on the OL, but the coaches are scheming the players according to their strengths not according to their pre-conceived notions of what they should be able to do
As the GM Allen kept the majority of Shanahan's assistants in place and Gruden had to work with them despite limited demonstrated success in 2013.
When you replace the Head Coach you need to clean house on the assistants unless you are talking about an internal candidate getting the top job or a HC coming onto a team with recent championship experience.
Here that was not the case.
The defense was atrocious for years and Jim Haslett was able to put the blame on everyone else and save himself.
His decisions on schemes and personnel groupings was disastrous.
He went to bat repeatedly for Brian Orakpo, whose contract hamstrung the Redskins in making other moves to improve the overall defense.
Meanwhile, Orakpo proved over time to be a 'solid' OLB in the 3-4 but not an elite performer that deserved franchise money.
Why he couldn't see that is beyond me.
On offense, we kept Chris Foerster and other coaches despite the fact Gruden was making a pretty significant scheme change.
The fact these assistants were already under contract for 2014 no doubt played some role in the decision-making, which to my way of thinking was penny wise and pound foolish.
A $2B franchise being held back by $10M in coaches contracts?
You can see in 2015 we have some better talent at certain spots on defense and on the OL, but the coaches are scheming the players according to their strengths not according to their pre-conceived notions of what they should be able to do
Bulldog
The Legend
One thing I do know.
Winning teams and players get invited to do more charity events and have a LOT more pull in the community to get on media and ask for contributions to special causes.
Look at all the money Darrell Green's and Joe Gibbs' foundations were able to raise.
Winning teams and players get invited to do more charity events and have a LOT more pull in the community to get on media and ask for contributions to special causes.
Look at all the money Darrell Green's and Joe Gibbs' foundations were able to raise.
Ax
Guest
So, final grade for the season? A solid C+
Now, before anyone accuses me of being too harsh, remember that I'm one who gave him an F- for last year. So a C+ is a really, really big improvement. It's what I reasonably expected last season. Next year I expect at least a B. Which would, again, be progress. Though I don't think expecting an A is unreasonable, at all.
I'd say his biggest bugaboo is struggling to put together good game plans against top defenses. And a continuing failure to make in-game adjustments. He's a really bad counter-puncher.
I'm also not sure he'd even know how to utilize a Jim Brown, if we had one. His poor development/use of a running game is quite disappointing.
But, all in all, a good, slightly above average year. With plenty of room to grow. Optimism is high.
Now, before anyone accuses me of being too harsh, remember that I'm one who gave him an F- for last year. So a C+ is a really, really big improvement. It's what I reasonably expected last season. Next year I expect at least a B. Which would, again, be progress. Though I don't think expecting an A is unreasonable, at all.
I'd say his biggest bugaboo is struggling to put together good game plans against top defenses. And a continuing failure to make in-game adjustments. He's a really bad counter-puncher.
I'm also not sure he'd even know how to utilize a Jim Brown, if we had one. His poor development/use of a running game is quite disappointing.
But, all in all, a good, slightly above average year. With plenty of room to grow. Optimism is high.
Goaldeje
The Legend
Yeah. On the other side of the ball, the game turned during the drive when they got the two penalties on us for substitutions. That sequence seemed to awaken Rodgers and remind the whole team that they are a really good football team. Maybe on the next drive the would have woke up anyway, but that drive turned the game, imo.
Disappointing, but about what you would expect from a young team. I anticipate a few changes on the coaching staff, but nothing major. If Gruden can make the same progress from year 2 to year 3 that he did last year, we'll be in good shape. He certainly seemed to learn not to throw his players under the bus this year, so hopefully he can discover a running game and how to make adjustment this off season.
If he does, this team is going places.
If he doesn't, his teams will continue to lose playoff games, and someone else will come in and take the team to the top.
He improved well and I'm mover all pleased with the direction he went. I think his two biggest issues may be the Barry hire and getting the running game established, though both are so mired in injury I'm just not sure. Barry's habit of slipping into a soft Defense is not something I want to watch. Rodgers was looking pedestrian under pressure and we just stopped. The Oline is a mess. The pocket was in a state of collapse all year, only just slow enough against lower tier defenses to give Kirk time to get rid of the ball. Still a lot of work to be done, but the arrow is trending up. Fix the lines first Mr. McL I is still a 3 year rebuild to where I expect annual competitiveness. Next year will be the toughest as we'll face a tougher schedule and not be hugely improved yet.
Ax
Guest
The defense got no help from our offense yesterday. They started out great, and the offense didn't cash in. Then when GB got things going, the offense kept giving the ball back to them, never giving the D time to catch their breath.
I still maintain, that start to finish, with less talent, and more injuries, the defense outperformed the offense in 2015.
We need 2 starters at DE that scare somebody.
I still maintain, that start to finish, with less talent, and more injuries, the defense outperformed the offense in 2015.
We need 2 starters at DE that scare somebody.
Goaldeje
The Legend
I think the D played alright this year, but Stevenaa is also correct. Barry sees the pressure working, then backs off for some unknown reason.
I am REALLY worried about Kerrigan. He was invisible yesterday, as he has been for long swaths of the season. Hoping he will bounce bag big time next year and combine with Smith to wreck backfields. But you're correct Ax, we need DLinemen.
Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 1, Members: 0, Guests: 1)
You haven't joined any rooms.