What Are We Learning About Griffin?

[Bulldog]

Not to worry about him. Griffin can be on the cover of SI and receive national hype for a week and then go out today and keep the Redskins in this game.

Meanwhile, what we have learned about the rest of the team?

There is still a streak of the frontrunner about some players on this team. They came out today and looked as if they expected to coast to an easy victory.

The defense allowed a Rams' offense with limited talent to look like the Green Bay Packers.

And the special teams units continue to be a disaster.

For those still hoping, the Redskins are not going to merely 'turn it on' on special teams and remedy their punt protection and other issues.

The STs here seem disorganized and players don't know their assignments.

That's coaching.

Smith needs to go.

Sorry, to those who support him. The Redskins need to get ST fixed.

This is still a rebuilding season to get to respectability, so it's the perfect opportunity to starting making changes there.

You can't keep spotting teams 7 points a week on special teams and hope to win.

Again, don't worry about Griffin. Worry about the consistent effort and professionalism of the other players on this team, outside of Fletcher and a few others.

A lot of younger guys here read their press clippings from last week and didn't come into STL with their game face on.

This loss should not have happened and would not have if the Redskins had come in sober and played a solid all around game.

 

[Bulldog]

Still doesn't explain why when the Rams are starting 2 backups on the OL, the Redskins decide NOT to test them by rushing Bradford. Instead they sat back in soft zone and let him deliver the ball in rhythm.

On ST, Smith would have been gone under Allen or Gibbs I. The continued patience shown for units that couldn't block kicks and then punts over the past 2 years.

 

[McD5]

Agreed BT. After the very first play of the game, it looked like our secondary thought the Rams were just going to give up.

I'm not sure if the lack of motivation there should be blamed on Raheem or Haslett. But it wasn't NFL caliber.

 

[Chaos744]

I'll admit, back to back weeks with a blocked punt does indicate an error in scheme / assignments. But I don't know if I'm going to be part of the "fire Danny Smith" party.

I'm new here - so please don't nuke me in place.

 

[redskins76]

if aldrick catches that deep ball , its a different story ,also got his jersey pulled on the catch !

 

[Boone]

No one's going to nuke you brother. You're with me in not believing Smith should be run out of town on a rail - but no one's going to light you up here.

I don't know that Smith deserves to be our ST coach. That's not the same thing is blaming him personally for every blown assignment. Ultimately - he's responsible and I think we all get that. But the players on the field on those blown plays certainly have some ownership for terrible play as well.

 

[Ax]

Danny Smith's "Swiss Cheese Blocking Scheme" is just misunderstood.

I say, fire the SOB!!!

And if they don't do that, then lets...


lets...


lets...


Nuke the new guy!!!!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!

 

[Miles Monroe]

I'll admit, back to back weeks with a blocked punt does indicate an error in scheme / assignments. But I don't know if I'm going to be part of the "fire Danny Smith" party.

I'm new here - so please don't nuke me in place.

LOL

Welcome aboard. We only use the microwave for popcorn around here.

 

[Elephant]

I'll admit, back to back weeks with a blocked punt does indicate an error in scheme / assignments. But I don't know if I'm going to be part of the "fire Danny Smith" party.

I'm new here - so please don't nuke me in place.

Welcome aboard Chaos!


I think what this game showed about Griff is that he got caught up in the emotion of the game a little and made some rookie mistakes. That is not meant as a pejorative either. He still made some great plays, but a couple of times he let the dirty play of the Rams' defense get the better of him.

 

[Reic]

For myself, I am learning that RGIII absolutely without a doubt has what it takes to be an elite QB in this league for many many years. For the first time ever I know our offense can keep us in a game, but today I dreaded the defense going out there

 

[Lanky Livingston]

I'm finally with Ryman on the fire Haslett bandwagon. The dude is TERRIBLE. No excuse for letting them put up 31 points before switching to man-to-man. No excuse!

 

[McD5]

I'm finally with Ryman on the fire Haslett bandwagon. The dude is TERRIBLE. No excuse for letting them put up 31 points before switching to man-to-man. No excuse!

He really did look like a deer in headlights on the sideline today.

Like a dog watching a television set.

 

[GSF]

The Redskins got outcoached today plain and simple. On offense, they were not commited enough to the run. The Rams run defense stinks, but their pass rush is pretty good, and we came out throwing. i don't know who makes these decisions, but it just seems like KS wants to get too cute sometimes. Morris was having some nice success, but we didn't run it enough early.

On defense, all i can say is what the hell was Haslett thinking? Dude looked totally lost on the sideline. Where was the aggressive, scab oline confusing blitzing defense we all expected in this game. I understand Rak was out, but we should have gone after Bradford, and our safeties really look lost in zone.

Special team...I really don't have to say anything there do I?

Most importantly though regarding the coaches, they got outgamed by Fisher. When it became apparent that the refs were clueless, and the Rams were going to try to get us rattled, the Skins staff should have prepared the players for it. Fisher's defenses have been doing this for years amd Finnegan is the master of it.

I really think the bulk of the blame for this loss goes to the coaches.

 

[Ax]

Another thing we learned about Robert?

Without him, we'd have been blown out. 45+, to 0.

 

[Goaldeje]

The thing I am learning is that this season is going to be fun. Because of him. I know I should be wallowing after a loss like that, but I still can't stop grinning. Goddamn! Did you guys watch him yesterday? Un-effing-believable for a rookie.

This kid is for real. Give him a couple more weeks to get his teammates to understand they CAN win with him, and I think we will look vastly different pretty soon. Come on, his teammates are used to Rex, McNabb, Campbell, etc. This guy is a winner.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

The thing I am learning is that this season is going to be fun. Because of him. I know I should be wallowing after a loss like that, but I still can't stop grinning. Goddamn! Did you guys watch him yesterday? Un-effing-believable for a rookie.

This kid is for real. Give him a couple more weeks to get his teammates to understand they CAN win with him, and I think we will look vastly different pretty soon. Come on, his teammates are used to Rex, McNabb, Campbell, etc. This guy is a winner.

Yeah, I just hope he doesn't get murdered behind that POS OL we've patched together from the junk heap. Ugh.

Never thought I'd be longing for the days of Stephon Heyer, but damn...Polumbus and Williams were AWFUL out there. Just plain awful.

 

[Goaldeje]

Williams has bad days every now and again. I'm willing to bet he looks like an all-pro next week. He was embarassed out there, and won't let that stand. polumbus I'm concerned about. Not great, to put it nicely.

But Griff was making 'em look silly out there. Better days are ahead, folks. Better days are most definitively ahead.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Impressive postgame presser from Mr. Griffin. You're right about that, this kid is for real.

http://www.csnwashington.com/video#

 

[Ax]

Yeah, Griffin is playing like no rookie I can remember. He seems as mentally tough as a 10 year vet. Add in his physical ability, and the sky's the limit.

If he's gonna repeat Sammy Baugh's rookie year, (Championship )they just might have to let him play some corner, and, make him the punter too. That way, The Danny Smith Swiss Cheese Blocking Scheme can let a guy come free. Griffin could still make a play.

 

[Boone]

Gotta love Griffin's demeanor. You can't teach that - it's the product of being raised right and having some character. I am still pissed about what we saw yesterday, but hearing him take ownership (even when he shouldn't have to) and seeing the loss clearly bothers him at a gut level, provides a little solace.