WPC: Blood in the water

[Pappas]

http://www.warpathconfidential.com/?p=1262

Blood in the water

By John Pappas
Warpath Confidential Editor

The Washington Redskins are 3-7 over their last 10 games. They have managed just one offensive touchdown since the season began. The team manufactured three field goals only against one of the worst teams in the NFL. And in the second year of his tenure as head coach, it can be argued that Jim Zorn’s team is actually worse than when he began.

All of this has people wondering if time is getting short for Zorn.

As the game unfolded Sunday, there seemed to be a collective, silent groan in the press box at FedEx Field. In the second year in Zorn’s offense, the spectacle of the Redskins’ inability to score against one of the worst teams in the league was a little difficult to witness.

Following a less-than-impressive offensive effort in New York in week one, it was expected Washington would make an example of the Rams. Instead, the Redskins barely scraped out a win with just nine points. Washington was able to move the ball against St. Louis, much like they did at times against New York. But they could not get touchdowns, even with four trips inside the red zone.

Click the link to read the entire article...

 

[Sarge]

Pretty much spot on. If we struggle this week, I'd venture to say the new coach search will be on. Whether it will be a public spectacle or some discreet phone calls, who's to say

 

[Neophyte]

Does anything stay discreet in our world anymore, Sarge? I am pretty sure that the very meaning of that word has been completely lost when an agent leaking supposedly private information might help a client. There is so little integrity left today.

 

[Sarge]

Does anything stay discreet in our world anymore, Sarge? I am pretty sure that the very meaning of that word has been completely lost when an agent leaking supposedly private information might help a client. There is so little integrity left today.

I hear ya. But you know who we haven't heard from, in any way, shape or form this year?

The danny

No locker room apperances

No interviews

Nothing.

For Zorn, I don't know if that's good or bad

 

[Chris]

Pretty much spot on. If we struggle this week, I'd venture to say the new coach search will be on.

I'd be very surprised if a short list wasn't put together Sunday night.

 

[Yusuf06]

I'd be very surprised if a short list wasn't put together Sunday night.

Yeah, Sunday April, 19th.

 

[Jimbo]

If we lose to the sorry Lions, Zorn had better find a way to pull a rabbit out of his a...er, hat if he has any thoughts of saving his job. Just maybe, the Lions are getting better each week but if our Defense gives up 20 points to Detroit, and we can't score 20 ourselves, Doom & Gloom will prevail for the near future. Half will call for Zorn's head immediately while the other half decides the season is over.

I hate to say it but this is ANOTHER must win game. After the Rams game, l'm just hoping to eke out another win. Anything more would make me positively giddy.

 

[Elephant]

Like I said in another thread, this game concerns me. The way the Redskins are playing/coached/managed coupled with the fact that the Lions are ripe for a win, make me really nervous going in to this Sunday!

 

[Hog Fever]

Great assessment Pappas. I think the team could lose this game against Detroit and still end up being a competitive team this season. I think the WAY we loose might be of greater importance than if we win or lose. How is that possible you say? I know I’m off in left field here but hear me out.

If the Lions end up beating us 34-31 on a last second field goal that’s a lot easier to swallow than 34-10 beat down or a 10-6 “defensive battle”. The offense must score points, period. If the offense can just get a couple of solid TDs it sets the table for the rest of the season. The pressure is off and they can just play ball.

What do I think will happen? Well, for the Lions I think the rookie is going to have some problems with our defense. I doubt the playbook for Stafford is all that complicated at this point. Simple passes and a lot of running will be the recipe they’ll try to use to win. We’ll do fine against the run. We need to be able to get pressure on the QB and to stop the big play in the passing game. If we do that I can’t see the Lions scoring more than 13 points even under the best circumstances. The question them becomes our offense.

My prediction 17-13 Skins and the natives are still restless in DC.

 

[Aston Gambino]

I hear ya. But you know who we haven't heard from, in any way, shape or form this year?

The danny

No locker room apperances

No interviews

Nothing.

For Zorn, I don't know if that's good or bad

Interesting point, you're right. Can't be good. He's usually very easy to spot during an exciting win.

 

[The Burgundy Ghost]

The Skins have already been in touch with Shanahan....we know this based on Vinny's discussions with Shanahan on picking up Anthony Aldrige.

John Gruden will be doing MNF a few times at FedEx this year, so it's pretty easy to assume that Snyder/Vinny will be speaking with Chucky at some point.

I highly doubt Zorn will be fired until late in the season if he is fired, but Coach Zorn is putting himself in very bad spots. I think prior to the start of the season, he had the fans support but the tide has radically turned.......

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Skins need to put up some serious points against the Lions, and with the regular offense, not a bunch of gadget plays and fake-field goals. And even if they do, it may be too little, too late for Zorn.

 

[Yusuf06]

I highly doubt Zorn will be fired until late in the season if he is fired, but Coach Zorn is putting himself in very bad spots. I think prior to the start of the season, he had the fans support but the tide has radically turned.......

I've written him off as our HC but I will say this. I do think after a bit more seasoning, he'll end up being a good head coach one day. I think he was just the wrong guy in the wrong place at the wrong time to succeed with us.

 

[Sarge]

The Skins have already been in touch with Shanahan....we know this based on Vinny's discussions with Shanahan on picking up Anthony Aldrige.

John Gruden will be doing MNF a few times at FedEx this year, so it's pretty easy to assume that Snyder/Vinny will be speaking with Chucky at some point.

I highly doubt Zorn will be fired until late in the season if he is fired, but Coach Zorn is putting himself in very bad spots. I think prior to the start of the season, he had the fans support but the tide has radically turned.......

Well, here's something else to think about.

Both Chucky and Shanahan run the WCO. So if we're talking to them, I would assume we are staying with some form of WCO, right? I mean, it be easiest for the team to pick up afer Zorn is sent packing. Make sense eh?

Or are the Skins going to convert to a power team under Cowher? Although I think Cowher will end up in Carolina, if the danny gets a mancrush on Cowhers jock, the bucks will fly.

The question is, does the dany even know what he wants this team to be? Or is he going for another splashy hire?

That has been one of our base problems for ten years running

 

[Boone]

The one point Pappas misses in an otherwise great writeup is a crucial question...

What, exactly, did Snyder expect when he hired the rookiest of rookie head coaches?

What should he have expected? Hmmm. Exactly what we're seeing?

Yep.

The sad thing is, our Front Office makes a bold brash move in bringing in an unproven risky choice for head coach. That same Front Office will very likely lack the balls to sit back and give the guy a fair chance to prove whether he's got what it takes.

What's a fair chance? 3 years - minimum. If Zorn doesn't get at least that - that's just confirmation this team is led by a bunch of bozos.

 

[Bulldog]

Zorn is Dead Man Walking at this point.

He has to go out there and prove he can motivate a team to come out strong and take control of games against clubs with inferior talent.

He also has to show on offense that he is willing to adapt to the talent on hand and use players such as Davis, Kelly, Yoder, etc. more in spots on offense.

 

[Jimbo]

The one point Pappas misses in an otherwise great writeup is a crucial question...

What, exactly, did Snyder expect when he hired the rookiest of rookie head coaches?

What should he have expected? Hmmm. Exactly what we're seeing?

Yep.

The sad thing is, our Front Office makes a bold brash move in bringing in an unproven risky choice for head coach. That same Front Office will very likely lack the balls to sit back and give the guy a fair chance to prove whether he's got what it takes.

What's a fair chance? 3 years - minimum. If Zorn doesn't get at least that - that's just confirmation this team is led by a bunch of bozos.

John, I think Danny expected our offense to look a lot like Seattle's offense right off the bat. Other than their O-Line, I think most of us felt like we had more talent than they did, yet we kept losing to them. We just didn't have the "system". Zorn was supposed to provide that system. After his first year, it was decided Campbell was not the right QB for that system, hence the Cutler and Sanchez sagas.

Here's the rub: Danny would probably LIKE to give Zorn another year AND a QB capable of running that system. The problem is that Shanahan, Chucky and Holmgren are all available after THIS season. Do you gamble that you can find a QB who can run this system for Zorn or do you figure a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush and go after one of those coaches who has actually WON a Super Bowl?

This would likely be a no-win situation for Snyder but he made his bed so now he has to lie in it.

 

[Hog Fever]

The question regarding Zorn is if moving him to HC was Vinny's idea or Dan's. I guess we'll never know for sure and ultimately it's Dan's call in the end. I just wonder if this was going to be Vinny's signature move or Dan's.

 

[Boone]

I don't disagree with anything being said (although Jimbo, that would be good rationale to hire an OC, not a head coach) - but none of that changes the patently ridiculous stance of handing over the key's to the franchise to a total newb, then standing aghast, ready to pull the plug when *gasp*, he looks like a newb out there.

I think Zorn's a smart guy, and truth be told, I like him. I think he can be a good (maybe better than good) coach if given time to learn. What I cannot make sense of is, why you hire the guy (hell, not just hire, but recruit and elevate beyond rationale judgement) knowing he'll be a project, then expect him not to be a project?

It's insanity.

I'd like to think all the 'Zorn's job is on the line' stuff is media hyperventilating, but my gut and the temperature in DC currently tells me otherwise.

 

[Bulldog]

Zorn looks lost in his post-game conferences and in his spots with Jurgensen and on WTEM.

Each week the same old litany with the same response from Zorn about watching the film before making comments.

That's fine where somebody is criticizing the play of a particular player or decision made in a critical situation on the field.

But watching 100 hours of game film is not going to help answer the question of why the #2 WR on this team gets 1 catch for 6 yards in the opener while 25 passes go to ARE, Cooley and Sellers.

It also doesn't explain why Fred Davis is never used near the goal line as a receiver.

Zorn has to CHANGE his paradigm and take more chances, throwing in with his players, to be more successful.

Certainly, Parcells in Miami and Singletary in San Francisco seem to get more out of more limited rosters.

And that can only serve to make Zorn's position all the more precarious.