Skins/lions

[clevalley]

I did as well. I was laughing the whole game...almost rooting for them to lose it, almost.

When Lions were in 3rd and long I would sit there and say "go ahead and give them the 1st down D, I have faith you can do this!"

 

[Beta84]

I'm not a Skins fan so I don't know the full story. Is Snyder the GM, or do you have some sort of puppet GM that does what Snyder says? Who was responsible for hiring Zorn as the head coach? Was that Snyder or the GM? Have you guys swapped GMs at all lately?

I see all the fingers pointing at Snyder, but I know Detroit was always pointing the finger at their GM, Millen, til they FINALLY ditched him this past season. Just curious how this all works with the Skins organization.

 

[Penn]

Redskins Players/Jim Zorn Have Opposing Views...

Redskins players, Jim Zorn see opposite views of team in turmoil - USATODAY.com

On the day after the Washington Redskins infamously became the team that broke the Detroit Lions' losing streak, veterans spent 45 minutes or so in the locker room expressing big picture concerns — attitude, approach, overconfidence, unity, identity — stuff that goes beyond executing the Xs and Os in a game plan.



This is not going to go away, anytime soon.

 

[Sesche]

The.problem.is.Snyder.

My thoughts exactly. He needs to hire a GM and let go of some aspects (if not ALL) of the team. He needs someone who knows a thing or two about football. I'd love for him to sell the team to someone with heart and who wants to get the Skins back on the road to the team they USED to be, instead of this horrid mess of over paid cry babies that we have now. 100 Million to Haynesworth for what?? He does nothing but fall down, go boom, get hurt, and then come back in the game to fall down and get hurt yet again. We need to get FRESH players from the draft instead of picking up these old has-beens, a GM to make SMART decisions for our team, a head coach with brass balls and the ability to empower and motivate players while making SMART play calls, and if we ever are lucky enough, a new owner.

 

[Beta84]

My thoughts exactly. He needs to hire a GM and let go of some aspects (if not ALL) of the team. He needs someone who knows a thing or two about football. I'd love for him to sell the team to someone with heart and who wants to get the Skins back on the road to the team they USED to be, instead of this horrid mess of over paid cry babies that we have now. 100 Million to Haynesworth for what?? He does nothing but fall down, go boom, get hurt, and then come back in the game to fall down and get hurt yet again. We need to get FRESH players from the draft instead of picking up these old has-beens, a GM to make SMART decisions for our team, a head coach with brass balls and the ability to empower and motivate players while making SMART play calls, and if we ever are lucky enough, a new owner.

To be fair to Snyder, Haynesworth was being offered similar money by numerous teams. This wasn't one of his typical "throw extra money so they'll come" routines. This time others were actually in the same neighborhood. Doesn't excuse the other overpaid players though!

 

[BuddyLee]

Good read.

Jim Zorn probably cannot win. He is a second-year coach whose team is dead last in the division. He has an offense that can’t score, and a defense that can’t stop anyone. He has a fan base that is turning against him, and there are fears his team might follow.

And while he is to blame, it is not all his fault.

Zorn was brought in to be the offensive coordinator following the retirement of Joe Gibbs. An unusual move given a head coach had not been hired. When Dan Snyder could find no takers for the vacancy, the job was given to Zorn.

But in addition to the added responsibility of ensuring success, Zorn was given few of the things new head coaches normally receive. Instead, he faced the challenge of trying to win with an organization that was built by his predecessor.

For starters, his coaching staff was mostly in place. Most new coaches remake the staff in their own image. Zorn was not fully allowed to do this. Zorn’s contribution to the coaching staff consisted of bringing in Sherman Smith to replace himself in the job of offensive coordinator, and then Stump Mitchell as running backs coach. He also added Chris Meidt as offensive assistant. Defensively, the team brought in John Palermo to coach the defensive line. Everyone else was already on staff.

Zorn had to become the leader of coaches who predated him, who already had relationships with the owner and players, and some of whom wear Super Bowl rings. Guys like Offensive Line Coach Joe Bugel, who has been coaching since 1964, and in his second stint with the Redskins since 2004. Bugel has been a head coach in the NFL twice, and has two championship rings from his first stint with the Redskins. Defensive Coordinator Greg Blache has coached since 1968, and been with Washington since 2004. Blache has been a coordinator in Washington and Chicago.

Probably a little daunting to a first year, first time, NFL head coach.
Then there was the personnel. Many new head coaches get a new quarterback, ala Baltimore and Atlanta last year, and Detroit and New York Jets this. But Zorn did not have this luxury. Instead he had to play the hand he was dealt in Jason Campbell. Campbell was then a fourth year player getting set to learn his third NFL offense. And Campbell was not the only carry-over.

Of the 53 players that took the field Zorn’s first year, almost three-fourths were holdovers from Gibbs. Zorn inherited all of the starting offensive skill position players, the offensive line, and a defense that retained every starter except one.

But most of all, he inherited an organization that believed they were just a few missing pieces away from greatness. After all, Gibbs had taken this same team to the playoffs twice.

But Gibbs and Cerrato did not construct the team to play the west coast offense. Gibbs’ philosophy was predicated on a smash-mouth, run-first mentality that hopefully set up play-action and big throws downfield. Not the throw-first, quick-tempo brand of offense that is the west coast.

Campbell has struggled with the quick read-and-react style of play, despite having more talent in the receiving corps. And the offensive line lately has been ineffective in zone-blocking. Worse, the line is now aged and cannot blow people off the ball.

So what can Zorn do to turn it around? Probably nothing.

Zorn lacks the experience and clout to fix what ails the Redskins. He was brought in to tweak the offense of a near-contender to perform at a level that would carry them beyond the first round of the playoffs.

He failed.

After jumping out to a better than expected 6-2 record last season, the offense went into a slump that continues today. The Redskins have been woeful in the red zone, which has placed them near the bottom of the league in scoring. The team struggled to beat a woeful St. Louis squad in a game bracketed by losses to a good Giants unit and mediocre Detroit team.

The performances have fans furious, and more and more they are looking at Zorn as the target of their ire. Rightfully so. He runs the offense, and he is the coach. It is his responsibility to produce wins.

But what is becoming apparent is that the team is farther away than expected and will need to rebuild. Just as obvious is that Zorn will not be here when it happens.

The next coach deserves the opportunity to succeed. This means bringing in his coaching staff, and turning over a significant portion of the personnel. Ideally, he will have a new general manager to oversee operations, and if Snyder is smart this will happen.

The next guy should get to shape the team in his image, not be the caretaker of a team built by his predecessor.

The next guy needs to tear down the house that Joe built.

The house that Joe built | Warpath Confidential