As the last six weeks of NFL football have passed by, we have watched a very promising season for the Washington Redskins pass right on by along with it.
After putting together one of the NFL's best rushing teams, the NFL's best team in regards to turnovers, a quarterback with a rating over 95, and a defense in NFL's top five, the Redskins have absolutely imploded.
Sure there have been injuries, but they had injuries last season as well and still finished strong. Sure, there is the whole "defenses have caught up to Zorn" thing. Jim Zorn is the Redskins rookie head coach, rookie play caller, and aside from the title, he's the head man on offense.
There were harbingers of this collapse of course. Everyone saw it coming. Some of us hoped that "the corner" they would turn was the one towards the road upward rather than the one downward.
The offense's scoring was lacking significantly even when they were dominating every other phase of the game. And offense is certainly the root of their problem now. But what exactly is THE issue with the offense?
Is it quarterback Jason Campbell? Maybe. But he has thrown the ball well and handled heavy pressure pretty well. He has thrown the ball to his "play makers" at wide receiver.
Santana Moss is supposed to be the "go-to" guy. The guy your quarterback can just throw it up there and finds a way to come up with the catch. Well, it hasn't worked out that way.
Moss has largely disappeared from the offense over the last five to seven weeks. Where did he go? He suffered a minor hamstring pull against the Detroit Lions and hasn't been the same since.
How about the guy who was the league's leading rusher only two weeks ago? Clinton Portis had carried the ball more often through 11 games than any other back in the NFL, and at five yards per carry, he was easily the best back in the league. But the pounding, not just from carrying the ball, but also from how physically he plays the game without the ball in his hands, have taken it's toll. Portis hasn't practiced more than parts of the Friday "walk through" in over a month.
Speaking of missing practice, the Redskins have had as many as 13 starters sit out practice during the week recently. That number included three offensive linemen, two running backs, a starting wide receiver, two starting defensive tackles, the starting middle linebacker, a starting safety and a starting corner back. Maybe that had something to do with the problems?
Maybe not. What stands out the most is this: the Redskins starting offensive line entered the NFL as one of the most experienced and they have become simply one of the NFL's OLDEST.
In a matter of only a couple of weeks, the long and physically taxing season of NFL football rendered the Redskins' offensive line just plain old. At least three of the five starters have looked slow off the ball, slow to adjust, slow with their feet, and most disturbing of all, just plain TIRED.
The Redskins' offense hasn't played with "energy" in six weeks. With the offensive line not opening spaces for Clinton Portis to run through, defenses have done things the easy way, attack the line of scrimmage on every down, and, if it's a run, make the tackle, and if not, hit Campbell.
The problem is that this simple game plan has been too easily carried out.
23 comments Last one added 6 months ago — Leave a Comment
Eric Moon 6 months ago
Well you nailed one of the areas that needs to be addressed in the off season, another problem even though the defense has played well is someone who can rush the passer and put fear into the opponent. We need a #1 reciever, and finally our kickers are terrible.
Great job as usual Craig
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Craig Garrison Sr 6 months ago
Thanks Eric, I agree with your other points of need too. Even ONE good one on one pass rusher would improve this defense enormously, agreed. The offensive line is obvious to me, and the kicking game has been a problem for so long I almost expect it to suck anymore.
I think Suisham CAN be a good kicker, he needs to learn from how his play has gone down hill as the season has progressed, and focus on that in the off-season and maybe he can take a big step forward. Plack, well, I dunno. He looks really good at times, but others it's terrible.
Thanks again Eric and ya never know, they might still pull it off, they've done it before when EVERYONE thought they were down and out.
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Mark Steven 6 months ago
The drums are definitely starting to beat about the disastrous OL situation. My hope is they beat loud enough they can penetrate even the plugged ears in the FO.
Personally I extend it to the DL as well. Washington has simply dropped the ball on stocking their roster with young big men who can actually play. The lines--both sides--have been stocked with older FA's and young late-round draft picks who at best turn out to be adequate (Montgomery, Golston, Heyer). Which means when the older FA's hit the wall, as just about every single one has at the same time, there are no young up-and-comers ready to step in.
Add to that they don't have a QB who can make things happen on his own when the protection inevitabely breaks down in front of him, and you have a recipe for ... well, exactly what we've been seeing the past few weeks.
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Craig Garrison Sr 6 months ago
You got it Mark. I am not as concerned about the D-Line as I am the O-Line, if only because the reality is that if the offense could hold up it's end of the bargain here, the defense wouldn't be worried about a team running it down our throats to end a game.
I also think it's key to remember that during the last four weeks, either Golston or Montgomery have been out of the line up. Montgomery's first miss was the Cowboys game(after getting hurt against Pittsburgh and not finishing that game), and then Golston got hurt in the first quarter of his first game back. So the rotation has been screwed, and it has shown in the fourth quarter in each game. Obviously, just ONE stud pass rusher would make a huge difference for the defense, but with such a good back-end, I don't feel as much urgency for the D-Line as I do for the O-Line.
And it is amazing how the O-Line got old all at once. We all knew it was coming, but I really didn't think it would happen all at the same time. How much bad luck with such things can one franchise have(I understand very much that team's very much make their own luck, but not all of it).
Thanks for the thoughts Mark!
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CJ Hardman 6 months ago
I entirely agree with Mark about the QB situation. Jason Campbell seems like a really nice guy - very pleasant to have around, well liked, kind, well mannered etc etc - but not someone who is going to lead a team to a tough, hard fought victory. Everything he does is mechanical and ponderous. You can almost see the cogs in his brain going chink, chink as he tries to progress each play. Inevitably things break down because of the OL and his receivers not being open and all of a sudden Jason looks terrified, like a deer in the headlights scrambling before getting hit. It's painful to watch.
Why not give Todd C or Colt a try - what's to lose? Andy Reid sat Donovan McNabb out a couple of weeks ago and he's kicking butt again now. At least that way we can all know if the QB is merely the victim of the OL's shortcomings or is in fact part of the problem. If you fix one side of this, then the other might feed off the new found confidence and who knows good things might happen? At least for a while?
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Craig Garrison Sr 6 months ago
I hear your point CJ(nice name BTW, my son shares it!) but the fact is that JC is still only in this offense for the first year and it's OBVIOUS that there are OTHER issues that are effecting this offense. If it looked like there was only a slight problem with O-Line, and that was it, then give Brennan a shot(don't see Collins doing any better than JC, guys too stationary), but that just isn't the case.
Keep in mind that while JC's decision making has looked slow, he IS learning a new offense, and so are ALL of the players around him. We know for sure that the WRs have been screwing up their routes too, so is it any wonder that JC does trust what he sees?
I think if you boil it down, JC doesn't trust anybody around him right now, and that's as big an issue as any.
Thanks for the input CJ!
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Dan Boone 6 months ago
The Skin's line has run out of steam. Those tackles were very good a few years back but now age and injuries have taken their toll.
Campbell seems to mechanical but they only way to see if he will progress is to let him play. Brennan not going to bring a lot to the table at this point.
The only positive for the Skins is that the rest of the NFC East, save the Giants, have O lines in decline also. The Eagles tackles are about done. The over paid Cowboy O line is underachieving and aging.
The Giants and Titans have the best records and maybe the best O Lines in the league. The Rams, Raiders, Lions, Bengals, and Chiefs have the worst lines in the league and the worst records. The Raider O line is a horror show.
The Skins should use the old Bill Walsh method and stockpile draft picks at one position next year. Instead of trying to trade up and grab the big name left OT they should trade down in the draft and buy big lineman in bulk. And add some lower tier, young free agents....
It takes a awhile to retool the O line, might as well let them develop as a group...and I'd ditch most of the old guys on the line. It's going to take a while to catch the G Men...
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Craig Garrison Sr 6 months ago
I agree with your thoughts Dan. It is time to attack the linemen issue aggressively, and they should try to trade down with the first pick and try to get more second and thirds to really stock up on linemen.
The Giants to a great extent made my point from last week. Against the Skins, the Giants' WRs made some great catches(not taking away from Eli, he made some great throws too) while they were very well covered most of the day. But against the Eagles, Eli's WRs let him down, they didn't "make plays" (which is another major problem for the Skins) and they lost the game. That game wasn't on Eli, he made several "stick" throws, they just didn't catch it.
If any team's play makers don't make the plays that are there, they're gonna lose. Skins fans can attest to that emphatically.
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chad riley 6 months ago
To look at the bright side if things continue this way we'll have a crack at some new Hogs early in the 1ST RD. Nice Job Craig! HTTR!
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Craig Garrison Sr 6 months ago
Thanks Chad, the bright side huh?
LOL!!!
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abes mamille 6 months ago
The redskins are a work in progress, theres nothing wrong with them really, at the beggining of the season they overachieve, these franchise has a great future ahead
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Craig Garrison Sr 6 months ago
I agree that hey are a work in progress, as is Zorn as a head coach, but I don't agree with "theres nothing wrong with them really", the offensive line is due for a major overhaul. And with the moves they had to make today, it may be starting RIGHT NOW.
Thanks Abes!
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Travis Evans 6 months ago
why must we beat this again and again. It all starts with the Qb you can have a really bad line if so then you find a way. You run a new offense you do what is most comfortable for the qb. I just don't see Jc staying inmusc longer. I am from Carolina and you gota love that run game we need a good back up with speed to spell Portis. Vick any one.
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Craig Garrison Sr 6 months ago
Sorry Travis, but you couldn't be more wrong. One question for ya: What happened to Colt Brennan in the last college game he played in and why?
Then, after you answer that, explain how it will be any different now, in the NFL.
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Dakota smith 6 months ago
Random thought:
Has anyone noticed that when Jim Zorn needs to make a big decision in a game, he normally takes a timeout?? Personally, I think he's a little in over his head right now. I dont think he has that gut instinct yet, to do a play that he has confidence in. A great coach needs that instinct. Anyway Zorn is one and done? Dunno. He just seems very overwhelmed during the game, and then during the press conference, trying to figure out every little problem that happened. Just a thought.
Oh yeah Craig, nice job.
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Craig Garrison Sr 6 months ago
Yeah, there are some things like you mention Dakota that Zorn needs to improve on, but that's what good head coaches do, they learn. I do think Zorn has found himself in some situations where things got by him, but when you watch the rest of the NFL, there isn't a whole lot different out there on the whole.
Zorn is learning, and I think he has the capability of being a very good coach, but we'll never know if Snyder listens to all the overreaction of the fans and media and dumps him.
Zorn will go back to Seattle, and turn them into the next NFC representative for the Super Bowl, and we'll be stuck with God knows who. We, as fans have been bitching that Snyder keeps trying to get things done "right now", with free agents rather than draft picks, "build through the draft", "stop looking for the quick fixes", and then, here we are, NOT doing the "quick fix" thing, and everyone wants to react to the rough part with another "quick fix". It just doesn't make sense to me.
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Dakota smith 6 months ago
Think Cowher would be a quick fix? You know Danny boy has got him on speed dial.
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Craig Garrison Sr 6 months ago
But that's kinda my point Dakota, it's only been one year(and not even that yet), there is no way to tell whether or not Zorn will become a great head coach.
And Cower, to me, is just as much an unknown as Zorn is because he only coached ONE team. He's not Parcells, Belichick or even Holmgren, guys who have coached multiple teams into being good, and therefore have proven themselves to just plain be good coaches.
Zorn deserves no less than two more years IMO. Give the guy a chance to set the entire off-season schedule, be a major part of the roster changes to be made, and plan and set forth another mini-camp schedule, training camp, and let him spend time this off-season studying what went wrong this year, so he fix it for the REDSKINS, not some other team.
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Dakota smith 6 months ago
Joe gibbs didnt have a winning record his first year. He broke 8-8 but not a winning record. 8-8 is looking like a reality for us this year... Just a thought.
Another thing about Cowher. He's gonna want to run the show if he were to come here. Right now Danny and Vinny run all of the draft stuff and decisions about players. I want a coach who picks our players!!!! Im so done with Vinny Cerato. Sorry for that rant. Yeah I hope Danny gives Zorn a second year. Zorn is under paid(for a head coach) and he has a clause in his deal that says Danny can cut that string any second. So who knows. I think his job lies in his last three games.
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chad riley 6 months ago
Craig I'm gonna answer that question for Travis. Colt had his a## pounded into the superdome turf! The O-line was unable to stop Georgia's pass rush and as much as I hate to say it, UH was totally over matched on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Which brings us to bright side for the Skins! LOL!!!
HAIL MY BRETHREN!
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Travis Evans 6 months ago
Read the New Brennan article I wrote it explains why he did so bad. I also have used all you Jc lovers to support brennans case so please read.
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Josh Hall 6 months ago
This was a team with reasonably low expectations that overachieved for the first half of the season. As long as we could run the ball, we were fine, because JC was not having to deal with too much pass rush. Opposing teams no longer fear our run, because they are mauling our o-line. JC gets killed every time he drops back, and he starts throwing picks. Our reserves at o-line are not helping either. It killed me watching Terrell Suggs blow by our backup center, who was playing left tackle since there was no one else to put in. Putting in Brennan now is only going to make him lose all confidence. We just have to gut it out, because we should win this week vs Cincy and the last week vs the 49ers. If we can squeeze out a home win against the Eagles, 10-6 could get in. Run Clinton run!!!!
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Dakota smith 6 months ago
Terrel Suggs even ran by Chris Samuels. An injured Chris Samuels.. but it shows how old our line is.
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