I Do Not Blame Jim Zorn For The Redskins End Of Season Collapse

Dakota smith — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 08:42:59 -0500

Okay, before people start going crazy (all those Zorn haters), the loss to the Bengals may have been Jim Zorn's fault.

This is also true for the Ravens loss and the Giants loss. The coach’s job is to win games. And Zorn has been doing anything but.

I guess I am looking at this as an overview of the Redskins past, has it been 11 years. Wow. Yes the past 11 years. More importantly, since Joe Gibbs (the first go-around), our team hasn't had that consistency a real NFL team has. I guess the closest to consistency we've had has been Joe Gibbs (the return trip).

If a coach like Joe Gibbs can't take the team deep into the playoffs, then I don't know what coach can. So what's the difference between Joe Gibbs No. 1 and Joe Gibbs No. 2? Sure 27 years and many amazing players, but my point is, Dan Snyder.

Dan Snyder and Vinny Cerrato, to me at least, run this organization and they should be to blame for our dismal season. Vinny Cerrato's motto on draft day is to draft the best player. Not to draft according to the needs of the team, but to draft the best player. That worked out nicely.

I guess Vinny Cerrato is a football person and I think the GM should be a football person. Therefore, Cerrato must be an incompetent football person that lacks the knowledge to be a good GM.

Zorn has no control of the oldness of the O-Line (although they did okay vs. the Bengals), and he has no control of the rookies not playing.

Lets look at our rookies.... Devin Thomas, Fred Davis, Malcolm Kelly, Chad Rinehart, Justin Tryon, Durant Brooks, Kareem Moore, Colt Brennan, Rob Jackson, and Chris Horton.

Obviously the best pick was the last pick, Horton. Thomas and Davis had no huge contribution to the team, and Kelly was injured practically all year. Who are Chad Rinehart and Rob Jackson? Justin Tryon continuously gets beat downfield. Durant Brooks is an awful punter (maybe due to injury). Kareem Moore has had a decent season on special teams, Horton was a beast, and Colt Brennan is a great third string quarterback.

By that count, Cerrato has gone 3-for-10, at least for this season. Who knows, those three receivers might excel next year, but I am talking about this year. The obvious problem with that draft.

Look what a good football person at GM did for the Dolphins. I would write that down Danny Boy.

I just feel like Zorn doesn't have total control of this organization.

I don’t understand why a person like Dan Synder has the authority to fire/hire coaches. Sure he has many leather-bound books and his mansion smells of rich mahogany, but that doesn't mean he knows jack about football. My suggestion, fire Dan Snyder. I suppose you can't really do that. Petition...?

I say you keep Zorn, give him control in the off-season and see what adjustments he makes. If Cerrato still has control during the off-season it will be the same old 'skins.

I'm done my rant.

Jim Zorn: A Quick Tip for Success

Dakota smith — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:04:20 -0500

Jason Campbell is at his best when he throws a long pass down the field. Santana Moss is at his best when catches a 40-yard catch down the field for a touchdown. We have all figured out that Campbell has one of the biggest guns in the league, and Moss can blast by any CB around.

So why don't the Redskins throw the deep ball more—a lot more?!

There is a growing trend in the Redskins' passing game. Whenever Moss is heavily involved, the Redskins win. How simple can it be? When Moss has either a touchdown and/or 100+ yards, the Redskins have won.

Some may mention you could say this about many players on the Redskins, like Portis. This is just not true.

For example, the St. Louis Rams: Clinton Portis rushes for 129 yards and two touchdowns and Moss' 22 yards receiving=a Redskins' loss.

Unless Portis is going to rush 200 yards a game, we need our explosive receiver making plays.

One thing that makes me so furious is that we only threw the long ball once the whole game. And when we did, it hit Moss right in his hands, but he dropped it. Then, Portis runs 10 yards for the first down.

Right when we get that first down, Zorn should be saying "Moss, deep, NOW!" Even if he does drop it again (very doubtful for him to drop two consecutively), run Portis on second down to get the first down!

Okay, let's forget about Moss. Anybody for the deep ball! Thomas, Randle El, even Cooley.

Kurt Warner has attempted 87 times to throw the ball 31 yards or more downfield. Regularly, on Sundays, the Manning brothers will go out there and throw a pick or two downfield, then come back out and continue to sling it.

Every Sunday, Brett Favre throws picks on a long pass, then continues to throw the ball deep. You know what all these quarterback's teams have in common? They win.

Campbell has only attempted 24 times for 31+ downfield. He has connected 16 of these times. Call me crazy, but I would rather have Campbell have more interceptions right now, considering this would mean he would take a chance on the long ball more. Two out of three of his interceptions have come on stupid short passes. At least make them worth it.

Blame it on the O-line not giving him those five extra seconds, Campbell's inability to see the field, or Zorn's poor play calling (recently).

Whatever it is, it needs to be fixed—and fixed now—so Campbell can bomb that ball.

Bleacher Report - Articles by Dakota smith

I Do Not Blame Jim Zorn For The Redskins End Of Season Collapse

Jim Zorn: A Quick Tip for Success