season over-- time to ditch brunell

[ii7-V7]

Also, why is our fixiation the playoffs? I mean, the Rams made the playoffs last year, and they were terrible. What needs to be the focus of the season is getting to a point where we are a solid team all around---I mean, fumbles, turnovers, poor pass coverage, giving up leads at the end of games--these are things good teams don't do.

Having said all that, I'm still not that bummed about the Skins as a whole. I know that there are people here that expect the Skins to make the Super Bowl every year, but you have to build a Super Bowl team (hell, you normally have to build a playoff team). As far as the building process, I think things are moving in a better direction--Snyder has learned to be more judicious with his money, the offense has at least at times managed to come together, etc...But, our holes are very clear:

1) Revamp the D-line: Cornelius is great, but we need more speed of the edge, and a little more bulk in the middle.

2) Address the 2nd corner spot--I don't really count this one, b/c I think carlos rogers will be just fine, but if we're going into next year with walt harris, we're in trouble...

3) Tinker with the O-line--Something is just not right...we can't handle edge rushers, and seem sluggish on running plays to the edge (by the way, you want Portis to return to Broncos form? Stop running him between the tackles every play; the last two games have been better, but I think the o line may be a limitation in this regard)

4) Upgrade at QB-listen, Mark Brunell has played better and it's pretty impressive to see the turnaround from last year, but honestly, if we want to compete, we're going to need more at QB than what we're getting. Again, I'm not that worried about this one, b/c I think Campbell is going to be great. While I don't know if it's time to start him, if we drop another 2 games early, I'd like to see him through the end of the season ...hell, even Charlie Frye got some reps today....

5) Playcalling on both sides of the ball--ok, before everyone starts screaming that familiar mantra of "trust the coaches," I just think there needs to be more diversity on both sides...you can't just throw go routes to taylor jacobs, or hooks to santana moss every play...on D, it would be nice to see some of those exotic blitzes and zones we hear so much about...those may come with more talent at the d line and secondary, but I'm just saying, we could use it....

Welcome to the board! I'm pretty much in agreement with everything that you just said except for bullet #4. I think that Brunell is doing as well as he can possibly do with the tools that he has been given. There aren't that many Carson Palmers in the league. Brunell is playing exceedingly well, though today he looked pretty poor.

Chad

[skinpride1]

I can't believe all you guys have the words, "skins," and ,"pride," and, "dominate," in your handles! This is the best our team has looked since 2001! I'm upset about losing too, but 5-5 is better than we have been at this point in the season since Martyball!

We have been a horrible team since 1999. I'm just happy to have a chance, no matter how slim, this late in the season.

You guys are pathetic!

No personal attacks allowed Chad.What is the big deal about wanting to express our opinions and say that we are just a "medicore" team this year.I get tired of everyone thinking no one has the right to say that the team "sucks"!!!Year, after year it's the same results 5/10,6/10 and this year probably 8/8 and thats if we are lucky.We are a better team than in 2001 but we are still "medicore" and thats not going to get us to the playoffs.The last seven games we have went 2/5 and if thats o.k. with you than thats fine but it's not o.k. with me.It's going to take alot of rebuilding in the offseason,I just get tired of wondering is this "going to be the year" that we start winning again.

[Chris Luva Luva]

Chris! I was like Chris?! I posted in this thread?.....

[skinpride1]

Sorry Chris. I got the wrong guy.I fixed it.I'm so frustrated right now.I just hate the same scenario all the time.

[redskingush]

I can't believe all you guys have the words, "skins," and ,"pride," and, "dominate," in your handles! This is the best our team has looked since 2001! I'm upset about losing too, but 5-5 is better than we have been at this point in the season since Martyball!

We have been a horrible team since 1999. I'm just happy to have a chance, no matter how slim, this late in the season.

You guys are pathetic!

Lately, the only thing pathetic here at thehogs.net is the team weve been talkng about.

[skinsfano28]

im with chad--this year has been a great year, and even though we are only .500 that still says a lot about how far we've come. playoffs this year are still a possibility, but look at how much we can build off this season. you can't change overnight, everyone knows that. as someone said earlier, we have 6 days to change this, and i KNOW that joe will do his magic.

[tcwest10]

We all certainly hope so. Everybody does. What you're seeing here is a bunch of guys who are worried that a very negative trend towards the acceptance of losing is taking hold on our team.
Like I (and you, and others, I'm sure) have said...there's nothing wrong here that a nice little win streak won't fix.

[Jake]

I'm at my deepest point of depression of the season but to say the season is over is just ridiculous.

We have 6 more games to play. Let's take it one week at a time instead of jumping ahead to the offseason.

The season isn't over folks.

[gus]

[1niksder]

I'm at my deepest point of depression of the season but to say the season is over is just ridiculous.

We have 6 more games to play. Let's take it one week at a time instead of jumping ahead to the offseason.

The season isn't over folks.

Finally

[tcwest10]

I'm at my deepest point of depression of the season but to say the season is over is just ridiculous.

We have 6 more games to play. Let's take it one week at a time instead of jumping ahead to the offseason.

The season isn't over folks.

No, it's not. There are too many things that can still happen. I will say it doesn't look good, and that we've definitely made it harder than it had to be...but I don't hear any Fat Lady singing yet.
She's warming up, though.

[Mursilis]

im with chad--this year has been a great year, and even though we are only .500 that still says a lot about how far we've come.

That statement shows just how far this team has sunk in the past 5-6 years. How can 'great year' and '.500' even be in the same sentence? We're beginning to sound like Cardinal fans!!

playoffs this year are still a possibility, but look at how much we can build off this season.

Maybe, but that works both ways - the Jets and the Rams certainly aren't building off last year's playoff seasons.

you can't change overnight, everyone knows that. as someone said earlier, we have 6 days to change this, an i KNOW that joe will do his magic.

If Joe's got magic, now's the time. This 2-5 trend isn't the right direction.

[gilbertarenas]

Although the Redskins should have won this game, the Raiders are not that bad of team, their record is only so bad because they play in a highly competive division. They showed that they had a solid defense and their offense has the big play capability to win games. The Patriots only beat them Obviously, the Redskins need to focus to come out of this period. Hopefully, enough bashing will whip them into shape and make them concentrate.

I believe a few players were feeling too good about themselves, particularly Clinton Portis and the offensive line. They failed to realize that the Raiders have some talent on defense as well, particularily Sapp and Burgess (formerly from the eagles, I wonder if they miss him). The Redskins are not good enough to play only 1 quarter in a football game, they have to play well for 4 quarters to win.

As for Brunell, he did not play great, particularily due to pressure or lack of protection. I'm a little confused where the redskins protection scheme broke down, but it has been an area of concern. Still, big time quarterbacks make big plays week after week, not a few times a season, they still need to produce more yards. To put this in perspective, the Eagles found a way to put into the endzone two times against a highly touted Giants defense, without their starting qb (McNabb) and their two best receivers (Owens and Pinkston). Completing 14 of 32 is unacceptable, where the routes are not that complicated where around 60% of the plays should be completed to prevent 3rd down situations. I'm also doubting on Brunells lack of mobility since this is cited as the reason for him being in instead of Ramsey. So something is wrong with Gibbs system which does not maximize Brunell's abilities or it is Brunell who lacks them and a change needs to be made if the Redskins find themselves officially eliminated from the playoffs, either in the QB or the system itself.

The lack of wr is definetely hurting the Redskins. It will need to be addressed either in this offseason or the next as a quality 2nd wide receiver may be needed, particularily if Moss cannot beat double coverage week after week. Remember, Roy Williams is not always going to be getting burned .

I hope the best for Brunell but as the window for playoffs closes, his chances of maintaining a starting job shrink. Finishing as a .500 team, while seen as an improvement, is still seen as a failure for this franchise.

[sch1977]

After we lose to San Diego next week, then i think we may need to start campbell. Start getting him some expericance so we can go on to another decade or so of losing.

You are a REAL fan!

[die cowboys die]

im with chad--this year has been a great year, and even though we are only .500 that still says a lot about how far we've come.

That statement shows just how far this team has sunk in the past 5-6 years. How can 'great year' and '.500' even be in the same sentence? We're beginning to sound like Cardinal fans!!

amen!!! those of us who rage and moan about how we suck do so BECAUSE we have pride in the 'skins and can't accept mediocrity. if you want to keep the faith and think we're great, go ahead, i'm happy for you seriously. but i can't ever think that .500 is a positive thing. we haven't come ANYwhere with .500.

we were .500 FIVE YEARS AGO, we've been trying to get PAST that ever since. until we do, no, we have not improved at all.

[spenser]

After we lose to San Diego next week, then i think we may need to start campbell. Start getting him some expericance so we can go on to another decade or so of losing.

You are a REAL fan!

facetious \fuh-SEE-shuhs\, adjective:
1. Given to jesting; playfully jocular.
2. Amusing; intended to be humorous; not serious.

[ii7-V7]

im with chad--this year has been a great year, and even though we are only .500 that still says a lot about how far we've come.

That statement shows just how far this team has sunk in the past 5-6 years. How can 'great year' and '.500' even be in the same sentence? We're beginning to sound like Cardinal fans!!

amen!!! those of us who rage and moan about how we suck do so BECAUSE we have pride in the 'skins and can't accept mediocrity. if you want to keep the faith and think we're great, go ahead, i'm happy for you seriously. but i can't ever think that .500 is a positive thing. we haven't come ANYwhere with .500.

we were .500 FIVE YEARS AGO, we've been trying to get PAST that ever since. until we do, no, we have not improved at all.

Thats ridiculous! I could just as easily say that we were superbowl winners 12 years ago, and until we repeat that we haven't done anything.

Chad

[sch1977]

After we lose to San Diego next week, then i think we may need to start campbell. Start getting him some expericance so we can go on to another decade or so of losing.

You are a REAL fan!

facetious \fuh-SEE-shuhs\, adjective:
1. Given to jesting; playfully jocular.
2. Amusing; intended to be humorous; not serious.

I gotcha!

[Walton 40]

A month or so again I posted a ? about Brunell being the answer and I got flamed big time.

Yes I still think Brunell stinks and does not give the Skins the best chance to win.

However, I think the Skins should play Brunell until they are mathmatically elimenated from the playoffs then they can play Campbell to give him some experience.

Start the season with Campbell, Trade Ramsey in the offseason for at least a #3 pick ( Dolphins wanted him for a #1 earlier), keep Brunell for a backup and pick up a 3rd stringer.

That way the skins can focus on more of their needs, mainly O and D line and another big time receiver to go with Moss.

Hail

[die cowboys die]

im with chad--this year has been a great year, and even though we are only .500 that still says a lot about how far we've come.

That statement shows just how far this team has sunk in the past 5-6 years. How can 'great year' and '.500' even be in the same sentence? We're beginning to sound like Cardinal fans!!

amen!!! those of us who rage and moan about how we suck do so BECAUSE we have pride in the 'skins and can't accept mediocrity. if you want to keep the faith and think we're great, go ahead, i'm happy for you seriously. but i can't ever think that .500 is a positive thing. we haven't come ANYwhere with .500.

we were .500 FIVE YEARS AGO, we've been trying to get PAST that ever since. until we do, no, we have not improved at all.

Thats ridiculous! I could just as easily say that we were superbowl winners 12 years ago, and until we repeat that we haven't done anything.

Chad

that makes little sense to me. since our last superbowl, our record has gone up and down by a pretty widge margin, back and forth several times. there is not a single player on the team from our last superbowl, probably hardly any even left in the league!

the past 5 years, however, have been one continuous thread. we were a little bit above 500 under Norv in 2000. we jettisoned him (rightfully) in an effort to push the team to the next level. it backfired bigtime, and we've been mired in misery and loseriness for 5 years. until we get back above .500, not only have we not improved AT ALL, we have not even gotten back to where we started.

8-8 would NOT be an improvement for the redskins. the sequence goes like this:

in an effort to improve on 7-6 in 2000, we fired turner. we ended up 8-8.

schittenheimer was an attempt to improve on 8-8, which failed.

spurrier was an attempt to improve on 8-8, which failed even more miserably. just because he went 7-9 and 5-11 doesn't mean that suddenly became the measuring stick. it's all still about 2000. we have to get back to that and improve PAST that before we can say we've we're not just spinning our wheels in the mud, finally out of this rut.

[spenser]

After we lose to San Diego next week, then i think we may need to start campbell. Start getting him some expericance so we can go on to another decade or so of losing.

You are a REAL fan!

facetious \fuh-SEE-shuhs\, adjective:
1. Given to jesting; playfully jocular.
2. Amusing; intended to be humorous; not serious.

I gotcha!

! Im not a pessimistic hater like some people on this board. But i am pretty pissed about the last 2 losses. Love your Avatar by the way, Hilarious!

[REDEEMEDSKIN]

...but i can't ever think that .500 is a positive thing.

Nope. Not at all. Especially with SIX FLIPPIN' GAMES TO PLAY. I think it's be better if we were 3-7, than to be 5-5 at this point. Man, we suck.

we were .500 FIVE YEARS AGO, we've been trying to get PAST that ever since. until we do, no, we have not improved at all.

We were .500 at season's end. We're not at the end yet, and there are six games to go. Wait a little bit longer before you go into full whining mode. Thanks.

[SkinsLaVar]

Go Cardinals!


yeh woohoo