UK Skins Fan wrote:Too stubborn, too conservative, out of touch with the modern game?
I'll admit, I was thinking those thoughts, and I even said as much here. That 2-6 stretch really got me wondering if Gibbs still had it in him to keep up with today's game. I just wasn't seeing the offensive innovation and adjustments which got him into the HoF in the first place. But yesterday, I saw something which really got me thinking the old Joe was back. Remember the first time the 'skins had a first down at the Cowboy 1-yrd line, and tried to pound it in up the gut out of a two-TE, two-back set? It was plain as day what they were trying to do, and they lost yards both plays. I was screaming at the TV saying Joe, you're just too obvious!! Finally, on third down Brunell rolled out and found
ey in the end zone.
Then the next drive, Moss makes that diving catch at the 1, and the skins again line up in the same goal-line set on first down. I'm thinking they're going to run up the gut again - it's just so obvious - and they're going to get stuffed, just like last time. Instead, Brunell goes with play-action, and Sellers fakes a block and swings around the right into the endzone, where he catches a quick toss from Brunell - TD!! I just had to smile! That's the Gibbs I remember; a guy who was constantly tweaking the play-calling based on what he was seeing on the field. It was a beautiful thing.
