Redskins' offence back to square one: 'We're starting a whole new year'
4 hours ago
ASHBURN, Va. - Joe Gibbs is starting over in the middle of the season - for the second year in a row.
Wednesday was shake-up day for the languid Washington Redskins offence, ranked 28th in the league and ineffective on all fronts. The personnel was the same, but the practice was more physical and the emphasis renewed on streamlining the attack back into the traditional Gibbs mold.
"We're starting a whole new year today offensively," quarterback Jason Campbell said. "We've put everything behind us in the past, and we're starting from scratch again."
The catalyst was Sunday's 52-7 beating by the New England Patriots. On Monday, a group of 10 or so team leaders known as "The Committee" met with Gibbs, then the entire offence had its own players-only gathering.
"We've all decided enough's enough," right tackle Todd Wade said. "The defence has done well this year. It's time for everybody to come together and focus on doing their job. ... We're going to back to the basics on everything."
Meanwhile, the coaches' meetings this week focused on an offence that is averaging three yards per carry over the past five games, that has yet to surpass 250 yards passing this season, that has scored more than 21 points only once. It's an attack that has looked like an awkward Gibbs-Saunders hybrid since Al Saunders, mammoth playbook in tow, was hired to run the offence last year.
"We have more volume than we've had in the past," longtime Gibbs assistant Joe Bugel said. "And now we're trying to break it now into what's best for us. That's the bottom line."
In other words, look for an even bigger Gibbs footprint: Run first, take shots upfield and count on the defense to lead.
If all this sounds familiar, it is. With six games to play last season, Gibbs ordered a team-wide rededication to "Redskins football" - emphasizing running the ball, stopping the run and holding more physical practices. The offence started to run the ball effectively, but the defence collapsed in the 2-4 finish to a 5-11 season.
This year's mid-season wake-up call is offence-only; the defence had been playing well until the loss to the Patriots. Receiver Antwaan Randle El was one of the leaders of the players' meeting, along with kick returner Rock Cartwright, left tackle Chris Samuels, Campbell and others.
"We told each other we've got to hold each other accountable," Cartwright said. "Regardless of what play's called, we've got to run that play to the best of our ability. And if you don't like the play call, so what? You've got 10 other guys depending on you."
The offence has problems all over. The line lost right tackle Jon Jansen and right guard Randy Thomas to early season injuries. There's no reliable No. 3 receiver behind Santana Moss and Randle El, and Moss hasn't been himself since hurting his groin a month ago. Clinton Portis is mired in the worst slump of his career, and the explanation that he's yet to get to full strength following an off-season knee injury is starting to wear thin. Campbell has promise but is still raw, as evidenced by his three lost fumbles at New England.
The weak running game is particularly embarrassing for Gibbs and his brain trust of experienced assistants.
"That's not us. We didn't come back to put up with that kind of stuff," Bugel said. "We'll solve the problem. We need co-operation from everybody, and the guys who don't want to co-operate won't play. It's real simple. We're going to do it this way or Trailway. Make up your mind."
Gibbs said there was no plan to replace Portis with Ladell Betts, who played so well in Portis' absence last season. Instead, the practices will reflect the run-first commitment.
"Generally over a period of time, if you work hard on the running game, it'll pay off," Gibbs said. "If you can run it, draw people to the line of scrimmage, you can pass it. They go hand in hand."
The Redskins were quick to point out that last year's change of attitude came after the season was already lost. This year's team is 4-3 going into this weekend's game against the New York Jets.
"It's not time to surrender," Wade said. "We have a lot of games left, and we can really make something great out of it."
Coincidentally, a load of black T-shirts arrived Wednesday with burgundy and gold lettering that read: "When you are winning, fight like you are losing." Cartwright ordered them back when the main concern was blown second-half leads, but the players were eagerly putting on the shirts and soaking up the message.
"That got here at the perfect time," Cartwright said.
Notes:In case anyone was wondering, Gibbs still lives in a cocoon during football season. When someone wished him a "Happy Halloween" on Wednesday, the coach wrinkled his forehead and said, "When is that? Tomorrow?" ... TE Todd Yoder (ankle) was the only player limited in practice.
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5j_FzPus5SwhRIDlNHAkQN746FHqw
ey broke some TE record. So the year after that he hires Saunders?
