Who says Gibbs doesn't know football?

[roybus14]

RiC,

With that being said, I still think that it's time for Joe to move up to the front office. With his credentials, this team should not have to rely on win streaks at the end of seasons to get into the playoffs or finish with a decent record.

Even though we are rolling right now and playoff bound, let's not forget where we were numerous weeks ago. All of that was still on his watch and were things happening that should not be happening under a HOF Coach.

I agree with others that have said that Joe is the guy to have gotten this team through what it's been though this season but there were alot of games that we left on the table. Some of it was indeed on the players but alot of it was also on the coaching as well. Don't get me wrong, I am happy as a pig in slop that we are in the playoffs but with this talent we have on this team, we should not have had the season we've had. We should actually have a bye this week. All of those teams besides NE we lost too, to quote Denny Green, "they are who we thought they were and we let'em off the hook."

[Deadskins]

RiC,

With that being said, I still think that it's time for Joe to move up to the front office. With his credentials, this team should not have to rely on win streaks at the end of seasons to get into the playoffs or finish with a decent record.

Even though we are rolling right now and playoff bound, let's not forget where we were numerous weeks ago. All of that was still on his watch and were things happening that should not be happening under a HOF Coach.

I agree with others that have said that Joe is the guy to have gotten this team through what it's been though this season but there were alot of games that we left on the table. Some of it was indeed on the players but alot of it was also on the coaching as well. Don't get me wrong, I am happy as a pig in slop that we are in the playoffs but with this talent we have on this team, we should not have had the season we've had. We should actually have a bye this week. All of those teams besides NE we lost too, to quote Denny Green, "they are who we thought they were and we let'em off the hook."

Apparently Joe can still learn a few things.

Players have made a pledge to eliminate the trend of blowing halftime leads as well, Gibbs said. "We got burned so many times," he said. The Redskins lost five games in which they led at the half -- a problem during their four-game losing streak in November -- but have outscored opponents 105-53 during the four-game winning streak and have led by an aggregate 58-6 score at halftime.

"I think our team has learned that lesson," Gibbs said of the blown leads.

In turn, Gibbs has bucked his natural tendency to drive players harder down the stretch. He has curtailed Wednesday practice in favor of a walkthrough since having to play Chicago on a Thursday night two days after Taylor's funeral, opting for more meetings and mental work.

"I definitely feel like that's something that I've changed over," Gibbs said. "I backed off some. In the past we were going to pound it until our brains fell out on the field and we've taken a little different approach. . . . But I also think this team has been one that lends itself to that because it's so conscientious and works so hard in practice."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 02140.html

[welch]

Roybus said, about Gibbs,

With his credentials, this team should not have to rely on win streaks at the end of seasons to get into the playoffs or finish with a decent record.

Every Gibbs team has relied on win streaks at the end of the year. Some ended 10-6 or 9-7, some made the playoffs and some didn't. The SB 18 team destroyed everything in its path, but seemed to wear down: they barely beat the 49ers and lost to the Raiders. The SB 26 team kept streaking. The SB 17 team got trampled by the Cowboys around Thanksgiving, but pulled together and streaked.

That's the nature of things: teams should play well at the end of the season. Teams should play well under pressure.

Considering the original talent, and then considering the injuries, I don't know why we should expect this team to make the playoffs.

But they did. Since players don't coach themselves, it probably had something to do with their coach.

[TeeterSalad]

I had my doubts about J.G. after we lost 4 straight, but I think he is where we need him now. I would like to see him finish out his contract and leave (as head coach) only when he decides to. I think if we stick with Gibbs as our coach for a few more years we will be in the Super Bowl.

[Redskin in Canada]

I agree with others that have said that Joe is the guy to have gotten this team through what it's been though this season but there were alot of games that we left on the table. Some of it was indeed on the players but alot of it was also on the coaching as well. Don't get me wrong, I am happy as a pig in slop that we are in the playoffs but with this talent we have on this team, we should not have had the season we've had. We should actually have a bye this week. All of those teams besides NE we lost too, to quote Denny Green, "they are who we thought they were and we let'em off the hook."

It has taken a LONG WHILE for the team to REALLY develop a Redskins spirit. Joe has had to dig deep and re-learn a few things.

We are back on track. The absolutely WORST thing that could happen to us now is a change. Stay the course. Give him time to WIN IT ALL AGAIN.

[Mursilis]

Roybus said, about Gibbs,

With his credentials, this team should not have to rely on win streaks at the end of seasons to get into the playoffs or finish with a decent record.

Every Gibbs team has relied on win streaks at the end of the year. Some ended 10-6 or 9-7, some made the playoffs and some didn't. The SB 18 team destroyed everything in its path, but seemed to wear down: they barely beat the 49ers and lost to the Raiders. The SB 26 team kept streaking. The SB 17 team got trampled by the Cowboys around Thanksgiving, but pulled together and streaked.

That's the nature of things: teams should play well at the end of the season. Teams should play well under pressure.

Considering the original talent, and then considering the injuries, I don't know why we should expect this team to make the playoffs.

But they did. Since players don't coach themselves, it probably had something to do with their coach.

I think what Roybus probably meant was, it would be nice to have locked up a playoff spot prior to the final game of the season, which past teams did under Gibbs the first time around. Consistently good teams like NE and Indy enter the season KNOWING they're going to the playoffs - the only question is, how deep in the playoffs will they go? The middle of the road teams like the Jets and the Chiefs can pull it together enough to make the playoffs one year, and come completely apart the next season. Under Gibbs I, the 'skins were one of those consistently good teams that expected to make the playoffs every year, and people only wondered how far they'd go. This time around, making the playoffs is itself the goal, and the team has yet to do it two years in a row. Don't mean to be a downer, but it's hard to shake the painful memory of the '06 season after all the promise of the '05 season. I just hope and pray we don't see the same thing in '08.

[gibbsfan]

I agree with others that have said that Joe is the guy to have gotten this team through what it's been though this season but there were alot of games that we left on the table. Some of it was indeed on the players but alot of it was also on the coaching as well. Don't get me wrong, I am happy as a pig in slop that we are in the playoffs but with this talent we have on this team, we should not have had the season we've had. We should actually have a bye this week. All of those teams besides NE we lost too, to quote Denny Green, "they are who we thought they were and we let'em off the hook."

It has taken a LONG WHILE for the team to REALLY develop a Redskins spirit. Joe has had to dig deep and re-learn a few things.

We are back on track. The absolutely WORST thing that could happen to us now is a change. Stay the course. Give him time to WIN IT ALL AGAIN.

amen RIC i mean it aint happening overnight but it will happen and we are still growing as a team and as joe gibbs puts more players in here that has character and carrys themselves like redskins . your right joe has had to relearn a few things since his first stint here cause this league has changed so much in time. all the skins teams in the past and present gibbs has had winning streaks and to think we have a QB who knows the system and a QB who is still learning his way with it as well i like what i,m seeing but for now i like what t collins is doing and i hope he continues and i like what joe is doing too. patience i know it,s hard believe me it,s very painful but i see the light at the tunnel and it shines burgundy and gold.

stay the course im there too ric.

[SkinsJock]

With his credentials, this team should not have to rely on win streaks at the end of seasons to get into the playoffs or finish with a decent record.

.. That's the nature of things: teams should play well at the end of the season. Teams should play well under pressure.

Considering the original talent, and then considering the injuries, I don't know why we should expect this team to make the playoffs.

But they did. Since players don't coach themselves, it probably had something to do with their coach.

agree - I feel that while some here think that Gibbs should have a better record than 9-7 - they are only considering their expectations - this team is 9-7 because of Gibbs - no coach, ever, could have done better with this team after all that has happened.

You cannot cherry pick the season and select where a coach did well or where he did badly - the whole season has to be evaluated - considering everything, we are very lucky to have Gibbs - I repeat, no coach, ever, could have ended up with this team in the playoffs after all it went through.

Someone once said that a great coach was someone that could beat you with his team and then take your team and still beat you. Gibbs is that coach. Bellichick is not as good a coach as Gibbs - I do not believe he could have this Redskins team in the playoffs BUT if Gibbs were coach of New England they might not have won 16 games but I guarantee they would win the Super Bowl and Gibbs doesn't need to cheat to win

Right now, Gibbs is the best coach in the NFL and we are so lucky to have him back coaching the Washington Redskins

[Mursilis]

With his credentials, this team should not have to rely on win streaks at the end of seasons to get into the playoffs or finish with a decent record.

.. That's the nature of things: teams should play well at the end of the season. Teams should play well under pressure.

Considering the original talent, and then considering the injuries, I don't know why we should expect this team to make the playoffs.

But they did. Since players don't coach themselves, it probably had something to do with their coach.

agree - I feel that while some here think that Gibbs should have a better record than 9-7 - they are only considering their expectations - this team is 9-7 because of Gibbs - no coach, ever, could have done better with this team after all that has happened.

You cannot cherry pick the season and select where a coach did well or where he did badly - the whole season has to be evaluated - considering everything, we are very lucky to have Gibbs - I repeat, no coach, ever, could have ended up with this team in the playoffs after all it went through.

Someone once said that a great coach was someone that could beat you with his team and then take your team and still beat you. Gibbs is that coach. Bellichick is not as good a coach as Gibbs - I do not believe he could have this Redskins team in the playoffs BUT if Gibbs were coach of New England they might not have won 16 games but I guarantee they would win the Super Bowl and Gibbs doesn't need to cheat to win

Right now, Gibbs is the best coach in the NFL and we are so lucky to have him back coaching the Washington Redskins

That's nice and all, but it's pure speculation. Granted this team has been hit hard by injuries, and then Taylor's death, so Gibbs has obviously done a great job guiding the team over adversity, but as far as the injuries go, he's hardly the first coach to do so. Belicheat wouldn't even be in this discussion if an injury to Bledsoe hadn't helped him "discover" Wonderboy Brady on his bench. Regarding Taylor's death, someone here (can't remember who) has already suggested it was what inspired the team to take it up a notch and play with more intensity. Prior to his death, they were sliding. If he were still with us, injured and on the sidelines, would the team be as inspired? We'll never know.

[welch]

No, the earlier Gibbs Redskins did not always lock up a playoff spot before the final week.

Just trying to remember (haven't got time to plot earlier seasons), but to work back:

- '92, team went 9-7, lost their last game to the Raiders on a wild long pass over Darrell Green. Made the playoffs when somebody else lost...on Monday Night? Then beat the daylights out of the Vikings, and had broken down the 49ers when Rypien and Mitchell slipped a handoff.

- '91, best team from the start to the finish. Won SB 26

- '90, the body-bag year. Rypien and Humphries alternated at QB. Around mid-season, Ernest Byner asked to shoulder the load. Made the playoffs by December streak. Crushed the body-bag Eagles, then lost to 49ers in next round. Giants won SB 25

- '89, I think the team went 10-6 and lost a playoff spot in the last game.

For the rest of the years, '82 and '83 were years when the team had clinched a playoff well in advance of the last game (SB 17 and SB 18 years). In '84 they might have clinched in advance...I think they were NFC East champs, but were the third seed. In '85, they missed the playoffs, although they played well at the end of the year...that was the year that Theismann got his leg broken and Schroeder took over. In '86 they went 12-4 and were clearly the second best team in the NFL. Would have stomped the Broncos in SB 21, but lost the Wind Bowl. '87, the strike year, I think they also clinched in advance, and won SB 22. In '88, went about 7-9, losing the last game when the kicker (Ali HS?) hit the upright. Can't remember, but I think they went 10-6 and missed the playoffs in '88...and people were demanding that Gibbs be fired. The game had passed him by.

(Funny about that, but from the moment that Riggins missed a fourth-and-one in the '84/'85 playoffs against the Bears, people said that the game had passed Gibbs by)

Sorry, that's from memory...but if I'm mostly right, then the team often had to streak to make the playoffs, or to clinch the NFC East.

Really, it's not like every season was the Riggins run followed by Doug Williams throwing four TD's in one quarter followed by the '91 team.

[Mursilis]

No, the earlier Gibbs Redskins did not always lock up a playoff spot before the final week.

That's why I never said "always", but they did a few times, which is a few more times than any recent 'skins team. Like I said, it would be nice to go from a 'happy to make the playoffs' team to a consistent 'expect to make the playoffs' team.

[UK Skins Fan]

No, the earlier Gibbs Redskins did not always lock up a playoff spot before the final week.

That's why I never said "always", but they did a few times, which is a few more times than any recent 'skins team. Like I said, it would be nice to go from a 'happy to make the playoffs' team to a consistent 'expect to make the playoffs' team.

Well, Gibbs has already taken us from "miracle if we reach the playoffs" to "seriously hacked off if we don't reach the playoffs". Stick with him, and I'm still confident that he'll get us to "what playoff seeding will we get this year?"