Monday Morning thoughts...

[BossHog]

Monday Morning thoughts...

I'm surprised by the dismay expressed in the forums over the game. I thought we played a good first half, and then got out-coached in the second half.

But this was the defending SB champs and IMO, still our most formidable opponent to date.

So we're not there yet... that really shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. Most of us thought with our schedule that we'd be lucky to beat 8-8 or 9-7... and nothing has changed. It's only made more difficult by the fact that 2 of our 'chances to win', Seattle and Carolina, are both still undefeated.

I thought that if we were 3-3 after 6 that we'd be in good shape for a playoff run. I don't think we should be too discouraged, although I appreciate any fan's perspective.

I think what we're witnessing is reactions that are based on a HIGHER standard than at the beginning of the year based on the Redskins record and performance early. Try not to lose sight of what the original benchmarks for this team were, and realize that we're still on track.

We may not be in the upper echelon of teams yet, but we're markedly improved... and we made a lot fewer mistakes yesterday.

My optimistic

[Chris Luva Luva]

Boss, you're right.


I expect my team to grow. And we're not growing Boss. We are doing the same things that have costed us wins this season over and over again.

I get upset when in EVERY interview I hear Spurrier say, "We could have done some things better", "I don't know", "Thats a good question, I don't have the answer to it". C'mon on Boss does that not dissapoint you that our head coach DOES NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO?

[Texas Hog]

The Bucs are SB champs in a watereddown league. The pukes are 2 games ahead of us in the division with lesser talent on both sides of the ball and we're supposed to be optimistic? The Colts and Panthers managed to beat the Bucs - we were playing them at our house....and we kicked the Colts ass last year. I see very little improvment, with the exception of P-Ram, Hall and Coles.

If P-Ram continues to get pounded, he'll be on the bench nursing injuries.

At some point I would suspect someone (his wife, agent, someone) is going to say "Patrick, it's time to get injured and save yourself for that contract that will pay you what you're worth, not the chicken feed you're making now.....it's not worth the punishment you're having to endure.

[BossHog]

The Bucs are SB champs in a watereddown league.

Ridiculous. Yeah, it's the parity NFL, but that hardly changes the fact that they're one of the best teams in the league... still.

The pukes are 2 games ahead of us in the division with lesser talent on both sides of the ball and we're supposed to be optimistic?

... and kudos to parcells for having them playing so well. He's got them even believing that they're a lot better than they are. But not at all relevant to what is going on with the Redskins.

The Colts and Panthers managed to beat the Bucs - we were playing them at our house....and we kicked the Colts ass last year

The Panthers are undefeated, and the only team the Colts have lost to is the Panthers. You cite parity in your first argument and then totally discount it's relevancy to the fact that both of the teams you mention have used that same parity to take advantage of some modest changes and move themselves into the league's upper crust.

At some point I would suspect someone (his wife, agent, someone) is going to say "Patrick, it's time to get injured and save yourself for that contract that will pay you what you're worth, not the chicken feed you're making now.....it's not worth the punishment you're having to endure.

At which point I'm sure Patrick would tell them to kiss his a** if they think he's not going to go out there and give it 100% every down.

... or have we forgotten that his heart and his courage are what make him so capable with only 11 games on his NFL belt.

I'm not discounting the relevancy of the pounding that he's taking physically... but to imply that he would, of his own volition or through the suggestion of someone else, just throw in the towel, doesn't give his character the recognition that it deserves.

I see very little improvment, with the exception of P-Ram, Hall and Coles.

Well in that league of parity that you talk about... that's a lot of improvement. And I would definitely add...

Special teams have drastically improved in the last few weeks... not just Hall... Morton is doing a great job, and the blocking is better.

Darnerian McCants... definite improvement from anything a '#3 WR' showed last year.

Randy Thomas... maybe one of the biggest improvements.

"We could have done some things better", "I don't know", "Thats a good question, I don't have the answer to it". C'mon on Boss does that not dissapoint you that our head coach DOES NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO?

He is, was, and always will be... a weird cat on the mic. I don't understand 1/2 the crap he says. Does it disappoint me that he doesn't know what to do? If it's true... yeah. If it's general SpurrierSpeak... I take it with a grain of salt.

Am I disappointed in the coaching in general? Yeah. I'm not a big, huge SOS homer fan by any means... but I thought he opened the season with some good game plans, made some good adjustments and won a few coaching match-ups. The last few weeks he has been out-dueled badly.

I just don't look at the Redskins on a game by game basis so much I guess. Like I said... I expected this team to hopefully go 9-7 with such a tough schedule. 3-3, no matter what the route there, is a respectable mark 6 games in.

[redskincity]

You are right BH, like I said before, we are still jelling and learning. Hey I know that when we go to the playoffs I will be the madddddest SOB on this board especially if its on stupid crap like penalties so lets hope we go out with some class.

[woohit56]

I thought that if we were 3-3 after 6 that we'd be in good shape for a playoff run.

This is precisely why I didn't say jack after my emotions took over yesterday. Most of us agreed that 3-3 after 6 would be very good if not great with this schedule.

After taking time to cool down I am a little disturbed that we fell for the same play 3 times....and it seems like the talent on defense shouldn't be letting such long drives so often.

However....its only been 6 weeks. Giants = suck. Philly = suck. Dalass will get a reality check and prob end up 7-9, 8-8....so for the division the fat lady hasn't stepped to the mic yet.

The fact that every Bucs defensive player said they respected and gameplanned knowing that P-Ram could beat them if he stayed on his feet is a drastic improvement. Think about that....the SB champs respected us.

They don't say that about many players/teams.

[Texas Hog]

Ridiculous...I think not. The league is watereddown by my definition of no clear cut powerhouse teams and less talent spread throughout. Call it parity if you want, but I think we're talking the same thing here.

Are the Bucs still one of the best teams in the league still? I guess time will tell. I'm not convinced they are.

I think what Parcells is doing is very relevent to what is going on with the Skins. SS could learn a lot from Parcells attitude with his players and nononsense approach. I don't see the pukes having discipline problems or pass protection problems for their less talented QB. Parcells has his teams respect from the top to the bottom of the roster....I'm not sure about that in Washington.....simply because I'm not sure SS has earned it.

Again, the parity argument is not one of who is better than who. I'm not sure either the Panthers or Colts will finish as strong as they've started. I also not convinced either of those teams is the "upper crust" of this league. Many teams get off to hot starts and fade later down the schedule. And we all know that an injury can have crippling effects on a team. What I was saying is that the Bucs are head and shoulders above very few teams in this parity priority league.

Please...I wasn't trying to discount Patrick's character. I was trying to give him credit for his wisdom and decision making ability. If he continues to take the beating he's taken, no one would or could question his heart if he decided he needed to consider his own physical condition. I didn't mean to imply that he would throw in the towel....just that he would be smart and consider his future and his career....I damn sure hope he does. I want him to be a star on our roster for his entire career.

Morton doing a great job? I haven't seen it....blocking better? Morton or his special teammates? I do see improvement in special teams over last year, in that it's not as scary as it used to be.

McCants has shown improvement, but I've seen regression in Gardner's game.

Thomas may be an improvement over last year, but how about the offensive line in total? I'm not sure as a unit they're any better than last year's unit.....maybe so...but's it's close. Hopefully this will change once the line begins to jell, but how long is this going to take? We're effectively 8 games in, if you include just 2 of the preseason games that they worked together. The past protection is weak and can't be blamed soley on Patrick holding onto the ball too long.

And this is just the offense....the defense is a whole other problem

[redskincity]

Just about everybody in the league is dropping back into the 3 step drop, but I bet you can guess who isn't!! The line has not been holding any this year. The point Iwas trying to make is, after getting sacked 5 freakin times what makes him hold on to the ball as the game progressed. I mean is the coverage that damn good. What we need to do is have a safety valve in place


I think another option is to do like Joe Gibbs did and bring in another guard or tackle and line him her up as a tight end. We would do this because our tights end are hurt, nonblockers or sux.

[Texas Hog]

we sound like a broken record on the "another guard or tackle" idea

but...no one's listening

[redskincity]

Whatevers Clever! I just hope we can fix the leak. I hate seeing this crap. SOS might learn another lesson and that is to go even more conservative.

[NC43Hog]

Hold the Phone Everyone!

We just go beat by the defending Super Bowl Champs. Yes we had a major 4th quarter meltdown, yes we have some serious personnel issues when it comes down to blocking assignments, yes we have a young Defensive Coordinator who got schooled, yes we have a 2nd year coach still learning what the NFL is all about, and yes we have a 2nd year QB still learning but giving it 110%.

Keep the faith a little while longer.

[redskincity]

Patience is a Virtue.

[learnnew]

GO MAX PROTECTION
We have speed with our receivers and backs. Why can't we curtail our offense occasionally (particularly under heavy blitz) and go for max protection? Even otherwise use quick screens and slants with 3 step drops?

Spurrier - time for some major changes!!!

[hailskins666]

well, its tuesday afternoon and i haven't been on the boards since the game was on, i think woohit put it best

This is precisely why I didn't say jack after my emotions took over yesterday

after the first quarter, i really thought we could pull it off. still think john hall is GOD. am getting more and more down on our D each and every week. i think spurrier is a complete jackass at this point. 9-7 is still VERY doable, but, we gotta make some major adjustments during the bye week. theres a few thoughts.

[skinsfaninroanoke]

Hm... I love our guys and will continue to support them. I hate seeing the coaches getting owned by other coaches. It frustrates me to see the same play being run against us, either in its original or its mirror image, and see nothing done to prevent it.

Maybe Spurrier will see that if he goes to the same setup that there can hardly be a pass rush when the defense is too busy chasing those little bastages outta the backfield up the sidelines.

Let's face it, Edwards has gotten torched and hasn't done much to adjust. Spurrier at least did adjust to some degree, though he will still go back to 100 % throwing at the first sign of trouble, which leads to the blitzes, sacks, fumbles, ints, penalties and so on.

I dunno - I am keeping the faith fellow Hogs, but the coaches have to quit just shaking their heads and come up with something.