Chat Wrap with Chris Mortensen

Redskin Stouff · Post by **Redskin Stouff** » Wed Aug 18, 2004 1:51 pm

Bob, G-burg: Hey Mort, the Redskins offense has looked less than impressive this preseason, is Coach Gibbs keeping it 'bland' trying not to reveal to much, or are the players having a tough time buying into the scheme or picking up the scheme? Thanks, keep up the good work.

Chris Mortensen: (2:06 PM ET ) I think there's a lot of adjustments and, yes, transition for Gibbs that could make this a tougher go in the beginning. But he's a smart guy and I expect him to figure it out.

http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=5748

Another "NFL Expert" on the Redskins. Gibbs has stated several times that he is using "vanilla schemes" in the preseason.

Jake · Post by **Jake** » Wed Aug 18, 2004 2:53 pm

Jarell (DC): MORT, HOOK A BROTHER UP WITH SOME INFO MAN. WILL THE 'SKINS DEFENSE CARRY THEM TO THE PLAYOFFS, BECAUSE THE COIUNTER TRE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE AS EFFECTIVE AS IT WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK

Chris Mortensen: (2:32 PM ET ) I do think the 'Skins defense will have to get the Redskins through the first half of the season while Gibbs makes this transition. But please don't judge the success of the counter trey based on preseason. Sean Taylor looks great, doesn't he? The D-line would concern me, though.

frankcal20 · Post by **frankcal20** » Wed Aug 18, 2004 7:35 pm

I would have to agree with everything written above.

VRIEL1 · Post by **VRIEL1** » Wed Aug 18, 2004 9:39 pm

Ok lets be honest here...Gibbs is afraid of Chucky, Reid, and Parcells. He has kept his offense a vinella as possible. As good as the Defense is looking I bet the offense is just as good. Gibbs is probubly having players make mistakes for the media and not sending in genuine plays during preseason in order to catch Tampa Bay off guard. He's mainly getting the offense used to the protective schemes. Why else would he constantly run Portis up the middle when there are no holes instead of using the speed and take him outside? Gibbs is setting us up......He has to be right? With his knowlege and Zampese's I'm sure they are setting us up. Even the Rams looked awsome when they had Zampese and Vermeil. Oh well.

Cardas · Post by **Cardas** » Thu Aug 19, 2004 6:51 am

Gibbs is probubly having players make mistakes for the media and not sending in genuine plays during preseason in order to catch Tampa Bay off guard.

We all know Gibbs is paranoid, but his staff and the team have too much to learn as it is without trying to set the other team off track.

Is it possible, sure. I don't think that's the case though. However, remember this (everyone has brought this up at some point in the past 2 weeks): in '91, horrible preseason. Opening day, massive offensive explosion, defense played great too.

Warmother · Post by **Warmother** » Thu Aug 19, 2004 9:26 am

Don't worry about the offense they will be fine. Gibbs never show's anything in the pre-season except base offense. I would rather look like a$$ right now than in 4 weeks.

hkHog · Post by **hkHog** » Thu Aug 19, 2004 11:09 am

Jake wrote: Sean Taylor looks great, doesn't he? The D-line would concern me, though.

Yes, he does Mort. So far I think the Dline has been pretty solid.

Gibbs never show's anything in the pre-season except base offense.

I don't think it's that he's trying to hide plays as much as he's working with the basic principles trying to improve on the team's fundamentals. Certainly he does have special plays that he's waiting to reveal in the first few weeks of the season to get the team off to a good start but he wants the team to have a solid base. I think this helps the Oline get into gear as well.

Chris Luva Luva · Post by **Chris Luva Luva** » Thu Aug 19, 2004 11:50 am

I don't think it's that he's trying to hide plays as much as he's working with the basic principles trying to improve on the team's fundamentals.

Exactly. Thats something that we didn't do last year. We went out in the pre-season thinking that it was the super bowl. This year we're getting the basics, and fundamentals down that lost us so many games so that we can execute the plays that Gibbs is hiding from us.