Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2004 1:53 am
Agree with all the sound thinking...especially the in-depth analyis of why the lkine got toasted so many times.
And the solution:
- Gibbs
- Bugel, teaching them how to be a unit
- An offensive strategy that wants to put the defense on their backs...not just impede the DL rushers for a heartbeat or two.
I recall the last playoff game that Gibbs won. As with most games (aside from the Giants, who were a special case) the REdskins O-line had beaten the Minnesota defense into the turf by the middle of the third quarter. I remember John Madden suddenly exclaiming, "WE can hear the pops up hear...Hey, it looks like the Vikings just don't want to stick their head in against the Redskin offensive line".
Same thing the following week against SF, on a sloppy field. The Skins had just mastered the SF defense, were driving for a TD, when Rypien and Mitchell mishandled the slippery ball on a handoff, down about the SF 15 yard line.
OK, it might not happen the first game, but I forsee that defenses will be a little more tentative when they have a thundering herd coming at them.
Anybody remember the absurd way Riggins would swing the end? Get out to the edge, and, instead of trying to avoid anyone, he would deliberately run over a cornerback.
Portis is not as big, but I expect more of the Riggins attitude this year, more of that attitude from evry offensive player.
Which will relieve pressure on Ramsey/Brunnell.
And the solution:
- Gibbs
- Bugel, teaching them how to be a unit
- An offensive strategy that wants to put the defense on their backs...not just impede the DL rushers for a heartbeat or two.
I recall the last playoff game that Gibbs won. As with most games (aside from the Giants, who were a special case) the REdskins O-line had beaten the Minnesota defense into the turf by the middle of the third quarter. I remember John Madden suddenly exclaiming, "WE can hear the pops up hear...Hey, it looks like the Vikings just don't want to stick their head in against the Redskin offensive line".
Same thing the following week against SF, on a sloppy field. The Skins had just mastered the SF defense, were driving for a TD, when Rypien and Mitchell mishandled the slippery ball on a handoff, down about the SF 15 yard line.
OK, it might not happen the first game, but I forsee that defenses will be a little more tentative when they have a thundering herd coming at them.
Anybody remember the absurd way Riggins would swing the end? Get out to the edge, and, instead of trying to avoid anyone, he would deliberately run over a cornerback.
Portis is not as big, but I expect more of the Riggins attitude this year, more of that attitude from evry offensive player.
Which will relieve pressure on Ramsey/Brunnell.