Beat the Eagles, and we win the NFC East

[riggofan]

I just think if you've spent the entire first three quarters of the season explaining to us all how Kirk Cousins was a mediocre INT machine, there probably isn't a lot of credibility left to spend fansplaining to us how the coach staff "don't coach good".

Might be time to just kick back and support the team. We're going to the playoffs.

[SkinsJock]

the only thing that matters to me is that Scot & the FO are in charge here - I'm fine with whomever they think is best for the franchise

there are many here that are more motivated more by their 'hate' than the fact that the franchise is getting better under Scot's management

Scot will keep those coaches and players that he thinks will be the best fit for this franchise - he's the man and I'm a fan

we are the NFC East Champs

screw the haters

[riggofan]

Yup.

Charley Casserly ‏@CharleyCasserly 30s30 seconds ago

The #Redskins title traces back to Gruden's decisions to hire Coaches Callahan, Barry & Cavanaugh & start @KirkCousins8 & develop him

[SkinsJock]

I'm really liking the decision to bring in McCloughan - he is the MVP of this franchise in 2015

but, that's just my opinion ....

[cowboykillerzRGiii]

I'm really liking the decision to bring in McCloughan - he is the MVP of this franchise in 2015

but, that's just my opinion ....

He, and Captain Kirk. Despite the 2012 playoff run being fun and new..

Kirky has given us the BEST QB play of this century. Yes he has better weapons, and yes he has made mistakes... His is far superior to anything we've seen in a loooooong time.. and this body of work this season goes down in history as the top 5 (maybe even 3?!) In qb play we've ever seen.

[SkinsJock]

Kirk Cousins has had an incredible season and has put this franchise in the unbelievable position of having a QB to build an offense around - not long ago there were still a lot of questions about his abilities - He has certainly put all that behind him and his future seems set in stone

I have faith that Scot will take full advantage and we are seeing a franchise that will be a lot better a lot sooner than we all thought possible

[cowboykillerzRGiii]

And then Carolina falls to ATL... And all a sudden every team in the NFC seems beatable if our guys are playing at their best on all three stages of the game!!

The road to the SB isn't easy, but we are on it at least!!!!

HAIL Yaaaaaa

[SkinsJock]

^^ - this team can beat anyone right now and whichever franchise is coming into FedEx is going to have a big surprise

This ain't the "same old Redskins" and btw - we are still called the Redskins - amazing what winning does to that "issue" too

the most important thing is we are hosting a playoff game and next is the fact that we are playing well together at the right time

H A I L

[SkinsJock]

there are 3 teams that could be coming into FedEx - Seahawks, Vikings or the Packers

none of them are really scary right now so I'm kind of hoping for the Seahawks for obvious reasons ...

[StorminMormon86]

I'm not afraid of any team in the NFC except for the Cardinals. They are scary.

[riggofan]

Heard a great comment this morning on the radio. For all of the McCloughan love going on out there - well deserved in my opinion - you have to give some credit to Shanahan. Our two best players this season (Reed and Cousins) were drafted by him.

Good stuff here from J. Reid too:

How much should owner Daniel Snyder pay a signal-caller who is in his first year as a full-time starter and whose body of work, until his breakout 2015 season, was uneven at best?

Shanahan, the former Washington head coach who drafted Cousins and tutored him for two seasons, thinks he has the answer.

"Whatever it takes [to keep him]," Shanahan said. "When you have a guy like this, who's only going to get better and better, you don't let him walk away. It's really simple."

Bottom line: You can't win without a quarterback in a quarterback league. Shanahan knows that better than most.

As an offensive coordinator, he helped Steve Young reach his Hall of Fame potential. Shanahan teamed with John Elway to win consecutive Super Bowl titles.

Obviously, no football man worth his salt would compare Cousins with Elway and Young, two of the game's all-time greats, "but when you work with these guys, and I have, you see certain things," Shanahan said. "The guys who have 'it,' what they really need is time. When they get the time and they show what they can do, everyone wants them.

"Why? Because there just aren't a lot of guys who can do everything you want done at the position. There aren't a lot of guys who have the ability, the work ethic and leadership skills like Kirk. And if they go out and do what they're supposed to do, like Kirk has done here late in the season, it really puts them in a great position."

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/14441 ... rrived-nfl

[SkinsJock]

Mike Shanahan deserves some credit but Kirk Cousins became a really good NFL QB this season because of this coaching staff

and ... this FO will do whatever it takes to keep Cousins in DC

I used to like Shanahan and I know that the idiot owner was the primary reason he left but he also bears some responsibility

so, thanks Mike but no thanks

Hail to the Redskins - NFC East Champs .... again

[markshark84]

+1 - it's not a really good staff but they have made the players aware that they are accountable and practicing well and playing well will be rewarded

We have Bill Callahan and Perry Fewell working as POSITIONAL COACHES and its not a good staff. lol. You guys are ridiculous.

Yeah.

I have given McVay a TON of crap this season for his simplicity and predictability. I then learned he wasn't opening up the playbook due to Cousins transition to starter --- I had no clue of this. Since he opened it up, we have seen a drastically different offense full of downfield passing, stretch runs (that still have not worked), complex formations, and less predictability. So much so that I no longer want McVay fired.

So now we have:
1. seen a better OC --- while I am still NOT sold, he has done enough late this year to warrant not being fired (so in a way I am eating crow on McVay, but only a little because he opened up the playbook a couple weeks ago and it has only been like 3-4 games and I'd like to see more before I am "all in" --- and our offense was blatantly bland in the beginning of the year and the reason why I wanted him fired, so basically he has done what I wanted and since he has, I don't want him fired)
2. an already good DC (based on our DEFs production this year --- which I am still not totally happy about but the improvement has been good enough not to fire our DC),
3. a decent OL coach (who needs to give up running playcalling),
4. a special teams coach that I barely hear about (which means he is doing a good job),
5. a VERY good QB coach in Cavanaugh,
6. one of better DB coaches in the NFL (not as a DC, but DB),
7. and perhaps one of our better 2015 hires, our DL coach, where we have seen immense improvement

It's like where do people come up with these things??? It's like when you don't think comments can get more idiotic, they do.

This is the best FO and staff (top to bottom --- Gibbs obviously was the best HC, but if you take into consideration his staff and FO, then it isn't) we have had since Snyder took control..... but MORE IMPORTANTLY, it is the ONLY FO and HC (outside of Gibbs individually) that has stood their ground when Danny boy opened his twerpy, whiny, bitch boy mouth about who he "thinks" should play (or be drafted). That, in and of itself, is enough for me to be happy.

This all being said, I am still not 100% sold on Gruden. At all --- but he has EARNED his job for next year no question (which I had already thought before this topic was even addressed) and all "should Gruden be fired" talk to end IMMEDIATELY.

[riggofan]

This all being said, I am still not 100% sold on Gruden. At all --- but he has EARNED his job for next year no question (which I had already thought before this topic was even addressed) and all "should Gruden be fired" talk to end IMMEDIATELY.

That seems like a fair analysis, Mark. Personally I don't think anyone should be 100% sold on Gruden either. He's been better this year, no doubt. The real test will be to show he can do it again next year. When is the last time we've had consistent success with this team?

The biggest surprise to me this year has been Barry. Not that the defense has been beastly or anything, and I give SM a lot of credit for bringing in some quality guys. But tell me you weren't expecting the DC to be the punching bag this year when he was hired last December. People were really unhappy with that hire and he didn't have a great track record to stand on.

[SkinsJock]

I'm not a Jay Gruden fan, however, I am not hoping that he get's fired - as I've posted before, the ONLY way that Jay Gruden is not back here in 2016 is if Scot and the FO think the franchise would be better off with someone else
There's little to no chance of that happening, but with this idiot owner anything is possible

we've just won the NFC East and right now we are playing very well - this stupid owner has made worse decisions

[Burgundy&GoldForever]

I have given McVay a TON of crap this season for his simplicity and predictability. I then learned he wasn't opening up the playbook due to Cousins transition to starter --- I had no clue of this.

You know football well enough to know that no NFL offensive coordinator's playbook consists of five plays.

It seems pretty clear Gruden and McVay got gun shy from all the early interceptions but even after Cousins virtually stopped turning the ball over they took weeks to shift the offense back into high gear.

Playing not to lose will get you fired. I think Gruden knows that much.

[markshark84]

as I've posted before,

You could put that in all your posts at this point..... well, or "contrary to what I just said"

the ONLY way that Jay Gruden is not back here in 2016 is if Scot and the FO think the franchise would be better off with someone else

You are really saying nothing of substance here ---- you can literally say the exact same thing about basically any HC in the NFL. "Well, the only way Belicheck is not back in NE is if Robert Kraft thinks the franchise would be better off with someone else"......

[SkinsJock]

the ONLY way that Jay Gruden is not back here in 2016 is if Scot and the FO think the franchise would be better off with someone else

You are really saying nothing of substance here ---- you can literally say the exact same thing about basically any HC in the NFL. "Well, the only way Belicheck is not back in NE is if Robert Kraft thinks the franchise would be better off with someone else"......

Do you want to compare the situation in NE or any other NFL franchise with what is going on here?
you obviously have no clue about this franchise - NONE

who made sure the Redskins drafted RG3?
who do you think was the force behind RG3 being named the starter here when Kirk Cousins was obviously the better choice?

Scot did not hire Jay Gruden and Dan would fully support Scot's firing Jay Gruden if Scot had someone in mind

btw ... just to help you out a little - it's Belichick - there's no Belicheck on NE's roster ...

[Burgundy&GoldForever]

You are really saying nothing of substance here ----

This should be the standard reply to all of SkinsJock's posts.

[riggofan]

You are really saying nothing of substance here ---- you can literally say the exact same thing about basically any HC in the NFL. "Well, the only way Belicheck is not back in NE is if Robert Kraft thinks the franchise would be better off with someone else"......

Do you want to compare the situation in NE or any other NFL franchise with what is going on here?
you obviously have no clue about this franchise - NONE

Good grief, man.

The ONLY way I am having a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch today is if I butter two slices of bread and grill them with some cheese.

I am not comparing my lunch situation to this NFL franchise.

[markshark84]

1. Do you want to compare the situation in NE or any other NFL franchise with what is going on here?
2. you obviously have no clue about this franchise - NONE

3.
who made sure the Redskins drafted RG3?
who do you think was the force behind RG3 being named the starter here when Kirk Cousins was obviously the better choice?

4. Scot did not hire Jay Gruden and Dan would fully support Scot's firing Jay Gruden if Scot had someone in mind

5. btw ... just to help you out a little - it's Belichick - there's no Belicheck on NE's roster ...

I have to say, I literally laughed at loud when reading this one. Like, had a good chuckle. That hasn't happened in a while. You're reply was bad ---- even for you.

I numbered your points to make my counters easier to follow....

1. You clearly didn't understand what I was saying.... or maybe you did. And if you did, I feel even worse for you. I was questioning the actual logic behind the phrase --- and that the premise behind the above stated assertion/opinion had no teeth; therefore it could be applied REGARDLESS of circumstance. I used NE as an example BECAUSE of how dissimilar our situation is to NE.

Man, I have to "clarify" so much for you......

2. Upon reading this, the image of a 5 year old dressed up in a cheap captain America costume running up to a grown man while haphazardly hitting said grown man with a plastic shield proclaiming that he was going to beat him up came to my head. It was just funny. Since it is clear you need serious clarifications: I'm the grown man; you're the disillusioned kid; the internet/this forum is the shield.

3. Based on YOUR previously stated assertions:
(a) Shanahan was behind drafting RGIII (at least that is what you said at the time --- including he had final say on all football operations --- and up until this year);
(b) Shanahan started RGIII in 2013 because he was the best option (at least that is what you said at the time); and
(c) Gruden named RGIII as starter this offseason because Gruden felt he was the best option to produce a winning team......

4. When are you grabbing dinner with Danny boy again? You guys must be tight. I haven't hung out with the dude since we played scattergories together over thanksgiving.....

5. By the way ---- I don't give a s#!^ how you spell Belchicks name. This is a internet forum and 5th grade was a long time ago; spelling does not concern me.

[riggofan]

It seems pretty clear Gruden and McVay got gun shy from all the early interceptions but even after Cousins virtually stopped turning the ball over they took weeks to shift the offense back into high gear.

That's one theory. I still say that those guys worked hard to protect Cousins early this season. You know full well that every time he threw a pick, every idiot in the DMV was out there yelling "Oh here we go, Turnover Machine. Captain Pick." There's no doubt they were conservative with the play calling early on. There's also no doubt that Cousins has gotten more confident and more accurate as the year has progressed.

The shift in the offense also came coincidentally with getting DJax back healthy, and Reed too. Our worst offensive game of the year was probably v. the Jets where neither of those guys were on the field.

There was a story out there a few weeks back that the team told Cousins stop worrying about the INTs, they were behind him. Who knows for sure, but you gotta think guys like McCloughan, Gruden and even Allen were smart enough to see that they were going to have a real shot to win the division. If they were already confident in Cousins at that point, why not let loose and go for it?

[StorminMormon86]

I'd also add that the running game was much better in the first initial weeks, which probably helped with the conservative approach.

[Burgundy&GoldForever]

It seems pretty clear Gruden and McVay got gun shy from all the early interceptions but even after Cousins virtually stopped turning the ball over they took weeks to shift the offense back into high gear.

That's one theory. I still say that those guys worked hard to protect Cousins early this season. You know full well that every time he threw a pick, every idiot in the DMV was out there yelling "Oh here we go, Turnover Machine. Captain Pick." There's no doubt they were conservative with the play calling early on. There's also no doubt that Cousins has gotten more confident and more accurate as the year has progressed.

The shift in the offense also came coincidentally with getting DJax back healthy, and Reed too. Our worst offensive game of the year was probably v. the Jets where neither of those guys were on the field.

There was a story out there a few weeks back that the team told Cousins stop worrying about the INTs, they were behind him. Who knows for sure, but you gotta think guys like McCloughan, Gruden and even Allen were smart enough to see that they were going to have a real shot to win the division. If they were already confident in Cousins at that point, why not let loose and go for it?

I don't think they trusted the offensive line to keep him healthy either. I think that's as much to do with things as the turnovers.

[mastdark81]

I honestly think now that it was more of Kirk being conservative than the coaches. Its not like guys wasn't running deeper patterns, earlier on the season he just didn't target those guys. I think more that he got confident the more he started trusting his WR's more and opening it up. If you really think about it Kirk does what his critics say he DON'T DO. It is almost like he reads the papers.

Last year if you remember when Kirk started he was throwing in tight windows more often, also his timing was predictable each snap when he would release the ball and that's when the picks started happening.

This year he has learned when to hold back and when to switch up and not be so predictable. Doesn't hurt to have a TE that no one in the league can cover as well.