The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

With all of the Brunell bashing posts (justifiable IMO) I thought that maybe we should examine another mystery within the Redskins organization.

WHY THE HECK IS TJ NOT PLAYING?

Coach Gibbs apologizes on every occasion when asked about TJ's lack of playing time saying that TJ has done everything asked of him and that he feels awful that he is not getting any playing time. Well why is he not getting playing time then? Is it b/c during game situations the breakdown of authority and leadership among the 3 head coaches we have on the staff? With such a heavy price the organization paid to get this man in here why are we not scheming plays or situations where this bruising back could be utilized? ( ie..3 & 1 in TN game, or 4 &1 TN game?)

Wilbon also commented on how silly of a situation this is in one of the PTI episoded a couple of weeks ago. Namely that it is a travesty and complete BS that they brought him in here only to bench him in his contract year. TJ's value is decreasing with every game he is missing and if it is true that the Redskins solely brought TJ in here to keep him away from the Eagles what the hell does that say about the Redskins management? It's selfish and despicable if that was the intention. You don't deprive a man of his livelihood b/c you are scared he is going to wind up as your opponent. Does that constitute something a team of "charachter" would do?

I for one think that the situation is really a microcosm of the lack of authority and leadership in the management. One reason we are struggling, IMO, is that there are 'too many chefs" in the kitchen so to speak. The team needs an authoritive leader when faced with adversity, a person to rally behind. To pick oneself up out of a hole, whether it be on the football field or life, you need a clear and focused direction or plan of action. To me the Redskins look like they are floundering with no sense of direction or leadership.

TJ duckett could help this team, he could help us get back to "Redskins" football that we hear Coach Gibbs talk about after every loss. So why the hell is he not playing?

One reason we are struggling, IMO, is that there are 'too many chefs" in the kitchen so to speak. The team needs and authoritive leader when faced with adversity, a person to rally behind.

This is why we need a real GM. We have some amazing coaches on this team but none of them are very good in the personnel department. No competent GM would throw away draft picks the way we do. It's been said numerous times on this boards but it bears repeating, the team teams that consistantly do well in the NFL build through the draft (Tampa Bay built their D through the draft, same with Chicago, Pittsburgh, Philly, New England). Until Redskins management figures this out we are going to see the same types of teams that we have seen, teams with high priced free agents with no depth and no real identity.

I still don't understand why we went after him in the first place. Why waste a third round pick when we already have a guy that would be doing the same job as him and could if the coaches let him, in Mike Sellers?

Again I think it also has to do with Gibbs being like a kid in a candy store, he finally has full atonomy to do what he wants. It's like us building a franchise in Madden 07. I am quite sure having that much power is addicting and he isn't thinking right, had he been of clear conscience or sound mind, he would have done something to better his starting QB instead of getting another RB that we technically didn't need, especially with the way Betts was glorified by Al Saunders all summer. Also in hindsight don't you think that we could have sent TJ to say the Bucs for McFarland? We need any and all help on the defensive side of the ball but nothing is done because to me, I personally think Gibbs is stuck on stupid and wouldn't know what the right thing to do is if it bit him and his wife Pat in the behind. Let's face it while we all were happy as a pig in slop when he came back it is now a known fact that he isn't 1/2 the coach he ONCE was and until a REAL GM comes here and he no longer has that title and can concentrate on coaching this team will continue to flap around like a fish out of water.

This move reeked of desparation. We really didn't need Duckett. And yeah, I'm sure we wanted to keep him out of Philly (and Ashley Lelie out of Philly as well), but that's no excuse. This was a horrible move made on the spur of the moment.

As for Duckett, I feel bad for him, but I don't think he's the victim of a horrible crime or anything. He didn't have sky-high value before he came here. And some team will still over-pay him next year when he's a FA. If he was getting Betts' 9 carries a game I don't think his value would be that much higher than it will be otherwise.

This was obviously a mistake by the team, no matter what happy-go-lucky Gibbs says. Every day I wake up and wish we had a real GM.

Here's what bringing in T.J. Duckett has done:


1. Made Rock, Sellers, and Betts feel like crap because you basically said that they aren't good enough to back up Portis.

2. De-valued him as a free agent to be.

3. Shows just how inept this organization's management is when it comes to player personnel.

4. Is making Joe Gibbs look like he has no say over who plays because every week when asked about Duckett he says that he feels bad for the dude. You are the head man, put him in so you can stop feeling bad.

5. If this was a move to block Philly from getting him, then they are the "dumbest azzez in captivity". You give away a third round pick for this guy and then not play him. Then at the end of the season he walks and you are out of draft pick.

6. Hell they are just plain dumb for wasting third round pick on a guy who won't even be here next year. So we end up with nothing.