WP: A Difficult Position To Defend - Wilbon

[spanishomelette]

A Difficult Position To Defend

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/13/AR2005091302102.html

By Michael Wilbon

Wednesday, September 14, 2005; Page E01

If you say "quarterback controversy," I'm thinking about an emerging Steve Young trying to beat out an aging and angry Joe Montana. I'm thinking of the agonizing choice between Sonny and Billy, or Drew Bledsoe trying to get his job back from a young and healthy Tom Brady, or the open hostility in Buffalo a few years ago between Doug Flutie and Rob Johnson.

Sorry, but Patrick Ramsey versus Mark Brunell doesn't do it for me.

What's the choice: a young, perhaps battered quarterback whom the head coach doesn't want to play or a veteran who hasn't done anything worth mentioning for three years and appears to be a ghost of himself?

That's not a quarterback controversy; it's a quarterback dilemma, bordering on a quarterback crisis. If Joe Gibbs will bench his starter after less than one half of a season-opening victory, what does that tell you about the way he views Ramsey? And if Brunell couldn't beat out the player the coach has so little confidence in, at least to start the season, what does that tell you about Brunell?

From all appearances, the problem with the offense isn't the line, which is pretty sturdy. The problem isn't with the running backs, who collectively could be great. It isn't the receivers, who are probably adequate. And it's not the scheme, which has been tweaked and massaged all spring and summer. It's the quarterback position, which appears both inadequately manned and poorly managed.

Look, Gibbs is enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame for good reason. No coach in NFL history has won three Super Bowls with as many different quarterbacks and running backs as Gibbs employed. There are significant philosophies of offensive football that Gibbs, if he didn't invent, at least pioneered.

I still think Gibbs, like Dick Vermeil in St. Louis when he returned after a long absence from coaching, can field a serious contender in his third season (which would be next year). But Gibbs hasn't handled this quarterback situation with his usual aplomb. At the moment, it appears he botched the thing.

After paying lip service to being committed to Ramsey as his starter, Gibbs gave Ramsey all of three series Sunday. Bad blind dates last longer than that. Okay, we all pretty much knew it was a matter of time before Gibbs might want to get a look at Brunell, his hand-picked choice to play the position. But three series ? That's not a short leash, it's a choke collar. It's like he was looking for some reason to yank Ramsey, and the hang-'em-high sack that sent Ramsey to the sideline was the bit of intervention that gave Gibbs his opening. If I were Ramsey, having been undermined for the second straight season, I'd be enraged. Frankly, that's a move I expect from Mike Martz, coach of the St. Louis Rams, not Gibbs, a man of patience and faith to whom one's word means everything.

Ramsey has a long, long way to go to prove he can be a playoff quarterback, but to be yanked after three series is insanely unfair. If a coach thinks that little of his starter, then don't put him in there in the first place. You think the player can't sense he's not trusted?

The head coach must pick the quarterback he thinks can give him the best chance to win the game and give him a reasonable chance to justify the decision. Problem is, Gibbs simply isn't comfortable entrusting the job to Ramsey, which is why he spent millions to sign Brunell one year and traded his way into drafting Jason Campbell the next.

The only way this decision to bench Ramsey can work out is if Brunell starts throwing for at least 200 yards per game and putting the offense in position to score. But there's been nothing to indicate Brunell can do that. Not in a Redskins uniform. Against the Bears, at least Ramsey fired three very nice third-down completions consecutively, one from the shadow of his own goal line. Despite all these declarations that Brunell's legs are back and he'll be able to plant and throw or throw on the move effectively, as he did in Jacksonville for years, we have yet to see evidence of it.

The major point here is that neither Brunell nor Ramsey has shown very much. That's a big part of the reason Gibbs spent three draft picks -- in the first, third and fourth rounds -- to pick Campbell from Auburn in the draft. You don't spend three picks that high on a long-term project. Those picks represent three starters for a team that knows how to draft. So, if you trade three starters for a kid, you must think pretty highly of him. And if you think that highly of him, you'd better be getting ready to see what he can do, sooner rather than later if what you have isn't getting the job done.

Most of us, based on Gibbs's history of preferring veterans, can't believe he'd play a rookie quarterback (even if quite a few of the players at Redskins Park believe the rook is the best of the three). It seems as if Gibbs red-shirted Mark Rypien and Stan Humphries for about three years each. But these are different times. In a quarterback's third season now, he better have proven to some degree that he can play or he'll be out in most instances because of salary cap considerations. And that brings me to this: John Riggins, talking to Tony Kornheiser on WTEM yesterday, said he would seriously consider starting Campbell now. Hey, the Bears looked at their incumbents and decided to go with rookie Kyle Orton, who was picked a lot lower in the same draft than Campbell.

Personally, I can't believe Campbell is anywhere near ready to play. But perhaps, given what we've seen from the incumbents, Campbell gives the Redskins their best chance to win now. It amounts to a competitive sin to undermine a 12-4 caliber defense by pairing it with an offense that might be missing only the triggerman.

That's what Bill Parcells was thinking when he acquired Bledsoe to put on the field in Dallas with a wonderful young running back, Julius Jones, and a very good defense. Gibbs is hoping that Brunell, like Bledsoe, has enough left to work in concert with Clinton Portis and a very good defense, which appears to be the only thing right now that would justify this bizarre start to the Redskins' season.

[Destino]

OMG didn't you watch the preseason Wilbon!!!!1 Oh wait he works for the post and they all hate the redskins! That explains everything!

[Joe Sick]

He's still upset that we beat his Bears...

[Doctorfro]

Go Wilbon! Perfect!

[RedskinzOwnU]

For the X millionth time. What brunell did against 2nd stringers is, for all intents and purposes, MEANINGLESS. We sure saw what he can do against first stringers in the bears game. Reminded me a lot of something i've tried to repress - last season. If I see anything on monday night that resembles last season, or last week, I might have to get a shrink. If brunell isn't getting it done by week 5 or 6, it's time to start campbell. If we aren't going to work for this season, at least we can work for the next one.

[fansince62]

RedskinsownU...agree on MB....and Ramsey's clear fondness for turnovers (not the fruity kind!) was also grating beyond belief.

[Skinman]

GOD, im so tired of hearing people whine about the way reporters post.

The guy is a very good reporter and sorry to say it is right.

Stop looking through them rosey color glasses and see the facts. We are a team with no QB! period wake up,

And he said we have strangths TRUE and pointed them out. And he said that if we cant get a qb to step up were doomed, again true. What the hell in his report is false? Point out one line. its that simple, no QB no playoffs. And i agree 100% that JC might be the guy for this season to start now.

If i were the coach, i would give MB 2 games to get it going if not you got to get your future in the game and take his knocks. You cant wait till next season IF MB is not going to cut it. MARK my words and his, If MB falls on his face in the next 2-3 games JC comes in and its his future to lose. Wilbon didnt say we suck, he didnt say anything close to that. He pointed out something that has been said 1000000000 times on this board, we have a QB problem that needs to be fixed. So please i can deal with these very talented reporters view if i agree or not BUT i cant even take one more he hates us,

hes a Bears homer, he is a suckass reporter for a suckass paper LOL its the freaking WP! get a Job thenbash a lead reporter for the WP, Cause any person that has 2 cents knows what a position that is!

Make it end! Anyone else whos tired of this kinda crap please dont leave me hang on this tree limb! lol

O and heres a tissue for the crybabys, im sure hes reading your 2 line (at best) post and wondering why he cant write like that!

[SamSneed36]

if Brunell couldn't beat out the player the coach has so little confidence in, at least to start the season, what does that tell you about Brunell?

I think that right there tells us just how much Wilbon knows about the situation. :doh:

[natem985]

OMG didn't you watch the preseason Wilbon!!!!1 Oh wait he works for the post and they all hate the redskins! That explains everything!

Disagree with the HOF Coach's decision and you "hate the redskins." "You aren't a true fan." Just sad.

[D'Pablo]

Brunell is gonna take us a lot further than most of us think. He sustained drives and with time, will score TDs. Think about it... We got into the redzone 3 times and got stopped because we couldn't punch it in on the ground. That will come with time. The score could have easily been 21-7.

[SamSneed36]

Brunell is gonna take us a lot further than most of us think. He sustained drives and with time' date=' will score TDs. Think about it... We got into the redzone 3 times and got stopped because we couldn't punch it in on the ground. That will come with time. The score could have easily been 21-7.[/quote']

Exactly! thank you. In fact, had Gibbs taken a chance on the 4th and goal from the half-yard line we probably get it in with Betts if the line gets the push. Then the score is 13-7 instead of 9-7 which i think would make a big diff in the attitudes on this board this week. :2cents:

[panel]

"If I were Ramsey, having been undermined for the second straight season, I'd be enraged. Frankly, that's a move I expect from Mike Martz, coach of the St. Louis Rams, not Gibbs, a man of patience and faith to whom one's word means everything."

Really,

I'm shocked how fast Gibbs pulled his trust from Ramsey after saying all year that he is our guy.

[THE HAMMER'IN HOG]

Exactly! thank you. In fact, had Gibbs taken a chance on the 4th and goal from the half-yard line we probably get it in with Betts if the line gets the push. Then the score is 13-7 instead of 9-7 which i think would make a big diff in the attitudes on this board this week. :2cents:

The problem is he didn't, and the fact's are he couldn't punch it in with first and goal to go, then on third and goal he throws short of the endzone, then on forth and less than a yard Gibbs has so much confidence in Brunell he kicks a fieldgoal.

If if and buts were candy and nuts we'd all have a wonderful christmas, if we didn't get robbed down on that TD to Cooley from Ramsey perhaps this conversation is unessasary.

It's a good call on Betts though, you should let Gibbs know about him because he had Portis in there for goal line duty, Gibbs still can't admit Portis is not a power back which is what he really needs for the bulk of his offensive running plays, especially in short yardage situations. Just like he can't admit he made a mistake with Brunell.

[Epistopheles]

Exactly! thank you. In fact, had Gibbs taken a chance on the 4th and goal from the half-yard line we probably get it in with Betts if the line gets the push. Then the score is 13-7 instead of 9-7 which i think would make a big diff in the attitudes on this board this week. :2cents:

Guys! IF if if if if... The score wasn't 21-7. It wasn't 13-7. It was 9-7. Brunell didn't get the ball in the endzone. Ramsey's touchdown pass didn't count, & so it didn't happen.

I hope Brunell learns how to lead the offense to touchdowns, b/c we play the Cowboys next week. But I have no reason right now to be confident that he will.

[scruffylookin]

Exactly! thank you. In fact, had Gibbs taken a chance on the 4th and goal from the half-yard line we probably get it in with Betts if the line gets the push. Then the score is 13-7 instead of 9-7 which i think would make a big diff in the attitudes on this board this week. :2cents:

No it wouldn't. Last year we scored one touchdown a game without a problem. Last Sunday, the fact that we didn't score a touchdown was unusual based on last year. Our problem, be it Ramsey, Brunell, whomever, is that we can't seem to score 3 to 4 touchdowns.

If we did score once on Sunday and the final score was 13-7 instead of 9-7, it still wouldn't be good news. It would just have fallen in line with last years scores much better.

16-10

13-10

17-10

10-17

13-17

10-17

9-16

14-17

10-13

[Skinman]

No it wouldn't. Last year we scored one touchdown a game without a problem. Last Sunday, the fact that we didn't score a touchdown was unusual based on last year. Our problem, be it Ramsey, Brunell, whomever, is that we can't seem to score 3 to 4 touchdowns.

If we did score once on Sunday and the final score was 13-7 instead of 9-7, it still wouldn't be good news. It would just have fallen in line with last years scores much better.

16-10

13-10

17-10

10-17

13-17

10-17

9-16

14-17

10-13

Wow thxs for that gross line up man, i have never seen last years numbers like that. UGLY! man after looking at that im ALMOST ready to just say lets get err over with and start the rookie. Almost but i still have hope that MB will be enough to get us a SHOT at a wildcard. But if he dosnet pan out, and they flop back over to PR im giong to become a who knows fan! LOL yea like i could ever like another team! :laugh:

[jrockster21]

The major point here is that neither Brunell nor Ramsey has shown very much. That's a big part of the reason Gibbs spent three draft picks -- in the first, third and fourth rounds -- to pick Campbell from Auburn in the draft. You don't spend three picks that high on a long-term project. Those picks represent three starters for a team that knows how to draft. So, if you trade three starters for a kid, you must think pretty highly of him. And if you think that highly of him, you'd better be getting ready to see what he can do, sooner rather than later if what you have isn't getting the job done.

I wish Wilbon posted on here that stupid, stupid bastage. Name me five teams in history that have had a draft where they got a starter out of the 1st, 3rd and 4th rounds. That year. Better yet, name me a year the Donkeys did it. What an idiot. HEY WILBON: THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK, DUMBA$$.

[barefoot]

If any body knows football, it's our "Fairweather Friend" Wilbon, freekin moron

[G-Prime]

Decent article and pretty darn accurate..

[bird_1972]

Very good article - and it addresses the questions regarding Brunell's inability or unwillingness to stretch the offense.

I think those here who are dismissing this article as part of a "mediot" conspiracy are letting homerism cloud thier objectivity. No one likes to hear negative things said about thier team, esp if they are true. :2cents:

[McMetal]

Wilbon nailed it, except for the part about starting Jason Campbell.

This whole shebang does seem eerily reminiscent of the cr*p Martz pulled with Warner and Bulger a few years back.

[Underwater Ally]

He's exactly right.

[GoCommiesGo]

Wilbons right. Everyone can hate on him but he has a good point about Brunell and Ramsey. Hell if we bomb completely in the Dallas game let Campbell start the rest of the year.

As I said before in other threads I think where gonna lose to dallas because we have no down field passing game.

After another night of thinking about it and talking to my dad let the rookie start get him some real game time. At least we'll have something to look forward to as he will hopefully progress and get better as the season goes.

[Saqs]

Way too early to count out Brunell which Wilbon, and alot of other people here, are basically doing. And no, we do NOT need MB to pass for 200+ ypg to win. Our defense and running game are that good.

I'm willing to bet there will be alot of crow served regarding MB this season.

[boobiemiles]

We better beat Dallas.