What Gibbs is Really Doing

[Mooka]

Again, it doesn't come down to what you think of Ramsey, it comes down to what you think of Brunell. The game on Monday is his best chance to show us something different. He had his best game against Dallas last year, and this is the healthiest he will be all year before the hits start adding up. Considering what he did in the Bears game, I think the chances of him posing a serious passing threat to the Cowboys' D are slim. If he does do it, I think the chances of him performing at a high level through all the beatings of a 16 game season are almost nil.

If you were able to get yourself to consider that possibility, perhaps my thinking would not seem quite so ridiculous to you out there in Hawaii...

After last year there isn't a Redskins fan that doesn't consider this possibility. Why do you think everyone is in such an up-roar over Gibbs going back to Brunell?

It sounds like you can't get over the fact that maybe Brunell is better then Ramsey. Last year he wasn't, this year it seems that way. Say it to yourself. Brunell is better then Ramsey right now. Our coaches think so. What happened in the 1 1/2 quarters to change their thinking? Maybe it was the 2 turnovers or 0 points, maybe it was Ramsey's lack of improvement, maybe it was that our coaches saw a difference in the offense when Brunell was under center. Take your pick.

Bottom line is that Ramsey didn't show any improvement this off-season. We brought in a new Qb coach, new receivers, a new center, got Jansen back. All of this and Ramsey looked like the same QB from his rookie year. He had one last shot to prove he was the starter and he didn't cut it. It might've been an incredibly short shot but thats how it worked out. If Ramsey had played very well before getting hurt then he would've been back in there after the half. Well he didn't play too well and the coaches liked how our offense looked with Brunell in there better.

[SkinsNumberOne]

I'm sorry Patrick. I think you're about the nicest guy I've seen in the NFL. I'd love for you to date my sister. You're a standup guy, a great friend, a great team mate, a great person. But at this point you're not able to lead a winning NFL team as a qb. Gibbs is too classy of a guy to come out and say that - although his actions of the last 1 1/2 years show us he always feared this to be true.

Except for when the job was promised to Patrick in the offseason... you know, the whole "no qb controversy" stuff... and also, we saw the same erratic play in preseason, but no hook back then.

Why yank Patrick now, and not before (with all of the publicized support in the offseason and preseason to boot)? Why was it different last year, when Brunell got 9 games?

If those two quesions are answered, then maybe I'd understand how "his actions of the last 1 1/2 years show us he always feared this to be true." Because, even though he got Campbell, this year was supposed to start out as Ramsey's (not saying he would have gotten a full year, but I thought he could get a full game *at least* - and really I'd have expected more than just one game considering both Gibbs history of sticking with his starters including last year's entry into that history).

[AJ_Skins]

It sounds like you can't get over the fact that maybe Brunell is better then Ramsey.

I'll believe it when I see it. He's got the start, so go change somebody's mind. Even so, his age will eventually catch up with him at some point of the season.

[jrockster21]

The really funny thing is, if Brunell had started that game and his first pass was an interception and his next two possesions were fumbles, all of you Ramsey supporters would have been screaming your heads off to get Pat in the game! As would I, admittedly. There is such a double standard on this board...

[GSF]

You realize you're in the minority, right? And you realize that it if was just a change, that would be one thing...it's the timing and the abruptness of it that has people dumbfounded.

I don't think I'm in the minority. I just think you dudes freaking out over this are more vocal about it. There have been several great threads from some very smart posters about why this happened. Go read them and maybe you'll understand AJ.

[JimmiJo]

I say...if this is what you end up doing after one quarter of the first regular season game, you should have thrown the competition open in the offseason and let Brunell get more snaps with the first team. Again, the move makes no sense, and you are in the minority in thinking it was totally explainable and a great decision. When you go through the whole offseason saying "Pat's our guy, Pat's our guy, Pat's our guy" and then BAM, you dump him after he gets knocked out by a clothesline in the first half, it looks like you had no clue what you were doing, either when you named him the starter initially, or when you decided out of nowhere that it was time to yank him. Anybody who is even slightly capable of imagining error on Gibbs's part has got to have their confidence in him shaken at this point.

We may agree that Gibbs made a mistake at some point - and that is in naming PR the starter last year. However, I beleive he was trying to instill confidence in PR.

I don't understand why you continue to focus on the timing of this, as if it makes any real difference. According to my premise, Gibbs should make the change if he determines that PR is not the guy without regard to when he arrives at the conclusion. Finally, we don't know what was said behind closed doors. For all we know Gibbs told him 3 weeks running that he needed to stop turning over the ball or else. I know following the Cincy game he told the media something this; "If you're going to turn the ball over around here you can forget it!"

[fansince62]

I dispensed with the lengthy response I was half way through when it struck me - what difference would it make.

once one gets by the lingering rancor in your post we are left with this startling notion:

Joe Gibbs is sending a message to PR that he hasn't performed to the standards Joe expects and that the benching is a wake-up call...a not so gentle prod......to alarm PR into the knowledge that he needs to elevate his play to the level we all know he is capable of......

lot of verbiage to get to that point. ok. I'll buy that! PR...your coach says that by his stamdards your play has *ucked and that he knows you're capable of better. Your turn will come again. Don't *crew it up...

[Doctorfro]

Joe Gibbs was a great coach for us in the past. Even as a great coach he still made mistakes, otherwise he would have fewer losses. The greatest coaches in any sport had off games, made the wrong personnel moves at the wrong time. It happens. Many want to defend Gibbs in some blind faith because of his legacy. But he may have made a dreadful mistake this time. Only time will tell. Most of us who are in an uproar over this are not Ramsey-ites. We simply wanted to see some continuity. Fewer revolving doors. After last seasons painful display by Brunell for those LONG nine games can you blame us for not wanting to see him again? I realize he has played better this preseason and played OK for three quarters against a bad team but most know he's just a fumble or pick away from being in the same boat as Ramsey. And knowing coach like we do we know he is not ready to use Campbell.

The coach may come out smelling like a rose on this. He may also fall flat on his face. There's really no middle ground. That's a lot to put on a rich, aging QB. Sometimes when players have a lot of pressure to perform they play tight. We need to hope that's not the case monday or it could get real ugly. Because you know Gibbs is not going to pull Brunell no matter how bad he plays. He's his boy.

[AJ_Skins]

I dispensed with the lengthy response I was half way through when it struck me - what difference would it make.

once one gets by the lingering rancor in your post we are left with this startling notion:

Joe Gibbs is sending a message to PR that he hasn't performed to the standards Joe expects and that the benching is a wake-up call...a not so gentle prod......to alarm PR into the knowledge that he needs to elevate his play to the level we all know he is capable of......

lot of verbiage to get to that point. ok. I'll buy that! PR...your coach says that by his stamdards your play has *ucked and that he knows you're capable of better. Your turn will come again. Don't *crew it up...

Well put. All I would add to it is that we should all be hoping he does get it together, because otherwise, we're in trouble. I don't want to go through another losing season with grandpa Brunell.

[skinsfan#33]

I've had some time to cool off and look at this rationally, and I now think where we are is this. With all of the totality of past events and present circumstances, there is only one way Gibbs was right to make this decision. That is if Patrick Ramsey returns to the lineup, takes his play to another level, and we end up with a winning record and/or a playoff berth.

Most of the assumptions being made are that Gibbs is done with Ramsey, that Gibbs is irrationally attached to Brunell, or that he's willing to throw this season away rather than start a QB he thinks will never meet his expectations. I've been guilty of suspecting the second reason myself. If Joe Gibbs is the coach we all think he is though, none of that makes any sense. Even if Brunell plays well, counting on him to make it through a whole season at a high level at this stage of his career is something even the most amateurish of coaches would not do. Campbell is not ready to play, and will not be ready for several more years. If you are going to put somebody in there who's still "developing", you put in Ramsey, because he gives you a better chance to win right now, which I think is always what Gibbs is trying to do. Instead, he has gone with Brunell.

So now I go back to his statements on Monday, which are all we have to go on as to what Gibbs is thinking:

Translation: he feels comfortable enough with Brunell's play, the improvement in his health, and the improvements in the offense that we will still have a chance to beat the Cowboys with him in there.

He's not talking about Brunell here. He's obviously not talking about Campbell. He's talking about Ramsey.

Most people, including me, have interpreted these statements, along with the stunningly quick hook Gibbs used on Ramsey, as an indication that Gibbs was just waiting for an opportunity to pull him. That may be right, but the usual other half of that interpretation-- that the reasoning behind it was an overly rosy assessment of Brunell's short- and long-term prospects, or a self-destructive attachment to a player he signed to a big contract-- does not make sense. Not if Gibbs is as good of a coach as we think he is.

"Hopefully that will turn out to be the case". These statements are almost word-for-word what Gibbs has been saying for a long time about Brunell, and they hardly constitute a ringing endorsement, much less some kind of belief that Brunell can lead us to the playoffs this year.

Gibbs's move definitely stunned all of us. I myself, up to this point, have been fuming and flailing trying to understand what he was thinking. I now think maybe I do. This is my guess:

He was in fact looking for an excuse to pull Ramsey, but he wasn't doing it because he thinks Ramsey is terrible, or Brunell is great, as the brilliant minds of this message board seem to be so certain of. He was doing it because he felt comfortable enough with Brunell to do it. He saw enough from Brunell to think "we can get by for a few games, maybe more, with Mark in there, even if he doesn't put up great numbers, and even if we aren't guaranteed to win. He's at least good enough to give us a chance".

So what he was waiting for is an opportunity to send Ramsey a message: "Now is the time". Naming him the starter, giving him the whole preseason, and telling him over and over again, "Now is the time" may not be enough to get the player to understand that *NOW IS THE TIME*.

What we perceive to be Gibbs telling Ramsey "You screwed up after one quarter, that's it, you failed, I'm through with you", obviously makes absolutely no sense. I think this a stark "put up or shut up" message, intended to be unexpected, intended to shake things up, intended to break the long cycle of accepting mediocrity that has plagued the organization for years. But what it isn't is a death sentence on Ramsey. At least not yet. And I think all of us would be well-advised not to take it that way.

Again, ask yourself the questions that have been asked repeatedly over the past few days:

Q: Is Brunell really good enough to carry us through this season, and does he give us any realistic chance to make the playoffs?

A: No.

Q: Is Campbell ready to play, or will he be at any time this year?

A: No.

Q: Is Gibbs willing to throw this season away marking time until he can get rid of Ramsey and/or Brunell next year and start from scratch?

A: No.

So what does Gibbs do to win, both now and in the future? Brunell is good enough to play this week. Say a prayer, cross your fingers, and put him in there, but part of that prayer is that Ramsey finally "gets it" and steps up to the plate once and for all. Until that happens, we can get by with Brunell. If it doesn't happen, we're in trouble.

The reason this doesn't immediately jump out as the thought process is that it doesn't really fit the mold of what most coaches do with QBs these days. Generally what happens is teams draft a young QB, (Carr, Harrington, Manning, Palmer, take your pick) maybe wait a while for him to learn the offense, and then turn the reigns over to him and let him play until he gets it together, or if he fails to do so, boot him out to go play somewhere else.

I as much as anyone else have been guilty of thinking that this is what Ramsey needs...he's never had that kind of opportunity, and the fact that Gibbs yanked him the way he did leads us all to believe he never will, at least not here. I think the reality is that this is Gibbs's idea of developing a QB, as opposed to the way "accepted wisdom" would have you do it these days.

So maybe we should all cool off, and hope Brunell can hold it together long enough for Ramsey to come back stronger than before. Because I think that's what Gibbs is betting, hoping and/or praying is going to happen. And lo and behold, it actually matches up precisely with what he said.

To the extent that I've been unable to see that and been overly harsh on the coach, I apologize, if my assessment here is right. Likewise, I think those of you on here badmouthing Ramsey should reconsider the possibility that you're doing Coach Gibbs no favors by trying to "support" his decision in that way.

Disagreements?

This is my first post on this site and I agree with almost every thing you say! Or at least I wish I did. I do think that Gibbs plans on bringing Pat back in at some time, but I don't think it will be untill either Brunell is hurt or we are elliminated from the playoffs. I Hope that Brunell can lead us to more wins than losses, but the fact is Brunell has not resembled a good QB this DECADE! (Don't give me pre-season! It counts for nothing)

He was horrendous last year and terrible the last three years he was in Jax. I know he had injury issues all of those years and maybe all of Gibbs' praying will lead to him staying healthy and actually playing well. I am not an extremely religious man but we all need to pray that Brunell actually plays well, because unless there is some devine intervention we are in for a long agonizing season!

#33 is the only number retired by the Redskins, #28 should be next!

[NastyBoy]

I've learned a couple of things in reading this post.

First of all AJ, I truly admire your passion and conviction. Having said that, I sincerely think you're reaching my friend. That Gibbs wants to send Ramsey a message may be true, and may not be true. Whether or not that was his intent, a message was definitely sent. Interpreting that message is only something we can all speculate about. I know you're trying to rationalize it all, but some things just are what they are. Don't get made at me for making this comparison, I'm NOT calling you a woman, (and please, don't all the women bash me for saying this one, it's not meant to be a dig) but this is exactly how my wife tries to rationalize things that need no rationalization. It's like she'll see something, and HAVE to know every motivation behind what it was.

I'm not saying that any of us should blindly accept whatever it is that happens, or we see........but, trying to decipher this mess is something that unless Gibbs comes right out and bluntly tells us his motivations, we'll NEVER know. We all know he'll never do that. He can't.

In one of your posts you mentioned that if Gibbs "really" felt that Ramsey wasn't the better QB, and if he truly did think that Brunnel was the best QB on the team, he should have given MB some time with the first team.

Good lord, if that were to have happened, I could only imagine what your posts may have been like then. It's easy for you to make statements like that, hindsight being 20/20, but you'd have called for his head on a platter even more so then. It also, from a logical standpoint, would have been diametrically opposed to the philosopy of enstilling confidence in Ramsey during the pre season to do that. Everyone is so concerned about how Ramsey "felt" and what it would do to his confidence, and how it would have appeared he wasn't being given a true opportunity. Well, the last time I checked, this was football. Not interior decorating. If the guy doesn't have the intestinal fortitude to let the situation propel him to a higher level, then what would? Enough about what Patrick must have been feeling or thinking, and oh his poor confidence is shaken. Perhaps a group hug would have calmed his nerves.

Personally, I don't think Gibbs has much of a future plan for Ramsey. Not with Campbell waiting in the wings. Oh, and the notion that Campbell won't be ready for "several" years, as you put it, is nonsense. With the right coaching, and the right mentoring from an experienced QB (umm.....that would be Brunnel), he's demonstrated the ability to learn the offensive scheme quickly, and already possesses the physical skills necessary to lead an offense. Why would you suggest it would be that long before he was ready to play? That statement has no merit.

Ramsey, is an awesome kid. On a personal level, I like everything about him. He seems like (from what I can possibly know) a special individual. Great heart, toughness and that "Apple pie eating boy from next door" look about him. As one poster said.........I'd love it if he'd date my sister. What he's not though, is a special QB. Not yet, and not in Gibbs' system. It's unfortunate for all of us. I'd have loved to see him excel. I rooted for that for a few years now. But, even with his limited playing time, the coaching and offensive scheme carousel, and any other curve-ball thrown his way, he's had enough time to show improvements in some key areas, and he just hasn't done that AJ. It's as simple as that.

Does he have skills? Sure he does. He's got some undeniable physical gifts. What he doesn't have is the right stuff between the ears when he's on the field, in the thick of things. It's almost sad to watch him when he starts panicing out there.

Anyway......as I said, I do admire your persistence and "search for the truth", but I don't see how, or even why it's worth the time and effort to understand it all. It's really irrelevant.

Oh the second thing I learned is that I think I'm in love with FootballChick. A woman who knows football, and the Skins that well is one heck of a find! :notworthy

:dallasuck

[thinker]

I already read your post, you didn't have to paste it here.

For me, your whole argument falls apart on the fact that you totally discount Brunell's performance in a Redskins uniform. Barring a MIRACLE, putting the offense back in Brunell's hands is tantamount to giving up on the entire season. In my opinion.

Thanks for your kind advice as to what I should post. Perhaps you could leave that for me to decide.

Here's why I can discount, partially, Brunell's performance of last year.

1) He had a bad hamstring which limited his mobility - a big part of his game - AND didn't allow him to get his legs into his throws - causing them to float.

2) The early season play calling and game planning was really not up to par. When PR was brought in THEN changes were made. The coaching staff has said that Brunell never got the benefit from playing from a better scheme and better calls.

My conclusion is that Brunell is a much better player than he showed last year - though not as good as when he was a younger player.

If you conclude that Brunell has nothing left, then you would have to conclude that Gibbs is throwing away the season and that this is a stupid decision. So your whole argument rests on the assumed notion that

Brunell is done as a player. All the rest about conspiracies and mind games about PR doesn't fit with the way Gibbs operates. You need to come up with all of that because you don't want to conclude that Gibbs is stupid and throwing the season away. There is though an easier way to conclude that - accept that Gibbs believes that Brunell can still play AND with better playcalling, schemes, a healthy Oline, and being healthier he will play better.

[Spaceman Spiff]

And yet again AJ doesn't want to include Ramsey's piss poor pathetic relief apperance against the Giants last year when analyzing him....but apparently Brunell against the Bears is some sort of sign.

AJ, whats up with that?

[Oldfan]

AJ, I appreciated your very thoughtful and interesting post, but I think you're wrong.

I think Gibbs' move to Brunell was almost as dumb as giving up three draft choices and giving him $42 mil.

[Oldfan]

And yet again AJ doesn't want to include Ramsey's piss poor pathetic relief apperance against the Giants last year when analyzing him....but apparently Brunell against the Bears is some sort of sign.

Maybe AJ saw Ramsey's start against the Giants, our only blowout of 2004 (31-7) and noticed that we averaged 20 points in the last five games.

Maybe AJ doesn't understand why 50 preseason snaps for Brunell cancels out Ramsey's clearly superior performance last year when real bullets were being fired.

[fansince62]

oldfan....look at the scores when PR QB'd. he did outperform MB. but his impact on the scoreboard was marginal. it's not that MB is good...it's that PR isn't much better.

[fansince62]

skinsnumberone: job promised to Patrick!!!!!!

what? is this pop warner football? btw...I recall Gibbs saying "Patrick is my starting QB." I don't remember Gibbs saying "I promise that PR will be my starting QB forever and ever. Cross my heart and hope to die."

[DeanCollins]

We could really use a win, not only against the Cowboys, but on Monday nite as well. Hopefully Brunell will have great nite, so we won't have to see Pursells' cheesy little grin.

[Taylor 36]

I read the entire thing, because that is what should be done if one is going to post a reply. If you are not going to read the entire first post of a thread, you shouldn't reply. Period.

That being said, I like the analysis you have brought to this move AJ. And, I give you props for taking time to cool off and then posting a level headed, well thought out thread offering apologies for jumping in angry earlier. Good Job!!! I hope you're right!!!

[Dallsux]

That's a handful to follow.

I think this Monday Night game is the most important game all season for Gibbs. So he is going in there with the personell he is most confident in (Brunell). He trusts Brunell to not give the game away with an untimely turnover.

With that said - what I would love to see for the rest of the season is high output from the offense early in games. Get at least a 3 possesion lead by the 3rd quarter and bring Ramsey in for clean up. By week 10 Ramsey may be polished and confident enough to start. If he can get the big lead then JC can come in the 4th and play cleanup.

This isn't baseball. I don't think Patrick is interested in his "saves" stats.

I think Gibbs is going to play musical QBs all year. I think he will utilize Brunell & Ramsey in the games he thinks they would most succeed in. It's what he did with Shroeder & Williams. It SHOULD look somewhat familiar. One young, disgruntled QB & one older, veteran QB, perceived as "washed-up." Hmmmmmm....

[Oldfan]

oldfan....look at the scores when PR QB'd. he did outperform MB. but his impact on the scoreboard was marginal. it's not that MB is good...it's that PR isn't much better.

I saw Ramsey clearly superior to Brunell last year. But for argument's sake, I'll grant your take on it.

Now, if you're the coach, do we go into this season with a young QB, who proved himself marginally better than your 35 year-old vet last year, and who just might jack it to the next level this year, or do you bench him?

Bear in mind, we finished 2004 winning 3 of the last 5 while averaging slightly more than 20 points per game.

Oldfan

[Yahozna]

I was expecting you to finish your subject line with something like, "is trying to win games."

I don't know what the fuss is all about - this isn't rocket science. Patrick Ramsey is not the second coming of Joe Montana nor is he Joe Theisman, Doug Williams, or Mark Ripien. Hell, Spurrier thought Danny Weurfful and Shane Matthews were better QBs. Getting worked up about Patrick Ramsey being benched is just silly.

Joe Gibbs is all about winning and why anyone would question his motives at this point is beyond me. Does anyone think Joe Gibbs didn't anticipate the ripple effect this move might cause in the media, with the fans, with the players? Of course he anticipated it and you can bet he discussed the matter with his staff and with his KEY players. The cool thing is he knew it was risky, but he made the move anyway. Why? Because he believes this decision puts THE Redskins (not PR, not MB, not JG) in a better position to win games, period.

The only person responsible for Patrick Ramsey's failure to become the Redskins QB of the future is Patrick Ramsey. He's been given plenty of chances to prove he's the guy and he's failed. Here's hoping this move will motivate him and the team to better prepare themselves for winning games.

[AJ_Skins]

I've learned a couple of things in reading this post.

First of all AJ, I truly admire your passion and conviction. Having said that, I sincerely think you're reaching my friend. That Gibbs wants to send Ramsey a message may be true, and may not be true. Whether or not that was his intent, a message was definitely sent. Interpreting that message is only something we can all speculate about. I know you're trying to rationalize it all, but some things just are what they are. Don't get made at me for making this comparison, I'm NOT calling you a woman, (and please, don't all the women bash me for saying this one, it's not meant to be a dig) but this is exactly how my wife tries to rationalize things that need no rationalization. It's like she'll see something, and HAVE to know every motivation behind what it was.

I'm not saying that any of us should blindly accept whatever it is that happens, or we see........but, trying to decipher this mess is something that unless Gibbs comes right out and bluntly tells us his motivations, we'll NEVER know. We all know he'll never do that. He can't.

In one of your posts you mentioned that if Gibbs "really" felt that Ramsey wasn't the better QB, and if he truly did think that Brunnel was the best QB on the team, he should have given MB some time with the first team.

Good lord, if that were to have happened, I could only imagine what your posts may have been like then. It's easy for you to make statements like that, hindsight being 20/20, but you'd have called for his head on a platter even more so then. It also, from a logical standpoint, would have been diametrically opposed to the philosopy of enstilling confidence in Ramsey during the pre season to do that. Everyone is so concerned about how Ramsey "felt" and what it would do to his confidence, and how it would have appeared he wasn't being given a true opportunity. Well, the last time I checked, this was football. Not interior decorating. If the guy doesn't have the intestinal fortitude to let the situation propel him to a higher level, then what would? Enough about what Patrick must have been feeling or thinking, and oh his poor confidence is shaken. Perhaps a group hug would have calmed his nerves.

Personally, I don't think Gibbs has much of a future plan for Ramsey. Not with Campbell waiting in the wings. Oh, and the notion that Campbell won't be ready for "several" years, as you put it, is nonsense. With the right coaching, and the right mentoring from an experienced QB (umm.....that would be Brunnel), he's demonstrated the ability to learn the offensive scheme quickly, and already possesses the physical skills necessary to lead an offense. Why would you suggest it would be that long before he was ready to play? That statement has no merit.

Ramsey, is an awesome kid. On a personal level, I like everything about him. He seems like (from what I can possibly know) a special individual. Great heart, toughness and that "Apple pie eating boy from next door" look about him. As one poster said.........I'd love it if he'd date my sister. What he's not though, is a special QB. Not yet, and not in Gibbs' system. It's unfortunate for all of us. I'd have loved to see him excel. I rooted for that for a few years now. But, even with his limited playing time, the coaching and offensive scheme carousel, and any other curve-ball thrown his way, he's had enough time to show improvements in some key areas, and he just hasn't done that AJ. It's as simple as that.

Does he have skills? Sure he does. He's got some undeniable physical gifts. What he doesn't have is the right stuff between the ears when he's on the field, in the thick of things. It's almost sad to watch him when he starts panicing out there.

Anyway......as I said, I do admire your persistence and "search for the truth", but I don't see how, or even why it's worth the time and effort to understand it all. It's really irrelevant.

Oh the second thing I learned is that I think I'm in love with FootballChick. A woman who knows football, and the Skins that well is one heck of a find! :notworthy

:dallasuck

I think what I'm actually trying to do here is to find some way to explain to myself the fact that we are going back to Brunell after what he did last year in a way that won't end up with me losing all hope for the season, and losing a lot of respect for the coach.

[AJ_Skins]

AJ, I appreciated your very thoughtful and interesting post, but I think you're wrong.

I think Gibbs' move to Brunell was almost as dumb as giving up three draft choices and giving him $42 mil.

Sadly, I think you may be right. We'll just see what happens with Brunell. If he plays well, fine. If he bombs out the way he did last year, we'll see how Gibbs handles it. If he sticks with him the way he did last year, I think there is good reason to believe "Gibbs II" isn't going to yield any positive results.

[AJ_Skins]

I was expecting you to finish your subject line with something like, "is trying to win games."

I don't know what the fuss is all about - this isn't rocket science. Patrick Ramsey is not the second coming of Joe Montana nor is he Joe Theisman, Doug Williams, or Mark Ripien. Hell, Spurrier thought Danny Weurfful and Shane Matthews were better QBs. Getting worked up about Patrick Ramsey being benched is just silly.

Joe Gibbs is all about winning and why anyone would question his motives at this point is beyond me. Does anyone think Joe Gibbs didn't anticipate the ripple effect this move might cause in the media, with the fans, with the players? Of course he anticipated it and you can bet he discussed the matter with his staff and with his KEY players. The cool thing is he knew it was risky, but he made the move anyway. Why? Because he believes this decision puts THE Redskins (not PR, not MB, not JG) in a better position to win games, period.

The only person responsible for Patrick Ramsey's failure to become the Redskins QB of the future is Patrick Ramsey. He's been given plenty of chances to prove he's the guy and he's failed. Here's hoping this move will motivate him and the team to better prepare themselves for winning games.

Look, it's all because of what Brunell did last year, and the way Gibbs handled it. I don't want to believe that Gibbs's decisions thus far have all been based on a desire to prove that Brunell wasn't a mistake, but if you're right, that's the only real explanation for what's happened over the past year and a half.

I have to belive that he sees Brunell as temporary, and has some intention/hope that Ramsey will go back in and play better once we absolutely can't afford to stick with Brunell any longer. Otherwise, what's the point of rooting for the team this season? You may be willing to believe that Brunell can play a 16-game season at a high level and take us to the playoffs, but I don't.