RTD: Jury is out on Gibbs' QB switch - Woody

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Jury is out on Gibbs' QB switch

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031785091479&path=%21sports%21redskins&s=1045855935462

PAUL WOODY

POINT OF VIEW Sep 16, 2005

Call Paul Woody at (804) 649-6444 or e-mail him at pwoody @timesdispatch.com

ASHBURN Mark Brunell is lighter on his feet than he was a year ago. And he sets a light mood in the huddle, cracking an occasional joke or a quick one-liner.

"Things are tense enough already," Brunell said.

Brunell has been around. He'll be 35 tomorrow and has played in 135 NFL games. None of those things, though, mean he should be the Washington Redskins' starting quarterback for Week 2 of the regular season.

Coach Joe Gibbs made the decision to remove Patrick Ramsey from the starting lineup and insert Brunell based on, well, Gibbs wouldn't say exactly what it was based on.

"It's not something I want to go into and talk a lot about," Gibbs said. "It's a decision I felt we have to make.

"I know a lot of people would disagree with that, and I understand that."

Gibbs is right about that. Many, especially Ramsey, disagree with this decision.

Ramsey did not help his argument with his performance against Chicago on Sunday. He was intercepted once and fumbled twice when sacked. The Bears recovered one of those fumbles.

But Ramsey also converted 4 of 7 third-down plays. And after working as the starter the entire offseason and preseason, and after Gibbs steadfastly backed Ramsey, even when Brunell played well in the preseason, Ramsey deserved more than three offensive series, a total of 26 plays, before being benched.

This is only marginally a referendum on Gibbs' feelings about Ramsey vs. Brunell. Until there is evidence to the contrary, the difference between them on the field is almost indiscernible.

The underlying issue is Gibbs' ability to judge personnel, especially quarterbacks.

This is not the first time Gibbs has sent a starter to the bench or made a tough call concerning who to keep or cut.

Every other time, Gibbs has been correct -- he kept Jay Schroeder over Babe Laufenberg in 1984, brought in Doug Williams to be an experienced backup for Schroeder in 1986, benched Schroeder in favor of Williams in 1987, benched Mark Rypien in 1989 so he would stop fumbling when he got sacked and even replaced Brunell with Ramsey in 2004.

But Gibbs is one year into the NFL after spending 11 years out of the league. His team finished 6-10 last season, and his offense was ineffective.

Gibbs is the undisputed czar of all things football for the Redskins, and he is taking a huge risk by benching Ramsey now. If Brunell is not better than he was last season then Gibbs has nowhere else to turn.

Ramsey was not the most confident quarterback in the league before his benching. This is another blow to his confidence, and it's difficult to imagine he has much faith left in Gibbs. Jason Campbell might be the Redskins' quarterback of the future, but he's a rookie and far from being ready.

Gibbs should have played Ramsey one more week, and if he played poorly, then he could send him to the bench.

But with a Monday night game looming in Dallas, Gibbs apparently was loath to make such a call. He is not about to sacrifice a chance to win in order to make players, fans or critics feel more sanguine about his choice in quarterbacks.

Whether Gibbs has sacrificed more than a game with this decision now becomes the question.

Contact Paul Woody at (804) 649-6444 or pwoody@timesdispatch.com