Save Me The Next Year Talk

[TheCoach22]

As far as the "next year" cry, I totally disagree with that. You cannot assume anything in this league with injuries and free agency and all of the unknown variables you have to take advantage of opportunities. This season the NFC is up for grabs. I am not convinced that the Falcons and the Panthers are that much better than the Skins or the Cowboys (hard as that is for me to admit). After starting 3-0, winning in Dallas, beating the Eagles in the first half of the season, this season would be a disaster if we did not get into the playoffs. A Norv Turner type of collapse... and Gibbs is better than that. Is his team? Time will tell.

I believe the defensive breakdowns are the biggest problem with the Skins right now. Our front four is awful, and our backfield has been a step slow in getting to the QB on the blitz all season... we are damned if we do and damned if we don't. We have given-up more third and longs this season than all of last year, more 70+ yard scoring drives, and had many more just poor angles and bad tackles. I do not understand it, it goes much deeper than Pierce and Smoot, or injuries to Taylor and Griffith. I think the defense got a little full of itself, and it starts with GW. I keep hearing he has blitz packages that no one has seen yet.... what is he waiting for to unravel them, the next preseason? It seems like there have been several times this season where the other team was a step ahead of us. Yesterday turnovers killed us early, but the defense was put in position of responsing to momentum swings (Betts runback, Brunell's conversion on third and 11 to keep a scoring drive alive, etc. many times in the game and especially the second half and it never did. It forced the big turnover in the third, we punch it in. We get tied at 21, then up 28-21, they let a bad QB go down the field on a long drive. We take the lead back, they give it back.... it was very, well I'll say it again, a Norv Turner/Mike Nolan type effort. It is a shame. You score 35 on TB, the best statistical D in the NFL on the road, and lose? Unheard of. Can't happen. We should be tied for first, and if Dallas wins tonight we are a third place team...this is the defense's fault. I also blame them for the Denver game, I'm sure many of you disagree, but we put Tatum Bell on the map... enough said.

Offensively, we are what we are right now. Good, not yet great. (Defensively we are BAD. No sacks, turnovers, and giving-up too many points) Some will say the offense is too predictable, and blame coaches... and I said that yesterday in the first half. I thought the second hald we were able to do somethings because we opened it up, just like we did in Denver, KC, and Dallas in the second half... some will say too careless with the ball... and that is very true...and that is players. Patten allowed a man to run through him and make a pic, not much effort on the play. Brunell has to protect the ball deep in his own end, and not run at Simeon Rice when Chris "Too Slow against the Speed Rush Too Weak Against the Bull Rush" Samuels is trying to block him.

There it is boys, and I still think we can run off four or five in a row. I think Fed Ex is going to have to continue to be a tough place to play. I think we have to beat the Giants in the rematch at home and beat the Rams, Card, and Raiders... But I still think 11-5 is very doable. I think that wins the division, because I truly believe the Giants will fade as they always do, lose three of four in December on the road and finish 8-8. I am most worried about Dallas if they win tonight, and so I must reluctantyl say, GO EAGLES...