The Killer Instinct

[Spaceman Spiff]

It's what this team doesn't have.

A lot of people on this site, I've noticed, like to try to point fingers at one thing or the other, trying to blame that one instance, player, or coach as the point or person who blew the game for us.

But on a bigger picture, even though we're being coached by Saint Joseph Gibbs, we're still lacking the few things that make up the killer instinct that this team needs to have in order to succeed.

As for me, todays game, as well as last weeks have both been microcosms of what has plagued this team.

Playcalling: I'll get it out of the way first as it's being talked about ad nauseum on here. Yeah, we're ultra conservative with a lead headed into the 4th quarter. Yeah, Williams called the dogs off Brees today in the 2nd half.

Penalties: Yeah, we're a lot better than we were in the Spurrier Era. But has it really changed? The number of penalties is down, but that doesn't matter when we make them at the worst possible times. Up until the 4th quarter we were doing really well, then we had three in a row that killed us, plus Rabach's boneheaded play...which leads me into the next point....

Discipline: Yeah, Gibbs is here. Do we still have the discipline we need to close games? Nope. Witness the penalties that shoot us in the foot at the most crucial times, game after game, time after time.

Turnovers: We haven't gotten many this season and when we do, we never capitolize on them. In other words, we never make the opposing team pay for turning the ball over. Case in point, the interceptions near the end of the game today. What'd we do? Lack of discipline turned into a penalty which put us out of field goal range which in the end lost us the game.

This team doesn't know how to close games out. I'm a little bit too young to remember Gibbs and the glory years that everyone keeps hoping that his presence will return us to, but I have a feeling the 80's Gibbs didn't go soft like this version does.

I'll try to relate it to another sport, to a team and a player I hate, but Mariano Rivera of the Yankees is a ****ing closer. He gets the job done 99% of the time, he doesn't **** around, he executes and he doesn't make mistakes. When he has a batter down 3 balls and 2 strikes, he goes for the ****ing jugular. He's ruthless and disciplined. And that is why he's one of the best (if not the best) closer ever. And that's why been a vital cog of a 4 time world champion.

And thats why we aren't a playoff team.

[MTM34001]

Couldn't have said it better myself man. Throughout the first half, I thought to myself "Let's just hope they know how to finish this game." And lo and behold, with 3 minutes left, they pretty much just smashed my dreams with a sledgehammer. Like always.

We had a good showing in the beginning, defense did their stuff, had a few good sacks by Washington, great Cartwright run, and then it's as if they all go into the lockerroom at halftime and say to each other "Great game fellas! It's clear we're done here. Way to go!" So then they come out looking worse than my 8 yr old cousin's pee-wee league up in Chevy Chase. And while we're on peewee leagues, they actually know what turnovers are and recognize the value of, you know, SCORING off them!

I think what really hurt us at the end was that 10 yd penalty. John Hall never had a chance.

They're below 500 with 5 games left. They've made their bed, they better learn how to sleep in it.

Anyway, I can't even say anything else. I'm spent. I've gotta save myself for the usual Monday Morning QB-ing at the water cooler tomorrow.

:doh:

[Phat Hog]

Playing not to lose in the 4th quarter has shown its reward...perhaps we'll figure out that's not the way to play in today's NFL.

[blackice7x]

Penalties no longer shoot us in the foot. It is a shot in the head. We lost today from penalties as well as many other games last season.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I just hate the fact that people think that "we're so close to being a good team."

I don't think we are anymore. It's just the same things that have plagued us in the past still coming around. The coaches and players may have changed, but it doesnt matter.

Simply put: You can't win consistently in the NFL if these things happen week in, week out.

[Newera]

Joe Gibbs is playing it way to close to the vest in the fourth quarter. In the last three games we have lost leads, it's a consistent theme with him. Going into the fourth quarter with a one possession lead is not the time to take the air out of the ball and he has consistently done that this year.

It almost cost against Seattle and Philly too. This league is too competitive to play not to lose anymore. You have to go for the juggular anytime you have a chance.

We have been every game this year aside from the Giants game. Our offense generally will have two beautiful drives a game -- drives where we have the defenses totally off balance. However, when Joe plays it close to the vest in the fourth quarter, it seems our offense gets out of sync.

We gave the Chargers like six possession in the fourth in a one possession game, they are far too good to give that many possessions too and not think they will eventually capitalize. All we have needed in the last three games were field goals and we can't even get them.

We even get the ball on a lost possession against Tampa and Oakland and still can't make enough plays to even get a field goal attempt.

I really put the last three loses more on the offense then I do the defense. We can't get crucial first downs in the fourth quarter. We try and run the ball 80% of the time -- and it's not working. Three games where we lost 10 point leads going into the fourth quarter.

Then when the defense gives a great turnover, Rabach makes the bonehead play of the year, holds on a simple running play. Unbelievable!

These last five games Gibbs and Williams just need to let it rip!! Playing it close to the vest late in games is not working. We cannot get conservative with only a one or two possession game, and particularly a one possession game late.

Go and take the game. For the life of me, why do we avoid Moss in the fourth quarter. It's run Portis three times or try the obvious pass on third down. Mark is so conservative he will throw the ball away before even trying to aaaaaa, maybe perhaps run for two yards instead of just firing out of bounds.

It just frustrating seeing all of our games come down to trying to hold leads instead of trying to extend leads. This falls on Gibbs and the coaching staff. They have to take a lot of the blame for this. I mean this same thinking lost us games last year, particularly against Dallas last year in Dallas. Beat a team all game, only to lose because you start playing it close to the vest late in the fourth quarter. We ain't that good to be doing that.

You have to go and beat good teams, and not hope you can hold on against them. I hope Joe has learned his lesson. Geez, we beat the 8-3 Bears. We beat the 9-2 Seahawks. We beat the 7-4 Cowboys. We almost beat the 9-2 Broncos.

This team is not that far off and will probably be very good next year with some tinkering and certainly with a more aggressive over all team philosophy. Joe Gibbs has to quit being mr. nice guy and play with more of an attack mode mentality. I just think in today's game you have too. Talent is to close.

The loses are disturbing because we are losing them the same way. And particularly disturbing because we should have at least got one of these games, probably two.

As far as the players go, they have to make plays in the clutch. And for whatever reason we don't. Yet, teams do against us.

However, I think the bigger picture problem is that this coaching staff changes their temperment in the fourth quarter. In all these games we have literally won the first three quarters and gave the games away in the fourth. Crunch time.

The fourth quarter is about converting first downs . . . period. What was easy in the first three quarters is going to be tougher in the fourth because the game is more on the line. That is when you really have to step up your game. Sure when we had Riggins, we could run three times and he and the hogs could get the first down.

Portis does not have the wear you down mentality that Joe really craves in his backs, so quit trying to pound him. Think more creatively, and that comes down to play calling. The fourth should be about some Portis, but really Brunnell, Cooley, Sellers and Moss.

Teams have not been covering our tightends all year.

Oh, Royal has to go -- what is that about!

These last five. Joe needs to let'er rip!! You know something. I think he will!

We have to run the table guys.

[Leonard Washington]

no doubt gibbs is living off his rep. however this team is "better" than others in recent memory. we haven't been able to shake our uncanny ability to find a way to lose games that can really be a stepping stone to building confidence. we've seem to master playing close to teams, but total amateurs at finishing them off.

[Davethegolfguy]

Bottom line is we did not close the game. Dam we had it won. It sucks

[jtyler42]

We lack killer in two ways:

1.) Gibbs isn't really a go for the jugular type of coach...When he has a lead he likes to take the air out of the ball and milk the clock, which if successful is a sound premise but if it isnt leaves him open to second guessing and criticism...

2.) This offense doesn't have confidence in it's ability to go out and just run the ball down a teams throat to win a game yet...This is obvious in the fact that we cant get needed first downs on these late game drives, we committ penalties or have breakdowns in assignments that put us in negative situations in late game drives...

With that being said this is all in a young team trying to grow up and turn the corner to becoming a great team, the more we are in these situations the better we will be at them...It's not going to happen overnight...Remember we are only in yr two of a five yr rebuilding plan... :2cents:

[Spaceman Spiff]

We lack killer in two ways:

1.) Gibbs isn't really a go for the jugular type of coach...When he has a lead he likes to take the air out of the ball and milk the clock, which if successful is a sound premise but if it isnt leaves him open to second guessing and criticism...

2.) This offense doesn't have confidence in it's ability to go out and just run the ball down a teams throat to win a game yet...This is obvious in the fact that we cant get needed first downs on these late game drives, we committ penalties or have breakdowns in assignments that put us in negative situations in late game drives...

With that being said this is all in a young team trying to grow up and turn the corner to becoming a great team, the more we are in these situations the better we will be at them...It's not going to happen overnight...Remember we are only in yr two of a five yr rebuilding plan... :2cents:

Gibbs needs to be that type of coach. Gibbs goes for the jugular and we win the last two games.

[wilbur58z]

Oh to have the offense to for the jugular with.

[Fergasun]

I don't know about "Killer Instinct", but when I was thinking about this game I came to the conclusion that we were one play on offense away from winning. It seems like every game we come up one play short, on either offense or defense.

In this game, I'll point out that the defense made a significant number of plays. From forcing the Chargers out of field goal position with sacks, to setting up a field goal with sacks, to intercepting the ball on the 30 yard line, and for the most part holding San Diego's offense in check. But our offense, our 4th quarter offense?

1st drive, Royal drops a first down pass.

2nd drive, Brunell passes to no one.

3rd drive, Able to string together 2 first downs... but staaaaalllls....

4th drive, Another 3 and out

5th drive, in SD territory... we know the story.

If we mix in one or two more first downs in there... that game is ours. The play calling does piss me off when I look at it, because during our touchdown drives we had significant pass plays on first and second down.

[Leonard Washington]

1-10-WAS14 (11:11) C.Portis right guard to WAS 15 for 1 yard (R.Godfrey).

2-9-WAS15 (10:32) C.Portis left tackle to WAS 22 for 7 yards (L.Castillo).

3-2-WAS22 (9:49) (Shotgun) M.Brunell pass incomplete to T.Jacobs.

4-2-WAS22 (9:42) D.Frost punts 33 yards to SD 45, Center-E.Albright, fair catch by E.Parker.

1-10-WAS16 (8:03) C.Portis right end to WAS 22 for 6 yards (S.Foley).

2-4-WAS22 (7:19) C.Portis left guard to WAS 25 for 3 yards (I.Olshansky).

3-1-WAS25 (6:42) C.Portis right end to WAS 26 for 1 yard (J.Williams).

1-10-WAS26 (6:20) M.Brunell pass incomplete to R.Royal.

2-10-WAS26 (6:14) M.Brunell pass to T.Jacobs pushed ob at WAS 37 for 11 yards (D.Florence).

1-10-WAS37 (5:43) C.Portis right end to WAS 41 for 4 yards (J.Williams).

2-6-WAS41 (5:00) C.Portis right tackle to WAS 41 for no gain (S.Cooper).

3-6-WAS41 (4:51) (Shotgun) M.Brunell FUMBLES (Aborted) at WAS 30, ball out of bounds at WAS 30.

4-17-WAS30 (4:40) D.Frost punts 37 yards to SD 33, Center-E.Albright, fair catch by E.Parker.

1-10-WAS27 (3:25) C.Portis up the middle to WAS 30 for 3 yards (I.Olshansky).

2-7-WAS30 (2:53) M.Brunell pass to T.Jacobs pushed ob at WAS 33 for 3 yards (D.Florence).

3-4-WAS33 (2:48) (Shotgun) M.Brunell sacked at WAS 33 for 0 yards (S.Phillips).

4-4-WAS33 (2:39) D.Frost punts 38 yards to SD 29, Center-E.Albright. E.Parker to SD 29 for no gain (M.Bowen).

:cry: