What we must do.

[Art]

Spurrier made the correct decision to bring Matthews back in. Ramsey needs to step back, watch for a while, and get his feet back under him. This season is far from over, and can be turned around over a pretty good stretch of games where we have a solid chance.

But, we don't have a chance if the team stops believing in what it is and that it can be successful. What Spurrier needs to do now, a week after scaling back his plan, catering to the running game and short passing game and watching his team play a tough, but too sloppy contest is not to forget who he is and what he is trying to create.

Matthews is back in and Spurrier needs to be Spurrier. We're not paying him to come in here and keep the game close to win it in the fourth quarter. I'd rather lose big than play that hopeless style we saw here last year. You can't ask Spurrier to ease off the throttle. That's not what this team needs.

Especially if you are one of those who incorrectly feels the season is doomed. If you are one of those people, you should be rooting for an immensely brave offense lacking any conservative qualities. Because THAT's the way players on this team will develop on offense and be that much further along next year.

You can't dial it back now, and then try to re-engage next year. That'd be like learning two new systems in two years. You have receivers running open. You have a QB in there who's missing them. The players know this. Going with Matthews allows you to run your offense with a chance that if he's healthy he won't miss the wide open throw, though Ramsey's misses in the last game weren't necessarily awful and I can certainly understand.

But, now is the time Spurrier, more than ever, needs to retain that thought of his that he'd kind of prefer to be up by three touchdowns in the fourth quarter and if he's down, at least he's got a quarter to keep slinging it around. You can't dumb things down now. Now, more than ever, with the team teetering on a loss or two from a likely collapse in which the season would then very much be over, you need to keep pushing.

Spurrier has film showing his guys the offense works. When they aren't committing turnovers every other possession on average, the offense has been moving pretty well. The style of play this team needs to succeed is the one we hired Spurrier to bring. Whether that success comes this year or not is not something we can know, though we suspect it may not.

Lewis has had to adjust the play calling within the framework of his defense to suit the strengths of the players some. He's done a nice job of maintaining his defensive personality while also balancing the strengths of the players. He has compromised without appearing to compromise. Spurrier compromised last week with an obvious concession to a rookie QB and hostile field.

It almost worked. But, Spurrier can't lead the team if he's babying a rookie QB while the balance of the season is still in play. While we still have a series of games we can win and improve and, perhaps, arrive, Spurrier doesn't have time to bring Ramsey along slowly. He has time to play Ramsey in his offense, but, it's clear Ramsey is struggling with that and the immense amount of information he has to process.

Let him sit back a few weeks. Matthews will take a shot and be out, or, he'll drop a couple more games. Then Spurrier can concede to the rookie's development and tweak the offense down some for that. But right now, in this game coming up, Spurrier needs to be Spurrier, and we need him to know that.

[RySkins]

It sounds simple, but this team just needs something positive to happen...an uplifting experience if you will. Whether it be an early takeaway or a quick strike, I don't know, but something good needs to happen early to lift the spirits of this team. Everything about the Redskins from its players to its fans is so gloom and doom right now that any sign of hope is essential.

[spanishomelette]

I have to agree with the decision to "re"start Shane.

Ramsey's performance has not improved but degraded with each game. Matthews is rested, and when he was healthy before, he was okay. Now Spurrier sounded as if they were going with Shane the rest of the season unless(until) injury. So I expect we will see Ramsey or Danny again, as I think Shane will be a gametime tackling dummy.

I also think that running the ball more was effective, and was not detrimental to the high-scoring potential of the offense. If we could have hit the open receivers, I think we would have seen the scoreboard light up with the numbers more closely associcated with a Spurrier offense.

And the most important thing they need to do is avoid turnovers at all costs. Perhaps that goes against the risk taking mentality that is needed for the ECO, however, a complete game without a turnover IMO would show progress to all concerned. There was some progress in areas from the NO game to the GB game, but it seems so cloudy to me with 4 more turnovers added to the already too large season total.

[Art]

I think the team is waiting for a play like that against Carolina. The problem is, they aren't MAKING that play since they are waiting for it to happen. I believe some of the comments I've seen from the players that once they get over the hump the upside is huge.

But, getting over the hump is the question. It may just take a nationally televised football game on ESPN to get the corner turned .

[indyskinsfan]

Not preaching but. isn't it funny. Before God allows the glory, He allows the man to be broken down in all his parts to just about dust and then he breathes in him, life sustaing oxygen and everything about the man is completely different, filled with God's good graces and glory. No weapon formed against him shall prosper!