There's No Real Mystery: Redskins Never Solved Problems From 2005

[bulldog]

1. We still aren't getting a quality pass rush from our front four. This problem goes back to 2004. The answers have been to stick with the same core of players and add one major free agent in Andre Carter, who is coming off a severe back injury and who hasn't played DE in 2 years. Daniels is 33, Wynn is 32, Salavea is 31, Griffin is 30. While these players are for the most part still effective I would have been far more comfortable bringing in a TWO-WAY DE to take over at RDE or via the draft - a guy with some size to help in the run game as well as rush the passer.

2. Our offense continues to consist of Clinton Portis and Santana Moss receiving the ball within 5-10 yards of the line of scrimmage and then having to outrun entire defenses to get us points. At some point the Redskins have to morph back into a traditionally effective NFL team were the quarterback consistently throws the ball 30 yards and the receiver then catches it and runs the last 10 to score the TD. We added two NFL receivers in Lloyd and ARE and got a third, Patten, back from injury but it hasn't helped diversify the offense because we are unable to set up any plays down the field. There is no vertical progression. Our deep balls are all hail marys thrown at the end of the half or the end of the game. This is the only NFL offense I have seen in years that does not have a 20 yard out in its playbook.

3. We have never plugged the leak at outside linebacker. Warrick Holdman as the WLB in the 4-3 is supposed to be one of the defense's key playmakers. Instead he is a guy that is largely invisible. You look at his stat sheet and it almost always has zeroes across the page, no fumbles, no recoveries, no sacks, no interceptions. It's tough in the 4-3 when your weakside linebacker is MIA. That is akin to a team running a 3-4 defense without a capable nose tackle. McIntosh should be close to getting on the field for the Redskins. Holdman has missed too many tackles and failed to hold up at the point of attack enough to warrant a change here. McIntosh as a rookie may miss some things out there but this defense could sure use his tackling ability and athleticism.

4. We have the same situation at cornerback. Last year it was Springs missing several games due to a groin and Walt Harris and Ade Jimoh getting burned. This year it is Shawn Springs missing time while Kenny Wright and Mike Rumph get burned. Perhaps the situation is a bit worse because Carlos Rogers has regressed and seems to have lost confidence in himself.

Gregg Williams wants to run a pressure defense and leave his corners in man coverage, it was up to him to find a capable #3 corner to make that system work. We picked up Wright fairly early on and evidently he was the wrong choice.

5. Special teams are again not special. Outside of the performance of Rock Cartwright, what has improved on special teams since 2005? We have been giving up yardage on returns while John Hall again was not to be counted on due to injuries. Frost was the second lowest ranked punter in the NFC in 2005 and after two good contests seems to be back again in his funk of following a 50 yarder with a 23 yard shank.

Yet neither Hall nor Frost was ever really in fear of losing his job. You don't bring in a guy named David Lonie when you are serious about creating any real competition in camp.

So, while the Redskins are not improved over 2005 in any of the key areas identified in the offseason (whether by injury, age/performance of regular veterans or underperforming free agent pickups), all three of the NFC East rivals are improved.

That is the recipe for an 0-2 start in the NFC East being outscored 46-13.

[fansince62]

welllllll....

we still don't have a quality MLB - one with a physical presence

sorry...but every time I watch MW he reminds of LA when pass rushing: straight through the tackle/TE with predictable results. we have played russian roulette with the LB corps since forever and still don't have a stable, dominant trio.

are our receivers really running good routes? do they understand and adjust to what the defense is doing? somewhere along the line there is a foul-up leading to the abscence of a vertical game you point to....either the receivers are not running routes that take advantage of what the defnse offers...or the QB aint seein what is going on....

to me...CP looks like he is runnin not to be injured.

when every other team is moving to big, speedy wideouts we have no big/possession receiver

[redskin81]

And its really sad considering the amount of money spent during the offseason.

[bulldog]

Patten and Lloyd are good route runners, at least that seems to be their history from what I can gather. The failure to ever see this team run some staple pass routes that other teams use to set up the deep balls leads me to believe the real problem is the diminishing skills at the quarterback position.

[RedskinzOwnU]

We do have better receivers, we're just not using them. All the defensive "upgrades" were busts. It was sad to see clark doing so well with the steelers in the late game. Wish we still had him, for starters. Hopefully we'll get some more of our small rookie class on the field soon.

[bulldog]

Golston and Montgomery played quite a bit today. They learned a valuable lesson about how tough it is to play DT in the NFL for a full game. Montgomery especially was really winded in the second half. After missing most of camp and the preseason I am sure he is not yet in shape.

Golston has looked solid for the most part in previous weeks but without Griffin inside Tennessee focused on the youngsters and Henry was able to get some good yardage running inside behind his interior line.

That's the cost of starting rookies and watching them grow up.

With the team at 2-4 and with tough contests coming in the next several weeks, I think we will be seeing some additional changes if the team does not respond.

Right now, the Skins would have to go 8-2 just to match last year's record and the NFC is much more competitive.

[jbooma]

the problem is with the egos on this coaching staff

[ArmchairRedskin]

Patten and Lloyd are good route runners, at least that seems to be their history from what I can gather. The failure to ever see this team run some staple pass routes that other teams use to set up the deep balls leads me to believe the real problem is the diminishing skills at the quarterback position.

That would be my assessment. We have more than enough talent around to catch balls and make plays. Our QB doesn't spread the ball around enough. He doesn't hit the recievers in stride enough. We throw too many balls underneath and behind the line. I hardly ever see him drop back, step straight into the pocket, and deliver a ball to a reciever iwhere he can get yards after catch. Not many that are 10 beyond the line of scrimmage, anyway. Even the game winner against Jax was a great adjustment by Moss. A guy with lesser field awareness would have gotten killed.

[illone]

Nice post, bulldog.

It all started when we let Pierce walk. Since then our swagger has deteriorated to a point of such pathetic play that even high priced free agents such as Adam Archuleta are viewed as busts, and overpaid. Clark wanted to stay, and would have played for half the money that we paid Arch. That may go down as one of our biggest blunders in recent history. Especially considering the value in keeping Clark, both chemistry wise AND salary cap wise.

Regardless of that, we still have weaknesses in our front seven that clearly need overhaul. We could have moved up in last years draft and taken Luis Castillo, a solid young DE, but instead took a QB who may not see the field until Gibbs retires for good.

We've tried the free agent thing now for a few years to no avail. Time to build through the draft.

[NAILBOMB9]

the problem is with the egos on this coaching staff

Said succinctly!!

[NOVA2Tampa]

EBUILDING TIME???

[autographcollector]

The problem is we never worry enough about players in the trenches!

[RedskinzOwnU]

EBUILDING TIME???

That's funny. It is to a certain degree, but it also isn't... to a certain degree. The offensive personnel is there. All we need is a QB that can hit open receivers and stay alive in the pocket - and I think Campbell can do all of those things. The only rebuilding necessary on offense is just getting him some gametime, which is why we should start him ASAP so he's ready to lead next season.

As for the defense, we're 2-3 really good players away from a solid defense. Those 2-3 players belong on the D-line and in the secondary.

[Ghost of]

It all started when we let Pierce walk... Clark wanted to stay, and would have played for half the money that we paid Arch. That may go down as one of our biggest blunders in recent history. Especially considering the value in keeping Clark, both chemistry wise AND salary cap wise.

Yep, Yep.

Remember the comments from players this offseason about missing Clark? Dude was beloved on that unit. From a talent standpoint, Arch is better but maybe Clark was a bit more comfortable with his role or knew how to cover better. Or heck, maybe he was a trusted player and gave his all and people wanted to fight for him but it seemed pretty unanimous that he was going to be missed.

Pierce is STILL a good player on that NY defense and though Marshall had a great year last year, we just as easily could have marshall at OLB and kept Pierce.

One of the biggest things is not getting Merriman. Dude is on point and was JUST what we needed and we could have drafted rather than signed a FA(or tried to get Abraham or the like.)

[fansince62]

"Patten and Lloyd are good route runners, at least that seems to be their history from what I can gather. The failure to ever see this team run some staple pass routes that other teams use to set up the deep balls leads me to believe the real problem is the diminishing skills at the quarterback position."

sounds reasonable to me. Jaws had areally good review of the Bears receivers today and how they adjust to what the defense offers and how Grossman is seeing the same thing. I'm not sure about our receviers (or need an expert to weigh in). I do know that MB is inconssistent and just doesn't ahve the "feel" of a winner about him.

[bulldog]

If the Redskins are running a limited playbook for Brunell I don't see where we couldn't do the same thing for Campbell. Brunell threw a horrible interception to end the game today and I don't see anyone calling him out as a veteran for such a poor play when the team still had 1:00 left on the clock to move into position to try and get the game-tying field goal.

Supposedly the reason for not playing Campbell is a youngster's propensity for mistakes and inconsistency.

Well, nothing could be worse than what we saw the last couple of weeks in terms of missed opportunities and bad decision-making.

[illone]

One of the biggest things is not getting Merriman. Dude is on point and was JUST what we needed and we could have drafted rather than signed a FA(or tried to get Abraham or the like.)

Yeah, that guy is only a 2nd year player and already the leader of that unit. He provides an attitude on defense that you just can't teach.

We need players like that. Someone to get pissed and get the guys around him to tackle and make a play.

[fansince62]

"If the Redskins are running a limited playbook for Brunell I don't see where we couldn't do the same thing for Campbell. Brunell threw a horrible interception to end the game today and I don't see anyone calling him out as a veteran for such a poor play when the team still had 1:00 left on the clock to move into position to try and get the game-tying field goal.

Supposedly the reason for not playing Campbell is a youngster's propensity for mistakes and inconsistency.

Well, nothing could be worse than what we saw the last couple of weeks in terms of missed opportunities and bad decision-making."

agree. it all boils down to accepting that this is a team in transition and not a team mkaing a Sb run. accept that and it is easier/logical to move JC in for better or for worse. otherewise, it seems we are captive to competing intentions: changing to a new offense with new personnel vice making a SB run 9which generally requires a stabke system with people who are comfortable with one another)

[skins4eva]

Bulldog--we haven't addressed our d-line issues in about 2 decades.