DonkeyTeeth Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 The reason the franchise has struggled so much under multiple coaches, systems, and players, is that it continually is built and re-built from the outside in rather from the inside out. I'm talking about the team that lines up on the ball, not the management structure. Whether in drafts or through FA we have repeatedly sacrificed a solid core for flash-and-dash on the perimeters. We can't control the line of scrimage from either side of the ball so in the long run, opponents are able to dictate the game to us rather than vice versa. As long as that's true, it doesn't matter what system we run, who's at QB or RB, or whether our acquisitions come in as draft picks or free agents. In Gibbs era I he was handed a team with the construction of an offensive and defensive core already in the works. The Hogs were already a work in progress, Dave Butz was a fixture, Mann and Manley were emerging forces, and a supporting cast of tough LBs and TEs was coming together. In Gibbs era II things looked decent on paper, but in reality he was handed a pair of bookend tackles who have already peaked, a patchwork middle of an OL that is probably the bright spot, and a collection of role players who are plugged-and-played into something resembling a DL. Gibbs always was prized for his ability to craft a system around his talent, but the strong core gave him lots of breathing room to figure that out and made it much easier for the 'skill' positions to execute those systems. It seems like we're still several offseasons away (if we even focus on it) from solidifying our line-of-scrimage units. Maybe JG realizes this too and will at least put us back on that path even if he doesn't make it back to the top himself in the next two years. I guess that's gloomy, but its just tough to see us ever competing with top teams when we're so weak at the LOS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Everyone gives Gibbs his due for winning Superbowls wiht three different Quarterbacks and running backs which I have to also and I do love the man but the main reason for there success was both the offensive and defensive lines. That was the core group of the Gibbs era! you ahve to win the battle in the Trenches! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cphil006 Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 we could have kept Clark and Pierce for the amount of money we paid Archuleta. We keep overpaying people not proven on OUR team rather than proven guys on OUR team./ We took a serious step backwards... overpaying people in the salary cap era hurts the team... signing guys at bargain prices is what it is all about... especially guys that are good on OUR team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 we could have kept Clark and Pierce for the amount of money we paid Archuleta. We keep overpaying people not proven on OUR team rather than proven guys on OUR team./We took a serious step backwards... overpaying people in the salary cap era hurts the team... signing guys at bargain prices is what it is all about... especially guys that are good on OUR team. I agree and they were core Redskins! They had the smarts, the mentallity of a Gibbs guy. I just think greg Williams got ****y and said it was the system and not the guys! If we should ahve spent money it should have been on Abraham on the D line for pass rush! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLongshot Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 we could have kept Clark and Pierce for the amount of money we paid Archuleta. We keep overpaying people not proven on OUR team rather than proven guys on OUR team./ :doh: Once and for all, Clark and Pierce LEFT. The coaching staff wanted to keep them, but they decided to go elsewhere. Clark for a starting position he wasn't going to get here, and Pierce for more money. And Arch isn't making as much as you think. Most of that money is in the backend, where he probably won't see even if he was successful here. Getting back to the subject, the fact is, our D-Line was in horrible shape when Gibbs got here. I give him credit for finding Griffin and Saleve'a, because the D-line is a hard place to find good guys for cheap. It is a place that still need work, and I did kinda wish that they drafted a D-lineman before this year to help with that, but what can you do? As for the O-line, there really isn't much that Gibbs can do to change the personell, since most of those guys are inherited. Samuels and Jansen make too much to cut. Dockery has turned out to be pretty good, and Thomas is the best of the bunch. The only place that needed replacing is Center. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if Rabach is the answer there, since he has a lot of up and down games. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashsra Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 I think it comes from a combination of trying to win right now rather than building something and what I see as a developed culture of losing in the Redskins locker room. Let's face it, if a guy like Gary Clarke or BMitch were still on this team, you'd see them calling out guys and getting up in people's faces on the sidelines. I just don't see the fire in this team that they had back in the 80's, and unfortunately you can't buy leadership, it's something that has to be developed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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