Time to Perform Major Surgery on the Coaching Staff

[bbuzz1962]

This team needs stability. The problem this team continues to have is the ever evolving "change" factor. There is no way in the NFL, can you continue to change coaches, players, and game plans each and every year, and have any success.

This team needs to come up with a plan and follow it through. I have had it with new coaches, new players, new game plans each and every year. With some stability and perservearance, this team has the ablity to be amongst the best in the NFL. The talent is there, the coaches are there, we just need to keep a plan, and follow through with it. I don't care how good your players and coaches are, if you continue to change things, it will not be a success.

Now that we have a young, athletic quarterback pulling the trigger, and when healthy, a great running game, the offense will come around.

Now, for the bad news, the defense has just fallen apart in a two year time span. I am still trying to figure out what the hell happened to this defense. We go from the top ten, to the bottom of the list in a year? How does that happen? We didn't have a big personell change, the coaches are the same, so what's up? All I know, is that it should be this teams priority to fix it. I don't care how, but fix it, because it doesn't matter how much the offense improves, if the defense can't do their job.

So to sum it up, NO COACHING CHANGES, PLEASE. Find out what works, and stick with it. If we can pick up a couple of key players in the off season, that's fine. Just don't change everything and start all over again. We will se as this season draws to a close, just how well this team comes together, to prepare for next season.

[Guest Rafterman]

I can see the situation quite clear from my couch here in Richmond. The defense is playing with no fire or heart. Sean Taylor is lost back there. Players are beginning to speak out against the coaches. We get burned constantly by big plays and yet the defensive coaching staff cannot find a way to minimize them. Players continue to leave that could have helped this season while players that have been brought in cannot get onto the field despite the fact that they certainly couldnt make this defense play any worse than they already are...

etc.

GW was our hero his first year here. I began doubting his ability at the beginning of last year when Lavar couldnt get on the field in place of Warrick Holdman.

Just remember that GW was a hero to Buffalo fans after year one also and by year three, everyone had gotten sick of his attitude...players and fans alike.

AGREED

The thing about homers is that they live in a bubble. They think that their team isn't affected by the same things that the other 31 are, pretty naieve of them.

[No_Pressure]

Team "shake-ups" like this are exactly the things that keep us from achieving our goals. Please. Have 1 offensive system we stick with in Saunders, 1 Defensive system we stick with in Williams, and keep the core players so somebody has had coaching consistancy and feels comfortable.

Maybe players like Carter, Archuleta, Lloyd, and Randle-El will be better next year if we dont replace them. Maybe they just need to settle in...

We will never know if we keep changing everything. Chemistry is big and every off season we lose it.

[Joncevensen]

This team needs stability. The problem this team continues to have is the ever evolving "change" factor. There is no way in the NFL, can you continue to change coaches, players, and game plans each and every year, and have any success.

This team needs to come up with a plan and follow it through. I have had it with new coaches, new players, new game plans each and every year. With some stability and perservearance, this team has the ablity to be amongst the best in the NFL. The talent is there, the coaches are there, we just need to keep a plan, and follow through with it. I don't care how good your players and coaches are, if you continue to change things, it will not be a success.

Now that we have a young, athletic quarterback pulling the trigger, and when healthy, a great running game, the offense will come around.

Now, for the bad news, the defense has just fallen apart in a two year time span. I am still trying to figure out what the hell happened to this defense. We go from the top ten, to the bottom of the list in a year? How does that happen? We didn't have a big personell change, the coaches are the same, so what's up? All I know, is that it should be this teams priority to fix it. I don't care how, but fix it, because it doesn't matter how much the offense improves, if the defense can't do their job.

So to sum it up, NO COACHING CHANGES, PLEASE. Find out what works, and stick with it. If we can pick up a couple of key players in the off season, that's fine. Just don't change everything and start all over again. We will se as this season draws to a close, just how well this team comes together, to prepare for next season.

I'm all for continuity as many of my past posts indicate. However, it is starting to become clear the GW ****iness is a liability more than an asset now. In regards to GW, i proposed two distinct paths, a or b. I never endorsed either of them. Personally, i keep him. But Jackson needs to be fired. The safeties have been awful this year. The linebackers leave something to be desired, but thats cuz they've had to help in pass coverage too much. I give Lindsey a reprieve. And about the DL, other than Carter, they have played hard. Blache stays. Gray stays on as the secondary coach. The ONLY definite change I proposed in my orginal post was firing Jackson, GW needs to be sent a message at minimuim. I am very grateful for his efforts here in DC, so I think he should be given a chance to redeem himself, and I think he can, it just sounds like he needs to mend some fences.

In response to Bubba, and Tarhog, two members whose opinion I respect, I understand that I base my plan mainly off of Mr. Friend's article. However, I trust Mr. Friend's article to have been thoroughly checked with more than just one player. I want these team back on track as much as everyone else does, and as some have said, "What's happened to our defense?" Mr. Friend's article does not fully answer that question, in fact it creates even more questions, but it does shed light on the situation. And something has to happen.

[Tarhog]

I can't say much for the originality of your posts.

Keep drinking that Kool-Aid if it makes you feel better, and stick to the rah- rah posts if you can find any.

The reality is that this is a 3-7 team that on paper should be coasting toward the playoffs. Thnking this team doesn't have major issues, is living in denial.

I don't know how I'm going to continue without your approval

You obviously don't read many of my posts, because I've ripped this team as harshly as anyone here. I know it makes it easier to paint everyone who disagrees with your 'take' as a homer.

My point isn't that we aren't in total disarray. I believe we are. I've started threads detailing just how pathetic this franchise and organization's performance has been for the last decade. Its that creating scapegoats isn't the answer, whether you're creating them in the form of individual players (Brunell, AA, Rogers, whoever) or coaches. People tend to do it, because it means if only we replace that person, all of our problems will be rectified. The alternative, that this team is flawed, lacks the talent to get it done consistently, or just doesn't play hard enough - well, those things are much much harder to fix, and it could take years to do so.

Unlike a lot of you guys postulating, I've met Gregg Williams, I've heard him speak, watched him coach up close, and had extended conversations with him. I think he's an outstanding coach and human being, and I seriously doubt he represents the single biggest problem on this team. And ultimately, if people insist on creating scapegoats, you have to blame Gibbs for all of our failures - this is his hand-picked coaching staff, he knows exactly whats going on, and one has to assume approves of the way things are being handled. Yet I don't see anyone calling for Gibbs head.

[Guest Rafterman]

I don't know how I'm going to continue without your approval

You obviously don't read many of my posts, because I've ripped this team as harshly as anyone here. I know it makes it easier to paint everyone who disagrees with your 'take' as a homer.

My point isn't that we aren't in total disarray. I believe we are. I've started threads detailing just how pathetic this franchise and organization's performance has been for the last decade. Its that creating scapegoats isn't the answer, whether you're creating them in the form of individual players (Brunell, AA, Rogers, whoever) or coaches. People tend to do it, because it means if only we replace that person, all of our problems will be rectified. The alternative, that this team is flawed, lacks the talent to get it done consistently, or just doesn't play hard enough - well, those things are much much harder to fix, and it could take years to do so.

Unlike a lot of you guys postulating, I've met Gregg Williams, I've heard him speak, watched him coach up close, and had extended conversations with him. I think he's an outstanding coach and human being, and I seriously doubt he represents the single biggest problem on this team. And ultimately, if people insist on creating scapegoats, you have to blame Gibbs for all of our failures - this is his hand-picked coaching staff, he knows exactly whats going on, and one has to assume approves of the way things are being handled. Yet I don't see anyone calling for Gibbs head.

AGREED

Brunell was simply part of the problem in that other teams didn't respect his arm.

Gibbs needs the shoulder his share of this debacle.

He seems to have taken the Al Davis (Executive) approach and wasn't hands on enough too ensure his philosophy was the over riding one.

Gibbs was a great HC, at one time, but people keep confusing this Joe Gibbs with the one from the 1980's.

I've never met Williams, I met Gibbs back in the day. Williams does seem too have a bit of a PR problem vis-a-vis his firing from Buffalo. Also, his treatment of Arrington and especially Pierce. However, as previously stated, Gibbs is ultimately responsible.

[Love_Them_Dirtbags]

Now, for the bad news, the defense has just fallen apart in a two year time span. I am still trying to figure out what the hell happened to this defense. We go from the top ten, to the bottom of the list in a year? How does that happen? We didn't have a big personell change, the coaches are the same, so what's up? All I know, is that it should be this teams priority to fix it. I don't care how, but fix it, because it doesn't matter how much the offense improves, if the defense can't do their job.

I hate to say it, but I really think Tom Friend's article is accurate: the defensive players have lost faith in Gregg Williams. They see him as egotistical, unfair to the players, and a hard-ass. His "my way or the highway" approach worked at first, but now it's worn thin. I don't know what the answer is. Like everyone else, I thought Williams was the best thing that had happened to this organization in a long time, but now I'm worried that what's happening here is exactly the same as what happened to him in Buffalo, and what happened to Tom Coughlin in Jacksonville: players have lost faith in him, and as a result he's ineffective. Once you betray players' trust, it's very hard to get back.

[Die Hard]

This is ALL on Joe Gibbs. In fact, before he started in on the players this week... I hope he did the same for the coaching staff.

To me, Joe Gibbs has one more year after this year. This offseason, he better decide the identity of this football team and correct everything from this season and go forward in whatever direction he so chooses.

But it's time for him to crap or get off the pot.

[Jethrodsp]

This is ALL on Joe Gibbs. In fact, before he started in on the players this week... I hope he did the same for the coaching staff.

To me, Joe Gibbs has one more year after this year. This offseason, he better decide the identity of this football team and correct everything from this season and go forward in whatever direction he so chooses.

But it's time for him to crap or get off the pot.

Agreed. If the Friend article has some truth to it, I cant believe that Gibbs let it get so out of hand on that side of the ball.

Even if he isnt a defensive coach by trade, he needs to step in and re-organize. GW makes a lot of money and I think it empowers him to do some of the things that have hurt this team on defense....someone needs to reign him in or show him the door.

[fansince62]

"The alternative, that this team is flawed, lacks the talent to get it done consistently, or just doesn't play hard enough - well, those things are much much harder to fix, and it could take years to do so."

agree completely. and as we both know, from our experiences in other professions, it all starts at the top.