Offense 2007: Is this Saunders or Gibbs Offense???

[FuriousD]

One of the "big" stories of last year was Gibbs wrestling back the identity of the Redskins offense following the teams 7th loss at Tampa.

The Redskins Gibbs believed, were not themselves! At 3-7 they were floundering and looked like push-overs!

What followed was a rededication to the power running game and a resurgence of sorts. Sure, they only went 2-5 the rest of the way but nobody, especially Carolina and New Orleans, considered them soft.

Buges went on record as saying that the skins were an "inside off-tackle" power running team. That was how they were raised and that was how the skins would play the game. The result was some gaudy numbers put up by Ladell Betts down the stretch.

Fast forward to opening day, 2007....(if only it were that easy )

Does Saunders once again have full control of the offense or do the skins continue where they left off last year as an inside off-tackle power running team driven by Gibbs?

Could it be as simple as Saunders running the arial attack and Gibbs and Buges the ground game?

Thoughts?

[taylorcoreskin]

it is saunders's offense as gibbs intended it to be

[Titaw]

It's the Gibders offense - Gibbs scheme with Saunders plays!!

[taylorcoreskin]

It's the Gibders offense - Gibbs scheme with Saunders plays!!

that wasn't joe's intention..

[McD5]

This is the big problem with the entire organization. No chain of command, and no clear direction on either side of the ball.

I don't see how you can just fire Al now.....not that Gibbs would even want to take over the offense again. I think we have to let Al go for the first 6 games or so, and see what happens. The same goes with Williams.

After the midway point of the season, if the locker room is still lost on the defensive side of the ball....Gregg is going to have to hit the road.

On the offensive side, if we start 2-6 or something similiar, Al is going to have to go also....and we will need to find a new coach. That would probably include Gibbs as well, unless he actually wants to start coaching again. The way this staff is set up right now is a nightmare.

[S.T.21 will eat you alive]

This is the big problem with the entire organization. No chain of command, and no clear direction on either side of the ball.

I don't see how you can just fire Al now.....not that Gibbs would even want to take over the offense again. I think we have to let Al go for the first 6 games or so, and see what happens. The same goes with Williams.

After the midway point of the season, if the locker room is still lost on the defensive side of the ball....Gregg is going to have to hit the road.

On the offensive side, if we start 2-6 or something similiar, Al is going to have to go also....and we will need to find a new coach. That would probably include Gibbs as well, unless he actually wants to start coaching again. The way this staff is set up right now is a nightmare.

Agreed. But I would hate to see Al go. He is a great offensive coach. But I really think we will be fine. If you look at cheif's offense with Al there, it was more running the ball, which opened up the passing game. We didn't do well well running the ball last year because of Portis. I know i will get slammed for saying this, but please hear me out. Portis wasn't his best last season and I believe we have wasted too much time with him. We should've let Betts start earlier. Another reason we failed is because we though ARE and Lloyed would be fitting right away with the system. But that didn't go too well. But I really think, we will be fine this year. Cosidering Al and Joe has the similar systems and same believe on running the football.

[taylorcoreskin]

Agreed. But I would hate to see Al go. He is a great offensive coach. But I really think we will be fine. If you look at cheif's offense with Al there, it was more running the ball, which opened up the passing game. We didn't do well well running the ball last year because of Portis. I know i will get slammed for saying this, but please hear me out. Portis wasn't his best last season and I believe we have wasted too much time with him. We should've let Betts start earlier. Another reason we failed is because we though ARE and Lloyed would be fitting right away with the system. But that didn't go too well. But I really think, we will be fine this year. Cosidering Al and Joe has the similar systems and same believe on running the football.

that's the thing though. Al likes balance, and if anything he sometimes leans towards being pass-oriented. but joe is a run first guy.

[pigskinprophet]

Al Saunders and Joe Gibbs are the same animal. The fact is no first year offense has a shot. Year 2 may be another story for the 2007 Redskins. Brunell was a huge mistake. Campbell will bridge the gap. The real question is can Clinton return to form early, and given Betts' ability, should Gibb's first move have been trading Portis for Bailey.

[taylorcoreskin]

Al Saunders and Joe Gibbs are the same animal. The fact is no first year offense has a shot. Year 2 may be another story for the 2007 Redskins. Brunell was a huge mistake. Campbell will bridge the gap. The real question is can Clinton return to form early, and given Betts' ability, should Gibb's first move have been trading Portis for Bailey.

not in the least.

[Snagletooth]

Its hard to put your finger on it. The resurgence of the offense down the stretch coinsided with a frustrated Gibbs taking back to some degree, control over the offense in terms of philosophy. And at the same time JC began to assert himself in the offense. Also a healthy Betts took over for CP full time.

The "inside off-tackle" game produced consistently. No one really stopped it down the stretch. But at the same time we still ran effectively, outside, when we chose to do so.

While the interior linemen, especially Thomas, played well, pulling, outside. They appear best suited playing in the interior in smaller spaces and at times slipping out to the second level.

The bigger difference may be that Sellars and Cooley are able to make a greater contribution running between the tackles. Not sure if this is a factor to consider. Might be something to take a look at. Gives me a good reason to go back and watch tape.. I just don't have any tape to compare the role of Cooley and Sellars, blocking, in the run game, in the early season to that down the stretch where we became a real force in the running game.

I would say Gibbs philosophy change would be the primary reason. With the emergence of JC second. I don't want to under estimate what Betts did either. But I would like to believe CP would have proved to be just as effective if not more so if he had been there down the stretch. Really the entire offense played well as a unit. And is the source of excitement going into the 07 season.

[Mooka]

Just because there was a change last season doesn't mean Gibbs just took over the offense. The offense wasn't working and we were losing, it was still Al's offense, he was still calling the plays.

This is still Gibbs' team though. When things aren't working, you better expect something to change.

[pigskinprophet]

Al Saunders gets it done this year. Come on people. He is the air apparent. Jump on the bandwagon.

[Justsomeguy]

Hopefully Saunders offense with Joe calling the shots.

[CM916]

If we build upon what we had going late in the season, it will be a little bit of both. It took us a while to find them but there are real Redskin pages in the Saunders playbook. Gibbs brought him here to modernize what we already had.

[Taylor 36]

Saunders has PROVEN year after year that his system works. Any one who actually paid attention last off season should have known it was not going to go well the first year. Once his system is in place and digested by the players, it will start to run like a well-oiled machine.

As for firing either Saunders or Williams, it isn't nor should it happen. Both have proven their worth in this league. This time last year everyone on this board was worshiping the groung these two gentlemen spat on. Now, after one injury riddled year, a lot of the same people are asking for their heads or making altermatums. This in itslef shows how pathetic the Redskins fan base has become. We are reaching Cowboy and Eagle fan levels, people. Please stop the madness.

[skinfan2k]

Why do you continue to fire coaches? The problem is not personnel(coaches), its the players that are brought in. We are too old on the defensive side of the ball and GW is getting the most of what he is given

[Laxpunk2006]

Could it be as simple as Saunders running the arial attack and Gibbs and Buges the ground game?

Thoughts?

This is Al Saunders offense. Saunders has a proven track record with transforming offenses, we need to be patient. Even if we had the 32nd ranked offense this year I would still want Saunders around in 2008.

Having Saunders running the passing game, and Gibbs the running game would not work. Although they come from similar schools of thought, the differences would be noticed by opposing defenses, and the play sniffed out before it was ran.

[SkinsRMoney06]

i think its Al's system but Gibbs has a lot of input. You cant tell me these guys dont put their heads together after a game and analyze what just happened. Although people complain about too many coaches or no direction, I think both of these guys have great offensive minds and will get it done this year. Defense is a much bigger question mark.

[Skinz_4_life]

its not the offense im worried about its more about the defense..... but i think its still saunders offense.... i dont think saunder got a fair shot either way with the quarterback play in the begining with Brunell. his offense is al about deep threat and the quaterback he was givin didnt have that ability.... with that being said who's decision was it start brunell i think it was GIbbs so that was a huge handicapp to saunders scheme..... 2007 there should be no excuse

[jnhay]

It's Al Saunders' offense from now on I think. There were glimpses of Gibbs having influence on the calls later in the season as we struggled, but now that the players should know the playbook and be adjusted to it, Saunders is running things.

Of course, Gibbs knows a thing or two about running an offense so there are definitely going to be questions and suggestions coming from him throughout the season. I don't think that can be avoided.

[Fifty Gut]

it's Saunders' offense with Gibbs' staple running plays

[FunBunch7]

People also tend to forget that in KC Saunders never had a legit reciever (on the outside)...I know Gonzales is a stud but it's more of the 10-15 yards underneath.

But still their offence was near or at the top for several years in a row...yeaj Priest and LJ had alot to do with it but one would think that with no outside deep threat, if you double Gonzo with a safety and a mobile LB you could stack the line and stop their RBs but it never happened.

I think Betts is a Saunders-type back but I look at Portis alot like Tiki...

Our 1-2 punch is awesome! Until this season we have never really used it...Betts has always been the back up...now I htink with them splitting carries it could be HUGE!

[HailSkinz1]

I hope it's Gibbs with some Saunders influence.

Hail,

H

[dfos81]

Expect Saunders to run the offense and run it very well. Just listen to what the players are saying in regards to this year v.s. last year. Some players have said its like night and day, others have said we are lightyears ahead of last season, and another stated that he is leaps and bounds ahead of were he was last season. Expect our offense to be in the top half of league. The biggest question mark is our D line and secondary play, if we can turn that back into a top 10 D, we will be a force in the Nfc this season.

[SWFLSkins]

This is the big problem with the entire organization. No chain of command, and no clear direction on either side of the ball.

I don't see how you can just fire Al now.....not that Gibbs would even want to take over the offense again. I think we have to let Al go for the first 6 games or so, and see what happens. The same goes with Williams.

After the midway point of the season, if the locker room is still lost on the defensive side of the ball....Gregg is going to have to hit the road.

On the offensive side, if we start 2-6 or something similiar, Al is going to have to go also....and we will need to find a new coach. That would probably include Gibbs as well, unless he actually wants to start coaching again. The way this staff is set up right now is a nightmare.

____________________________________________________- :doh:

:no: :bsflag:

Man, can you be alittle more objective. The staff is fine. Last year was the nightmare. And yes Virginia it takes an actual strong armed QB to keep D's honest. Especially when you are running Al Saunders version of Joe Gibbs-Air Coryell offense. Running is a big part of Saunder's offense, but you can't run it with a QB that can't keep the safties honest and cheating up on the run. If you force the opposing D to honor the pass and the run then you can start moving the damn ball. It has not changed except for the contact rules, and they actually favor Saunders. Jason Campbell with not have this team at 2-6 with Saunders and Gibbs looking for jobs, mark my words.

P.S. Good health JC-and Joe, please bring along Bramlet for the ride.