To: People Who Want Saunders Fired

[Gigantor]

I didn't like the playcalling either, but Campbell has either been overthrowing or throwing behind receivers all season. JC can throw a pretty deep ball, but he can't throw a 5, 10 or 15 yard pattern accurately.

Question is, can he fix it? The first 2 games I thought it was no big deal and he'd correct the problem. Now, I'm not so sure, maybe he's another Ramsey...

[Phixius]

It wasn't Saunders fault that Portis dropped a third down pass. Or that JC couldn't get first downs on his scrambles. Blaming the playcalling is scapegoating. The defense was just as big a reason for our loss.

No, the last time we had a good offense was Norv's last two years in D.C.

If the offense wasnt going 3 and out then defense wouldnt have 3 minutes to relax on the sideline.

[dcskins58]

ill tell you what are problem is, its a depleted offensive line filled in by todd wade and jason fabini, tell me thats an offensive line to hang your hat on? dare to blame it on saunders and gibbs...assess the injuries we've had and re-consider your opinion...it could be a long kids

[Phixius]

ill tell you what are problem is, its a depleted offensive line filled in by todd wade and jason fabini, tell me thats an offensive line to hang your hat on? dare to blame it on saunders and gibbs...assess the injuries we've had and re-consider your opinion...it could be a long kids

Explain the first half when the score was 17-3, and the offense was running all over the Giants D. Offense simply stop playing, and didnt execute

[Jino]

Explain the first half when the score was 17-3, and the offense was running all over the Giants D. Offense simply stop playing, and didnt execute

One of those TDs came from the Eli fumble back at their 10 yard line.

[Mister Happy]

It wasn't just this game that we ran the prevent offense.

In the Miami game, we had the ball with 2 minutes left, but instead of running a 2 minute drill to try to score, we did the run-run-pass-punt to go into overtime.

We did it in the Philly game, too, but luckily they still couldn't stop us from scoring. That's the kind of game where you run up the score, instead of winning on a goal line stand.

It's classic Gibbs. Saunders didn't do that stuff in KC and St Louis.

[tryfuhl]

interesting play calls.. and some just failed execution

I wonder whether Gibbs limiting Saunders is helping or hurting us

[SkinsFTW]

It's classic Gibbs. Saunders didn't do that stuff in KC and St Louis.

Gibbs didn't do that stuff from 1983-1991 either.

We did have a lot of those games in our first SB season but we won them. This isn't that team. We don't have Riggins to get us the 3-4 yards per carry guaranteed.

[Blondie]

I can blame Saunders for keeping it conservative. Sorry, JC is a better QB than these coaches are giving him credit for. He almost won us the game.

We are a run first team, but yet we barely ran in the 2nd half.

Can you explain how you know he is better?

What you have seen that the coaches have not seen...I guess in practice or in games?

Would you explain that for me?

Thanks

[Geoff_K]

I was disappointed that it appeared we were trying to sit on the lead more than run up the score. Trying to not make a mistake might be more of a problem than just playing the game.

Mr. Gibbs statement that we are not a team that will blow others out is discouraging. Some may say it will motivate them to prove him wrong. It's like telling your son he is not smart enough to get A's.

Running up the score is NOT a bad thing, unless it is in the last 2 minutes and we are ahead by 17 points.

[THE TRUTH DETECTOR]

Lots of great points.But the bottom line this is a game we could not afford to lose.With the high powered teams we got coming up we needed this.Gibbs is a great coach but in todays game that run mentality aint gonna work.Steelers , Cowboys , Colts and Pats , Packers are all 3-0.Look at their high powered offenses? We better quit defending and making excuses and make some changes or we gonna get destroyed.We got the Giants and Phily again.The Pats, Cowboys twice ,Bucs and Arizona plus the Bears.

[WSHRedskins3ATLBraves3]

YOU ARE FREAKIN HOTHEADED IDIOTS.

It wasn't Saunders who executed the plays.

People who are crying about the lack of passing are failing to realize that Campbell isn't a seasoned veteran and has a 1-3 TD-INT ratio.

Aren't we trying to bring Campbell along and mask his mistakes?

It wasn't Saunders who dropped those passes either.

You can't blame Saunders for keeping it conservative.

Campbell wasn't exactly lighting it up in the first half.

Have you all forgot, We Are a RUN FIRST Team.

All you ship jumpers with hot heads, please don't post.

Get some sleep and come back tomorrow bc it's not panic time yet.

We are 2-1, a winning record.

Why can't you fans support your team instead of whining and trying to find someone to blame.

No, you're the idiot. It was Saunders that decided to run on every first down when we were getting stuffed every time. They knew what was coming every play. On 3rd and 5 every play is a screen. It's disgusting. Saunders needs to go and Coach Gibbs needs to take over the playcalling. Saunders is afraid to let Campbell play. Stop babying him with these 3 yard passes to the flats!

[Bahamas#1skins fan]

He shouldn't get fired but change his play calling and grow some. Cause if he don't we'll have alot more like this.

[ross3909]

The second half was embarrasing to watch from a play calling stand point. I hang that loss squarly on the sholders of whomever was calling the plays during that time. Gibbs says it was Saunders so I guess it was. My only hope is that this is not a sign of things to come. If Saunders is afraid to let Cambell take some chances down the field with one of the worst secondaries in the league, he must know something that we dont.

[Chump Bailey]

dude, you suck at picking up sarcasm. :doh:

:laugh:

[Butch88]

You'd think that with a 284 lb full back and three chances (four if you don't spike the ball), even if we told the Giants the play, NOBODY could stop us from scoring.... Isn't there a fullback plunge somewhere in that 700 page playbook? whoever didn't give Sellers the ball from the 1 yard line NEEDS to be fired!!!!!

[SkinsManNJ]

The only problem I have with the play calling in this game are;

1) We didn't challenge the Giants deep down the field more often.

2) We ran to the left almost everytime.

3) CP should have been in there instead of Betts and run to the right instead of left. Giants were expecting that.

4) Not enough plays to Cooley. He was our key to opening up the Giants D and making bigger plays downfield.

[Skins3000]

Your right when you say he doesn't execute the plays but he doesnt give our O a chance to succeed when he calls a game like he did. Im not saying he should be fired but what happened to running the counter with CP and pounding it with Betts. Why don't we use Cooley like the Giants use Shockey. The blame needs to fall on someone.

Could not use Cooley as much because Strahan and Tuck were getting great pass rush on Wade. I do know if that is because of rust for Wade but it limited Cooley production.

[SkinsManNJ]

You'd think that with a 284 lb full back and three chances (four if you don't spike the ball), even if we told the Giants the play, NOBODY could stop us from scoring.... Isn't there a fullback plunge somewhere in that 700 page playbook? whoever didn't give Sellers the ball from the 1 yard line NEEDS to be fired!!!!!

Well then I guess you want coach Gibbs fired? Because it was his play calling at the end of the game.

Its the end of world or season to be calling for coaches jobs. Just calm down.

[NavyDave]

Hmm Doc walker, C Mann, etc are on the Radio saying that Saunders is handcuffed. Saunders is apparently stuck with plays dictated from the "agreed" upon gameplan.

Saunders doesn't have a track record of identifying a opposing teams weakness, and ignoring it until forced in the closing momnets.

There were numerous instances when Campbell should have been in the shotgun.

Who didn't know that if Thrash is the lone Receiver in then its a running play??

Who didn't know that when another lineman (Pucillo,etc) came in as another tightend the run was going to his side?? (Heck Pierce was screaming out and the Giants slanted their rush that way.

The positive out of this is that hopefully this week full of why don't you open up the offense, do you even practice the 2 minute drill and do you overthink questions should force the coaches remove some of the shackles.

Since this isnt a thread about defense I'll refrain.

[skinzplay]

Saunders is a brilliant offensive schemer and playcaller; no doubt about that. What has become clear, though, is that he doesn't truly have total control over this offense. There are instances (like the final four plays in this Giants game) where he is effectively shut out, and Gibbs makes the calls.

And earlier in the 4th quarter, with the game tied, it was Gibbs who opted to call a bunch of running plays (including the over-used stretch play) as though we were up by 30 points and trying to kill the clock.

So don't blame Saunders.

[SkinsFTW]

Saunders doesn't have a track record of identifying a opposing teams weakness, and ignoring it until forced in the closing momnets.

I figured that much. This team doesn't attack weaknesses at all. Didn't last year against this same team, the Titans, the Colts, etc early in the year. They didn't this week or even the previous 2 weeks either.

[Skinsinparadise]

This is just opinion of course, I could be completely wrong.

Its been said Saunders' offense generally takes a year to master. But the Skins were impatient last season when their season fell apart and changed its approach some. Part of it was learning the offense but clearly part of it too seemed to be Brunnel didn't have the arm to gun the deep ball, Campbell was learning as a rookie, we lost Portis, and we didn't have a 2nd viable receiver option.

Moving to this season. The Skins are more familiar with Saunders' offense. Campbell is still raw but has a cannon and is showing flashes. Randle El is stepping up as the #2 receiver. Portis is back. IMO, we have all elements in place to run Saunders offense the way he ran it in KC, but:

Joe Gibbs doesn't seem to let him do it. The run the ball often, grind the clock out, sit on leads is the hallmark of Gibbs II not Saunders. Ditto the disorganziation with the 2 minute drill. Saunders seems meticiulous and on top of things. I love Gibbs but sadly he does not seem as meticiulous. Field goal or no field goal, burning time outs, all that stuff Gibbs admits is his domain he calls those shots.

Seems like Gibbs stamp on this game is telling Saunders to keep it conservative in the 2nd half, and he called the last few plays on that drive. I could be wrong but that's how it looks to me. Whenever Saunders leaves it would be interesting if he talks because I think he might say this offense is a hybrid Gibbs/Saunders one. Gibbs' philosophy drives it perhaps and Saunders comes up with passing plays.

If so, be nice to see what Saunders' offense can do on its own. Yeah it didn't work last season but we didn't give it much of a chance more importantly the players now know the system and we have the weapons. Campbell can be erratic but has a cannon and can make plays, we got a 2nd receiver, Portis is back, etc.

[Siven]

One thing I hate about Saunders offense is it doesn't allow for audibles.

[McMetal]

Ok, I slept on it and I still think Saunders' offense is a sham.

If he can't duplicate the success here in his second year that he enjoyed at St Louis and KC (and statistically we are not even close) then I see absolutely no reason to call this schmoe an offensive mastermind. Good coaches can make their scheme work anywhere.

Stop sheltering JC. Stop handcuffing the offense. Don't wait until the season is lost to let it rip.

Zero improvement from Game #1 to Game #3, and the O-line injuries are no excuse.