Let's Revist what Al Suanders Offense is

[Isifhan]

Many on the board are bashing Al Saunders and his 700 page play book. Rightly so, I mean the offense, while showing flashes, has basically stunk the joint up especially yesterday. I would join in, well maybe not, but I would concur with a lot of the negativity if what we were seeing on the field was Al Saunders offense. What is obvious to me is that whatever we saw yetsterday, at least in the second half, it was not Al Saunders playbook. It may have been Al calling the plays, but he was doing so handcuffed.

I thought I would revist this article (I think these articles were posted last year at some point) to see what traits we can identify being the Saundersesque philosphy.

http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2005/07/18/gretz_21st_century_offense_part_1/

1. Vertical Passing Game: The Chiefs start with throwing the ball down the field. It’s the initial building block to everything they do offensively.

1st Half. Check. The 49 yarder to Moss was picture perfect exploiting the Giants weak secondary. Getting the Giants on their heels early. We took shots when we had them.

2nd Half. Absent. I refuse to believe that Saunders "forgot" that those plays worked in the first half. As many have pointed out here, I think Gibbs saw us up by two scores, believed our D had been playing solid and told Saunders to avoid stretching the field to minimalize what could have been costly turnovers.

3. Shifts, Movement, Motion, Personnel Groups: “The philosophy of our offense is the utilization of multiple personnel groups, multiple shifting and multiple moving to try and create an advantage before the snap of the ball,” said Saunders.

I've bolded the Personnel Groups section because it's obvious to you, me, and what I assume is any competent D-coordinator in the league. When James Thrash is in the game and all of our other wide outs are on the bench, guess what folks, we're running. There's a lot to be said about execution, when the D knows what you are going to do and we do it successfully anyway. Well, as of now we are not that team, since we are not that team we should do everything possible to maximize confusion in the opposing defenses and to give us an advantage whatever way possible. Pass when you think we're running, run when you think we're passing. You can't do that if you telegraph plays with your personnel packages. We may get the shifting part down, but when James Thrash goes it motion, it's not to create a mismatch and get a linebacker covering the guy, believe me. We aren't fooling anyone.

4. Volume: The Chiefs will have between 250 and 300 plays in their game plan each week.

Say what you will about the 700 page play book. Good idea/bad idea what have you, but it's obvious that in the second half we didn't get out of the first chapter. I'm not talking about ridiculous reverses to Santana Moss on 1st & 10 that everyone and their mother can sniff out. I'm talking about utilizing the plays that create mismatches for the opposing defense. Tight Ends were having a field day against the Giants, exposing a weak Giants secondary. So obviously the inclination is to keep our Tight End, one of the best in the league whom we just signed to a $30+ extension (remember $9 million check at the drive through??) in to block against Michael Strahan. That is not a the typical Saunders offense.

5. Fast Break Mentality: “There are two terms we use on a daily basis: fast and finish,” said Saunders. “That capsulizes the attitude that we have to play this offense.

From the day back in 2001 when he was announced as Dick Vermeil’s coordinator, Saunders has used one word to explain the offensive philosophy: attack.

Attacking. A hall mark of the Saunders defense. Utiziled to complete success by the St. Louis Rams and The Kansas City Chiefs. We have the horses to do it, but horses can't win any races sitting around in the stalls. There was no attack in the 2nd half. Saunders has said it, the players have said it: we have more talent than the Kansas City Chiefs, the same ones that were in the top five on offense 5 years running. Saunders didn't forget how to coach, he didn't misplace his 700 page play book, he has all the tools to work with but isn't being allowed to do it.

http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2005/07/20/gretz_21st_century_offense_part_2/

http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2005/07/22/gretz_21st_century_offense_part_3/

I would encourage folks to revisit these articles before they continue to bash Al Saunders' playbook and offense. Coach Gibbs, I love you, you are my boy hood hero and I have a note from you framed and on my wall. I've defended and will continue to defend most any decision that you make. However, you brought coach Saunders in and paid him $2 mil a season to run the offense. For the love of god either let him do that, or let him go. Because whatever we saw yesterday, at least in the second half it wasn't your offense, and it certainly wasn't his.

[phatboy41]

I agree... I do think it MAY have been Gibbs handcuffing Saunders a bit. And, the ESPN report on our team I felt was very accurate. We don't have any killer instinct... our coaches lack the confidence to really let us put teams away when we need to. I think that after the Giants scored their first touchdown immediately in the 2nd half our team should've realized that we have to put them away hard, and kept stretching the field at. I was incredibly dissapointed. I mean, I feel better about it today, but I still have a sour taste in my mouth as Im sure the players do as well. Sean Taylor gets a huge interception and not one first down when the offense is on the field... I would like to see us start to just crush teams... I don't know why we don't. The more conservative and scared we play on our heels the more huge leads like this will continue to diminish. Here's to hoping we regroup and get back on the right track after the bye.

[Chump Bailey]

Agree entirely. Great post :applause:

[Redsknz4life]

Thanks for the post, I totally agree with the comments...I can't wait until the old dude's time is up here in Washington.

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

extremely good post. i agree with you, i think gibbs is just a scared old man afraid to go for the throat. i hate our prevent offense as much as our prevent defense. its like teams know under gibbs that the second we get a lead, were just gonna sit on it.

like you said, we have the horses, ill use guns for my analogy. we have this huge arsenal of machines guns and bazookas and grenade launchers, but instead gibbs wants to use a bb-gun. no clue why we do this, and it creates problems within the organization because it makes gibbs look like he has no faith in his own players.

[RDSCNZ20]

Gibbs is holding this Al and Jason back... the playing calling between first and second half was night and day... it so frustrating when a I team has a weakness and we don't take advantage of it esp in the passing game..

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

I'm probably going to get ripped for saying this but I would love

to see Al Saunders in charge of more than just the offense(if you get my

drift).Then the shackles would be off.

[FearDaSpear]

I think it would be very interesting to see a full-blown Saunders attack. The way Portis was catching passes in the first quarter, (very much like Holmes) I thought it was going in that direction.

[pimpumd]

I, too, feel that Gibbs is keeping Al from calling the plays he normally would when we have the lead. I really hate that I have come to this conclusion, but it's the only thing that makes sense. We simply did not attack the Giants after we got the two touchdown lead.

[fansince62]

sweet post! I haven't seen anyone really ask a key question - do we have the o-line to pull off the power running game Gibbs favors? I think not.

[hoskins]

It would really hurt to see Al Saunders go back to scoring 35 points a game in his next gig.

It's the confidence issue. Coach Gibbs doesn't have it right now, and that's permeating throughout the organization. And I'm not convinced the players trust Saunders yet either. Why should they, when their leader doesn't?

This was an issue last year, too, obviously. We're a Greg Williams defense, no question about it. Now we need to decide if we're going to give that level of responsibility and authority to our other assistant head coach.

[McMetal]

Good analysis, but the idea that it is Gibbs holding Saunders back is pure speculation. I think it is Saunders' lack of trust in JC that is retarding the offense. Our defense is at least as good as what they were running in STL and KC, so you can't put the blame on them. The WR corps isn't overly impressive, but neither were they in KC. That pretty much leaves QB and the O-line. Granted losing Thomas and Jansen was hard, but it didn't keep us from making plays against Philly.

He just doesn't trust JC to air it out. I agree he is INT prone right now, but you have to balance the importance of minimizing turnovers with the need to stretch the field and attack other teams' weaknesses.

My take on Saunders remains the same. If we are not AT LEAST as productive as STL and KC were in his second years there, then his gimmicky offense will have been utterly exposed as well as his coaching shortcomings, and he should be shown the door.

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

This was an issue last year, too, obviously. We're a Greg Williams defense, no question about it. Now we need to decide if we're going to give that level of responsibility and authority to our other assistant head coach.

Unless that other assistant head coach becomes"the" head coach

I doubt it. :mad:

[Skinsinparadise]

Great post, the one thing that might be working against Saunders is this:

Last season he had Mark Brunnel who couldn't throw the deep ball and prefered conservative screen passes -- a Gibbs II kind of QB.

Then Jason Campbell came in a rookie and they had to simplify things a lot

They lacked a 2nd go to WR, Moss was hurt for part of the season and Portis for a whole lot of it.

It takes generally a year apparently to master this playbook.

Makes sense it didn't all come together last season but by writing it off now, we are throwing the baby out with the bath water. Campbell is supposedly now well versed in the playbook, has a cannon of an arm. All the playmakers are playing and Randle El and stepped up as the #2 guy. They can play aggressively. Am guessing they gave up on it becuase of last season and IMO that's a mistake.

[Captain_Sap's Skins]

My question is when we had 1st and goal at the 2 why don't we use both Betts & Portis in the back field? I don't know everything about football but if both players are in the game, who does the defense focus on at that point?

[Troy Fakeman]

Some of you....are blinded by your own Redskins' hopes and dreams. I would love to see Al Saunders open it up with Campbell, but I would also love to see our sewn-together offensive line block a little better...and in addition...would also love to see J Cam make better and more accurate throws.

Love the guy...love the arm...love the poise...love the decision making ability...but he definitely is still a little off with his accuracy. Our WRs are small...so passes have to be extremely ON POINT...not behind...not high...not low (see the pass to Mike Sellers on the goal line of the NY Giants game for example)...

[SlobberKnockinFootball]

Good analysis, but the idea that it is Gibbs holding Saunders back is pure speculation. I think it is Saunders' lack of trust in JC that is retarding the offense. Our defense is at least as good as what they were running in STL and KC, so you can't put the blame on them. The WR corps isn't overly impressive, but neither were they in KC. That pretty much leaves QB and the O-line. Granted losing Thomas and Jansen was hard, but it didn't keep us from making plays against Philly.

He just doesn't trust JC to air it out. I agree he is INT prone right now, but you have to balance the importance of minimizing turnovers with the need to stretch the field and attack other teams' weaknesses.

My take on Saunders remains the same. If we are not AT LEAST as productive as STL and KC were in his second years there, then his gimmicky offense will have been utterly exposed as well as his coaching shortcomings, and he should be shown the door.

So let me pose this question to you since you think Gibbs isn't handcuffing Saunders.

In Philly, why did it take so long to get the play into Campbell? Do you think Saunders all of a sudden forgot which play he wanted to call in that situation? No, it was Gibbs discussing with Saunders what play they should run. So to me that's interfering with the play calling. You shouldn't be getting delay of game penalties if the play is going directly from the O-coordinator to the QB. There is a Gibbs filter involved here.

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

Good analysis, but the idea that it is Gibbs holding Saunders back is pure speculation.

I am basing my "speculation" in part on things I have heard Doc Walker

report. Particularly last season, how Gibbs was telling the offense one

thing in meetings and then Saunders would come in and tell them

something completely different. One coach would stress not turning

the ball over and one coach would stress attacking people vertically.

I'm pretty sure you can figure out which coach stressed which philosophy.

[Skinsinparadise]

Good analysis, but the idea that it is Gibbs holding Saunders back is pure speculation. I think it is Saunders' lack of trust in JC that is retarding the offense. If we are not AT LEAST as productive as STL and KC were in his second years there, then his gimmicky offense will have been utterly exposed as well as his coaching shortcomings, and he should be shown the door.

Didn't JLC write an article after the season about Gibbs putting his stamp back on the offense last season. Doesn't mean its true but I recall more then once from team sources who were quoted by the media saying that Gibbs did influence playcalling. Could be media fabrication, you never know.

Being how aggressive Saunders has been in the past, strikes me odd that he would adapt a gun shy personality with a young QB who can throw the ball deep very well. Seems more Gibbs than Saunders, when Gibbs was calling the plays for certain (pre Saunders) he was big time conservative -- screen play happy.

[Isifhan]

He just doesn't trust JC to air it out. I agree he is INT prone right now, but you have to balance the importance of minimizing turnovers with the need to stretch the field and attack other teams' weaknesses.

I disagree with this. If he didn't trust JC to air it out, then why was he allowed to do so the first half? Why has he been airing it out consitently early in games. You don't trust him some of the time, and not trust him the rest of the time. You either do or you don't.

To me, a crystal clear mark of Saunders offense was last week vs. the Eagles when Campbell missed Moss open deep to clinch the game. That was attacking. That was Saunders offense, that was the killer instinct that the team needed. That was not what was run the second half of the Giants game. I just wonder if Campbell and Moss hooked up for that bomb if the playcalling in the second half would have been any different.

[LD0506]

Well someone sure trusted JC enough to air it out right at the end. I would rather have seen us lose by going after their secondary and failing then the pitiful three and outs that accomplished nothing by not even trying.

[daddy8ball]

Here's the Redskins offense I saw yesterday:

Down

1. Portis up the middle, 2 yards.

2. Portis up the middle, 1 yard.

3. Incomplete pass.

4. Punt.

I lurk here quite a bit, but rarely post. I am pretty upset at yesterday's crash and burn.

[Skinsinparadise]

Some of you....are blinded by your own Redskins' hopes and dreams. I would love to see Al Saunders open it up with Campbell, but I would also love to see our sewn-together offensive line block a little better...and in addition...would also love to see J Cam make better and more accurate throws.

Love the guy...love the arm...love the poise...love the decision making ability...but he definitely is still a little off with his accuracy. Our WRs are small...so passes have to be extremely ON POINT...not behind...not high...not low (see the pass to Mike Sellers on the goal line of the NY Giants game for example)...

I don't think people are blinded. Don't recall posts about Campbell playing a great game. We are just saying if we go down lets go down fighting. Yeah Campbell will throw some bad balls, few QBs don't, it comes with the turf with being aggressive. But he clearly has shown that he can throw the ball deep and connect on big plays at times. It's not as if we make a ton of attempts, be interesting if we did. Maybe, it would be a disaster but how are we going to know until we try.

[FlaSk1nsfan]

That loss was poor coaching. Pure and simple. We came out and put them against the wall and then sat on our lead and watched it go away. You would think that after 2 losing seasons and the third only turned around in the end they would learn that this type of play does not win in todays NFL. If you look at the teams who win with the same skill level players that we have they attack and try to win via the O. We seem to try not to lose via the D. It isnt working.

[Skinsfor4]

The NFL,after the last couple weeks Is now officially the new WWE.This craps getting so rigged its almost hard to watch anymore!