Whatever happened to the notion of GW as HC?

[Currahee]

Jim Fassel is available

[drowland]

Has anyone ever thought that the idea of being around the Skins is too painful for GW? As much as I like to believe he doesnt have a heart, he showed he does over the past weeks. Remember, he had a special bond with Taylor and any ideas of being the HC here probably had ST palying a big part in his future success.

I'm not saying he is going to leave, but if GW "unexpectedly" walks away or is quietly signed by another team without giving a real solid reason to the media why he's leaving, I would suspect the ST tragedy might have something to do with it.

Yeah, I've thought about this. When he was rumored to be a hot HC candiate a couple years ago he pulled his name out of consideration for any job. Partly because Snyder gave him a raise, but I think he saw what kind of defense he could build around Taylor and figured this would be the best HC gig he'd be able to get in time. Now that Taylor's gone, I'm not so sure he'd stay if another team offered him a HC job. Although I think the '06 season and what was written (Ton Friend article) really hurt his stock.

[TheLongshot]

I also think about a defense that let Terrell Owens run wild in its secondary and a defense that gave up numerous big plays against the Giants and Philly as we blew more leads. I know the offense has had its problems and I know the defense played stellar against Tampa. But, that's one GREAT game compared to three under-achieving ones against division opponents where it just laid down. Plus, where was the pressure on Buffalo's rookie quarterback? No sacks against the 31st-ranked offense?

Actually, the defense did a good job holding them down for a while until they figured out a way to exploit it. That shouldn't be a surprise, because they've been exploiting just about everyone's defense in the second half.

As for the Giants, we lost from a combination of no offense in the second half and Eli Manning making some outstanding throws. The defense was actually pretty solid, but when the other guy is making perfect throws, there isn't much the defense can do about it.

Overall, considering how horrid the defense was last year, when it couldn't stop anyone, you have to give Williams credit for making this a decent unit again. Expecting anything more is really unrealistic.

Jason

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

I agree that a young OC would be ideal, but those on your list don't have enough experience IMO.

McDaniels I'd consider -- but that's only because I'd like our chances of getting the Shotgun Spread here next season as a featured formation -- and you know how hung up I am on the Spread.

Bill Cowher's a grade B coach in my opinion. He needs superior talent to win.

Tomlin, Mangini, Kiffen and a few others who I am too lazy to look up are all babes. Hiring young seems to be the current wave.

Anyway, I'd rather go through a year of growing pains with McDaniels than a year of arrogant defiance with Williams.

[TheLongshot]

I agree that a young OC would be ideal, but those on your list don't have enough experience IMO.

I'd rather have an experienced head coach and a young OC, if you were going that way. Fact is, a lot of the young coaches who had good seasons last year are having sophmore slumps this year. While the idea is exciting for fans (just like the Spurrier move was), there are some growing pains.

Williams at least has past experience and the lessons learned from being under Gibbs. Listening to his interviews, I like his excitement and energy.

Jason

[Oldfan]

I'd rather have an experienced head coach and a young OC, if you were going that way. Fact is, a lot of the young coaches who had good seasons last year are having sophmore slumps this year. While the idea is exciting for fans (just like the Spurrier move was), there are some growing pains.

Williams at least has past experience and the lessons learned from being under Gibbs. Listening to his interviews, I like his excitement and energy.

Jason

I don't want Snyder going after the big name (Cowher) just to make a PR splash. I'd like to give Al one year out from under the Gibbs yoke to see what he would do with the offense. Promoting Gregg opens up the potential to promote Olivadotti and keep him in the organization.

I understand LKB's point -- do we really want continuity with a team that has gone 26-34? But, maybe some continuity (without Gibbs) is better than a young OC who hasn't yet proven himself ready for the challenge.

[Muzzah]

I'm all for GW being our next HC. With the exception of our injury marred 06 season he has kept the defense playing at a top level. Just get a GM and give Saunders control of the offense.

[hobbie8046]

Bye bye Gregg, bye bye Al.

Give the offense to Gibbs and bring in a DC that understands that there are four downs not three!

[illone]

I like GW as the potential HC, granted the team brings in a GM.

[TheLongshot]

I don't want Snyder going after the big name (Cowher) just to make a PR splash. I'd like to give Al one year out from under the Gibbs yoke to see what he would do with the offense. Promoting Gregg opens up the potential to promote Olivadotti and keep him in the organization.

Unfortunately, I don't think Al is getting restricted much by Gibbs now. Sure, the focus is slightly different and there is room for the plays Gibbs likes to run, but the biggest problem right now isn't the scheme, it is execution.

I don't know if Olivadotti has gotten enough seasoning to be DC. I'd have a feeling Blache would be promoted if Williams became the head coach, or maybe Jerry Gray.

I understand LKB's point -- do we really want continuity with a team that has gone 26-34? But, maybe some continuity (without Gibbs) is better than a young OC who hasn't yet proven himself ready for the challenge.

I can agree with this. I have a feeling that, if Gibbs does decide to step down, he probably is going to vet any choice that Snyder makes, especially if Gibbs keeps his Team President title.

Jason

[skinzplay]

If Gibbs steps down as head coach immediately after this season - and I hope that he does - it would be best for this team if Williams becomes head coach. Quite a few of you guys have mentioned it, and I agree that consistency is something this team needs. I think the one major thing that Gibbs has brought to this organization since his return is order/stability, something that was clearly lacking in the previous tenures of Norv and Spurrier (I won't count Marty's time here because he didn't get a fair shot). Gibbs has also successfully neutralized Snyders' meddling in personnel matters, which is key.

If Gibbs steps aside as coach, I think it would be best if he also steps aside as team president. So long as he's around, we will probably have to continue suffering through the ineptitude of Don Breaux and Jack Burns, two men who - though productive assistants in the 80s - bring absolutely nothing to the table in today's game. The same goes for Bubba Tyer. Gibbs brought him in because he knows he could trust him with some of the shenanigans that he and all coaches like to play with injury reports, etc. The truth, though, is that Tyer has been a disaster for this team as its trainer. Like Breaux, Burns and yes, even Bugel - it's time for him to go. He's from the ace bandage and aspirin era of the NFL; it's time to move on.

The offense is obviously a major, major problem. And I'm convinced that once you get Breaux, Burns, and Bugel out of the game-planning for the offense, Al Saunders will be able to do what he does best, which is direct an offense that stretches the field, attacks you from all angles, and puts points on the doggone scoreboard. It's clear that even though he carries that title, he is not really the coordinator of this most offensive offense that we've seen this season. I've written it here before, but I'll repeat it for those who haven't seen it. Each week, Gibbs, Breaux, Bugel and Burns construct the offensive gameplan, with assistance (but not direction) from Saunders. Burns is the principal scout; he's charged with determining the weaknesses of the upcoming opponent and how to best attack those weaknesses. Gibbs then installs a set of plays for the week. Saunders calls the plays from that set of plays given to him by Gibbs. So when Gibbs responded to a reporter's question earlier in the season (specifically after that home loss to the Giants) that "Al calls the plays", it was a Bill Clinton-type response. It was technically true, but the entirety of the reality would have made things much clearer.

In any event, Saunders needs to be given complete control of the offense, including over the wide receivers. That's one of his areas of strength. Stan Hixon is not an NFL-calibre receivers coach, and the word has been out about that around the league. The ideal would have been to re-assign Hixon or just let him go, and entrust the receivers to Al Saunders; he oversaw that area in both St. Louis and Kansas City. Also, this offense doesn't work on the kinds of late-game simulations that other teams practice regularly during the week (and that Saunders was adamant about perfecting when he was in KC). I think Jason LaCanfora even mentions this today in his blog. That's a problem, and players have been complaining about it for some time.

I think Williams will make a fine head coach. And I agree with you guys that a GM is definitely needed. And if Gibbs picks DePaul, then I think that Snyder would not meddle with him because he would assume that DePaul has a pipeline to Gibbs. I love Coach Gibbs, and I get goosebumps every time I sit down to watch those 3 Super Bowls and the playoff games that preceded them. But this is clearly not the same Coach Gibbs that we had back in those days. The man seems lost and clueless on the sidelines. You almost wish that somebody would give him some smelling salts or something to wake him up.

[BurgundyBooger]

Originally Posted by illone

I like GW as the potential HC, granted the team brings in a GM.

Unfortunately, we can only have one or the other. On one end, I doubt Gregg Williams will seriously push for a General Manager. If anything, he'll want to play a bigger role in personnel. On the other end, no GM will come here under the condition that he accepts GW as the default head coach of the team, that would be deliberately unsurping his authority. One of the main perks of being a GM is that you get to hire the head coach of the ball club. That's just how it is.

If we want a serious GM, then all of us have to accept that he will be the one to handpick the next head coach of the Washington Redskins. If Williams is automatically promoted by Snyder at the close of this or next season, you can bet that we'll have the same personnel setup.

Now, there's a possibility that once a new GM is hired, he will elect to promote Williams, but I doubt that will be the case.

So, in short, it's a choice between promoting Williams or potentially losing him upon the insertion of a General Manager.

[RabidFan]

"Dee-fense wins championships" -- Bill Cowher

Any coach who makes this statement is automatically disqualified from coaching my football team.

The top five teams in the league right now have powerful offenses.

Funny thing is I always used to say to my buddy who we battled eachother thru college in Madden..."Time Management Wins Championships".....its an inside joke to us when said but Jesus its pretty fitting to Gibbs this season....just replace championships to games and there you go.

[slappy434]

Well' date=' when you have had the success that the current regime has had, you want to continue it by all means.

26-34 records don't just grow on trees, you know. You've got to keep this train rolling.[/quote']

:laugh:

too funny.

[Oldfan]

Unfortunately, I don't think Al is getting restricted much by Gibbs now. Sure, the focus is slightly different and there is room for the plays Gibbs likes to run, but the biggest problem right now isn't the scheme, it is execution.

I have a hard time believing that the man responsible for those high-powered offenses at Kansas City was on his own in calling for Portis to run the football 25 times against Buffalo when it wasn't working. 10 of 14 first down runs produced two yards or less, setting up second and long situations. That sounds more like Joe to me.

[TheLongshot]

If Gibbs steps aside as coach, I think it would be best if he also steps aside as team president. So long as he's around, we will probably have to continue suffering through the ineptitude of Don Breaux and Jack Burns, two men who - though productive assistants in the 80s - bring absolutely nothing to the table in today's game. The same goes for Bubba Tyer. Gibbs brought him in because he knows he could trust him with some of the shenanigans that he and all coaches like to play with injury reports, etc. The truth, though, is that Tyer has been a disaster for this team as its trainer. Like Breaux, Burns and yes, even Bugel - it's time for him to go. He's from the ace bandage and aspirin era of the NFL; it's time to move on.

Kinda a moot point, since Williams more than likely will have the ability to hire his assistants as head coach. Gibbs as Team President has nothing to do with that.

To be honest, I'm not sure what the roles of Breaux and Burns are anymore.

The offense is obviously a major, major problem. And I'm convinced that once you get Breaux, Burns, and Bugel out of the game-planning for the offense, Al Saunders will be able to do what he does best, which is direct an offense that stretches the field, attacks you from all angles, and puts points on the doggone scoreboard. It's clear that even though he carries that title, he is not really the coordinator of this most offensive offense that we've seen this season. I've written it here before, but I'll repeat it for those who haven't seen it. Each week, Gibbs, Breaux, Bugel and Burns construct the offensive gameplan, with assistance (but not direction) from Saunders. Burns is the principal scout; he's charged with determining the weaknesses of the upcoming opponent and how to best attack those weaknesses. Gibbs then installs a set of plays for the week. Saunders calls the plays from that set of plays given to him by Gibbs. So when Gibbs responded to a reporter's question earlier in the season (specifically after that home loss to the Giants) that "Al calls the plays", it was a Bill Clinton-type response. It was technically true, but the entirety of the reality would have made things much clearer.

Pure speculation on your part, and probably not close to being right. Again, I don't think playcalling or the game plan is as much of a problem as executing that game plan. Certainly, the assistants have responsibility there and probably where the most scrutiny should come on them.

Stan Hixon is not an NFL-calibre receivers coach, and the word has been out about that around the league.

Huh? What word? Where is this word you speak of?

Jason

[BobDigi]

I'd peronally be interested to see what happens when Gibbs leaves. I really hope Saunders stays and GW takes over as head coach.

I just really want to see what our offense looks like with Saunders running the ENTIRE show, with no outside influence when we're in the red-zone (where we consistently fall flat).

[TheLongshot]

I have a hard time believing that the man responsible for those high-powered offenses at Kansas City was on his own in calling for Portis to run the football 25 times against Buffalo when it wasn't working. 10 of 14 first down runs produced two yards or less, setting up second and long situations. That sounds more like Joe to me.

As soon as you start passing all the time, defenses will start teeing off on you, since they don't have to worry about stopping the run. They had to run at least enough to keep the Bills respecting it, especially since they used a lot of playaction in that game. That's just common sense.

Jason

[ImmortalDragon]

I fear what GW would do to the team as a whole. He has been too stubborn to fix holes in his defense. Saunders on the other hand has deserved a shot at a head coaching gig for awhile now, I'd love to see him get a shot.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Kinda a moot point, since Williams more than likely will have the ability to hire his assistants as head coach. Gibbs as Team President has nothing to do with that.

To be honest, I'm not sure what the roles of Breaux and Burns are anymore.

The Steelers made Tomlin keep LeBeau. That was non-negotiable.

[drowland]

I fear what GW would do to the team as a whole. He has been too stubborn to fix holes in his defense. Saunders on the other hand has deserved a shot at a head coaching gig for awhile now, I'd love to see him get a shot.

I don't believe Saunders is capable of getting the respect of an entire football team. That's a major reason why the Chiefs never really considered him as a replacement to Vermeil.

[The Full Monty]

I don't believe Saunders is capable of getting the respect of an entire football team. That's a major reason why the Chiefs never really considered him as a replacement to Vermeil.

Carl Peterson never liked Saunders and Peterson's decades-long relationship with Herm Edwards is what vaulted him to the top. Vermeil wanted Saunders. Look into it.

[ImmortalDragon]

I don't believe Saunders is capable of getting the respect of an entire football team. That's a major reason why the Chiefs never really considered him as a replacement to Vermeil.

That's because they are insane. Although I like Herm Edwards, he was bound to destroy that offense.

I don't know if anyone has mentioned Rob Ryan (the DC in Oakland, not Baltimore), he really deserved the be the HC in Oakland and has done a great job with nearly nothing on the defense over there. I'd love to see him get a HC job anywhere, especially here.

[Oldfan]

As soon as you start passing all the time, defenses will start teeing off on you, since they don't have to worry about stopping the run. They had to run at least enough to keep the Bills respecting it, especially since they used a lot of playaction in that game. That's just common sense.

You are exaggerating ("as soon as you start passing all the time") in order to make an argument. You don't need to run 14 times on first down to keep defenses honest. When you make two yards or less 10 of 14 times doing it, they'll pin their ears back and come after you on second and long. What defense is going to bite on play action in long yardage situations?

[drowland]

Carl Peterson never liked Saunders and Peterson's decades-long relationship with Herm Edwards is what vaulted him to the top. Vermeil wanted Saunders. Look into it.

I have. I remember Jason Whitlock of the KC Star wrote an article on Saunders a couple years ago. The Chiefs players listened to and respected OL coach Mike Solari more then Saunders. Vermeil would sometimes let Saunders address the team before a game and the players would snicker and laugh under their breath at him. He's a great offensive mind, but he's also a goof. Vermeil campaigned for Saunders to get that job but Carl Peterson wasn't going to hire Saunders even if they couldn't get Edwards away from the Jets.