From AOL poll, should Gibbs retire

[SWFLSkins]

I looked and did not see this posted, sorry if it was....

The Poll right now has 62% saying he should retire with 9k responding so far.

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Gibbs Faces Mounting Questions

By HOWARD FENDRICH,AP

Posted: 2007-12-05 09:53:32

Filed Under: NFL

ASHBURN, Va. (Dec. 4) - The questions are mounting for Joe Gibbs during a second stint with the Washington Redskins that has been far less successful than his first.

Jim McIsaac, Getty Images

Joe Gibbs acknowledged he wasn't sure about that rule and blamed himself for the defeat.

How could a Hall of Fame coach be unsure of an NFL rule?

How could any head coach be unaware a group of his players planned an on-field tribute to a slain teammate?

Why are the Redskins regularly relinquishing second-half leads?

With Washington in danger of missing the playoffs for the third time in four seasons during Gibbs II, he's hearing plenty of second-guessing these days.

"You do feel for him," Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell said Tuesday. "This is probably the first time in a long time that people have been criticizing him the way that they have."

That, of course, comes with losing, and the Redskins have dropped four consecutive games, and five of their past six, to fall to 5-7 heading into Thursday night's home game against the Chicago Bears.

Gibbs is 26-34 in the regular season this go-round, after going 124-60 the first time. His players stand by him publicly - and have been doing what they can to lift his spirits privately during what's been a trying stretch.

"They encourage me. You know what I mean?" Gibbs said. "Because sometimes when you get down as a coach, you need somebody to pick you up, and certainly they do."

Gibbs' Critical Mistake

Since Gibbs was lured back to the team he led to three Super Bowl championships, he has been dogged by criticism - about play-calling, about choices of whether to go for it on fourth down, about clock management, about wasting timeouts, about losing leads.

The most recent fodder came in Sunday's 17-16 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Washington led 16-5 late in the third quarter on an emotional day of tributes to Sean Taylor, the Pro Bowl safety shot to death last week.

The assistant coach in charge of Washington's defense, Gregg Williams, told his players Saturday night that he wanted to honor Taylor by lining up with 10 men instead of 11 on Buffalo's first snap on offense.

Williams did not, however, tell Gibbs, who said Tuesday that "probably in the future" he should be let in on similar plans.

"Had I known about it, I'd have been all for it," Gibbs said. "I turned around and was doing something else there, and I missed it."

More scrutiny came with what happened at game's end.

When the Bills lined up to attempt a 51-yard field goal, Gibbs called timeout just as Rian Lindell approached the ball, that last-second, freeze-the-kicker gambit so popular this season. When the Bills were set to re-kick, Gibbs again called timeout, drawing a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for consecutive timeouts to ice a kicker. Lindell's kick from 36 yards was good with 4 seconds left.

Afterward, Gibbs acknowledged he wasn't sure about that rule and squarely put the blame for defeat on himself. But he also said he asked a nearby official whether he could call the second timeout. An NFL spokesman said Tuesday that officials are under no obligation to point out what the rules are in such a situation.

Gibbs couldn't recall feeling as badly about an in-game decision since the 1984 Super Bowl loss against the Raiders, when a play call late in the first half led to an interception returned for a touchdown.

"A lot of people felt like I probably could have cost us that one," Gibbs said. "I lived through that, and so hopefully I'll be able to kind of live through this one."

,

Bears coach Lovie Smith was sympathetic when asked about Gibbs' gaffe.

"Who doesn't make mistakes? I can't tell you how many mistakes I make every game," Smith said in a conference call with Washington-area reporters. "Every head coach would say the same thing."

Losing a lead is nothing new for these Redskins: They have been ahead in the second half in five of their seven losses this season.

Of 60 regular-season games since he returned to coaching, Gibbs has lost 18 that the Redskins led in the second half, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. That's 30 percent.

He had 22 such losses in 184 games his first time around, 12 percent.

Since the start of the 2004 season, according to Elias, no other NFL coach has more than 11 such defeats, although the three tied with that many make for some pretty good company: Bill Parcells, Mike Holmgren and Jeff Fisher.

"It's got me - I think all of us around here - frustrated," Gibbs said when asked about the second-half problems. "I don't think one thing is to blame. In most cases, we say if we could have made one more play in any one area we would have won."

Campbell pointed to the team's approach.

"Sometimes, we get a lead, we back off a little bit," the quarterback said. "You go back, you watch film, you watch all the games, you're like, 'Darn, this team should at worst be 9-3.' Go look at all the games we were winning at halftime. We can't change what we do in the second half. We have to keep pouring it on."

Notes: tearing his left triceps in Week 2. ... After flying back from Taylor's funeral Monday night, the Redskins did only an extended walkthrough Tuesday. CB Shawn Springs (back) and WR James Thrash (ankle) didn't participate; WR Antwaan Randle El (hamstring) and FB Mike Sellers (back) did. ... A framed photo of Taylor and his daughter sits alongside football pads on the top shelf of his locker at the team's practice facility. The locker is sealed off with Plexiglas, the contents neatly arranged: sweats, practice jersey, helmet, mouth guard, burgundy cleats, a game ball from Oct. 1, 2006, notebooks, a pencil.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

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1 - 10 of 101Next101 commentsTOTALRLTY 10:29:19 AM Dec 05 2007

Report This! 1 more year, let him finish his contract, if he chooses to hang in there. They have some talent to build around. They just have to execute and yes there have been several coaching blunders. 1 more year, they are on the verge of sucess.

denise0812 10:28:31 AM Dec 05 2007

Report This! I am not as concerned about the lapse of memory as the lack of communication. If this continues he should fire his assistant coaches.

denise0812 10:28:21 AM Dec 05 2007

Report This! I am not as concerned about the lapse of memory as the lack of communication. If this continues he should fire his assistant coaches.

begary12 10:28:19 AM Dec 05 2007

Report This! It is not Joe Gibbs that causing the Redskins to loose. it is the curse that has been placed on the entire team because they refused to change the name. The Indian population has cursed tthe team as they stated to Jack Cooke back in the 90'S Change the name and you will start winning.

Sradss1 10:27:58 AM Dec 05 2007

Report This! Gibbs is BY-FAR one of the mose overrated coaches in history...

The 3 Superbowls the Redskins won during his first tenure, were due to his supporting staff... Joe Gibbs himself, has on numerous occasions, admitted he knows squat about the defensive aspect of the NFL Game...

During the 80's and early 90's, Gibbs was good at saying "Hand the ball off to Riggins..."

Easily one of the most overrated coaches of all time! His second term in DC has been a disaster and even many Skins fans (most of which think Gibbs is a GOD, who can do no wrong) are starting to realize it's time for the old fogey to give it up and either retire, or move up to GM, and leave the coaching to others...

blkgentva 10:25:22 AM Dec 05 2007

Report This! I agree with rmills GO Gibbs get rid of Greg Williams. Their defensive scheme can be blamed for the losses in at least 4 games it is just ridiculous for this to happened. Greg Williams defense does not blitzs it just sits back take a note from the Eagles they Blitz.

shellnutts 10:25:16 AM Dec 05 2007

Report This! I guess all those that want Joe to retire because of his mistakes are perfect! WOW! The heat is on Joe because he is a humble man who stands for chosing to live a good life instead of a crooked life. God Bless you Joe!!!

dsalsburg2 10:24:47 AM Dec 05 2007

Report This! Did any of you know the rule about back to back time-outs befor it was asked by Joe? I'll bet that no more that one in 10,000 had any idea that you could not ask for back to back time outs.

A coach's primary job should be to modivate the team to win.

Ask your self, could could I / me do any better?

If not then shut your mouth!!!!!

And leave the man alone

racinyank 10:24:40 AM Dec 05 2007

Report This! I feel Gibbs is over his head also as to NASCAR. He has spread himself too much. He no longer excels in FB or racing. His son supposedly is now in charge of the NASCAR teams. Gibb's NASCAR teams are not what 'they should be'. or 'could be'. The hiring of BUSCH really turned my stomach and also leaving CHEVY for TOYOTA. Good grief! I am not looking forward to next season.

Smapesconstruct 10:24:07 AM Dec 05 2007

Report This! No Gibbs should not quit!!! I think they should get rid of the guy upstairs (Al Saunders) calling most of the plays. He doesn't fit the Joe Gibbs football that us Redskins fans know and love. It's only Joe Gibbs football if Joe Gibbs is calling the plays. Get back to the days of real Redskins football.

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