Jim Zorn's gameday management is sinking the Redskins.

[Jethrodsp]

There are many reason the Redskins are at the bottom of the NFC East at 2-3 but with simple adjustments in Jim Zorn's in-game management I believe they would be 4-1 or 3-2 at worst. The wins may not have been pretty but, as most of us know anyway, in the NFL they dont ask you how you win 'em but how many you win.

Although there are examples of Zorn's inability as a game manager even in the 2 games the Redskins have won, Im going to focus on the Detroit game and the Carolina game. We all know the scenarios Im going to re-hash here but I think that a major issue has been lost the last 4 weeks among all the theories as to what the Redskins are doing wrong (and there is certainly plenty of blame to go around).

In Detroit, on the Redskins first drive of the game, Zorn chose to go for a 4th goal from the 1 yard line. His bravado is admirable in a certain respect, but in that case I think you ALWAYS put points on the board to take the lead especially considering the down and out Lions who were 0 for their last 19 games. Of course an NFL team should be able to gain one yard on any given play, thats an easy argument to make, but the fact is that kicking the field goal is a much higher percentage move than going for the six points. I just dont see how not putting points on the board first is not the right move in that situation especially considering that points for both the Redskins and their opponents are generally at such a premium. I am well aware that probabilities and metrics and whatever have been broken down to show that there is some merit behind going for six but I say bunk, take the lead if you have the opportunity.

Minutes later in the Detroit game, Zorn accepted a penalty that gave the Lions a second chance to convert a third down. On the subsequent 3rd and 15 Stafford is flushed out of the pocket and scrambles for 17 yards. The Lions get a touchdown out of the drive, lead the Redskins 7-0. What in the world is an NFL head coach doing accepting the penalty in that situation? Of course the defense should have stopped the Lions on a 3rd and forever but why even introduce the possibility that something screwy could give them a first down. The defense held, forced them to kick (a field goal attempt most likely), and Zorn let the Lions off the hook and put his defense on it. Stafford's scramble is only one of a multitude of backdoor ways the Lions could have gotten a first down. Illegal contact is an automatic first down. A hand stuck in a facemask incidentally could be a first down. Roughing the passer...dont even get me started on that. At worst at this point in the game, the Redskins should have been tied with the Lions 3-3. Instead the Lions got the best possible scenario out of both decisions and lead 7-0. They still have nothing to lose and now they have a lead. Uh-oh...

Final Score: Lions 19, Redskins 14.

On to Carolina.

The Redskins have a 4th and 3 around the Panthers 40 late in the third quarter. After burning a timeout, Zorn decides to go for it. Campbell's pass is incomplete, Panthers convert 2 first downs and kick a field goal to pull to within 1 touchdown. The defense had been playing great all day, why not try and punt the ball and try and nail the Panthers inside the 10? Zorn once again puts his defense in a position to fail. Perhaps they should have held the Panthers but even if they do, they have still lost ground in the field position game because Carolina has a much better chance of pinning the Redskins inside their own 20 should they convert even one first down.

Also in the Carolina game, Jim Zorn burned his second timeout challenging an obvious call (that the ball had hit Westbrook's leg), burned his last timeout with 8 minutes still on the clock and then, against the tendency he had shown earlier in the game, punted the ball back to Carolina with 5 min to play on a 4th and 5. Im all for punting it there usually but with no timeouts where was the logic that told him to go for it earlier in the quarter? If there was a time to go for a 4th down certainly it seems that the second instance would have been a better option especially considering that if he had made the correct call and punted the first time he probably would not have had to burn a timeout before the earlier 4th and 3.

Final Score: Panthers 20, Redskins 17.

These are not the only egregious errors I have seen in Zorn's management but the are the ones that lead most directly to 2 of the Redskins' losses. Had he made the correct call in these instances I believe the Redskins would be sitting with a winning record right now however ugly the victories would have been.

And Im all for ugly victories.

Jim Zorn is out of his league as a head coach. He simply does not make decisions that are in the best intrest of winning. To me it seems that the pressure to put up a certain number of points has gotten more important to him than simply winning football games. He shows no confidence in his defense or special teams with his decisions, instead taking some sort of faux responsibility for winning by forcing the offense into unatural situations in which they have not shown they can be successful.

Bring on Jon Gruden. Now.

[The Rizzent]

Not trying to defend Zorn too much here. I don't agree with the bone head mistakes and calls he has made, yes he should know better. But at what point do you stop blaming Zorn ?

Regardless of down , yardage, etc when a head coach (no matter who) calls a play, the offense has to "execute" it. (Been tired of hearing that lately but its all I could think of)

So with saying that , bringing in God himself as head coach and it's 4th and 1 and he calls a run left and the offense doesn't come through, then what?

The head coach brings a lot to a team, but at what point do you say there is more to our offense struggle than just 1 guy.

(My Edit).... I do not want to discredit what you have said , because you have made a good argument. One thing I have noticed with Zorn as opposed to other head coaches , is he does not set up the next play or next 3 plays. There is no diversity there, it does seem he only has a handful of plays to run. Again is that his fault? or is that the guys on the field of whom can only grasp said handful of plays..

[Jethrodsp]

Agreed that the execution could be better but Zorn continues to put his offense in situations in which they have not been successful instead of using the other tools at his disposal (defense and special teams) to win games.

[Vicious]

Daniel Snyder's management is what is sinking the Redskins.

edit: Evidence: Oline. What is Zorn going to do? Put a jet pack on Jason Campbell so he can escape the instantly collapsing pocket?

[Jethrodsp]

Daniel Snyder's management is what is sinking the Redskins.

edit: Evidence: Oline. What is Zorn going to do? Put a jet pack on Jason Campbell so he can escape the instantly collapsing pocket?

There are probably 10 threads on the first page to talk about Dan Snyder's deficiencies.

This one is about Zorn.

[DButz65]

Everyone has to remember....

Zorn had NEVER been a coordinator at any level, let alone a head coach, he is still learning in my opinion, but he better pick up the text books again ...fast! LOL

[The Rizzent]

Everyone has to remember....

Zorn had NEVER been a coordinator at any level, let alone a head coach, he is still learning in my opinion, but he better pick up the text books again ...fast! LOL

I agree with Zorn's play calling. It almost seems high schoolish. At the same time how can Zorn "open" the play book, or get creative with a wild-cat lets say, if we can't produce on the basic plays?

I think selective skins players have either given up on zorn or we have the poorest evaluation of talent out there. Man what I would give for an offense like Miami on Monday night...

[jileib]

Somebody needs to remind Zorn that it is not illegal to spread out the offense every once in a while; the offense he calls is stuck within five yards of the line of scrimmage. I agree, his play calling and management of the offense are beyond pathetic.

[herb mul-key]

he has JC playing like a robot and JC is a better street player...rollout and running mixed in with 7 step drops...that 4th and 3 in the Carolina game had no chance because JC was to tight...if he had held the ball a second longer w a pump fake we had 6 points...he had the time...no one was near him at all....it was like Zman said "throw it quick" instead of "see what happens and make a play"

when I have looked at JC playing well at Auburn...he is scambling and slinging it...roll outs and taking off at times...JC has wheels and moves and is athletic even tho he is a drop back passer....JZ needs to call the game in a way that keeps the D off balance and gives JC a chance to get into the game and use his atheleticism...the playcalling is horrific....really bad IMHO...which I am totally suprised at. We have needed to run the naked bootleg FOR YEARS...and we never do it...no misdirection, not enought to Cooley or the drag across the cleared out middle...god when I see other NFL teams racking up points and yardage it kills me to realize how bad we are...