WP: Washington Redskins are half-way there: First two quarters have been better than the last two.

[WhoRUSupposed2Be]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/06/AR2010100606716_2.html?sid=ST2010100700165

Washington Redskins are halfway there: First two quarters have been better than last two

By Rick Maese

Washington Post Staff Writer

Thursday, October 7, 2010; 12:32 AM

For one half each week, the Washington Redskins are among the best teams in the NFL. They move the ball, protect their quarterback and stop their opponents.

And for one half each week, they're among the league's worst, as foes pass the ball with ease, chase Donovan McNabb all over the field and light up the scoreboard.

At 2-2, the Redskins enter Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers truly as a .500 team, consistently suffering a stark second-half dropoff that is among the league's most drastic.

"You've got to do it for four quarters and that's what we're working on," Coach Mike Shanahan said.

Players say there's no simple cure. Opposing teams are making mid-game adjustments, the Redskins are struggling get their defense off the field and the Washington offense has sputtered late in games.

"Obviously we'd like to just keep on scoring 17 points a half, that'd be awesome, or 14 points a quarter, that'd be awesome," center Casey Rabach said. "But a win's a win. Obviously there's room for improvement and stuff like that. We'll just go to work today and try to put that full game together next week."

The disparity in halves hasn't escaped the coaching staff's attention. Through four games, the Redskins have outscored opponents in the first half, 60-27; they've been outscored in the second half, 49-13.

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This is basically what it comes down to folks.

[helptheSKINS]

I'd say coaching is most to blame for this. Teams are making halftime adjustments better than the Redskins.

[Skins_Fan82]

wholetime. It has been painful to watch the 2nd half of every game this year. Games that we should be winning easily end up being nailbiters down to the last play. Takes a year off of my life every time.

If we can manage to even just put together a few first downs that turn into a few field goals in the 2nd half, we'd be better off than we've been thus far.

I would still like to see nothing but touchdowns in the redzone though. Those field goals instead of TD's come back to bite us in the ass. Its such a blower LOL.

[Mackdaddydean]

Very interesting. At least we are able to get it together for the first half. Eventually the second half will come around. This is already infinitely better than last years team that couldn't get it together for ONE DRIVE.

[Kelvin Bryant]

I'd say coaching is most to blame for this. Teams are making halftime adjustments better than the Redskins.

Unlikely. In the modern NFL, teams are making adjustments all the time.

[Rypien1191]

It's actually 52-13 in the 2nd half, like I said earlier this week.

http://www.extremeskins.com/showthread.php?334745-Skins-being-outscored-52-13-in-2nd-half-this-year.&p=7846293#post7846293

[SlobberknockerSkinsFan]

4 quarters this week!!! PLEEEEEEAAAASSSE???

[scruffylookin]

I remember a Redskins team winning a Super Bowl being that kind of team (not suggesting that the 2010 team is in any way shape or form a SB contender).

The critique of the 87 team was that they could only muster a couple of good drives a game. I still have the sports pages from each week of that season and that was all the columnists and sports writers complained about with that team. Especially the offense which sputtered throughout the season. This "flaw" continued right through to the NFC Title Game. It wasn't until the Super Bowl itself that the Skins all of a sudden looked like a great team.

[redskins55]

I remember a Redskins team winning a Super Bowl being that kind of team (not suggesting that the 2010 team is in any way shape or form a SB contender).

The critique of the 87 team was that they could only muster a couple of good drives a game. I still have the sports pages from each week of that season and that was all the columnists and sports writers complained about with that team. Especially the offense which sputtered throughout the season. This "flaw" continued right through to the NFC Title Game. It wasn't until the Super Bowl itself that the Skins all of a sudden looked like a great team.

Even in the Super Bowl the skins got down 10-0..

What people dont understand is that football is just like that. It's a chess match between coaches and players. You will rarely get a game where the offense and defense both dominate the entire game. The only team I've seen score at will and stop teams in their tracks was the 91 Redskins team. They had 3 consecutive home shut outs, and scored an average of 28 points in those games. That is unheard of and will never be done in today's NFL because there is no cohesion amongst players. Back in those days the players were with each other for years so they knew how to function and play with one another. Now each year players jump to different teams left and right and there is no cohesion.

The reason the 2010 Redskins are 2-2 instead of 4-0 is one thing only. Cohesion!!

-The cowboys game we dominate and can end the game with a chip shot field goal but we snap the ball on the ground. And Carlos drops an INT.

-The Houston game we dominate but let them block a chip shot field goal that would've iced the game. We also committed a boned headed false start penalty that nullified a game icing first down.

-The St Louis game we gave a young team hope early by letting them block a punt and fumbling deep in our own territory. We still faught back to take the lead but we had already given that team hope. It was clear that our receivers and QB's timing were off because we had no cohesion. So as they gained confidence we lost ours.

-Philly game we're dominating about to go up 21-3 and Heyer commits a boned headed holding penalty on the 4yd line! He then commits a false start on the final offensive drive that nullified a first down to ice the game! Carlos Rogers also drops an INT this game that prevents any hail marry drama all together.

Ya see, that's just lack of cohesion. Every team in this league is being plagued with the same bone headed plays that good teams in the past would've never encountered because they knew their role, they knew their jobs because they had been doing it for years with the same teammates and the same coach and system. The winning formula is simple... Build a lead and hold on to it no matter what! If you lose the lead come back and score. But do all of this without killing yourselves with penalties and you have to trust your teammates. That's all you can expect from NFL teams nowadays. We've done this twice in four games. not bad for a practically brand new team.

[Conn]

One of the things I was looking forward to with a professional coaching staff was the halftime adjustments.

Now, defensively, I've got mixed feelings on those.

But offensively, our halftime adjustments, or ability to deal with our opponents halftime adjustments, have been...well, bad.

Hopefully, this improves.