WP: Sally Jenkins- Benching may help Redskins Quarterback Donovan McNabb.

[WhoRUSupposed2Be]

If this has already been posted then please forgive me mods.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/01/AR2010110106395.html

Benching may help Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb

By Sally Jenkins

Tuesday, November 2, 2010; 1:44 AM

Donovan McNabb is a beloved guy and all that, but why should his hold on his job be inviolable? The Washington Redskins don't have a quarterback controversy, but what they do have is a star who is playing poorly, and ailing. McNabb has been great at the 50-yard downfield throw, yet he has failed to deliver basic consistency and momentum. It's like watching a guy try to pay all the bills with a trip to Vegas. Maybe the benching and a bye week will heal him, and sharpen him up.

Mike Shanahan's rationale for his stunning decision to play Rex Grossman over McNabb in the final 1 minute 50 seconds against the Detroit Lions is still not entirely clear and his habit of coach-speak has not served him well. But what's plain is this: You go to Grossman because that's the level of your frustration.

Do you think Shanahan wanted to put a fumble-prone Grossman into the game cold? You think he set out to insult McNabb, and to invite withering criticism? It was hardly a master plan, and surely not his first choice. First choice is that your franchise quarterback makes the right reads and moves, gets you out of bad situations and into good ones, and establishes the rhythm that is the motor of an offense. For a variety of reasons, McNabb wasn't doing that.

[/Quote]

Interesting

Click on the interesting link for more to the story

[D'KanSkinFan]

I clicked, I agreed.

Thanks for this evaluation - hope "SOME" of the posters read this.

[SMOSS89]

Interesting story.

[PeterMP]

"He experienced far worse criticism than this as a coach in Denver, when he sidelined John Elway, who was beaten up and playing poorly, and replaced him with Gary Kubiak."

I'm seeing this different places, and I don't know where it started, but there is NO WAY that ever happened.

Kubiak retired in 1991. Shanahan didn't become head coach in Denver until 1995.

http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=KUB415290

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Shanahan#Denver_Broncos

(Well, I guess it is possible that as an assistant he made the decision and Reeves allowed him to take the heat for it, but I SERIOUSLY doubt that.)

[Hooper]

The best chance -- the only chance -- of McNabb getting big money involves him playing well for the Skins the rest of the year.

Not many teams wanted him before. If Shanahan writes him off, it won't be pretty for Donny.

[Botched]

I think he'll be back with a vengeance in two weeks. Look out Philly.

[Duckus]

When Sally Jenkins starts to be more rational then 50% of the members on ES, you know something crazy is going on.

[DGREENHULK]

I just wish Shanny would have used the hamstring excuse right after the game it would have "settled" some of the fans and media and told McNabb of his idea to maybe use Grossman...but hindsight is perfect. I hope the bye let's 5 get rested and focused as the article points out....also may not be bad if we do get him a big WR (Moss) to help ignite the Offense because Galloway and Roydell are just dead weight at this point IMHO.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

"He experienced far worse criticism than this as a coach in Denver, when he sidelined John Elway, who was beaten up and playing poorly, and replaced him with Gary Kubiak."

I'm seeing this different places, and I don't know where it started, but there is NO WAY that ever happened.

Kubiak retired in 1991. Shanahan didn't become head coach in Denver until 1995.

http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=KUB415290

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Shanahan#Denver_Broncos

(Well, I guess it is possible that as an assistant he made the decision and Reeves allowed him to take the heat for it, but I SERIOUSLY doubt that.)

Is it possible that he's talking about Bubby Brister? I know that Elways was benched once under Shanahan when we played against them and the backup (I thought Kubiak but now I'm thinking Brister) tore us up.

[SkinsCrushCowboys]

mutually beneficial for DMAC to play better.....good read

[PeterMP]

Is it possible that he's talking about Bubby Brister? I know that Elways was benched once under Shanahan when we played against them and the backup (I thought Kubiak but now I'm thinking Brister) tore us up.

It appears an injured Elway didn't play a game at all against us and Brister played instead:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/redskins/longterm/1998/gamerep/week4/broncos28.htm

Though I doubt he took much heat for that, considering they won easily.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

It appears an injured Elway didn't play a game at all against us and Brister played instead:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/redskins/longterm/1998/gamerep/week4/broncos28.htm

Though I doubt he took much heat for that, considering they won easily.

Right...what I mean is that is it possible he's remembering a time when he benched Elway for Brister (not against us necessarily) and just accidentally said Kubiak? I have to imagine that if Shanahan himself said it AND a reporter is reporting it, it must have happened.

[PeterMP]

Right...what I mean is that is it possible he's remembering a time when he benched Elway for Brister (not against us necessarily) and just accidentally said Kubiak? I have to imagine that if Shanahan himself said it AND a reporter is reporting it, it must have happened.

Sure it is possible. I'm just pointing out what is being reported didn't happen like it is being reported.

[tshile]

i don't understand why everyone refers to mcnabb as our franchise qb.

he's not our franchise qb. he's our temporarily qb, while we find a franchise qb.

he was the eagle's franchise qb.

when did he become our franchise qb, and why? he hasn't signed (or been offered as far as we know) an extension, and only has a year left. even optimistic estimates give him 3-4 years left to play at a high level (or high enough).

[TD_washingtonredskins]

Sure it is possible. I'm just pointing out what is being reported didn't happen like it is being reported.

Gotcha...yeah, it seems that she took his quote yesterday on 980 and just reported it as fact.

Edit: Good point tshile, a franchise QB can't be a short-term solution. I hope that, sometime in the next couple years, the plan is tab a true franchise QB either through the draft or a fortunate set of circumstances that give us a trade opportunity.

[pjfootballer]

I just wish Shanny would have used the hamstring excuse right after the game it would have "settled" some of the fans and media and told McNabb of his idea to maybe use Grossman...but hindsight is perfect. I hope the bye let's 5 get rested and focused as the article points out....also may not be bad if we do get him a big WR (Moss) to help ignite the Offense because Galloway and Roydell are just dead weight at this point IMHO.

Galloway yes, Roydell no. Roydell is a young player, the kind that we've been wanting. He also plays special teams. You need special teams players on the roster. You can't have 5 star WRs on the roster.

[illone]

Jenkins is spot on with this one.

Normally she can be venomous, but this article is legit.

[jonnyboy383]

After reading the thread title, I say it's not McNabb that needs to be helped. How about the entire offensive line steps it up? How about find a new center who won't trip his own QB? The only consistency I've seen these last few games vs Green Bay, Chicago and Detroit was McNabb running for his life. It amazes me how retarded Shanahan thinks this all McNabb's fault. Shame we can't bench the entire offensive line because they stink!

Anyhow, go Skins. This bye week is going to be painful for me.

[The Tris]

Not sure about the Elway/Kubiak benching, but I know he and Seifert benched Young in 1994 for Grbac in a 40-8 lost to the Eagles.

Young was 11/23 at the time with 2 picks, they benched him in the 3rd Q and Young was seen spewing profanities at the coaches.

San Fran sports radio station took a fan poll after the loss that dropped them to 3-2 and the overwhelming majority wanted Seifert fired on the spot.

The 49ers went on to win 13 of their next 14 games, culmination in Young winning the MVP of both the league and the Super Bowl.

QBs get benched. Even great ones. Let's move on.

[Capt Rich Fla]

Being bencher by really good team is lighting a fire under your butt. Being benched by struggling team is disheartening.

[Frostx08]

The best chance -- the only chance -- of McNabb getting big money involves him playing well for the Skins the rest of the year.

Not many teams wanted him before. If Shanahan writes him off, it won't be pretty for Donny.

Teams won't have to give up picks for him. If you really think that's the case then you need to rethink that

[Frostx08]

Sally Jenkins is wrong on this one...simply because she says "you think coach wanted to insult McNabb". Umm.....yea he did. He's the coach...and he ridicules his QB in front of the entire world seemingly questioning his intelligence and fitness?? I mean, people are acting as if Shanahan just said something simple, that was disrespectful. Amazed some people don't see that as unprofessional no matter who your QB is

Wanna help McNabb? How about someone that can be a lot more effective than Galloway and having him not run on every play

[LetThePointsSoar]

Being bencher by really good team is lighting a fire under your butt. Being benched by struggling team is disheartening.

I guess, that therein is where the debate lies. Is the glass half full and are we a competitive team, or half empty and are we struggling? IMO, we ARE a good team (who lost to a GOOD team with a bad record Sunday) that is in the thick of the division hunt. I normally HATE Sally Jenkin's work, but she's dead on with this one. After we smash the Eagles in the mouth and McNabb and the O Line play with some fire, all this drama will quiet down.

[Riggo-toni]

Jenkins is spot on with this one.

Normally she can be venomous, but this article is legit.

Just what I was thinking. I got sick of her constant "Snyder is the anti-christ" articles, but she seems to have matured and started putting some thought/research into her writings over the last year or two - and this one is dead on.

[HBnotBlades]

McNabb got benched in Philly in 2008 after poor play while the team started 5-5-1 and responded by throwing 4 TDs the next week against the Cards (who won the NFC championship that year) and leading the team to wins in 4 out of the last 5 games. Sound familiar?

Benching has worked as a successful motivational tool for McNabb before, so I don't really blame Shanahan for trying.