Oh my! The sky is falling!

[Frostx08]

First, Jason Campbell played better than The Franchise QB with a similar lack of talent around him and with far more disfunction going on around him (Zorn neutered and the bingo caller brought in) so I wish people stop with the whole "mcNabb is better than Campbell" nonsense because that is just an opinion and perception based on their careers to date and not actual performance.

I have no problem with Shanahan moving away from JC. Just like I would have had no problem if Shanahan cut CP (my favorite player over the last 7 years). This is his team and I am willing for him to rebuild it how he sees fit. But that assumed that he was going to rebuild with youth. There is no excuse for giving up draft picks, to a division rival no less, for an over the hill QB. Not when other areas of the team are in shambles thanks to Vinny, Danny AND Gibbsy (people love to leave the last one off the list of people to blame for the lack of talent on this team as if the stream of young talent stopped being acquired in 2008). Sorry you don't give up two picks to "forget" JC.

I think it's clear Shanahan is simply admitting he made a mistake by finally benching McNabb and hopefully this marks the beginning of a true, youth centric rebuild and we finally see a team that is being built for a long term run at being competitive instead of the short term quick fixes we've seen for a decade.

So what you're essentially saying is....it's always as simple as comparing to last season right? What if he had a year like 2008? Lol, there is no way of knowing what Campbell would have done with us. And if you think we'd finish 4-12 again this year when we finished 4-12 last year on a MUCH easier schedule, idk what to tell you

McNabb was on pace to be sacked more than JC and most likely have more QB hits than JC. And if we had last year's defense, we would have AT LEAST 2-3 more wins so far. And ARE is better than Armstrong as far as I'm concerned. And yes, their "careers" indicate that one is capable of success while another is still trying to prove himself

McNabb is a guy at the end of his career. For those who have watched him over time, he may not have had much of a running game for most of it, but he had Westbrook...a guy who could take a check-down and make 24 yards....over and over and over again. McNabb did about as well in Philly's scheme as anyone could, but Philly fans had problems with him because of his inconsistency and repeated penchant to go into huge doldrums during the middle of games...the same as he's demonstrated here in one year.

This isn't giving up on McNabb in 'one year'. There are over a dozen years of tape on the guy, and his unwillingness to learn the new system or understand it, makes him a liability going forward.

He's not a rookie. More should be expected of him. And, his progression has slowed or not improved significantly to warrant another examination of his role here.

I think everyone is disappointed at his play...especially 13 weeks in.

I love the Westbrook thing people keep bringing up. McNabb had already been to 3 NFC Championships before Westbrook played a significant role. He hardly played last year and McNabb still had a solid season. Westbrook was McNabb's safety valve when he was recovering from a sports hernia and another year when he was recovering from an ACL injury

And now you're saying he's "unwilling to learn the system"?? . Everyone knows he's having his worst year as a Redskin...sure some blame falls on him but it's not like conditions are good either. This isn't like Carson Palmer struggling in Cincinatti despite a good team around him, or Chad Henne or Derek Anderson struggling despite having sufficient support. The entire season has been a mess so far and one year should not dismiss a guy who's been doing it for a long time

I am perfectly fine with moving on from McNabb so that we can both flourish, but let's be fair here

[88Comrade2000]

I really don't care about the benching, Mcnabb earned it.

What I do care is that we trade for him the first place, we hade several mistakes this year that basically 2010 has set us back.

In Year One, Mike Shanahan has made this team worse.

I don't know if I trust him to rebuild the franchise. Frankly, having a coach with that much power bothers me.

Mike Shanahan hasn't been that great in his post Elway phase.

[hail2skins]

Mike Shanahan hasn't been that great in his post Elway phase.

He was fairly solid in Denver after Elway left, with several double-digit win seasons from 1999-2008, but not a lot of playoff success, as I believe he only won one postseason game in that 10 year timeframe.

The curious thing to me looking back on Shanny's Denver teams, especially in light of our recent developments, were the revolving QB door. Shanny had Elway for 4 season before John retired. Then he had Griese for 4 years which were the most mediocre run of the tenure. Then Jake Plummer for another 4......and those seasons were largely good, but then Plummer was replaced by Cutler in that 4th year and Plummer never played again. Then Cutler for two more before Shanny got fired.

Anyone else have more specifics about what went on in Denver during this time?

[Special K]

I just want to beat Dallas.

I just want a better draft pick

[flock53]

I thought Jimmy johnson WAS a players coach...

[Boston Skins]

Mike Shanahan's scrutiny options he faced a year ago:

1) Keep Jason Campbell, and draft picks. Be scrutinized for a lackluster season, but also maintain the optimism from the fans that we are going into our first draft in 2011 with all of our picks intact, which means there is ammo to get Andrew Luck, finally drafting a franchise Quarterback for building the team around.

2) Get rid of Jason and spend two draft picks to pick up Donovan McNabb, who Philly was more than willing to trade within the division. Give him crap receivers, crap o-line, and bench him against the Detroit Lions to spur a cataclysmic downard spiral leading to his ultimate benching for the season. Now, we are without McNabb and still at a mid-level pick, out of range for Andrew Luck unless even more draft picks are spent.

Which sounds better ladies and gents? I personally love McNabb, but I could have put up with another year of JC. This franchise would have a much brighter future at this point.

P.S. Mike Shanhan will be tarred and feathered for this. There are so many other critical needs on this team, I was hoping QB would not be one of them for at least another year while we tried to fill those needs. I hope to God Shanny has a plan. So far, it's been like watching LOST; he seems to be making it up as he goes along. But, just like LOST, hopefully everything ties together in the end (well, except it didn't. Oy....)

[MumboSauce]

I'm sure the McNabb haters were the same Jason Campbell haters too. Let's go REx!!

[VCDefectors]

I'm disappointed tr1. This JC apologist stuff you are trying to sell is exactly the same kind of fluff you nail Cowboys fans for whenever they try to make excuses. I don't care how you try to dress it, trading a 2nd and a conditional 3rd/4th for a washed up QB was a huge mistake. The JC thing is a separate issue altogether and has nothing to do with the Skins FO blunder. Just sayin'.

[CM916]

It fell in 2008. Weren't you there? What we are seeing now is the near impossible effort to pick it back up again. This has been going on in general futility the last 14 weeks.

[s0crates]

You have to admit Boston Skins has a point.

Maybe unleashing the dragon will redeem Shanny here, but I doubt it.

[Brett81]

if we are gonna pull the trigger ...how about we start with Rabach?

Might I suggest Stefen Wisniewski (OC) from Penn St in the second round if he falls to our spot...he's got a nasty streak and is a very smart kid. Also this would give some much needed relief on the interior OL and allow the Skins to hopefully grab an AJ Green/Julio Jones/J Baldwin/J Blackmon type of receiver in the 1st round pending any trade. Maehl (WR) from Oregon in the mid to late rounds of the draft could be a sligthly slower version of Wes Welker who would be worth looking at as well.

Bring in another FA WR like VJax and with the rookie and some fresh blood on the OL, I have a feeling Mc5 could have a bounce back year next year here if he stays in B&G.

Hail

[Brett81]

I'm sure the McNabb haters were the same Jason Campbell haters too. Let's go REx!!

I heard they hate puppies too!! All they do is log in and post "HATE!! HATE!! HATE!! HATE!! HATE!! HATE!!"

[tr1]

I'm disappointed tr1. This JC apologist stuff you are trying to sell is exactly the same kind of fluff you nail Cowboys fans for whenever they try to make excuses. I don't care how you try to dress it, trading a 2nd and a conditional 3rd/4th for a washed up QB was a huge mistake. The JC thing is a separate issue altogether and has nothing to do with the Skins FO blunder. Just sayin'.

Where did I excuse our FO's blunder? I didn't. The trade just didn't work out. Until our game against Philly, I think Shanny still thought things might work out. After that game, everything changed.

Shanny said that mistakes would be made. The deal for McNabb was one...but, most didn't have any problem with it when he was signed.

Besides, McNabb will still fetch a draft pick or two.

[HighOnHendrix]

so shanny cant be judged in one year but mcnabb can be judged in less than one? not sure i follow this line of thinking.

i DO like the no nonsense attitude... but i think the reason Mc5 hasnt performed well is because of the fact that we have arguably the worst OL in the league. and the argument that JC hasnt shown anything with the raiders is moot because we KNOW they suck too. its where veterans go to die.

i still think that we would have done just as well to keep JC until we had the answer rather than bringing in an aging vet for the price we paid.

but again, im not sure it is fair to pull the trigger on Mc5 because he has a line that affords him no protection at all!

if we are gonna pull the trigger ...how about we start with Rabach?

Thankfully, it only took til the 4th post for the truth to come out. It's not ALL about the quarterback, folks. JC was hampered by a bad o-line and receivers who drop the good passes he managed to get off before getting pummeled. Shockingly, McNabb is having the same problems this year. We began the job of overhauling the line this year, but there is a ways to go yet. When the line is fixed you will start to see better QB play from this team, regardless of who the QB is. It's a team sport, after all. Even the very best need the support of their line, receivers, and a credible running game in order to shine.

[CM916]

I heard they hate puppies too!! All they do is log in and post "HATE!! HATE!! HATE!! HATE!! HATE!! HATE!!"

You have that very wrong. I despise Jason Campbell but I'm a proud owner of a McNabb jersey and I love puppies.

[Guest Spearfeather]

I'm sure the McNabb haters were the same Jason Campbell haters too. Let's go REx!!

Probably so, and neither of them did anything for us.

[NavyDave]

Well, there are two sides to every story, isn't there?

Shanny is about to fire McNabb. Is anyone really shocked? He's led the team to an awful record. He's been as incompetent as JC...missing open receivers...oh, and missing 'check-down' guys. He's as bad as he was in Philly, but doesn't have Westbrook to bail him out. And, the natives in ES are absolutely...well...ambiguous. Half are saying we should have realized he was a turd and never spent the draft picks...and the other half are saying we've abandoned the guy.

Bringin McNabb in was a bad move as I predicted however bring in the over rated Shanny was a bad move as well. Another retread who rode on Elways coat tails and a foolish strategic move by the Packers in the super bowl back in the 90's to be labelled a future HOF which does not get you jack in this city.

Then Shanny jr, with his relationship with Sexy Rexy which had me jokingly wonder out loud about DADT, benefited from Andre Johnson as Brian Billick did in Minnesota being called an offensive genius thanks to Randy Moss.

The sky isn't falling however you can say cellar dwelling with these people in charge could become an annual occurrence.