Wouldn't have taken much to put us in first place right now

[S.T.real,lights,out]

It seems like this every year. If a few close games go the different way we would be right there.

[2cents]

Beck was NOT an experiment. You don't get over pnumonia in a week or two. I've had it. I was sick as a dog for six weeks. There was no way Rex could have played any kind of football while he was sick. Notice how when he reached the time when he might have been better, he started taking reps and then played. So wanting to fire Shanny because Beck played is stupid. Shanny didn't do it for fun, he didn't have a choice, even though he isn't saying that.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

I do think there is an interesting point in here.

This team is not THAT bad.

The defense is good enough to be .500. The offense can show flashes.

Shanahan destroyed the QB position and the special teams are dreadful. No NFL team should have dreadful special teams.

If Shanahan had done nothing but focus on special teams in training camp and simply stuck with Rex through all his Rexiness, this might have been a 9-win team.

/Enter SHF to tell me how that's the worst possible outcome of the season.

---------- Post added November-29th-2011 at 08:55 AM ----------

I said in the offseason that the Redskins should go after Akers. It really amazes me how nfl teams always undervalue the importance of a good kicker.

NFL teams do NOT undervalue the kicker spot; the Redskins do.

By the way, I would never consider firing Shanahan after this season. However, he has done an awful job and deserves to be fired for his work. If Jim Zorn had presented this product over the last two years, we would be looking for pitchforks and torches. This has just been an awful job all around.

[Burgold]

It's not just the kicker... at one point, we were down sixty percent of our offensive line and plugging in guys we picked up that week off the street like Polumbo. David Anderson has been getting a lot of snaps. He's a mid-season off the street free agent.

At absolute full strength, we were an above average team able to barely eke out a 3-1 record. With the injuries, we became a very bad team. The reason we are playing better now is partly Grossman returning, but also Brown, T Williams, and Moss coming back. Injuries aren't an excuse, but they are a reality.

As for the Gano effect, I think we could argue that his misses cost us a game or two, but I think injuries and bad play cost us more.

[dawgjk9]

Anyone who doesn't see that we're not getting in position for a run, a REAL run, not a "Nine in a row or we don't get to lose in the wild card round" run; a real fourth Lombardi run, just isn't paying attention and is going to be pleasantly surprised in two years' time.

That gave me the warm fuzzies haha. (no homo). and I tend to agree with you as long as we get that qb we need. The difference between us at 4-7 and us winning both cowboy games, the eagles game, possibly the miami game and being 8-3 is a decent QB making a few more throws than rex did...and a few less horrible ones (picks in endzone/redzone) not to mention the Gano misses. If we can find a QB who will make all the good throws but not those horrible ones, we have a legit shot to win the east NEXT YEAR IMO though its far from easy w rookie qbs.

[Rocky21]

I can't help but think that we would have a better record at this point if Sexy had started all of our games.

Is having a head coach who understands who his best players are too much to ask?

[2cents]

Dude, read my posts about pnumonia and even what Shanny said yesterday. There is NO WAY Rex could have played those games that Beck did. Just think of it as he was injured so we can stop all of this nonsense that Shanny doesn't know what he is doing and he did that for fun. Rex could not play period end of discussion.

[HapHaszard]

Nice article by Rich Tandler on this subject of what if:: Posted in BRBN above.

CSN TRR - Playing the 'what if' game with the Redskins

[wrecker]

Dude, read my posts about pnumonia and even what Shanny said yesterday. There is NO WAY Rex could have played those games that Beck did. Just think of it as he was injured so we can stop all of this nonsense that Shanny doesn't know what he is doing and he did that for fun. Rex could not play period end of discussion.

It appears he was benched before he got sick. Maybe he went out naked in a rainstorm and cried for three hours and that made him catch pnumonia?

[2cents]

No he was sick during the eagle game, he was in the hospital right after the game. I think he was sick during the game and that partially explains his bad performance. Only partially, he is Rex afterall. He did not catch pnumonia between the 3rd quarter and the next day, he alreday had it and didn't know it.

[wrecker]

No he was sick during the eagle game, he was in the hospital right after the game. I think he was sick during the game and that partially explains his bad performance. Only partially, he is Rex afterall. He did not catch pnumonia between the 3rd quarter and the next day, he alreday had it and didn't know it.

This is the first I have heard of this. Do you have a link to an article by chance?

[kingdaddy]

This is why Shanahan should be fired after this season, he has done eff all to improve this teams' position. This league, especially our division was up for grabs this year and we head right down the crapper when Shanahan hits the panic button after the first Dallas game and lets us lose 5/6 in a row to fall out of contention. The kind of incompetence / failure that he allowed this team to show the past month and a half make me feel like we have the wrong guy making decisions.

He turned our perennial top 10 4-3 defense into a rebuilding project, he is shaping an Oline around zone blocking which we all know is never going to work in the NFC.E the way it does in Houston or did in the AFC.W. Our offensive skill position players are still yet to be found in year two and we appear to be looking towards year 4 at this point before this regime really has their feet under them enough to call this rebuild on its way.

I blame Snyder for this, we appear to have all our chips into a 5-10 yr full rebuild with an aging HC who hasnt shown he could overcome a hint of adversity in his short stint here. Snyder poisons the culture of the team then we are forced into a situation where our buffoon owner has no choice but to hand the reigns over to an older HC as a final resort because he knows he wont be able to hire anyone at this point willing to work with him.

Thank god for fantasy football, it makes the pain of watching this Snyder team less obvious to me as I go week to week.

I am with you on questioning the way Shanahan has gone about things. Look at the QB position since he has been in Washington: first he trades for McNabb and then decides he doesn't like him after about a month. Then, in the offseason, he puts his eggs in the Grossman/Beck basket which has been a failure as well. Shanahan has wasted two full off seasons in which he could have drafted and groomed a QB for the future. Why did we not get a QB in either of the last 2 drafts? What did Shanahan see in Beck that made him believe Beck could be the QB of the future for this franchise?

I understand the multiple needs/holes this team had when he took over. However, if you don't have a QB, you are going nowhere. The injuries hurt the Skins this year but Shanahan's lack of vision in getting this team a QB for the future is the bigger problem we're facing.

[VRIEL1]

I don't have a problem if fans want to complain about our return game or lack there of, but here is another thread about our Field Goal kicker not making his kicks. How about we keep the kicker and fire the ST's OL for failing to block?

[2cents]

Here is a list of articles. http://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=toolbar-instant&hl=en&ion=1&qscrl=1&nord=1&rlz=1T4ACAW_enUS384US384#hl=en&cp=24&gs_id=i&xhr=t&q=rex+grossman+in+hospital&qe=cmV4IGdyb3NzbWFuIGluIGhvc3BpdGFs&qesig=zszQ2G0mtmgtb1iVsKiJpA&pkc=AFgZ2tmLGeG00XXnOQ0dV_w2-F8iK6tH8Ny9ERAtNCw1QNtHKZPjLUDnLN2d0cEN1ZOIkLrWovolgizhmdkdfcDZ-jJUoRTcfA&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&qscrl=1&nord=1&rlz=1T4ACAW_enUS384US384&site=webhp&source=hp&pbx=1&oq=rex+grossman+in+hospital&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=a19e0cda5c932597&ion=1&biw=1463&bih=707

---------- Post added November-29th-2011 at 08:28 AM ----------

And here is the article where Shanny says Grossmen could not have played for several games because he was sick..http://blogs.fredericksburg.com/redskinsjournal/2011/11/28/mike-shanahan-praises-rex-grossmans-consistency-attitude-avoids-talk-of-regret/ And please spare me all the conspiracy theories that he's just saying that now because Rex has looked decent the last couple of games.

[VRIEL1]

Where I see the problems...

1- QB yes it's an issue but anyone brought in would not have done any better.... why? see number 2.

2- WR. there is not one that will go fight for the ball or locate the ball and go after it. they expect the ball to come to them.

3- OL. this team needs to get younger, faster, and healthier. hopefully next year everything clicks including knowelege of the system.

4- FS. this team has no one in the back field to run sideline to sideline breaking up passes or punishing WR's. no on is affraid.

5- clock management. no 2 min. drill. no hurry up offense.

[wrecker]

Here is a list of articles. http://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=toolbar-instant&hl=en&ion=1&qscrl=1&nord=1&rlz=1T4ACAW_enUS384US384#hl=en&cp=24&gs_id=i&xhr=t&q=rex+grossman+in+hospital&qe=cmV4IGdyb3NzbWFuIGluIGhvc3BpdGFs&qesig=zszQ2G0mtmgtb1iVsKiJpA&pkc=AFgZ2tmLGeG00XXnOQ0dV_w2-F8iK6tH8Ny9ERAtNCw1QNtHKZPjLUDnLN2d0cEN1ZOIkLrWovolgizhmdkdfcDZ-jJUoRTcfA&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&qscrl=1&nord=1&rlz=1T4ACAW_enUS384US384&site=webhp&source=hp&pbx=1&oq=rex+grossman+in+hospital&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=a19e0cda5c932597&ion=1&biw=1463&bih=707

---------- Post added November-29th-2011 at 08:28 AM ----------

And here is the article where Shanny says Grossmen could not have played for several games because he was sick..http://blogs.fredericksburg.com/redskinsjournal/2011/11/28/mike-shanahan-praises-rex-grossmans-consistency-attitude-avoids-talk-of-regret/ And please spare me all the conspiracy theories that he's just saying that now because Rex has looked decent the last couple of games.

I see nothing that references Rex being sick during the Philly game nor that Shanahan went with Beck because of Rex being sick.

Edit: Also Rex didn't go to the hospital until after the Carolina game not the Eagle game as far as I read.

[SWFLSkins]

Where I see the problems...

1- QB yes it's an issue but anyone brought in would not have done any better.... why? see number 2.

2- WR. there is not one that will go fight for the ball or locate the ball and go after it. they expect the ball to come to them.

3- OL. this team needs to get younger, faster, and healthier. hopefully next year everything clicks including knowelege of the system.

4- FS. this team has no one in the back field to run sideline to sideline breaking up passes or punishing WR's. no on is affraid.

5- clock management. no 2 min. drill. no hurry up offense.

1 and 2 do have something to do with each other. And yes look at AA's TD and I saw a guy go get the ball, Hank will do that next year as well, Moss was out most games and has been Rex's favorite third down target. We need a QB with an actual arm and not just winging it around.

3, YES< YESH ad nausea m, and has everything to do with 1 and 2 looking better.

4, A number one corner would help. FS's need time to get there and the opposing WR's are getting by the corners or under them.

5, Yeah, don't know why that has been such a problem.

6, Clutch Kicker makes a two game difference this year.

[krzy123]

Currently #11 in total D, fourth best in the NFC, top 5 in sacks, #10 in points allowed, not bad for a rebuilding project.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

When you have a team as inept offensively as the Redskins, you need to make up some of the difference on special teams. The fact that we are dreadful on special teams is unforgiveable.

Imagine where we would be if we made 85 percent of our kicks, had one punt return for a TD, one blocked punt, and one kickoff return for a TD this year. That's not an outrageous wish list. Do we split with the Cowboys? Do we beat the 49ers? Do we beat Carolina?

[2cents]

I see nothing that references Rex being sick during the Philly game nor that Shanahan went with Beck because of Rex being sick.

Edit: Also Rex didn't go to the hospital until after the Carolina game not the Eagle game as far as I read.

You don't get pneumonia in a day, it comes on after already being sick. This means that he was sick befor the Carolina game, where he spent most of the game in the locker room. He was sick during the Eagle game. They just didn't know how sick he was. I'm not saying it was the only reason he sucked that day, but I'm sure it played a part.

[Pick6]

Currently #11 in total D, fourth best in the NFC, top 5 in sacks, #10 in points allowed, not bad for a rebuilding project.

Not that this changes your point, but I think the Skins are #1 overall in sacks.

I hate Gano and have wanted him to be gone since the off-season. Graham couldn't get out of us own way to make that possible, but I knew Gano would lose a game or two this year. Dude is not a gamer. He is great kicking when it doesn't matter, but when you are the worst kicker statistically two years in a row maybe you don't have want it takes.

[NoVaSkins21]

I don't know about first place, but special teams did play a part against Dall@ss. The botched snap on the FG in Week 3 and obviously the missed FG in OT. Man, I really do think we have the worst special teams unit in the division.

[SkinsCrushCowboys]

A couple of made FG's ....a solid O line.....consistant QB play....lack of injuries..I think we were further away than some folks think

[CPORTISFAN999]

guys, if the giants lose next weekend and we win, we are 1 game out of 2nd place, with 1 game left against them. it can happen

[CremeBrunell]

Everytime I read these threads I hear everyone complain about the horrible QB play. Only horrible QB play I saw was when Beck came in to start for 3 games.... well that and the Rex game in Philly. We're 2 3rd and long stops away from beating Dallas both times. We have a competent QB who makes good reads. You want a QB with an arm to make the throws? I think Jamarcus is still out there. I don't know why everything thinks if we draft a QB we're automatically a contender when Rex is making magic happen with a ragtag group of receivers.

I'm not saying we shouldn't draft a QB. Beck needs to be gone after this season. I'm just saying we have a lot of problems QB is actually one of the spots I think we're fine at. Get some skill players, bring back Rex next year and we'll do some good things.