Poll: Which has contributed the most to the Washington Redskins 3-6 record? Injuries, Lack of Quality Depth, or Coaching?

[Momma There Goes That Man]

I have never been more excited to be a Redskins fan in my entire life watching them than I was when we went up 21-6 over St Louis. I really thought things had changed. Then the wheels fell off and now we see we are still the same old Redskins even with an elite talented playmaker at QB. So disappointing.

I think the answer has to be coaching. Even with injuries and depth quality, I really think a better DC could have this defense improved even just marginally which really would be enough to get us a couple more wins than we have now.

Also, the offense has looked rather bland lately so it seems the defensive coaching has rubbed off on the offensive side as well and I think some poor playcalling and decisions on that side of the ball have also cost us points and the ability to keep games close the last couple of weeks.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

so despite the injuries to key players, you feel that this team should be "coached" into being better than they are with the players they currently have starting? How much better? Enough to flip the record to 6-3 or 5-4?

Worst penalized team in the entire league. Hell, we don't even line up correctly most times. And that's without the bad playcalling.

All that is on the coaches and the environment they have going. Regardless of a lack of talent through injury or any other means.

Hail.

[Commander PK]

Worst penalized team in the entire league. Hell, we don't even line up correctly most times. And that's without the bad playcalling.

All that is on the coaches and the environment they have going. Regardless of a lack of talent through injury or any other means.

Hail.

what if the players we have are incapable of "getting it" Can Madieu Williams be "coached" into being a starting caliber safety? I dunno... Perhaps the coaches aren't disciplining the players enough (wind sprints for every bad penalty, etc.) but the bottom line is the players have to execute and perform. In my line of work we call it "getting your head out of your ass, and in the game."

[morris84]

The defense and the defensive play calling is extremely bad. The secondary is weak and gives up too many big plays and the defensive line puts zero pressure on the quarterback. I can't really tell if the line is bad though, considering they only ever have 3 guys rushing the QB with literally zero blitz packages, so I blame Haslett on that one.

[Commander PK]

I actually think there's a fourth option - execution.

I actually considered that as well, but I thought about it and considered "execution" problems to be more evident of "Lack of Quality Depth"

Maybe these players just aren't capable of "executing" at a "starting-caliber" level.

[FSUSkins24]

I don't think a fan who knows a lot about this team can look at the situation and not feel that we're depleted through injuries. Sure depth is important, but it's hard to have quality depth at every position when you're losing a large number of solid contributors.

[Bishop Hammer]

what if the players we have are incapable of "getting it" Can Madieu Williams be "coached" into being a starting caliber safety? I dunno... Perhaps the coaches aren't disciplining the players enough (wind sprints for every bad penalty, etc.) but the bottom line is the players have to execute and perform. In my line of work we call it "getting your head out of your ass, and in the game."

Well if a player can't "get it" that says something about Shanahans ability to evaluate players. I'm not blaming Mikey just for his coaching but more so for his horrendous player acquisition. Let's not forget he is the gm and is responsible for the players on the team.

Shanahan believed he put a whole competant team together. So I'm lumping that in with coaching. I've said it before; as long as Mike insist on being gm the team is going to suffer. Like when he was in Den.

[Commander PK]

Well if a player can't "get it" that says something about Shanahans ability to evaluate players. I'm not blaming Mikey just for his coaching but more so for his horrendous player acquisition. Let's not forget he is the gm and is responsible for the players on the team.

Yes, but with capgate, which we have universally NOT blamed on the organization and Shanahan...who else was there better to pick up that we could afford?

Edit: What I am saying, is that maybe he knew deep down what he was getting for depth, but we had no other viable options.

[DaGoonie55]

I think a lot of our issues are with injuries. Garcon being out is crippling our offense. Then we lose Davis. Sure, Kyle makes some bonehead calls - but good players make plays.

I'm curious what kind of depth you all believe we should have. The cap isn't sufficient to have 2 starter quality at all positions, let alone 3-4. We lose 2 beasts on defense which did a pretty good job of masking our ineptness in the secondary. What, Rob Jackson and dude with a repaired knee are supposed to step in and not miss a beat? A game or two, maybe. Offenses are scheming to attack our lack of pass rush and inexperienced personnel. They know they don't have to cover Briscoe or Hank - they won't catch the ball or run poor routes half the time.

Maybe we would have won another game or two with better coaching - I don't know. But I don't blame a 60 yd pass completion on coaches - a player missed an assignment. Not turning around to defend a ball week after week is ALWAYS going to get a flag thrown. If our players need coached on things week in and week out, time to let the young guys have some playing time because our vets are not executing.

Love my Skins. Hail.

[DeadExField]

Wish there was an "All of the Above" option...

I agree here, but all in all, no heart on this team, which is falling apart. The defense was bad from week 1 though,

[Bishop Hammer]

Yes, but with capgate, which we have universally NOT blamed on the organization and Shanahan...who else was there better to pick up that we could afford?

Edit: What I am saying, is that maybe he knew deep down what he was getting for depth, but we had no other viable options.

Well mate I don't base my arguments on hypotheticals. The facts are: the Skins have gotten worse, record wise each year. And the trend looks to continue this year. Even before the cap hit our talent evaluating and acqusition abilities were shody. I mean other than RGIII and Alfred Morris how many great players has Shanny gotten. Most of the players are good to solid back ups. Problem is most of these guys are are starters. He's had three years to build the team and people are acting like this is year one of Mikeys stint here.

The biggest fact; Shanahan cannot lead a team to success as BOTH coach and GM. His final campaign in Den (which was so bad he got fired. Despite winning 2 SBs) is proof of that. I was hoping he had figured out what he did wrong when he came here and assumed the same position that got him canned. Sadly he hasn't.

I'm hoping I'm wrong and I will gladly bump this thread myself and write "well this shows what I know." But I don't see Shanny it happening.

[charles mannley]

I've never seen such poor coaching in all of my life as this year. As soon as they find something that works on offense, they stop doing it and go to something different. They have improper players in the packages. Why was Royster lead blocker on that 4th and goal at the 2? Why wasn't DY lead blocking?

I thought the same thing. I also was wondering if the Shanahans have ever heard of a fade route, whether it be a back shoulder fade or a corner fade). It feels like they have two plays and thats it.

[Thirtyfive2seven]

I'm sick and tired of being **** by mid november and saying oh well next year. Every year the skins are irrelevant by November.

[Commander PK]

Well mate I don't base my arguments on hypotheticals.

You may be right on Shanny as top talent evaluator, only time will tell, but if there were no better players to pick up than what we did. That's not a hypothetical, that's a fact. I think that we have potentially great players, that are either being bogged down in the muck right now, or are injured. Garcon for instance. How much better is this offense with him healthy and on the field?

[charles mannley]

Your later rounds are depth/developmental players. That is also what Shanahan said was special about this team especially the LBs. EVERY team has injuries. THEY are not an excuse unless its the quarterback. I have seen a lot of teams get desamated by injuries and still look competent on defense. IMHO.

[TSO]

Injuries. Easily. Too many at once at the most important spots on a 3-4 defense. Even our backup NT went out for the year.

We're in year 3 of a total rebuild with a cap penalty that severely handicapped us and can't handle that many at once. Not yet, at least.

I think it's funny how incredibly fickle so many on this board are. Just a couple weeks ago Mike and Kyle were being lauded for their ingenious use of RG3 thus far and how they adapted their scheme so well to fit his strengths. Now look at the venom directed their way. Can't stand it sometimes.

[SkinsFTW]

Injuries. Easily. Too many at once at the most important spots on a 3-4 defense. Even our backup NT went out for the year.

We're in year 3 of a total rebuild with a cap penalty that severely handicapped us and can't handle that many at once. Not yet, at least.

I think it's funny how incredibly fickle so many on this board are. Just a couple weeks ago Mike and Kyle were being lauded for their ingenious use of RG3 thus far and how they adapted their scheme so well to fit his strengths. Now look at the venom directed their way. Can't stand it sometimes.

Yeah the worst is that we didn't have a bunch of 3-4 week injuries at different times of the year. We've had all of these guys out all year once they went down. Even the guys who had somewhat minor injuries are still out and may never come back. When Cooley is on the team and Doughty is starting you know we have major injuries. Hell, we were calling Doughty a scrub back in 2008 or earlier lol.

[MrJL]

I think injuries to starters has to have a bigger impact than coaching, because that sort of this affects coaching

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Have the injuries really effected this to such an extent?

Carriker and Orakpo where out there last year. Our defense was horrid with them playing. There's only really the safety positions that we did upgrade and have lost out on. And even there Merriweather was a complete gamble who may or may not regain his early NE form. (Knowing our luck he'll continue to look like the waste of God given talent he has the last few years. If he ever gets out there.). The main bulk of the line is the same. The rest of the LB's are the same. And the two starting corners have returned. Injury's on defense are being used to mask an overall lack of talent even when the units at 100%.

On offense, Garcon and Davis I'll grant you. But given Kyle has a serious reticence for some reason to go vertical, I'm not sure how much of a difference having Garcon out there would of made in reality to overall production.

Hail.

[s0crates]

All of the above.

Also cap-gate contributed.

[FrFan]

1) injuries 2) roster depth 3) coaching staff

I voted injuries but in reality it's a combination of the 3 above.

[skins island connection]

I went with coaching.

The actual word 'coach' describes the ability of his job to 'teach' players, which I am mostly reflecting on the defensive side. Everyone knows Haslett's days are numbered, even he knows it, and this one is on Mike for hiring him to begin with. The 4-3 was fine before he messed it up because of his 'wants'; now we're on track for a record we don't want a part of.

Now, I have to give Mike credit where its due; removing AH cancer was needed, and he did bring in a few good players, I would have to say better than Zornie could have done.

But it boils down to players' ability to fit into a scheme, and this is where it falls apart for me. Many of us were not thrilled with LL's play, but right now we'd give anything to have him back, especially after seeing how poorly Mayday Williams has played. Injuries do play a part, but coaching plugs in players when 1 is injured, and not much drop off; see Pittsburgh's defense, and signing players to 40+ million dollar contracts who were 3rd best on their previous teams doesn't give the needed cap room any wiggle room.

We switch back to the 4-3, get a few receivers who WANT to play, and a new DC, and things will be better.

SIC

[SWFLSkins]

Toughest poll of my entire life.

Not mine, easiest. Coaching plain and simple. The Coach said before the season that this is the most depth he has had since he has been here. Those are his words, not mine. Injuries suck, poor evaluation sucks more. The Coach also hired the defensive coaches and manages the offense. The timing of some plays is suspect at best, while the offense has proven to be good, the clock management, the lack of intensity- Yesterdays must win, and that is what you muster?

Team looked flat and unprepared at home against a 1-6 team. The suckage does not stop there, the keeping of Banks, the kicker rotation prior to and during the season, keeping of Danny Smith, and the overrated WR core that he hand picked. Moss the lone leftover being the best on the team exposes a weakness of not being able to adjust to one injury and then developing what you have. The RB's other than the gem he seems to have put too much time into are non-existent.

Yes this morning I awoke not angry but faced with reality, our Coach is not who I thought he was. I hope he proves me wrong but up until today he didn't have to do that, I believed in him and his abilities, now I question them.

[Old Bay]

Injuries have been a problem for sure. I think (again, think) that our depth is a little better this year. Having good players means a lot, but coaching can and should mask some of those deficiencies.

I think coaching has been a big problem though. Haslett's defense is the main culprit. Everything I've read about him being predictable and that the various units in defense aren't even being used to compliment one another is sickening. Danny Smith's continued special teams gaffs, though we do finally seem to have a kicker. Also, though the playcalling on offense has been quite good for most of the year it seems like it gets weird and conservative at odd times. Like yesterday with the 4th and goal sweep. Also, time management still seems to be an issue with this team.

[S.T.real,lights,out]

Coaching and lack of depth, which go hand in hand..