If you could dramatically upgrade just one area in 2014 - what would it be?

[Ozymandias]

Totally agree!  OL number 1; Secondary number 2

 

Agree Completely. I would be happy with either, but I would wanna fix OLine because we have to protect our franchise QB. Plus fixing the secondary would solve only 1 of the many problems on defense.

[dadyjr]

Pass rush with front 4 only.

[SweetAlfred]

Expand Roberts playbook.

[Timmy Smith]

Shanahan needs to be fired, sadly.  We are inept this season, and as he said when he first arrived, "you are what your record is."  If the Skins go 0-4 the rest of the way (and I'm sure we'll be underdogs in each game), then Shanahan will have a .375 winning percentage here in D.C.  That's the same as Spurrier and Zorn had.  No thanks, and no need to waste any more time.

[BleedBNG]

If you could upgrade just one area of the team for 2014, for maximum impact on our won/loss record, what would it be?

 

Execution 

[Bacon]

Did you guys see how Luck performed today while constantly under fire? In case you missed it: he was not good.

Tonight, RG3 played a great first half while not being sacked once. Second half? 5 sacks and he disappeared.

OL play is really, really important.

[MartinC]

Did you guys see how Luck performed today while constantly under fire? In case you missed it: he was not good.

Tonight, RG3 played a great first half while not being sacked once. Second half? 5 sacks and he disappeared.

OL play is really, really important.

 

Quoted for emphasis. 

 

The Giants moved Tuck inside and he DESTROYED Chester. Outside of him Polumbus often looked like he simply did not know who to block so blocked no one. The right side of our line is an absolute mess. 

[TexasSkinsFan]

One thing to pinpoint is hard for me.

Offensive linemen seems like an intellegent choice, but really if the offensive linemen were that bad how come this team is #1 in the NFL in rushing? I do agree we need better linemen but QB play can disguise a bad line

Secondary? Been there and done that type of back end reloading and it never worked for us in the past besides many teams defenses give up 30 points a game and disquise there defensive issues with a potent scoring offense today

QB? When Chris Collinsworth said last night that the difference between Russell Wilson and Griffins play comes down to what they do with the ball when they are moved around the pocket where Wilson is always looking to throw first and make a big play with his receivers and Griffin is always looking to run first you have a very serious issue with your QB. Until Griffin learns how to play QB in the NFL where the QB runs only as a last resort will this offense click. This is a strong choice for me when answering this

Coaching staff? Last night was a game where the players were playing for the coaching staffs jobs and while they started out decent they quickly imploded. Giving this regime that cap money to build a team around them where they might likely be gone a year later is a bad idea. My fear is too many one year contracts or back loaded deals or wrong system guys. I would fire the lot of them for this years piss poor effort on that alone and add in free agency and youve got a serious problem here. Motivation is lacking, preperation is lacking, accountability is lacking, execution is lacking the whole thing is a mess.

For me its QB play and coaching first, you can pick

[36HAMMER]

Replace 4 of the 5 olineman.  Please I beg you guys, bring an end to Rg3's pain and our torment. We need bigger guys who can do the zone blocking thing when its going but when the time  requires  you to as Russ Grimm says moving a guy from point a to point b against his will  for a first down or to score a td or just to run out the clock you have to be able to do that.  And this oline cannot do that at all.

[Cyclops]

QB? When Chris Collinsworth said last night that the difference between Russell Wilson and Griffins play comes down to what they do with the ball when they are moved around the pocket where Wilson is always looking to throw first and make a big play with his receivers and Griffin is always looking to run first you have a very serious issue with your QB. Until Griffin learns how to play QB in the NFL where the QB runs only as a last resort will this offense click. This is a strong choice for me when answering this

 

 

Russell Wilson runs around in circles and dumps off to some one in the flat. Stack 8 man in the box to take away the run. Contain him to the pocket and the Seattle offense comes to a grinding halt.

[Larry]

Execution

Yes, but for whom?

[MassSkinsFan]

RT & RG. Those two were obliterated last night. Polumbus was working without a clue in the 2nd half. How many times did he allow Tuck a direct line to RGIII while picking up an outside blitz? That's just plain stupid. And Chester was too busy eating Cheetos and turf to provide any semblance of protection.

 

I'd hate to be either of those guys when the team watches film this week.

[garyclarkforhall]

I agree on RT, then RG...

 

Improved linemen on the right side will only make us a better running team, which will make us better at play action, which will..., which will...  :-)

[Ynot]

The Oline is the tops in run offense and we have had games were we put up 30+.   What we need are receivers and better play calling.  Look at Peyton, Brees and other offenses, with quick passes and getting the ball to their outlets.  just like RGIII did in the beginning.  scored 14 points and would have been more if not for penalties and dropped balls.  The second half seemed to not hit the outlet or the hot receiver...,  Plus why do we only through the deep ball to Robinson.   Garcion supposedly just as fast.   Were are the hitch and goes were he pumps the ball.   

 

Last night the dropped balls hurt and we had no running game other than RGIII and we had a few terrible calls by the officials.  

 

I would look for the scat back receivers like Denver and New England have with a dominate wide out and TE.  I think Garcion and Reed can be it.   Hankerson a good possesion type be we need the quick receivers not necessarily the fastest but the quickest.   

 

SO I go with WR.   

[WesB]

Definitely the 0-line, especially the interior.  They can't clear a hole worth anything.  Pass Blocking is horrible as well.  I heard we had the smallest line in the league, so the need to get some weight at the guard position.

[GibbsFactor]

Inside Linebacker.

[Skinzfever2010]

General Manager 

[VRIEL1]

Offense is putting points up on the board. Somewhat most of the time. 

 

The Defense in my book needs total overhaul from the DC, scheme, and FS/SS. 

 

When I say scheme I really don't care if they change to a 4-3 or stay 3-4, but what I do know is Haslett has not shown anything the entire tenure with  the Skins. Time to change DC. Maybe that what Pittsburgh saw because after he left they had an extremely good 3-4 system.

 

Over all though here is my choice in order:

1- Defense (DC, scheme, FS/SS)

2- Special Teams (Coordinator, scheme, whatever) you can't keep giving teams the ball on the 30 or giving them short field.

3- Coaching overall (HC, OC, DC, STC) 

Definitely the 0-line, especially the interior.  They can't clear a hole worth anything.  Pass Blocking is horrible as well.  I heard we had the smallest line in the league, so the need to get some weight at the guard position.

I'll agree with this, but what is different from last year? RT and RG? I rack my brain about this and I think we only changed one or two players. What I think I'm seeing is what appears to be more "man to man" blocking or "zone" blocking, but the OL are standing up battling with the defensive player. I'm pretty sure I saw more "cut" blocking last year. Holes were generated with the cut blocking. 

 

Maybe I'm totally wrong but it just seems that way to me. 

[Bonez3]

Man, that 1st in rushing argument is lame.

 

Look at the run numbers last night. Yeah, well over a 100. But, the vast majority we're on the gimmicky option plays that only put RG3's career at risk every time for a 3-8 team playing for nothing.

 

The 'true' run plays o n had a smithering of nice holes.

 

OLINE, OLINE, OLINE.

 

You guys all know football better than to think this Oline has any reasoning behind that inflated ranking.

[tomwvr]

First you all do know that the Head Coach is also in charge of player personal. Our GM is not a GM in the traditional view - he is a salary cap and PR guy. What needs to happen is 5 things ( I know you asked for 1)

 

 

1) Take away the Player personal job from the Head Coach - Hire a Real GM - make our current GM a VP of what ever - I really like the stuff that Allen has done

 

2) Give Shanny one last year - but only if he gets a new Def Coord and Special Teams Coach. 

 

3) Get a whole  new right side of the line - the center and left side are solid

 

4) Replace most of the secondary

 

5) If we do not get different personal for DL - then go back to a 4-3 we have better personal for that defense. (IE use what the players you have are better at - the plan won't work if they can't run it - just ask Gibbs what he changed when they were 0-5 in 1981)

[grego]

Offense is putting points up on the board. Somewhat most of the time.

.

i dont know why people think this. our O is not just inconsistent, its not even 'good'.

quick recap

- we were shut out for the entire first half of our first two games.

-our second philly game, we were shut out for 3 quarters.

-we scored a total of 6 points (2 FGs) the second half vs detroit. (offense scored 13 total points that game).

-2 offensive TD's vs the broncos. only one of more than 19 yards (and not bailed out by a bonehead penalty while we lined up for a FG). after a 15 yard punt, our O finished that fourth quarter with a fumble, 3 and out, INT, INT, INT and another INT. perhaps the greatest meltdown in offensive football history.

-dallas? 2 FG's the first half- 16 total points.

-we didnt score a point vs the vikings (the worst D in football) over the final 25 minutes of the game.

-6 total points vs the only above average D we have faced all year in SF.

-shut out the final 3 quarters vs the giants (no the FG doesnt count for obvious reasons)

in summary, we have played exactly one of our 12 games vs a D that is top half of the league in scoring D, yet we still rank 19th in scoring. and that offensive point total includes our 5 defensive TD's which was second best in the league as of 2 days ago, so we are actually worse. basically, we cant score vs the ****tiest defenses in the NFL.

[grego]

Btw, the defense does need a lot of work, but I'm convinced better coaching would fix some of its issues.

But the answer is o line. Gotta fix that.

[MusicCitySkin]

Easy, the head coach/GM combination.

[cjbrown]

Change DC then improve D-line.  The secondary will get better if we have pressure.  The linebackers will be better with pressure.  Everything starts with the lines.

 

We had top 10 defenses before Hasslipped.

[skinny21]

Btw, the defense does need a lot of work, but I'm convinced better coaching would fix some of its issues.

But the answer is o line. Gotta fix that.

Yeah, this is how I feel as well. Re-sign Hall, Jackson or Orakpo and Riley (and maybe Doughty), sign a NT (or switch to a one gap 3-4 with Cofield/Baker at NT), draft an ILB to compete with Robinson and a DE to play with Cofield, Baker and Jenkins and I think this D can compete.

Need better pass pro though, particularly on the right side. Here's hoping those guys are on the roster, but ideally we at least sign/draft one guy who can reasonably be expected to start at RT.