Schottenheimer: No NFL coach better than Shanahan

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Dude, my apologies. These were popular tabloid stories back in the 90s. The Frank Gifford thing was audiotaped only ( she set him up). Dick Morris was Prez Clinton's top political advisor until getting caught with a call girl. When everyone was trashing old man Gif for cheating, Dick Morris stood up for him

 

Oh, I found the pics of the cheating Miss Johnson. 

 

To be fair to Frank, you would. 

QB - RG3 recovering from knee injury, playing but it affected his play

RB - Young has been hurt a few games

TE - Reed has missed many games due to concussion

OL - Trent has been dealing with injury

WR - Hankerson out

DL - Carriker out all year, Jenkins first year back from knee injury, Bowen banged up

LB - Orakpo back from injury, rounding back into form; Kerrigan dealing with injury affecting play; Fletcher dealing with injury and age

DB - Philip Thomas out, Crawford out, Meriweather coming back from injury or suspended

 

Obviously not as bad as the injury situation we had last year but to say we have been injury free isn't accurate.

 

Heck of a lot better than most teams have been up against this year all things considered. Every team plays with the vast majority of it's guys banged up, and most of our injuries to key guys have been late on. 

 

That was the point. 

 

Hail. 

[Epochalypse]

Heck of a lot better than most teams have been up against this year all things considered. Every team plays with the vast majority of it's guys banged up, and most of our injuries to key guys have been late on. 

 

That was the point. 

 

Hail. 

Yes, better than some teams but none of those teams have $18 million in cap penalty hindering their ability to compensate.

[The Robert Griffin Experience]

I've done some more research and it is uncanny how similar these guys are (and how AJ Smith is unfairly blamed for how the Chargers went down)

 

Shanahan and Marty

 

>terrible, horrible, spectacularly bad at personnel

>have great reps for stuff they did in the 80s and 90s

>much if not most of their team success was predicated on their coordinators (particularly Marty, Cam Cameron and Wade Phillips were the reason why that team was good)

>Massive, team-killing egos and control freaks

>drama queens (Marty basically tried to hire his kids to force the owner to fire him because the owner didn't want family members on the coaching staff...and when you remember that Snyder had misgivings about Kyle as OC)

>are loved by a certain segment of our fanbase for winning streaks that were more about the team rejecting him than him motivating the team

 

I'd argue that Norv was a better coach than both of them. Norv is great at Xs and Os, unlike Marty, and didn't have Shanahan's ego and need to be in control. If you replaced Norv and Shanahan in the 93-2000 time period, Norv would probably have 2 rings and Shanahan would be bouncing around the league.

[ConcordNCSkinsFan]

>are loved by a certain segment of our fanbase for winning streaks that were more about the team rejecting him than him motivating the team

 

 

These people don't love Shanahan because of the winning streak or anything else that's reasonable. He's their hero because he benched the QB they didn't like. 

[Riggo-toni]

Norvo the Clown won more playoff games his first year in SD than Schothead did during his entire tenure. And Norv sucks.

[Laron Burgundy]

These people don't love Shanahan because of the winning streak or anything else that's reasonable. He's their hero because he benched the QB they didn't like. 

 

I'm in the boat that says listen to what the players think.  I don't care one way or the other if Shanahan is the coach next year, but I do realize he was dealt a bad hand while here.  Oh, and I love rg3 and am really rooting for him; I'm just not entirely sure there's as much drama as we seem to think there is in that locker room.  I just don't want Snyder to make a brash decision because fans are out with torches and pitchforks.

[Riggo-toni]

All anyone needs to know about Schothead is right here:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=schoenfield/070116

[Mr. Sinister]

I'm in the boat that says listen to what the players think.  I don't care one way or the other if Shanahan is the coach next year, but I do realize he was dealt a bad hand while here.  Oh, and I love rg3 and am really rooting for him; I'm just not entirely sure there's as much drama as we seem to think there is in that locker room.  I just don't want Snyder to make a brash decision because fans are out with torches and pitchforks.

 

How do you really know what the player think, exactly? I don't think you can go off of public comments. We don't have those kind of guys on this team anymore that will say what they feel at any given moment, so I don't think they will **** on Shanahan in front of lights and a mic.

 

I think just on football issues alone, Shanahan should be fired. I think that for the way he has structured this team (coaching staff wise) he should be fired. When you throw in the various leaks (and his failure to accept responsibility for the role he has played in this mess without taking people down with him, I think he should've been fired the moment after the clock hit zeroes in the game against KC.

 

It may not seem like it right now, but I believe that a different staff can get more out of these players than the current one. I don't think firing Shanahan at thi spoint is a brash decision. It's a necessary decision. There is no reason to believe that things can improve, and certain players can develop under this current regime, with Shanahan here, having final say in all football matters. I think it's run its course.

[Epochalypse]

I've done some more research and it is uncanny how similar these guys are (and how AJ Smith is unfairly blamed for how the Chargers went down)

 

Shanahan and Marty

 

>terrible, horrible, spectacularly bad at personnel...

http://sonofwashington.com/how-good-has-mike-shanahan-been-in-round-1/

 

Shanahan has hit on every one of his 1st round picks.

 

Outside of this year (Amerson), Shanahan has only had 1 2nd round pick, Jarvis Jenkins who missed his entire rookie year.  It probably won't be until next year where we'll see signs of what he'll eventually become.

 

Outside of this year (Reed - injured), Shanahan has had only 2 3rd round draft picks, Hankerson and LeRibeus.  Hankerson, like Jenkins has missed significant development time to injury.  LeRibeus needs to avoid buffets.

 

Outside of this year (Thomas-injured), Shanahan has had 4 4th round picks.  Helu, Cousins, Riley and Robinson.  Robinson and Helu have been hit hard by injuries.  Riley is our starting ILB.  And Cousins, depending on who you talk to, is either one of the best backups in the league, a future NFL starter, or at least worth 2nd if not a 1st round draft pick in a trade (there are other assessments I get it).

 

I didn't include this year because it is too early to tell what Amerson, Reed and Thomas may become, though I like what I've seen from Amerson and Reed in the short time I've seen them.  The rest of Shanahan's picks in the first 4 rounds are either hits or inconclusive due to injuries, with the exception of Stabby.

 

That is nowhere near "terrible, horrible, spectacularly bad".  That is actually closer to "terrible, horrible, spectacularly bad" luck.

How do you really know what the player think, exactly? I don't think you can go off of public comments. We don't have those kind of guys on this team anymore that will say what they feel at any given moment, so I don't think they will **** on Shanahan in front of lights and a mic.

The reason we don't have those kinds of guys on the team anymore is because of Shanahan...

[The Robert Griffin Experience]

http://sonofwashington.com/how-good-has-mike-shanahan-been-in-round-1/

 

Shanahan has hit on every one of his 1st round picks.

 

Outside of this year (Amerson), Shanahan has only had 1 2nd round pick, Jarvis Jenkins who missed his entire rookie year.  It probably won't be until next year where we'll see signs of what he'll eventually become.

 

Outside of this year (Reed - injured), Shanahan has had only 2 3rd round draft picks, Hankerson and LeRibeus.  Hankerson, like Jenkins has missed significant development time to injury.  LeRibeus needs to avoid buffets.

 

Outside of this year (Thomas-injured), Shanahan has had 4 4th round picks.  Helu, Cousins, Riley and Robinson.  Robinson and Helu have been hit hard by injuries.  Riley is our starting ILB.  And Cousins, depending on who you talk to, is either one of the best backups in the league, a future NFL starter, or at least worth 2nd if not a 1st round draft pick in a trade (there are other assessments I get it).

 

I didn't include this year because it is too early to tell what Amerson, Reed and Thomas may become, though I like what I've seen from Amerson and Reed in the short time I've seen them.  The rest of Shanahan's picks in the first 4 rounds are either hits or inconclusive due to injuries, with the exception of Stabby.

 

That is nowhere near "terrible, horrible, spectacularly bad".  That is actually closer to "terrible, horrible, spectacularly bad" luck.

The reason we don't have those kinds of guys on the team anymore is because of Shanahan...

 

I've already run down Shanny's picks. He's great in the first, terrible in the 2nd (McNabb was a flop and Jenkins is a below average starter who didn't have that much potential to begin with, Amerson is his only promising 2nd rounder), below average in the 3rd (Hankerson is a below average starter without a great deal of potential even without the injuries, and LeRibeus was a huge reach to begin with), pretty good in the 4th (Helu is a good backup RB, Cousins could be worth an extra 2nd to the regime that replaces Shanahan but having a guy like Bobby Massie could have helped more, Riley is a below average player, a backup on many if not most teams), and he's gotten nothing from rounds 5-7 except Morris. His FA signings have been pretty bad too. 

 

Remember when Oldfan slammed how Shanny seemed uninterested in actually rebuilding the team and kept bringing in washed up vets? He was right and that's exactly what happened.

[Mr. Sinister]

http://sonofwashington.com/how-good-has-mike-shanahan-been-in-round-1/

 

The reason we don't have those kinds of guys on the team anymore is because of Shanahan...

 

I am very much aware of that... And it means very little, because on top of having guys with character, that are loyal, professional, and work hard, you have to have coaching, you have to have the right coaches, you have to be willing to pull the plug on coaches when it becomes clear that they just aren't the right guys for the job, you have to have good systems that maximize their talents, you have to have a system where numerous people can discuss certain personnel decisions and reach a common goal, with no one person having full power, and you have to have a coach who, along with the players he drafts, holds himself accountable before anyone else, and doesn't get pissy, leaking (or allowing) BS through the media to journalists who will write columns, reporting on their behalf, spinning a narrative that deflects blame and points the spotlight away from their failures as a coach/GM. Shanahan has failed in that regard.

[justice98]

Prediction: Shanny survives this if we win the next two games.

 

New OC -- Kubiak -- and DC. 

 

Shanny actually gets an extension.

 

I throw up in my mouth.

 

Man, I hope that doesn't happen.  If part of the problem is that Kyle and Mike are too simpatico and RG3 doesn't have a buffer people say he needs, a Shanahan guy like Kubiak could be more of the same.  

[Epochalypse]

I've already run down Shanny's picks. He's great in the first, terrible in the 2nd (McNabb was a flop and Jenkins is a below average starter who didn't have that much potential to begin with, Amerson is his only promising 2nd rounder), below average in the 3rd (Hankerson is a below average starter without a great deal of potential even without the injuries, and LeRibeus was a huge reach to begin with), pretty good in the 4th (Helu is a good backup RB, Cousins could be worth an extra 2nd to the regime that replaces Shanahan but having a guy like Bobby Massie could have helped more, Riley is a below average player, a backup on many if not most teams), and he's gotten nothing from rounds 5-7 except Morris. His FA signings have been pretty bad too. 

 

Remember when Oldfan slammed how Shanny seemed uninterested in actually rebuilding the team and kept bringing in washed up vets? He was right and that's exactly what happened.

Terrible in the second?  You like Amerson and his other pick is a Dlineman one year removed from an ACL tear.  How you can determine he's a bust after his first real season without an injury free offseason is beyond me.

 

Again third round, Hankerson has been injured, LeRibeus I've already given you and you fail to mention Reed who if he can avoid injury looks like a legit starting TE weapon.

 

4th you concede he did well (though how you can argue Massie who would not fit a ZBS would have been a better pick than Cousins is beyond me.  He hasn't started a game for the Cardinals this year.)

 

Outside of LeRibeus who we agree needs to improve to look good, the only other two you mention that were bad picks are Hank and Jenkins, by discounting their injuries and implying you knew all along had no potential and would never amount to anything.

[Laron Burgundy]

How do you really know what the player think, exactly? I don't think you can go off of public comments. We don't have those kind of guys on this team anymore that will say what they feel at any given moment, so I don't think they will **** on Shanahan in front of lights and a mic.

 

 

Oh, I don't presume to know what the players think.  That is up to Snyder to determine through interviews.  Like I've said, if the players don't believe in Mike, that is reason enough to fire him, but I'm not going to sit here like many fans and just assume players don't respect him, especially after quite a few players have made remarks to the opposite.  You don't expect these players to go out of their way to trash talk Mike, but ringing endorsements?  That's not exactly a sign of losing the locker room.

 

And I still don't see how we think all these leaks are his doing or even true stories.  They may deflect blame, but they make him look like an amateur in controlling an organization, or that he is just a dramatic headache waiting to happen.  Exactly why does this help him applying for new jobs again?

[Epochalypse]

I am very much aware of that... And it means very little, because on top of having guys with character, that are loyal, professional, and work hard, you have to have coaching, you have to have the right coaches, you have to be willing to pull the plug on coaches when it becomes clear that they just aren't the right guys for the job, you have to have good systems that maximize their talents, you have to have a system where numerous people can discuss certain personnel decisions and reach a common goal, with no one person having full power, and you have to have a coach who, along with the players he drafts, holds himself accountable before anyone else, and doesn't get pissy, leaking (or allowing) BS through the media to journalists who will write columns, reporting on their behalf, spinning a narrative that deflects blame and points the spotlight away from their failures as a coach/GM. Shanahan has failed in that regard.

Again, if you are going with the assumption that Shanahan is the leak without any proof to support that other than media inferences, you've already made up your mind to stay blind to what he's done right and will grasp for anything that makes him the sole reason this season went bad.  Shanahan has said this season is on him.  That sounds like accountability.  You claim the coach has to be willing to pull the plug when a coach isn't the right guy for the job, but I'll ask are you also against Shanahan benching RG3 when he wasn't doing as well as he was last year?

 

How you can argue we didn't have the right system to maximize our talents for RG3 last year is beyond me.

 

I just pray you're not Snyder and examine all the facts before making a decision.

 

Edit: And as Laron says above, if an investigation shows Shanahan is the leak, and that he has lost the players then I'm all for firing him.  Based on just what I know as fact, I've already said I would probably fire him.  I just don't have any intention of saying I am 100% sure he should be fired because I don't 100% sure know what is true and lie and I don't 100% know for sure who the replacement coach will be.  Everyone has this grand idea that any of these hot names will jump all over themselves to take this job but forget that we had to settle on Zorn, and Shanahan only took the job if he was given $7 mill a year, full control, and a 5 year guarantee.  What is Dan going to have to offer the next guy to come in here?  I assure you we are not getting the cream of the crop unless we are drastically overpaying, and then we are only promising that we are getting a mercenary after the money and not necessarily the best available.

[Garcon More Wine]

Good teams do overcome injuries.  Like last year when we were one of the hardest hit by injuries teams in the league, under a cap penalty and starting a rookie QB and rookie RB.  So maybe 10-6 isn't amazing out of context but in context I'd argue it is.

 

Keenan and Philip complete question marks?  Agree, since both have missed practically their entire pro careers due to injury.  Of course they are question marks.  RG3 had a miraculous comeback from injury but it has obviously affected his play.  Jenkins is one year removed from a knee injury, I would say that next year will be a better barometer of what he will become a year removed from the injury and with a full offseason.  Hankerson may not ever be a #1, but he's shown development that could have been even further along if he hadn't missed all the time he has.

 

Special teams I agree with.  The D is 20th in the league.  How is that historically bad?  The offenses they have faced are ranked as follows:

 

#1 Den

#2 Phi twice

#3 Det

#4 GB w/ Rodgers

#6 SD

#7 Chi

#13 Min

#15 Oak

#16 Atl

#17 KC

#20 Dal

 

That's who the D has faced this year and we are 20th in the league in D.  They aren't great, but they are far from historically bad.

 

we have given up 434 points this season.  we allow an average of 31 per game.

 

if we keep that average we will allow 496 points - worst in the past 11 seasons in the NFL except the 2008 0-16 lions, who allowed 517.

 

weve given up the most points in franchise history (previously worst were 1998 and 1954, both over 400). 

 

so yes, its historically bad.  yards mean nothing, all that says is we let teams score on us on short fields too haha.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

we have given up 434 points this season.  we allow an average of 31 per game.

 

if we keep that average we will allow 496 points - worst in the past 11 seasons in the NFL except the 2008 0-16 lions, who allowed 517.

 

weve given up the most points in franchise history (previously worst were 1998 and 1954, both over 400). 

 

so yes, its historically bad.  yards mean nothing, all that says is we let teams score on us on short fields too haha.

 

To add, Shanahan has the second worst points for/ against deficit for a long term Redskins HC his first four years. One of only two HC's in our history over that span with a negative points diferencial. (He currently stands - 234. Bill McPeak was - 406.).

 

Hail. 

[TD Riggo]

I've already run down Shanny's picks. He's great in the first, terrible in the 2nd (McNabb was a flop

 

 

I don't remember Shanahan drafting McNabb.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

I don't remember Shanahan drafting McNabb.

 

The inference being he used a second and fourth on trading for him. 

 

Hail. 

[Epochalypse]

we have given up 434 points this season.  we allow an average of 31 per game.

 

if we keep that average we will allow 496 points - worst in the past 11 seasons in the NFL except the 2008 0-16 lions, who allowed 517.

 

weve given up the most points in franchise history (previously worst were 1998 and 1954, both over 400). 

 

so yes, its historically bad.  yards mean nothing, all that says is we let teams score on us on short fields too haha.

8 TDs were scored against our Offense (2) and Special Teams (6).

 

Our defense is DEAD LAST in Average Field Position to start.  Interestingly, our offense is also DEAD LAST in Average Field Position to start.

 

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/drivestats

 

It's a trickle down effect.  Our special teams are bad because injuries, missing draft picks and the salary cap have robbed us of quality depth, which puts our offense in bad position, which then puts our defense in bad position.

[Laron Burgundy]

Terrible in the second?  You like Amerson and his other pick is a Dlineman one year removed from an ACL tear.  How you can determine he's a bust after his first real season without an injury free offseason is beyond me.

 

The more outstanding thing is these people expect GMs here to nail every 2nd, 3rd and 4th rounder.  Can we go over Seattle's history in those rounds these past 4 years?

 

2013: Christine Michael, Jordan Hill, Chris Harper: No starters, most games played this season by any of them is 4.  BUSTS.

2012: Wagner, Wilson, Turbin, Howard: Great picks in the first two, Turbin has been underwhelming in his opportunities with just one good game and Howard hasn't played.

2011: Moffitt, KJ Wright, Kris Durham: Moffitt is a good guard, Wright is the worst starter on their defense and Durham is a bust at wr.

2010: Tate, Walter Thurmond, EJ Wilson: Tate is a below average starting wr similar to Hankerson, Thurmond is only playing due to injuries and suspensions galore in their cbs, and Wilson is an absolute bust.

 

So out of 13 picks you have 3 guys who you want as starters for you.  Shanny has Amerson, Reed, Cousins and Helu in 10 picks.  Somehow Shanny is an awful drafter and Seattle is brilliant.

[Mr. Sinister]

Oh, I don't presume to know what the players think.  That is up to Snyder to determine through interviews.  Like I've said, if the players don't believe in Mike, that is reason enough to fire him, but I'm not going to sit here like many fans and just assume players don't respect him, especially after quite a few players have made remarks to the opposite.  You don't expect these players to go out of their way to trash talk Mike, but ringing endorsements?  That's not exactly a sign of losing the locker room.

 

 

Good point (especially in regards to Fletcher), but I'm not sure what the alternative is. You could speak from the heart, give a generic answer that is neither a ringing endorsement or a crucifixion, or give an empty ringing endorsement. I think that in terms of public reaction (from a player standpoint) you have very little to gain and a lot to lose. A stand up guy (and Mike has drafted/signed a lot of them) is probably going to look at this from an individual standpoint, keep a level head, and focus on his job,possibly saying anything that will alleviate some pressure in the locker room, or for them personally, and ensure that they don't get benched, or targeted by the next regime. Not saying that is what's going on, but would be the wisest course of action.

 

And I still don't see how we think all these leaks are his doing or even true stories.  They may deflect blame, but they make him look like an amateur in controlling an organization, or that he is just a dramatic headache waiting to happen.  Exactly why does this help him applying for new jobs again?

 

 

Well I don't think they have to be true, really. It's all about perception, and I'm sure Mike knows that. Head coaches are micromanagers...Some of  the very best head coaches are borderline insane... Definitely narcissistic. There are many reasons to not believe a lot of whats been thrown out there, but one thing I do not believe, is that Mike Shanahan of all people ("The Mastermind" as some put it) has no idea who  doesn't wash their hands at Redskins Park. He is a known control freak. 

 

With control freaks, very seldom does something get out with them not at the very least being aware of it. Very seldom would it be allowed to continue for as long as it has without him finding the source, and eliminating it (if he wants to). People with out of control egos tend to slip, and overvalue their own importance/status from time to time. Personally, I believe Mike falls into that category.

 

So, maybe Miked slipped... Maybe the Snyder Hate Brigade isn't as dumb as they were the last soap opera go-round, and eating all the Snyder/Griffin(s) **** up. Maybe Mike isn't as respected in the NFL Universe as he once was. Maybe his SB trophies don't carry as much weight nowadays. Maybe Mike doesn't want to coach anymore, and is content with taking the 7 mil and fading off into the sunset? That's a lot of maybes, but as far as I'm concerned one "Maybe" I'm not going for is "Maybe this is all overblown," not with the amount of egos (each with a different story to tell) and people with a considerable amount of sway involved in this. I think this is at least a year in the making, and people are trying to cover their asses, for legacy, for favorable public opinion (which is the end all be all "Your word against mine" stuff that this town thrives off of) or for future coaching opportunities

[Mr. Sinister]

Again, if you are going with the assumption that Shanahan is the leak without any proof to support that other than media inferences, you've already made up your mind to stay blind to what he's done right and will grasp for anything that makes him the sole reason this season went bad. 

 

Honestly, I don't really even have to do that. The buck stops with the head coach. If you go and read many of the threads over the last 4 years where Shanahan was under fire, you will see me defending him. All that changed this season, when this team started exhibiting some of the same symptoms that plagued it the first 2 years, and last year minus the 7 game streak. All throughout that, I always gave him the benefit of the doubt. Not anymore. Anytime a season goes this bad (repeatedly), it aint just the players, champ. It's the coaches, it's the GM, and it's the guy that employed all of them... Shanahan.Thats unacceptable, and thats all I need for my mind to be made up, and thats the way it should be. Allowing it to continue is foolish, and  allowing leaks (if he didn't create them himself) is irresponsible, and tells me that he has failed when it comes to building a winning football team based on accountability and leadership at the core. That is a fact.

 

 

 

Shanahan has said this season is on him.  That sounds like accountability.  

 

 

Considering that it is a rare occurrence, I don't buy it. I don't buy it when you bench one guy, claiming it is for health reasons, when a) I'm sure there are plenty of guys banged up that probably shouldn't be playing, and there are guys who deserve to sit their ass on the bench, that keep getting trotted out there. To me that sounds like you are making the QB the sacrificial lamb, instead of doing that across the board. Does that sound like accountability to you?

 

You claim the coach has to be willing to pull the plug when a coach isn't the right guy for the job, but I'll ask are you also against Shanahan benching RG3 when he wasn't doing as well as he was last year?

 

 

 

You bet your ass I am. Football is a team game. Was Griffin struggling? Yes. Did he deserved to be benched? Debatable. I have a problem when the head coach benches a guy (for "health reasons") after he just played against a good defense in a snowstorm on a sloppy field, and all of a sudden wants to "save the franchise." It sounds like bull****. His reasoning for the benching, and his lack of benching anyone else, is the reason for my distrust.

 

How you can argue we didn't have the right system to maximize our talents for RG3 last year is beyond me.

 

 

Griffin's talent goes beyond being simply a read option QB, and regardless of that, it's pretty evident that the current defensive, and special teams scheme is simply not working. Again, are players blameless? No, but coaching matters. Schemes matter. Philosophies matter. Development matters. Thats not happening.... Across the board.

 

 

I just pray you're not Snyder and examine all the facts before making a decision.

 

 

And I'm glad that you are a fan, and not someone who heads an organization, who doesn't make decisions (that are fair) based on present and past performance. I'm glad that you don't understand the meaning of structure, true accountability, and performance

[IrepDC]

I'm in the boat that says listen to what the players think.  I don't care one way or the other if Shanahan is the coach next year, but I do realize he was dealt a bad hand while here.  Oh, and I love rg3 and am really rooting for him; I'm just not entirely sure there's as much drama as we seem to think there is in that locker room.  I just don't want Snyder to make a brash decision because fans are out with torches and pitchforks.

Regardless of the locker room, the players and coaches are failing on the football field. The coach should be held accountable for that. Even if the players loved Shanahan, they're not producing for him, and they have to know that there will be accountability.

People should be able to distinguish the difference between a 20+ year veteran coach struggling vs. either of our second year QBs.

[Epochalypse]

Honestly, I don't really even have to do that. The buck stops with the head coach. If you go and read many of the threads over the last 4 years where Shanahan was under fire, you will see me defending him. All that changed this season, when this team started exhibiting some of the same symptoms that plagued it the first 2 years, and last year minus the 7 game streak. All throughout that, I always gave him the benefit of the doubt. Not anymore. Anytime a season goes this bad (repeatedly), it aint just the players, champ. It's the coaches, it's the GM, and it's the guy that employed all of them... Shanahan.Thats unacceptable, and thats all I need for my mind to be made up, and thats the way it should be. Allowing it to continue is foolish, and  allowing leaks (if he didn't create them himself) is irresponsible, and tells me that he has failed when it comes to building a winning football team based on accountability and leadership at the core. That is a fact.

 

 

 

 

Considering that it is a rare occurrence, I don't buy it. I don't buy it when you bench one guy, claiming it is for health reasons, when a) I'm sure there are plenty of guys banged up that probably shouldn't be playing, and there are guys who deserve to sit their ass on the bench, that keep getting trotted out there. To me that sounds like you are making the QB the sacrificial lamb, instead of doing that across the board. Does that sound like accountability to you?

 

You bet your ass I am. Football is a team game. Was Griffin struggling? Yes. Did he deserved to benched? Debatable. 

I agree with you in that even if Shanahan isn't the source of the leaks, the fact they are happening under his watch reflects poorly on him.  So long as they are coming from people he has control over.  If it's a disgruntled ex-employee or Fred Davis who's pissed about being in his doghouse during a contract year, or even one of Mara's goons, then he's just as much a victim as the rest of the team.

 

And no one believes that Shanahan benched RG3 PURELY for health reasons, but it's not a complete lie.  RG3 was benched because he hadn't fully recovered mentally and his lack of progress in the offensive system was putting him at risk of injury that wouldn't be as great as it would if he were further along in his development.  Couple that with honestly wanting RG3 to have an offseason to focus on that development when the season is lost and while not a completely honest answer is about the answer you would expect every single other head coach in the same position to make.  I love the hypocrisy as if NO OTHER PERSON in the world lies except Mike Shanahan.  Head coaching requires deception just like the military, and yet we have reporters imbedded with invading forces because dammit the public has the right to know what's going on, even if it jeopardizes the mission.

 

And you say football is a team game.  Well that team is more than RG3.  If the TEAM plays better taking out a struggling RG3, especially a team that can't look forward to a playoff spot but is concerned about showing how they would operate in a given system with possibly a more system-savvy QB, then I'm sure the team appreciates that move.  Now I am not one of these people saying RG3 is a bust, is a head case, is a coach killer, etc.  What I am saying is that RG3 can use some development, and that wanting to sit him does not mean I don't want him to become the QB he has the potential to become.  If RG3 can't handle the adversity of this, he's not who we need him to be.  That said, I remain optimistic that he'll go into this offseason getting together with his receivers and doing the work he needs to do.

 

Edit:  Remember, No Pressure No Diamonds