TK Posted November 4, 2003 Share Posted November 4, 2003 http://redskins.com/story.asp?ContentID=12196 Spurrier: 'We're Going To Keep Fighting' 11/03/2003 By Gary Fitzgerald Redskins.com Steve Spurrier has heard it all before. It’s nothing new when reporters pepper him with questions about whether defenses have figured out how to stop his offense. In 1999, at the University of Florida, his vaunted offense was in a slump, but eventually the team learned from its mistakes and returned to prominence. Spurrier expects the same from the Redskins. “We’re struggling a bit right now,” he said. “Sure we have to make some adjustments here and there. Early in the year, we were moving the ball a lot better. Certainly the hits on the quarterback are something we have to be concerned with. But there’s a lot of pressure when they’re just rushing four guys, too.” Will he change his schemes and style of playcalling? “I’ll do anything to try and win a ballgame. We’ve changed a lot from the style of play we used to have because when you don’t make many first downs like we have the last few games—I mean, we have a whole bunch of plays we haven’t even called yet because we’re not out there that much. You have to have some success to have more success.” The numbers tell the story. After the first three games of the season, the Redskins had the top-ranked offense in the NFL. The team has fallen on hard times since then. Not coincidentally, the Redskins have played some of the leading defenses in the NFL in that span. On Sunday against Dallas, the NFL's top-ranked defense, the Redskins were held to 213 yards of total offense and only 124 passing yards. Defenses are blitzing with increasing frequency. Spurrier said the offense had several pass protection schemes designed to protect the quarterback from blitzes. Sometimes the protection broke down—even in “max protect,” Spurrier said—and sometimes Patrick Ramsey would audible out of the play. “I’ve been coaching 20 years and this is not the first time I’ve seen blitzes,” Spurrier said. “What we tried to do against Dallas we didn’t do very well. We got in the shotgun and tried to throw the ball, and there were all kinds of land down there to throw it. But we didn’t block them very well. So you can go back there and throw it quickly or go back there and do what we did [in the touchdown pass to Taylor Jacobs in the fourth quarter].” Jacobs, who caught his first NFL touchdown pass on Sunday, played in Spurrier’s offense for three years at the University of Florida and has said on several occasions that his NFL schemes and playcalling are different from his collegiate days. ”The things that Steve Spurrier is doing in the NFL are different than what he did in college,” he said. “We used to run routes that exploited zone coverage. Now there are a lot of man-to-man coverages that we’re seeing right now. Sometimes you can’t run those routes against man-to-man coverage. So he’s doing different things. It’s not the same offense.” As for Ramsey, he had a bruised left elbow and a dislocated finger on his left hand. “I’m sore, but it’s not anything that’s going to keep me from playing,” he said. “I just have to get ready for Seattle.” In the Running Trung Canidate is due back this week from a high ankle sprain. It’s a good thing. The team is thin at running back due to injuries. Chad Morton sprained his ankle against Dallas and is “probably doubtful,” Spurrier said. And rookie Sultan McCullough, who saw his first significant action of the season, has a fractured hand. Both players’ status will be evaluated further as the week goes on. Meantime, Ladell Betts is sidelined for at least another week with a fractured left forearm. Fullback Rock Cartwright, who was also nicked a few times on Sunday, would likely be pressed into playing more at the tailback position. Extra Points Larry Moore suffered a sprained foot in Sunday’s game and his status will be evaluated later this week. Todd Franz (ankle injury) and Jermaine Haley (shoulder sprain) are “probably doubtful” for next week, Spurrier said. LaVar Arrington also had a bruised shoulder, but he is not expected to miss any time. Spurrier praised the play of wide receiver Patrick Johnson and defensive tackle Lional Dalton during his press conference on Monday. Regarding Dalton, Spurrier said: “He made some nice plays. I saw him pushing some guys backwards.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief skin Posted November 4, 2003 Share Posted November 4, 2003 Keep fighting????????? I guess I have been watching the wrong games (Thank God) The team I have been watching has not started to fight I have seen a helluva lot of QUITTING in it but no fight. Now where do I watch my Redskins fight??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prophet Posted November 4, 2003 Share Posted November 4, 2003 "We got in the shotgun and tried to throw the ball, and there were all kinds of land down there to throw it. But we didn’t block them very well. So you can go back there and throw it quickly or go back there and do what we did [in the touchdown pass to Taylor Jacobs in the fourth quarter].” this is exactly what PR needs to do... get rid of the ball quick, and burn the darn defenses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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