NoCalMike Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 This season so far has been full of surprises. From the 0-2 start, the 4 wins in a row followed by 2 winnable games given away (one a tie)....to the results today. There were things we knew and things we didn't know going into the season. The defense was not going to be the strength. The offense was going to be dangerous. However the unknowns were that despite being devoid of necessary talent, the defense was going to have the team in situations to win games. The other *bigger* unknown was that the red zone offense was going to struggle a ton. Outside of the Eagles game, this offense has simply not finished drives. 3 games in a row now they could have pulled away from teams in the second half if not for the inability to get the ball in the endzone. How do we fix it? It's hard to say. If you ask me, we have the personnel to be scoring in the redzone. Rob Kelly is a bully with the ball. Vernon Davis is a target that is impossible to bring down. You throw it to him on the 3 yard line and he will pretty much fall into the endzone by default. You've got Jordan Reed who can catch pretty much anything. The one piece missing is a big WR that can jump and snatch the ball out of the air. Hopefully that comes either at the end of this season or next season with Doctson. At this point, 9 games into the season is there a mental aspect factoring in? Does the team get inside the 20, then inside the 10.......and suddenly the doubt creep in? I simply refuse to believe they need to upgrade the players for things to change. There has to be something too predictable in the scheme. My biggest fear is that the lack of finishing drive is going to lead to 2-3 more heartbreaking losses this season that for 75% of the game has the feel of a game the team should win, and win comfortably. The division is too tight to allow lack of execution to hold them back. Is it lack of execution? Is it scheme? Help me out here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexa Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 I think they need to try and run the ball a little more when we get down there. It's always a pass when we get to 2nd down. I'd also keep Davis and Reed on the field and run more 2 TE sets so we keep the threat of the run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosher Ham Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 Charge up the offense. Too many weapons to not do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD_washingtonredskins Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 I look at this two ways... On one hand, it frustrates me and I mumble to myself that they have to start cashing in. On the other hand, I zoom out and realize that this is something we can improve upon as we gel together as a team over the next few seasons. I pretty much believe that we won't see improvement this year. Nine games isn't a fluke, so this is who we are in 2016. That's not to say I don't expect we'll ever score in the red zone, but I think the theme of many 2016 games will be lower point totals due to this issue. It just will continually put pressure on our defense to come up with big plays and our offense to make sure they move the ball on most of their drives. We will drop another game or two due to this issue, but it's hopefully something we correct over the long-term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conn Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 This is something Doctson would have helped with, as much as people want to talk about that pick as one for the future, there was a need in the redzone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diehard Otis Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 1 minute ago, TD_washingtonredskins said: I look at this two ways... On one hand, it frustrates me and I mumble to myself that they have to start cashing in. On the other hand, I zoom out and realize that this is something we can improve upon as we gel together as a team over the next few seasons. I pretty much believe that we won't see improvement this year. Nine games isn't a fluke, so this is who we are in 2016. That's not to say I don't expect we'll ever score in the red zone, but I think the theme of many 2016 games will be lower point totals due to this issue. It just will continually put pressure on our defense to come up with big plays and our offense to make sure they move the ball on most of their drives. We will drop another game or two due to this issue, but it's hopefully something we correct over the long-term. Frankly, I agree with TD's comments here. This is our Breakthrough Season (in terms of consistently Winning NFL games) & there has been plenty to build on - but this appears to be this team's Achilles heel. Why? I dunno. But I do take solace in the fact that The Skins keep Winning in spite of this confounding shortcoming. Maybe they do solve the issue. On this one, time will tell... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William Barbour Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 We need to be more successful, but we also go in to the Red zone alot more then most teams. I also saw that we've played 5 Top 10 defenses this year and 3 Top 5 defenses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
this isn't happening Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 7 minutes ago, Kosher Ham said: Charge up the offense. Too many weapons to not do it. This. Go hurry up/quick strike. You have to play to your strengths. It may not work, but you do what gives you the best chance, and that is putting the ball into the hands of your playmakers. I would love to be able to man-ball our way into the end zone, but that's just not gonna happen this season with any bit of consistency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinfan2k Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 If you notice the CBs are playing a lot of inside coverages and we dont have guys who run really good routes besides crowder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoCalMike Posted November 13, 2016 Author Share Posted November 13, 2016 7 minutes ago, TD_washingtonredskins said: We will drop another game or two due to this issue, but it's hopefully something we correct over the long-term. Long term it doesn't concern me. There are too many unknowns to come in the long term. As far as this season goes, I agree with what you said in your quote about likely costing us at least a couple more games this season, which could be enough to shut us out of the playoffs. I think what amplifies the issue is that the defense has been overachieving (based on personnel) Yes, they have their bad moments, but overall for at least the last month plus worth of games, they have done the job needed to put the team in position to win games. The 2nd half job of keeping teams off the scoreboard has been as uncanny as it has been unexpected. With that said, the looming issue there is the lack of talent, and how in the end that usually always comes back to bite you over the long haul. Coaches can coach players up, but ultimately the talent has to be there at least for a majority of the positions. Because of the lack of TD's vs FG's we are scoring, our defense is continually getting their backs put up against the wall by the time the 4th quarter comes around and it's basically an all or nothing situation for them due to the offense blowing good chances for TD's on so many drives. It also in turn increases the chance for a bungled field goal kick despite having one of the current best FG kickers in the game. It's nice that Hopkins is so good, but the numbers game tells you that FGs are bound to be missed or messed up somehow eventually.....(looking at Bengals game dammit) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek1973 Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 I just don't get why we don't throw to the backs out of the back down there. And why not do a little read option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warhead36 Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 They'll get it going eventually. I refuse to believe we'll keep performing at such a low % in the RZ. Too much talent. Just need that one big game to swing things back around. I think it could be next week against a Packer D that has been atrocious recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srtman04 Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 I don't understand this, especially since last year we were really good in the Redzone. Kirk was almost guaranteed to score last year. But I think it will turn around....Kirk is going to become a great QB for us for years to come. HTTR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonez3 Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 Today surprised me because we had a really functional run game. I think they were tense in the second half, glad we won Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSO Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 It's just mind-boggling this is as big of a problem as it is. I don't get it. Gruden's offense's have historically been excellent in the redzone. I do believe there is a talent issue when we get down there in terms of our smaller WRs.... but it shouldn't be anywhere near this bad. We should be AT LEAST average in the redzone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cakmoney61 Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 22 minutes ago, Warhead36 said: They'll get it going eventually. I refuse to believe we'll keep performing at such a low % in the RZ. Too much talent. Just need that one big game to swing things back around. I think it could be next week against a Packer D that has been atrocious recently. I agree. Odds are they will get better, and I certainly believe they will continue to get in the red zone with regularity. The offense is too good not to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conn Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 3 minutes ago, thesubmittedone said: It's just mind-boggling this is as big of a problem as it is. I don't get it. Gruden's offense's have historically been excellent in the redzone. I do believe there is a talent issue when we get down there in terms of our smaller WRs.... but it shouldn't be anywhere near this bad. We should be AT LEAST average in the redzone. Gruden's offenses pre-Skins have historically had AJ Green and Marvin Jones on the outside, who are redzone beasts. Which explains his love affair with the fade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSO Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 7 minutes ago, ConnSKINS26 said: Gruden's offenses pre-Skins have historically had AJ Green and Marvin Jones on the outside, who are redzone beasts. Which explains his love affair with the fade. We've actually researched this, though. I remember having this conversation in 2014. You'd be surprised to find out the Bengals redzone offense wasn't about AJ Green catching fades. He got people open down there, a lot. Guys like Gresham, Bernard, Hawkins and Sanu scored as many TDs as anyone else. We saw it here last season, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93 Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 I personally think it is a bit flukey and will even out going forward. Like the 3rd quarter issues last year. But if anything, the playcalling isn't always great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoCalMike Posted November 13, 2016 Author Share Posted November 13, 2016 In theory you'd think Reed & Davis are big and shifty to be used as WR's in the redzone. How about some quick slants. You throw a slant to Vernon Davis, and if it's caught, his momentum is is carrying him into the endzone, even if contact is made at the point of the catch. Not sure why Jordan Reed has been virtually a ghost in the red zone as well. Are defenses too comfortable throwing everyone into coverage due to our lack of running plays inside the 10? Maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlvinWaltonIsMyBoy Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 The players and the coaches are pressing a bit in the RZ. They seem to tighten up a bit. Kinda like a baseball hitter that's mired in a three week slump. I think we'll have a breakthrough game, and then it will trend back towards the Gruden averages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93 Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 https://theringer.com/nfl-offenses-red-zone-efficiency-panthers-saints-patriots-3f6ae285941a#.ks7ia5cki Read this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skins island connection Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Well, may as well throw my 2 cents in it. It was already mentioned, we've played quite a few top defenses thus far; is it an excuse? No, not really, but in ways it contributes to the overall picture. The main objective is to win the game. I'm not making any excuses, but Cousins is still learning, and I can see an angle of the OC or HC not wanting to press the issue, maybe thinking mistakes could be made by Cousins. We all know how this board goes ape **** crazy if Cousins throws a redzone pick, and being that close to that end of the field does make it a lot easier to return it all the way. Then you have to look at the play calling. Is it predictable to a defense what we want to do by the formations in that area? I know from my couch that when I see that damned bunch formation around the goal line that its gonna be a run, so I'm sure opponents see this as well. Maybe when in the red zone try putting a 4 rec. set and lining up the same way but running different plays out of it will have defenses guessing; but 3 points is 3 points, and if left with a choice of possibly forcing the issue I'd lean towards conservative playcalling, but at some point, especially in paloffs it will have to turn into more TDs than FGs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momma There Goes That Man Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 2 hours ago, Warhead36 said: They'll get it going eventually. I refuse to believe we'll keep performing at such a low % in the RZ At what point is this just who they are? I think we can stop waiting for them to fix it or the percentages to swing back in our favor. We are just a lousy red zone team. We will have to figure out ways to win in spite of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoCalMike Posted November 14, 2016 Author Share Posted November 14, 2016 We also know offenses change every season with adding new wrinkles and eliminating other things, as well as D-coordinators studying what opponents like to do. I wonder if there hasn't been enough adjustments made to the red zone offense to counter what D-coordinators have schemed to take away? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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