Woody:Sports Focus: 4-7 and Going Nowhere

[TK]

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031772291125&path=!sports!redskins&s=1045855935462

Sports Focus: 4-7 and Going Nowhere

Spurrier accepts blame Skins' coach concedes claiming playoff spot is 'very, very unrealistic'

BY PAUL WOODY

TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Tuesday, November 25, 2003

Maybe the cumulative effect of all the losses is mounting on Washington Redskins coach Steve Spurrier.

Or maybe he felt it necessary to address certain topics before his critics brought them up.

For whatever reason, Spurrier held one of his more unusual press conferences yesterday.

Spurrier addressed issues that no one had raised, took the blame for the team's subpar performance this season and invited the press corps to criticize any players who do not appear to be doing their jobs.

"I apologize to Redskins fans that our team has not achieved what we thought we were capable of this year," Spurrier said. "If anybody deserves blame, it's me. I'm the head coach. I'm 4-7."

In two seasons with the Redskins, Spurrier is 11-16.

"Our assistant coaches are an excellent group," Spurrier said. "I can assure you they put in as much time and effort trying to put our players in position to make plays as any staff in the NFL. It seems like we've struggled as far as them [the players] carrying out their assignments."

Several of the assistant coaches will be challenged even more this week. Starting left tackle Chris Samuels will miss Sunday's game because of a sprained knee. Brandon Winey will start.

And defensive tackle Jermaine Haley, who has not played in the past three games because of a broken thumb, was placed on the injured-reserve list yesterday. That ends his season.

While everyone appreciated Spurrier's clarification regarding his staff, no one had asked about the assistants, and no one blamed them for Sunday's loss to Miami.

"We didn't play with enough discipline," Spurrier said. "We had some guys who played well and with a lot of effort. But we didn't make it happen. We didn't finish the game.

"The playoffs are very, very unrealistic right now. But we're going to play out the season with our best players and try to win."

That means, Spurrier said, that if Patrick Ramsey is healthy enough to play quarterback, he will be in the lineup. Ramsey went into the Miami game with a right foot that either is severely bruised or has a fractured fifth metatarsal. He left the game with a mild concussion. Spurrier said Ramsey will need surgery on the foot during the offseason.

"Patrick is our starting quarterback, and if he says, 'Coach, I'm ready,' he'll be our guy and away we'll go," Spurrier said. "If not, Tim Hasselbeck will play.

"We're all very proud of the way Tim played against Miami."

Spurrier apparently did not feel the same way about some of the other players.

"The most frustrating thing is that we're not playing our assignments the entire game," Spurrier said. "In crucial situations, we're not fundamentally sound.

"That's why we've lost so many close games. We've made too many errors. I take most of the blame."

The word "most" is significant. Spurrier obviously was upset with some of his players, but he refused to name names.

"I'll let you guys do that," he said to the press corps yesterday. "Sometimes I don't think you guys watch the game as much as you should. You guys watch the play, you watch the television replay. Call it like you see it. If a guy messed up, write it.

"Coaches are not responsible to come out and criticize players. We can't do that. That's not part of our job. To me, it's part of the media's job to call it like you see it. If you're wrong, you're wrong. That's just a suggestion. I know you're not going to do it."

The Redskins have lost six of their past seven games.

If it's criticism Spurrier wants to see, he needn't worry. He and the team are on course for all they can handle.

Contact Paul Woody at (804) 649-6444 or pwoody@timesdispatch.com

[Skins26]

Oh suck it Woody he said he's taking all the blame and he deserves it.

Why doesnt this guy just quit trying to implode our team.

You know though, a good thing about this team, even though the media is trying to hard to implode and crack them, they stick together and arent giving in. Well except for Bruce.