Evaluating Jay Gruden in 2018

[Warhead36]

Gruden for the most part called a good game today. I loved the decision to go for 4th down both times. I loved the decision to call TOs to get the ball back one last time to end the half. Unfortunately we couldn't take advantage, but I put that more on Smith taking a bad grounding penalty.

 

My one issue with Gruden today was not running Peterson more in certain spots. On the very last drive after we had first down inside the ~15, we should have just straight up ran Peterson 3 times. He was gashing them and Smith wasn't doing much through the air.

[Morneblade]

4 minutes ago, Warhead36 said:

Gruden for the most part called a good game today. I loved the decision to go for 4th down both times. I loved the decision to call TOs to get the ball back one last time to end the half. Unfortunately we couldn't take advantage, but I put that more on Smith taking a bad grounding penalty.

 

My one issue with Gruden today was not running Peterson more in certain spots. On the very last drive after we had first down inside the ~15, we should have just straight up ran Peterson 3 times. He was gashing them and Smith wasn't doing much through the air.

 

I think we should have, and in the future should run Peterson more. I also think he should not have been taken out as much as he was today, unless it was because he was hurting.

 

In the passing game, he's been averaging almost 20 yards a catch. Once he gets the ball in space, he destroys people. And his catch rate is 78%. I would not have had Bibbs out there, unless it was specifically because Peterson wanted a breather.

 

He is literally the engine that powers the offense. He needs to be the focal point of it.

[Warhead36]

I'm okay with the occasional breather, but late in the game when you gotta put a team away and AP is grinding, I keep him in there. Plenty of time to rest Monday - Saturday.

 

I'm fine with Bibbs out of the backfield or on outside tosses. Perine should never run the ball unless its a rout.

[Burgold]

4 minutes ago, Morneblade said:

 

 

In the passing game, he's been averaging almost 20 yards a catch. Once he gets the ball in space, he destroys people. And his catch rate is 78%. I would not have had Bibbs out there, unless it was specifically because Peterson wanted a breather.

 

He is literally the engine that powers the offense. He needs to be the focal point of it.

I'd normally agree, but considering that Peterson has a sprained shoulder and a leg injury, I think limiting his touches especially with a touchdown plus lead most of the game makes sense. Bibbs is a pretty good pass receiver for a running back.

 

I mean Peterson sure didn't look hurt, but still, the one time he really got clobbered was after a pass.

[Renegade7]

10 minutes ago, Warhead36 said:

I'm okay with the occasional breather, but late in the game when you gotta put a team away and AP is grinding, I keep him in there. Plenty of time to rest Monday - Saturday.

 

I'm fine with Bibbs out of the backfield or on outside tosses. Perine should never run the ball unless its a rout.

If they didn't take AP out in that last redzone visit, we probably end the game right them and there.

[TradeTheBeal!]

I want to run the ball more and I’m perfectly fine with Perine getting some of those carries.

[Leonard Washington]

10 minutes ago, TryTheBeal! said:

I want to run the ball more and I’m perfectly fine with Perine getting some of those carries.

I'm not sure about Perrine getting carries.  He just seems to run into the back of guys or get knocked down by the first arm tackle. 

 

I rather we figure out how to get some runs or screens that would work for Bibbs.  Bibbs seems to have the ability to make plays.

[Destino]

Gruden needs to find some offense in the second half.  Redskins haven't scored more than 6 points in any second half this season, and have a total of 3 third quarter points this season.  Whatever adjustments, or lack there of, they're doing at halftime is certainly not producing any points. 

 

[JSSkinz]

I don't put our 2nd half issues on Gruden, its never been an issue in previous seasons or least not to this extent.

 

I think he tried to stay aggressive in the 2nd half which is why AP didn't get more carries, the problem is the QB and O line need to execute consistently and they cant.

[Morneblade]

1 hour ago, Burgold said:

I'd normally agree, but considering that Peterson has a sprained shoulder and a leg injury, I think limiting his touches especially with a touchdown plus lead most of the game makes sense. Bibbs is a pretty good pass receiver for a running back.

 

I mean Peterson sure didn't look hurt, but still, the one time he really got clobbered was after a pass.

 

I'm ok, with that, if that is the reasoning. I've just seen the team get away from him quickly this year.

 

1 hour ago, TryTheBeal! said:

I want to run the ball more and I’m perfectly fine with Perine getting some of those carries.

 

Not the way he has been running. See below

 

59 minutes ago, Leonard Washington said:

I'm not sure about Perrine getting carries.  He just seems to run into the back of guys or get knocked down by the first arm tackle. 

 

 

Or Fumble.

 

51 minutes ago, JSSkinz said:

I don't put our 2nd half issues on Gruden, its never been an issue in previous seasons or least not to this extent.

 

I think he tried to stay aggressive in the 2nd half which is why AP didn't get more carries, the problem is the QB and O line need to execute consistently and they cant.

 

Staying aggressive would have been running AP more. AP is the engine for this offense. If you want it keep running well, you keep giving him the ball. You don't take it out of his hands.

[JoggingGod]

Jay is still a bad head coach. This team could be so much better with a guy like John DeFilippo or David Shaw.

[Redskinscub]

https://www.hogshaven.com/2018/10/15/17980596/tweet-of-the-day-history-suggests-redskins-will-lose-this-week-against-the-cowboys

 

we always follow a win up with a loss, check this article out. Jay was hired when Dan could not get John. Average coach at best.

[Renegade7]

On 10/14/2018 at 8:39 PM, JoggingGod said:

Jay is still a bad head coach. This team could be so much better with a guy like John DeFilippo or David Shaw.

If we manage to get to 5-3 or 6-2 this year, I really hope we shelve this kinda of talk until the season is over or we get eliminated from playoff contention.  I won't sign off on this if we make the playoffs, even if he isn't the best coach we can probably get our hands on.  There's a certain point where we need to be careful not to seem like we're rooting against him just to be right.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

One thing I hope Gruden is keeping in his back pocket (preferably for a game-sealing first down) is Smith keeping on the zone read. It seems that he puts the ball into the chest of the RB every time, even when the red sea opens up in front of him. Given the fact that Smith knows that aspect of the offense, that MUST be by design. 

 

I'd love to see a late-game situation vs. Dallas where we need to burn off 4 minutes and on 2nd-and-8 or something we see Smith take the ball up the middle while 10 defenders react to the outside action with AP, Bibbs, or whomever. Game. Set. Match. 

[Morneblade]

2 minutes ago, TD_washingtonredskins said:

One thing I hope Gruden is keeping in his back pocket (preferably for a game-sealing first down) is Smith keeping on the zone read. It seems that he puts the ball into the chest of the RB every time, even when the red sea opens up in front of him. Given the fact that Smith knows that aspect of the offense, that MUST be by design. 

 

I'd love to see a late-game situation vs. Dallas where we need to burn off 4 minutes and on 2nd-and-8 or something we see Smith take the ball up the middle while 10 defenders react to the outside action with AP, Bibbs, or whomever. Game. Set. Match. 

 

This has probably been the most disappointing thing as far as Alex Smith expectations goes. I think all of us expected a lot more RPO looks, and to be blunt, effectiveness from it. But it's been a big disappointment so far, in the amount of plays, looks, and effectiveness. I'm not sure why we are not running it more. Alex has been shaky with the non-RPO stuff, and looks really uncomfortable. We really need to try and do some things he is comfortable with and get him settled down.

 

On the flip side, AP in the last game ran the ball really well lined up next to Smith, as opposed of being 7 yards deep in the eye, something they said he wasn't good at. It's still probably not his best set, but I'll take 17 carries for 97 yards out of that any day.

 

I'd like to see CT lined up wide and run/fake the jet sweep as well, I think he's more of a miss match there than Crowder.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

I think/hope Alex is still just thinking more than reacting. Most of us have played sports and until that muscle memory kicks in, the extra split-second you're deciding what you should do can be the difference. 

 

I would love what you suggest...just a full game of the gimmicky stuff that KC runs and we've seen glimpses of in our games. 

[Morneblade]

14 minutes ago, TD_washingtonredskins said:

I think/hope Alex is still just thinking more than reacting. Most of us have played sports and until that muscle memory kicks in, the extra split-second you're deciding what you should do can be the difference. 

 

I would love what you suggest...just a full game of the gimmicky stuff that KC runs and we've seen glimpses of in our games. 

 

I think I'd only go full bore into it if AP is ok with it. If so, then yeah, I might run like 70% RPO. I know that sounds kinda silly, but right now AP is the only thing keeping the offense afloat. And I'm going to want to keep him happy. But I think that Alex would do much better running the RPO stuff. He's never really been a good drop back passer from what I've seen. Jay really needs to work as much of it as he can, while keeping AP happy.

[Voice_of_Reason]

On 10/15/2018 at 10:35 PM, Renegade7 said:

If we manage to get to 5-3 or 6-2 this year, I really hope we shelve this kinda of talk until the season is over or we get eliminated from playoff contention.  I won't sign off on this if we make the playoffs, even if he isn't the best coach we can probably get our hands on.  There's a certain point where we need to be careful not to seem like we're rooting against him just to be right.

IF we get to 5-3 or 6-2, the talk will die down organically because of the success.

 

Gruden gets very little benefit of the doubt because he's earned almost none of it based on record. 

 

And it could be shelved temporarily if they turn around and lose a bunch of games in a row, blow big second half leads, or just never figure out how to score in the third quarter.

 

I personally doubt we get to 5-3 or 6-2.  I think it's a sure fire lock we get to 4-4.  Lose to Cowboys (this is the lose 1 week), beat NYG, Lose to Atlanta. I dare anybody to tell me that's not the reasonable expectation the way this team has performed over the last 3 years. 

 

But, we'll see.  I just hope we don't have a "lay an egg" situation  against Dallas.  I've come to expect them, however it's extra painful when it's a division rival, and especially so if it's Dallas. 

 

On 10/16/2018 at 11:13 AM, Morneblade said:

 

This has probably been the most disappointing thing as far as Alex Smith expectations goes. I think all of us expected a lot more RPO looks, and to be blunt, effectiveness from it.

...

I don't think Gruden is that creative offensively EXCEPT that he does a great job with route combinations to get guys open.  He's really good at that.

 

He's not incorporating things that Smith did really well into the playbook. 

 

But if you look at the offense as a hole, he's never really had a great running offense, even in Cincy.  He's not creative in the run game, rarely runs out of the spread, you get a wrinkle here and there, but not much.

 

He hasn't been very creative in play calling, with calling runs on something like 60% of 1st down plays over the last 2 years. Even when it's just not working.

 

He's completely allergic to a hurry-up offense and tempo. 

 

And I know that we have some talent limitations on the outside, but this is the most plodding offense you can conceive of.

 

They've got to get creative with formations, personnel groups, run/pass situations, wrinkles in the run and pass game, and there are one or two here and there that give you hope (the triple options last week was nifty), but then you're back to Duo or some other blah concept.  The RPO, RO, pistol, spread, up-tempo, those are all things he seems to be allergic to.

 

Contrast that to Kyle Shanahan, who essentially created an entirely new NFL offense for Griffin when he got here, while maintaining the same WCO concepts.

 

I don't know if Kyle will be a great HC. Jury's out on that.  But he was a hell of a good OC. Much more creative. Better than Gruden everywhere he's been. 

 

 

[Reaper Skins]

I actually think we're more likely to overlook the Giants than Dallas. 

 

If we win this week, someone needs to have week 17 on replay all over the Ashburn facility

[OVCChairman]

22 minutes ago, Reaper Skins said:

I actually think we're more likely to overlook the Giants than Dallas. 

 

If we win this week, someone needs to have week 17 on replay all over the Ashburn facility

 

 

2017 AND 2016....

[TD_washingtonredskins]

2 hours ago, Reaper Skins said:

I actually think we're more likely to overlook the Giants than Dallas. 

 

If we win this week, someone needs to have week 17 on replay all over the Ashburn facility

 

I think you're right...but I also think we can lose to Dallas without overlooking them. 

[kingdaddy]

On 10/14/2018 at 6:43 PM, Morneblade said:

 

I think we should have, and in the future should run Peterson more. I also think he should not have been taken out as much as he was today, unless it was because he was hurting.

 

In the passing game, he's been averaging almost 20 yards a catch. Once he gets the ball in space, he destroys people. And his catch rate is 78%. I would not have had Bibbs out there, unless it was specifically because Peterson wanted a breather.

 

He is literally the engine that powers the offense. He needs to be the focal point of it.

I hear your point but I understand pulling AP on 3rd and long while it's early in the season. Besides, Bibbs is a good player too as is CT. Gotta make sure AP makes it to the next game so resting him at times is necessary, especially when he's already banged up and barely could play last week.

[Switchgear]

The play calling on the sequence that could have, and should have, put the game away was just awful. Predictable run, predictable run, Alex Smith keeping it and going out of bounds to save the Cowboys their final timeout. First down should have been a play action bootleg, throw it if someone is wide open, otherwise run for what you can and for the love of God, stay inbounds.

 

I'm glad we won the game, but the gutless playcalling being rewarded gives me a bad feeling overall.

[Hazel-Ra]

1 hour ago, Switchgear said:

The play calling on the sequence that could have, and should have, put the game away was just awful. Predictable run, predictable run, Alex Smith keeping it and going out of bounds to save the Cowboys their final timeout. First down should have been a play action bootleg, throw it if someone is wide open, otherwise run for what you can and for the love of God, stay inbounds.

 

I'm glad we won the game, but the gutless playcalling being rewarded gives me a bad feeling overall.

 

Shannon Sharpe called out Alex on the bone headed out of bounds last night on NFL Network. I hate agreeing w/ Shannon Sharpe... although it's better than agreeing with Skip Bayless.

 

 

[BatteredFanSyndrome]

Speaking of, did they open Undisputed with Skins/Boys?  I turned it on just to see Shannon destroy Skip and see what excuses he came up with.  I tuned in 5 minutes in, they were on the Eagles and now Pats.