For those disenchanted with Spurrier...

[TheSkipper]

There is no doubt that Spurrier has taken a while to adapt to the NFL but check out this info. I have listed the number of interceptions/fumbles, penalties, and sacks from each game:

ints-fumbles penalties sacks allowed

nyj 2 6 4

atl 3 12 6

nyg 1 17 3

nep 1 9 2

phi 2 11 2

tbb 4 9 6

buf 3 9 2

dal 1 8 4

sea 2 4 0

car 3 0 3

mia 2 5 2

nos 4 8 0

nyg 0 6 2

The point of all of this...........check out the IMPROVEMENT.

Isn't that what we want a coach to do? If the team keeps improving, they can be a heck of a team.

Look at the penalties - First 8 games - Avg of 10.1

Last 5 games - Avg of 4.6

Look at the sacks - First 8 games - Avg of 3.6

Last 5 games - Avg of 1.4

Look at the int/fum -First 8 games - Avg of 2.8

Last 5 games - Avg of 2.2

Thats what I want in a coach. If he can keep this up, for the next 3 weeks, retain his coaching staff, and pick up 1 or 2 solid players in the offseason, the team will continue to improve.

Don't hate him, congratulate him. We are building something for once.

:dallasuck

[Yomar]

Congrats Ballcoach, we are all losers now

[Art]

There has been a dramatic improvement in many of the areas that were a great concern to us earlier in the year. The big negative play, be it in penalties or with sacks, has been limited as the year has worn on. This is part of what makes the season as disenchanting as it's been.

Early in the year we were winning despite the mistakes. We lost to the Giants with a ton of mistakes. We were killing ourselves and it wasn't really killing us. For the most part we started to look at what we were doing and thinking that if we could straighten up the mistakes we could be dangerous.

But what happened was we started to straighten up the mistakes, and got less and less dangerous. The more film on us the better teams got at forcing us out of our game without those big negatives. We have 10 punts in a game. We have teams just swallowing up everything we're trying to do over and over.

Last year we were a pretty good offense down the stretch. A Top 10 offense over the final six games. With Ramsey in for the games he played a hefty part we were the No. 8 offense in football. You had all those signs to think the offense was getting it and improving. Right now I don't know that you can feel the same way.

Now the hope has to be that Spurrier will get his game back. He was so out of it he gave up playcalling just to get a spark. I've long held that Spurrier needs to forget everyone who says he can't do what he wants to do and just go ahead and do it. If you're going to fail, fail by running what you know. Doing what you know.

Call audibles. Stop listening to people say you can't. Stop listening to them say you have to have balance. Throw short. Run max protect. Be Steve Spurrier. Be it and fail at it or succeed at it, but don't try to be something you're not. We have time for a nice end stretch here against very sound defenses to get us jazzed up for next year.

It's just that despite the obvious improvements you are correct that there have been this year in a couple of phases, we had those same improvements last year toward the end of the year, but we also had the accompanying offensive success we were lacking much of last year. This year we haven't had that.

[Phat Hog]

Originally posted by Yomar

Congrats Ballcoach, we are all losers now

:rotflmao:

"I'm the head coach of the Washington Redskins; my record is 5-8"

:doh:

[bubba9497]

Art, though many of your points are valid, you are not allowing for injuries, and the level of competion. First of the year we thought the rough stretch was the first half, it has been the second of the season. ( not mention a couple of bad calls in a couple games )

Surprisingly we are one of the better take-away teams. But are terrible in the redzone in the first half. we have work to do still, I truly believe we are going forward, and should be a playoff contender next season

[Ancalagon the Black]

I've long held that Spurrier needs to forget everyone who says he can't do what he wants to do and just go ahead and do it. If you're going to fail, fail by running what you know. Doing what you know.

Absolutely. To me, one of Spurrier's greatest weaknesses has been his willingness to listen to his critics and adopt whatever scheme people are bandying around. So, for example, we pass too much against a terrible run defense (Saints) and run too much against a terrible pass defense (Giants). We install audibles, we take out audibles, we sign people who contribute nothing, we adopt our style.

Enough. The coach should do what he believes in. He needs to reclaim some of his old arrogance.

[just skins baby]

For guys that are in their 20's 30's and 40's and it takes them that long in the season to cut down on mistakes is inexcusable.

These guys have been playing the game for most of their lives, they should know better.

[Mark28]

I like the improvement and am looking forward to the last 3 games, offseason and draft. '04 and beyond is gonna be good. Hopefully we can have a playoff year next year and that'll convince or keep Spurrier here for '05 and '06. We need some stability.

[Storm]

Its his friggin second year!! He should have fixed all this last year. All the problem players are holdovers from last year. the jetskins are the only ones who have played consistently well.

why is it ML team in Cinci can play error free football after three starts but it takes us 24 games??? Inexcusable.

[REDALERT]

It's gonna be fine and dandy if Steve Spurrier continues to do what he knows best and he should. But the sad part is, if you keep doing the same things the same way. Your going to keep getting the same results. And it's evident(IMO) and my observation. I'm not no where near being a NFL coach or a genius when it comes to X's and O's. But haven't much changed from last year as far as Spurrier goes and his play calling. If any thing, the results have become somewhat worser than what they were last year and that's depressing.

Unfortunately, we have another year of Steve Spurrier, which in return, is gonna generate another year of 7-9 or 8-8. Some may say I'm reaching to early, but the obvious is much to appealing.

Steve Spurrier doesn't have the knack to become a well rounded coach that is needed to lead a troop of players like the Washington Redskins. It could possibly happen, but not doing his tenture and the time length he signed his contract for. Spurrier's like a Kwame Brown coming outta high school and we're constantly wondering where's the problem and why he's not improving in the pace we would like him to. The problem is, Spurrier's a college coach still learning what it takes to become a Parcells/Gibbs prototype coach. It's gonna take alot of bumps and bruises before he ever get it totally correct.

Some of the the things I heard guys like Art and others give examples of are evident. Goal line situations and running the ball when you should take a knee. This is elementary, and the truth of the matter is Steve Spurrier's still in elemetary when it comes to coaching a football team and turning it into a well rounded ball club. Even he think his coaches are doing okay in some instances:laugh: and maybe they are. But he can't determine the truth from the false, cause he's still in training himself.

People, get ready for another year of WTF Steve Spurrier, what the hell are you doing and can't seem to grasp.

[Sonny Joe Hog]

NFL Head Coach is not an entry-level job and there's no on-the-job training program. So I'm hardly encouraged to hear that you think Spurrier is starting to learn how it's done in the NFL. At his rate of learning, by the end of next season he may know as much as the average fan.

[Sanders 83]

Nice post Skipper

[REDALERT]

Sonny Joe Hog,

NO! It's not called entry level for most head coaches, and some coaches don't consider themselves entry-level material. But the fact is known, some coaches just don't have what it takes to stir some teams in the right direction and that's why they get fired most of the times. Even before the seasons over:laugh: . By the way, have you watched closely the coaching and the play of the Washington Redskins from the beginning of the season until now? I wouldn't exactly call the teams play the play of a well disciplined, Well rounded properly prepared team. Now! if you do or did, then you must have been watching an entirely diffrent football team from the one I was watching. But it has gotten better. But better late then never....

So, from that aspect, I would point the finger in the direction of the coaching staff which seemed elementary, or may I say entry-level status. No matter what players or players some of us may blame for such inadequate play, it still lies in the hands of the coaching staff to right the ship, that's why he's considered the COACH.

:coach:

Furthermore, some of the coaches that Steve Spurrier brought on board were not experienced coaches in their current positions they now uphold. But it does take a more experienced head coach to understand that you need experienced Coordinators to oversee a part of the team you wish to have no say so in. Until the coach himself starts to realize that he must have more input and better awareness of his entire surroundings. That's what a more experienced coach does sooner rather than later. Not when it's a little too late. Unless! he's just as clueless as the rest of the entry-level Coordinators he hired with his own necked eye:confused: .

Now! if you don't call that entry-level, than there must be a new definition for the meaning entry-level that I'm not quite aware of yet.

[TheSkipper]

Inexperience is why this team is losing. Inexperienced coaching, inexperienced players.

Do you know how long the Eagles secondary has been together? Dawkins, Taylor and Vincent have been together since 1997. Nineteen ninety seven!!!!! We don't have a coach or player that has been on that long. Okay, Bubba Tyer has been here that long.

The improvement has been noticable over the last five games, on the field and in the stats.

Our game against the Cowboys was easily the worst game. If we improve and win this weekend, Spurrier is showing us his coaching at work. If not, maybe what I am saying is pointless.

[jbooma]

Originally posted by bubba9497

But are terrible in the redzone in the first half. we have work to do still, I truly believe we are going forward, and should be a playoff contender next season

This is because we don't have a RB that can punch it in and can scare a defense. That is why we need to draft or pick up a better back then what we currently have.

We need someone who can get more then 2 yards on each carry, we have way to many no gains or 1 yard gains.

[ktball74]

Parcells first season with the Giants was awful. He went 3-11-1. Ouch! I am glad we are keeping Spurrier. He will be a good coach, and he is learning how to run the football.

[Cskin]

Also, remember..... Spurrier has promised he's going to be tougher on them next year.. concentrate more on discipline and accountability.... attention to detail.

I'l looking forward to a good year next year and a return to the playoffs.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

Its his friggin second year!! He should have fixed all this last year.

I'm sure that with player turnover, the continuity from last year wasn't all that great.

If you recall, the penalties we committed at the beginning of this year weren't happening at the end of last year. So it's not as if that was a problem for 1+ years or anything.

It's tough to rebuild your offense and then get it clicking right of the bat. We added a new RB, WR, OG, OG...that's a lot of turnover in important positions.

[GSF]

I appreciate some of you guys trying to be positive, but I think many are exagerating the Skins' improvement over the last several games. OK, they weren't quite as hapless, and cut down on the stupid penalties, but the team still laid giant eggs in games that they had won against The Saints and the Dolphins. The Giants were outplaying us, they just managed to screw up more than we did.

The defense put Spurrier in good field position so many times all season, and Spurrier just couldn't produce. Jbooma makes a good point about not having a good RB, but we have a gang of good WR's. Why not throw it to them in the redzone. How many times did we have the ball inside the 10 only to watch SOS run Rock up the gut 2 or 3 times in a row. Steve's redzone playcalling for most of the season was horribly unimaginative and predictable. Have they ever brought Rock in on short yardage and run a play action or misdirection? Does Steve not think that other coaches are studying film on him?

I'm not saying that's it's impossible for us to win with SOS, because you never know in the NFL, but right now Steve seems in so far over his head. This team is totally undisciplined and unorganized. This was understandable last year, and even early this year with all of the new, inexperienced coaches and players, but it's the end of the second season and we still struggle to get plays in and players on and off the field. People like to say here how Steve is learning how to run the ball, or how to win in the NFL. Well WTF is taking him so long to figure out things that seem so obvious even to us armchair QB's. Parcells and Johnson took over horrible teams with no talent. They basically gutted those teams and started from scratch. Sure, they had terrible records their first season, but there was dramatic improvement in the second season. Steve, OTOH, has a team that is loaded with talent, but appears to be taking the team in reverse. If Parcells or Johnson had gotten the job last year with the same personel, we'd be talking playoffs and maybe even superbowl right now.

Again, I understand the optimism, and I'll be rooting for the OBC next year, because no matter what happens, I'm a Skins fan. It is what it is though fellas, and right now it isn't good.

[Art]

GSF,

It's impossible to lay a giant egg in a game they had won. You understand how that is, right? If the team should have won the game on the field and lost it in the fourth quarter, then it didn't lay an egg. It suffered a loss. A disappointing one. But, that's not an egg. An egg is what the Giants laid on us this week. Or, what we laid against Buffalo earlier in the year.

Just completely hopeless play throughout leaving us no real chance at victory. That's laying an egg. Having a game fall through our fingers late is actually a positive sign that we are getting to a point where we can be competitive against good teams and that's a step in the right direction, if not a satisfying one.

As for have we ever brought the Rock in on short yardage and run a play action or misdirection, I'd say, yeah, we have. We just did. On third and goal from the 1 and we were sacked by the Giants. Of course, that's not exactly when you should run that play, but oh well.

[GSF]

Art, I meant that we laid eggs against the Saints and Dolphins, not the Giants. Perhaps, I'm misusing the phrase. What I was trying to say was that we had those games won, and we crumbled. Mostly, Spurrier crumbled, but the defense struggled too. I guess that is improvement over just flat out sucking the whole game, but forgive me if I'm not overly excited about only sucking for the end of the game instead of the whole game. There is improvement, but it's very slow, and not even close to being on pace of the Gints or Boys under Parcells and Johnson. I only bring up this comparison b/c the Spurrier defenders on extreme like to mention how these coaches along with Gibbs and Vermeil struggled in their first year.

As far as the Rock and the playcalling goes, are you saying that you don't think the play calling has been predictable. You're a smart guy that likes to break things down, you don't know that we're going to run it when we bring in Rock in the redzone? I can tell what play we're running half the time, and I don't break things down like you, and some of the other guys do.

I don't mean this as an insult b/c I respect your opinion, but you, like many on this board, are very good at convincing yourself that everything is ok with the Skins, no matter how obvious the problems are. I remember last offseason when you had yourself, and half of the extremers convinced that we would be just fine on the dline this year because of all the depth on the line. Kind of like when everybody thought we had a top 5 defense last year b/c of the yardage stats.

I'm not saying it's impossible we'll have success under Spurrier, but at this point it looks highly unlikely to me if you look at how far we have or haven't come under him in 2 seasons. If it happens great, but I'm not going to pretend everything is cool in the meantime. We've had very little success under SOS up til now, and what we have had looks to be in spite of him, not b/c of him. Either way, it won't stop me from hanging on the edge of my seat every Sunday.

[Charlie Murphaaay]

Originally posted by jbooma

This is because we don't have a RB that can punch it in and can scare a defense. That is why we need to draft or pick up a better back then what we currently have.

We need someone who can get more then 2 yards on each carry, we have way to many no gains or 1 yard gains.

Jbooma,

I don't understand why so many people fail to see the need for a thoroughbred RB on our team. As if we're convinced that the running backs in our committee can actually strike fear in any defense. When gameplanning for the Redskins, teams don't have to worry about our RB's, the can just skip over that portion of our offense and dedicate their plans to stopping the passing game. That has to stop.

I do believe that we need DL help, but a true starting RB in the NFL will keep your Defensive line off of the field during sustained drives. Our defense will be much fresher from having a weapon like this.

Therefore, I wouldn't mine, in fact I'd be encouraged if the Skins took a RB (either K. Jones or S. Jackson). I also wouldn't mind if we drafted S. Taylor, and a RB while using the 2nd and 3rd round, or even the rest of the draft to address our DL needs.

This year in particular, we need to draft playmakers/skill players no matter what position we draft for. It just seems as though reaching for a defensive lineman would be the worst thing we could do. Drafting another Kenard Lang would be a waste.

[Art]

GSF,

I've said it's shocking at just how thoroughly the opposition KNOWS what we're doing so much of the time. It's really stunning. I even watched a break down of the Saints game by Giants Gameday and they pointed out the big Canidate run was a play the Saints had diagnosed PERFECTLY. And they did.

At the snap they were FLYING to the ball en masse. They KNEW what was coming. Just so happened that we got two good blocks and they were all too close to the line and we broke through.

As for painting the sunny side of things, I don't think you've properly characterized what I said about the defensive line. First, no one was a bigger proponent of signing defensive lineman during the offseason than I was. Second, I said I thought our line would be perfectly fine as a run line but they'd struggle as a pass rush line.

That's pretty much been exactly what it's been. The defensive line has been pretty good against the run. We've not given up a ton of consistent yardage inside the tackles, where the line was supposed to be weak. Our weakness has been exposed rather dramatically with the outside run. That's not the defensive line though. That's the backers, and secondary.

I also have stated repeatedly that despite a Top 5 ranking in defensive stats last year that we weren't really a Top 5 defense. Go back and look. We need to improve our defensive line and we have had to improve it for about a decade now. But, recognizing that we have held up pretty well and even well enough to cause teams to go to the edges more often because of it, means that's the line has held up better than many imagined it would, if not well enough to be a strength, obviously.

[Long n Left]

Originally posted by GSF

The defense put Spurrier in good field position so many times all season, and Spurrier just couldn't produce.

Funny, I missed where Spurrier took the field and missed the open receiver, or fumbled the ball, or dropped the TD pass.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

When gameplanning for the Redskins, teams don't have to worry about our RB's, the can just skip over that portion of our offense and dedicate their plans to stopping the passing game.

I disagree with this opinion. I'm not going to argue that we have great RBs by any stretch of the imagination, but to say that a team can skip over a portion of another team's offense due to personnel at ONE position is a bit much. You can have an average RB in your backfield and still have a phenomenal rushing attack. The offensive line dictates that. If the holes are there, any decent RB can make a play. So, I really doubt that opposing teams spend no time against our running game due to our personnel.