bubba9497 Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 Mark Maske: Let's get started since this is our last chat of the season, since we won't have one on Christmas. http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/zforum/03/sp_sports_maske121803.htm _______________________ Washigton, D.C.: Fred Smoot is the player of the year?!? What were they thinking! Ohalate and Bowens have played on defense. On offense, Laverneous Coles and Patrick Ramsey (when standing) has played better. Mark Maske: I do think Smoot has had a good season and has emerged as a leader of the team. But I would have voted for John Hall, to tell you the truth. _______________________ Ashburn, Va.: Hi Mark, Great job covering the Redskins! I wanted your opinion on the Redskin philosophy on defense. It seems the trend in the NFL is to bring 7, 8 and even 9 men in pass rush pressure. I've watched every down this year and I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen Edwards call a blitz bringing 8 or 9 men. It seems Edwards is not confident that he has the personnel to play the attacking D that is needed these days to disrupt QB timing. Do you think this is the case? They've got the best corner in the NFL in Champ and Smoot is better than average...no need to worry when in man coverage with these guys!! Without pressure on the QB, we'll continue to see late leads disappear and sub-500 records. Mark Maske: I agree with you that failing to find creative ways to get to the quarterback is among the most valid criticisms of the way this defense has been coached. And, to me, it's not just numbers. Very rarely do you see the Redskins defense surprise anyone with a blitz. When this defense does blitz, it does so in a very predictable way. _______________________ Kingstowne, Va: Why play Coles when he has a stress fracture? It's not as if the Redskins are 9-5 and on the verge of a playoff berth instead of 5-9 and struggling. Why not let Taylor Jacobs and Patrick Johnson get some playing time at WR?? Mark Maske: It's the same situation as with Ramsey. If the doctors tell you that he isn't making the injury worse by playing on it and he can tolerate the pain and wants to keep playing, you let him. If the doctors think the injury could be worsened by playing or he reaches the point where he no longer thinks he can play with any effectiveness, you shut him down. _______________________ Deerfield Beach, Fla.: If the Skins turn out two more performances as bad as last Sunday's, is it possible Snyder might change his mind about keeping Spurrier? I mean, that performance was dreadful! What disheartens me about Spurrier is he is supposed to be a QB guru, and for all the talent that Ramsey has, it doesn't look like he has done much at all to help Ramsey be a better QB. If anything, Ramsey's potential seems to be hindered playing under Spurrier's system. Mark Maske: I don't think there's any chance that Snyder will change his mind. Spurrier won't be fired and he won't be offered a buyout. _______________________ Arlington, Va.: Hey Mark, So I know it's been asked a million times and Spurrier says he'll be back next year but.. It seems that he hates it here. I'm sure he hates how the last 2 winters have been so cold and miserable (even for us who have lived here our entire lives) and he seems miserable with the constant bashing he gets from the media. With all that and the fact his team doesn't seem to be heeding his leadership, what makes you so sure he will be back? Mark Maske: He does seem miserable, but I think that stems almost entirely from the losing, not other factors. You don't get bashed if you win, and he knows that. Now, he did walk away from Florida in what seemed like a snap decision, and people certainly change their minds sometimes. But I can only go by what he says, and he says he's staying. He has told a lot of people that coaching in college is been-there, done-that for him. And if he walks away from the NFL now, he does so as a complete failure. _______________________ Sterling, Va.: Good morning, Mark. As I understand it, Steve Spurrier has control over the hiring and firing of assistant coaches. Do you think that Dan Synder and Vinny Cerrato will try to force him to fire his assistants by threatening him with his own job? And secondly, why specifically target Kim Helton, the line's been playing good! Mark Maske: Spurrier's contract gives him control over his staff. The decision will be his. There won't be any showdown. But plenty of people around the league who know a lot about the NFL think that one of Spurrier's biggest problems is the lack of experience among the coaches that he has surrounded himself with, and it would be difficult for him to look around after the way things have gone and not concede, at least to some degree, that they have a point. _______________________ College Park, Md.: I have noticed that Coach Spurrier is not as energetic and active on the sidelines in the NFL as he was back during his coaching days at Florida. I recall that, in such games as the Orange Bowl vs. MD, he was very fiery and it was common to see him show excessive praise after certain plays and yell with fierce vigor througout a game. However, I have observed that he has been more laid-back and shown fewer intense expressions in the NFL. Is this a change that college coaches typically make when transitioning to the NFL or is it a change that has possibly resulted from immense frustration and/or burnout? Mark Maske: I think he's worn down right now. But I also think when he got to the NFL, he thought he'd be able to treat these guys like self-motivated, professional grown men. He should have been right. But as we've seen with the Redskins, that quite often isn't the case. _______________________ Ashburn, Va.: There has been talk of the Redskins cutting Trotter and Armstead ? What are the feelings on Trotter, he has really come on as of late and is young. Mark Maske: There are some people in and around the organization who wonder if those guys are part of the plans for next season. I would have a hard time envisioning the Redskins getting rid of both of them. And even getting rid of one or the other would be tough because you'd have to replace the guy, on top of filling your other needs. I think Armstead has played pretty well and should be brought back for the final year of his contract. But as this point in his career, you need to have his replacement already on the roster, just in case you look up one day and suddenly he's lost one step too many. That's just how it works in this league. I think Trotter has played okay and it seems like something has clicked with him a little bit in terms of sticking to his assignments after he had the big blown assignment in the Carolina game. _______________________ Columbia, Md.: Mark, It seems like the Redskins this year have been just destroyed by injuries, starting with Brandon Noble and going through the O-line, the QB, the top two RBs, both CBs and now the top WR, Coles. Isn't this the real reason for the collapse after the 3-1 start? Mark Maske: No, not at all. This team was pretty healthy for much of the season, by NFL standards. That is not an excuse for what has gone on here. _______________________ Alexandria, Va.: Will Darrell Russell be back in D.C. next year? Has he been a decent citizen so far? He hasn't played a great deal, but when he is in there, it seems like things happen. It would be ashame to let a guy of his caliber get away. Watching the way Dan Wilkinson has performed in Detroit just kills me, especially with all the money spent on filling his role (see Dalton, Chase, Holsey, Noble, etc.) Mark Maske: I believe the Redskins will try hard to keep Darrell Russell and he seems receptive to staying if the money can be worked out. I would guess that by next season he will be something close to the player he once was. He has not created any off-field problems to this point. The difficulty will be determining what is a fair contract for a guy who once was a dominant player but, because of his own transgressions, was away from the game a long time and has not been the player he used to be since he's returned, thanks to being rusty and out of shape. He says he thinks a long-term deal can be worked out, based on his history as a player. I wonder if he wouldn't be better off signing a one-year deal, then working out a long-term deal in a year after he presumably has a good season. That's an approach he could consider if he's confident in his ability to play well next season. _______________________ Columbia, Md.: Do you think that the Redskins will work on their defense next year or will they stick to offense like they did this year? Mark Maske: I think the focus of the offseason moves will be rebuilding the defense, especially the d-line. _______________________ Arlington, Va.: I like George Edwards -- although it may have been premature for him to be a defensive coordinator, I think he can make this defense into something. Ray Rhodes and Marvin Lewis had the reputation/clout to make personnel demands -- Edwards doesn't yet. My question is, do you think he is set up to succeed in Washington? Mark Maske: We just don't know if George Edwards can be a good defensive coordinator because there's no evidence to convince you that he can be. He had never been a coordinator before this season, and his first try at it has not worked. His players have not been disciplined--including some of his best players, his linebackers. He has not found creative ways to compensate for the lack of pass-rush ability by his linemen. He inherited a defense that was fifth in the league last year and got better at safety (with the addition of Bowen) but worse along the line. Is that enough to explain how far they have dropped? You can decide for yourself. I'm not saying he's not capable of being a good defensive coordinator in the NFL. Maybe he is capable of that. I'm just saying you cannot know for sure, based on his resume and what we've seen, that he can be a good defensive coordinator in the NFL. _______________________ Gloucester, Va.: Hi Mark, Will Jor Bugel be the new offensive line coach next year for the 'skins? What coaches will bw replaced on the defensive side? Regards, Bob Mark Maske: I doubt that Joe Bugel would be willing to coach again. He made it very clear when he did his consulting work for the Redskins this season that he was retired from coaching and wished to remain that way. As far as the defensive coaches, I have my suspicions but they aren't certainties, so I'd probably better keep them to myself at this point. _______________________ Washington, D.C.: Every team that is successful has a team leader on offense and defense. Do you agree that the Redskins need an in huddle a tough team leader along with the quarterback. And, on defense a tough team leader willing to grap a guy right away if he misses an asignment. The coaches on the bench can only do so much to make it work in the trenches. Where are the tough play by play team leaders on the redskins? Mark Maske: I do agree. I think Ramsey is getting to that point on the offensive side of the ball. On defense, the most natural candidate is LaVar Arrington. He's super-talented and plays with energy and enthusiasm, and he cares about being a Redskin and desperately wants to win. But he doesn't understand that if you set yourself up as a team leader and the team fails, some of the criticism is going to come your way. He has been stung by the criticism he has received and has taken to ducking the tough questions by declining to speak to the media except for his paid weekly radio appearance with John Thompson on WTEM. Part of being a leader is standing front and center, absorbing the criticism, answering the tough questions and being a public face of your team in bad times as well as good times. I like the guy and wish this would register with him. If it does, he can be that guy. Smoot is making an attempt, but the nature of his position makes it tough for him to run up and get in a lineman's face if things aren't going well. _______________________ Richmond, Va.: So what do we as fans have to look forward to for next year? It seems that the team has only gotten worse since last year and that is with continuity on the coaching staff. I think this team needs some serious help and I think it needs to begin at the top with the owner. What are your thoughts? Mark Maske: I do think the Redskins' fan base will be very skeptical heading into next season. The fans won't be excited about a few offseason moves this time around. They will want to see results on the field next season before they believe. But this is a town that will never turn completely on this team, and the fans will love everyone in this organization from top to bottom if the Redskins find a way to win again. As far as needing serious help, that's obviously true. But I don't think they're as far away from being a decent to good team as it looked like last Sunday. They need Spurrier to keep his word and stay because, as we've seen around here in recent years, the first season under a new coach usually isn't pretty unless the coach is Bill Parcells (or maybe Marvin Lewis). They need to fix the defensive line. They need to fill a few other holes, like at tight end and safety. And if they can do that, I don't rule out them being pretty good next season. What we've seen about the NFL these days is that you can go from being a bad team to a good team in a year. _______________________ Atlanta, GA: Happy Holidays! We're two weeks away from the best time of the year in the Snyder era -the off-season. Mr. Snyder is a guaranteed 16-0 in the off season, always landing the big 'somebody' who will inspire hope as the last piece of the puzzle the Skins need to make the transformation from Texas Roadkill to Kings of the Road. But with Coach S. and the front office staying put, and Champ looking like he's ready to leave town, what big splash can we 'off season' optimists look forward too? I've already circled draft day on the calendar and I've got season tickets to your off-season columns. The chips are out, the off-season glass is half full, and my spirits are high, but adding a few D-lineman and renegotiating contracts, yikes!, sounds like a snore! Please tell me Mr. Snyder's win streak isn't in jeopardy and that we're going to get our traditional off-season dose of shock and awe. At the least, will you adventure to make some pre-season-off-season predictions that go out on limb (like Coach S. will hire Buddy Ryan and bring back the 46 Defense) to give us wide-eyed fools hope for another bang up year for Mr. Snyder - King of the Off-Season Marketing Makeover? I hope all of you at the WP chat have a great Holiday! Skins fan since '65 (hey - we survived Jack Pardee, we can survive this) Kev. Mark Maske: Oh, I'm sure there will be a big-splash move or two. But to me, the two most talented--and expensive--players this team should add should be along the defensive line, an explosive pass rusher at end and a tackle that you can count on. After that, to me, the moves don't have to be splashy. Just find some solid players at reasonable prices. _______________________ Tokyo, Japan: If we Franchise Bailey, which team would be most likely to spend Two First Round Draft picks to have him? I say get rid of him if we can get two first rounders for a corner back. Mark Maske: I would guess that Atlanta and Detroit will be among the teams that study the possibility of signing him, even as a franchised free agent. I'm sure Tokyo is holding its collective breath about the outcome of the Champ Bailey negotiations. You win the Redskins Chat Participant of the Year award. _______________________ Brooklyn, NY: Watching Dick Vermeil's Chiefs and Rams offenses and last year's Tampa defense has me convinced that the play of each unit's line is the single greatest key to success. With that in mind, what do the Redskins have to do with each of their lines? On defense, I've seen Bernard Holsey and Lionel Dalton make some decent plays, but what's the real story on them and the other tackles? And how about the ends? As far as I can tell they should all be replaced. As for offense, it doesn't seem to me as though any one guy is playing particularly poorly, but clearly as a group, they are mediocre at best. What needs to happen and what positions specifically should be upgraded? Mark Maske: On the defensive line, I look for three new starters next season. On offense, I would keep the same five guys who should be in the lineup this weekend--Samuels, Dockery, Friedman, Thomas and Jansen--and hope they continue to improve. _______________________ Arlington, Virginia: I hate to advocate losing, but don't you think it would be better for the 2004 season if the Redskins drop the last two games and finish 5-11 and behind the Giants? That way, they would get to play Arizona and Atlanta in 2004, rather than New Orleans and San Francisco, in addition to their games against division rivals, the NFC North, and the AFC North. Mark Maske: I have this argument with my boss all the time. I think there is an intrinsic value to winning games. I think if you can go 7-9 instead of 5-11, you feel better about yourself going into the offseason and there could be a carryover heading into next season (sometimes, not always). If you think it would be better to lose, go 5-11 and get a better draft pick, you think like my sports editor. _______________________ Hyattsville, Md.: What is your opinion of Spurrier's design for being in the NFL? does he want to prove that his system works or does he want to win? If it is exclusively to prove the system, then i think we all should pack it in until we get a new coach. According to our record, the system doesnt work. We have great talent on our team and good coaches get the best out of their talent. I am not saying spurrier is a bad coach, but if he doesnt care to coach these boys up to win and not to run his system, then all i can say is "Go Bengals!" Mark Maske: I think Spurrier came to the NFL wanting to win his way. I think he has taken enough lumps that he now realizes the key is to win any way, and adjustments have to be made to his way. _______________________ Mark Maske: I'm going to run and go to work now. I just want to thank everyone for participating in the chats this season. I've enjoyed them and I hope you have gotten something out of them. Happy Holidays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanishomelette Posted December 19, 2003 Share Posted December 19, 2003 Originally posted by bubba9497 Sterling, Va.: Good morning, Mark ... And secondly, why specifically target Kim Helton, the line's been playing good! Alright...Alright...Which one of you is the wise guy, huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba9497 Posted December 19, 2003 Author Share Posted December 19, 2003 actually the line play has been pretty good since the Seahawks game, but I think Helton has burned too many bridges, and will probably resign. I have no real insight, just an opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riggo-toni Posted December 19, 2003 Share Posted December 19, 2003 Looking at how much Dockery improved, and how well a journeyman scrub like Winey performed, I'm not so sure anymore that Helton is what's wrong w/ our OL. I think more of the blame likely rests with Moore and Samuels. Every year Samuels starts out slowly. He is probably the best run blocking OT in the game, but he's only an average pass blocker. Also, many of the sacks and hits we gave up came from lousy blocking from our pathetic TEs and whiffed assignment pickups by our RBs (especially Canidate!!!!) That said, if we can grab the Giant's OL coach, I'd do it in a heartbeat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggle in Exile Posted December 19, 2003 Share Posted December 19, 2003 I hate to advocate losing, but don't you think it would be better for the 2004 season if the Redskins drop the last two games and finish 5-11 and behind the Giants? That way, they would get to play Arizona and Atlanta in 2004, rather than New Orleans and San Francisco, in addition to their games against division rivals, the NFC North, and the AFC North. I thought this was kind of pathetic. Don't worry about who you have to play next year - plus, things can change dramatically. Who knows - Atlanta with Vick could be better than SF or the Saints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD_washingtonredskins Posted December 19, 2003 Share Posted December 19, 2003 BBG, I agree...I think you always play to win no matter what a loss might "get" you for the next year. Karma will find a team that tanks on purpose. They'd end up drafting someone like Shuler or Westbrook or Desmond Howard...hey wait a minute! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggle in Exile Posted December 19, 2003 Share Posted December 19, 2003 Hey speedwagon, good point about karma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.