Save Marty

[Ford]

I can't believe the job security rumors are starting up again

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[bulldog]

this is partly Marty's fault for raising expectations in training camp by saying that the Redskins were going to contend for the NFC title this season.

why did he have to go and say that?

isn't it enough when you have a 50% turnover and limited cap space to say the team is looking to "improve" and "take each game as it comes" instead of making such a bold prediction.

the comments seem especially ill-timed given the disconnect between Marty and the veteran players as camp drew to a close.

surely after running 15 camps in the NFL Marty had to know something was wrong.

players don't work their a$$es off in camp and buy into a new program and then go out and lose 20-0, 33-6 in preseason games and then start out losing 30-3 and 37-0 in the regular season.

Did these scores come as a complete surprise to Marty?

Why, when the preseason games showed the same lack of effort and horrible execution?

[88Comrade2000]

Should he be saved?

[Art]

Guys, I was an unabashed fan of Marty's when he was hired. Time, however, has proven to be the fire in which he burns. The strengths Marty has as a coach are numerous. The weaknesses he has are also very numerous. To me, the philosophy he espouses is fundamentally flawed. Marty repeatedly states his philosophy is to be there in the fourth quarter with a chance to win.

This philosophy pulls the horses back far to often and causes an offensive scheme, especially in the passing game, that is very elementary. You can only run so many two man routes and be successful. We run two-man routes as a regular part of our offense. And teams are able to see that and know they can still pressure with seven and eight players and cover everything we are able to do.

I like Marty, but I do not like this offensive scheme, especially in the passing game. But, is Raye calling a game as a product of himself, or as a product of doing what Marty wants within his scheme? I think Snyder is going to require some adjustments next year. And if Marty agrees with those, he is totally safe. His job security, really, is in his own hands. I don't care what philosophy you employ, but when you are the 27th rated offense, you need to find improvement, especially with many of the same players you were No. 11 the year before.

This team showed great heart in getting back into things. Marty deserves credit for that. He also needs to look at himself and wonder why he has to play it all so close to the vest all the time? I mean, here's a guy who counts on his defense to carry him through. This is great. But, does that mean you have to run on third and eight half the time, or couldn't you try to pass a little more in those situations, still relying on your defense? Counting on your defense to carry you doesn't mean your offense has to be morbid.

But, early in the year I said a team with Tony Banks at QB can probably count on six wins. Even if we finish 6-10, I'm not sure we should be getting too hot about it. Tony has moments that lead you to believe he could be ok. But, when faced with any adversity, he's going to struggle, and teams know this about him. He's a quality backup though and I wouldn't mind making an effort to bring him back in that capacity.

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Doom is in the box.

[indyskinsfan]

Art duly noted on the Banks for the #2 and then of course, we are sure to lose Graham.

Marty doesn't have the same set of circumstances, league changes, the way it's played (8 in the box against the offenses of the 80's would have gotten you killed), and legallese. That's why he needs a GM. Frankly, I want him, but he hast to let go of GM or won't financially buy anything, but just watch. I will be a fan of the team, but I can turn on these philosophies, coaches and players. I am just now an objective reviewer, and no longer will lend myself to anymore expecting anything, other than get another OC, QB, GM< DT, ,etc.

[bulldog]

what Marty needs to do is look back and see how Gibbs handled his own situation here.

Gibbs showed some humility, admitted he wasn't a defensive guru and left that part of the team in the capable hands of Richie Petitbon.

Marty knows defense. I have no doubt that he and Kurt will end up building a fine defense here. The drafting of Smoot was the steal of the second round. Pierce is a find as a rookie free agent that has started a few games his first year. Wilkinson has played his best football under Marty and Kurt since joining the Redskins.

But, Marty has to know his limitations and find an offensive coordinator par excellence and give him the freedom to be innovative and judge him based on results and not method.

Surely with Davis and a big offensive line the Redskins are for the most part are going to take on the personality of a run first team. That is expected. But to add some spice to the offense by acquiring a capable passer and using the deep receivers as more than decoys is not just an idle wish.

It is necessary for the team to be succesful when playing other quality teams.

Yes, the Redskins can beat Arizona and Carolina just lining up and hitting people.

But you aren't going to beat the Rams, Ravens, Raiders, etc...doing just that.

You need variety, something for teams to think about and expend effort preparing for.

The game plan for the Cowboys with the Redskins has been very simple. Bring Darren Woodson up as a linebacker, stuff Davis and the running game and challenge Banks to beat the corners.

The Cowboys can't run that type of defense against any other team in the division because the passers will expose the corners and put up big numbers.

McNabb has done that. Plummer has done that. Collins has done that.

And yet the Redskins are the one team that can't seem to adapt themselves enough to make more of the matchups go in their favor against a 4-10 team?

Without those two wins over the Redskins, the Cowboys are trolling for the #2 pick in the draft with Detroit and Carolina.

Instead for the second year in a row, Dallas has been able to single-handedly kick the Redskins out of playoff contention with ugly sweeps. Play in the NFL does't get much worse than in that 9-7 game on Monday Night. Only Cowboys and Redskins fans were watching this dog at the end.

And yet, 8-8 from last year becomes 10-6. 6-8 this year becomes 8-6.

And that is with the same sorry quarterbacking we have had, with the same mistakes and poor clock management in other games, etc........

Maybe at some point SOMEONE at Redskins Park will put up a sign that says LETS STOP THE MADNESS.

Maybe......at least we can hope..............

of course what will eventually happen is the Cowboys will recover themselves and be 12-4 again, and it will be THAT season when the Redskins finally turn the tables and sweep the Cowboys.

[Guest fuji869]

I think Marty should be back in 2002, if the Skins gave Norvel all those opportunities (it did not help when the Cookes loved Coach Turner) the least we can do is let Marty come back for another season and see what he can do.

MARTY IN 2002

Brought to you by the “keep Coach Schottenheimer in Washington” Campaign.

[bulldog]

Marty is an improvement over Norv. He will field a decent team given time. My reservation is that we may have inherited another George Allen type, a coach with a limited vision that focuses all attention on one side of the ball and to some degree mismanages the other side of the ball or even worse ignores it.

Marty is a tinkerer on offense. He has shown that he really needs a veteran quarterback in place to be successful.

Bernie Kosar, Steve DeBerg, Joe Montana, Steve Bono.

Who did Marty and his staff really develop at the qb position?

No one I can remember. (Grbac developed in '99 and '00 after Marty left).

Marty doesn't have one offensive assistant that is a consensus choice around the NFL. Pendry is a rookie working as the line coach. Brian Schottenheimer has no resume as a quarterbacks coach. Mann and Raye are guys that are like Santa's elves, they follow Marty around. Neither has been mentioned in past seasons as I remember as up and comers or guys that really made a difference on their teams.

[Guest fuji869]

I was going to college close the Kansas City Area when Marty was the Head Coach of the Chiefs and the reason why they brought in Quarterbacks like Steve DeBerg, Dave Kreig, Joe Montana, Steve Bono etc was they were looking for the Quick Super Bowl Win (sound familiar).

They felt that they had the personal to win it, they just needed the Veteran QB. Joe Montana was suppose to be the savior and the Chiefs were very confident that he would lead them to the next level. Well, Joe was hurt a lot and did not have Jerry Rice and John Taylor to throw to.

They had a young guy named Matt Blundon from Virginia who was suppose to the QB of the future learning under all these veterans. He never got the chance to start because the Chiefs kept getting veterans who were in the latter parts of their careers in an attempt to win the Super Bowl.

[ by fuji869 on December 25, 2001.]

[OrangeSkin]

OK, Marty has some flaws in his offensive scheme. That's what this year is for. Basically every coaches first year is more of a "get to know you" period of time rather than a "win the SuperBowl" period of time.

Back in the day, if we had gotten rid of Gibbs due to his defensive philosophy, we would have never tasted the success that we did under him. We need to give Marty time to work out the kinks in his system, and I guarantee we'll see a SuperBowl under his tenure.

[ by OrangeSkin on December 25, 2001.]