Monday Night game shows what we've lacked

[The Artist]

I think it was Kleese who wrote a great post earlier today documenting our struggles over the past eight years or so. He went through the seasons, year by year, and all but one ended with us out of the playoffs.

The only time we made it was when we had a quarterback who had the ability to actually make plays. Now, the Brad Johnson we saw the next season was cleary damaged, and thus so was our record.

It's simple. Unless you have a great, great defense, you need a top quarterback to win in this league on a consistant basis. The Packers looked medicore in their Monday Night game against a terrible Jaguars team. But because the Packers have Brett Favre, he was able to guide them by making plays that only a franchise quarterback can make. With Tony Banks at quarterback tonight, the Packers wouldn't have had the ability to come back.

Just look at the 49ers. They have gotten back to the postseason despite a horrible cap situation and a couple dreadful seasons. Why? Jeff Garcia.

We have to do whatever it takes to get a franchise quarterback in here—easier said then done, I know—if we really want to become more then a one playoff a decade wonder.

Either get Bledsoe or draft Carr, and I don't care what we have to do to get one of them.

[Kevin West]

Theisman, Williams, Rypien.

Simms and Hostetler.

Jims Plunkett and McMahon.

Trent Dilfer.

Get me a young center of the line (center and guards) the likes of Samuels and Jansen to go with Stephen Davis and they'll make the skill position players better (and cheaper) than any 1st or 2nd rounders.

[indyskinsfan]

On point, as far as I am concerned. Dilfer or Bledsoe was noted as being a "stopgap" QB, I think bulldog mentioned that. So a Carr or Harrington would do just fine, at least behind a Bledsoe or Graham. Banks has made it known, he wants the bank to be on him (no pun intended)

Bledsoe comes with a hefty price I am sure, so the mortgage is gone with him and only Graham would be there, not bad, but that's too much money shelled out there, without even involving the the draftee, who would want to be #2. Marty philosophy says earn it, as opposed to upper crust decisions like the one Dallas did for Carter or Philly for McNabb.

With Carr, I think you bring him in and settle behind a Graham or Bledsoe or Dilfer.

Dilfer looks more the choice, if you take a first round QB, in either Carr, Harrington, all other QB's would be a bottom first or second rounder.

Likely scenario, if Banks survives with the Skins, we get stuck in the mud with him for 3 years, we ache and moan, until Manning shows up. That I could live without. Manning will not go to us, if we are doing at least a #8 pick or lower in the first round. After all to get Manning, Carr or Harrington, would mean you are not doing very well and about 3-13 or 5-11.

Looks like a vet next year, and another second rounder.

[Romo]

Bowl Season will be starting soon and its a good chance to see players most of us would never get to see because they are not in our region or play for a small school.

I remember watching Oregon play in either the Oahu/Aloha bowl the year Akili Smith was graduating. I wanted to see what the big deal about this guy was. I think Oregon lost, cant remember to whom, in a high scoring close game that Smith could have won/tied with a touchdown drive at the end of the game.

I remember the commentators saying how fast and strong he was. Yes he did have a good arm and when out of the pocket he was fast. The thing that bothered me was that for a guy who is supposed to be so fast and strong he could not hold up to the pass rush. He was not nimble in the pocket, negating any speed he had because he could not get away to exploit it, and he could not muscle away from tackles either. I kept thinking Doug Flutie is at least 6 inches shorter then this guy, is 10-15 years older, a hell of alot slower (in straight line speed) and does not have the strength Smith. Flutie manages to create a pass rush into a scoring situation whereas Smith turned it into a sack, fumble, interception or at best an incompletion.

Im no scout or claim to have any skill in evaluating football talent but it seemed to me pretty obvious Akili Smith was not going to be successful in the NFL.

So before we go saying we should grab David Carr, Joey Harrington perhaps we should at least watch them in a game. The press cliping, hype and stats of QBs mean nothing.

[markrc99]

well,

one thing that i'm tired of hearing, is how much of the playbook tony banks has absorbed..this week they said he's up to 75-80%..he hasn't had time to learn that playbook yet?..to me, he's not any more committed to the redskins than he was for any of the other teams he's played for..

but at the same time, you can't be old, small and thin along the DL..that'll lose alot of gms!..you have to be strong up front!..all this crying about scheme has nothing to do with the cowboys just coming off the ball and smashing the skins in the mouth!

big, strong & mean up front, and on both sides of the ball!!..Q. Carter may have only completed 7 or so passes, but they were to his WRs..they weren't dumpoffs into the flat!..when they needed something, it was like, they had no fear of going right at champ bailey! the TD he gave up reminded me of westbrook's vs sehorn..

we can worship a line"backer" and a CB who plays in the "secondary" all we want, it isn't going to change where this gm is won&lost!..bruce smith came here partly because he was promised a starting role..and the team is honoring that, but no way is he one of marty's players!..

the boys threw bruce some scraps, but whenever it mattered & they wanted that corner, they took it! & anytime brucie dear thought it was a good idea to get in the way, that cowboy front just put him on the ground!..i want that uniform off his back!..like yesterday!

[ by markrc99 on December 04, 2001.]

[RF4L]

markrc99, I like your style.

Brucie dear. I don't like the ba$tard either.

I get so sick of every play going by him to the inside, because he's overrun the play to the outside. He's done.

[bulldog]

Because of free agency and the inability to keep a quality offensive line and receivers corps like the Posse intact for years on end, I think the analogy of going back to the Gibbs years to justify why we don't need a superior quarterback to win is just a flawed position.

Yes, Dilfer won but that was an aberration.

Go back further. Kurt Warner? Franchise quarterback. John Elway? Franchise quarterback. Brett Favre? Franchise quarterback. Troy Aikman? Franchise quarterback. Steve Young? Franchise quarterback.

The one thing you don't want to do in a discussion is take ONE example out of a long list and cite it as evidence when there is a preponderance going in the other direction.

Teams don't win without above average quarterbacking. They don't win championships without superior quarterbacking.

In 1982 and 1983 Joe Theismann was an outstanding quarterback. In 1991 Mark Rypien was an outstanding quarterback.

Because they did not have HOF careers overall does not mean the team did not get top notch quarterbacking when they needed it to win.

So, the argument that a Tony Banks or Gus Frerotte is going to deliver a Super Bowl if we bulk up our offensive interior line and acquire another young receiver to complement Gardner to me is a non-starter.

It won't happen.

Teams need to build around a quarterback.

I am not saying you necessarily have to give away the store to acquire a good one as the 49ers, Rams, Raiders and Jets have proven over the past several years.

But you either have to find that unheralded younger player that is a diamond in the rough or go out and get a veteran player that might fit YOUR system better than the one he has been in up until that point.

It takes hard work and a good front office. Terry Donahue and Steve Mariucci wanted to get rid of Jeff Garcia two years ago, but Bill Walsh wouldn't do it.

Now they are reaping the benefits of that decision.

The Redskins need to go out and find their own Gannon, Warner or Garcia.