The only two Good Decisions Jim Zorn Made vs St. Louis

Funny. We won the game yet the discussion on every thread is about Zorn's getting fired.

Why is that funny? He was brought here to fix an Offense that was bad and now it's worse. He's had 18 games and his performance is trending down... getting worse each game. Plus, there were reports that Snyder would have fired Zorn if he could have traded for Cutler. On top of that, we're dealing with an owner who fired a coach mid-way through the season with a winning record. We may have won, but style points matter at this point. If it's feasible that he would have been fired for losing to the Rams, it's not a stretch to think he should be fired for only beating them by a score of 9-7.

what if we put up 45 pts.

Jsarno come on stop with the what ifs. please

Please pay attention to the context it was given in...buchanon said Now if we lose to the d@mn Lions ill fly to D.C and pack his bags.
So I am wanting to know what he will do if we barely win by a FG. I think that's a fair question.

ps- if we put up 45, I'll be very happy...even if it is the LIONS!

Yes. I don't think you fire Zorn based on the outcome of one game, that's "rediculous". If you've seen enough and your football people, (hopefully not just Cerrato) are saying this guys not gonna cut it, a W or L in a meaningless game shouldn't make the difference.

That being said, what a horrible message this sends to coaches around the league. DS already bagged Shotty for Spurrier (and we saw how that worked out). Everyone knew he worshipped Gibbs and wouldn't fire him if he was 0-16 in consecutive years. But Gibbs aside, the buzz would be that he's back to the coaching carousel. Less than 12 months prior to the Eagles game Snyder & Cerrato were saying Zorn was going to be a "great coach in this league". Now after a great start and then some OL injuries tank the second half of the season, you're ready to can the guy. This either says the Skins FO has absolutely ZERO football knowledge and should've never hired Zorn or they're just as fickle as a majority of "die hard Skins fans". Either way, it's not a way to run a successful franchise.

For the record, my opinion is Zorn should have at least all of this year before a determination is made on his status in the off-season (or right after the last game if the team completely collapses and he's a primary culprit).

We are going into the third game of the season 1-1, which is exactly where most expected us to be.

Got it. Don't think it was necessarily based on one game, that just would have been the turning point. I'll just repost what I posted last year prior to the Eagles game (save myself the time of typing it over)

http://www.thewarpath.net/512906-post303.html

http://www.thewarpath.net/509904-post25.html (seeing Cowher happening a bit more now though)

http://www.thewarpath.net/509951-post49.html (I believe this remains an issue)

http://www.thewarpath.net/redskins-locker-room/27122-clinton-portis-on-the-jt-show-10.html#post509960

What does that all mean? He shouldn't have been hired as the head coach in the first place, in my opinion, but he was and I'd like to see him be successful as our head coach. But there were serious locker room problems last year. I've been a bit out of the loop so far this season so I don't know if much has improved. But, as I mentioned in my smack down, as much as I would hate another change if a change is what is needed (hopefully not until the end of the year) then I say we just make it. Why prolong the inevitable?

I think Cowher is coming, there are many reasons why i believe this.
IMO..Zorn was hired out of necessity, other top candidates turned DS down -Spagnuolo- and others wanted time off before they come back. -Cowher,Shanahan and Holmgren-
Zorn was supposed to fix the offense, still waiting. 0-4
Zorn was never an OC so its not like he ever gameplanned vs an opponent.
MAINLY--Zorn doesnt tust his players and it reflects in his playcalling.
I think a tough,in your face HC is EXACTLY what this team needs. How many passes do you think Tana will drop if he has to go to the sideline and deal with Cowher in his face/grill? -whatever your pref- Same with dropped int's,fumbles,missed tackles,bad throws and missed blocks.

Please pay attention to the context it was given in...buchanon said
So I am wanting to know what he will do if we barely win by a FG. I think that's a fair question.

ps- if we put up 45, I'll be very happy...even if it is the LIONS!

k, I shoulda walked away a little earlier yesterday. Sorry for taking it outta context.

Actually if we had gone for it and converted then we would have won the game, period. Nail in the coffin. Game over.

If we kick the field goal, then we give the ball to the Rams after a kickoff. The Rams could have run the kickoff back for a td. They could have thrown a td pass.

Kicking the field goal would not wrap up the game the way that going for it and getting one yard would have. I personally liked the aggressiveness of the call to just put the game away right then, right there.

According to that dudes own metrics the chance of made FG at the range is much higher then converting a on 4th and short.

Yeah the Rams could have ran the kickoff back for a TD but they could have also fumbled.

Going it for it was kind of stupid cause a fg could've won the game. I think you've gotta kick it there. But fine, if you want to go for it then have some damn variety in your run game. Everyone knew where the ball was going. I honestly think we need to try the wildcat w/ Betts and Portis. We need to do something, anything at this point to try and score more points.

I knew it was going to be a matter of time before someone watched the Miami game or the Eagles (with Vick) and suggested running the wildcat...

Two things:
1) The wildcat is a gimmick! It's just a matter of time and more importantly focus b4 NFL defenses (especially with athletically superior defensive ends) will find a way to stuff it completely. They don't practice to stop it like they do with other things that NFL offenses do b/c it's a trick set. Just because it worked for Miami against an Indy team that isn't good at stopping the run doesn't mean it's a viable solution for OUR redskin's team. The next time Miami plays a good run defense, I guarantee it won't have near that success level.

2) If, and it's a big IF, we are to put in some sets with the wildcat, ARE is much better suited to play under center, than either of those two. He was a good college QB, can run pretty well, and throw better than some of our backups (*cough* Collins). Plus IMO he has a better football mind than either Betts or Portis.

The bottom line is most people are complaining about scoring points and villifying Zorn for using too many trick plays (see: Portis' option pass). Why should we divert valuable practice reps, that a struggling offense like ours desperately needs, so we can make a half hearted attempt at copycatting the new "in" thing that desperate coaches throw into their playbook? Let's not reinvent the wheel, and just execute like we SHOULD be able to do.

What does that all mean? He shouldn't have been hired as the head coach in the first place, in my opinion, but he was and I'd like to see him be successful as our head coach. But there were serious locker room problems last year. I've been a bit out of the loop so far this season so I don't know if much has improved. But, as I mentioned in my smack down, as much as I would hate another change if a change is what is needed (hopefully not until the end of the year) then I say we just make it. Why prolong the inevitable?Because we don't know if the change is inevitable. It's Game 2, a lot can happen from Game 2 to Game 3, let alone Game 2 to Game 12. I don't want to see the trigger pulled too quick. If you're right and Zorn can't get it done, we implode and he completely losses the locker room by Game 7 or 8 it means we're at .500 or sub- .500 and not making the playoffs anyway. There's not a tremendous benefit of a mid-season change to Holmgren (who may want to keep Zorn around anyway), Shan, Cowher, or Chucky. I hate to say it but it may be better at that point to let the season tank, we have our 1st & 2nd this year.

The issue for Snyder is also that if things are going completely south, showing some patience (and giving Zorn more than enough rope to hang himself) is the more prudent thing for him to do in light of his reputation for being a "knee-jerk" type owner.

I knew it was going to be a matter of time before someone watched the Miami game or the Eagles (with Vick) and suggested running the wildcat...

Two things:
1) The wildcat is a gimmick! It's just a matter of time and more importantly focus b4 NFL defenses (especially with athletically superior defensive ends) will find a way to stuff it completely. They don't practice to stop it like they do with other things that NFL offenses do b/c it's a trick set. Just because it worked for Miami against an Indy team that isn't good at stopping the run doesn't mean it's a viable solution for OUR redskin's team. The next time Miami plays a good run defense, I guarantee it won't have near that success level.

2) If, and it's a big IF, we are to put in some sets with the wildcat, ARE is much better suited to play under center, than either of those two. He was a good college QB, can run pretty well, and throw better than some of our backups (*cough* Collins). Plus IMO he has a better football mind than either Betts or Portis.

The bottom line is most people are complaining about scoring points and villifying Zorn for using too many trick plays (see: Portis' option pass). Why should we divert valuable practice reps, that a struggling offense like ours desperately needs, so we can make a half hearted attempt at copycatting the new "in" thing that desperate coaches throw into their playbook? Let's not reinvent the wheel, and just execute like we SHOULD be able to do.

To think, the Wildcat technically began here with the Redskins with Norv Turner and Brian Mitchell. We are the birthplace of the Wildcat

Because we don't know if the change is inevitable. It's Game 2, a lot can happen from Game 2 to Game 3, let alone Game 2 to Game 12. I don't want to see the trigger pulled too quick. If you're right and Zorn can't get it done, we implode and he completely losses the locker room by Game 7 or 8 it means we're at .500 or sub- .500 and not making the playoffs anyway. There's not a tremendous benefit of a mid-season change to Holmgren (who may want to keep Zorn around anyway), Shan, Cowher, or Chucky. I hate to say it but it may be better at that point to let the season tank, we have our 1st & 2nd this year.

The issue for Snyder is also that if things are going completely south, showing some patience (and giving Zorn more than enough rope to hang himself) is the more prudent thing for him to do in light of his reputation for being a "knee-jerk" type owner.

I'm definitely not advocating an in-season change, I was speaking more about an off-season change. And, again, the whole thing about Zorn being close to being fired had they lost to the Eagles last year was about letting him go in the off-season. Not immediately after the game.