Skins Viks Postgame

I wasn't crazy about the play call at the end of the game either but Jeff Garcia made a good point on the NFL Am show this morning when he said that in thoes situations when the D is blitzing the corners play inside positions so that fade, out route should be there. I would have still called a different play, but I can see what he called that. He should have at least had a different receiver, some one with some hops like Reed or Garcon.

The Five Year Plan to rebuild the team is in deep trouble. I'm not surprised but I don't blame Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen as much as you might think. When they took over, they knew that it was going to take a combination of good drafts, quality Free Agent signings and a few smart trades to get back into contention.

No, our rebuild was not botched by S&A but it was derailed by the $36M cap penalty we suffered. The penalty, spread over two years, eviscerated the Redskins' FA plans - and it was imposed at the very last minute prior to FA two years ago.

If it were not for the cap penalty, we might well have star players such as Vincent Jackson, Aquib Talib, and Dannell Ellerbe on our roster right now. Plus, we would probably have added a proven safety and one or two quality OL and DL to the team. Alas, our timetable was set back - probably two years.

And I just keep getting older.

I think the whole they will go a run like last year talk needs to end, it is not going to happen. There are at least three more losses on the schedule, don't see this inconsistent team with no defense winning against the likes of San Francisco or KC, and I don't think they will sweep the Giants. The loss is definitely on the defense, but still I think Kyle gets too pass happy every time the game gets close. There seemed to be a couple of possessions in the second half where we got too pass happy and ended up with sacks and then having to punt.

I can understand why everyone is on the fire Haslett bandwagon, I am not though. In my mind there is one man responsible for all of this, and that is Mike Shannahan. This is his team, and his record as Redskins coach is 25W-32L, a whopping .438 win percentage. The win percentage speaks for itself. The defense is epically bad, and has been so ever since Shannahan arrived. I know many on this forum blame the 3-4, I don't think it is that simple. It is a gross lack of talent in the front seven, the so called 'strength' of the defense.

I am not going to bash Bowen or Coefield, both are good players, just not elite, and that is the Skins' problem. They don't have a single elite pass rusher on this team and the two guys who are supposed to be elite, are not, Orako is okay, and Kerrigan is decent. The lack of pass rush has been an issue for long time, and honestly I cannot recall a dominant Redskins defensive lineman since the old '80's teams with Dexter Manley and Charles Mann coming off the edge. I do recall plenty of epic free agent busts and guys past their prime, Dan "Big Daddy" Wilkerson, Danna Stubblefield, Bruce Smith, and of course Albert Hanyesworth. For as long as I can remember it seems that the pass rush for this team is supposed to come from linebacker position, Ken Harvey during the Norv years, LaVarr Arrington, and now the Orakpo/Kerrigan combo.

So, I don't know what the answer is and I don't think there are any 'quick' fixes. I suspect the fact that Bowen is playing with I believe a torn ligament is not helping, but what does that say about the depth behind him, when they cannot beat out a guy with just one good leg?

Josh Wilson was miserable last night

This years team has no chance to finish better than 8-8 IMO, the D is just too bad. What else could Griff and CO. do last night? Over 400 yards and 27 points on the road?

What about the misread and throwing to the actual open receiver Garcon on the square in for the TD?

So question, was it the play design or the execution? Because who in their right mind throws a fade to the smallest receiver in the end zone or who puts their smallest receiver on that route to be thrown too? Poor. These are the small things that cost dumb teams.

That being said, because of we like to finger point the defense more responsible for the loss. Pathetic to let ponder have a game like that.

Exactly.I didnt like the call,and if you were ok with the call{smootsmack:)}how can you be ok with who the balls being thrown to?
If your gonna make that call its got to go to Hankerson or Garcon,not the smallest receiver on the team whos had the dropsies anyway.Moss had no chance of getting his feet down,a receiver with a longer reach might have.
Terrible decision making at its finest

I wasn't crazy about the play call at the end of the game either but Jeff Garcia made a good point on the NFL Am show this morning when he said that in thoes situations when the D is blitzing the corners play inside positions so that fade, out route should be there. I would have still called a different play, but I can see what he called that. He should have at least had a different receiver, some one with some hops like Reed or Garcon.

I agree. I wasn't crazy over that call either, but if Moss was just able to drag his feet just a little bit, then the game goes into overtime.

I never like to complain about the refs, because good teams find a way to win despite bad officiating, but there were so many non-calls that should have been called that I really started to think the game was rigged. RGIII was hit late several times, but it was never called. Christian Ponder was hit the same exact way - personal foul penalty. Jordon Reed was held going into the end zone - no call. Personal foul penalties on the 'skins after the play - although the Minnesota players struck first. I just felt that during the whole game, the refs were completely one sided. Sometimes I see refs missing an obvious call or making a bad penalty call, but then go back later and kind of make things even. Not in this game. It was one bad no call after the other all night - mostly calls that would have benefited the 'skins, but the refs were going to have none of that.

But like I said, good teams win despite poor officiating and this team just isn't a good team. It's not the 3-6 team from a year ago that was good enough to overcome that hole and win the division - this team deserves 3-6.

Gotta be honest, when the 'Skins were up by 10 at the half, and the way they were scoring at well in the first 2 quarters, I changed the channel to watch OU @ Baylor. Seeing the blowout by Baylor was will in hand, I changed back to NFLN and saw Minn up by 1.

For those that are venting their frustrations on the final drive, I offer two observations:

1. The PI penalty no call. Referees are going to let teams play it out in the final minute of a close game. They are NOT going to let a penalty dictate the outcome, unless it is blatant and obvious. That PI in the end zone will have 2 schools of thought on it.
1. A missed call or
2. A good 'no call'.

I concur that the roughing call on Ponder in the first half should not have been called. Looked like a clean, legal hit to me. But the NFL has been tossing those type of flags on every team in every game this season. But honestly, in the final minute of a one score game, when you are on the opponents goal line, the officials simply are not going to dictate the outcome unless it is obvious.

2. The 4th and goal fade to Moss. Watch the replay, even if Moss had dragged his foot, it was obvious he did not have control of the ball until he was well out of bounds and on the ground. Gotta have control and both feet to be a legit reception.

Last point: the way the team played in the first half says that they should have never put themselves in a position needing a 4th quarter drive to tie the game. Redskins got outscored 20-3 in the second half. Put your frustrations on that.

Have to also state that the Redskins played an OT game on Sunday, had a short week and had to travel. Additionally, the Vikes lost a close one at Dallas on Sunday on a 90 yard drive in the final minute, you can bet they put in some over time in preparing thier 2 minute defense and were not going to let that happen two weeks in a row.

Silver lining: 'Skins still in the hunt for the division as they will not lose ground to Dallas. The Cowboys are going to get destroyed by New Orleans on Sunday Night.

And for the Sean Taylor reference earlier. At the end of the day, it's just a game. There will be a winner and a loser, that's the way they are designed.

ST was a tragedy. Lets try and keep perspective, shall we?

This and then some.

I know people hate Kyle, but it's crazy how people are pointing fingers at the offense for this. We made Ponder look like a legit QB for crying out loud.

Coming into that game the Vikings were near the bottom of the league in total offense and middle of the pack in points per game. 34 points matched their highest ouput in a game this season.

The offense didn't blow a 27-14 3rd quarter lead.

I agree but 3 points in the 2nd half??? That's pathetic. Plenty of blame on both sides.

Moss is short, has a tendency to drop the occasional ball. But he's a vet. And he's come thru for us in the clutch many times before. I feel more comfortable relying on him to catch the ball in that end zone situation than anybody else except Reed. Remember what Tana did in Dallas last season? (hankerson should be our go-to-guy there, if he can ever catch fire. )

Please let Haslett go end of this season. If we get a Burns like replacement next season, keep trying to fill the DC position every year until we get someone good. And we need more youth (FA, other teams practice squad signings) on a D that's failing regardless of coaching.

What's wrong with Morris being DC?