Midseason Report Card
 

ESPN came out with their NFL midseason report cards. Lucky us - Pastabelly wrote ours:

"Kudos to Dan Snyder for hiring a former head coach to help turn things around. Uh, no, we're not talking about Joe Gibbs, but of Gregg Williams. The onetime Buffalo Bills coach has done a masterful job as defensive coordinator and Williams has the Redskins unit statistically at the top of the rankings. Playing without star linebacker Lavar Arrington, and with a lot of onetime spare parts like middle linebacker Antonio Pierce, tackle Joe Salave'a and end Ron Warner making big contributions, the defense has been terrific throughout the first half of the campaign. On the flip side, Gibbs' offense has been spasmodic at best, more often chaotic, with everyone but the head coach realizing that quarterback Mark Brunnell is used up. Gibbs' weekly effort to defend Brunell, and refusal to turn the job over to Patrick Ramsey, is inexplicable. The 'Skins have yet to score more than 18 points in a game. Grade: D - Len Pasquarelli"

Unfortunately, he's just about spot on.

Still, I hate Pasquarelli.

yeah I hate that fat fuck too, but he's correct right now.

Pastabelly has let his personal hatred of Dan Snyder get in the way of writing (I'm not just talking about this one in particular, as he's mostly correct) negative pieces on the Redskins, and Gibbs in general.

For anyone one of us to criticize or even judge Gibbs's QB decisions is utterly rediculous. We have about .01% of the knowledge about the position as Gibbs does. I'm not saying that I think Brunell has played well and that I don't want Ramsey in there, but Gibbs is the guy that, for the past 12 years, most of us have dreamt about again becoming the head coach of our beloved Redskins.

As much as I don't like the fat guy, I have to agree with him. Everyone, except Gibbs can see that rag-arm is done. The rest of the team has stepped up but is being held back by a tissue armed QB.

until we prove his fat a$$ wrong we gotta take his sh!t... shameful that he's 100% right though.

[QUOTE=cpayne5]
For anyone one of us to criticize or even judge Gibbs's QB decisions is utterly rediculous. We have about .01% of the knowledge about the position as Gibbs does. I'm not saying that I think Brunell has played well and that I don't want Ramsey in there, but Gibbs is the guy that, for the past 12 years, most of us have dreamt about again becoming the head coach of our beloved Redskins.[/QUOTE]

I'm not going to say I know more about quarterbacking than Gibbs, but 6 of 17 for 58 yards? It's not just on Brunell, the line and receivers have not done a lot to help him out, but 6 of 17?

I love Gibbs being back, but right now he gets an incomplete. The overall team is great, loved seeing the defense patting the field goal unit on that doink last week. The offense, Gibbs forte, is sputtering. And aside from 3 brilliant performances by Portis, nothing is going right offensively.

After all that, I still back Gibbs and whatever he decides to do. At 3-5 we're not completely out of the race, but we do need to string some wins together by any means necessary in order to stay in the hunt.

I agree with the common theme. He was dead on, as much as I hate him.

Cpayne. Even if you feel the warpath guys don't understand that. Why are ex-coaches turned commentators, commentators, ex-players, all agreeing with us? Could it just be that Gibbs is too stubborn to admit he's wrong. Honestly, I think the longer Brunell stays in Gibbs is just playing us out of the playoffs. We don't need a lot from our QB. Accurate throws are all. Watch Rothlesburger. Ramsey could run the same type of offense with success.

[QUOTE=Bozzy]yeah I hate that fat fuck too, but he's correct right now.[/QUOTE]
:iamwithst

[QUOTE=Daseal]I agree with the common theme. He was dead on, as much as I hate him.

Cpayne. Even if you feel the warpath guys don't understand that. Why are ex-coaches turned commentators, commentators, ex-players, all agreeing with us? Could it just be that Gibbs is too stubborn to admit he's wrong. Honestly, I think the longer Brunell stays in Gibbs is just playing us out of the playoffs. We don't need a lot from our QB. Accurate throws are all. Watch Rothlesburger. Ramsey could run the same type of offense with success.[/QUOTE]

I think Brunell should be gone too, but I'm just Chris Payne, not Joe Gibbs. I will defer to Gibbs on all Redskins-related decisions. Maybe you think I'm a fool, but because of what Gibbs did the first go around, I will gladly follow (blindly even:)) Gibbs where ever he leads.

If commentators agreed 100% with all coaching decisions, how many do you think would still have a job tomorrow? Some of those ex-coach/ex-player commentators are commentators for a reason...

Well, they're not even split. I'm the opposite. Joe Gibbs still has a lot to prove in this era. The team is playing GREAT, except for one area. Come on joe, see the light!

I think he'll turn it around. I prefer sooner than later.

does anyone remember an ex-skins player named fred stokes? i met and got his autograph today but i don't realy remember him. he said he played for 11 years and i saw his superbowl ring, in his picture he's wearing # 60 on his jersey. sorry to get off topic but i don't know how to start a new thread.

[QUOTE=Paintrain]As much as I don't like the fat guy, I have to agree with him. Everyone, except Gibbs can see that rag-arm is done. The rest of the team has stepped up but is being held back by a tissue armed QB.[/QUOTE]

I hope you don't really think that Coach Gibbs doesn't see the deminished skills of Brunell. He does. To question a man who has more knowledge of football and the approach to being a great QB, insults the integrity and position he holds. We have watched QB after QB play for twelve seasons with greater skills than Brunell and where has it gotten us? One playoff berth?

This man ( Gibbs) is trying to teach Ramsey from the sidelines how to avoid stupid turnovers by not throwing into double coverages and using his feet to avoid the sacks. That's why Coach Gibbs keeps mentioning this about Brunell in almost every conference. Ramsey will not be ready for what we are about to encounter in the next 5 weeks. Bengals,Eagles,Steelers,Giants and Eagles.
If you think Ramsey took a beating last year. Put him in any of those games and we won't have to ever hear about him being the future because mentally he'll be history.

[QUOTE=BrudLee]Unfortunately, he's just about spot on.

Still, I hate Pasquarelli.[/QUOTE]


Pasquarelli said Brunell was over the hill back when we first picked him up. He obviously knew what he was talking about. I heard him say one time he's actually a Skins fan. Just cause he's outspoken about Gibbs' obvious flaws doesn't make him a bad guy in my book.

[QUOTE=SUNRA]
If you think Ramsey took a beating last year. Put him in any of those games and we won't have to ever hear about him being the future because mentally he'll be history.[/QUOTE]

I disagree Sunra, and I don't get how people now talk about ramsey as if he's some rookie who has to be protected. he's a third year former starter, who has taken beatings and not flinched. Moreover, he has shown poise and confidence in numerous situations, and even had some courageous comebacks last year against atlanta, NY, and almost Philly. If he's not ready, its cos he's not getting the snaps in practice, not because his development is too inchoate. This guy is one year removed from being talked about as an emerging elite qb.

The only argument in Brunell's favor that has been succesfully made, as far as I can tell, is variations of "defer to Gibbs, he won 3 superbowls." While I would like to continue to do that, coach is quickly losing credibility in my mind. I'm no expert, just a fan, but it seems like its clear to everyone who is an expert, or has played a game of Madden before, that Brunell is singlehandedly hamstringing this team with his incompetence.

Did you guys see that article on the skins site today? Brunell says, "I am very confident in what I can do and how I play this game. I see the field better than I ever have and I feel like I'm making good decisions. We're just not getting it done--and that falls on the quarterback. But we have a lot of football left and we have talented players. We will get this thing going."

I don't consider that taking adequate blame. We aren't getting it done, and that falls on the qb? How about I plain suck and I need to do better, and I'm not gonna drag any we into it.

It was a huge tactical error to acquire Brunell, for reasons that have been convincingly dissected on this site, and Gibbs needs to come to terms with his mistake...quickly.