[sportscurmudgeon]

I am absolutely positive that this is not an issue between Gibbs and Williams. And I'm equally positive that Gregg Williams could care less if LaVar Arrington ever starts another game for the Redskins. Absent injuries forcing the situation, I believe that Arrington will be a spot player for the Skins as long as Williams is the defensive coordinator. And Williams will be the defensive coordinator as long as the defense is sound and he isn't moved up to a head coaching job somewhere. The only way he puts Arrington in the starting line-up and leaves him there is for Gibbs to order him to do that and I don't think that's gonna happen.

As I tried to portray in my "Imaginary Exercise" above, Joe Gibbs has no real motivation to overrule his defensive coordinator unless the defense comes apart at the seams. It hasn't and it will take more than one injury or two to make that happen.

People here have wondered why LaVar isn't getting the snaps that they believe he has earned. Here's the problem with that line of thinking:

Joe Gibbs and Gregg Williams are the coaches now. What has LaVar earned during the tenure of this coaching staff? The answer is - - virtually nothing.

If you want to credit him with earning snaps because of what he did while Norv and Marty and OBC were here, then the starting line-up would alo include Champ Bailey, Fred Smoot and Patrick Ramsey. It doesn't because those "credits" don't carry over because those coaches aren't here to hand out playing time so all those past deeds - on losing teams in case you forgot.

Some players achieve so much for a franchise that they are indeed immune from being benched at some point in their career. John Elway comes to mind; Brett Favre certainly fits that description; Dick Butkus was irreplaceable; Terry Bradshaw couldn't be benched after 4 Super Bowls. LaVar Arrington is a physically gifted football player, but he ain't anywhere near that status yet and is not likely ever to get there.

So, now Arrington has to convince Gregg Williams that he (LaVar Arrington) can be more productive as a LB in Williams' defensive system than Warrick Holdman and Chris Clemons and - for all I know - Zak Keasey too. I'm not saying Keasey is the better LB, but maybe Gregg Williams thinks he is? I don't read minds so I don't know...