Redskins Colts Reviews Are Here Early

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by JWsleep

Amazing as always, GT. Thanks!

How much of our troubles in the passing game do you attribute to McNabb missing reads at this point? It seemed to me he's forcing it long at times when the underneath stuff looks pretty open. I know that they want to attack down field, but sometimes taking what the D gives you and moving the chains is the right move.

Also, do you see any indication that Mike and Kyle are not yet on the same page about the offense? And what do you think of Kyle's play-calling in general so far?

I still think there's a learning curve issue here in the offense, so I'm less worried about the rate of improvement being less than we'd hoped at this point.

We clearly have personnel issues at several places, on both sides of the ball--that much is obvious.

McNabb missed few, if any, reads against Houston and St. Louis. IMO, he's started to struggle with field vision since that point. I think on some of the unsuccessful deeper throws he's presuming a coverage call instead of seeing it. I also don't think it's as bad as it's sounds: pre-snap anticipation is a form of anticipation all the same.

The shorter receivers do seem to be there for him. Sure, sometimes Galloway will run a bad route and not be open, or Cooley will get a pass forced to him in blanket coverage. That's not open. But Moss has been staying predominantly short in 3 WR sets and doing a good job in working zone coverages. Keiland Williams -- I like him as a route runner. Fred Davis is usually not a defenses first option when he's on the field.

I don't mind a quarterback taking a shot on third and short in anticipation of a defense that is conducive to taking that shot. It's a sound strategy. Problem there is McNabb's not completing those third and short attempts.

Kyle has called two pretty good games back to back, I think. He loves Mike Sellers a little bit too much, and he's dealing with personnel flaws, but I think he's got a better understanding of his personnel than he did in the first four games of the season.

Kyle may not have been/may not be using Donovan McNabb's strengths since his takedown of the Texans, but I also think he's given McNabb every possible opportunity to do something with this offense. Outside of horrendous, embarrassing pass protection in the Green Bay game, McNabb's teammates (my issues with Galloway aside) have come to his support in ways that we simply haven't had in the past. As long as we put the correct amount of blame for the failures of the pass protectors, McNabb's just the next link in an offensive chain that has been rather underwhelming to this point.

It hasn't been a BAD offense (big plays! limited turnovers!), but we already had the pieces of a "not bad" offense in house at the end of last season. We paid handsomely for an immediate upgrade. We're still waiting to see that upgrade.