Preseason 1991: Team Turmoil

[Master4Caster]

Going 0 for 4 is not a good predictor of how the team will perform in the regular season, in spite of what happened in '91. And yes, the whole preseason isn't a good predictor either. That cliche "It matters not if you win or lose, but how you play the game" was invented for preseason. How they are playing the game is the concern.

The coaches aren't game planning the opponents. They call plays to see how individuals cope in a game situation, situations they will never set up in a real game. They, and we, are looking for execution. I'm looking for blocking. Does the QB get 3 seconds to make a play? Do the running backs average 4+ yards per carry? Do the receivers hang on to the ball? Is the first team D near the same level as last season? Can the new guys in the secondary play? I'm not seeing a lot of that. I wouldn't care about 0-3 if I saw something. I don't see preseason play on a par with Dallas or Philadelphia. The Giants, playing poorly, did enough to win two games. McNabb, with no one to throw to, has a preseason 112 QB rating.

With this division this year, it helps to get off to a fast start. To get to the Super Bowl, you have to win the division and get at least one home playoff game. Yeah, I know, it didn't help the Giants last year; but they weren't the "real" division champs. So, that's my distress, that it looks like it might take some time to shake things out when I hoped for a fast start. Wide open offenses poorly executed won't get you points.

I like the encouraging talk, but it's cheap. What happened in '91 shows what can happen. That's no guarantee that it will. The best predictor is play in the field. The sky isn't falling, but the sun ain't shining either.

I probably sound like a P-O'd season ticket holder with 3 grand invested in this team.

"The past doesn't buy you much." -- Coach-in-chief Joe Gibbs

[Gmanc711]

Originally Posted by skinsguy

The point is though, it doesn't matter what year it is, historically speaking, preseason is not a good measure as to what team you have in the regular season, at least according to Joe Gibbs. This is why Matty and myself say not to get all up in arms over a losing preseason. It's just like what we've been saying ever since Gibbs arrived back in Washington. Gibbs pays attention to so many little details that we obviously don't pay attention to. We're looking at the overall amount of points scored, allowed, etc... Gibbs and company look at the very fine details in preseason, because it is those very fine details that decide whether if your team is going to come out ahead by season's end or not. We might be getting our tails kicked 41-0 in preseason, but I'd rather this team get a butt whoopin' like that and to give our second stringers and "others" playing time so we can have type of depth come week one, rather than to put our first stringers in and our game plan displayed for all other teams to see, so that we can risk having injuries to our starters, our offense exposed, and back-ups who have not been evaluated properly.

How many times have people on this board screamed the sky is falling, only to have egg on their face? Quite a bit in Gibbs II. Just relax and prepare for the season opener.

I know, I understand your position. A very very small part of me wants to think its ok because of the past preseason records, and i'll tell myself that somtimes, but I just dont see anything on the feild that is making me feel better. After Cinci I was just like whatever, I really dont care its just preaseason. After the Jets, I was concerned, not worried. Now I'm worried.

[Master4Caster]

Bet this wouldn't have happened if we had "56" on the defense!

(Hey, at a time like this, we could use a joke!)

[superskins]

Originally Posted by MightyJoeGibbs

And historically, I've seen too many Joe Gibbs-coached teams look blah in the preseason and then light it up in the real season. In fact, during the Gibbs I era the Redskins went 0-4 in the 1982 preseason and 1-3 in the 1991 preseason. And guess what they did both years? Ah, they won the Super Bowl
Enough Alarm For a Wakeup Call

the difference is that gibbs isn't calling the plays now, al saunders is

[Twilbert07]

Let's hope history repeats itself. We all had such hope before preseason. Maybe preseason is merely a smokescreen, and the Skins will come out on fire in September.

[JWsleep]

Are other teams game planning and we are not? I don't think so... but I could be wrong. We look weak in all phases, all the time. So maybe it's confidence and effort and hustle--things that we can turn on in the first game. We know that the defensive system works, and it's not new to the main players. And we're still getting housed, so it may be more mental and lack of a full play book.

But this offense has shown NOTHING. And it's new. THe 91 offense was not. So that is a real worry, IMO.

Gibbs is famously paranoid about showing things in preseason or open practices, so that may play into it (I hope!), but it's hard to feel good about things.

[vaoutlaws2006]

Well I appreciate this post. But you have got to keep one thing in mind. The NFL has changed alot since 1991...ie salary cap and not stashing players on ir and not to mention the schedule we benefited from that year. I am a little worried about what I have seen thus far in the preseason. Yes I know its preseason but you have got to have a little continuity heading into this season with all of the free agents we added. Also here is something else to keep in mind..........remember these three names mark carrier bruce smith jeff george deion sanders...that was the last time snyder opened his checkbook and what happened that season we stunk up the joint. Now lets move forward to 2005....hmmmmm....adam archelata (who got beat by every tight end the pats had last night) andre carter ( i think his best football is behind him) bradon lloyd (not sure about that one) and antwaan randle el ( won a superbowl last year and got his millions from synder) the similarities are there and if you ask me the results look to be the same thus far. just something to think about

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by Gmanc711

I know, I understand your position. A very very small part of me wants to think its ok because of the past preseason records, and i'll tell myself that somtimes, but I just dont see anything on the feild that is making me feel better. After Cinci I was just like whatever, I really dont care its just preaseason. After the Jets, I was concerned, not worried. Now I'm worried.

Definitely understandable. I suppose it's also a combination of the skins having to learn a new offense, keeping it "simple", and maybe the absence of Portis has more effect on the offense than what we thought it would. I'm watching a bit of the game right now, and there isn't any serious game planning that I see.

I can tell you a big difference between the preseason and the regular season. Gibbs isn't likely to worry about halftime adjustments during the preseason.

[pg86]

History is doomed to repeat itself at somepoint, 2. The colts and the Steelers had a terrible preseason last year,3. Last time the skins had a great preseason the coaches name was spurrier and thats all ima say about that, 4. 0-4 in the AFC last year, 5. none of these guys are nfc teams, 6. saunders plays took our terrible trent green and got him a pro bowl out of it, 7. the pats are 2 time superbowl champs and may just be that damn good period, 8. colts vs bengals 0-38 14-2 in the season 0-4 in the preseason, 9. 91 redskskins predicted to finish one of the worst in the nfl...win the superbowl, 10. Gibbs has always sucked in the preseason, 11. what team do u know that had a great preseason had a great regular season??? 12. Antwaan randle el aint getting enough pt...and its randle el not ward that snyder went out and brought! 13. Gibbs has won superbowls with 3 different qbs, Qbs who were said to be not nfl material basically! I meaen who in the fuck was Doug Williams? Remember the only great qb they had that year on paper was jay shroduer (or whatever his name is lol)

Finally, When Brunell goes down, Jason Cambell ironicly wears number 17..., and not only that I know this has nothing to do with it but the national championship that year Should of been SC Vs Auburn. I believe it will be Cambell and betts and moss....Im not really worried anymore...I dont think the ravens can win thursday either so yeah

[redskinsfanatic]

redskins came out in 1991 after not winning a preseason game and just beat the holy hell out of detroit 45-0,in front of the entire nation because it was on tnt!!!!i remember brian mitchell ran a punt back like 80 yards for a td.

[skinsttw]

I am not worried. Preseason means nothing. Gibbs knows the purpose of preseason. He will have the team ready for the Vikings.

We have enough quality veterans on this team to know how to use the preseason to prepare for the regular season games. As has been written in many posts, we are playing vanilla offense and defense and showing very little.

The most important thing is to let the veterans have a few reps and avoid injury to key players.