12th's Five Reasons To Be Encouraged

12thMan · 09-25-2007, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by #56fanatic

I would like to be optomistic about our team. Fact is i am just not seeing it. Yes, we are 2-1. that is great, better than 1-2 or 0-3. As far as encouraged, I dont know that I am encouraged about what I am seeing.

Defensively - no pressure from front 4 continues to be an issue, which is not going to change during the season. We lack aggressiveness. Corners play has been sub par really. I just dont understand why we went away from what made GW "the great defensive mind"? His aggressiveness is what made him great, we are just not aggressive the last two years. We bend, but dont break. well we broke last week, against a team that has options. Had McNabb hit some of his misthrows last week, it would have been a different story. I remember the 1st two years of constant pressure, forcing teams hands, making them react instead of us reacting. Every team we faced those two years said we were one of the best D's they have or will face. I believe we have the players to be more aggressive. Our corners just aren't that good at covering people for extended times, we need to force the offenses hand, make them get rid of the ball. they sit back there and have all day, we will and HAVE been picked apart.

offensively - what transpired against the Giants was absolutely a joke. This is the same crap that we have dealt with for years. We played really good in the 1st have, mixing up plays. Why in the hell did Portis run the ball 6 times in the second half? we were up 14 freaking points. We were up 10 and trying freaking reverses?? what the hell is that? Playcalling, clock management, timely penalties has been the song we have been singing for years also. I like Jason Campbell - I think he will be a really good QB for us, but we can't have him out there throwing 35 times a game. The Giants did not take the lead until 5 minutes left in the game. This reminded me of the Atlanta Game last year, were up 14 points, and all of the sudden we forget to run the damn ball, and lost giving up 17 unanswered in the second half. WE are a running team, that is our identity. Where are the screens we ran so well last year? I understand Jansen and Thomas are hurt, but hey they aint coming back anytime soon, so that excuse has to stop.

Its only 1 game - correct, but how many years have we had the same issues?? and when the hell are we going to be able to cover the middle of the damn field??

Welll I think it's easy to be negative if that's all you focus on. Like I said, somebody in our division will be 1-3 by Sunday night, and it won't be the Redskins.

We played one good half, and one bad half. Think about that, we didn't stink up an entire game, we blew it in the second half. I think we have some things to correct, yes. But you can't tell me if we beat the Lions, no matter how we beat the Lions, you'll feel good.

#56fanatic · 09-25-2007, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12thMan

Welll I think it's easy to be negative if that's all you focus on. Like I said, somebody in our division will be 1-3 by Sunday night, and it won't be the Redskins.

We played one good half, and one bad half. Think about that, we didn't stink up an entire game, we blew it in the second half. I think we have some things to correct, yes. But you can't tell me if we beat the Lions, no matter how we beat the Lions, you'll feel good.

my point is this - how many games did we blow last year when leading by 10 or more in the second half. If we are still doing the same as last year(albiet on game) how is that encouraging? I find it discouraging. of course I will be glad that we beat lions. If we have a hard time stopping Manning w/ and injured shoulder and Plaxico, I think we may have trouble stopping Kitna, Williams, Furrey, Johnson. Just a huntch.

I hope I am wrong.

12thMan · 09-25-2007, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by #56fanatic

my point is this - how many games did we blow last year when leading by 10 or more in the second half. If we are still doing the same as last year(albiet on game) how is that encouraging? I find it discouraging. of course I will be glad that we beat lions. If we have a hard time stopping Manning w/ and injured shoulder and Plaxico, I think we may have trouble stopping Kitna, Williams, Furrey, Johnson. Just a huntch.

I hope I am wrong.

You're right about last year, but this is a bit of a different team if you ask me. Last year's team didn't start 2-1 either.

I bet we'll have something for the Lions too. And I'm not just saying that. However, if we blow this game against the Lions in similar fashion, then I'm worried. Not concerned, but worried.

Rajmahal33 · 09-25-2007, 05:26 PM

I agree there are reasons to be encouraged although I think its better to refer to them as 5 silver linings b/c for every one of those 5 reasons we have a bigger, recurring problem.

1) Injuries to a line: No matter who we fill in as a stop gap solution the fact is that we are missing 2 VERY GOOD lineman from the beginning of the season (and one more if you count Dock's departure from last year's squad). For a team that prides ourselves on running the ball like we say, its important to have talent on the O-line. Ppl will cite the fact that we have had some great rushing performances but I think that a) they were against poor run defenses b) the rushing success came at the cost of the teams overall offensive production...we had a lotta attempts so we got yards...but we weren't exactly successful at putting points on the board and putting the game out of reach

2) Jason Campbell and the receiving corps' chemistry: Call me crazy, but for some reason our passing game is not clicking. That could be a product of not enough reps in the preseason (but by the 3rd regular season game that theory is pretty much disproven). Campbells immaturity and hesitance to trust receivers enuff to throw it before they break is another big indication of this. Balls are being overthrown left and right and it just looks sloppy

3) Inability to put the game away: In every game this season and what was symptomatic of last year's team, we can't hold a lead. Though our Defense is talented we can't rely on them to shut down a team in the 2nd half (its like they are getting tired and defocused). Also the offensive isn't helping them out by sustaining drives in and putting points on the board in the 2nd half. If it wasn't for Landry's hit we very well could have lost that eagles game as well.

4) Lack of leadership: Offensively and Defensively, to me it seems like the skins don't have an emotional leader (at least vocally) who is getting people fired up on the field. Yes, when landry or mcintosh make a big hit people get fired up and jump around. But when we are on our heels and the game is on the line, it doesn't seem like anyone is smacking people on the helmets and getting the troops riled up. JC is a young QB so he may not be in the position to do this, but nobody else on Offense is stepping up...Clint Portis would be the guy but this new strategy of splitting time with betts makes it seem like he is distant and kinda outta the game. Defensively, there is nobody calling out defensive adjustments and putting people in the place they should be...there is just not enough communication. Which leads me to my final point

5) Confusion: Our football team looks like they are really confused sometimes. The whole situation in Philly when JC couldn't get the play in on time was a debaucle and it is indicative of the confusion of our players AND coaches. It's like they aren't thinking in advance and they are sitting back and watchin to see if the last play was successful. Also this confusion might be the reason that JC seems a little hesitant and probably is the reason why he holds the ball for so long (almost second guessing himself). In addition, when we line up defensively it seems like we wait until the last second for the DB's to find the receiver they are supposed to cover. This confusion also adds to an overall trend that we are not playing as fast as we are. We lose a step when players are second guessing their assignments & coverages and i think this is what is happening. We used to be a swarming defense in 05 (and even in preseason, though it isn't a fair comparison, but we were really gang tackling ppl). It doesn't seem like we are a very cohesive bunch that is beating with one heartbeat at this point. This may also be attributed to our injuries forcing guys who havent gotten reps with the 1st team to be thrust into game situations.

The silver lining as i see it is that most of these problems are fixable with reps and practice, if everyone gets on the same page. But they are not gonna get fixed on their own and certainly not if we don't acknowledge that they are there. The best way to put it is that looking back on these 3 games in retrospect, i am more RELIEVED that we are 2-1 not upset. That in itself is not very reassuring to me because we have our toughest games yet to come and if we play like we did in any of those 3 games against teams like Dallas, New England, Green Bay, (even) Chicago, and others we may not be looking at very many more wins.

09-25-2007, 05:26 PM	#4
Rajmahal33 Special Teams Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Silver Spring, MD Posts: 478	Re: 12th's Five Reasons To Be Encouraged I agree there are reasons to be encouraged although I think its better to refer to them as 5 silver linings b/c for every one of those 5 reasons we have a bigger, recurring problem. 1) Injuries to a line: No matter who we fill in as a stop gap solution the fact is that we are missing 2 VERY GOOD lineman from the beginning of the season (and one more if you count Dock's departure from last year's squad). For a team that prides ourselves on running the ball like we say, its important to have talent on the O-line. Ppl will cite the fact that we have had some great rushing performances but I think that a) they were against poor run defenses b) the rushing success came at the cost of the teams overall offensive production...we had a lotta attempts so we got yards...but we weren't exactly successful at putting points on the board and putting the game out of reach 2) Jason Campbell and the receiving corps' chemistry: Call me crazy, but for some reason our passing game is not clicking. That could be a product of not enough reps in the preseason (but by the 3rd regular season game that theory is pretty much disproven). Campbells immaturity and hesitance to trust receivers enuff to throw it before they break is another big indication of this. Balls are being overthrown left and right and it just looks sloppy 3) Inability to put the game away: In every game this season and what was symptomatic of last year's team, we can't hold a lead. Though our Defense is talented we can't rely on them to shut down a team in the 2nd half (its like they are getting tired and defocused). Also the offensive isn't helping them out by sustaining drives in and putting points on the board in the 2nd half. If it wasn't for Landry's hit we very well could have lost that eagles game as well. 4) Lack of leadership: Offensively and Defensively, to me it seems like the skins don't have an emotional leader (at least vocally) who is getting people fired up on the field. Yes, when landry or mcintosh make a big hit people get fired up and jump around. But when we are on our heels and the game is on the line, it doesn't seem like anyone is smacking people on the helmets and getting the troops riled up. JC is a young QB so he may not be in the position to do this, but nobody else on Offense is stepping up...Clint Portis would be the guy but this new strategy of splitting time with betts makes it seem like he is distant and kinda outta the game. Defensively, there is nobody calling out defensive adjustments and putting people in the place they should be...there is just not enough communication. Which leads me to my final point 5) Confusion: Our football team looks like they are really confused sometimes. The whole situation in Philly when JC couldn't get the play in on time was a debaucle and it is indicative of the confusion of our players AND coaches. It's like they aren't thinking in advance and they are sitting back and watchin to see if the last play was successful. Also this confusion might be the reason that JC seems a little hesitant and probably is the reason why he holds the ball for so long (almost second guessing himself). In addition, when we line up defensively it seems like we wait until the last second for the DB's to find the receiver they are supposed to cover. This confusion also adds to an overall trend that we are not playing as fast as we are. We lose a step when players are second guessing their assignments & coverages and i think this is what is happening. We used to be a swarming defense in 05 (and even in preseason, though it isn't a fair comparison, but we were really gang tackling ppl). It doesn't seem like we are a very cohesive bunch that is beating with one heartbeat at this point. This may also be attributed to our injuries forcing guys who havent gotten reps with the 1st team to be thrust into game situations. The silver lining as i see it is that most of these problems are fixable with reps and practice, if everyone gets on the same page. But they are not gonna get fixed on their own and certainly not if we don't acknowledge that they are there. The best way to put it is that looking back on these 3 games in retrospect, i am more RELIEVED that we are 2-1 not upset. That in itself is not very reassuring to me because we have our toughest games yet to come and if we play like we did in any of those 3 games against teams like Dallas, New England, Green Bay, (even) Chicago, and others we may not be looking at very many more wins. __________________ McNasty FTW!

12th's Five Reasons To Be Encouraged

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