Should Gibbs Flip The Script: Passing Team Now?

[SouperMeister]

I want to see Gibbs/Saunders game plan to attack the opponent's weakness. Against Dallas that is clearly the safeties in pass coverage. I would expect to see a balanced approach with Campbell taking more shots the rest of the year.

[SFREDSKIN]

I think a balanced attack is what's needed, other teams need to respect our running game and now our passing game. You need both to be successful and to able to open it up like you saw yesterday.

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by SFREDSKIN

I think a balanced attack is what's needed, other teams need to respect our running game and now our passing game. You need both to be successful and to able to open it up like you saw yesterday.

I think the balance attack approach is such a bunch of BS. You do what you have to do to score TD's. If the opponent is weak against the run then run it. If they are weak in coverage then pass it. All depends on the opponent and how they play defense.

[12thMan]

Originally Posted by skinsfan69

I think the balance attack approach is such a bunch of BS. You do what you have to do to score TD's. If the opponent is weak against the run then run it. If they are weak in coverage then pass it. All depends on the opponent and how they play defense.

And that's why I said are we trying too hard to be a smash mouth team.

Yes, we can run the ball and pound people, but that doesn't have to be the game plan week in and week out.

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

And that's why I said are we trying too hard to be a smash mouth team.

Yes, we can run the ball and pound people, but that doesn't have to be the game plan week in and week out.

I think you will start to see us really opening things up now. Gibbs has to look around the league and see what the real good teams are doing. He's stubborn as hell but I don't think he is stupid. We have got to start scoring more points. The goal can't be 21 or 24 points. He has to have the mindset to score 30 or more every week. And you don't do that in today's NFL playing smashmouth. I'm sorry but that stuff is out like bucket seats, or the mullet haircut.

[KLHJ2]

Originally Posted by skinsfan69

I think you will start to see us really opening things up now. Gibbs has to look around the league and see what the real good teams are doing. He's stubborn as hell but I don't think he is stupid. We have got to start scoring more points. The goal can't be 21 or 24 points. He has to have the mindset to score 30 or more every week. And you don't do that in today's NFL playing smashmouth. I'm sorry but that stuff is out like bucket seats, or the mullet haircut.

I still like bucket seats, but never the Mullet. So why don't we compromise. I do not care how we do it; run or pass, return punts or kickoffs, scoop and score or pick 6. Hell, they could just kick 10 field goals a game for all I care. The goal is to put more points on the scoreboard than your opponent. I agree we need 30+ points a game. Just put the damn points up already.

[djnemo65]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

And that's why I said are we trying too hard to be a smash mouth team.

Yes, we can run the ball and pound people, but that doesn't have to be the game plan week in and week out.

One of the major criticisms I have had of Gibbs this second go round has been his over-adherence to the run first philosophy. Running the ball is fine if that's what works, but you adjust the philosophy to best suit the personnel that you have, not vice versa. There have been times when we have looked dominant pounding the power running game, but not this year, not with this line.

The strengths of the personnel should be the first consideration. Can anyone really question that our offense looks most effective this year when we are going three wide and looking to pass first? Spurrier had the same problem. Different principles obviously, but the philosophy came before the personnel. When it became clear we didn't have the talent to execute his offense he just kept with it and the results became worse and worse.

Gibbs is in a different league than Spurrier, so I have to think when reviewing the tape from these past two weeks with Saunders they will continue to stick with what has worked recently.

[SFREDSKIN]

Originally Posted by skinsfan69

I think the balance attack approach is such a bunch of BS. You do what you have to do to score TD's. If the opponent is weak against the run then run it. If they are weak in coverage then pass it. All depends on the opponent and how they play defense.

Go back to 1983 when the Redskins set an NFL scoring record, where we a passing team? A running team? No, we were a balanced team 50-50. You need both especially as winter approaches. You need running to eat up the clock and tire your opponents defense.

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by SFREDSKIN

Go back to 1983 when the Redskins set an NFL scoring record, where we a passing team? A running team? No, we were a balanced team 50-50. You need both especially as winter approaches. You need running to eat up the clock and tire your opponents defense.

That's living in the past. The Rams set a new scoring record running this offense. The Pats are going to break that scoring record by passing. Eating up the clock instead trying to score more points has lost us too many games around here lately.

[SFREDSKIN]

Originally Posted by skinsfan69

That's living in the past. The Rams set a new scoring record running this offense. The Pats are going to break that scoring record by passing. Eating up the clock instead trying to score more points has lost us too many games around here lately.

Ok, forward into the future. Let's look at the lions offense, Awesome WR's, pretty good RB's, OL, etc. and a "genius" OC (Martz) that you would probably like as the next coach (NOT!!!) All they do is pass the ball even though they have a pretty good offense. What happened to them against a tough D? If you don't balance your game you become predictable and if you go against a half decent DC, they will shut you down.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by SFREDSKIN

Ok, forward into the future. Let's look at the lions offense, Awesome WR's, pretty good RB's, OL, etc. and a "genius" OC (Martz) that you would probably like as the next coach (NOT!!!) All they do is pass the ball even though they have a pretty good offense. What happened to them against a tough D? If you don't balance your game you become predictable and if you go against a half decent DC, they will shut you down.

That's just it! How many points did the mighty offense of Detriot score yesterday? 10? Wow. How exciting. <tic>

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by SFREDSKIN

Ok, forward into the future. Let's look at the lions offense, Awesome WR's, pretty good RB's, OL, etc. and a "genius" OC (Martz) that you would probably like as the next coach (NOT!!!) All they do is pass the ball even though they have a pretty good offense. What happened to them against a tough D? If you don't balance your game you become predictable and if you go against a half decent DC, they will shut you down.

Here is the problem with Det. John Kitna.

[GhettoDogAllStars]

Originally Posted by skinsfan69

I think the balance attack approach is such a bunch of BS. You do what you have to do to score TD's. If the opponent is weak against the run then run it. If they are weak in coverage then pass it. All depends on the opponent and how they play defense.

I agree with you, although I wouldn't have in the past.

When we were driving late in the game against the cowboys yesterday, I was saying, "Keep throwing!" On the last scoring drive we had, we threw something like 6 or 7 consecutive times. I think only one was incomplete, and one other wasn't for a first down. I had this terrible feeling we would pass our way into the red-zone, and then get stuffed trying to run it. We didn't, and we ended up scoring a touchdown. Coincidence? I think not.

I believe that you don't stop doing something that works, just for the sake of balance. You wait until the defense stops you.

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by GhettoDogAllStars

I agree with you, although I wouldn't have in the past.

When we were driving late in the game against the cowboys yesterday, I was saying, "Keep throwing!" On the last scoring drive we had, we threw something like 6 or 7 consecutive times. I think only one was incomplete, and one other wasn't for a first down. I had this terrible feeling we would pass our way into the red-zone, and then get stuffed trying to run it. We didn't, and we ended up scoring a touchdown. Coincidence? I think not.

I believe that you don't stop doing something that works, just for the sake of balance. You wait until the defense stops you.

Thank you. Balance is for losers. Scoring TD's is what it's all about.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by skinsfan69

I think the balance attack approach is such a bunch of BS. You do what you have to do to score TD's. If the opponent is weak against the run then run it. If they are weak in coverage then pass it. All depends on the opponent and how they play defense.

It still remains that the championship teams can run the ball and run it very well. No matter if they open things up with the run, or open things up with the pass, being an unbalanced team will only get you so far. Case in point, the Colts. They were a heavy passing team but didn't win it all until they started relying more on a stronger running game than what they did in seasons past. So, to say that needing a balanced offensive attack is BS is completely wrong. I do agree with you that you attack the weakness of the defense, but eventually you're going to have to rely on both the passing and the running aspects of your offense to be most successful.