D.C. Examiner: Zorn's job in jeopardy? (not so fast he's coming back)

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

If you're right though, what you are saying is that we should have shut Benson down in the first quarter, and he should have rushed for two yards per attempt, or whatever he did the rest of the way (32/14).

But a lot of times, the only difference between the five carries you want to discuss and the rest of his line is a minor tweak or two that Blache had to make, and not because of coming out flat.

I mean, yeah, the first quarter is when we really struggled to handle their offense. Given. Obviously. You're asserting that they came out flat, which I don't totally disagree with, but also that they should be immune to coming out flat? I think?

Why should this team be immune to bad plays in the first quarter, prior to adjustments being made?

I agree it was probably a combination. And if there is one thing I'm on the same page with you on, it is Blache. He is slow to make adjustments, and the primary evidence of this is the lack of presnap movements directed by London Fletcher. Under GW, Fletcher was moving guys all over the place, making adjustments based on the formation and personnel. This never happens under Blache. Blache waits to see a few plays before he begins adjusting, and by then it's often too late; it probably contributed to our early game deficit this week.

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

Is it okay if both of these things sound about equally implausible and nominal? How can you assert something that isn't disprovable?

Because it's an opinion based on what I saw on TV today. There are no stats to measure effort. I simply saw 11 guys lined up on defense, but failing to attack the line of scrimmage with vigor. I didn't see guys flying to the ball, and I didn't see guys taking on pulling blockers willingly.

Should we expect that the team should never come out flat at any time during the season? No, that's unrealistic. But is it unreasonable to expect them to get up for a December game when they're 7-6 and in the playoff hunt? Not at all. A Joe Gibbs Redskin team may not have won this game, we don't know that for sure. But I can promise you they would not have come out flat.