Smoot Lays the Smack Down (Redskins vs. Dolphins)

[GTripp0012]

Just as far as unrestricted free agents go, Matt Hasselbeck, Shaun Hill, Alex Smith, Tarvaris Jackson, Drew Stanton, Byron Leftwich and Matt Moore have all been unrestricted free agents since Shanahan had the job here. Caleb Hanie was an RFA who could have been plucked from the Bears for zero compensation. A competitive trade offer could have plucked Matt Flynn from Green Bay. Kevin Kolb was terribly overpriced and would have been a bad short-term acquisition, but he was available.

No one on the above list contains magical qualities that would have fixed the 2011 season (whether they could have kept it from being derailed is another issue), but they are all better than John Beck, and about half of them are better than Rex Grossman.

I'm sympathetic to the idea that it didn't matter in the long run, but the Redskins could and should have done better on offensive personnel than they have. Whether they could have done so much better as to build an annual winner is debatable, I think. What's not debatable is that they couldn't have built an annual winner while taking the strategic path they did.

[skinsfaninok]

I thought the skins made a mistake not going after flynn the guy is better than what WE have no you would think, heck he can't be worse

[GTripp0012]

I forgot Vince Young as well.

With Vince Young, this team may still be very bad, but it would be excitingly bad. Or it might actually be a lot better. But that's not the point.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Maybe Shanahan feels that given his knowledge and experience with QBs he could save that for last while focusing on other areas that needed improvement first?

His excuses for the recent losing streak is that the supporting cast is consistently failing his hand picked QBs.

Whether that's accurate or not (and since I'm not doing game reviews...), Shanahan is wrong one way or another. Either he failed to build even an adequate supporting cast that can support Rex Grossman or the next QB, or he's excusing poor quarterback play by miscasting the blame.

[REDSKINS4ever]

Mike Shanahan is not a GM. He's a head coach. Bruce Allen should be the one in charge of retooling the roster. Allen would have never brought in Beck or Grossman.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by skinsfaninok

TH was on pace for a VERY good season.. Injuries happen it seems like other teams always bounce back and we always have that same excuse... Look at dallas Murray comes in and rolls over Felix..

Pretty sure Dallas didn't have the OL injuries on top of the injury to Jones.

We had the double whammy.

[Beemnseven]

Originally Posted by mooby

Marc Bulger was a Pro Bowl quarterback .


Oh ohhhhhh you mean a recent Pro Bowl qb.

No, I meant a quarterback that would have been a Pro Bowler for us if Shanahan had only signed him.

Marc Bulger retired, so he wasn't even part of the discussion.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Maybe Shanahan feels that given his knowledge and experience with QBs he could save that for last while focusing on other areas that needed improvement first?

I'm sure that must have been his mindset...

I'm just frustrated with another season quickly going down the drain, and it's tiring to have another year of crappy QB play. I acknowledge the injuries have been absolutely killer. Who knows, without all the injuries maybe we're in the 7-9 win range.

I guess big picture we weren't a playoff caliber team to begin with, and this is a rebuilding project we have to have some patience with. Still, I'm sure even Shanahan didn't expect to be this bad in year 2.

We haven't seen this level of futility in back to back years under one coach since Norv in 94-95 when he went 3-13 and 6-10.

[mredskins]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

I'm sure that must have been his mindset...

I'm just frustrated with another season quickly going down the drain, and it's tiring to have another year of crappy QB play. I acknowledge the injuries have been absolutely killer. Who knows, without all the injuries maybe we're in the 7-9 win range.

I guess big picture we weren't a playoff caliber team to begin with, and this is a rebuilding project we have to have some patience with. Still, I'm sure even Shanahan didn't expect to be this bad in year 2.

We haven't seen this level of futility in back to back years under one coach since Norv in 94-95 when he went 3-13 and 6-10.

It is nice to see you show some frustration with this organization. At times I feel like you and SS follow the "company line" too long but I also understand you guys are trying to be the voice of reason as well.

IT just becomes a point where you are like good god how many more shitty seasons do I need to endure.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by mredskins

It is nice to see you show some frustration with this organization. At times I feel like you and SS follow the "company line" too long but I also understand you guys are trying to be the voice of reason as well.

IT just becomes a point where you are like good god how many more shitty seasons do I need to endure.

It takes a lot to get me to throw in the towel on a season, but I've been there before.

[freddyg12]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

I'm sure that must have been his mindset...

I'm just frustrated with another season quickly going down the drain, and it's tiring to have another year of crappy QB play. I acknowledge the injuries have been absolutely killer. Who knows, without all the injuries maybe we're in the 7-9 win range.

I guess big picture we weren't a playoff caliber team to begin with, and this is a rebuilding project we have to have some patience with. Still, I'm sure even Shanahan didn't expect to be this bad in year 2.

We haven't seen this level of futility in back to back years under one coach since Norv in 94-95 when he went 3-13 and 6-10.

Let's just pretend that McNabb worked out & is playing well. We would probably be talking about how the injuries & lack of depth were keeping us from being a playoff team. We'd be mediocre though & the other personel decisions would likely be the same.

My interpretation of Allen/Shanny thus far; it was a rebuilding project wrapped in a vet QB facade. The initial facade, McNabb, didn't work out, so now there's nothing to hide how ugly it is. I accept it because at least the other (non QB) decisions have been sound IMO, I just question Shanny speaking so boldly about his two sucky QBs.

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by freddyg12

Let's just pretend that McNabb worked out & is playing well. We would probably be talking about how the injuries & lack of depth were keeping us from being a playoff team. We'd be mediocre though & the other personel decisions would likely be the same.

My interpretation of Allen/Shanny thus far; it was a rebuilding project wrapped in a vet QB facade. The initial facade, McNabb, didn't work out, so now there's nothing to hide how ugly it is. I accept it because at least the other (non QB) decisions have been sound IMO, I just question Shanny speaking so boldly about his two sucky QBs.

I think the worst part of all of this is that we're not even developing a QB. This is why I question whether we were truly rebuilding last year. Had McNabb worked out somewhat, we still would be without a QB of the future on the roster, and whatever McNabb's success would have been short.

I think I'd feel better right now if we had not traded for McNabb and would have acquired a young QB this year (2nd or later rounds). My only hope is that next year, the supporting cast would be good enough to allow for a rookie to start right away (a la Dalton). I just hope MS does a good job at picking a QB, as someone pointed out, he's 0-3 so far.

[SBXVII]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

I forgot Vince Young as well.

With Vince Young, this team may still be very bad, but it would be excitingly bad. Or it might actually be a lot better. But that's not the point.

I'm sorry I just don't get the infatuation with Vince Young, of course I never have, but..... I think his playing time with the Eagles has proven my case.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by freddyg12

Let's just pretend that McNabb worked out & is playing well. We would probably be talking about how the injuries & lack of depth were keeping us from being a playoff team. We'd be mediocre though & the other personel decisions would likely be the same.

My interpretation of Allen/Shanny thus far; it was a rebuilding project wrapped in a vet QB facade. The initial facade, McNabb, didn't work out, so now there's nothing to hide how ugly it is. I accept it because at least the other (non QB) decisions have been sound IMO, I just question Shanny speaking so boldly about his two sucky QBs.

What else is he going to say at this point? He has to support them, at least publicly. We'll see what he really thinks once the season is over and we have new QBs in here next year.

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by SBXVII

I'm sorry I just don't get the infatuation with Vince Young, of course I never have, but..... I think his playing time with the Eagles has proven my case.

I think Young would have been a better option than Beck or Rex. But who knows if he would have gotten injured here as well.