Robert Griffin III ready to turn career around with Redskins in 2015

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by over the mountain

He said that and then some.

Gruden Had to Convince Snyder for ‘Several Hours’ to Bench RG3 « CBS DC

According to Russell, Gruden had to convince Snyder “for several hours” last fall that benching Griffin was the proper call, suggesting the owner was very much a part of football decision-making.

“He had to, from what I was told, convince by going into Dan Snyder’s office for several hours last year in late November, to convince Dan why he needed to bench Robert, why he needed to take him out, why he was hurting the game,” Russell said.

Around the time Griffin was benched, after Week 12, Russell says is when a rumor surfaced inside Redskins Park that team owner Daniel Snyder had called Gruden’s agent to complain his client was “stealing money.”

-------------------------------

Hopefully the buck begins and ends with Scot. Gruden should have to answer to Scot and Scot alone.

All true (well I've only heard the agent part from Chris so I can't confirm that)

As for RG3's quotes. Maybe a bit passive-aggressive. And it's certainly something he needs to work on. The idea of playing within the system. I know it's got to be hard from going to from "changing the position" to "game manager" But those are the cards he and the team have been dealt now

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

... The idea of playing within the system. I know it's got to be hard from going to from "changing the position" to "game manager" But those are the cards he and the team have been dealt now

Again, if he can be patient, and show he can manage a game, then he can start expanding on that.

I guess I thought one of his initial gripes was that he wanted to be thought of as "QB" not a "running QB" and that the style used to create the "changing the position" QB of his rookie year was not to his liking because of that, that it was stunting his growth as a passing QB.

Baby steps. Make the right reads, consistently. Keep the chains moving, consistently. Show you can do the little things that game changing QB's do without thinking, consistently. If you do, there will be plenty of times and places for you to rise above the "ordinary."

I have no doubt he has the talent to do so. I just am concerned that he lacks the maturity, patience, and humility to do so.


So far, however, so very, very good.

[artmonkforhallofamein07]

Seems to me that Russel is trying to stir the pot a bit since we have been hearing only positives this time around. We can't have that in DC it must be a circus. Can't let guys just work, let's create some stuff to float around. Why does this story need to come out now? We had all off season to hear that story, no lets wait till guys are trying to work in camp.

[JoeRedskin]

^^ hatters gotta hat.

[over the mountain]

Originally Posted by artmonkforhallofamein07

Seems to me that Russel is trying to stir the pot a bit since we have been hearing only positives this time around. We can't have that in DC it must be a circus. Can't let guys just work, let's create some stuff to float around. Why does this story need to come out now? We had all off season to hear that story, no lets wait till guys are trying to work in camp.

russell worked for the skins or at least their radio station up until a few weeks ago.

timing wise it gives him something to talk about on other radio stations, get paid a little something for appearances until he finds another contract .. smart temp move for him. i have no idea how radio works though.

[artmonkforhallofamein07]

Originally Posted by over the mountain

russell worked for the skins or at least their radio station up until a few weeks ago.

timing wise it gives him something to talk about on other radio stations, get paid a little something for appearances until he finds another contract .. smart temp move for him. i have no idea how radio works though.

I guess... Keeps him relevant I guess. Hopefully RG III proves all the damn people wrong and goes out plays well and makes plays to help us win. I just want to win and Colt McCoy isn't going to get that done.

[NYCskinfan82]

Originally Posted by artmonkforhallofamein07

Seems to me that Russel is trying to stir the pot a bit since we have been hearing only positives this time around. We can't have that in DC it must be a circus. Can't let guys just work, let's create some stuff to float around. Why does this story need to come out now? We had all off season to hear that story, no lets wait till guys are trying to work in camp.

Sure sounds like it.

[30gut]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Washington Redskins' Robert Griffin III makes positive strides in camp - Washington Redskins Blog - ESPN

Interesting article. Its good to hear Griffin doing well and the staff contributing (Matt C) and the staff being upbeat, both on and off the record. All 3 are welcome changes from last year.

Originally Posted by Keim

There was a cross-your-finger optimism about Griffin entering camp and after five days the coaches have been pleased about what he’s shown and the direction he’s headed. It’s far different than at this time a year ago when whispers started circulating about displeasure with Griffin.

This shows that the staff is learning from last year. Jay and McVay's frustration with Griffin early in training camp last was a sign to me that trouble lurked. First, I was taken aback that after all the off record talk Shanny was involved in I didn't expect the new regime to be involved with off the record negativity regarding Griffin. Second, I consider being frustrated with developing a young QB par for the course of being a coach thus whining about it off the record to the media imho was a sign of immaturity and a sign of being overwhelmed with the numerous hats of a rookie HC with a rookie OC and no QB coach.

Originally Posted by Keim

the coaches have tweaked what they’re doing, and the presence of quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh already is helping....Having Cavanaugh has helped make the quarterbacks’ reads more defined. In the past, they would keep it basic -- if the primary option isn’t there, they would spout off where they would go next and then next. Do it all in one line. It was a cliffs notes version of what Cavanaugh asked them to do: memorize a graph of each pass play. It took time to adjust in the spring, but it has helped define the reads better. It’s like having an owner’s manual of each play in your head.

The coaches adapting is great news to hear and I wish it would have happened last year but I'm glad its happening this year. I also love the fact that we not only hired a QB coach but hired one as accomplished as Cavanaugh, who arguably is as accomplished an OC as Jay, a SB winning OC.

The article has lots of good insight that lends towards optimism, especially for someone like me who sees Griffin's success as linked towards Jay's growth as a HC and it appears there are signs pointing in the right direction from a coaching stand point. Now, I know this will make some uncomfortable but hopefully all the rhetoric and changes we've been hearing about the offensive philosophy is true and can help build Jay's level of faith and support for Griffin. Time will tell and even though its only week 1 of training camp...so far so good.

[artmonkforhallofamein07]

Originally Posted by 30gut

Interesting article. Its good to hear Griffin doing well and the staff contributing (Matt C) and the staff being upbeat, both on and off the record. All 3 are welcome changes from last year.

This shows that the staff is learning from last year. Jay and McVay's frustration with Griffin early in training camp last was a sign to me that trouble lurked. First, I was taken aback that after all the off record talk Shanny was involved in I didn't expect the new regime to be involved with off the record negativity regarding Griffin. Second, I consider being frustrated with developing a young QB par for the course of being a coach thus whining about it off the record to the media imho was a sign of immaturity and a sign of being overwhelmed with the numerous hats of a rookie HC with a rookie OC and no QB coach.

The coaches adapting is great news to hear and I wish it would have happened last year but I'm glad its happening this year. I also love the fact that we not only hired a QB coach but hired one as accomplished as Cavanaugh, who arguably is as accomplished an OC as Jay, a SB winning OC.

The article has lots of good insight that lends towards optimism, especially for someone like me who sees Griffin's success as linked towards Jay's growth as a HC and it appears there are signs pointing in the right direction from a coaching stand point. Now, I know this will make some uncomfortable but hopefully all the rhetoric and changes we've been hearing about the offensive philosophy is true and can help build Jay's level of faith and support for Griffin. Time will tell and even though its only week 1 of training camp...so far so good.

What I like about the article is Kiem doesn't usually sugar coat things, if he seeing good things then the coaches are and if nothing else they will know if they want to win they have to go with the best option to do so on the roster. To me RG III is it, we all know what we will get with Cousins and McCoy. Ints with the first and no long ball with the latter.

Establish a running game and get him moving and he should be successful.

[NC_Skins]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

All true (well I've only heard the agent part from Chris so I can't confirm that)

Let's go back to this.

Originally Posted by 30gut

That my qualify as a "fact" to you but it doesn't even come close to factual to me and I'm guessing it doesn't for most people.

And again even IF your "fact" were true it should be disconcerting that your new HC clearly was never on board with developing the franchise QB. You think Jay would have been hired if his plan consisted of moving on from Griffin prior to the season even starting?

Still think lil Danny isn't making decisions on the field as well?

Originally Posted by 30gut

The fact is football assessment seldom lends itself to simple soundbite analysis. There is rarely 1 "reason" for the success or failure of a play, player, coaching staff or season.

Was Griffin's inexperience in a rhythm drop back passing offense part of his struggles? Sure.

But the playcalling, game plan and coaching also played a role in his struggles. After all Griffin was even less experienced as rookie but was better as a rhythm drop back passer in that system then now. Heck, no QB was less 'prp-style' then Cam and look what he did as a rookie.

First off, I never said that his in-experience was the ONLY issue at hand. I said it was a fact that Griffin struggled due to his in-experience with a pro-style offense, not because of Jay's faith in RG. If Robert performed bad because he was worried about Jay's faith in him, it would say a lot about him and he probably shouldn't be in the NFL. No, Robert is arrogant as noted by his attitude and why two coaches have had difficulty trying to get through to him.

Also, to mention Cam's rookie season is laughable. You do realize they ran a read option type offense like we did right? It wasn't a pro-style in the slightest. Also, you've notice Cam's yards and attempts have been dropping steadily the last 3 years with last year being his worst year ever. His transition hasn't turned the corner yet I can assure you.

One last thing, how can you deem play calling an issue? Do you know what defenses were called? Do you know the counter to them? Who's the say the players didn't execute the play while the call was the right one? I'm not saying it didn't play an issue but do you really know for sure or guessing?

[30gut]

Originally Posted by NC_Skins

Still think lil Danny isn't making decisions on the field as well?

Easy kemosabe, lol.

There is a far cry from the OWNER of the team being included in the decision making process to the owner "making decisions on the field". You understand that those aren't the same thing right? Also, remember how this whole exchange started? YOU said that it was a "fact" that Jay wanted to start Cousins at the beginning of the season. I said that did not meet the definition of a fact to most people. Nothing you have said since then changes that speculation into fact. And like I said, even if it were a "fact" then the very notion that a new HC wanted to bench the then potential franchise QB before ever playing him in 1 regular season game is crazy and is something that should be disconcerting to all fans.

Originally Posted by You

First off, I never said that his in-experience was the ONLY issue at hand. I said it was a fact that Griffin struggled due to his in-experience with a pro-style offense, not because of Jay's faith in RG....

Good we're getting somewhere. We agree that Griffin's inexperience was an issue, just not the only issue.

My point is that inconjunction with Griffin's inexperience Jay's lack of faith played a large role in Griffin's struggles. Jay's lack of faith in Griffin, as you pointed out, was apparent early during Jay's regime even before the start of the regular season. Jay is the HC and playcaller paired up with a rookie OC is at the wheel of the offense. His vision guides the gameplan, playcalling and coaching. How can Jay's lack of faith in Griffin not impact the gameplan, playcalling and coaching as it pertain to Griffin a player that the HC, playcaller and OC lack faith in?

Originally Posted by You

If Robert performed bad because he was worried about Jay's faith in him, it would say a lot about him and he probably shouldn't be in the NFL.

Clear strawman.

No, Robert is arrogant as noted by his attitude and why two coaches have had difficulty trying to get through to him.

Maybe Robert is arrogant maybe he isn't. Personally I think Robert's level of arrogance is unknowable from our vantage point and based on what I've read about Robert I find it very hard to believe that Robert's level of arrogance is an issue. Certainly isn't an issue worth discussion for me.

I'm not going back over the cess pool of scapegoating and blameshifting that happened with Mike Shanahan.

You can chase these rabbits on your own. I've already entertained more of your speculations and perceptions then I intended.

Also, to mention Cam's rookie season is laughable. You do realize they ran a read option type offense like we did right? It wasn't a pro-style in the slightest.

You obviously missed my point. My point is that Cam's rookie season was a huge success because they catered the offense to him. Of course it wasn't pro-style, that is my entire point. Cam was far from pro-style but the catered the offense to him and had success.

One last thing, how can you deem play calling an issue? Do you know what defenses were called? Do you know the counter to them? Who's the say the players didn't execute the play while the call was the right one? I'm not saying it didn't play an issue but do you really know for sure or guessing?

I know this is pointless but anyhow....I could go in depth about playcalling theory and philosophy but that would be a long discussion since we would be starting from square one. But I'll leave you with this. Every OC in the league can draw up plays that work. Heck they all work on paper. But the heart of coaching is understanding which Xs and Os maximize your personnel. That didn't happen last year. Look at all the changes the rhetoric thus far points to...more commitment to the run game, more play-action, more movement passes, more "tweaks" (as Kiem put it) to cater to Griffin. If those weren't issues last year then why change?

[SmootSmack]

Bruce and especially Dan were really the only key people in the organization who wanted to start RG3 week 1. It was painfully obvious to everyone that RG3 was not ready. That wasn't Jay giving up on him so much as seeing how far he had to go and knowing he has 52 other guys to worry about. Griffin was terrible last summer. There's no getting around that. He just was

[NC_Skins]

Originally Posted by 30gut

There is a far cry from the OWNER of the team being included in the decision making process to the owner "making decisions on the field". You understand that those aren't the same thing right?

That wasn't meant that Dan is included in game planning or he's up in the box with a headset on or making the starting roster. I merely meant that Snyder meddles with things even as far as who the starting QB should be.

Originally Posted by 30gut

And like I said, even if it were a "fact" then the very notion that a new HC wanted to bench the then potential franchise QB before ever playing him in 1 regular season game is crazy and is something that should be disconcerting to all fans.

Personally, I think Jay didn't realize how much work Robert really needed. How can you tell really until you get in there and see for yourself. That and Jay probably said what he needed to in order to land the job. I'm not discounting that fact either. He very well could have pulled a bait and switch on Danny. Especially seeing as how his brother Jon didn't really care for Robert's QB ability. Maybe Dan is right about him stealing money. Seems a lot of people do that to Dan. (except the fans)

Originally Posted by 30gut

Jay is the HC and playcaller paired up with a rookie OC is at the wheel of the offense. His vision guides the gameplan, playcalling and coaching. How can Jay's lack of faith in Griffin not impact the gameplan, playcalling and coaching as it pertain to Griffin a player that the HC, playcaller and OC lack faith in?

His faith in Robert would definitely impact the game plan, there is no doubt to that. His lack of faith in Robert shouldn't dictate the play by Robert though. There is a difference. Jay knows that he's not going to be able to run certain things if Griffin doesn't grasp the offense or can go through progressions like he's supposed to. He'll have to cater to what Robert does do good, which is play action and roll outs. However, when you limit your chances of succeeding as well. It also doesn't help when you are forced to play an individual that directly impacts your offense negatively. The object here is to win, not develop Robert. Developing Robert should have begin in years 1 and 2 with him on THE BENCH LIKE I SAID LONG AGO. It still pisses me off to no end they did what they did. Little Danny had to have his shiny new toy though.

Originally Posted by 30gut

I'm not going back over the cess pool of scapegoating and blameshifting that happened with Mike Shanahan.

You don't have to, but you should heed the words of a man who's coached the likes of Elway, Montana and Young. I think he was more honest than not the past couple interviews he did.

Originally Posted by 30gut

Look at all the changes the rhetoric thus far points to...more commitment to the run game, more play-action, more movement passes, more "tweaks" (as Kiem put it) to cater to Griffin. If those weren't issues last year then why change?

Here is the problem. They tailored an offense around Griffin's abilities and won. However, Griffin didn't want to run that offense. This had been clearly backed up by multiple inside sources (direct and indirect) during that 2012 year. Griffin wanted to be a pocket passer and didn't want to run the offense tailored to him. He saw himself as a Peyton Manning, but never wanted to put in the film room time that Peyton Manning did. He knew the RO wasn't going to keep him around long health wise. Yes I believe Shanny when he said Robert came in there with blessing from the owner on what to run that following off-season. Yes I believe Shanny when he said that he wasn't ready for a conventional offense yet, but had the ability to do it eventually. So this still falls on Robert somewhat for not being coach-able. This is two coaches now that has said the exact same thing. He better get on board fast because the clock is ticking on his career and it's about over. He isn't going to get another forced starting gig in the NFL after this. Can he do it? Certainly. Will he? No idea. I hope for our sakes he does. It'll mean we are most likely winning.

[NC_Skins]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Bruce and especially Dan were really the only key people in the organization who wanted to start RG3 week 1. It was painfully obvious to everyone that RG3 was not ready. That wasn't Jay giving up on him so much as seeing how far he had to go and knowing he has 52 other guys to worry about. Griffin was terrible last summer. There's no getting around that. He just was

...and that's the problem in its entirety. A dumbass owner who would fuck up the team's chances of winning just so his new toy could succeed. Yeah..fuck those other 52 guys and winning. I just want to be right on my call to make the RGIII trade! The more and more I see about Dan forcing the Robert issue, the more I believe Shanahan that it was in fact Dan/Bruce that wanted that trade. The problem with people like that is they don't understand that sunk costs are what they are. Sunk.

[SmootSmack]

I'm torn about it, because I get the investment made in Griffin and I don't think either Cousins or McCoy could ever reach what Griffin is capable of. On the one hand you let your coaches coach, on the other it's your right (perhaps duty) to step in when you see he's making a clear mistake. Gruden, or someone close to Gruden, seemed to have gotten in his head that he could win sooner with one of the other two. But at what cost? This team wasn't going to the playoffs? Why not put RG3 out there and get him the experience he needed. But Cousins was playing well and it's hard to tell the other guys you're not going to go with the hot hand.

The way Gruden saw it, Cousins could start, McCoy could be ready if/when needed and RG3 could sit and learn. Owner, somewhat understandably, wasn't having it.