The Shana-Plan: Washington Redskins Ready for Mike Shanahan

Now that Jim Zorn’s firing is a foregone conclusion, Redskins fans can look forward to the positive changes of the near future. Dan Snyder has his finger on the trigger of the deal to bring Mike Shanahan to D.C.

 

What are some of the moves that can be expected from Shanahan?

 

1. First, and most obvious, the entire coaching staff will be replaced with his own people. Who is on that list? Kyle Shanahan, his son and for now the Houston Texans offensive coordinator, will be the new Redskins offensive coordinator. As for the rest of the staff, we can only speculate until the actual announcements.

 

2. Mike Shanahan will want to have his own hand-picked quarterback to develop. Consistent success on offense is dependent on having a franchise quarterback, and Shanahan knows this as well as anybody in the league.

 

Look for Jason Campbell to be gone before next season, and for the Redskins to pick either Sam Bradford or Jimmy Clausen in the draft. In addition, Shanahan will probably bring in a veteran to handle the offense until the rookie can learn the ropes.

 

3. A lot of veterans will be cut or traded. Shanahan and Bruce Allen will be making some extreme changes to the roster. They will actively concentrate on rebuilding with youth, and cleaning up the salary cap in a year when there will be no implications. Don’t be surprised by some shocking moves such as trading Chris Cooley and LaRon Landry and cutting Clinton Portis.

 

Regardless of the exact nature of the changes Mike Shanahan is about to make, Redskins fans are eager for the beginning of a new era in Washington. It appears Dan Snyder has finally listened to the pleas of the fans, and the organization is now getting a complete overhaul from top to bottom.

 

And so, shortly after the conclusion of the Redskins-Chargers game on Sunday, the ink will already be drying on Shanahan’s new contract with Washington. A new decade will be ushered in, and along with it, the hope that the Redskins organization is finally moving down the right path.

 

Will the ’10s be like the ’80s? Only time will tell, but judging by the impending changes, the Washington Redskins will be moving quickly back into respectability.

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Washington Redskins’ LaRon Landry Needs to Learn How to Tackle

Looking at the stats after the Redskins-Cowboys game, LaRon Landry’s nine tackles and two assists stand out. Normally, those numbers would be indicative of a great game.

After all, the next best tackle total of the night was London Fletcher’s six. Landry must have been great, right?

Wrong.

While Landry provided a couple of highlight reel hits, he once again played well below his talent level.

LaRon Landry still has great potential and is one of the most athletically-gifted players on the Redskins. Unfortunately, his playing techniques are very flawed.

Against the Cowboys, he was no match for Jason Witten in coverage, and was burned for a crucial big play. But, his lack of effectiveness in pass coverage is not his biggest weakness—his tackling is.

Despite being credited for nine tackles, Landry had several missed tackles against the Cowboys that were the result of poor technique. Specifically, his failure to wrap up.

Time and time again this season, Landry has launched himself at ball carriers with no effort to wrap his arms around them. Rather than executing a proper tackle, he has tried to make “the big hit.”

More often than not, Landry has missed the ball carrier completely by flying by them out of control, or he hits them, only to watch them bounce off and keep running.

Landry has shown no improvement in technique over the course of the 2009 season. That is a sign of poor coaching or a player who doesn’t listen to coaching.

So, in 2010, the Redskins need to either trade Landry or find a coach that can teach him to eliminate his flaws.

Until one of those scenarios happen, the Redskins will continue to give up big plays due to his lack of fundamentals.

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Washington Redskins Fan Laments the 2009 Season

When the season first started, I was full of hope for my Skins,

In my crystal ball, I could see 11 or 12 wins.

 

After the first loss to the Giants, I came back down to Earth,

But still, I figured, we’ll get a playoff berth.

 

Second game of the season brought a close win against the Rams,

And I still couldn’t figure, are the Skins lions or lambs?

 

The third game’s loss to the actual Lions was a shock,

And I began to question the leader of our flock.

 

How, Mr. Zorn, could you allow the Lions their first win in forever?

It was also the first sign that our coach is not so clever.

 

Another squeak-by win against the Bucs came in Week Four,

I knew at that point that Zorn was destined for the door.

 

A heartbreaking loss to the Panthers came in the next week,

And at 2-3, the Skins were starting to look meek.

 

Then the loss to the Chiefs, it was the last straw,

With such pathetic play, I was dumbstruck with awe.

 

As the losses piled up, so did the bottles I was drinking,

I could survive the games as long as I wasn’t clearly thinking.

 

Zorn didn’t seem to care as the Redskins continued in their funk,

I cried burgundy tears, and I tried to stay drunk.

 

Then on Monday night, they ran into a buzz saw from New York,

I knew Zorn was done, and into him you can stick a fork.

 

So Cerrato is gone, and Zorn is surely close to follow,

And in my self-pity, I no longer have to wallow.

 

Finally I feel, “There’s hope for the future, man,”

Next year we’ll be turned around by Mike Shanahan.

 

I can now put my bottle down, and just enjoy being a fan,

And for feeling my pain, “Thanks for listening, Dan.”

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Washington Redskins’ Biggest Problem: Laron Landry?

A free safety’s purpose in football is to prevent big plays from happening. A free safety’s first priority is to keep every receiver in front of him.

The Washington Redskins’ free safety has failed to perform his basic duties game after game in the 2009 season.

Laron Landry was burned for two touchdowns on Sunday, proving he is ill-fitted for the free safety position.

Time and time again, Laron Landry has looked for the big hit, only to be torched for touchdowns.

Against the New Orleans Saints, Laron Landry played flawlessly against the run. He was consistently involved in stopping the Saints for small gains in their rush offense.

But, while looking to light someone up on every play, he was easily fooled on two crucial plays that ultimately decided the difference against the Saints.

If one were to analyze the amount of big plays allowed by the Redskins’ defense this year, how many would be attributed to Landry?

Not even accounting for the times he has been sucked in by double moves by receivers, he has missed several critical tackles that have decided games.

How many times has Landry failed to wrap up an offensive player, and instead has come up for a “big hit,” only to watch the offensive player bouce off of his hit for a big gain?

Too many times in crucial situations.

It’s time to bench Landry. Let Doughty and Moore play until Landry decides to play smart.  

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Washington Redskins: Point-Challenged Against Lackluster Dallas Cowboys

Sunday’s matchup against the Dallas Cowboys was an excellent effort by the Washington Redskins defense. But, once again, it was wasted by the Redskins’ offense inability to score points.

After making Tony Romo look less—than—average (15-27, 158, 1 TD, 1 INT), the Redskins defense looked dominant against a supposedly explosive Dallas offense. And while Jason Campbell put up good numbers (24-37, 256, 1 INT), the offense couldn’t muster the points necessary to win.

Dallas can send a big thanks to Shaun Suisham. After going 12—12 on field goals in the first nine games of the year, Suisham was 2—4 for the day.

The Washington Redskins found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

The game was less about what the Dallas Cowboys did, and more about what the Washington Redskins failed to do.

Where does the fault lie? Mental errors, inconsistency, injuries, etc. There is no magic bullet to cure all of the Redskins’ ills.

But, one thing remains certain: if a team cannot score enough points, it will not win. No matter how good the defense is, NFL games are won by teams that put up points.

With the playoffs now out of the realm of possibility for the Redskins, 2010 is all they can look forward to. Maybe Mike Shanahan will find a way to score next year.

 

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Hoping the Washington Redskins Continue Losing

Another week, another display of total dysfunction on the part of the Redskins. But it’s no longer surprising; it has become expected.

 

After being completely inept in the first half, the offense showed some signs of life against the Falcons in the second half. But it was too little, too late. By then, the defense was giving up yardage in bunches.

 

The offensive line was a Swiss cheese sieve, and it is shocking that Jason Campbell made it out of the game alive. Campbell spent most of the afternoon staring up at the sky, taking hit after hit.

 

Tackling was atrocious for the Redskins defense. It was almost comical to watch plays such as LaRon Landry diving at the feet of Michael Turner, only to watch him easily jump over him for a big gain.

 

Such miscues as Landry’s poor tackling demonstrate the biggest problem in general for the Redskins: lack of fundamentals.

 

Instead of focusing on their individual techniques for performing their jobs, Redskins players seem to be hoping for a quick end to the season. They have given up, quit trying, and act like they no longer have anything to play for.

 

And now, that’s the truth. They no longer have anything to play for, because the playoffs are out of reach.

 

So, as a Redskins fan, I sincerely hope this team loses the remainder of their games.

 

Why? It would do more harm than good to have this team finish 4-12 (which is about the best we could hope for), as opposed to 2-14. The Redskins need the highest first round draft pick possible next year.

 

In particular, I believe the Redskins’ first pick in 2010 should be Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen. More than likely, the Redskins will be too late to pick him, but it’s possible he’ll still be available.

 

And, obviously, after the first pick, the Redskins need to pick as many offensive linemen as possible.

 

For the sake of rebuilding the Redskins into a contender again, here’s to hoping that the 2009 train wreck continues.

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Now, Is It Time to Fire Washington Redskins’ Jim Zorn?

Another display of offensive ineptitude. Is it now time for Dan Snyder to end the pain?

The Washington Redskins found another way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The Carolina Panthers are now celebrating their first victory of the season.

Once again, one of the worst teams in the NFL looks like a Super Bowl contender against the Redskins.

The Washington Redskins are playing uninspired football. Players don’t seem to have the “fire” it takes to consistently win.

So, who’s to blame?

Jim Zorn is the man responsible for motivating these players. Sure, he’s not the only problem, but change has to start somewhere.

Go ahead and fire Zorn. Let Sherman Lewis take over as the interim coach. Cut the losses for 2009. There will be no playoffs this year, no Super Bowl dreams. The 2009 Redskins are a bad team.

Mike Shanahan needs to be hired as head coach, a real GM needs to be hired, and a real franchise quarterback needs to be found (hopefully Sam Bradford or Colt McCoy).

Come on, Snyder, please stop the bleeding.

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New England Patriots’ Tom Brady Gets Preferential Referee Treatment

By now, everybody has heard about “the call” during the Ravens-Patriots game. Ravens linebacker Suggs barely brushed Tom Brady’s leg, and he was called for a personal foul for a low hit on the quarterback.

The penalty highlighted a larger problem with some NFL referees. Star players get preferential treatment.

On that particular play, Tom Brady lobbied for the penalty by immediately pointing to the nearest referee, as if he were demanding a flag to be thrown.

Guess what? He got what he asked for.

There are a handful of big stars in the NFL who have such influence over referees’ decisions, but none more influential than the league’s biggest star, Tom Brady.

In most cases, as it was Sunday, it unfairly affects the outcomes of games. That particular penalty may have cost the Ravens the game.

As a fan of the NFL, it is sickening to see players like Brady have any such power over the referees. And yet, it happens on a regular basis.

The Ravens defensive players’ reactions to the penalty were quite understandable. This is a sport for grown men, and it certainly isn’t flag football.

So, as Rodney Harrison suggested, please take the skirts off of the quarterbacks, and turn this into a man’s game again.

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NOW It’s Time to Fire Jim Zorn

The train wreck that is the Washington Redskins continues.

For the third consecutive week, the Redskins made one of the worst teams in the league look like Super Bowl contenders. So, what does that make the Redskins?

The Redskins are one of the worst teams in the NFL.

Against the Bucs, Jason Campbell looked like a rookie playing in his first game, the pass protection was less effective than Swiss cheese, and the defense was once again inconsistent.

So, what needs to happen?

Jim Zorn needs to be fired immediately. Why allow him to continue this season? This year is looking like another swamp of mediocrity, so the Redskins should go ahead and get a head start on next year.

Mike Shanahan or John Gruden should be hired. The Redskins need some leadership from a coach who will light a fire underneath this team for years to come.

Jason Campbell needs to be benched and Todd Collins should start for the remainder of the season. Collins, under a new coach, will give the Redskins the best chance for what is left of this season.

Vinnie Cerrato should be fired at the end of this season, and a GM should be hired. Enough of trying to win NOW. A lasting talent base needs to built for the future.

Redskins fans have had enough, Mr. Snyder. It’s time to start the rebuilding process.

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Philadephia Eagles: Most Over-Hyped NFL Team in 2009?

Like the Dallas Cowboys of 2008, the Philadelphia Eagles are being proclaimed by the pundits as preseason favorites to win the NFC. Also like the Boys of ’08, these prognostications are based on hype rather than substance.

 

While the Eagles did make it to the NFC title game last year, they were still a nine- win team that squeaked into the playoffs. I say “squeaked” because the Philadelphia Eagles didn’t come roaring into the playoffs—they lost in Week 16 to the Washington Redskins by a score of 10-3. Playing for their playoff lives, they could only muster three points against a Redskins team with nothing but pride to play for.

 

And now, 2009. Nobody seems to remember anything about the 2008 season except that the Eagles ended up in the NFC title game. So, with the addition of a tackle that had a mediocre season in 2008, a couple of unproven rookies, and a castoff cornerback from the Patriots, the “experts” are ready to hand over the NFC title to the Eagles. No, seriously?

 

The Eagles offense may or may not be slightly better than 2008. Maclin and McCoy are unproven, and could end up being boom or busts—nobody knows. The addition of Jason Peters may be an even trade for the loss of Tra Thomas, but Peters only had a so-so season last year. Westbrook looks to be injury-prone, and I don’t believe he can be counted on to carry a heavy load anymore. 

 

As for the defense, it can only be worse with the loss of Dawkins. He has been the emotional leader of the defense for years, and that type of intangible attribute must be accounted for.

 

And then there is McNabb. Can he really be counted on for anything but inconsistency? He looks great at times, but he looks like he completely loses focus at other times.

 

Within the brutal NFC East, there will be no easy ride for the Eagles. Despite what some sportswriters are giving the Eagles before the season starts, they have as much chance of finishing last in the division as first.

 

But, by some miracle, if the Eagles were to win the NFC—does anyone think they would have a prayer against a team like Pittsburgh or New England in the Super Bowl? No, they would be embarrassed.

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