"Look Kids! Big Ben! Parliament!" - Washington Redskins Games Are Actually Reruns Disguised As Live Television
by Sugar on Oct 12, 2009 1:32 PM EDT
in Redskins Analysis
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My wife always gives me a hard time when she walks into the room and I am watching reruns of Seinfeld, The Simpsons, Family Guy, Entourage, or Two and a Half Men. "How can you watch the same show over and over again?" she asks me. I know every word, every expression, and every gag cold. And I still laugh, I still cringe, and I still thoroughly enjoy every second of each episode no matter how many times I watch them.
I have another show to add to my syndicated must-watch list: live Redskins games. They call them "live", but you and I know they are really reruns. The same lovable characters involved in the same wacky hi-jinx. My friends ask me, "How can you watch that same show every single week over and over again?" I know every inevitable gaffe, every nad-biting penalty, and every gut-wrenching 4th quarter blown lead. And yet I still tune in on the road games, and I still show up to FedEx for home games to watch these reruns.
I would be lying if I said that I was heart-broken after yesterday's game. I would be lying if I said I became depressed as the last whistle blew on yet another frustrating loss. We would be lying to ourselves if we acted shocked after the game. That doesn't make it any easier to stomach, but it underlines the place we find ourselves as fans.
As Kevin and I digested the outcome, the first thing I said was, "Kev, these are the things that happen to bad teams. And we should know, because they have been happening to this team for a long time, and there ain't no picture of Snyder next to 'good' in the dictionary."
At 2-3, is the season over? Of course not. But with rumblings that Snyder is looking for Zorn's replacement (as reported by NBC this morning), and with consternation and disenfranchisement settling into the locker room, any post-season chances we have or had are evaporating by the second. And on top of that fact, you look around at the landscape of the NFL and the truth is we are not even in the same class as the top and middle thirds of the league.
The obvious answer is of course to blow it up and start over, but Dan Snyder does not deserve to make headlines in Week 5 and 6 by firing coaches and trying to "shake things up" to get it all turned around. He should be sentenced to a full season of having to sit and watch the results of his own handiwork. This is a situation he built himself. To fire a guy like Zorn right now is patently unfair to the players and coaches. Why? Because it is entirely likely that this is the best they can do. And that is not their fault. That is the fault of the engineers of this team, the builders of this roster--the creators of the 2009 Washington Redskins. We all know who that is, and we all know who deserves to be fired. Since Snyder won't fire himself or Vinny Cerrato, it is unfair of him/them to hold a public execution of Jim Zorn. (Also, who in their right mind would walk into this shit-show right now and assume command of this ship?)
In the meantime, I look forward to the rerun they are playing this Sunday. It is the one where we (the Redskins) played our SIXTH STRAIGHT TEAM WITHOUT A WIN. Think about that for a second. Of course, the Giants were an opening day matchup so it is a bit of a stretch, yet still true. So, this team is 2-3...against that. There is a thin veil that separates us from 0-5...THIN. This veil separates us from being a winless team, but is still see-through enough for us to see our team for what they are. We have been calling for the Redskins to establish an identity. Is it possible that they have?
Just like Kramer coming into Jerry's apartment looking for food, just like Homer forsaking all else for a donut, just like Charlie having casual sex with the next in a long line of ridiculously hot women--the Redskins will stumble through yet another 60 minutes of football and I will be watching intently. Why? Because I'm a guy, and no matter how many times I see the same thing over and over again, I always think there is a chance...a chance that Kramer will bring over a bag of groceries, a chance that Homer will embrace dieting and exercise (with hilarious consequences), a chance that ABC will decide that full frontal nudity is okay and show us even more of Charlie's girl of the week--a chance that the Redskins will not leave a game to chance in the closing quarter of the game. If anyone outside this fan base looks at me or us funny for continuing to watch, they can look to my wife for the explanation: I am a big, dumb animal that is easily entertained and no matter how many times I see the same thing over and over, I refuse to think there is not a chance it could turn out differently.
Redskins News and Notes: Jim Zorn said earlier today that Chris Samuels will NOT play this week against the Chiefs. The expected starting right side will be Chad Rinehart at guard and Mike Williams at tackle. That leaves Heyer at left tackle it would seem. Help us Jebus.
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maybe
Samuels’ injury will have a silver lining. Maybe when Snyder sees Heyer, or whoever getting raped repeatedly, then looks on the other side and sees Mike Williams getting run by every time maybe, JUST MAYBE, Snyder will turn to Cerrato and say “Yo Vinny, I think we may need some O-line help.” And maybe Vinny will replay " Well Durgonnit Dan, I believe you may be on to something." And then maybe lil Danny will say “Well, gee whiz Vinny, you’re the team President. How come you didn’t see this before?” And then Vinny will say "Well Dan, it’s kinda hard for me to see ANYTHING with you JIZZ in MY MOUTH!! At which point Danny will fire him for not being able to multi-task.
At some point,
the Danny has to be smart enough to realize that his decisions are only hurting this team.
He has every right, of course, to run the franchise the way he sees fit. He’s the owner. But it’s unfair to the fan base to run the team into the ground, expensively.
I have a shrine dedicated to Mark Reynolds, wherein I keep his bobblehead, signed baseball, and jersey T-shirt.
Brilliant Sugar
Great intro, great perspective.
Making Danny suffer all season is completely what that bastard deserves.
The Offensive Line is Snyder's Fault
Well written
Granted, Zorn’s playcalling hasn’t been marvelous . Sometimes it has been questionable at best. But Zorn has nothing to work with here. Offensive line is horrible. Running backs overrated. Poor Receivers.
And then there’s Campbell. Don’t get me started on him. The guy can’t even throw a forward pass without accidentally fumbling.
Vinny needs to go. Snyder needs to go. We need to start over. From the top to the bottom. Snyder to the assistant coaches.
Time to start trading some of the older players for picks and young players. This team is going to need at least 4 years to become truly competitive again.
God help us when Philly , New York, and Dallas come to town. May the lord have mercy on us all.
by williamhudsonlink on Oct 12, 2009 1:58 PM EDT reply actions
sounds nice
Time to start trading some of the older players for picks and young players.
But the only team that gives up draft picks for washed up players is US.
We need
to just get anything we can get. Because right now we have very little. A team like the Patriots would take Portis for a stretch run. Don’t kid yourself. We have some bargaining chips. But we won’t use ’em.
by williamhudsonlink on Oct 12, 2009 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions
the Pats are the last team in the league that would give up draft picks for Portis
at least, anything above a 5th rounder
The Offensive Line is Snyder's Fault
kidding of course..
But we need to begin stockpiling as many picks as possible. You catch my drift.
by williamhudsonlink on Oct 12, 2009 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm not
disagreeing with you. I just don’t see the FO doing this. It goes completely opposite for everything they stand for.
We can't
throw in the towel. Not yet. They should make some depth moves for the line, try and adjust, but to wholesale the team after week 5 is dumb.
limited perspective
Looking at it from a ‘week 5’ perspective is very short sighted. Most of us aren’t just looking at this year, we’re looking at what has gone on for years and the mess it currently has us in. The OL has been ignored for years and years so now we’re at the point where half the starters aren’t good and the backups are worse. A team filled with good skill players will still have a losing record if their OL is as bad as ours. And the history of the FO is that next year the lowest round pick we get will be a QB, RB, or WR so the pain will go on and on.
In this league you can't really trade expensive vets for good picks
but I sure as hell would love us trading down every chance we get in order to just collect the most valuable/cost-effective picks: 2nd, 3rd and 4th rounders
The Offensive Line is Snyder's Fault
Doesn't trading a guy accelerate his cap hit?
Wouldn’t trading Portis cause a HUGE cap hit this season or the next? I guess it doesn’t matter if next year is uncapped but I thought when a player is traded the team trading him has all that players guaranteed money accelrated into 1 big Cap hit.
by BayAreaBullet on Oct 12, 2009 2:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes it does
Conceivably, with no cap next year, we could load up the accelerated money we would get hit with…this is my understanding.
For guys we would want back, we can even cut and re-sign immediately.
I would probably
be more happy doing that than trying to “reload” again for another mediocre season. I think it would be easier to cheer for a team of young guys who are out to prove themselves then for a bunch of veterans who are either past, or nearly past their prime, don’t go full tilt all the time, bicker with each other, an STILL end up 2-3 after playing five 0-fers. If we were 2-3 with a team of guys nobody outside of DC has heard of but who are trying to show they belong in this league, I wouldn’t be upset. But we have some of the highest paid players at their positions, and the results aren’t enough.
+1000
That’s exactly how I feel. I’m sick of watching the over paid and under achieving free agents.
Picks would be nice
But who would pick them. Cerrato? That’s the problem.
by monk81 on Oct 12, 2009 4:22 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
if we're lucky
Zorn will punch him dead in the mouth all the while screaming “You set me up!!” while Orakpo and Jarmon rush from either side of Zorn to finish the job.
I'm to young to Die Danny...don't make me do it tomorrow....
Sad as it is...but True
Although Kudo’s because I did not know where you were going to go with that..excellent spot!
a chance that ABC will decide that full frontal nudity is okay and show us even more of Charlie’s girl of the weekIt’ll happen soon
but back to Football and CJ’s thoughts
KC plays a 3-4 defense, the line could actually hold together
Game is at home so to keep everything even and to become 3-3, 0-3 on road 3-0 at home
The team is just as medium as Zorn, see 8-8 record again…say it slowly…M-E-D-I-U-M it’s what it is…
which means
watching other teams in the play offs. I can’t get excited about that – I’d rather have a 4-12 team that knows it’s rebuilding so it can someday be good than yet more 8-8 years.
Thanks for that Sug
I'm to young to Die Danny...don't make me do it tomorrow....
Jim Zorn said earlier today that Chris Samuels will NOT play this week against the Chiefs. The expected starting right side will be Chad Rinehart at guard and Mike Williams at tackle. That leaves Heyer at left tackle it would seem. Help us Jebus.
So its not really a re-run… more like an ill-advised spin-off, like “Joey” and “the Cleveland Show.” Everyone knows that its not going to work from the beginning, and it usually ends up ruining a number of careers. Gentlemen, your 2009 Washington Redskins.
Great Article
You just summed up the entire Redskin Nation. Otherwise rational people (for the most part) partaking in a competely irrational response. How can we support this team that Snyder has decimated, but how can we not? Only in America!
HTTR
Singletary reviews film, prepares for butt-kickings
Zornie- we have improved!!!! Stay medium!!!! I’m hurting :(
wow. just wow.
+1
It’s about all we can do at this point in the season.
yeah we should have been bringing in O-line all season
and seeing if something sticks.
by BayAreaBullet on Oct 12, 2009 8:02 PM EDT up reply actions
been saying that for awhile
Tauscher just re-upped with Green Bay. He would’ve been nice. Still don’t know about Levi Jones. I would’ve rather signed one of those guys than a 6th runningback who never sees the field.
because
Danny and VC would sign them for a lot of money and a multi year deal. No thanks, hold out and get some quality (lower round) youths in the draft.
Look at our Offensive Line
It is in complete shambles. Probably the worst starting line in football next to the Kansas City Chiefs, oh yeah we are playing them aren’t we. Honestly, I’m going to harp on this again, if we would have taken one WR and two O-linemen instead of Fred Davis and Devin Thomas, our offense could be tremendously better today. Two o-linemen in the second round of a draft can drastically improve an offense. In fact, I argue that o-linemen make a bigger impact on an offense than a WR. Why? Because they are in there on every play, passing or running, the o-line and QB are the only players truly engaged in every single offensive play. Instead we take two WRs and a TE. Those players combined see maybe 10 targets a game, 15 tops. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out we need to spend most of our draft picks on O-linemen. Portis would be better, Campbell would be better, and our WRs may even show improvement with a better o-line. But this team neglects the most important thing in NFL football, the o-line. Where every play begins. You can’t have a playbook without an o-line. You can’t throw deep balls without an o-line. And you damn sure can’t run the ball without an o-line. Damn these fools (vinny and danny) to hell!!
Yes. O-line is the most important unit on a football team. Even more important than D-line.
Redskins are toast this season, and as the first commenter suggested, it’s a good thing Samuels went down because it will expose how bad the need is on the O line. Not that I wish injuries on Chris Samuels, who has been a good player, but he is not the future and this line has no hope.
I feel bad for Zorn. There is nothing any coach could do with this roster.
Both lines are equally important IMO
D-lines won Super Bowls for the Steelers and Giants the last 2 years. The storyline all season for those teams was that they had really bad O-lines but they were able to gut it out and their pass rush took them all the way. Not saying O-line is less important just saying winning teams build from both lines.
by BayAreaBullet on Oct 12, 2009 8:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Correction
I think the Giants have 3-probowlers on their O-line. Probably one of the best in football. I don’t know the Steelers line all that well though.
I don't feel bad for Zorn at all
The saftey was Zorn’s fault b/c he called a sweep in the endzone. It is a 17-17 game otherwise. The 4th and 3 slant call to Moss was a joke. He had the fake slant pump and go setup by running it earlier in the game. They were expecting that play, the pump and go was wide open. Zorn is not helping himself, even with a bad OL roster.
Wrong, It's Heyer's Fault
Pay better attention to the game. Heyer got knocked back so far by Peppers that he forced Portis back to try and get around. It’s not the play call, it’s the O – line.
Here is the link to the play
Sweep right against 9 in the box. It is a bad call b/c you don’t run sweeps at the goal line due to risk and you can’t ask Heyer to get outside of Peppers then seam block him. Heyer didn’t run block Peppers all day, so what makes Zorn think this play is going to work? The Panthers have a slant left stunt called too, they knew what was coming…shocker. Play-action to Moss in single coverage with no help deep would be a good call here or a middle run behind your stronger blockers like Dock or Williams would at least be safer (and buy your new shaky punter more room).
by liger99 on Oct 13, 2009 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I agree
D line is important but easier to develop as they require fewer players, they don’t have to develop the timing with each other like the OL do, and blitz pickup is more difficult than blitzing. OL is much harder to develop.
Does taking longer to develop make the O-line more important?
And D-line doesn’t require less players. You need ATLEAST 3 solid pass rushers and 3 solid DT’s to rotate to have a decent D-line. And thats a minimum. You can’t have a good offense without an O-line. You can’t have a good defense without a good D-line. And you can’t be a succesful team without doing both fairly well.
by BayAreaBullet on Oct 13, 2009 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions
it does require fewer DL than OL per play
Look at just about every NFL roster and they’ll have more OL than DL. That’s because you only need 3 or 4 DL per play for DL and 5 OL per play. OL need backups too so that keeps them ahead in numbers of the DL who rotate. The reason DL rotate in and out and OL don’t is because there is less of a timing issue with DL. In fact coaches would probably rotate OL but that would mess up the timing they develop together. I’m not so sure it would matter with our OL. :P
A good DL is important too but we’re a lot closer with our DL than we are with our OL. If Orakpo and Jarmon can work in as ends then the only concern I’d have is finding someone for Griffin eventually as he’s been around quite a while.
my point was more D-line play in a given game than O-line
and that I don’t think either line is more important than the other. Also D-lines rotate more often because they expend more energy in pursuit than O-lines do. Thats why people always talk about wearing down a defense even though the Offense has played the same amount of plays. Obviously our D-line is in better shape now but that doesn’t mean O-line is more important from a football standpoint it just means we finally injected some youth into a line.
by BayAreaBullet on Oct 13, 2009 4:42 PM EDT up reply actions
now HOLD ON
Not saying O-line is less important just saying winning teams build from both lines.
You mean to tell me we CAN’T WIN with 14 receivers, 11 safeties, 8 runningbacks, 2 fullbacks, and a punter? Then what the hell has Cerrato been DOING all this time?
WE CAN'T?!?!
Gosh darnitt I was hoping having 6 and 7 WR sets would pan out one day, but you’ve just squashed Cerrato’s dream, and more importantly, you’ve squashed my dreams. Damn you CJ!
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