Recap: Redskins vs Rams: Redskins Need a New Play-Caller

Another one of those games where a win feels like a loss. Redskins Nation seems to be split into two camps "a win is a win" and "this team can't blow out the Rams...time to call Shanahan." I'm in the middle. I do think it is time to strip Zorn of his play-calling. Am I the only one that thinks Zorn would be a great flag-football play-caller? Third and 5 in the red zone and you have Clinton Portis throwing the ball? When that play came into Jason Campbell, I can't imagine what his first reaction must have been. Do you think Zorn has a play in his playbook where the TE does a post over the middle...stops...does five jumping jacks (to freeze the safeties)...then goes deep?

I just don't get it. We drafted all these WRs to be our red zone guys, and we have Clinton Portis throwing the ball. At least TRY a fade. Pump fakes are a great tool to freeze a corner....didn't see any of those. I also question going for it on 4^th up TWO points with two minutes to go in the game. How about kick the field goal and force the Rams to score a TD...something they're not very good at! At this point, the Redskins are 2^nd to last in most points scored in the season...last place being St. Louis of course. Watching the game I feel as if Zorn is calling the plays to save his job.

Zorn thinking to himself: "Crap. I need to score a TD. Let's wow Mr. Snyder with this one...."

The Redskins offense is not going to blow any teams out, and we need to come to grips with that. The players took offense to the post-game booing, but what they need to realize is that false expectations have been set. All the interviews out of training camp were that the red shirts were going to step up this year, yet for a second straight game, they were playing hide and seek.

Continue reading this post >>

The defense was also suppose to be a turnover powerhouse with the additions of DeAngelo Hall and Albert Haynesworth, yet they are playing to their competition. The defense certainly is better, but we've been brain-washed to believe QBs will be leaving on stretchers and our defense will be scoring 2 touchdowns a game. Let's be real, the Redskins were not the best 4^th defense last year. How can you be the fourth best defense and rank almost last in the league in both turnovers and sacks? The Skins defense is currently ranked tied for 22nd with 2.0 sacks. What we need to remember is that we came into this season with a lot of hopes:

- Laron Landry would have a break out season
- Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly, and Fred Davis will make huge contributions
- Defense would be getting loads of sacks and multiple turnovers per game
- Campbell would step up being his his 2^nd year in the system
- Zorn will be more comfortable in his 2^nd year

All these were suppose to happen, and so far none of them have. We expected them to, but they're not, and of course Redskins fans are impatient as the best of them, which is going to result in a rain of boos. I've always made fun of Snyder for his knee-jerk decisions, so I want to be careful that I'm not doing the same when saying "Zorn needs to be stripped of play-calling." However, we need to remember that this is year two and major mistakes are being made. The coach should never be the one to cost a game, but I certainly feel like this is the case each week with several plays or poor clock management.

Zorn and Campbell did do some things right. If Mike Sellers and Devin Thomas catch those touchdown passes, we're all high-fiving and beer-bonging the Redskins kool-aid. Dropped passes happen though, and it's over-coming mistakes that make the difference. Sherman Smith, a former teammate of Zorn in Seattle, does not have a lot of experience as a play-caller either. Before joining the Redskins, Smith was a running backs coach with the Titans for twelve years. The Redskins need someone with experience either calling the plays or mentoring Zorn.

Looking at all these long, extended drives and time of possession statistics, it's baffling there were zero touchdowns scored. Everyone here on Hogs Haven, myself included, bashed all the outside power rankings where the Skins were ranked in the bottom ten. Looks like they might just be right. They're certainly closer. The fact the Skins can have lots of extended drives is encouraging. And one last point, I think by the end of the season we are going to look back at this game and say the Rams are a much better team than we thought. Spagnuolo made adjustments after the Seattle game, and the Rams played noticeably better.