Mike Shanahan and the Redskins: Has Daniel Snyder Learned Anything?

I awoke yesterday to the news that Redskins de facto general manager Vinny Cerrato had resigned, and almost immediately after heard the word that Bruce Allen would be taking over as the actual general manager.

No doubt, I was excited for the franchise. It’s no secret that I’ve long thought that while Vinny was a decent talent evaluator that he was a poor roster manager and a change needed to be made at the top.

Allen, whose actual title is Vice President/General Manager, may have had a middling record in Tampa, but is an instant upgrade over Cerrato, who only has had one playoff win to his credit this decade (and that when he was subservient to Joe Gibbs).

The new rumors are giving me some pause, though.

It seems the Redskins aren’t done. Multiple websites report rumors that the Vinny-for-Allen swap wasn’t (to borrow a baseball term) the close, but merely the setup.

Washington’s apparently deep in negotiations to hire Mike Shanahan as its President/Head Coach, if you believe these rumors (which have been on-again, off-again for weeks).

We’ll get to Shanahan’s credentials in a minute. Many of these same reports insinuate that Shanahan would not sign on to the burgundy and gold while Cerrato still held the reigns, and that Thursday’s activities were merely to appease the former Bronco coach.

While I have no problem with a front office change during the season (check out yesterday’s column for my reasoning on this), I think that negotiating to hire a new head coach while you have one in place is plain despicable.

Jim Zorn has had his fair share of struggles. It’s clear that he was not the man to call the offense, given its improvement since his departure. He probably isn’t the coach of the future of this team, or even an average head coach at all.

But he doesn’t deserve this. The man has been classy all throughout this trying season, keeping any problems he has to himself and getting his team to play hard week in and week out.

If you’re going to make a change, man up and make the change.

This isn’t the first time this season this has happened. Simply put, the team should have fired Zorn when they decided to replace him as offensive coordinator, or they should not have made the change at all.

They essentially cut off all of Zorn’s authority and credibility as a head coach when this happened. Though the team has improved, I doubt the situation inside Redskin Park has improved much.

I also question the part of Mike Shanahan here to negotiate for this job while Zorn is still in place.

In order to be a good team, you have to have good character people. While a group of talented but selfish individuals might occasionally challenge and even win a championship under the right circumstances, it’s rare and more often than not, these are the franchises watching the playoffs from their couch.

What kind of message does this send to your new team, Coach Shanahan, and how can you possibly preach teamwork and sacrifice when you come in under these circumstances?

As far as the coach himself, it seems that he will be given total control of the franchise, the way that Joe Gibbs had it, given his expected title of president and Allen’s of vice president.

Shanahan is certainly a big name who will probably command a heck of a salary ($10 million, perhaps?). But is he the right guy? While his teams were perennially in the playoffs, he hadn’t managed to win a Super Bowl without a quarterback named John Elway. In recent years, the Broncos had done okay, but seldom were above average.

In their first season away from Shanahan, the team overhauled its roster and opened the season with six straight wins. Is this a credit to new head coach Josh McDaniels, or does this tell us that Shanahan was simply an average coach who had won a couple of Super Bowls 10-plus years ago?

All of this isn’t the real problem, however. The real problem is it appears that Redskins owner Dan Snyder has not learned his lesson, after all.

Consider Snyder’s record. His first hire is a total control coach in Marty Schottenheimer, who lasted a season. Then he gives Cerrato control over the roster and hires a former NFL quarterback with no interest in front office work in Steve Spurrier to coach. Two seasons later, he hires a total control coach in Joe Gibbs. Four years after that, he gives Cerrato the roster reigns and hires a former NFL quarterback with no interest in front office work in Jim Zorn to coach.

Follow the pattern: two years later, he hires a total control coach in Mike Shanahan (if you believe the rumors).

So continues the bi-polarity of Dan Snyder as Redskins owner; make a mistake, go to the polar opposite and try that for a while. He’s always a big name coach, or a big name free agent or a movie star away from contention.

Who wants to take bets as to how long Shanahan lasts before Snyder decides he wants to try his hand at running the team again?

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The Audacity of Hope and How the Washington Redskins Might Become Green

The Redskins near-win against the New Orleans Saints is both encouraging and worrying.

It’s encouraging because the team showed what many of us knew to be true—given competent play-calling and time, the team would improve enough over the course of the season that it would be ready to contend with the best in the NFL by year’s end.

While many things have gone wrong for the Redskins this season, including a litany of injuries and incredibly short-sighted roster management, the team does appear to be improving and quarterback Jason Campbell seems to be coming into his own (last minute interception notwithstanding).

It’s worrying because the powers that be might decide that the team is on the right track; enough so that they choose to maintain something of the status quo, rather than gutting and rebuilding on a significantly more solid foundation.

The powers that be in this scenario are simply the power when it comes to the Redskins—owner Daniel Snyder.

Snyder, despite or because of his many faults, has been exceedingly loyal (to a fault) to de facto general manager Vinny Cerrato. Indeed, it was Cerrato who pitched Snyder the west coast offense in lieu of the Joe Gibbs’ vertical offense two years ago when the Redskin legend retired for the second time. It was Cerrato who chose head coach Jim Zorn over many more qualified candidates to achieve this end.

It was also Cerrato whose mismanagement has led the Redskins to the 3-9 record they’re currently saddled with, and it was to be Cerrato’s head on a platter as payment for this record. Rumors had it that Snyder was going to give Cerrato the axe, and might actually go and hire a legitimate general manager or hand total control to someone like former Pittsburgh head coach and perennial contender Bill Cowher.

Until three weeks ago.

Though the Redskins have seen three consecutive losses, all three of these losses were in incredibly close, incredibly competitive, games with playoff contenders and one (the Saints) with an unblemished record.

If the team continues in such a vein, it could provide Cerrato and his beloved west coast offense with a stay of execution. Cerrato would then likely be placed in charge of the team’s head coaching search, as there’s very little chance that even running the table could save Zorn.

In order to preach continuity, we could see the team make disastrous moves like they did last time—hire (or in this case, retain) coordinators Sherm Lewis and Greg Blache, before they choose a top man.

No matter what you think of Lewis and Blache, Zorn’s hiring should prove conclusively that no organization should begin to hire coaches until the head man is in place. Once the team hired Zorn as the offensive coordinator and named Blache the defensive coordinator, they spun their wheels for two weeks before finally having to anoint Zorn the second coming of Bill Walsh…simply because no one else was willing to take the job.

In this case, the team could ill afford another search; even the most loyal fans might be fleeing the ship like rats off the Titanic at that point. However, if these were the coordinators the team wanted, they would need a head coach with significant enough cache to give hope to the huddled masses at FedEx Field, but perhaps desperate enough for another chance in the NFL.

Someone, perhaps, like Denny Green.

Green, who coached in the fledgling UFL in 2009, would be the most logical choice in this strange scenario. He has a history with Lewis and has run a defense similar to Blache’s. He’s a big enough name that fans will have heard of him, and after a season in the UFL, he might be willing to put up with having his coordinators chosen for him.

Who knows? Such a staff could actually make the thing work. But, more than likely, it’s a recipe for mediocrity. Cerrato would still be at the controls, with Snyder pulling the strings in the background and not enough force of will from the coaching staff to do anything about it.

This is the audacity of hope for the 2009 Washington Redskins, a conundrum of epic proportions.

We’ll see what happens in four weeks.

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2010 Washington Redskins: Defending the Defensive Line

Barring a remarkable turnaround, the 2009 Washington Redskins season is basically over. In the first of a series of articles, I look towards 2010, when the team is expected to have a new head coach, potentially a new general manager, and a whole host of new players.

This week, I evaluate the Redskins’ defensive line.

There are a lot of positions on the Redskins that might need some revamping or outright overhauling for the 2010 season.

The good news is, the defensive line isn’t one of them.

The unit hasn’t looked its best this season, ranking near the bottom of the league in rushing yards, but this is more because of the random combination of ill-timed blitzing with a secondary that doesn’t come within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage.

With a lack of support in the secondary and the second-level, the team is highly susceptible to draws and delays in the running game.

Working from the inside out, the obvious place to start is with the $100 million man, Albert Haynesworth.

Haynesworth has not been worth the huge sums of money paid out to him, but how could he be? Only quarterbacks have the potential to have a nine-figure effect on the game, and there aren’t many of those, either.

For those paying attention, Haynesworth has been quietly doing a good job all season. Despite missing some plays and series due to poor conditioning, Haynesworth consistently gets pressure and draws double-teams, freeing up edge rushers Andre Carter and Brian Orakpo to up their sack production.

Carter surpassed his entire 2008 production in a half season, and Orakpo is a Rookie of the Year candidate.

Playing next to Haynesworth is stalwart Cornelius Griffin. Griffin is an aging veteran who still has a couple of years left in the tank. He’s one of the team’s most consistent defenders, and does a great job stopping the run in the trenches.

With a defensive line rotation as deep as Washington’s, he should remain a consistent and productive player for the next few years.

Providing the immense depth at the defensive tackle spot are Lorenzo Alexander, Kendric Golston, and Anthony Montogmery. All are young players in their mid-20s, and all have seen plenty of playing time this season.

They will help provide a backbone of a strong defensive line for years to come, and one or all might be able to fill Griffin’s shoes if his productivity declines in the next few years.

Manning the right end spot is Carter, who has proven to be a solid if somewhat unspectacular pass-rusher.

While no one will mistake him for Dwight Freeney or Julius Peppers, Carter will get his share of sacks as part of this talented defensive line. He’s also big enough to be a factor in run support. Despite being on the wrong side of 30, he is showing no signs of slowing down yet.

One of the few inspired moves the Redskins have pulled off in the last few seasons is grabbing defensive end Jeremy Jarmon in the supplemental draft this past summer.

While Jarmon is not yet ready to be a full-time starter, the team’s youngest player is one of its brightest up-and-coming stars. He has the ability to pass rush and assist in run support. He can also play both tackle and end. He should hold down the left end position for years to come.

The current starter at that spot is Phillip Daniels, who remains somewhat productive despite his 36 years of age. If the team could get one more year out of him as a backup and mentor for Jarmon, they would be quite fortunate.

The only other end on the roster is Renaldo Wynn, and given the fact that he has been cut twice already this season and hasn’t been a factor at all, he likely will need to be replaced.

In short, the team will need to find a backup defensive end, and that’s about it.

The defensive line is certainly one of the few bright spots for a team approaching yet another tumultuous offseason.

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2010 Redskins: The Offensive Offensive Line

Barring a remarkable turnaround, the 2009 Washington Redskins season is basically over. In the first of a series of articles, I look toward 2010 when the team is expected to have a new head coach, potentially a new general manager and a whole host of new players.

Very seldom does a professional football team have a position or a group of positions that are as completely screwed as the offensive line of the Washington Redskins.

The unit has been completely neglected on the old school theory that good offensive linemen aren’t drafted, but coached up and made at the professional level.

No team has ever proved this theory as well as the Washington Redskins: the Hogs were largely unheralded lunch-pail players who were coached up by then and current offensive line coach Joe Bugel. They went on to form the backbone of three teams who won the Super Bowl with three different starting quarterbacks and three different starting running backs.

Flash forward to the 21st century. The Redskins have only drafted two offensive linemen in the last five years and have only taken one higher than the third round in the last ten. Only three of the Redskins linemen currently on the roster were actually drafted by the team and only one of those since 2003. Incidentally, Chad Rinehart, the lineman in question, can’t even crack this starting lineup.

Not only has this position been neglected for the future, but it’s also in poor shape today. Two of the team’s four starting quality offensive linemen are poised to retire; Randy Thomas due to age and injuries and Chris Samuels due to spinal stenosis. The remaining pair will both be on the wrong side of 30 before next season starts; while offensive linemen can play well into their 30’s, it tends to mean more injuries and missed games.

None of the remaining players have proven themselves trustworthy for a strong offensive line. The best of the rest has clearly been Levi Jones, who joined the team just three weeks ago. He was released from the Bengals following a multitude of injuries, but has done well thus far with the Redskins.

Mike Williams is another project with some potential upside. He was one of the feel-good stories of training camp, coming to the team after losing 100 pounds and spending three years outside the league. Though he battled injuries and inconsistency, he was beginning to come around before his recent injury, which could see him out for the next several weeks. At a minimum salary, he has shown enough flashes of potential and enough past talent to merit another shot.

Stephon Heyer, Will Montgomery, Chad Rinehart and D’Anthony Batiste are all players who have seen significant time or starts this season, and none of them would even challenge for a starting spot elsewhere and may not have even made the team. All will need to be replaced.

That leaves the team with two solid starters and two players who could potentially challenge for starting jobs…and that’s it. Four players where four times that will be needed for training camp, and nine to ten for the regular season.

And none in development.

To address the situation, the team will need to draft offensive linemen early and often next season AND address it with major signings in the free agent market.

Franchise left tackles are drafted; not signed. To that end, the Redskins will need to pick one up with their first round pick. With Jones still in the fold, he could start in place of the new rookie if he shows slow development in OTAs, or move Jones to right tackle to compete there before training camp.

Washington should then follow up by grabbing a right guard in the second round, and then look for good utility linemen later in the draft; a center who can play guard and a guard/tackle as developmental projects.

This would limit the team’s exposure into free agency, where players tend to be overpaid and edging towards the downside of their careers. Still, the team would need to find an average guard who could push for playing time on the right side and a starting quality right tackle that has a season or two left in the tank to compete with Jones and Williams on the right edge. Throw in a couple more bargain free agents and the team might have something.

While many teams are inclined to start by drafting a quarterback in an overhaul, building the line makes most sense. Here are the three reasons why:

First, it takes a long time for five guys to agree on ordering pizza toppings, let alone getting in completely in sync to block.

Second, a team with Peyton Manning at quarterback and Barry Sanders at running back couldn’t do much behind the team’s current line and with no one currently in development, it’s not going to get better fast.

Third, if you do want to have a rookie quarterback, wouldn’t you want to protect that $80 million investment with the best body guards available?

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Bleacher Report Exclusive: An Interview With Karl Mecklenburg

Karl Mecklenburg was the 310th pick in the 1983 NFL draft, and wasn’t expected to last through training camp. He defied the odds and went on to a long and fruitful NFL career, retiring in 1995 with 79 sacks to his credit.

He defined versatility in the NFL, playing all seven defensive front positions, at times in the same game.

I got a chance to speak with Karl today about his life since the NFL, his new book, and his thoughts on the NFL today. He also shared some information about Super Bowl XXII, and why he thinks the Redskins beat the Broncos that day.

My questions are in bold; Karl’s responses follow in regular text.

What have you been doing since you retired from the NFL?
I am a motivational speaker. I travel around the country inspiring long-term positive change in teams and individuals. I talk about keys to success for associations, corporations, schools, and churches.

How did you begin your career as a motivational speaker?
I kind of got pushed into it. It’s interesting; a client of the local speaker’s bureau kept asking me to speak. I kept saying “No, I don’t do that,” and eventually they offered me enough money that I said “Yes, I do do that.” I went, and I loved it.

The thing I miss most from football is the adrenaline (the whole pre-game rush) and I get that when I get up there to speak. And I can do it on bad knees.

Did you give any consideration to a career in scouting or coaching when you retired from the NFL?
I thought about it briefly, but one of the reasons I retired is that I wanted to have more time with my family. Coaches and scouts have even less time with their families than players.

It was time for me to be home; I had two kids at the time and [have since] added a third.

I love the game. I loved playing. I love talking about it. I love watching it. But, at that time in my life, it wasn’t time to do that.

Tell us about the REACH foundation.
REACH is an acronym for Rewarding Experiences for All CHildren.

The REACH foundation is something that I’ve dreamed about doing for years. When I was playing, I was involved in [a lot of] charities. I looked at the underlying theme with all these charities I was involved with and they all involved kids.

Our top program right now is a reading program in the Denver public schools. This program [which is in elementary schools], kids are incentivized to read. When they read 100 minutes a week throughout the reading period, they get a pizza certificate, or some other sort of incentive.

When they are [among] the top two readers at their school, they get invited down to a big event we have in the spring every year at Invesco Field. The mayor spoke at it one year. [The kids] get all kind of presents and accolades for reading.

Statistics say that 85 percent of all high school dropouts are functionally illiterate. [We need to] reach the kids in elementary school.

I have dyslexia myself; reading was not easy for me. But it’s opened so many doors down the line. I know that if you just stick with it, you have a chance to be successful.

 

Tell us about your book.
The book is Heart of a Student Athlete: All-Pro Advice for Competitors and their Families.

One of the things I talk about when I’m out speaking is having the courage to try new things. I had a book; it was ghost-written back when I was playing in 1987, but this is the first book I’ve written. It was a challenge [especially] with the dyslexia and with my schedule speaking. But I worked at it.

My speaking business is about inspiring long-term change. That long-term piece is always a challenge. When you’re a key-note speaker, you talk with a group for an hour, and they get all fired up and have some great take-home ideas.

But I know six months later that they don’t remember what I said exactly. But the book will allow them to go back and refresh their memories about the stories that I used and bring it all back. That was [one part] of the impetus.

The other part was I have coached a lot. I’ve coached high school, girls soccer, t-ball and all kinds of stuff for my kids. Young families have been coming up to me all through the years and asking me, “How do we get our kids to the next level?”

Everyone has dreams of a college scholarship and a professional career and that type of thing. I think there’s a huge misunderstanding about a parent’s role in a child’s advancement, and the child’s role too.

There’s so much information out there about various workouts and diets and such; all this peripheral stuff that really comes down to teamwork, courage, dedication, desire, honesty and forgiveness. These are the universal, unchanging keys to success that the kids need to apply.

What can today’s student athletes learn from your life experiences?
First of all, [they need to learn] that they are in control of their own destinies and that it’s not all about talent. You’ve [seen] my keys to success; talent wasn’t one of them.

I wasn’t a very gifted athlete, especially as a child. There are so many other factors that enter into your ability to be successful. If it’s a passion, if it’s a mission, don’t give up.

[When] I was a junior in high school, I played JV football and was cut from basketball and cut from baseball. As a senior, I was an all-state player, but I was still considered too small to play major college football.

So I went to Augustana College, a Division II school in South Dakota, on a one-third scholarship. After two years, they took that away.

Then I walked on at Minnesota. I earned a scholarship, but then I had an injury and they tried to take that scholarship away.

I was the 310th pick of the NFL draft and [wasn’t] anyone that people expected to make it [in the NFL]. If you believe in yourself and it’s a passion and a mission of yours, there’s a chance that you can make it, but you have to believe that you can make it.

What are your thoughts on today’s NFL?
It’s a great game.

Truthfully, if you look at the teams that are successful, those keys to success that I’ve talked about are there. The teams that end up successful year after year are built around a structure of teamwork and leadership, much more so than just talent.

I know that out there in Washington, D.C. they keep bringing in talent [via] free agency. Year after year, they keep bringing in the same type of guys who seem to be more concerned about themselves than about the team. When that happens, you’re not going to be successful.

When you have players who are more concerned about the team, when it’s all about we instead of me, then you have a chance to be successful.

Are there any players in the NFL right now who stand out to you as exceptional role models?
There’s a lot of them. The NFL is full of role models.

Unfortunately, the press seems to focus on the wrong things, on the guys who make the mistakes.

When parents and young athletes look at the newspaper they read about the guys who are in trouble with the law, or who is dating Jessica Simpson or crazy stuff like that.

[But] 90% of the guys have the kind of qualities that you wish your child would emulate, but that’s not in the news.

[For example, if I were to] go speak at a church or a school, it’s not in the news. [But if I were to] get a DUI driving home from one of those things, it would be everywhere.

That’s unfortunate, because there are great guys [in the NFL]; guys that you would love to have as a neighbor or a friend and as an example to your young athletes.

 

You are a member of the Broncos Alumni Association; how much interaction do you have with the team today?
I don’t [have much interaction]. I am asked to do some marketing stuff with the team, but it’s all outside of the actual [players].

I’ve spoken at chapel sometimes, so I’ve met a few of the guys. But they have 30 new guys this year so a lot of the guys I was speaking to are gone.

 

Do you think these Broncos have a chance to take on teams like the Colts and the Patriots in the AFC?
I think they do. Obviously there are peaks and valleys in an NFL team’s season. Baltimore and Pittsburgh pointed out some challenges with the team, and everybody copies everybody else.

Everyone will look at film [of those games, as I’m sure] the Redskins did, and they will see where those weaknesses lie and exploit them. You have to be able to adjust and fix those types of issues.

If it’s a personnel issue, if they just don’t have the guys to fill the roles, then the Broncos are in trouble.

But if it’s more of a scheme issue or if there’s a way they can put a backup in and straighten it out, then they’ve got a chance. Obviously they’ve beaten the Patriots already this year, so yes, they can compete.

 

Do you have any hard feelings against the Redskins from the Super Bowl?
Not at all. When you get a chance to read the book, I have a section in the book about that Super Bowl. That was our fault. When you’re playing 10 on 11 (**see below**), it’s pretty tough, no matter how good you are, and they came out and played well.

Coach Gibbs had a great plan with the counter tre and bringing the h-back over. We always played the counter tre the same way; it didn’t matter what defense were in.

The way we played it, the strong safety was always free. They brought the h-back over to take care of him and we didn’t adjust from there.

**In his book, Karl has a section on Super Bowl XXII with the Washington Redskins. He discusses how one of the defensive players froze, how Karl believes that it was possible the player was high on drugs during the game, and how the player did not make any adjustments to shut down the Redskins’ strong counter tre, so the team played 10 defensive players to the Redskins’ 11 that day. **

Who is going to win on Sunday; the Redskins or the Broncos?
I think the Broncos will win. The Broncos need this win more than the Redskins do. From what I’ve seen, the Redskins have all kinds of issues and things going on [including] Clinton Portis not being involved in the game.

[Portis is] kind of a wild-card. For some reason, when a player gets traded and then they play against their old team, they’re always playing at their best. He is a guy who has great talent; always has.

He’s had a bit of a lack of motivation at times, but he would definitely be motivated playing against the Broncos. It would have been very interesting to see how he would have reacted, especially playing them out there in DC.

For more information about Karl Mecklenburg, his speaking and to purchase Heart of a Student Athlete: All-Pro Advice for Competitors and their Families, visit www.studentathlete.us.

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Getting Defensive About the Redskins Defense

Much has been made of the impotence of the Washington Redskins offense this season. Frankly, I’m tired of writing about it. So I’m going to rant about the defense for a while.

Redskins defensive coordinator Greg Blache gets a lot of credit for a job well done on defense due to his high rankings (see below) on defense.

But should he?

The Redskins rank sixth overall in yards allowed per game, sandwiched between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New England Patriots. Pretty good company. Washington also tops the NFL in passing yards allowed per game. They’re also near the top in most red-zone categories.

The flip side here is the team ranks 25th overall in rushing, only a few yards ahead of juggernauts like Cleveland, Buffalo and Kansas City, allowing an eye-popping average of 126.4 yards per game.

Why the differential?

The fact of the matter is these stats exist because Blache is scared to death of allowing the big play. At the same time, the team loaded up on pass rushers in the front seven specifically so the team could produce more sacks.

If you watch the team closely on television, notice that by the time the ball is snapped, you will see 11 offensive players on screen going against seven in the burgundy and gold. That’s because the four defensive backs have backed way off the ball, with safety LaRon Landry dropping as far as 30 yards off the line of scrimmage.

With the Redskins determined to stay behind their receivers, they’re entirely susceptible to stops, hitches and inside slants; all the hallmarks of a short passing game that can be run by virtually any quarterback in the league (including Denver’s Kyle Orton). This is one school of thought; keep them in front of you and allow linebackers in space to make plays.

The theory doesn’t hold water for this team, who drafted a defensive end to play linebacker in the first round.

Brian Orakpo rushes the passer; that’s what he does best. Sure, he’ll cover someone here and there, just enough to prove he can do it. But he’s at home chasing down quarterbacks in the backfield.

London Fletcher, the team’s middle backer, is stout despite his size in the middle. Playing behind a beast of a pass rusher like Albert Haynesworth, he often is asked to step up towards the line of scrimmage to assist with covering gaps and rushers coming straight up the gut.

If the team blitzes Orakpo and pushes Fletcher towards the line of scrimmage while sending four defensive backs 15-20 yards back in coverage, that leaves a whole wide open expanse of space in the second level, five-10 yards off the line of scrimmage, and only linebacker Rocky MacIntosh to cover it all, from sideline to sideline…if he’s not covering the tight end.

Thus the short passing plays. Any team can dink and dunk their way down the field against the Redskins.

But why the poor rushing stats?

Again, the team is built for the pass rush. If you’re going to be aggressive and blitz a lot, your penetrating defensive linemen are going to over-pursue and wind up behind the ball carrier. We saw this a lot against Atlanta, they even called a variety of draws and shovel passes designed to allow the pass rush in and outlet the running back.

Opposing rushers get past the line of scrimmage and into that wide expanse of space behind it; throw a spin move on Fletcher and it’s off to the races. While the team’s defensive backs are speedy, it takes anyone a second or two to change direction and sprint towards the ball.

Why is the team so successful in the red-zone?

Simple: Blache can’t back his secondary that far off the ball. He’s forced to play everyone near the line of scrimmage. When the defensive backs are allowed to cover near where the play is actually going on, the team does quite well—more often than not forcing field goals.

Blache also seems to be ignoring the fundamentals when it comes to his defensive backs, since most of them seem to be poor tacklers. Man-to-man corners such as DeAngelo Hall are generally notoriously poor tacklers (all-world CB Deion Sanders was one of the worst). But when you see big hitters like LaRon Landry attempt to roll-tackle, you know the defensive backs aren’t doing a lot of take-on drills in practice.

It’s easy to pin this on defensive backs coach Jerry Gray, and he certainly deserves some of the blame. But as the defensive coordinator, Blache should be putting all of his defensive players through take-on and tackling drills regularly.

The frustrating part of the defense when compared to the offensive struggles is (a) the defense is significantly more talented than the offense, (b) it has received more of the team’s attention and (c) it has been relatively injury free.

Like the offense, however, it suffers from poor play-calling and, it seems, an unfortunate and complete lack of attention to detail.

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The Case For Jason Campbell

Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell is a riddle wrapped in an enigma.

There are some things everyone can agree on regarding the former Auburn signal-caller. Campbell is poised in the pocket, has a cannon for a right arm, has good feet, and is one of the classiest players in the NFL.

Good feet considered, Campbell has still yet to find a foothold in the NFL, and this is where the Jason situation gets dicey.

Campbell has been through three offensive systems during his four years as a starting quarterback, the last two being virtual polar opposites of each other. Despite this, his numbers have always been good, and he holds superior career statistics in completion percentage and touchdown to interception ratio.

The problem is, he never seems to make the big throws when they’re needed. With Campbell, there never seems to be a sense of urgency, nor the rah-rah attitude that’s associated with names like Brady, Favre or Manning (the elder, anyway).

None of this has translated into wins, and this is where the debate rages: Who is to blame, the player or the team?

There’s little consensus on this, even among the so-called experts. Many blame the system—they say Campbell isn’t a natural in the West Coast. Many blame the offensive line which, at its best, has been atrocious in 2009.

Still, others—most recently notable former QB collector Jon Gruden—have lambasted Campbell on air. Gruden made some interesting, if conflicting, comments regarding Campbell’s play during last Monday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Gruden both accused Campbell of rushing his progression and not stepping up into the pocket due to a lack of trust in his offensive line (well, duh…) and taking an extra half second to make his reads, often resulting in late throws.

Let’s pass on the offensive line comments; how could anyone trust that human piece of Swiss cheese?

Campbell’s reads are often coming late, almost like he’s still taking time to think and can’t rely solely on instinct. Combine this with what we heard about Zorn severely limiting his playbook last season and one question becomes clear.

How smart is Jason Campbell?

Football smart isn’t the same as actual smart; just ask former Redskin (and big-time QB bust) Heath Shuler. Shuler has been a successful businessman ever since he was a teenager, owning car washes by age 16, and is now in the US Congress (though this is not an indication of anyone’s intelligence).

Shuler also could never learn to read a defense. He was only successful in college because he was never asked to read more than half the field, and often his receivers simply ran under Shuler’s accurate deep ball.

Campbell is not nearly as extreme an example, but despite his team’s struggles and lack of continuity on the coaching staff, he should be farther along by now.

The other side of this is Campbell is simply not suited for the west coast offense. The WCO requires quicker reads, progressions and impeccable timing. Sound like a good fit for someone who has trouble pulling the trigger?

Don’t forget; Campbell was drafted to fit the Joe Gibbs/Al Saunders power-running/vertical passing offense. In a vertical game, Campbell would be afforded his extra half a second of reads, simply because it takes that much longer for his receivers to run 20 yards instead of seven to eight.

It also allows the field to open up more; Campbell takes care of his passes and is often reluctant to throw the ball into traffic. With the field further stretched out, Campbell can simply throw his balls over the traffic in the middle of the field and trust in his receivers to outdo the defenders for the ball.

Last question: How good would Jason Campbell and the Washington Redskins be if the team was still run by Gregg Williams and Al Saunders? (That one’s purely rhetorical).

Barring an incredibly dramatic turnaround, the Redskins will be completely rebuilding their offense in 2010 in yet another offensive system. With perhaps two viable starters, the offensive line is going to require the most attention which may (and should) preclude the team from drafting a quarterback with its first round pick. The team would then likely bring in a veteran signal-caller who is familiar with the system.

If Washington reinstates the vertical passing offense in 2010, Jason Campbell should be given a chance to compete for the starting job.

Campbell is in the final year of his contract but will not command a guaranteed starting job or a high salary on the open market. The team will likely be able to resign him to a more reasonable, shorter, incentive laden contract. That makes Campbell a low-risk/high-reward investment.

It’s likely Campbell won’t resign, given his history with the team and especially its owner, who has tried to replace him at least twice. But with the right offense, it may be his best shot at being a success in the National Football League.

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The Future of the Wasington Redskins

It’s the bye week in Washington and since we’re halfway through another Redskins season, it seems it’s time to talk about next year.

Here’s what we know: Head coach Jim Zorn will be fired. There’s very little question about that. Given the rumors that have been coming out of Ashburn in the past few weeks, it’s also very possible de facto GM Vinny Cerrato might be right behind him.

If this happens, this will be the biggest internal overhaul the team has experienced since 2002, when Marty Schottenheimer was shown the door after just one season. While there have been three head coaches since then, the constant has been Cerrato and his lackadaisical attitude toward low-round draft picks and bargain free agents.

This might also be owner Dan Snyder’s last chance with the Redskins fans. Though much of the fanbase is to-the-death loyal, another silly staffing season could lead to a full-scale revolt among the Redskin faithful from which the team might never recover. However, the right choices could potentially bring the team back to its winning ways quite quickly.

I am one of the biggest proponents in hiring good football people and letting them do their job. Anyone who thinks owners should be involved just needs to take a look at the Redskins over past decade under the rule of Snyder for cautionary tales. Despite this, however, there are some moves that I think would be hopeful signs from Redskin Park.

The Head Coach With Total Control Model

There’s long been debates as to which model leads to greater success: the general manager over the head coach, or the head coach who has total control. The simple fact is no rookie head coach is likely to ever get total control over a team’s football operations. If a team’s going with this model, it will be with a veteran head coach.

Save a surprise like Joe Gibbs coming back for round three, there are five experienced Super Bowl-winning head coaches looking for jobs: Bill Cowher, Mike Shanahan, Mike Holmgren, Brian Billick, and Jon Gruden.

None of the latter three should be given total control over a roster. Holmgren had the power in Seattle and did little with it, having the power stripped a few years into his tenure. Billick and Gruden never had the power, working for strong general managers in Ozzie Newsome and Bruce Allen, respectively. Neither have shown the interest in this, either.

If you believe the rumors, Mike Shanahan has been approached by the Redskins on up to three different occasions, and rebuffed the team each time. If Wade Phillips were to be replaced in Dallas, look for Shanahan to land there with similar power that Bill Parcells had. It would be a better fit to work with Jerry Jones than for Shanahan to get total control over another roster.

That leaves Bill Cowher. John Fox is likely gone in Carolina and look for Cowher, who has been lurking in North Carolina since his retirement, to snatch up that job. If not, don’t expect Cowher in D.C.

With Snyder’s poor reputation for intrusiveness, the Washington job simply can’t look attractive to him. That said, Snyder could simply hand over total control and eight figures a year to Cowher and he might give it a shot. You never know.

But know this: if the team hires a head coach other than Cowher or perhaps Shanahan (or someone like them) and gives them total control, cancel your season tickets.

General Manager Over Head Coach Model

This model is much more common in the NFL and much more likely to be employed during this offseason in Washington. If followed correctly, the team would hire a general manager, then the new GM would, in consultation with the ownership, hire the new head coach.

The new head coach would hire his new staff and the GM would likely purge much of the scouting and personnel staff following the draft and rebuild it with his own staff choices.

Anyone could speculate who would be good in this role, but without actually ever meeting these people, there’s no way to tell who would be a good fit for the job. Baltimore’s Phil Savage looked like a great hire in Cleveland, until it was discovered that he much preferred to do in-person scouting and lacked the political acumen to lead a team.

No matter what, Washington needs to hire someone from a proven winner, someone who can help change the culture of losing in Washington.

One of the team’s greatest problems has been lack of depth and this is due to Cerrato’s poor choices in bargain free agents and lack of long-term planning when it comes to its lower-round draft choices. A new general manager is going to need to execute much better roster management than the team has shown over the past several years.

The clear choice would be to hire someone from the Patriots; given their stellar record in the draft and free agency. However their front office has been largely cleaned out over the past few years, with recent hires in Kansas City and Atlanta. There could be another candidate there, but they may lack the seasoning and may not yet be ready to be handed a team.

Baltimore is another team that has done well with its draft choices. Cleveland has taken its past two general managers from the Ravens, with George Kokinis still in his first year. None have proven successful to date, but someone like college scouting director Eric DeCosta, a long-time Newsome lieutenant, would certainly garner a look.

The Steelers are yet another team with excellent roster management. The team very rarely signs high-priced free agents, eschewing this market and focusing almost all of its resources on the draft. What free agents they do sign are generally bargain-priced role players, some of whom eventually break out. Players generally stay in Pittsburgh once they’re there.

Pittsburgh has a tight-knit “Mom and Pop” operation that is unique in the NFL and brings a culture of confidence that can survive the loss of anyone, including high-priced free agents and even Bill Cowher. They rarely have any turnover as staffers, like players, tend to stay in Pittsburgh once they’re there.

If the team can’t land Cowher, perhaps there is someone inside Pittsburgh that would be willing to give Washington a shot. Kevin Colbert is likely ensconced, but people like Doug Whaley, Ron Hughes, or Mark Gorscak, all long-time Steeler lieutenants, might be good selections.

These three teams have been the most successful with their roster management over the past decade, and their six Super Bowl wins between them since 2000 are the proof in the pudding.

Head Coach

If it’s difficult to come up with a list of general manager candidates from the outside looking in, it’s damn near impossible to choose a head coach.

There are plenty of good coaches who work on teams that aren’t necessarily doing well for a variety of reasons, including bad roster management from on high, tough schedules, a litany of injuries, or just plain bad luck.

But one thing is clear: after the rudderless Jim Zorn years, the team needs to bring in a disciplinarian, a detail-oriented head coach with the leadership skills to grab the locker room right away and win over its veteran leadership.

The head coach/coordinator/position coach model is going the way of the dodo in the NFL. Washington itself has had two of these coaches, Steve Spurrier and Jim Zorn; not exactly names synonymous with winning in the nation’s capital.

Another bad way to go would be to hire a “system” head coach, or a head coach that brings and installs a specific offensive/defensive system. Systems go in and out of vogue in the NFL, and a head coach that is sold on just one way to play football will be out on his ass as soon as someone figures out a way to beat that system.

Instead, the team should hire a head coach who is a general; but a general who will hire both an offensive and defensive coordinator who will bring their own systems with them.

If the head coach is a good fit, this setup will greatly reduce the turnover in Washington, which is what the Redskins need more than anything right now. The most successful head coaches aren’t affiliated with any specific system, and coordinators come and go as different systems rise and fall within the league.

Think of Jeff Fisher in Tennessee, who despite his poor season this year, is the longest tenured head coach in the NFL right now, and how many offensive and defensive coordinators he’s gone through. Cowher had several on both sides in Pittsburgh.

There are any number of candidates who might fit this bill, but the team needs to consider the recent Baltimore head coaching search, when they hired John Harbaugh, a special teams coordinator. Special teams coordinators are detail-oriented disciplinarians by nature, and many go overlooked. The team might find many diamonds in the rough in this area, where the stables of offensive/defensive coordinators may not be as full.

The Roster

Whoever the next leaders of the front office and coaching staffs are, they have a lot of questions ahead of them with regards to the roster.

Washington’s roster is actually fairly talented, but also rapidly aging. Assuming a deal is reached to prevent an uncapped 2010 and the current salary-cap/free agent system stand, the team will face a challenging question: Should the new staff go through a roster purge and start from scratch, or try to use what it has and make a quick push to the playoffs?

One of the greatest reasons to not hire a system head coach is the coaching staff would be better adaptable to the talent that’s already on the team. The staff wouldn’t need to necessarily bring in its “own” people.

The defense is largely talented and should be kept together. Each position has a viable starter and some depth. A coordinator in the Gregg Williams/Jim Johnson mold who would bring a high-pressure man-to-man system could walk in and have success with the squad right away with few changes.

The offense is another story.

Up front, the squad is a complete mess. The offensive line has been neglected for years and opened the season with only four viable starters, two of whom (Chris Samuels and Randy Thomas) are out for the season and likely to retire.

Washington also lacks a viable quarterback and second receiver. Fullback Mike Sellers has seen better days and probably needs to be replaced, as does backup running back Ladell Betts. Clinton Portis, the team’s starter in the backfield, hasn’t looked good this season due to a variety of injuries and a poor line, but could still potentially be a solid starter with an improved team around him.

No matter what, at best, the team only has two starting offensive linemen, a running back, a first and third receiver and a tight end.

Any new front office will have to address the offensive line right off the bat. Depending on what the draft looks like, the team should use a minimum of two and perhaps three or even four draft choices on the offensive line.

With a likely top-10 pick, the team could grab a left-side replacement for Samuels, who, paired with left guard Derrick Dockery and center Casey Rabach, would solidify the left side of the line. A second-round pick at right tackle and a late-round pick at guard combined with a couple of key bargain free agent signings would get this unit back on its feet and solidify it for years.

These moves would likely be unpopular with the fans, since few tend to understand how important the offensive line is and would probably want a quarterback. However, despite recent rookie phenoms like Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan, rookie quarterbacks tend to struggle early and teams still need to acquire veteran backups just in case.

To this end, the new offensive coordinator should bring in the best available veteran to work with his system, and Jason Campbell should be re-signed. Obviously having someone who knows the system from day one would be beneficial to the entire team, even if they aren’t the most talented quarterback around.

Depending on whom you ask, Campbell is either a victim or the anti-Christ in Washington. Most can agree that Campbell has been somewhat short-changed in his tenure, and has shown flashes of ability. Bringing him back on a one or two-year, low-cost deal (which would be all he could get on the open market anyway) is a very low-risk move with a tremendous upside.

Plenty of teams in the NFL, both past and present, have done well with average or even mediocre quarterbacks. If neither QB caught on, the team could snag a signal-caller in the 2011 draft. Don’t forget about Colt Brennan, either.

A couple of bargain-priced free agents should be brought in at running back and wide receiver, respectively. Portis needs some better change of pace backs behind him no matter what, and a mid-round draft choice should be used as a potential replacement. Plenty of backs have come out of mid-to-late round choices and even rookie free agents, including Michael Turner, Terrell Davis, and Willie Parker.

Washington remains down on the dynamic duo of Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly, but seldom do receivers make dramatic impacts in the NFL before their third season. These two should definitely remain on the roster, but a new offensive coordinator needs to bring in a couple more guys who could fit the role as well.

With clear challenges to their jobs and better coaching, maybe the team will see why these two were drafted in the first place. If not, having someone serviceable in the position would be a nice change of pace.

Who the team gets to replace Sellers would be largely dependant on how the new offensive coordinator uses a fullback. Many role players, such as Rock Cartwright and Todd Yoder, may need to be replaced as well.

While those of us who have followed the Redskins under the Cerrato years are unaccustomed to this, there are such things as free agents who can be signed for less than $100 million and often are. These role players often come in and make smaller but immediate impacts in specific need positions. A good roster manager can potentially get many of these players in one strong offseason.

In Closing…

Lost in all the drama of the will-they-or-won’t-they with Jim Zorn and Vinny Cerrato is the deal that this team is only a few players away from being pretty good. A solid defense coupled with four or five new players on offense and strong leadership could get this team on its way again fairly quickly in 2010.

Sound like too much to hope for? Plenty of teams have done more in one offseason, including the recent examples of the Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons, and Baltimore Ravens.

The key here is Redskins owner Dan Snyder. Snyder is entering an offseason quite unlike one he has faced before, when any number of things can happen. We all know that Snyder is a smart and capable business man, but up until now, he’s had a lot to learn about how to run a professional football team.

Here’s hoping he’s learned his lessons from his mistakes.

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Breaking News: Redskins Zorn Relieved of Play-Calling Duties

Washington Redskins head coach Jim Zorn has relinquished his play-calling duties following Sunday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

According to reports from ESPN.com, Zorn will meet with defacto GM Vinny Cerato Monday, and the two will decide who will call the plays from here on out.

However, in a report from The Washington Post, offensive consultant Sherman Lewis is expected to be given the reigns to the struggling unit.

Lewis, the former offensive coordinator for Mike Holmgren in Green Bay, was brought on board just 12 days ago and had previously been out of the NFL for five years.

While rumors have been swirling around Zorn for weeks now, few if any speculated that he would be stripped of his play-calling duties; but actually get to remain head coach.

When hired in early 2008, it seemed that Zorn, who had no previous head coaching experience, had been brought to Washington for the sole purpose of installing and executing the West Coast offense.

In a separate report from ProFootballTalk, there is significant speculation that the fates of both Zorn and Cerato are tied together; meaning if one goes, the other won’t be far behind.

This could explain the surprising move to retain Zorn (for now), but strip him of his play-calling duties.

Much like when Zorn inserted Todd Collins and Ladell Betts for Jason Campbell and Clinton Portis, this may be a last ditch desperation play for Cerato to hold on to his job.

Given all the separate reports, it’s easy to be confused by what’s going on in Ashburn right now, and very little of it will likely be cleared up tomorrow.

However, if the Redskins continue their ways on Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles, things might become super clear super fast.

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A New Redskins Coach? Something To Talk About…

What a mess.

Always the most exciting team in March, the Redskins have all of a sudden become the NFL’s most-watched team in October…but not for the right reasons.

Washington head coach Jim Zorn will be fired. Of this there is no question. The only question is will it be after next Monday night’s game against Philadelphia, or at the end of the season.

Reports have already surfaced the team’s brain-trust was having internal discussions this week regarding potential interim coaches.

If the Redskins can somehow squeeze out a win against the Chiefs (and then no doubt get crushed by the Eagles), they will enter the bye week with a record of 3-4. Such a record isn’t necessarily the end of playoff hunt, but given the amazing difficulty of the back nine of the schedule, it’d be difficult at best to rally.

If the Washington brain-trust decides for option one and drops Zorn to the curb after the bye week, this will only be for one of two (or both) reasons: because they think someone else has a better chance, or because they want to openly interview other candidates.

It would be almost unprecedented for the team to rally, especially given its woeful offensive line status. But given that one of the biggest problems is the play-calling on both sides of the ball, it might be worth a shot.

One of the names who surfaced as a potential interim head coach was special teams coordinator Danny Smith. Special teams coaches are often overlooked gems in head coaching searches, and Smith might make a good one. He is known as a fiery disciplinarian, and if he has a touch of organizational skill, could very well make a better field general than Zorn.

With Smith as the head coach, the team will no doubt promote consultant Sherman Lewis to offensive coordinator. Given that Zorn runs the Mike Holmgren offense and Lewis ran that same offense for several seasons, this should be a relatively seamless transition. You almost have the feeling that’s what was considered when Lewis signed on in the first place.

The cure for a highly talented and expensive but under-performing defense might well be a more aggressive play-caller. Many Redskins fans have many pleasant thoughts thinking about what former defensive boss Gregg Williams would do with this group. How about one of his disciples? Under-utilized DB coach Jerry Gray would make a natural choice as a new defensive coordinator.

Washington certainly has a lot of problems, and they won’t all be fixed by a new coaching staff—no matter what Daniel Snyder and Vinny Cerato think. However, this group might actually be able to run the team as it’s assembled, and if they showed promise, might actually take consistency into the offseason.

With a bit of luck, a few new players and a renewed commitment to discipline, the team might actually be able to contend in 2010.

To make it clear, this isn’t something I’m trying to advocate. But it’s increasingly likely that a change will be made, and it’s something to think about.

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