How Long For Brunell?

Saunders offense doesn't allow for audibles.



ARTICLE: NFL Preview: Al Saunders on the attack for Redskins (The Virginian-Pilot - HamptonRoads.com/PilotOnline.com) (http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=110527&ran=150031)

Comparing that articles description of Saunders' vaunted offense, and the performance of the Redskins offense last night is a joke, just like this remark:

In 35-year-old Mark Brunell, Saunders saw a quarterback comparable to Green: smart enough to adjust to an attack predicated on reading defenses and precision timing.

Really? Where was the adjustment to the attack of nine in the box on a halfback dive play? And there are some contradictions, or perhaps just differences in verbage, but how are quarterbacks and receivers supposed to "adjust on the fly" without some type of cummunication? If it's supposed to be strictly based on instincts and timing, Brunell can't handle it at this point in his career. He may be a smart quarterback, but when his instincts tell him, "first option or give up", he's not the man to lead Saunders' complicated offense.

The offense is going to take a few weeks to really come together.

I think we saw some flashes last night. They'll improve, gotta be a little patient here. Still 15 games to go.

The offense is going to take a few weeks to really come together.

I think we saw some flashes last night. They'll improve, gotta be a little patient here. Still 15 games to go.

Just remember last season, people.

Compare the first half to the second half. I expect the same kind of turnaround, although I think it will be sooner.

In 3-4 weeks, we should be rolling.

The offense is going to take a few weeks to really come together.

I think we saw some flashes last night. They'll improve, gotta be a little patient here. Still 15 games to go.

I totally agree. I still think Brunell didn't give our WRs the best chance to get open last night. He was simply too content to make the safest play when a little bit more patience might have paid off. I think that will get fixed. I surely more concerned about a myriad of other issues.

I have been a supporter of Brunell since JG decided to bring him here, but as I said in one of my post after the first two preseason games, there are some things about his game that is becoming increasingly disturbing. Minnesota sat in a two deep zone most of last night and basically challenged Brunell to beat them with the deep ball knowing full well he's incapable. Granted, he does some things well, like not throwing INT and forcing the ball into coverage. However, there comes a time when the QB has to make plays, and that is espically true when the game is on the line. It would appear to me that when we need a play is when he's not at his best (except for the game in Dallas last year). Another poster mentioned earlier, Brunell has a tendency to stare down his primary and if he's covered he run's toward the sideline and throws the ball away. I can understand sometime your receivers are covered, but this seems to happen all to often with Brunell and I think it's because he has limited faith in his OL and dosen't want to get hit. If that's not the case then we're playing a flawed offense where the receivers can only get open a small persentage of the time. Another poster mentioned the players we brought in during the off-season to help on the outside and so far hasn't made a difference. Brandon Lloyd caught (what) one ball last night? It pains me when I think those guys have been here since the beginning of FA, plenty of time to work in the offense with such little production, and then I look at what McNabb and Stallworth did in their game sunday and they've only been together two weeks. I'm an eternal optomist and won't abandon ship but we must play better on both sides of the ball starting Sunday night. I'm not convinced we will fare any better against Dallas unless we play with a little more sense of urgency.
Pardon my rant fella's I just had to get this off.

I totally agree. I still think Brunell didn't give our WRs the best chance to get open last night. He was simply too content to make the safest play when a little bit more patience might have paid off. I think that will get fixed. I surely more concerned about a myriad of other issues.

I agree. Brunell is a good QB; he doesn't throw a bunch of picks and is smart. However, Brunell is not a great QB; he doesn't MAKE plays, he takes them. He can lead us to a Super Bowl, but everyone else has to bring their A game. I personally would like him to gamble a little bit more, at the risk of throwing an extra pick each game, if that means turning this offense into a dynamic one.

That said, I want to emphasize that he is a good QB, is our only realistic option at QB right now, and that I like him. If we start talking about sitting Brunell, we might as well "bench" this season too.

but how are quarterbacks and receivers supposed to "adjust on the fly" without some type of cummunication? If it's supposed to be strictly based on instincts and timing, Brunell can't handle it at this point in his career.

Not sure I agree with this. It's kind of a contradiction to say a veteran quarterback can no longer have instincts and timing in his game when this is normally a problem with rookies or other inexperienced quarterbacks. I find it hard to believe that a veteran quarterback, such as Brunell, loses such intangibles just because he's an older player. That is the cerebral part of the game, not physical.

The Washington Times did a great job summing up Brunell's performance:

It was many of the same problems the 35-year old left-hander experienced last season, when the defense led the Redskins into the second round of the playoffs. Brunell did not throw any interceptions and did not do anything in particular to lose the game, but he did not make any plays that could have been the difference.

The offense is going to take a few weeks to really come together.

I think we saw some flashes last night. They'll improve, gotta be a little patient here. Still 15 games to go.Matty'. Are you my conscious?
- from Finding Nemo

Bottom line is Johnson made plays while Brunell threw away the ball before looking for a second or third receiver. We need a QB who's not afraid to make a play and win the game. This "he's a great manager of the game" is overrated.
ur my new best friend...i agree 100 %