Should Gibbs Flip The Script: Passing Team Now?

Do you all remember the"run and shoot offense"? It sure got far didn't it? Maybe in college (University of Hawaii) but not in the pro's.

I dont want us to become much more of a passing team than a running team, remember our 2 high quality backs? However, I would like us to pass more, and keep it more 50/50 in our play calling.

JC is in his first full season starting and is looking pretty good, how much further along do you want him to be??

A few guys have touched on this so I hope I answer all your doubts.

Campbell is in his third year, the experience he's getting now should have started his first, even though he was allowed to start last season as well as the first half of this season Gibbs has held back the offense, we saw the same offense, and the same calls as we saw with Brunell, very conservative.

Only now that we are coming out and throwing and when I say throwing I mean down field not the usual 2 yard out pattern that Gibbs has been calling for the previous 3 seasons, are we able to start to see what Campbell is capable of, I think he was ready from the very start of this season to open up the passing game, I beleive we had 8 games of wasted time an experience for Campbell at the least. Take a look at the development of Cutler who is a year behind Campbell, as for Alex Smith? The guy looked very good last season when Norv was calling the plays, I wouldn't judge him under Nolan, I think we all are very aware of what kind of coach Nolan really is. I am not saying Campbell isn't on his way, all though I am very concerned by some of his decision making, in particular the INT late in the game when he could have probably ran it in for a TD, IMO there is no excuse for that, That play was all instinct, and he failed, will he make the right decision next time? I hope so! You have to do to learn and only in the last 2 games have we seen the offense start to open up, I would like to buy into the theory that Campbell wasnt ready but I haven't seen anything different since Gibbs arrived, I think from listening to a lot of the interviews of the players Moss, and Campbell in particular you hear a lot of comments like we can only do as much as the coaches allow us to do, is a subtle message to Gibbs that he is holding them back.

Over the past two weeks, we've all seen Jason Campbell get more comfortable running the offense and particularly take to the no-huddle offense. I've noticed two things happening in the process.

1. The offense seems to be much more in synch and in rythm. Campbell also seems to be on top of his reads more and hitting the open receiver. Also, we know one of Campbell's strong suits is his poise. This hurried fashion seems to suit his demeanor quite well.

2. I've also noticed the defense seems to be more on their heels in response to this style of play by the Skins. We're less predicatable and they can't situational substitute. It looks like we're even throwing more on first and second downs.

What I'm getting at is, and maybe this just me, should we become more pass oriented going forward. Not suggesting we abandon the run or not give Clinton his opportunities, but I think we may have tapped into something over the past two weeks; we can actually move the ball without eating up a lot of the clock, which in turn helps us manage the clock more effectively.

Should Gibbs/Saunders flip the script some and become a pass first offense? Is smash mouth football overrated and just something we're "trying too hard" to hang our hat on?

Just to be clear, I'm not suggesting we become Air Coryell and let Jason air it out 50 or even 40 times a game. But if this team is going to compete for the rest of the season and put up points, for that matter, the template from yesterday's game may be what the doctor ordered for the personnel we curently have.

Not with a $50 million running back we shouldnt become a passing team

I think you will start to see us really opening things up now. Gibbs has to look around the league and see what the real good teams are doing. He's stubborn as hell but I don't think he is stupid. We have got to start scoring more points. The goal can't be 21 or 24 points. He has to have the mindset to score 30 or more every week. And you don't do that in today's NFL playing smashmouth. I'm sorry but that stuff is out like bucket seats, or the mullet haircut.

I still like bucket seats, but never the Mullet. So why don't we compromise. I do not care how we do it; run or pass, return punts or kickoffs, scoop and score or pick 6. Hell, they could just kick 10 field goals a game for all I care. The goal is to put more points on the scoreboard than your opponent. I agree we need 30+ points a game. Just put the damn points up already.

What we've seen is classic Saunders playcalling. We still run a ton, but it isn't always at the expected time.

Everyone who thinks the offense has looked good these past few weeks owes Saunders an apology. In the spirit of the holidays, even if you don't mean it.