Zorn calls team "Soft"

Although I like Zorn here was my take....

Softness starts at the top as someone else said. Again I was not impressed with Zorn's play calling or schemeing. Wait I should preface by saying I know they supposedly don't scheme for preseason but they should start. Going into a game blind and hoping everything will work out is BS. Schemeing gives the coaches a chance to practice as well, it puts the team in a best situation to win, and they can pick the players they want to use on certain plays. The play calling from starters on down sucked.

I know Gibbs was all about not showing his hand as far as plays go and would be vanilla during preseason, then it would take 2-3 games for the team learn the plays Gibbs kept secret and work as a team. Other teams come out and play their game, use their plays in the playbook and the Skins don't. The plays other teams are using are good plays and the teams are saying this is us try and stop us knowing full well teams will have a hard time stopping them. Campbell and Zorn admitted they had only 50 plays last yr which by mid season I'm sure other teams figured out what we were doing. Supposedly according to Campbell we now have 130 plus.....where are they? I saw the same BS plays....screens, and 5-10 yrd passes. Especially when we needed 12-15 yrds.

Campbell had all day to throw, sometimes 5-7 seconds and no one to throw to? Who's coaching the WR's. On that note who's coaching the TE's and teaching ball controll? Ball controll is a fundamental skill.....someone forget to get back to basics in camp?

Our running game was our strong suit last yr and I was not impressed with any of the runs in the 1st preseason game. The blocking has got to get better or our passing will need to step up and be the staple of the team which we have not seen yet.

Defensively I'm not worried. I'm not sure what Blache was doing but game planning and schemeing was not there and of course AH will make a difference as well as Orakpo. It was painfully obvious they were letting certain players stay out for extended periods to experience but they look tired and needed to rest periodically. The defense got walked on in the 3rd and 4th quarter cause the same players stayed out there for the most part and the offense again went 3 and out quicker then a lightening strike.

I know it was preseason I'm just not impressed from the top down. Yet again.

and this completes the trifecta

I disagree. Even if your lost in the scheme or player responsibilty, go out there and knock someone down. Ravens ROOKIE Oher, in his first NFL game pancaked a few of our veterans. Our backups that have been on the team for a couple of years did not. Being physical is a combination of skill, confidance and desire. Our backups lack the last two.

His "pancake" of Wynn was a takedown and should have been called holding.

Looks like thing became less "soft" in an intense practice today, during which D.Hall and Marko mixed it up:
Redskins Insider - Hall, Mitchell Tangle in More Intense Practice (http://voices.washingtonpost.com/redskinsinsider/hall-mitchell-tangle-in-more-i.html)

Let's see how next game goes and see if they pick it up

His "pancake" of Wynn was a takedown and should have been called holding.

There was so much holding going on by the Ravens it was rediculous. Especially against Orakpo. Everytime he made it into the back field he was held and the Refs wouldn't call it. I counted a holding call on just about every running play the Ravens ran but no call. I'm not trying to be a sour puss cause even I know the Skins played bad but the holding was easily seen. and I also agree the "Pancake" of Wynn although impressive was or should have been if not holding then unsportsman like conduct. I was so happy to see the Raven walk off with a cut to his head for his stupid move.

and this completes the trifecta


Nice to see you could add to the discussion. Thanks. come again next week.

Nice to see you could add to the discussion. Thanks. come again next week.

Affirming someone's post is adding to the discussion. That is part of what a discussion is. Making a senseless criticism of a fellow board member, on the other hand, is not what I call adding to the discussion.

I'm torn on what Zorn did (because I want to like him - being, he IS the redskins head coach). If he did this to motivate his team, then I'm all for it. But I think it was wrong for him to call out his players (in the media) if he was just saying what was on his mind.

Personally, I'd give him the benefit of the doubt - but he's been known to be candid when it comes to talking to the media.

And for those that want to downplay Zorn calling his players "soft" (assuming it is his true opinion and not a motivation tactic) - it does start with the head coach first. Some of the responsibility should be put on the player to be aggressive and be ready to play, but when the lack of energy or readiness to play involves several players - then the majority of that blame and responsibility should fall on the head coach - whether it be "soft" practices or a lack of motivation from Zorn.

This is the billion dollar question for the skins. Is it the players not showing up or the system itself?

I think the answer also includes the structure and the strategy of the front office.

That's a great point. I was thinking about this the other day -- define our offense. Can anyone do it?

Are we a running team? Portis' number of carries would suggest so, but that's not how a 'West Coast' offense typically operates. Then we have Jason Campbell as our quarterback who has a cannon for an arm. He did nothing but throw ICBMs downfield at Auburn which is what fit Joe Gibbs' offense best. Then last year we go out and draft three pass catchers in our first round.

I get the feeling that the players don't really know what their true identity is as an offense. And maybe Zorn doesn't either.

Affirming someone's post is adding to the discussion. That is part of what a discussion is. Making a senseless criticism of a fellow board member, on the other hand, is not what I call adding to the discussion.

I'm sorry I must have missed the "affirmation" when he wrote ...

"and this completes the trifecta."

Since it does not appear he's "affirming" anything I wrote I presume it is some sort of sarcastic joke that I didn't get, but it makes me happy someone understood it;) Keep on "Affirming."