Playcalling

I'm a long time Gibbs fan and will continue to be one, however...Alot of the blame has to go toward conservative playcalling. The coaches need to mix it up a little. We've got talent. Let's face it, we've been beaten by better playcalling by our opponents this year. Throw some misdirection runs/plays in there instead of using basically the same rushing plays where Portis gains 2 yards. I'm sure Gibbs will make adjustments...

First of all, welcome to the board

I think you're right. The team is playing it very conservatively and that leaves little margin for error when you play so close to the vest. I don't know what the reasoning is-lack of confidence in the players, still adjusting to the playbook-whatever it is Gibbs doesn't seem to be willing many chances. It seems like he puts in wrinkles to the offense-Thrash in the backfield, Jacobs starting-but they seem more like a diversion than anything else.

I really would have liked a couple of play actions on those 3rd and shorts the other day. That pitch out to Betts was just a terrible call

Gibbs and Co will adjust. Took them 5 games the first go around, may take them >5 games this time. Time will tell.

Gibbs hates losing just as much as the rest of us, I think, and wants to turn it around. We, as fans, only know so much. We don't know what goes on during practices, meetings, etc at Redskins park, so we can't really judge the coaching completely on what goes on during the games (even thought that's when the W-L record gets determined).

We must wait it out and try to be patient in the face of all the crap we have to put up with in regards to co-workers, Cowboys fans, idiot relatives, and others that like to rub our faces in it.

I agree the system needs some tweaking.

Like I said in another thread I can't believe we haven't seen some 3 WR bunch sets. So far the passing game has been ultra-vanilla. With Gibbs studying some of the league's top offenses this offseason I can't believe we're seeing such a bare bones offense.

Perhaps he's trying to overcompensate for losing Jansen, or maybe the players on offense are struggling so much with the basics he doesn't feel they can handle some new wrinkles. Or maybe it's because we're always in 3rd and longs and we're forced into max protecting.

All I know is the offense has been putrid so far, something's gotta give.

The offense has been way too vanilla. It really doesn't look much different than preseason, when we were all saying it's vanilla, just wait till the regular season.
To hell with "simplifying the offense", for whatever the reason. These guys are professionals. A little confusion here and there is fine (even with a couple penalties) if they are less predictable and moving the ball down the field.....and scoring! Mix it up!!!

I think this thread run's us right back to the Brunell prob., how can you surprise a D, or keep them on their heel's if they know you can't throw down field, they don't have to know the exact play we are running, they do know we have to run or throw a short pass, the prob. is we are not running the west coast offense here, this offense is designed to throw the ball down field, the best deception on the football field offensivly is, keeping the defense in the dark on whether or not you are going to run or pass, that will keep them honest, right now the defenses are dictating to us, they know we can't pass so they play the run, we have to be able to dictate to the defense.

In the past I have seen Gibb's offense become stagnant, with reciever's like monk, and co., and every time it was the QB's play, the QB is so important to this offense, it's sink or swim, all or nothing, it's not that way with every offense in the league, but it is with Gibb's

I think Gibbs is depending too much on Portis's running in the same way that Spurrier depended on Ramsey's arm and both have had the same result. What is uncertain is why scale everything back when that has certainly made the offense one dimensional and predictable? These questions along with others will be answered during the bye week. Let's hope more sophisticated running plays are implemented with more RB's to help Portis.

I think this thread run's us right back to the Brunell prob., how can you surprise a D, or keep them on their heel's if they know you can't throw down field, they don't have to know the exact play we are running, they do know we have to run or throw a short pass, the prob. is we are not running the west coast offense here, this offense is designed to throw the ball down field, the best deception on the football field offensivly is, keeping the defense in the dark on whether or not you are going to run or pass, that will keep them honest, right now the defenses are dictating to us, they know we can't pass so they play the run, we have to be able to dictate to the defense.

In the past I have seen Gibb's offense become stagnant, with reciever's like monk, and co., and every time it was the QB's play, the QB is so important to this offense, it's sink or swim, all or nothing, it's not that way with every offense in the league, but it is with Gibb's


I don't want to pile on Brunell here, but I agree with this. Right now the Redskins are not stretching the field. The defenses are crowding the line of scrimmage and making it impossible to run the ball. We need to make them pay with big plays and we are not doing it. Nothing will change for that offense until the defenses start to believe that the Skins can beat them deep.

If Gibb's philosophy is to establish the play action pass off of the running game and we can all see there is a serious problem with Portis and the running game. I have heard a lot of explanations given by Portis and people who want him to be successful and it doesn't ignore the fact that he is not cutting back against the line and creating something out of nothing. Now the O line can be responsible for not opening holes but what it hasn't given up is a lot of sacks. It's not Gibb's system that's the problem it's Portis's inability to read defenses and adjust to the game. Tiki Barber has made his line look better than it is simply by reading the defense and hitting the hole or cutting back against the line. We know Brunell is at the end of his career, but much more is expected of Portis ever since he busted through the hole on opening day. Unforturnately his fumbles have contributed greatly to at least two losses.

I agree the system needs some tweaking.

Like I said in another thread I can't believe we haven't seen some 3 WR bunch sets. So far the passing game has been ultra-vanilla. With Gibbs studying some of the league's top offenses this offseason I can't believe we're seeing such a bare bones offense.

Perhaps he's trying to overcompensate for losing Jansen, or maybe the players on offense are struggling so much with the basics he doesn't feel they can handle some new wrinkles. Or maybe it's because we're always in 3rd and longs and we're forced into max protecting.

All I know is the offense has been putrid so far, something's gotta give.

Tweaking is an understatement. I really think Coach Gibbs needs to raise the bar and even if that means there are some delay of game penalties, we at least mix up the plays. Many of us mentioned the vanilla offense in preseason and thought this was a smoke screen. That's why we are frustrated with what we are seeing. The offense will get better when the playcalling and execution of the plays get better. I really think the plays are too basic and doesn't pose a threat moreso than Brunell's arm not being a threat.