Post Game Thoughts

It's all about the order the plays are called in, not the plays. Longtimeskinsfan: Don't be an ass. I know many people here are jaded and can't fathom saying Gibbs did a poor job, but plain and simple the playcalling has a ways to go. Execution is part of it, but doesn't that also lie squarely on the coaching staff to change? Why don't you say last year it was all execution and not coaching? You can go both ways, I liked Spurrier, that doesn't mean he did the right thing but I enjoyed being aggressive. This year, I like Gibbs, but that doesn't mean I think he's calling the right plays. He's too passive.

I don't understand how anyone can say we had bad playcalling. Redskins at 4-8 kept up and dominated a 11-1 team! We don't get the Sellers penalties 3 for 45 yds and the other 100 yds worth of penalties and the bad PI call we probably win. Doesn't matter now cause ofcourse we lost. Valiant effort today and I'm proud to be a REDSKINS life long fan. I believe. Not in the quick fix but the long haul. Sellers might be gone. I really do like his big frame, but honestly he doesn't play enough to warrant 3 personal fouls (same as Shaq last night). Sean Taylor has the only current hall pass on the team.

speaking of ST, did you see that hit he put on TO last night??? Looked like a side body slam from wrestling...also I noticed TO wasn't so smiley and jovial near the end of the game when the cameras were on him. Maybe it's because he knew he was in a real knockdown drag-out game for once and we weren't going to roll over because of his greatness?

TO is a great player. He isn't dumb either. Him and his WR's ran from #36 last night and he fumbled in the redzone for no real reason. We didn't even attempt a strip, he just fumbled. Eagles have a good team, but I'm pulling for them to lose in their 1st round. Bottom line unfortunately is the W-L column and we're almost as good as they are and we're 4-9.

My random thoughts:

Ramsey played well for 99% of the game. One poor decision doesn't taint the entire night to me. He hit on 64% of his throws and made some nice plays under some heavy pressure. He reverted back to the Ramsey of old on that last play, I'm sure he wishes he could have that back. With more time and experience he's not going to make decisions like that. If I'm Gibbs I don't even think twice about looking at another QB's direction this offseason.

Coles was a warrior last night, the guy is all heart, seems like he's starting to find his role in this system.

What more can be said of Cooley? Get the ball in his area and he catches it. When we drafted him I thought he could be a decent receiver and maybe have 30 catches a year. Now I'm starting to think he could be a 60+ catch a year guy no problem.

I loved the intensity that we had on both sides of the ball. Guys were hitting and jawing at each other like it was a playoff game. For the past few seasons we've been pushovers when playing the Eagles, I think we got their attention last night.

The INT that ended the game, I liked the call to take a shot at the endzone, but Ramsey needed to check that play down and hit someone underneath. Ramsey knows he can't force a throw like that, once he saw the coverage he should have checked down. He got a little greedy and was probably frustrated by the lack of deep shots all game. Seemed like anytime he was setting up to go deep the Eagles pass rush was in his face.

Clock management was horrible once again. It seemed like we had started to clear up that problem in previous weeks only to have it rear it's ugly head once again. Was anyone else yelling at the TV right before the 2 minute warning like I was? They let a good 20 seconds run off without running a play. It's looking like it takes way too long to get the play call in, do they even practice a two minute drill?? It sure didn't look like it to me.

The big question after last week was, did the team hit a turning point or did they just get lucky against a very bad Giants team? After last night I think it's a combo of both, with more leaning towards the turning point option.

I really think guys are 'getting it' and buying in. You really have to wonder where we'd be if Ramsey was put in earlier in the year. Ramsey has been solid and has basically played the way Gibbs envisioned Brunell would.

I'm disappointed about the loss of course, but I took a lot of positives away from last night. We took the best team in the NFC down to the wire. We're still a step behind a great team like Philly, but the gap is narrowing.

I'm disappointed about the loss of course, but I took a lot of positives away from last night. We took the best team in the NFC down to the wire. We're still a step behind a great team like Philly, but the gap is narrowing.


I agree in principle but I honestly don't think that we're a step behind Philly. I think we are now on a level playing field with them. The only other I can think of that played them this well (and I haven't really been following them) is Pittsburgh, and the Steelers manhandled them. As far as I'm concerned, either call us as good as Philly or consider them to be as bad, but I don't see them being any better than us based off last night's performance. I also think we've pretty much got our team for next year with the exception of maybe an upgrade on the OL and DL. I thought the playcalling was pretty solid but like you said, the clock management in the last 5 minutes was again problematic, and I think the coaching staff needs to look at that and how to improve it, unless they were simpling having technical glitches. I know from the past games there were a few times when Gibbs said there were issues with communication from the booth or going on to the field.

I think the team as a whole is making serious and heartening progress, no doubt about it. "Nervous Pat" Ramsey's mistakes notwithstanding, we did frighten the smug smiles off of the Eagles' mugs last night.

Gibbs did the right thing in keeping Ramsey out of the fire for as long as he did this season because the team wasn't able to support Ramsey for much of the year with the struggles with the line and the receivers and the adaptation of the offense.

The biggest problem Ramsey has is that he gets so tense out there that he doesn't see the field and misses obvious opportunities. He gets locked in mentally and forces it or holds on too long because he is waiting for the person he wants to throw to get open, and will take a sack like that inexcusable one he did late in the game. When you get that nervous, you make the stupid plays, and he made more than one last night.

I don't know whether he is ever going to relax out there enough, or whether it will happen in time.

He can make really good plays like that thread the needle to Cooley down to the goal line.

Ramsey fundamentalists want no competition for him. I say that that we open the competition next season and if Ramsey is the best play him. If Ramseyfanatics are so confident he will win any battle, what are you worried about? I guess you aren't really so confident.

So what do you suggest, Shane? We got out and sign another FA to compete with him? Haven't we spent enough money on QB's lately? Why not just commit to Ramsey 100% and develop him. I don't see him as being a nervous QB, just indecisive due to lack of experience in general and more specifically in this system.

I say let the guy play, last night we saw some growing pains that you have to live with when you're playing a young QB. Other than the INT he played well and had us in position to win the game.

He's never going to improve if we don't play him. Along the way there's going to be bumps in the road, but we're never going to see what he's really capable of without going through some tough times.

Overall this season I've seen much more in the positive department from Ramsey than the negative. He's come so far so quickly in this offense, and he's only going to get better with more experience.

The way I look at it, we've played 13 games so far with Brunell starting 9 and Ramsey starting 4. If we as a team were so committed to Brunell and giving him a chance, we should give Ramsey an equal opportunity to prove himself. I'm not a Ramsey lover or hater, I'm just an old Redskins fan who can remember watching, yes watching, Billy Kilmer at the helm. He wasn't the most gifted QB to walk on the field, but he was a smart field general, he was a leader, and most importantly, he got the job done and if he was good enough for George, he was good enough for me. Joe Theisman was not a lock out of the box either and we went through growing pains with him. He turned out to be a fine QB. I've certainly seen no reason to dump Ramsey yet and he has proven that he can put some good numbers on the board. I think he deserves a chance.

Matty, I am suggesting that Ramsey has not shown enough to be given the keys to the team and to therefore close our minds to other possiblities.

He may develop into a very solid quarterback, and he may also never play at more than an average level. No one knows what is going to happen with Ramsey. There are reasons to be encouraged. He has begun to feel comfortable in the system after a season in which he could absorb things while Brunell took the heat while the team struggled. He can make some excellent throws.

He also gets very nervous out there, in my view. It's just a physiological fact that when you get nervous, you get tunnel vision, and explanation that can account for much of Ramsey's mistakes on the field: the holding onto the ball too long, the forcing of plays, the lack of seeing the open receivers. This isn't a matter of learning the system, its a matter of field awareness. And as nervous tension rises, your awareness gets focused more and more narrowly.

I think Ramsey is smart. Believe me, I know its not easy what he is doing. He could learn to relax out there, and I hope it will happen.

What I would do is go into next year and open the competition at quarterback. What is to fear in doing that? If Ramsey is the best, he will win. If he is not the best, then someone else will win. Do we want the best possible player, or do we want Ramsey even if someone else would play better? Should the coaches give the position to Ramsey on a silver platter, or should he earn it?

There are always inexpensive free agents or players we can obtain cheaply. We already have Tim Hasselbeck. If Ramsey is the best, then its no problem - he will win the competition. If gets beaten out by someone else, why should that be upsetting? It would mean we have a better quarterback.

I suggested earlier that we look at inexpensive free agents. Then some people starting mocking the idea of expensive big name free agents. That isn't what I suggested.