Need Reasons To Get Excited

Gruden should get more credit for bringing some stability to the franchise. Given the sad state of affairs before he got here I'll gladly take 9-7 and 8-7-1 as a sign of significant progress.

Gruden should get more credit for bringing some stability to the franchise. Given the sad state of affairs before he got here I'll gladly take 9-7 and 8-7-1 as a sign of significant progress.

Yeah agree, especially with dreck of a defense during those two seasons.

I want to see him break through, get over the hump. Norv was a player's coach, too. I think he got Snydered before we really found out whether he could break through. Based on his head coaching performances at stops since, I think the answer was no all along. But there's this nagging thing in the back of my mind - is Gruden a little too lax?

The constant turnovers and penalties that plagued the Norv teams had an undisciplined feel about them. Is our tendency to start games slow, and our tendency to lose in week 1, a sign that the coach needs to instill more discipline and urgency? Can we be a proactive team, rather than one that reacts to being punched in the mouth in the first quarter?

But these are nice problems to have, we're over .500 the last two years. Gruden deserves credit for designing an offense that gets players open, identifying their strengths and playing to them. He deserves credit for developing Cousins into a good quarterback. And most of all, deserves credit for making the tough decision to bench the organization's superstar high draft pick at QB, to go with Cousins in the first place. That was not an easy decision, and he was proven correct.

Let's see what he can do with a better defense. I want to see if he knows how to hire a defensive coordinator. I felt, when Manusky was selected for DC, that Gruden should have broadened his search. He did meet with Gus Bradley and others, and ultimately went with Manusky. A good head coach is a good CEO, does he know how to identify leaders who can effect change? If Manusky was the right choice, we'll know it based on the defense. And if the offense stays in top gear without McVay, then we'll know that Gruden has always had a hand in it.

This season will tell us a lot. There are enough questions where I can't blame anyone for having doubts, but Gruden has also shown enough to justify optimism as well. All in all I'm glad he's our coach, and he's easy to root for. It's nice to be able to hope for better and know that there are genuine reasons to think it could actually happen.

HTTR

I think by week 8 or 9, we need another thread to reevaluate our feelings upon the team and see if they have changed since this thread. Have expectations been reached, not reached, or have they been exceeded?

Personally, I view this year as a make or break year. It is only a successful year if they win more than 8 games, make the playoffs, AND win a playoff game. Naturally #3 can't be had without #2, but if they go 9-7 and miss the playoffs, I think the year is a failure. 10-6 and no playoffs? Maybe not much of a failure, but still disappointing.

But if they went 9-7 would you tear it down and start a rebuild with a new coach?

Not sure I'd do that.

But if they went 9-7 would you tear it down and start a rebuild with a new coach?

Not sure I'd do that.

It would depend on the losses right? There are certain time management issues that JG has consistently struggled with, as well as early season dumb losses.

That said, I truly expect to see Gruden take an important step this season, starting with winning his first opener in his 4 years here.

gruden is more like the players friend,not coach.they need a coach that will tear a yard out of their asses if they screw up.can you imagine the hell the players would catch if a player came out and said that pro practices were easier than college ones if bill parcells,bill cowher or even joe gibbs was the coach?redskins organization is terminally ill and i dont see it changing.

gruden is more like the players friend,not coach.they need a coach that will tear a yard out of their asses if they screw up.can you imagine the hell the players would catch if a player came out and said that pro practices were easier than college ones if bill parcells,bill cowher or even joe gibbs was the coach?redskins organization is terminally ill and i dont see it changing.



That's the nature of the current CBA, not a Redskins issue.

Su'a Cravens of Washington Redskins, 22, pondered retiring (http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/20560111/sua-cravens-washington-redskins-22-pondered-retiring)

At this point Scott's best pic is Scherff and I can't really think of another good one. The lost McC has not been that big of deal.

Su'a Cravens of Washington Redskins, 22, pondered retiring (http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/20560111/sua-cravens-washington-redskins-22-pondered-retiring)



At this point Scott's best pic is Scherff and I can't really think of another good one. The lost McC has not been that big of deal.


Crowder?

Crowder?

Ok 2.