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10. The football gods have hated on the Skins for so long, why stop now?
9. The "upgrades" at WR are questionable at best. Moss has had one good year in the league and is fragile. Patten has been a career backup.
8. Will the so called changes to the running game be enough? I can't see Gibbs totally abandoning his beloved counter plays, and Portis never seemed to warm up to the idea of playing John Riggins. Was the Portis-Gibbs duo destined to fail from the start and a horrible mismatch of styles?
7. We've heard all about Gibbs adding the shotgun, but how much will it actually be used, and what difference will it really make? He experimented with it briefly in 1984, what happens the first time a snap goes over the QB's head? Will he stick with it?
6. Casey Rabach was a productive starter for one season. Who's to say he'll mesh with a different line, coaches and system?
5. The loss of Antonio Pierce.
4. The loss of Fred Smoot.
3. Patrick Ramsey has been inconsistent his entire career, who's to say he can improve enough to lead a playoff run? Gibbs' hand-picking of Brunell and Campbell doesn't say much for his long-term confidence in Ramsey.
2. The defense played incredibly well last year, perhaps they overacheived and did it with smoke and mirrors. We still don't have a true pass rushing threat, and the loss of two key defenders could prove to be too much. What happens if poor LaVar still isn't happy?
1. While Gibbs did have a lot of difficult circumstances to overcome last year, it was disturbing how lost and out of sorts he looked at times. Dare I say he looked Spurrier-esque at times. The poor clock management, the blown replay challenges, the questionable playcalling, etc.
Has the game really passed him by? His past acheivements are something to admire and he has a bust in Canton to speak to that, but his past acheivements aren't going to win games for him in today's NFL. This past offseason has been messy to say the least. The Coles situation, Sean Taylor, the questionable draft pick of Campbell, etc. Gibbs has alot to prove this year, the main thing he needs to prove is can he win games?
Daseal 07-05-2005, 08:03 PM Great posts on both sides Matty. Glad to see the other side of it!
SmootSmack 07-05-2005, 09:48 PM Jon Jansen isn't totally healthy
Chris Cooley is no longer a surprise
No one is ready to step in as MLB/QB of the defense
LaVar continues to make more news off the field, than on
We invest so much in someone, Jason Campbell, who can't help us now
Taylor Jacobs continues to be about potential, and not production
Offenses figure out how to stop our defense
GoSkins! 07-05-2005, 09:51 PM 10. The football gods have hated on the Skins for so long, why stop now?
Answer: Because Snyder has is becoming more warm and cuddly with age
9. The "upgrades" at WR are questionable at best. Moss has had one good year in the league and is fragile. Patten has been a career backup.
Answer: Moss doesn't miss games. He runs out of bounds. Patten may be a career backup, but he is the only receiver who has been around long enough to say he had an NFL career. He's proved he can play at this level.
8. Will the so called changes to the running game be enough? I can't see Gibbs totally abandoning his beloved counter plays, and Portis never seemed to warm up to the idea of playing John Riggins. Was the Portis-Gibbs duo destined to fail from the start and a horrible mismatch of styles?
Answer: Gibbs brought up to the team and media which plays worked best. He obviously understands.
7. We've heard all about Gibbs adding the shotgun, but how much will it actually be used, and what difference will it really make? He experimented with it briefly in 1984, what happens the first time a snap goes over the QB's head? Will he stick with it?
Answer: We don't need the shot gun to be successful anyway.
6. Casey Rabach was a productive starter for one season. Who's to say he'll mesh with a different line, coaches and system?
Answer: If he just adds depth to the line, it's a plus. I think he will add more.
5. The loss of Antonio Pierce.
Answer: Holdman, Barrow, Marshall, Clemons, McCune..........
4. The loss of Fred Smoot.
Answer: 2nd round pick eplaced by a 1st round pick... and added Hawkins just in case.
3. Patrick Ramsey has been inconsistent his entire career, who's to say he can improve enough to lead a playoff run? Gibbs' hand-picking of Brunell and Campbell doesn't say much for his long-term confidence in Ramsey.
Answer: 69% completions over last 5 games last year. Rabach and Portis both have commented on how good he is looking this year.
2. The defense played incredibly well last year, perhaps they overacheived and did it with smoke and mirrors. We still don't have a true pass rushing threat, and the loss of two key defenders could prove to be too much. What happens if poor LaVar still isn't happy?
Answer: Same coaches, second year in the system, more healthy players. Last year Lavar was broke anyway.
1. While Gibbs did have a lot of difficult circumstances to overcome last year, it was disturbing how lost and out of sorts he looked at times. Dare I say he looked Spurrier-esque at times. The poor clock management, the blown replay challenges, the questionable playcalling, etc.
Has the game really passed him by? His past acheivements are something to admire and he has a bust in Canton to speak to that, but his past acheivements aren't going to win games for him in today's NFL. This past offseason has been messy to say the least. The Coles situation, Sean Taylor, the questionable draft pick of Campbell, etc. Gibbs has alot to prove this year, the main thing he needs to prove is can he win games?
Answer: If the game passed him by, he is gaining back on it fast. The offensive changes he made in the last 6 games of last season proved effective. Gibbs attention to detail has not wained. His desire to win burns as strong as ever. He learns from his mistakes... better clock management, optimized play calling, etc. With an improved Gibbs and consistant Williams, I would hate to be the other team trying to prepare for the can of woop ass the Skins will be releasing on them this season!
:biggthump
backrow 07-06-2005, 09:19 AM Where have I seen this list before?
Oh, yeah, over on the "Why the Skins will win 10"! This must be the flip side of the album (CD).
Note to readers: Albums were from my day (I'm old)! CDs from your day!
BrudLee 07-06-2005, 09:43 AM Where have I seen this list before?
Oh, yeah, over on the "Why the Skins will win 10"! This must be the flip side of the album (CD).
Note to readers: Albums were from my day (I'm old)! CDs from your day!
Al - bum?
Doesn't he write for the Detroit Free Press?
Kidding. I'm old, too.
SmootSmack 07-06-2005, 10:04 AM Al - bum?
Doesn't he write for the Detroit Free Press?
Kidding. I'm old, too.
LOL, that's great....sigh whatever happened to good old vinyls and B-sides. Remember when we used to take those 33 RPMs and speed it up to 45 to pretend we were listening to Alvin and the Chipmunks sign Van Halen? Good times...but I digress
Schneed10 07-06-2005, 10:05 AM 10. The football gods have hated on the Skins for so long, why stop now?
I don't believe in fate or karma or gods.
9. The "upgrades" at WR are questionable at best. Moss has had one good year in the league and is fragile. Patten has been a career backup.
Agreed, questionable upgrades. But they're faster, they don't drop passes like Gardner, and they don't have bum toes. Most importantly, they WANT to be here, and won't kill team chemistry.
8. Will the so called changes to the running game be enough? I can't see Gibbs totally abandoning his beloved counter plays, and Portis never seemed to warm up to the idea of playing John Riggins. Was the Portis-Gibbs duo destined to fail from the start and a horrible mismatch of styles?
John Riggins, under Gibbs, put up the following average yards per carry figures:
1981: 3.7
1982: 3.1
1983: 3.6
1984: 3.8
1985: 3.8
Portis rushed for 3.8 yards per carry last year. I think we'd be singing Portis's praises if he just scored some TDs last year. Which is exactly why we drafted White and Broughton. Plus, Betts can run the grinding plays, Gibbs trusts him now. Portis will run the stretches and cut-backs.
7. We've heard all about Gibbs adding the shotgun, but how much will it actually be used, and what difference will it really make? He experimented with it briefly in 1984, what happens the first time a snap goes over the QB's head? Will he stick with it?
Who cares. I don't think the shotgun matters one iota. It's the quality of the QB, not the formation.
6. Casey Rabach was a productive starter for one season. Who's to say he'll mesh with a different line, coaches and system?
He's smart as a whip, my money is on him teamed up with Bugel. Might see some initial growing pains though.
5. The loss of Antonio Pierce.
Touche. This is the biggest issue facing the defense.
4. The loss of Fred Smoot.
Walt Harris is very good. I'd only be concerned about depth in the beginning of the season until Rogers is up to speed.
3. Patrick Ramsey has been inconsistent his entire career, who's to say he can improve enough to lead a playoff run? Gibbs' hand-picking of Brunell and Campbell doesn't say much for his long-term confidence in Ramsey.
In 1985 Jay Schroeder was brought in even though we had Theismann. In 1986, Doug Williams was brought in even though we had Schroeder. And in 1988, Mark Rypien was drafted even though we had Doug Williams.
Ramsey's QB rating during his starts last year was 85. A full season of that, and QB will NOT be our problem.
2. The defense played incredibly well last year, perhaps they overacheived and did it with smoke and mirrors. We still don't have a true pass rushing threat, and the loss of two key defenders could prove to be too much. What happens if poor LaVar still isn't happy?
Gregg Williams will have them playing well. He was fine last year without Lavar. He was fine without Bowen. He was fine without a pass-rushing DE of ANY kind. But the one thing he does need is great corners and a smart LB, those are the only questions facing the D.
1. While Gibbs did have a lot of difficult circumstances to overcome last year, it was disturbing how lost and out of sorts he looked at times. Dare I say he looked Spurrier-esque at times. The poor clock management, the blown replay challenges, the questionable playcalling, etc.
Gibbs definintely knows he needs to be better on certain things. I can't think of a coach who will work harder than him to make things right.
Teemotay 07-06-2005, 10:06 AM Matty - At first glance, I only have one issue with these particular arguements. In one line, you bash Moss as being fragile and only having one good year, but then in another line, you praise Antonio Pierce as if he's been a stud for several years. If my memory serves me correctly, Pierce missed 1/2 of his 2nd season (and has only played in 4 thus far) due to injuries. Likewise, last year is the only good year Pierce has had. Point being, if you're going to use injuries and/or only having 1 good year against Moss, keep them in mind when you sing Pierce's praises because he's been injured and has had only one good year too.
Teemotay 07-06-2005, 10:10 AM NOTE: When I said I only had issues with one thing, that's not true. I will argue every one of those points, as I truly believe that Gibbs will start turning this ship around this year. My first thought, when reading that post was "Et Tu Matty", but then I saw that he had posted a "10 reasons they WILL win more than 10 games", so I'm guessing that Matty's simply trying to give us something to talk about, discuss, or argue. But the one glaring thing that bothered me was the whole "only one good year" thing.....it sounded like something one of my buddies would say (the ones who aren't skins fans and use that type of logic to bash my team).
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