Ramsey/Brunell: a closer look

As for illdefined's point, while last year did happen, this is not last year. All of Brunell's past success didn't help him one bit last year, but then, by the same token, last year's problems shouldn't be a millstone around his neck this year. Based on what I saw (and read) of preseason and of the Bear's game, Brunell is playing better right now. Brunell may not win games for us or lead us on any rousing comebacks, but, at least, I don't think he will lose games for us. Right now, I'm afraid Ramsey would lose games for us through bad decision-making and turnovers.

what i don't get is everyone defending brunell keeps pretending last year doesn't matter, but somehow this preseason does...

i know of one player that might support ramsey, and he just might be a critical factor in this. jon jansen and patrick ramsey are best friends, i've read articles about this, well what happens when your best friend gets benched, and you are assigned to protect his' replacement's blind side?

it happened last year, it won't be a problem. Jansen is a pro.

Matty, I am a big fan of PR, but I could not agree with you more! great post. Like your post, Gibb's is NOT about emotion. The best man wins.......

It seems like alot of times Ramseys shoots himself in the foot. He has flashes of brilliance but then interception the Giants game last year the Cincy game last year all those were W's if Ramsey hadnt thrown picks. I can't call it, its like brain farts he be having, but if it wasnt for the picks and fumbles it wouldnt be any compettition Brunnell sucks..but turnovers kill... catch 22..we dont have a QB..

Matty, we argued about whether Gibbs had faith in PR for about 2 days and your opening post contradicts everything you argued for in your posts 5 weeks ago. I guess you now see what I saw all along. Gibbs never had faith in PR but gave him a shot at the starting job anyway, and PR never did anything with that shot to give Gibbs any faith in him.

You say Brunell will look bad, based on what?

Again, forget about last year, focus on what we've seen this year.

So far this year, he's looked just fine, and Ramsey is that one that has looked bad.

Yet people are making excuses for Ramsey.

I agree with you on your analysis of Ramsey, as hard as that is given I've been a diehard PR fan. It probably is time for him to go, and after this I doubt he'll ever start in Washington again. Like it or not, he is completely disenchanted and wants out as soon as possible.

I don't, however, agree with your analysis of Brunell. For one, I refuse to "forget about last year." History is important and provides a pattern and precedent for the future. Can you predict with 100% accuracy based on the past? Of course not. But simply forgetting it just isn't smart.

Brunell has shown me nothing this preseason or in his backup effort Sunday. I'm willing to accept preseason as mildly helpful, but given Brunell was playing against backups, his stats are all but meaningless. He was 8/14 for 70 yards and no scores. Granted he had no INTs, but I think we need something far better than a QB who simply "doesn't make mistakes." I could probably manage to suit up, get in the game at QB and just chuck the ball to the sideline every play and "not make mistakes."

I think the ONLY argument that even remotely supports Brunell is that PERHAPS what we need is a QB who "doesn't make mistakes." Someone to hand the ball off to Portis, complete the occasional dink and dunk and simply not screw up.

Unfortunately that doesn't make a championship team. All the teams that have beenin consistent competition for the Super Bowl and consistent playoff contenders do NOT operate a system where the QB simply has to "not screw up."

If we're gonna have a glimmer of hope at making the playoffs, we need a QB who can lead, manage the offense, work with the team, and F-ING score.

Right now that's probably not Ramsey, and it sure as hell isn't Brunell.

I agree that Ramsey didn't do anything to earn the job in the preseason. I also agree that Brunell looked better in the preseason (albeit against backups).

HOWEVER, according to Joe Gibbs himself, the preseason was not supposed to be a competition between Ramsey and Brunell. According to Joe Gibbs' statements from last season and this past offseason, Ramsey was going to be our starter; not possibly our starter, not probably our starter, but our starter. Basically, Gibbs went back on his word.

So despite a very shaky preseason by Ramsey and a very solid one by Brunell, Gibbs should just overlook that and stick by his word. For what? Word doesn't win football games.

Ramsey had his chance to take this job. He had the entire offseason of OTA's, minicamps and training camp. He then had the preseason to convince the team he could be the man. He did nothing to squash the concerns the coaches had about him. He's turning the ball over, he's indecisive, he just doesn't look like a QB that has a firm grasp of the offense, and for someone who's in year 2 of the system and has worked as the starter all offseason, his performance has been very subpar to say the least.

At this point I don't see any sort of arguement for Ramsey that makes sense. Ramsey has been shaky, Brunell has been solid. Looks like an easy choice to me. People want to say look at what Brunell did last year... well HELLO look what Ramsey has done THIS year, not much!

Like I said, I think the only mistake Gibbs made was sticking by Ramsey for so long this preseason. Don't get me wrong, I was behind the decision at the time. But looking back it's easy to see that it should have been a formal open competition for the job. But Gibbs did exactly what we wanted, he stuck by Ramsey and gave him every chance to claim the job. He simply didn't do it... how can that not be any more clear? Gibbs DID stick to his word, he gave Ramsey a fair shot to claim the job.

I'm sorry but a 65 QB rating with 4 INTs in a little over 6 quarters of work in the preseason is not going to win you a lot of support from your coaches, let alone a firm grip on the starting job. Then in 3 series of work against the Bears he coughs it up twice and throws another head scratcher of a pick.

Bottom line, Ramsey had his chance to claim the starting job. If you can honestly tell me he did enough to be the unquestioned starter for this team, I'd really love to hear it.

On Redskins.com, go to the roster. Ramsey's already been moved to 2nd string, but Antonio Brown is still listed as our starting PR/KR. I guess that's not important, but with all of this talk of turnovers leading to demotions, the guy who's t.o. is the only one that leads to points, gets to keep his job. Sounds right...

If we're gonna have a glimmer of hope at making the playoffs, we need a QB who can lead, manage the offense, work with the team, and F-ING score.

Right now that's probably not Ramsey, and it sure as hell isn't Brunell.

Probably not Ramsey?? How about definitely not Ramsey, and the jury is still out on Brunell.

We've seen what Ramsey can do, how about we give Brunell a shot, people are writing him off based on last year.

You say history means something, well how about looking at Brunell's entire body of work and not just an injury plagued struggle with a new team and an outdated offense.

On Redskins.com, go to the roster. Ramsey's already been moved to 2nd string, but Antonio Brown is still listed as our starting PR/KR. I guess that's not important, but with all of this talk of turnovers leading to demotions, the guy who's t.o. is the only one that leads to points, gets to keep his job. Sounds right...

I wouldn't be surprised if Brown isn't returning this week, only thing is a formal announcement hasn't been made so that's why the depth chart still reads Brown.

Gibbs doesn't edit the depth chart on Redskins.com himself you know.