JLC Rant/Rip on Playcalling

[SmootSmack]

Going for "the kill" doesn't have to mean 50 yard bombs. The kill can be a 8 minute power running drive that results in points and time taken off the clock.

[RobH4413]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Going for "the kill" doesn't have to mean 50 yard bombs. The kill can be a 8 minute power running drive that results in points and time taken off the clock.

No, I agree totally... I'm just saying I think that's what Saunders was trying to open up given the history of the Giants pass defense.

Jason Campbell was saying that they changed a lot of their looks from their previous game,

"They took away a lot of the deep stuff, played a safety over our receivers.... We hit one deep ball, got by the Safety, but they played the two shell, trying to not give up anything deep and leave us with just stuff in the underneath..."

I agree with JLC, and I think we should have run the ball more. I think Saunders had a lot of confidence in Jason from his strong outing on Monday night, and so he didn't give it to his running backs as much. Turned out to be a fatal error.

[The Zimmermans]

Originally Posted by RobH4413

No, I agree totally... I'm just saying I think that's what Saunders was trying to open up given the history of the Giants pass defense.

Jason Campbell was saying that they changed a lot of their looks from their previous game,

"They took away a lot of the deep stuff, played a safety over our receivers.... We hit one deep ball, got by the Safety, but they played the two shell, trying to not give up anything deep and leave us with just stuff in the underneath..."

I agree with JLC, and I think we should have run the ball more. I think Saunders had a lot of confidence in Jason from his strong outing on Monday night, and so he didn't give it to his running backs as much. Turned out to be a fatal error.

What was the fatal error? JC didn't lose the game for us. The only obvouis mistakes were portis fumbling and the coaches telling campbell to spike the ball...wasting a down. those two mistakes cost us 14 points...neither were campbell's fault in my opinion

[RobH4413]

Originally Posted by The Zimmermans

What was the fatal error? JC didn't lose the game for us. The only obvouis mistakes were portis fumbling and the coaches telling campbell to spike the ball...wasting a down. those two mistakes cost us 14 points...neither were campbell's fault in my opinion

Well, potentially running the ball more could have burnt the clock down... rested a worn defense, and changed the dynamics of the game.

It's all pure speculation of course, and if you don't execute it doesn't matter, but in general, running the ball with a 14 point lead makes more sense than passing as much as we did, especially if you're the Washington Redskins.

I was saying in my post that our game plan could have been influenced by Jason's prior success, and the Giants prior futility. Why not design a game plan attacking a weak Giants secondary? That's what we all expected wasn't it? A blow out.

The only problem was that since the Giants changed their defense around, this provided a window, aided by our ineptitude to convert first downs and hold onto the ball, that the Giants capitalized on. We couldn't run that offense, plain and simple. Our o-line couldn't hold up, Jason played inconsistent, and we were stifled.

On top of it all, the type of futility we suffered was the worst kind. Not only did we lose the ball, but we preserved the clock.

The Giants then downright beat us. They sustained several long and efficient (converting countless 3rd downs) touchdown drives. Our defense got torched all the way up the field, and no thank to our offense...had to go right back out there almost instantly.

But we saw the game, we know what happened... and we wouldn't be Redskins fans if weren't masochistic enough to relive the pain and talk about it for two weeks.

[WillH]

Originally Posted by RobH4413

Well, potentially running the ball more could have burnt the clock down... rested a worn defense, and changed the dynamics of the game.

It's all pure speculation of course, and if you don't execute it doesn't matter, but in general, running the ball with a 14 point lead makes more sense than passing as much as we did, especially if you're the Washington Redskins.

I was saying in my post that our game plan could have been influenced by Jason's prior success, and the Giants prior futility. Why not design a game plan attacking a weak Giants secondary? That's what we all expected wasn't it? A blow out.

The only problem was that since the Giants changed their defense around, this provided a window, aided by our ineptitude to convert first downs and hold onto the ball, that the Giants capitalized on. We couldn't run that offense, plain and simple. Our o-line couldn't hold up, Jason played inconsistent, and we were stifled.

On top of it all, the type of futility we suffered was the worst kind. Not only did we lose the ball, but we preserved the clock.

The Giants then downright beat us. They sustained several long and efficient (converting countless 3rd downs) touchdown drives. Our defense got torched all the way up the field, and no thank to our offense...had to go right back out there almost instantly.

But we saw the game, we know what happened... and we wouldn't be Redskins fans if weren't masochistic enough to relive the pain and talk about it for two weeks.

Rob, you made some good points. I honestly believe that if we had sustained one long drive, even one that ended with a field goal, we probably would have won that game. Because the D could have rested, and they would have had less time to catch up. And yes running the ball more could potentially have helped sustain such a drive.

As far as throwing the ball to try and "take the kill shot" being a bad decision, I would have to disagree. (I don't know if that was the point you were trying to make). I think that is something we have to learn to do as a team, we need to put opponents away. Do you remember those two pass plays in a row to Moss that were seemingly miscommunications? WTF was that? Could that have been due to Saunders trying things they don't know well enough yet? If so, things are not looking good for our O. We really need JC and our wr's to get on the same page, and if it took us looking pathetic this week to learn what we're doing wrong, so be it.

After this week Im not very optimistic about this season. We've had two wins against two suspect teams, and a loss to a floundering div rival. And on top of that the Cowboys look formidable. We need to take some chances if we are gonna have any chance this year. Maybe we tried to last night, but the O is just not on the same page. Either way, I hope Joe picks up the pieces from this pathetic loss and turns this team around. I know his teams play well in December, but we're gonna have to win a few right out of the bye to even be in contention.

[RobH4413]

Originally Posted by WillH

As far as throwing the ball to try and "take the kill shot" being a bad decision, I would have to disagree. (I don't know if that was the point you were trying to make). I think that is something we have to learn to do as a team, we need to put opponents away. Do you remember those two pass plays in a row to Moss that were seemingly miscommunications? WTF was that? Could that have been due to Saunders trying things they don't know well enough yet? If so, things are not looking good for our O. We really need JC and our wr's to get on the same page, and if it took us looking pathetic this week to learn what we're doing wrong, so be it.

Yeah, my point was that I think that's what Saunders was trying to do; "go for the kill" in the long ball. He saw a weak secondary, and also saw promise in Jason Campbell and our WR's.

Saunders was confident in our offenses ability to dominate in the air, and felt so strongly that he never gave up on it. I can remember countless times that Jason would drop back, see coverage and than have to go underneath. And this, the Giants knew, is Jason's weakness.

Unlike Brunell, Jason Campbell has a very inaccurate short ball. He sort of guns it in there. So whereas Saunders was trying to use Jason's strengths, the Giants forced him to throw his weak ball. The mis-communications only made matters worse.

I'm beginning to think Jason Campbell doesn't feel 100% comfortable with this offense yet. He's got to be faster on those 2nd and 3rd reads, and when he delivers he has to do so accurately.

The Giants took the deep ball away for the most part, and forced an inexperienced quarterback to have to browse through his reads under pressure. In essence, Jason had to micromanage pocket movement, throw away possibility, deep routes, secondary routes, and hot routes in case of a blitz. On top of it all, he can't throw much to his big possession TE because he was held in to block a lot, and we don't quite have 6'6 possession receivers for those intermediate routes.

Giants out coached and outplayed us that second half. They deserved to win it.