Redskins vs Vikings gameday thread

[GTripp0012]

Rightfully, I give Mike Shanahan a lot of crap for some consistently awful game management over the last two years. But I thought he did a really good job managing the game at the end to give the Redskins offense a shot to tie it up when they really weren't in position to get that opportunity. The Grossman INT and long return should have ended the game.

Kudos to Mike Shanahan for getting that last opportunity.

[GMScud]

Anyone else find it ironic that we honored Richie Petitbon at halftime? He was a guy who was so good at halftime adjustments. Now we have a DC who can't do it to save his life.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by GMScud

Anyone else find it ironic that we honored Richie Petitbon at halftime? He was a guy who was so good at halftime adjustments. Now we have a DC who can't do it to save his life.

I think Jim Haslett is really good at halftime adjustments. If you just limited our defensive splits to the second half, we're a lot better in the last two years than whole games.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

I think Jim Haslett is really good at halftime adjustments. If you just limited our defensive splits to the second half, we're a lot better in the last two years than whole games.

Really? Doesn't feel like. It always seems like we can't get stops late in the game when it counts.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by GMScud

Really? Doesn't feel like. It always seems like we can't get stops late in the game when it counts.

It does still feel like that, but I don't think that's much of a reflection on what happened at halftime.

One thing I would point out here is that one of the reasons the Redskins never get blown out is because if they are trailing by more than a TD at half, the defense typically gets together and puts an end to it. We gave up 20 first half points to the Eagles this year at home and 42 last year. They combined for what, ten points in the second half?

The defense put us out of those games early, but certainly came back to battle in the second half.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

It does still feel like that, but I don't think that's much of a reflection on what happened at halftime.

One thing I would point out here is that one of the reasons the Redskins never get blown out is because if they are trailing by more than a TD at half, the defense typically gets together and puts an end to it. We gave up 20 first half points to the Eagles this year at home and 42 last year. They combined for what, ten points in the second half?

The defense put us out of those games early, but certainly came back to battle in the second half.

Soooo, Haslett is good at adjusting at halftime, but terrible at game-planning during the week leading up to the game? I dunno....

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by GMScud

Soooo, Haslett is good at adjusting at halftime, but terrible at game-planning during the week leading up to the game? I dunno....

Something like that.

We're probably both overstating the role of coaching in the performance of the defense. It matters, but if Hall gets beat on third down because a third string receiver drove him off the ball came back and caught the pass, it's not Haslett's fault for putting him in that situation. If Doughty totally whiffs on a tackle near the LOS and the QB runs for a TD, it didn't happen because the Redskins were unclear on their option rules.

There are times I've felt like the Redskins are giving up plays in the first quarter that should have been taken away by the gameplan. But that's more of an observation than a criticism of the coaches.