Oooo!! You Said The "R" Word! I'm Telling!!

Earlier this week in a press conference, Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan was asked if this team was rebuilding (just like he gets asked nearly every week). His response was, "Well, that depends. What do you consider a 'rebuild'?" I swear he runs from that word like it's profane language or something. Like he's afraid someone will come after him and try to wash his mouth out with soap.

Later on in the same press conference, he relives the time when his son Kyle Shanahan opted to come here versus staying in Houston, a team that had already become a proven system. Mike's words to Kyle, "I'm the one who told Kyle not to come... I said, 'This is going to be a work in progress, it's not gonna happen overnight. You're with an established team... you've got your ducks in order.' I said, 'We're going to have to rebuild this football team.'"

He goes on later in the same press conference to deny that they're rebuilding again. LOL. As if there's anything wrong with rebuilding. And then all I hear is "growing pains" and what-not. Last time I checked, "growing pains" are usually associated with change. But he still doesn't know what rebuild means, apparently.

Well, Mike, you wanted a definition? Here it is... straight from the dictionary:

re·build

1. to repair, especially to dismantle and reassemble with new parts: i.e. - to rebuild an old car.

2. to replace, restrengthen, or reinforce: i.e. - to rebuild an army.

3. to revise, reshape, or reorganize: i.e. - to rebuild a shattered career.

1. "To repair, especially to dismantle and reassemble with new parts..." Sounds a lot like what happened in all facets of this team. Dropped players who you felt didn't fit your scheme (which turned out to be quite a few) and picked up all new guys. Some guys fit your scheme and you felt they were too old for the "youth movement"... but I digress. Bottom line is, compared to last year's roster, there's only 29 guys who were here before out of the 53 man roster. That's a 55% change. In the construction industry, if you remodel a house more than 50%, you are required by law to make sure the house has a functioning fire suppression system (sprinklers) because at that point, you are essentially rebuilding the structure. 

2. "To replace, restrengthen, or reinforce"... Sounds like a rebuild to me. When you have holes you're trying to patch long term, you start fresh and draft them. When a street has so many holes that all patching does is make it unbearable to drive on, it's best to just start with fresh new asphalt. And they didn't do this?? Perfect example... the front three in the defensive line. It would have been all new had Jarvis Jenkins remained healthy. So the only guy who remained from last season was Adam Carriker (who is playing like an animal). Cofield, Bowen... Cofield's backup Chris Neild... all new. Replace, restrengthen, reinforce. Check.

3. "To revise, reshape, or reorganize"... When I think of this, I think of the wide receiving corps, which gets revised, reshaped, and reorganized every single week. Outside of Jabar Gaffney and Santana Moss who went down with a broken hand, there have been different pieces used just about every week. It began as The Moss/Gaffney Hour with special guest Anthony Armstrong. AAA goes down with a hamstring for a couple weeks, the frequent guests end up being Donte Stallworth and Terrance Austin. Now its the Gaffney Hour with co-host Hank Time and special guest T.A. in the slot... every week, it's something different. Before cuts in camp, there were 13 wideouts on the team. Out of those guys, 3 guys were from last year's roster who remained. Moss, Armstrong, and T.A. I'm not going to count Banks, he really just returns kicks (one of the few things that wasn't rebuilt). Now if that's not revision, reshaping and reorganization, I don' t know what is!

Mom always told me growing up that if you don't know what something means, to look it up. And It's wrong to say you're not rebuilding by shuffling in guys as needed, whether old or young. The bottom line is, it's a personnel issue. If more than half of your squad is different, then dog-gone-it, you are rebuilding. Just admit it. We won't be mad.

Besides, the dictionary says so. Don't believe me? Look it up for yourself. 

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2011 Midway Awards

I did this last year on my Facebook page but I will post it on my blog this year. Here we go....

2011 Washington Redskins Midway Awards

Offensive MVP: I actually had to put  my other winners down first and then come back to this. Then left it blank again to proof the rest of my post, now this is the third time I'm looking at this. I say that to say, I really can't find an MVP on offense, because there isn't any offense. So I'll have to go with the one player that if he went down it would be a gaping hole in the offense. I came up with two guys... Fred Davis and Will Montgomery. You can see my comments about Fred in a post below for the Most Improved. But we all saw what life without Will at center is like the past two weeks. We also saw what a difference he made last year when Rabach went down and he subbed in. He makes such a difference on the offensive line in terms of calling the right blocking schemes that if you move him to another position and put someone else in at center, you will know Will isn't there. Thanks, guys... keep doing what you're doing.

Defensive MVP: The Entire Defensive Line and OLBs. Even after rookie Jarvis Jenkins went down, Adam Carriker has stepped in and played like an animal. They've created so much havoc, these guys alone have brought the defensive ranking of this team from worst to top 10. Just work on stopping the run a little better to keep teams from stretching the field so much. Aside from that, outstanding job.

Special Teams MVP: Sav Rocca. This dude has an unbelievable combination of a big foot and precision that just makes other special teams angry. I have lost count of the amount of times he has pinned teams inside their own red zone (or 10 yard line, for that matter). Not to mention, he covers kicks well. A few times, we've seen his rugby skills come out and he dishes out some great tackles. Two thumbs up, homie!!

Most Improved: Fred Davis. This dude went from being as heavy as most tight ends to trimming down back to a wideout's size and it has helped him tremendously. Particularly with his speed. He has become a huge offensive threat because it's so hard for a LB to keep up with a guy that fast and big. It's a mismatch every time. Great job, Fred... keep it up!

Unsung Hero: Anthony Armstrong. I haven't paid attention much until lately, this dude plays special teams pretty well! If you pay attention, it's just not Lorenzo Alexander out there making crazy tackles on kick coverages, but Ant has made some key tackles (and blocks for that matter) that have made the difference in field position for the Skins and other teams they cover. The quiet, hard working guy from Carrollton, TX is still making a big impact, even when he's not going for a 64 yard catch. Fantastic job, sir.

Rookie Standout: Ryan Kerrigan. I swear this dude isn't really a rookie, he doesn't play like one. I demand a copy of his birth certificate. He's not a 23 year old kid fresh outta school. He's been here a while, I just know it. Great job, dude. Keep it up. You've already got my vote for the defensive rookie of the year (and the pro-bowl for that matter).

Best Coach: Haslett. (You didn't think I was gonna say Mike or Kyle, did you???) They could do a better job containing the run and tackling, but for the most part, they have kept this team in the game. It's a shame the offense can't buy a point majority of the time though. Thank you sir, keep making those guys better.

Dunce Hat Award: Kyle Shanahan. Dude has a great playbook, but just can't figure out how to morph his plays to the strengths of his personnel (or managing the clock with his play calls... 3rd and 2 you should run the ball, dummy... especially when Hightower was running all over the place on those guys). I kinda think that's done on purpose so his daddy will know who to cut. Seems like he's the real one running the team if you ask me. First runner up for this award was Rex Grossman for his comments about his interceptions after the Philly game. Particularly for having his "whatever" attitude/comments after throwing the picks (did he really expect to keep his job after that? I'd bench him too). Again, he would have been tied with Kyle for this award, but Kyle put him out there soooo... he got an extra vote for his decision making.


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Interesting Quotes

After the game was over today, I came across (and saw) some pretty interesting comments. I thought I'd share what I read/heard and add my thoughts...

Fred Davis on the boos: "We lost 4 in a row, we deserve it."
Probably the most honest quote I've seen. Especially from a guy who came back from injury... whom I'm still not certain was 100%. Didn't look too comfortable with that ankle if you ask me. 

LaRon Landry: "With the offense not coming around we don't have any margin for error.. We've just got to be perfect."
Well, damn. That's a pretty condemning comment from Landry. People can say what they want about the defense, but they only allowed the Niners in the end zone once and had two MAJOR stops on 3rd down in the red zone. Can't really complain about those guys. Offense just didn't take advantage of opportunities (as usual). But it does sort of appear he threw them under the bus... hell, someone needs to.

Sean Locklear said it is "not good when u give up a sack," but "I feel more comfortable" on the right side.
Umm, Sean, you have have been saying that since they signed you over the summer. They don't get it yet? Or is this more of Kyle's Square Peg in Round Hole decision making??? If they knew this, why in the hell would they put Locklear in at left tackle to defend the QBs blind side if he's more comfortable on the right??? The first few snaps didn't give it away the past two weeks? He's more comfortable on the right side and it showed today when Jammal Brown went down. Dude did a good job at RT. Get a clue, Shanford And Son.

Mike Shanahan: "[Will Montgomery] is a much better center than a guard."
Then can you explain to all of Redskins Nation WHY when Kory went down you moved the best center on your team to LG then? That position is way too important to move. And for the past two games, we've seen what life without Will in the middle is like. Sort of like having Casey back in the middle. It's not the same. Your center is like the QB of your OLine. You don't bench your Aaron Rodgers for Curtis Painter. Just sayin. 

Gaffney: "[I was] kind of open out there today. For whatever reason, John goes through his reads and a lot of times he didn’t come to me."
As long as he holds on to the ball during pass plays, he has to see Gaffney, or Hank... or anyone at least once. I still wonder if he's being programmed to play the way he does. Way too many plays I saw today was one of these wideouts flagging down Beck emphatically to pass to them. And to think, Hank is 6'3" and has long arms and huge hands. How do you not notice all that? Something else is happening here.


Shanahan on moving forward and the blame Beck is taking "Sometimes it looks like it's all the Quarterback and that's understandable. When you lose a few pieces of the puzzle, the Quarterback is going to look pretty average, and we are playing pretty average as a group. We need to get better. We can't make those mistakes that we made during the game."
Mike, the only reason you guys look average as a group is because your defense and special teams keeps you "average." If your performance was purely based on offensive production, you would be so far below you couldn't look up and see average. Unless you had a set of binoculars, that is. But judging by LaRon's comment, it seems like that group of guys is getting pretty tired too. So you gotta think of something. 

Put Kyle in timeout. I like his plays... but his execution instructions/guidance... I don't know.


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