WP: The Redskins might be playing to evaluate players, but it’s too early for Mike Shanahan to say so

[MartinC]

A few thoughts on this in no particular order.

1. I think what Mike said reflects reality - but it was best left unsaid at this stage of the year and in any case...... You play to win the game - HELLO!?! Evaluation is an outcome of playing to win not an objective IMO.
2. Every player is being evaluated every snap they take in practice or a game whatever the won loss record in any case.
3. This roster is some way from being a legitimate playoff contender. We need significant help on the field and off it on defence and its time to take the training wheels off RGIII and start reducing the read option and introducing more traditional WCO elements to give RGIII some experience and help his development for next year.
4. Most of us were talking about this being a 6 win season and the won loss record not being the big issue this year but the development of RGIII being the key. Why then are we all getting so bent out of shape by the prospect of a (maybe) 6 win season and a QB who looks to have the potential to be All Pro??

[Mursilis]

4. Most of us were talking about this being a 6 win season and the won loss record not being the big issue this year but the development of RGIII being the key. Why then are we all getting so bent out of shape by the prospect of a (maybe) 6 win season and a QB who looks to have the potential to be All Pro??

Because, for the millionth time, it's not the rookie QB holding this team back. It's the head coach and the rest of the team.

[DieselPwr44]

Because, for the millionth time, it's not the rookie QB holding this team back. It's the head coach and the rest of the team.

And most folks acknowledged before the season that the secondary was bad, the Oline still needed work and we had unknowns at WR....it wasn't only about the rookies at QB and RB.

The fanbase will tell you up front they are an intelligent,even keeled bunch with patience.

What a crock of horse apples.....lol

[Mursilis]

And most folks acknowledged before the season that the secondary was bad, the Oline still needed work and we had unknowns at WR....it wasn't only about the rookies at QB and RB.

The fanbase will tell you up front they are an intelligent,even keeled bunch with patience.

What a crock of horse apples.....lol

You always post this same tired line - patience, patience, patience. Please tell me, when's the winning going to start? Why should the fans be patient with a proven failure like Shanahan? This team is headed for its third 10+ loss season in a row under Shanahan, and all you can say is "stay the course!' No one should be patient with failure.

[DieselPwr44]

You always post this same tired line - patience, patience, patience. Please tell me, when's the winning going to start? Why should the fans be patient with a proven failure like Shanahan? This team is headed for its third 10+ loss season in a row under Shanahan, and all you can say is "stay the course!' No one should be patient with failure.

You had Dan and Vinny in charge of personnel and coaching staffs for over a decade.
Shanny should get the life of his contract.
I preach patience because everyone knew what this season was all about back in August.

Now, that logic has been thrown out the window.

What's funny is that the one's who preached patience back in August are the first ones wanting to fire everybody.

[MartinC]

You always post this same tired line - patience, patience, patience. Please tell me, when's the winning going to start? Why should the fans be patient with a proven failure like Shanahan? This team is headed for its third 10+ loss season in a row under Shanahan, and all you can say is "stay the course!' No one should be patient with failure.

For me if at the end of next season if we are not better than .500 this is a conversation. But not now.

[Mursilis]

You had Dan and Vinny in charge of personnel and coaching staffs for over a decade.
Shanny should get the life of his contract.
I preach patience because everyone knew what this season was all about back in August.

Now, that logic has been thrown out the window.

What's funny is that the one's who preached patience back in August are the first ones wanting to fire everybody.

Seriously, where's the evidence that Shanahan will ever turn this team around, because I'm just not seeing it. All patience is going to get you is more losing. What are you going to say next year when the team is below .500 again? And the year after that?

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

You had Dan and Vinny in charge of personnel and coaching staffs for over a decade.
Shanny should get the life of his contract.
I preach patience because everyone knew what this season was all about back in August.

Now, that logic has been thrown out the window.

What's funny is that the one's who preached patience back in August are the first ones wanting to fire everybody.

Your not preaching patience man.

Your being condescending to anyone that (legitimately in the majority of cases) questions anything over a multitude of different threads.

And it's not a good look on you.

Hail.

[The Tris]

4. Most of us were talking about this being a 6 win season and the won loss record not being the big issue this year but the development of RGIII being the key. Why then are we all getting so bent out of shape by the prospect of a (maybe) 6 win season and a QB who looks to have the potential to be All Pro??

It's not about the record. It's about a general lack of attention to detail that is causing the record.

I expected a well prepared and professional team. With a veteran coaching staff with plenty of high character veterans in the locker room, I didn't think that was too much to ask. I didn't expect to be the most talented team on the field every week, but I expected to be disciplined.

Instead, we are the most penalized team in the NFL (75 penalties through 9 games). That's indicative of coaching issues, and underscores a general lack of discipline this team has.

Most people weren't as concerned with the record this year, just that we showed improvement and competence. I'm not concerned by a 3-6 record, I'm concerned by a lack of improvement in both a micro and macro sense, and a lack of competence. We're losing games for reasons like having 13 penalties and 10 drops, and that's a problem that warrants concern independent of the Ws and Ls.

[darrelgreenie]

I have no concern over Mike Shanahan's post game statements. Mike Shanahan has proven time and time again that what he says to the media is of little consequence or import to him. The dude will say anything, especially when he's probably mad as hell at himself and his entire staff/team.

[SkinsCrushCowboys]

I don't think anyone wants to win more than Shanahan. He made a comment that he probably could have worded differently. Coaches evaluate talent every week and make game decisions. Anything he says post game will be scrutinized and picked apart. He is aware of the fan frustration and he has never been a touchy freely guy in these pressers.

The lack of team discipline (personal fouls, penaltys) is a concern and needs to be addressed.

At the end of the day I am tired of the head coaching carousel in DC,.. Combine the injuries, cap penalty and it is a tough situation for any coach. I hope he comes out with a strong statement today and acknowledges some team issues. How the team responds post bye will tell us a lot.

We can still have a nice run and have some positive things to build on this year and next.

Hail
.

[MartinC]

It's not about the record. It's about a general lack of attention to detail that is causing the record.

I can see that and agree that its a concern - but I don't think its time to bail on this regime, we have to bite a bullet and ride this out for at least another year IMO. The alternative is maybe going back two steps to take maybe 3 steps forwards.

[S.T.real,lights,out]

You know what is funny about all this...when Shanahan made the trade for McNabb EVERYONE was criticizing him for not coming out and "admitting" that the year was a "rebuilding" year. Remember the arguments? "You don't go get McNabb if you are rebuilding" "McNabb was brought here to win now" etc.

and now, he speaks pretty candidly about the team's prospects to the media, and many of these same people (Wise, Reid, etc) say he's wrong to be so candid.

I think its more that we are in the 3rd year of the "rebuild" and we are just past the half way mark and we are already looking to next season.

[Wyvern]

When you call on your team to win a 'must game' that is vital for the team's playoff chances, and someplayers don't execute well -- that then makes you wonder how well those guys would do at the next critical juncture. And it makes you wonder if you'd want that player on your team during future playoff runs. This game (and the last two before) provide a lot of material to evaluate just that.

That was definitely in Shanahan's mind when he went up to the stadium -- and I suspect he'd wished he'd said it differently. I also anticipate that some repair will be done, but it now seems Shanhan's honeymoon with the press may be over.

Deep down, I suspect many had come to the same conclusion -- candidly this game was a major blow (possibly mortal) to the Skins 201 playoff chances. And if the Skins aren't going to the playoffs, what should they be doing -- going about business as usual?

However, Shanahan didn't phrase it correctly or in the right order -- so now we have a 'media issue' (and maybe a locker-room issue too) on how the bad news was handled.

I hope things cool down, and no one over-reacts. The re-build continues and the Skins DO have some young, talented, quality players to compete in the near future.

[The Tris]

I don't think anyone wants to win more than Shanahan.

This doesn't move the needle for me. Every HC really wants to win. Saying, well Mike REALLY wants to win doesn't mean anything.

Dan Snyder REALLY wants to win too, doesn't mean he is good at his job.

To win, you have to have answers. Mike seems at a loss for them right now. Ideally he can get the team refocused on simply executing the basics - catching, tackling, knowing your blocking assignments, knowing your coverage responsibilities, not committing penalties. These are fixable issues now, different from adding the needed talent to the secondary. That ain't getting fixed.

But fixing the fundamentals on a team full of high character vets coached by an experienced coaching staff? Yeah, those are things that can be fixed, should be fixed, and never should have been issues in the first place.

That's my biggest indictment of this coaching staff, this backslide into sloppiness that was supposed to leave when Vinny and Jimmy's Circus left town.

---------- Post added November-5th-2012 at 08:18 AM ----------

I don't think its time to bail on this regime, we have to bite a bullet and ride this out for at least another year IMO.

I struggle to see a scenario where is isn't the coach in 2013 - I guess we would have to lose out coupled with clear evidence of him losing the locker room - two things with seem unlike, "The Comment" isn't going to help.

But these characteristics of a perennial loser that have reared their head need to stop now. It's as simple as that. Can't preach this line of "a return of professional football in DC" when you are losing games for the reasons you are.