Mike Shanahan.. Extension or move on, what would you do ?

[Forehead]

I like Football Outsiders too, but I do have to occasionally do work while I'm "at work" so I just went with ESPN stats. I was still shocked that based on yardage we had a 14.5 ranking last year and still only one 5 games. That has to be pretty rare, I'd think.

[KDawg]

I think in the modern game you have to add in rush the passer and cover. Which is where our problems start .....

Rushing the passer can fall into running and tackling, can't it?

Covering can fall into "running". Yes, running would be a tremendously simplified version of what coverage is, but football is still the same. Modern, old time, ect. It's gotten more complex technique wise, but the basics are still the basics

[MartinC]

Rushing the passer can fall into running and tackling, can't it?

Only when you actually get there!

I do agree though that football. at essence is a simple game and that sometimes at NFL level the fundamentals get overlooked or taken for granted. The standard of tackling for example is shocking league wide.

[KDawg]

Only when you actually get there!

I do agree though that football. at essence is a simple game and that sometimes at NFL level the fundamentals get overlooked or taken for granted. The standard of tackling for example is shocking league wide.

That's more to my point. At it's essence its a very simple game. The complexities are there, sure, but you need to have the basics in order to excel in the complexities. It's like going right to calculus without mastering addition

[skinny21]

49ers have a good defense. Perhaps better without Williams? He was a back-up there and he was projected to be a back-up here, not a starter which is what has happened. He does have serious issues. Keeping his feet planted while Victor Cruz runs by him.

I don't think they gambled on the front 7, I think they gambled that the front 7 would hide the atrocious secondary. It can't anymore since teams have figured out our crappy system. We are dead last in the league in pass defense. We're decent against the run... Some of this is talent, some of this is coaching...

My point about Williams was just that if he was good enough to be a backup on a very talented defense, it seems like like less of a gamble to bring him here, especially since he wasn't 'given' the starting role.

I guess my question is this - how else could the organization have changed the secondary that would not have been perceived as a gamble?

A former pro-bowler (for what that's worth), a draft pick, a backup from a talented team, and a guy that had 'flashed' on another team rejoining his ex-coach. There were question marks, but I don't see how they could have assumed that 3/4 guys would miss this much time, and that Williams would play as bad as he has.

My contention this offseason was that we just needed one (or two) of these guys to pan out since we still had Gomes and Doughty. I have trouble blaming Shanahan (or whoever) for all 4 acquisitions being failures to this point.

[wrecker]

I have trouble blaming Shanahan (or whoever) for all 4 acquisitions being failures to this point.

I wonder how many other teams were persuing any of those 4 as potential starters?

[tibbidoe]

Shanahan has been handcuffed from the start. McNabb was the biggest mistake he made, but there have been limitations that have kept him from making all the moves he's wanted to.

2010 - "Uncapped" year, very limited FA options
2011 - Lockout, shortened offseason
2012 - Capgate, very limited FA options

Not a full offseason/FA period since he's been here, and, as of right now, next offseason won't be either. I say the only things that specifically need to be changed are finding upgrades from Jim Haslett and Danny Smith. Otherwise, let him ride it out and worry about an extension later.

[RandyHolt]

Where I am losing patience is Mike is having finally gotten a QB, we have failing pass pro. He had 2-3 years to get a OL in place that to me, should be able run and pass block. It is imperative to protect a QB and I see RG3 getting hit far too quickly when passing from the pocket.

He seems fixated on run blocking ability, over pass blocking ability, when searching for linemen. Yet it is becoming a passing league more and more, and no matter how good a coach thinks his team is, they will have to pass the ball, when the defense knows it.

He has made himself very dependent on the run. But then he goes into the season, with only 2 running backs. Can anyone imagine where we would be without the home run selection of Morris? Our offense resembles a college team with him of the game.

In his 3rd year with a stud QB, we should be dynamic enough to be a pass first team. We are very one dimensional and I am not sure Garcon coming back changes that. On his 88 yd TD, RG3 got popped.

[Redskins4ever]

I don't like the idea of Mike Shanahan drafting the players, signing the free agents, and making the trades. He should be the head coach only and Bruce Allen should be the man making all personnel decisions. If the Redskins are going to continue to run this 3-4 defense then they have to do a better job of scouting natural 3-4 personnel instead of choosing players that mostly fit the 4-3 and plugging them into the 3-4.

[DogofWar1]

Where I am losing patience is Mike is having finally gotten a QB, we have failing pass pro. He had 2-3 years to get a OL in place that to me, should be able run and pass block. It is imperative to protect a QB and I see RG3 getting hit far too quickly when passing from the pocket.

I think Oline is a little weak, but that's mainly RT, which would have been addressed if not for certain Mara-based interference. The other problem is RB blocking, which again, was addressed via Hightower, but he got injured, and no one we've tried since then has been good at it.

On the whole, the four guys left of the RT have done ok this year.

[skinfan2k]

Shanahan has been handcuffed from the start. McNabb was the biggest mistake he made, but there have been limitations that have kept him from making all the moves he's wanted to.

2010 - "Uncapped" year, very limited FA options
2011 - Lockout, shortened offseason
2012 - Capgate, very limited FA options

Not a full offseason/FA period since he's been here, and, as of right now, next offseason won't be either. I say the only things that specifically need to be changed are finding upgrades from Jim Haslett and Danny Smith. Otherwise, let him ride it out and worry about an extension later.

Everyone has had to face this problem. The colts replaced 47 out of 52 players in 1 year on their roster.

[Born In 93]

Move on. Not even a tough decision, look at our records since hes been here.

[Boss_Hogg]

After listening to the podcast, it's time to move on.

[50yrSKINSfan]

Have to fire him at the end of the season unless he turns it around. Last year on his contract means nothing if he does not get a extension. Team will not follow him.

---------- Post added November-13th-2012 at 06:33 PM ----------

I think if he was a good coach he would have good assistants.

[DieselPwr44]

We have no defensive secondary... they knew our safeties sucked going into the season... It's a passing league and they bet the house that the front 7 would get enough pressure to negate or supplement the lack of talent in the secondary. They lost everything on that wager...

Losing 36 million in cap had nothing to do with it?

Cool story though.....