Frustrating loss as pretty much any loss is frustrating. A couple of notes:
1. Great game by Brandon Banks. He's like the mini version of Devin Hester. He broke one and had another one that was called back by a Reed Doughty illegal block. He had a number of good PRs too. HUGE upgrade over ARE.
2. Daniels jumping offside on the FG?!!! C'mon, man!!! That one hurt as instead of 13-10 Skins lead, it became a 14-13 Lions lead.
There were some other issues and other bounces that if they had gone our way, we could have won but every game this season has been close and if the ball had bounced this way or that way a little differently in each of those games, we could have found ourselves undefeated or we could have found ourselves winless. Bottom line, we are 4-4 and if someone were to tell me at the beginning of the year we would be 4-4 at the bye, I would've taken it. Also, I think the Lions are a good football team and CJ is a beast.
That said, lets cut to the chase. What was the deal with McNabb getting pulled? It's now obvious it wasn't because of injury. I know Shanny said that Rexy understood the terminology better and that would be better in the 2 minute drill but that is b.s. What was the offseason for? What was preseason for? You're telling me that in Week 8, McNabb wouldn't be fluent enough in the offense to run the 2 minute drill? Shanny was trying to sell it but I don't buy it.
It's basically a slap in the face if your McNabb. We weren't 0-7. We were 4-3 and it a matter of seconds I feel the complexion of the season has completely changed. What's worse is that the decision came on a bye week so I am sure McNabb is going to go home and talk to his friends and have more time to stew about this. Even better is that Rexy came in and does what Rexy does...fumble. Sure, he was hit but McNabb has been hit plenty and does a much better job of holding on to the ball. Rexy will fumble left and right if he is in there.
Another thought...I don't believe for a second that this was a snap decision. It seems like there has been some build up to the pulling. In last week's game against the Pears, when McNabb threw the tipped pass for an INT that went for a TD, Kyle and McNabb were in a discussion on the sideline. Kyle was showing him the fax pictures of the play and it looked as though he was blaming McNabb for the INT. McNabb seemed surprised and seemed to be saying something to the effect of "You serious?" Where Kyle again told him you should have done XX. At that point, McNabb pulled away and started saying loudly, "FINE! FINE!" and looked pretty annoyed. We all remember reports in camp about how McNabb didn't look sharp and didn't seem to be picking up the offense well. Rexy is Kyle's boy from Houston and he was brought in by Kyle specifically because he understood this offense. Good move in bringing him in but it seems like Kyle has been itching to give Rexy a chance. Again, we don't know what all is going on and I am speculating on some of the above but bottom line, making a move like that certainly has consequences. This is now the big story and will be the story for the next two weeks. We will hear plenty of it.
For me, I don't think McNabb has played particularly great this year but the big thing I like about him is that he seems to have brought some much needed leadership and a calmness to our offense and the entire team. That is/was needed. The other thing is that McNabb still isn't signed. Now, we shouldn't sign him if we really believe he isn't the right fit but then it begs the question whether we should have traded for him in the first place. We gave up a 2nd round pick. Sure, there is always a risk with a trade and not knowing if the guy will pan out but we should have been more confident and comfortable with this move. Halfway through the season, McNabb is still unsigned and it appears that relations b/t he and the Shannys is breaking down. I may be wrong on that but it is just my perception. We may not want to sign him and/or he may not want to sign with us. The thing is the players seem to respect and enjoy McNabb and if he were to leave, where does that leave us? With Rexy? With John Beck? I'm not saying this is all over with McNabb. Perhaps, everything will be fine and the relationship is just fine. Maybe we will resign him but it just doesn't look like that right now.
We'll see what happens.
11 comments:
Terrible decision to pull McNabb. No reason to do that.
Shanny's dictatorial ego came out. It is what cost him his job in Denver. I don't see anything good coming out of that decision. It may split the team and probably means McNabb won't be back next year.
I think the decision was more driven by Kyle.
I don't think it will split the team. I think the team by and large supports McNabb and they are happy with the order Shanny has brought. I do think they are just as confused by the decision but I don't really see it as splitting the team. It's not like the team fully endorses Rexy. I also don't see a QB controversy.
What I do see is a schism developing b/t McNabb and the Shannys. I see it more localized to that.
Again, while I don't think McNabb has been that great this year, I don't like the move. We were 4-3 with a perennial Pro Bowl QB available to try and win the game and he was pulled. I'm sure Kyle has felt that McNabb is missing many open throws and making poor decisions - not just in yesterday's game but in others. However, I still don't believe you pull him out.
Again, the concern is that if we choose not to resign McNabb, where does that leave us? We lose out on a 2nd round pick and we find ourselves in search of a QB. Neither Rexy nor Beck are the answers. Who then?
I don't believe relations are so torn that they can't be repaired. I don't think it is even close to that. However, still don't like the decision and it will be interesting to see how this plays out. Of course, this is the media's dream for the bye week. It gives them plenty to talk about for the next 2 weeks in what would otherwise be a pretty dull time for sports talk.
So will Kyle go?
When the head coach/OC and QB are at odds, when does it not split the team?
I don't really see any way that McNabb is going to stay when the coach thinks Rex is the better QB.
McNabb has to play behind a sieve of a line and he didn't have an NFL running back in the game in the second half. He has one WR on the team and he wasn't helped by Fred Davis' drops. Then he is made a scapegoat for the mess?
Why is Lichtensteiner or whatever his name is playing over Dock?
Why is Joey Galloway the third WR and not Devin Thomas?
Why was there only one running back - Keiland Williams - available in the second half.
The Deadskins missed on most of their draft picks this year. Personnel decisions are not Shanny's strong suit, but without good personnel you cannot win. The Deadskins are in some trouble now that they are going to get away from McNabb.
HOLD ON, ROBS!!! Don't be such an alarmist. You sound like an old guy who ordered soup and it wasn't piping hot and you are all bitter.
Calm down, snapper.
Again, I don't think the schism is that bad. We'll find out. However, I think it was a bad decision but I don't think it is the end of the world.
To your points:
The line was not great. I agree. I don't like Lichtensteiger and that has been a complaint of mine for weeks. I don't know why Dock isn't playing and that is a concern. Is Shanny's ego even bigger than we thought? Don't know but I do know that I don't like Lichtensteiger and given the woes of the O line, it certainly seems like there would be a place for Dock. I also don't like Heyer. While I like Rabach for his vet experience as he truly is the anchor of the line and a smart football player, he is getting a little long in the tooth and his play is starting to show it.
Armstrong is an okay WR. He has been decent so I don't have a huge problem with him. I don't like Galloway as he doesn't seem to show a whole lot of effort out there and it's probably just that he is old and is scared of getting hurt. Still, he doesn't play much so he really isn't much of a factor.
Fred Davis' drops? Are you talking about the two 2 pt conversions? The first one was a bullet that was high. It was a tough ball to catch. The second was behind him that he had very little chance of getting. Either he ran the wrong route or McNabb threw a bad pass. Both were by far easy catches. Were there other passes he "dropped?"
Didn't have an NFL RB in the game? Yeah, we were down to the third string RB. Most third string RBs aren't the most well known. However, Keiland Williams was effective getting 6 carries for 25 yards (4.2 avg.) including a TD and 3 catches for 28 yards. Not bad for a guy that isn't an "NFL running back."
It's funny how everything changes in one week. Last week, everyone is happy and this week, you are saying it's CHAOTICA!!!!!!
First, you don't care about the Redskins. Second, you love to be the alarmist. Third, the Skins were 4-12 last year and probably not even that good. We have already won the same number of games as last year and there is a sense of order to this team. There is no reason to panic. Again, I don't agree with the McNabb benching but that situation seems localized to McNabb and the Shannys. I'm not saying that the team won't be talking about it amongst themselves and their friends and family but I feel pretty comfortable that by and large, the team respects and believes in Shanny and McNabb. Those individuals need to clear this up and move forward. We will see how it plays out.
That was a bad move by M. Shan or K. Shan. It had to be building up for a few weeks. There is no other explanation. I mean for the Shannys to actually bench their starting QB in favor of a back up who hadnt taken an offensive snap all season at a moment when the Skins had 1:50 to move down the field and score a TD and win, makes me think that there is more to this than McNabbs performance on sunday (which wasnt terrible).
Basically Shanny sealed their fate by putting in Rex Grossman. The chances of a cold Rex Grossman ( or any backup that hadnt played all year) to come in and lead the Skins (or any team) down the field for a TD are very slim. Maybe something made Shanny believe that the chances of McNabb leading the Skins down the field for a TD were even Slimmer. Any one with any football IQ could tell you that McNabb had a better shot and leading the skins to victory than grossman and I dont think Shanny is THAT uninformed, so I dont think it had anything to do with McNabbs abilities or performance.
I think there is something else there. Who knows what it is.
I dont think its any reason to panic yet. The Shannys, i belive still know what they are doing.If they do believe Mcnabb was a bad decision, I dont think they can dwell on what they did in the past to get him and just keep playing him even though hes ineffective. There is a lot of work to be done still on the Skins still. Itll take atleast two offseasons for the Shannys to have built the team they want. for now they def need better receivers and offensive line.
We'll see. It doesn't look good to me
But everything is rosy and full of rainbows in Care Bear land for Robs...
Bad move by Shanny to pull McNabb. It will be the topic of discussion for two weeks with the bye. Shanny already said McNabb is his starter...looks like he may realize it was a mistake. He didn't say as much, but he took responsibility for making the call to pull him.
The one huge negative is this may spell the end of the McNabb era in DC. He doesn't want the drama he had to deal with it Philly, and now he's got right back in it. What were you thinking Shanny?!?!?
The loss sucks, especially because we led for most of the game and also at two points during the fourth quarter. But as JKSD pointed out, things are on the right track. I agree with some of Robs' questions...especially the Lichtensteiger (or whatever) issue. Talk about a non-NFL player. Many of the other issues are a direct result of Snyderatto more so than Shanallenhan so I'm not going to beat up the current regime for the roster shortcomings.
HAIL SKINS!
Agree that Shanallen cannot be blamed for the entire roster. They can only do so much in one offseason.
In Shanny's weekly press conference today, he said that he had already made up his mind before the game that should the Skins be forced into a 2 minute drill with no timeouts remaining, he would have put in Rexy because of McNabb's health. In fact, he said that he spoke to McNabb earlier in the week about his injuries (hammy, quad, ankle) and if he would able to go because he wanted him ready for the second half of the season. He said that he could tell by the way he was planting his feet that he wasn't healthy. Who knows how much of this is spin or what but he did say that he spoke with McNabb earlier in the day and that it was a good conversation.
I know some people are saying QB controversy. I don't see it. I truly believe McNabb is our starter. Again, I don't like the benching and I do question what the future holds regarding the Skins offering a contract to McNabb.
Pears suck!
Bears have their troubles but like I have said I think they will work them out, go 10-6 and make the playoffs. We'll see.
That said, Shanny created a QB controversy for no real reason. I'm sure most of the team hates what happened. We'll see how they respond - but it certainly makes no sense to unleash this storm at this point.
Shanny is trying to cover his arse after the fact. If you actually believe him then you are one gullible dude.
It certainly seemed like spin.
Still, I don't believe for a minute that there is a QB controversy. I firmly believe that McNabb is the starter and there won't be an itchy trigger finger to pull him out for no reason.
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