What can you say? It was Rexy at his worst. Four INTs in 3 quarters just isn't going to cut it. There were other issues but the turnovers are killers. Lets start with Rexy and the INTs. Honestly, I was okay with the first one because it was a pretty well thrown ball albeit in double coverage but the receiver still had a chance to make a play. Also, it was a 3rd and 16 and the INT was made inside the Eagles 5 yard line so it was like a punt. Again, I was okay with that one.
The second one hurt bad. We were down 17-0 and Rexy had Gaffney open for a long TD. He had gotten behind the defense and had a couple of steps on the DB right down the middle of the field and Rexy threw it to the inside and short for a pretty easy INT. That one hurt because we were down. The offense was sputtering and we had a chance to really change the momentum and it was just a poorly thrown ball.
The third one hurt as well. We closed out the half with a FB to make it a 20-3 game. We opened up the second half with a nice Banks return followed by a deep flea flicker to set up another FG. Defense was playing much better. We get an INT off of VY and the crowd is starting to come to life. Two plays later Grossman tried to gun one in there and the safety stepped in for an easy pick. That took away at least another 3 points.
The fourth one didn't understand. It was a broken play and Rexy rolled out to his left and threw it right to the safety. I suppose he wasn't sure where Gaffney was going to go. Whether he was going to come back to the QB or go downfield but the ball really wasn't close to Gaffney and the safety was the only one who had a chance to get the ball. From the replays we were shown, if he had thrown it deeper, it looked like it could have been a TD but you can't say unless you look at the game film and talk to the players. Doesn't really matter. After that, you really had no choice but to make a QB switch. I mean the defense really stepped up and contained the Eagle offense in the second half but our offense did nothing to help them out.
I know no QB decision has been made but seems safe to assume that Beck is going to get the start next Sunday.
As far as other points to the game:
1. Tough injuries. We ended up losing the left side of our line. Lichtensteiger to torn ligaments and Williams to an ankle sprain. Hopefully Williams can return soon although I imagine he will be out a couple of weeks. Starting C, Montgomery, had to move to LG and we put in some new guy at C. That's a tough move mid game but the O line held up pretty well. We also lost Cooley but I'm good with Fred Davis.
2. No running game. I kind of expected this. The Eagle D Coordinator said that he was going to take the run away. They did a good job of that. Unfortunately, we couldn't get the passing game going to open up the run game. Not being able to get much in the runs on early downs and then falling behind 20-0 forced a change in game plan and more passing. Unfortunately, Rexy did his thing.
3. Defense was okay. First half, we struggled. We tried sending a lot of pressure and it is high risk, high reward with the Eagles. They have too many playmakers that if you don't get them right away, they will make you pay. However, it looked like adjustments were made at halftime and the defense blanked them in the second half. We ended up not using the Zero defense look as much and were able to have better success.
4. Special teams was solid. Gano made his kicks including a couple of longer ones. Banks had a nice return. All in all, solid effort from this group.
Still, the story is Rexy and his poor play. It's disappointing. His performance has progressively declined the last few weeks. I like his confidence but his play does not match it. We cannot win if our QB is turning the ball over as often as he is. I'm not a Beck fan but he deserves a shot and I will support him and hopefully he proves me wrong. He did have a nice scoring drive and he certainly provides much better mobility. I have always said that he runs that naked bootleg very well and that is something the Shannys like to run so I expect to see that often against Carolina. However, I'm not sold on the guy. He engineered the scoring drive but his throws were like end over end kickoffs. He couldn't throw spirals and he throws his deep balls way up high. I understand he hasn't practiced with the starters and he is rusty so hopefully time with them this week will help. Again, I do like the mobility. I do like that he will run those bootlegs as that will bring a new option to the offense we did not have with Rexy. It's good that this offense suits Beck so maybe he will surprise me but in the end, it's too bad it didn't work out with Rexy. This may not be the last time we see him so hopefully he learns from this and when he gets back in there, he is better. The problem is that this has been what he does his entire career so it is hard to imagine him learning now. We'll see.
19 comments:
Glenn Beck is going to suck. Rex played a bad game, but he is streaky and can get really hot. Beck has never been able to even beat out the other QBs on his 3 teams. If he is the starter the Deadskins will ensure themselves a 4th straight season as the East cellar-dweller.
Frankly, I hope they do make the change so that I can more easily root against them.
I'm surprised that Rob still has wet dreams of Rexy "get[ting] really hot" after the first five games of this year. Rexy has exhibited a steady decline since the pre-season. Like Rob, my interest was perked when Rexy seemed to be in command of the offense and getting rid of the ball quickly in the pre-season and in the Giants game. However, Rexy's confidence, despite his post-game comments, is at an all time low. He has been short-arming his passes and his accuracy has suffered. In addition, some how, his release now looks like a 50 year old man's release - very slow. E.g., he had a screen play to Davis on the left side yesterday, I was at the game and saw that Davis was open with blockers in front of him and the ball took forever to get to him. There was no zip on the ball. If Rexy has been dealing with some injury and he hasn't said anything, he's an even bigger idiot than I think he is.
The Defense played well at times, but they couldn't stop the run when they needed to. Also, the big plays were ridiculous. I still don't understand our gameplan to let their receivers run free and then hope to stop their yards after catch. It was a silly approach and I can't believe that Andy Reid outcoached us once again.
Brandon Banks: He needs to get his head examined for trying to take the ball out of the endzone from 9 yards deep.
Overall, these were two mediocre teams that played a terrible game. If the Iggles were an elite team, they would have scored two more touchdowns and the game would not have come down to the last 2:44 minutes on the clock. The Skins are lucky that they weren't embarrased.
There really isn't any choice. Rexy's play has gotten progressively worse. He has 18 turnovers in his 8 Redskin starts. He has 9 INTs and 2 fumbles already this season. It's not one game. He has not been playing well. It's debatable whether his play cost us the game yesterday. There were other things that happend but his play was very poor.
I'm not a Beck fan but I have been very disappointed with Rexy and Beck certainly can't play much worse than Rexy the last couple of games.
BTW - again, the Glenn Beck reference really doesn't work. You gotta think of something better. Needs to be either more clever or something relevant. Come back with something else.
Two things. I didn't watch most of the second half, but I assume the Eagles got more conservative with the big lead and the D playing so well. I'm sure they were thinking about their collapses and just wanted to lock up the road win.
As for Rex, he missed on the long pass, but I did not think Davis made much of an effort on two of the picks. The last one was truly horrible, but the Deadskin line was banged up and there was no running game. Had Beck started I doubt the outcome would have been any different.
I assume Beck will start and I am sure we will all see why he has been a career backup.
Shanny does have a choice. But here is his choice:
1. Go with Rex and hope that he gets hot.
2. Go with Glenn and hope that the defense scores. Glenn's not going to win games.
Complicating it all is the fact that the O-line is in trouble.
I kind of thought Robs would say that the Eagles let up in the second half. It's not true. They were passing just as much in the second half and trying to pour it on. Our defense does deserve credit for the adjustments and not allowing any more scores.
The deep ball is all on Rexy. He has to hit that. It looked good coming out of his hand but was well underthrown. Davis made a good attempt on the first pick the problem was that there were two guys right around him. He couldn't do much. Still, it was a 3rd and 16 and the INT happened inside the Eagles 5 yard line so I don't have much of an issue with that one.
The third one is the kind of play that hurts Rexy often. He either doesn't see the LB dropping back or the S and it's an easy pick for that guy.
The fourth was ridiculous.
Rexy was good in college because he is good at backyard football. He had better talent and he didn't have to worry too much intricate zone coverages. He could throw it deep to his faster, more talented WRs and they could get the ball.
Again, it's not one game. Believe me, I am pulling for the guy because I don't believe in Beck but the numbers don't lie. Eighteen turnovers in 8 games is not going to cut it.
The defense kept us in the game against Dallas. The defense won the game for us in St. Louis. The defense did their best to get us back in the game against Philly.
Shanny has been trying to give Rexy the opportunity to "get hot." It isn't happening.
The one aspect that Beck can bring is his mobility and again, that is a part of the Shanny offense that they have not been able to utilize with Rexy. I can just about guarantee we will see several naked boot legs next week. The question is can Beck execute the play. If I am Carolina they should coach up that backside LB/DE to be ready for that because it is going to come.
I can imagine us having some success with that early on but teams will pick up on that and then it will be difficult to run.
Robs, after the fourth pick, would you have kept Rexy in there?
I didn't watch most of the second half as said. I would still guess that the Eagles played more conservatively, but if they didn't so be it.
Just looking at the rushing yards - 192 - with 31 called rushes plus 7 more Vick runs which I assume were not called runs says something. I doubt the Eagles have called 30+ runs in the Andy Reid era.
I would have taken Rex out. But I would not go with Glenn Beck this week.
They had more pass plays in the third quarter than run plays. They have had 30+ carries in their first three games (granted Vick had many runs in their opener). The previous two they had strayed from the run but their run numbers looked consistent with their first three games. The fourth quarter they still passed but it was clear they were going shorter to try and get first downs and take time off the clock.
I really don't know what your love affair is with Rexy is. It hasn't been one game. He is progressively getting worse. He arguably cost us the game yesterday with his turnovers.
I mean it would have been possible to get a FG out of that first INT (would have been 3-0).
The second one was a poorly thrown ball that could've been a TD.
The third one would have been at least a FG.
Those are significant points that we cannot lose. Again, it's not one game. He turned the ball over deep in our territory against Dallas and St. Louis on identical plays. He can't seem to see the LB or S in zone coverage. It's an easy drop back for the defender and right to the guy. I get that this happens on occasion. It just happens regularly with Rexy.
I said called rushes. I am not counting Vick's plays where he takes off - those are usually breakdowns in pass protection.
We can agree that Reid/Mornihinweig (however you spell it) don't call a lot of runs but they did yesterday.
I don't have a love affair w/Rex. I said I would have taken him out. That said, do you really think Glenn Beck would have won yesterday? I doubt it.
I'm not sure why you are going over the interceptions again - I saw them also. The only truly bad decision was the last one. The other ones he is trying to make a play and the decisions don't seem bad to me.
But here is the more important question, do you want Shanny to start Beck this week? I would go with Rex and I propose that if Beck is the starter (which I expect) the Deadskins will really struggle offensively. In fact, I expect Glenn to do nothing on the field.
Who do you think should start?
Here is the difference between Rex and Glenn Beck. Rex has played huge games and he has won huge games. He makes mistakes at times, but they are aggressive mistakes and he can get hot really, really fast.
Glenn Beck is at best a game manager. He doesn't have a strong arm, he isn't really all that athletic (although people think he is). He will get back there and do nothing to actually win the game. He may not lose the game like Rex can (and no doubt Rex can be spectacularly dreadful), but you need a little more than that at the QB position in the NFL.
Go with Rex and give yourself a chance to win. Go with Glenn and you pretty much ensure a loss.
For me, I'd like to see Glenn play because I don't like the Deadskins. But if I truly wanted to win, based on what I know and have seen, I would go with Rex.
Another interesting point:
Santana still backs Rex
Guys know Rex and Glenn and what they can do and I would bet that Rex is recognized in the locker room as the best chance to win.
It will be interesting what Shanny does.
The Redskins are not there yet. That much is clear. They are improved but they are not a good team as some power rankings and other redskin nation members had assumed they were.
They are going to have some growing pains this year and some of next year. Starting Grossman I believed was a step backwards. If they started Beck in week 1, By now they would known what they had in him and what they had in Grossman. i thought grossman played well the first week or 2 and i thought i may have been wrong for clamoring for Beck to start, but Grossman hasnt played well as of late, and now i believe beck would have been the right choice.
They are Six weeks behind now (22 football weeks if you include last years "are you in" campaign) in finding their leader. I wanted to see what Beck had in the beginning. The consensus has been that no one knows what they have in Beck. If that is the case then how do you even know he is going to suck.
Even still they gave Rex Grossman a shot and he hasnt been very good (more than just his abilities are at fault but ill get to that later). This year being a rebuilding year, they should atleast see what they have in Beck and whether they need to go out and get a QB next year. I dont know what Shanny's love affair with Superbowl losing QB's is, but he has failed with two of them now in two years. Give Beck the start. That is the logical next step.
Side note: Maybe Shanny is aware that he doesnt have more than 3 years to get this team winning so he is not in it to rebuild but in it to win now which is why he went after McNabb and Grossman instead of Beck or developing a younger QB.
The Eagles basically carved up the Redskins Defense in the first half. I thought it was clear that the Eagles turned it down a notch in the second half. Either that, or it was because the Redskins stopped doing the zero defense on every play, and the Eagles didnt have the opportunity to counterattack the blitzes.
I am sorry to say but the Redskins do not have the cover corners to do the zero defense on every play. D Hall is not very good. You cant just blitz everyone on every down and expect not to get burned a few times. I mean a creative Defensive Coordinator can disguise the blitz so the offense does not know when or where its coming from and they cannot game plan against it. Haslett is not a good or creative defensive coordinator. This defense has some talent but he is not the right guy to bring it out. The Eagles ran a bunch of draw plays and misdirections and countered most of the zero blitzing. That is gameplanning. That is what good coaches do. Andy Reid showed why he is the longest tenured coach in the league.
Rex Grossman can play. He has shown that. I think at some level, it is the coaches that arent doing their job. I dont think they are preparing Grossman well enough, nor do i think they are preparing the defense well enough. blitzing on every down is not preparation.
How do you not run the ball better against the 30th ranked run defense makes no sense. Of course Grossman is going to throw ints, if thats what the Defense is expecting.
This is a rebuilding year for the Redskins. To expect anything more than an average performance on any given sunday is setting yourself up for disappointment.
Eagles ran 21 times against the Rams. They ran 24 times against Atlanta. They ran 33 times against the Giants. You said that you doubt the Eagles have run it 30+ times in the Reid/Morhniweg regime and that is just nonsense. Again, you admittedly didn't watch the second half and I am telling you that they stayed aggressive. Look at the drive charts and you can see that they continued to pass. You can believe what you want and we can continue to go back and forth like we do but it's hard to do that knowing you didn't even watch the game.
You do have a love affair with Rexy. You support this guy regardless of anything he does. It's borderline homosexual (not that there is anything wrong with that).
Fine, the last INT may have been the only poor decision. The others were just terrible throws. Yeah, the guy has the right idea but he just can't throw the ball....GREEAAAAATTT!!!
To answer your question on who I would go with...I'd take Rexy. It's mostly because I really am not comfortable with Beck. What I would do is sit down with Rexy and let him know that we are giving him another shot but his play has to improve. I would let him know that poor play in the Panther game will force me to turn things over to Beck. I'm sure he is already aware of this but I would still want to make it clear to him.
The facts are that we are 3-2 and Rexy plays a part in that. He has been struggling but to make a QB change is a big deal so I wouldn't do that lightly. It's not the kind of thing where we can go back and forth b/t guys each week. We are on the road so he won't have to worry about the crowd getting on him (although I'm sure there will be plenty of Skins fans in Carolina).
However, I would also give Beck some time with the starters to get him back up to speed in case we need to make a change.
Bottom line is I don't really rally for either one of these guys. I also don't hold hard feelings were either one. I want the guy that can produce. Rexy has been given plenty of time to show us his abilities and he is continually coming up short. We NEED to see better. Again, I said I am good with him until he starts costing us games. It is a very legitimate argument saying that he cost us the game yesterday.
We'll see what happens this week. Should be interesting.
JSR, it was the right call to go with Rexy at the beginning of the season. It was an open QB competition and Rexy won it. It certainly didn't set us back 22 weeks or whatever you said. That's silly.
The "consensus" of people not knowing what we have in Beck is the same group of folks that think the Skins are going to the Super Bowl when we win and that the sky is falling when we lose.
What we have in John Beck is a 30 year old guy that has hardly played because he can't move past 3rd string. He is a guy that was cut by the Dolphins after just a couple of years on the team and signed by the Ravens who thought so highly of him that they traded him to the Redskins for undrafted rookie Doug Dutch. He was not great in preseason and the Skins players aren't rallying behind the guy. It's not like this guy is some super diamond in the rough.
As far as winning now, it's clear that we are in rebuilding mode. We got rid of a lot of older dead weight and focused on the draft and getting younger and deeper and bringing in character guys that fit the system. We did this primarily on defense and I think the improvements are obvious. We were never going to fix all the problems in one offseason. The Skins are still a work in progress but what is clear is that there has been progress and there is a change in attitude. These are steps in the right direction.
Our CBs are fine. The problem with the zero defense is that it is high risk/high reward. If you don't get immediate pressure, bad things will happen. It's similar to that play in Dallas. I don't care how good the CB is, if a QB has time to throw it, 90+% of the time he will complete it. I can still remember playing in high school and one on one drills b/t the CB and WR and a coach throwing. The WR has by far the advantage.
The Eagles are too talented that if we don't get that immediate pressure, they will make you pay. The good thing was that it was clear adjustments were made at halftime and we did drop guys back and the results spoke for themselves.
How do we not run? It was obvious that the Eagles were bringing more guys up in the box to stop the run. Even the announcers mentioned that when they spoke with the Eagles D Coordinator he said that they weren't going to get beaten by the run. They challenged Rexy to beat them and he couldn't do it. We tried running and would end up settling for a 3rd and long which we could not convert. Then after getting down big, we had to scrap the run attack. They took us out of the game plan. The thing is I knew we would pass on our opening play because I'm sure everyone was expecting run. We needed to get a few passes so we could spread the defense and then open up the run game. Unfortunately, we dug ourselves in a hole and the game plan had to change.
It was a tough game but I liked what we showed in the second half. We are 3-2 and it's not the end of the world. Will be interesting to see who is named QB. It will obviously get a lot of attention by the media this week. Each week brings about new stories and challenges. This week promises more excitement.
I'm late to the party...No internet access at my new office.
Let me just say, I knew that would happen. Rexy's game has been declining since week 1 and JKSD summed it up with the turnover recap. 9 ints and 2 fumbles!?!?!
In the immortal words of Ice Cube, "chickity-check yo self before you [Rex] yo self!"
Shanny is going to have to check himself before he puts Rexy back in. Robs suggests not taking Rexy out, but I don't think keeping him in is an option at this point. He's not playing with confidence. One play in particular proved it. On the first drive of the 2nd half, on third and goal, Rexy bumbled around in the pocket and threw the ball out of bounds about 2 seconds after getting the snap. He didn't even try to find a receiver, i.e., he gave up. That won't cut it.
I want to see what Beck can do. Robs keeps saying he doesn't have a strong arm. Again, Robs's Skins analysis is completely wrong. The dude has a gun. If you saw any of the completions he made, you could see a lot of zip on the ball - granted, his ability to throw a spiral leaves a lot to be desired. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt though. As a back up, he gets no reps in practice, so the rust has to be a factor.
I hope Beck plays. If he sucks, so what. It'll prove that we need to draft our QB of the future in April. If he's just average, he can't be any worse than Rexy. If he lights it up, I'll try to find a hotel in Indy, because we're going to the Super Bowl baby!
Despite the injuries and the QB issues, we're still 3-2. I can't complain.
HAIL SKINS!
At 3-2 why make the change? Once you make the change you really cannot go back.
It is pretty clear Beck cannot play - even if you think he is a better option.
Play him and tank the season - but then just accept the fact that the Deadskins will lose 8 of their last 11.
In the immortal words of Ice Cube, "chickity-check yo self before you [Rex] yo self!"
LOL awesome!
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