Being and Becoming the Team Fans Want

Bet his first film study was this press conference

Mike Shanahan has begun his tenure as head coach of the Washington Redskins. It is true, that is a true fact. And that guy seated next to him at Wendesday's introductory press conference was not team owner Dan Snyder, it was new actual general manager Bruce Allen. The Redskins have a real actual general manager, also a true fact, that actually happened.

You are not dreaming. Rub your eyes, it is all still there.

Will it work out? Impossible to tell and for Curly R this is not the time to deconstruct the reasons why not.

The owner is mad with power, that much we know, the last time he did this step aside gig head coach and president of football operations Marty Schottenheimer fired Dan's toadie shadow general manager Vinny Cerrato within days of taking the job and as the 2001 season waned and with the team on an 8-3 tear after an 0-5 start when Dan asked Marty if he was ready to cede some of his contractual authority back to the owner and Marty said GTFO it was worth nearly eight million dollars to Dan to shitcan Marty and take it back.

So no, it may not work out, we will get hints all along the way, how coach Shanahan's staff is formed, how current players and coaches are dealt with, if coach Shanahan's operations muck with tradition or history, how the team handles free agency and the draft, offseason workouts, by training camp in July observers will have a legitimate body of evidence to start making informed judgments on early returns.

On the surface though you have to look at this as clear progress: a real actual general manager and a real actual coach with real actual Super Bowl experience, neither of which have real actual reasons to kiss Dan Snyder's ass and both of which have real actual reasons for wanting to succeed and show the world they can succeed.

I have been a Redskins fan long enough to know that Dan Snyder does not care much about anyone outside his bubble or what they have to say so the notion that any of what has happened over the past two years has been fan driven or the result of pressure by the media or football tastemakers still seems far fetched to me, there is a paper trail forming:

Jim Fassel gets one hair from being named head coach of the Redskins during the search without end in January and February 2008. When word leaks out that Jim Fassel was the quote mystery candidate unquote there is a fan uprising that is so severe the Washington Post reports on it in the Sports section. After Jim did not get the job he blamed bloggers, message board posters and sports talk radio callers for influencing Dan Snyder and Vinny Cerrato. Dan Dan the Sports Bog Man singles out four bloggers for behavior detrimental to Jim Fassel's candidacy.

Then all through the fall and collapse of 2009, the fights with fans over signs, the stripping down of the head coach, the failure, the lack of talent, spark and execution, a common thread formed outside the Ashburn bubble: Dan Snyder needed to get out of the way and turn the business over to professionals, like a small businessman with too much success too fast and not enough skill or confidence to delegate, Dan was stuck trying to shove too much through a small pipe and was making bad decisions. Enter professional management and a gentle invitation for the owner to go spend some time on his private island.

Dan's kneejerk reaction to go from trying to hold the status quo in the face of a customer revolt to becoming a humble man of deference in itself is suspect. After firing Norval Turner at 7-6 and still in the playoff hunt pissed off Redskins fans, his kneejerk reaction then was to throw it all at Marty Schottenheimer, then when the team was 0-2 then 0-3 then 0-4 then 0-5 Dan, who was then still engaging the media and the public, made his message basically, don't look at me guys, you wanted me to find a football guy and put him in charge, none of this is my fault.

And because he did not give Marty even two years of his three year plan in his mind Dan gets to rescue the team from a problem he does not realize he has created.

The same thing could happen this time, it would cost him a lot more money and this time he is not playing with Monopoly money, Redskins fans are seriously ready to drop their tickets, something they were not ready to do in 2001.

We can quibble and oh believe you me I intend to address the disastrous end of the Jim Zorn era next week, we can quibble over how we go to this moment, the journey to becoming a good NFL owner starts with hiring a general manager to oversee operations and a head coach who has the vision and capacity to shape the team on his own. There will be other hires designed to bolster this new power structure and we will analyze them all. Maybe Dan Snyder will let them work.


Today, I am happy with my team's owner.



Mike Shanahan: AP Photo from here.

Curly R's Appearance on NBC 4

I really don't look that much like Ted Koppel

Yesterday I spent five minutes outside for a blogger on the street interview with NBC 4's Chris Gordon on the Redskins' hiring of Mike Shanahan.


FYI the point in this video where the audio cuts off in my shot is where the segment goes back to the studio for the live wrapup with Chris.



Embedded video from here.

The Redskins Got Their Football Guy

Student of the game

It is official, the Redskins have hired Mike Shanahan to be the 28th coach in team history, completing a leap from a failed experiment with an inexperienced head coach and an ineffective football management team to a franchise with an actual general manager and coach with deep experience in football operations.

Dan Snyder armed coach Shanahan with a five year deal worth approximately seven million dollars a year and handed over near total control of the day to day football operation. Expect everything from the signage to equipment checkout processes to practice habits to dress code to walkthroughs to gameday routine to reflect coach Shanahan's vision of a football team.

The management plan as I understand it will feature coach Shanahan working closely with actual general manager Bruce Allen on high level strategic football matters, player selection, draft prep and selections, roster moves and trades, while Bruce handles contract negotiations and manages the salary cap.

Coach Shanahan is expected to have the final word.

This is not peepee caca news for the Redskins. The implications of this football management structure are huge for the Redskins and their fans. If this is all true then it means Dan Snyder, after more than a decade, has realized he should not be in those meetings, should not be viewing that scouting tape or driving those draft picks. He has realized he needs to step back, put it all in the hands of professional football people, sign the checks and let them work.

Will it work? Who knows, we all thought Dan had had this same revelation before the Marty Schottenheimer hire, from the beginning it went off the rails with veteran players such as Bruce Smith complaining in the media about coach Schottenheimer's tactics, Dan let the coach be undermined, never sold out to Marty, never let it be known that it was Bruce Smith's tough shit, if he did not like it he should retire.

Marty, for his part never batted an eye, armed with a solid contract he went about the business of transforming the team, jettisoning the bloated contracts and unneeded player, steady in the belief that he was right and in charge.

And then Dan fired him because he panicked, he got mad that someone else was playing with his toy. And for what? Fucking Steve Spurrier.

This could all happen again, Dan could get cold feet when the 2010 Redskins are 6-10 or 8-8, fire everyone and bring back Vinny Cerrato, give himself a parade and give the finger to Redskins history.

It may take longer than that and still fail. Bruce Allen and Mike Shanahan may not be able to work together, they may conspire to sign a bunch of ineffective old Bronco players and pick the next Heat Shuler in the draft. The job of coaching the team and running the show may be more than a 24 hour a day job, hell Jim Zorn could not even coach the roster given him and call plays at the same time!

Redskins fans though will tolerate a lot of failure from this regime before they give up, Bruce Allen and Mike Shanahan are name brand guys putting their reputations on the line, tthey are not lining up to be anyone's pet the way I think poor Joe Gibbs did in his second go round.

No matter how you look at it, no matter what prospects you think this management team has for failure or success, the moves to hire an actual general manager and bring two time Super Bowl champion Mike Shanahan to the Redskins represent bona fide change to the status quo in Ashburn.


Now the fun begins.



Mike Shanahan: Rob Schwane / AP photo from here via here.

Mike Shanahan Is In Charge of the Redskins

Oh yes there will be yelling

It is official, or rather not official official, it is leaked official, the Washington Post is reporting that the Redskins have signed former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan as head coach and head of football operations, coach Shanahan may have near complete control over football operations. Details will start to pour out in the morning and we will learn more, my expectation is that Bruce Allen is in charge of putting together the lists and negotiating the deals, coach Shanahan will have final say on all football decisions.

Needles to say Redskins fans, THIS IS A VERY GOOD THING. Mike Shanahan is experienced, with sixteen years as an NFL head coach, including his own private Zorning in Los Angeles with the Raiders and Al Davis.

Mike Shanahan will likely assert himself down to the most minute details of the franchise as he crafts this team in his image, coach Shanahan and Dan Snyder have a double dare going here, the owner daring the luminary to take on the reclamation project that is the Redskins and the coach daring the meddler to keep hands off. If it works the Redskins can once again be a team Redskins fans can be proud of.

As Dan Snyder is wont to do he has thrown us from the fire back into the frying pan, from a flyer on a guy that was never a head coach to a likely future Hall of Famer. Be sure you save a dessert pocket for the obligatory naysayers and doubting thomases that question Bruce Allen's personnel skills or whether Mike Shanahan can really run it all and coach on Sundays and whether he was really successful in Denver because if so why was he fired? It didn't work with Holmgren, Dan Snyder will never step back, the culture is rotten from the inside, these players will never get up for him, etc etc yada yada and so on and so forth.

Of course all of that may turn out to be true and Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen may not be able to turn this team around. I have already been challenged by the guys at Hogs Haven to predict the number of NFC Beast division titles and playoff appearances in these coming five seasons, it may all flame out just as it did with Marty Schottenheimer.

Redskins fans know losses can still equal progress. Show me you have a plan to move forward and we will tolerate the building process, the growing pains and the oopses. Just make sure you beat the fucking Cowboys.


It worked kids, the fans freaked out in 2009 and demanded change, and Dan Snyder has delivered. Tip your glass back and let us drink to coach Shanahan.



Mike Shanahan: AP Photo from here.

Report: Redskins and Mike Shanahan Have an Agreement In Principle

Coming to town

Queue it up kids, the Denver Post is reporting that Mike Shanahan and the Redskins have an agreement in principle making Mike the seventh Redskins head coach in the Dan Snyder era, hat tip to Jason Reid for the news.

The rumored contract particulars are five years in the neighborhood of seven million dollars a year and I would have to assume a high degree of control over player personnel.

Dan Snyder is about to do it to us again.



Mike Shanahan, Super Bowl winning coach: Uncredited image from here via here.

Can't Wait Around to Start Talking Offseason

Time is a wasting

The Washington Post's Jason Reid reports that Mike Shanahan's agent has been summoned from whatever wretched hive of scum and villainy agents dwell in to get down to brass tacks on a contract for Mike, it is still perplexing that it is taking this long, I mean seriously, the team negotiated a one hundred million dollar contract with defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth in five hours so what is the hold up?

Methinks Mike has Redskins owner Dan Snyder over a big old barrel and is larding up the deal with every possible privilege and perk he can come up with, and the coach shall have final say on all personnel moves and the general manager shall defer to the coach on all matters of assistant coaches and the owner shall shower the coach with rose petals on Mondays...

In the meantime I can no longer wait to start discussing what happens to this team in the offseason, I am still a bit confused about exactly what no salary cap will mean, who will become disposable and how hard it will be to acquire free agent talent and at what cost, I am sure the focus will turn to this topic in short order once the team's coaching vacancy is filled.

So the quick takes on some of today's news should be taken with the big old grain of salt that these are my opinions in a vacuum and without regard to salaries, draft picks or complications in free agency. Ok, ahem.

Reacting to John Keim's piece at Redskins Confidential:

On drafting versus free agency: OF COARSE YOU CAN'T BUILD A TEM THROUTH FREE AGENCT ALONBE!!!1! Bruce Allen better know that, draft picks are more valuable than ever in a world where decent free agents cost real draft picks, so the Redskins are now in a position to try and hoard picks which could be difficult since the Redskins have only five picks out of a possible seven, plus any supplemental picks awarded, hey thanks again Vinny for that Jason Taylor deal last year.

So in a world where free agency costs draft picks, the Redskins need to be sellers, not buyers. No one is going to give up first and third round picks for Jason Campbell and as much as I like Jason if Mike Shanahan has his eyes on a young guy then get a second or third for Jason and move on. If you can get a ham sandwich for Carlos Rogers, do it. Anyone else that is tradeworthy, listen when other teams call.


On Chris Cooley versus Fred Davis: If it is true that Mike Shanahan likes one tight end that can catch and one that can block that would make him... exactly like every other coach. I never figured out why the team drafted a guy projected to have an upside no bigger than Chris Cooley's with a second round pick, nothing about Jim Zorn's style screamed two tight end sets, and they had one and a half seasons to implement the Unicorn set with both Fred and Chris in there and never did it.

See free agency versus draft directly above, Chris Cooley is probably the most tradeworthy player on the roster right now, young, mid contract and productive. Fred Davis is inferior at this point to Chris, I counted at least four major mistakes on his part in the season finale against the Chargers, and yet he managed to achieve almost exactly Chris' output.

The verdict is simple: Trade Chris Cooley, especially if you can get a team to part with a first round pick. Fred Davis is good enough that having him and not playing him next season is counterproductive.


On Bruce Allen is a good listener: I bet he never forgets your birthday either does he?


On Mike Shanahan is a control freak: I wish I could be there the first time he politely tells the owner to get the fuck off his practice field.


On the players addressing grievances above Jim Zorn's head: Yes it is true that Jim Zorn was a player's coach and more of a friend than a father figure, you cannot fault him for that. I lay that dog at the feet of Dan Snyder and Vinny Cerrato for creating a culture where the parade of spoiled brat players like Clinton Portis and LaVar Arrington before him can ingratiate themselves with the owner at the expense of the coach.

Given the egos on star football player I cannot really fault these players for flowing like water through the path of least resistance to the most powerful person in the building that will blow sunshine up their skirts and as such this is really Dan Snyder's problem. He needs to learn the discipline to keep a professional distance from the players and not show favoritism, like a teacher banging his students, temptation and opportunity are there, it seems harmless at the time, and nothing good can come from it.


On coach Zorn losing the players as far back as September: Blame that on Dan Snyder and Vinny Cerrato for creating a locker room culture that ensured Jim Zorn was neutered from the moment the 2008 season ended. Really though that is almost beside the point, look at how fast the fans sussed out the 2009 Redskins, there were four thousand no shows on a sunny late summer football day for the Redskins first home game against the Rams, the Redskins were only 0-1 after losing to a team they had not beaten since 2007 and the fans booed the team off the field after a win.

Like dogs the Redskins fans could smell that cancer in that team the moment we met them.


On Clinton Portis and Albert Haynesworth not having a lot of friends in the locker room: Clinton did it to himself and Albert has at least a season to get back in good graces. Another season of dogging it in the first quarter and worrying publicly about his legacy while on the inactive list in a late season game and Redskins fans will be done with him as well. Fifty percent chance that if Clinton Portis is gone this offseason that Albert Haynesworth inherits the mantle of player Redskins fans hate because we think He Doesn't Get It.


On Danny Smith being endangered: Danny Smith this, Danny Smith that, the Redskins special teams were not spectacular this season, punt returns were awful, the star punter came in and got hurt, there was never a solid plan at kick returner and cutting your kicker in midseason does not accrue well to the special teams coach no matter how you slice it. Toss them all out and start over with new coaches in burgundy and gold.


On Carlos Rogers coming back next season: Only if it is that or a stick in the eye. Carlos has not had a consistently good season since his rookie year and a cartoonish superhero weakness like being a cover corner that cannot catch the ball makes him expendable at best, tender offer at worst.


On Joe Bugel retiring: Buges will always have a special place in my heart, unfortunately though he has lost his objectivity. Vinny Cerrato and Dan Snyder did not give him quality talent, to be sure, but he was so far set in his ways he was unable all season to separate a guy that can get coached up from a guy that is just not starter quality. As the team cycled through all the backups coach Bugel had unfailing praise for all of them and they all sucked. That tells me Buges cannot tell the difference anymore.


On players criticizing Jim Zorn with no repercussions: See Jim Zorn losing players above, coach Zorn may have had the failing of being a player's coach reluctant to attack grown men with jobs to do, the blame really falls on ownership for not selling out to the coach. If they hated Jim Zorn so much then why the hell didn't they fire him and have done with it? The long trudge with the awkward silences and belated and half assed votes of confidence was not good for the players, the coaches, the fans or the organization itself. Man how awful would it be to have Dan Snyder as a boss?


On players being on time for meetings and being all together: Albert Haynesworth was a big dumbass to show up late to practice on Christmas Day, I wish I could have seen the look on Albert's face when he realized after laughing at coach's first dismissal, dressing in for practice, taking the field, getting harrassed by coach again, then realizing, wait, he IS ACTUALLY GOING TO SEND ME HOME. Twelve games his first year with the Redskins, Albert missed one quarter of the team's games.


Reacting to Rick Maese's piece on Clinton Portis and the star treatment on Redskins Insider:

STFU Clinton. You believe you are above the team, that you deserve special treatment. You have cultivated a relationship with the owner not because you really want to be friends with him but because it maximizes your income while minimizing your workday. You can build yourself up at the expense of the team, you are the player version of Vinny Cerrato.

When you were tearing it up, no one cared, that is a rule in football. When you dislocated your shoulder in the 2006 preseason, you complained about Joe Gibbs playing you, said you were making a perfect form tackle at one hundred percent effort and if coach did not want you to get injured then he should not play you in preseason.

And what the fuck with attacking Jason Campbell? Clinton thinks that because Jason Campbell keeps it medium, never flies into a petulant Jay Cutler rage over route running or blocking that he is not a leader, that his unchanging demeanor is evidence he is incapable of leadership, that he has trouble getting the plays in and controlling the huddle, called Jason a poor captain.

I got news for Redskins fans, Jason Campbell was the best thing the Redskins had in 2009.

Clinton Portis is an example of why this Redskins team did not work out, no discipline, no class, no sense of commitment to anything but a paycheck.

He needs to be gone from this team.

Update 8:35pm: Jason Campbell has returned fire, shorter Jason: Clinton UR an idiot.

Bruce Allen: Getty Images from here.

GET ON WITH IT ALREADY

What is the hold up? We need to get moving!

Come on guys, Mike Shanahan has been in town since last night, he was courted at Redskins owner Dan Snyder's riverside manse with the conveniently unobstructed view of the Potomac River, there was even a report that Dan and Mike were heading out to a Reston restaurant, I have a feeling they were not headed to Champp's for a beer and a bowl game.

Move it people, the offseason is here and we need to get things done, lists have to be made, all the god is great stuff needs to come out of the head coach's office and those disloyal assistant coaches are not going to fire themselves!

The tailor is already scheduled to take Mike's measurements for his next awesome leather coach's jacket, I think I may have to get me one of them, and think of all that money the team will save on heating costs keeping the temperature in the 30s year round so Mike's icy heart does not melt, you don't think living in Colorado was an accident do you? Mike does not wake up on the couch in his office as much as he reanimates.

Seriously guys, if there is anything I can do help close this deal today, let me know.



Mike Shanahan: Uncredited image from here.

No Late Word on Shanahan But We Can Confirm He Is In Town

Maybe he's just here to visit Udvar-Hazy

The first time I read Dan Hellie's tweet today that Mike Shanahan was in town and spotted getting into Redskins owner Dan Snyder's Maybach I thought it was a joke, hyperbole at worst, as I troll teh internets looking for late night leaks that the deal is done, I came across this video, it appears to depict actual Mike Shanahan at an airport getting into an actual Maybach.

Let me tell Redskins fans that this is a done deal, Dan Snyder does not bring Mike Shanahan into town and be seen and risk the FAIL if the signature is not already on the paper.

Everyone get your welcome coach Shanahan posts, comments and tweets ready, we will need them tomorrow.



Embedded NBC video sourced from DC Sports Bog here.

Reports: Mike Shanahan Is In Washington

If this is the way it is going to be then let's get on with it

Throughout the day reports placed owner Dan Snyder's Redskins One jet in Colorado then back in Washington, multiple sources have reported that Mike Shanahan was on that plane and is now in town.

Tim Brant at ABC 7 reported that as we speak Dan and Mike are at Dan's palatial estate, the one with the unobstructed view of the Potomac River and that later they may make an appearance at a quote Reston restaurant unquote. Tim Brant reported that there may be an announcement in the morning if they can get the contract done. I fully believe the deal is already done and everyone is just in making sure this what everyone still wants mode.

Jason Reid at the Washington Post reports that Mike could be introduced as coach Shanahan tomorrow, offensive line coach Joe Bugel is expected to retire as soon as tomorrow and this announcement may delay the official announcement of Mike Shanahan as the 28th head coach of the Washington Redskins.

Looks like this is going to happen people.



Mike Shanahan: Getty Images from here.

Goodbye Jim Zorn

No longer your Redskins head coach

As we welcomed Jim Zorn on the day he was hired two years ago, so do we bid farewell to Jim Zorn on the day he was dismissed.

Coach Zorn's tenure as head coach of the Redskins was 694 days and a wake up, or rather a stay up as he was dismissed in the wee hours after a sleepless flight from California and a late night in Ashburn.

In those nearly seventeen thousand hours as head coach, the Redskins amassed twelve wins in 32 tries, here is a quick break down:

	2008	2009	Overall
Final	8-8	4-12	12-20
Division	3-3	0-6	3-9
Vs. NFC	7-5	2-10	9-15
At Home	4-4	3-5	7-9
Away	4-4	1-7	5-11
Vs. AFC	1-3	2-2	3-5

The team just showed no real progress in coach Zorn's two seasons, though this is not entirely attributable to Jim Zorn. Team owner Dan Snyder and former shadow general manager Vinny Cerrato hobbled Jim Zorn with a roster inadequate to the team's needs and a contract preventing coach Zorn from coaching the way he saw fit when the team needed it the most.

Sadly even with an inept and maniacal management team torturing him relentlessly, it became more and more apparent every day as things fell apart that Jim Zorn was not up for the job of head coach for this team, this year.

Thank you coach Zorn, there were some good times, some bad times and some really bad times, please know that the experience was not wasted, your misery helped remove the blinders covering Dan Snyder's eyes, you were not the problem, you were the byproduct of the problem.

Curly R will pay proper tribute to the Jim Zorn years with the appropriate multi part series. I'm just glad I did not have pay out on that bet.



Jim Zorn in his final game as head coach: AP Photo from here.

I Can Already Feel the Rope

See you at dawn

Takeaway Drill: Going out fighting and coming up short just like so many other times; could not even beat their backups; a familiar story with no blocking and critical mistakes from key players; Norval Turner ten years on looks like a pretty good coach.

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Quick jump to

Monday Walkthrough :: Soapbox :: Chattering Class :: Omnibus Spotlights :: Recaps and Stats

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Monday Walkthrough: Falling down, no blocking, mistakes from key players, wicked poor defense and still had a chance to win at the end? Credit that to the Chargers pulling their starters out of the game in the first quarter as the Chargers beat the Redskins 23-20 to end a long and ill provisioned march through hostile lands. When we wake up tomorrow expect we will have a new Redskins coach, or at least not this one.

The Chargers won the toss and elected to receive to start the first quarter, San Diego's first possession sees Phillip Rivers move the Chargers move easily through the air and not much on the ground, Fred Smoot misses an easy interception then Nate Kaeding kicks a 47 yard field goal to give the Chargers an early 3-0 lead. Washington gets the ball for the first time... a three and out. San Diego gets the ball for the second time, after nearly stopping the Chargers on a three and out Darren Sproles runs through a hole big enough to drive a truck through for twelve yards, San Diego wastes a timeout on third down then an incomplete, then an ugly fourth down shotput pass, two plays later Phillip Rivers finds Antonio Gates for twelve yards and the Chargers are up 10-0 on their first two possessions. The Redskins get the ball for the second time, Quinton Ganther gets two first downs, Santana Moss sees his first action in a first down, on third and eight pass protection breaks down and Jason hurries his pass and it is incomplete, Redskins take a penalty to move punter Hunter the Punter Smith back and they punt. The Chargers get the ball for the third time, Phillip Rivers is out and Billy Volek is in at quarterback, the first play of the drive is a fifty yard bomb to Malcolm Floyd over a badly burned DeAngelo Hall, two plays later on third and six London Fletcher misses a tackle that would have stopped the play short, it is a first down and that is where the first quarter ends with the Chargers leading 10-0. [Quarterly summaries: Washington Post :: ORB]

San Diego continues its third possession into the second quarter, without the Chargers starters they can only manage a 24 yard field goal and the Chargers extend their lead to 13-0. The Redskins get the ball for the third time, Antwaan Randle El catches his one pass for the day, Rock Cartwright, Santana Moss and Malcolm Kelly all make great plays, Todd Yoder finally caps the seventy yard drive as Todd Yoder catches a two yard touchdown pass to bring the Redskins back to 13-7 Chargers. San Diego gets the ball for the fourth time, it is a four and out and the Chargers are punting. Washington gets the ball for the fourth time, on first down Jason Campbell finds Malcolm Kelly on a seam route, Malcolm takes the ball 84 yards, almost scoring before falling on his dick, three plays later Jason Campbell runs playaction right to Mike Sellers for a three yard touchdown and the Redskins TAKE THE LEAD 14-13. The Chargers get the ball for the fifth time with less than one minute left in the half, a Darren Sproles run and that is it, the half ends with the Redskins leading 14-13. [Quarterly summaries: Washington Post :: ORB]

The Redskins get the ball to start the third quarter, Washington's fifth possession, it is a bad looking three and out, Redskins punt. The Chargers get the ball for the sixth time, their own three and out and the Charger look like they are down to the third team. The Redskins sixth possession sees Santana Moss and Marko Mitchell, Quinton Ganther and Fred Davis all move the ball forward, the offensive line cannot stop a small child from opening the fridge and Graham Gano kicks a 22 yard field goal and the Redskins extend their lead to 17-13. The Chargers get the ball for the seventh time, San Diego continues to look more and more like they are playing preseason ball as they three and out. Washington's seventh possession is like a wet cat trying to get away from you as the Redskins five and out, punt. The Chargers get the ball for the eighth time, on the third play of the drive, first and ten from midfield, Billy Volek went deep for receiver Craig Davis, it was intercepted by Rocky McIntosh, he appeared to fumble, or not, then Carlos Rogers picked up the so called fumble and it was Redskins ball. Washington got the ball for the eighth time and three and outed, punt. The Chargers got the ball for the ninth time, Kedric Golston sacked Billy Volek on first down and that is where the quarter ended with the Redskins leading 17-13. [Quarterly summaries: Washington Post :: ORB]

San Diego continues its ninth possession into the fourth quarter, mainly on a long play to Michael Bennett the Chargers move down the field and kick a 45 yard field goal to bring the Chargers back to 17-16 Redskins. Washington's ninth possession sees the Redskins actually able to pass block, though if this is because of San Diego playing backups that would disappoint, Marcus Mason makes an appearance for seventeen yards, an awkward slide, a fumbled snap and the Redskins are at third and one from the San Diego three, Quinton Ganther cannot get the first down, Jim Zorn sends the offense back on the field and Derrick Dockery commits a false start penalty, the Redskins send the field goal unit out which is what they should have done in the first place, Graham Gano kicks a 25 yard field goal to put the Redskins up by four points, 20-16. The Chargers get the ball for the tenth time, Billy Volek can move San Diego, not nearly as well as Phillip Rivers obviously, on first and ten with less than two minuted remaining in the game Justin Tryon nearly intercepts the ball but cannot pull it in, three plays later Billy Volek finds receiver Craig Davis at the goal line, Kareem Moore makes another great flying stop to force a goal line play, Michael Bennett is short on first and goal, on second and goal Billy Volek finds a wide open fullback Mike Tolbert in the right flat, it looked like Rocky McIntosh blew the coverage and the Chargers take the lead 23-20. Washington gets the ball for the tenth and final time with 35 seconds left in the game and no timeouts, a festival of flailing and a long incomplete on fourth down. The Chargers get the ball for the eleventh and final time with four seconds left in the game, one kneeldown from victory formation and that is that, the Redskins lose the final game of the 2009 season and the last game of Jim Zorn's Washington career 23-20. [Quarterly summaries: Washington Post :: ORB]

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Soapbox: Th-th-th-that's all folks, the season ended where it began with the Redskins playing a good team and losing, except for the season opening game one against the Giants was the Redskins had not yet played five straight winless teams, had not broken the Lions winless streak, had not benched Jason Campbell, had not hired another set of eyes. Had not stripped the head coach of playcalling duties, had not discussed who was in place to serve as interim. The shadow general manager had not resigned and a new actual general manager had not been hired. And that week one New York team did not sit its starters in the first quarter.

Things started in a familiar fashion when the Redskins gave up a touchdown and field goal on San Diego's first three drives, the defense looked dreadful against the pass, just happy to give up anything Phillip Rivers and Billy Volek tossed up. Short and long, the Chargers receivers were open all night, it was mostly due to overthrows the prevented this from being a Denver game kind of night.

But then just as fast as the Redskins got down they came back, Washington responded in the second quarter with another patented short Todd Yoder touchdown catch, then after Malcolm Kelly's 84 yard catch and run a Mike Sellers TD catch and then pow the Redskins were winning at halftime.

And for a while it looked like the Redskins might win, as the Chargers gradually pulled more and more of first their starters, then their second team then their third team, the Redskins offensive line looked like it began to get a rhythm, what it was actually was was the level of competition sinking to where the Redskins could finally compete.

I was somewhat impressed with Malcolm Kelly tonight, the yardage does not tell the story as he had 84 of his 109 yards on one play, that had as much to do with Jason Campbell not having time to find deeper routes.

There is not much else to say about this game on the field, the offensive line was abysmal, I caught Stephon Heyer standing around while Jason got sacked and the pass blocking by backfield backs was spotty at best. If I were Jason Campbell I would be happy the season was over.

The running game was a big fat zero, Marcus Mason looks like a better back for this offense than Quinton Ganther, mainly because Marcus is niftier meaning he is better at dancing through a line that is collapsing. Together Marcus and Quinton may make one good NFL back and may hold the place into next season for a name brand tailback.

The pass defense continues to look like it is paid by the opponent's playcaller, short medium and long routes are open. The idea of having Fred Smoot as a strong safety makes me laugh, and not in a happy way. There was one bright spot for the defense, safety Kareem Moore, based on tonight's game I will take Kareem over LaRon Landry at free safety.

Things shift for the Redskins starting tomorrow, while the organization does the obvious things, firing the coach, hiring a new one and stewarding the creation of a new coaching and football operations staff, time for Redskins fans to start thinking of this team top to bottom, who should stay and go, where the team should go next month in free agency, such as it is, and what prospects are available in the draft.

We need to keep the pressure on the team to do the right thing.

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Chattering Class: We will bring you Redskins tastemaker reaction to this game in this space.

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Omnibus: Broadcasters: Ron Pitts and John Lynch, I like John even if this is the end of the bench, check back to the game preview and see the broadcast coverage, there are maybe 400 people watching this game.

Uniform watch: The Redskins are wearing the traditional home uniform of white jerseys and burgundy pants.

As promised, Kareem Moore and Fred Smoot come out at safety, with Fred playing closer to the line. That is a mistake even if there is no one else to play the position. Put a frigging linebacker in there.

FRED! In the Chargers first possession Fred Smoot had a shot at a goal line interception, he bobbled it and dropped it. San Diego ultimately kicked a field goal. That's one.

Statbox: Redskins have given up at least 44 sacks both of Jim Zorn's years

Rough start: The Redskins started three and out and looking bad, poor hands on Fred Davis no where for Quinton Ganther to run, poor throw by Jason Campbell.

Come from behind: On first down in the Chargers second possession, Phillip Rivers threw a screen pass to his right, it was caught and Andre Carter caught the play from behind, then on second down Andre got up in Phillip's face and pressured the quarterback.

In the Chargers second possession, on third and one tight end Antonio Gates was wide open but Phillip Rivers mssed him, then on fourth down Phillip shotputted the ball on a slant, it was ugly but it worked. Gack.

Two San Diego drives, ten points, so far so good.

Two Redskins drives, zero points.

Finally found a way to get Malcolm Kelly open, toss him the ball on a lateral receiver screen. Jeesh.

Blowing it: On first and ten in the Redskins second possession, Fred Davis missed a really east blocking assignment on the right side, it led to Quinton Ganther getting hit for a four yard loss. The thing about that play is that Chris Cooley would not have given us any better. Two plays later Fred Davis committed a false start. That is three so far on Fred.

YouTube replay: In the Chargers third possession, first quarter, Billy Volek came in for Phillip Rivers and tossed a ball deep to Malcolm Floyd on first down, DeAngelo Hall was BADLY beat, they did give us a replay but in a sign that this game broadcast was way down FOX's priority list, the wide angle second deck replay camera looked like a grainy YouTube video.

Work on your production: In the Chargers third possession, second quarter, to highlight the San Diego starters coming out the camera cut to tight end Antonio Gates on the sideline sloppily eating sunflower seeds, drooling the shells into a paper cup, production dudes take note, whenever you see anyone eating just move to another camera.

Tip drill: In the Redskins third possession, second quarter on second and ten Jason gets harassed into a quick throw, Santana Moss on the left side leaps way higher than he should be able to tips the ball to himself.

Nice hit Kareem: In the Chargers fourth possession, second quarter, on third and four Billy Volek threw to K Osgood, Kareem Moore came up and literally hit K in midair, he came down out of bounds, Norval Turner challenged the play and it was upheld, it was a great flying hit.

He fell on his dick: In the Redskins fourth possession, second quarter, on first down Jason Campbell found Malcolm Kelly on a seam route, Malcolm juked and took the ball 84 yards, nearly scoring, he was caught from behind on the three yard line. Malcolm went out for the next play and the camera unwisely caught Malcolm on the sideline massaging hid cock and balls area with a pronounced grimace on his face, on replay he pretty clearly fell on his athletic cup.

During the halftime show, Will at FOX 5 in Washington reported according to an anonymously sourced AP report, head coach Jim Zorn will be fired tomorrow, Monday.

Working titles for gamewrap: Redskins Are on Clearance, He Fell on His Dick, Firing Squad, The Snyder-Allen Firing Squad, I Can Already Feel the Rope

Jason Campbell had a 140.0 passer rating in the first half.

To start the second half in Washington's fifth possession, Fred Davis missed another easy catch, that's four, on the next play Stephon Heyer let linebacker Marques Harris come in unblocked to sack Jason, Stephon we are done here.

Redskins seventh possession, third quarter, Fred Davis drops another easy pass, that's five buddy. Next play Fred came back and caught the ball for a first down on third and seven.

Saw a commercial for the first (ever? modern?) Pro Bowl BEFORE the Super Bowl, not sure if I am going to like this.

Should have challenged: Looked to us like on that Rocky McIntosh interception in the Chargers eighth possession, third quarters, when he was tackled he was down, Carlos Rogers picked up what looked like a fumble and returned it another twelve yards, the Chargers did not challenge it and the extra yards counted. Did not matter though, the Redskins three and outed.

In the Redskins ninth possession, fourth quarter, Jason Campbell almost slideded!! Seriously Jason, that move needs some work. Next play was a fumbled snap.

You need to be fired now: In the Redskins ninth possession, fourth quarter, the Redskins got down to third and one from the San Diego three yard line, Quinton Ganther cannot get the first down, he cannot, with five minutes left in the game Jim Zorn sends the offense back on the field to go for it on fourth down. This was a horrible football call, as to take the field goal would put the Redskins up by four points, requiring the Chargers to score a touchdown to take the lead. Not to make the fourth down would give San Diego the ball in poor field position, but needing only a field goal to take the lead. Luckily for the Redskins left guard Derrick Dockery false started and the Redskins settled for the field goal. Since we know that under the new playcalling triangle Jim Zorn is in charge of fourth down calls, we can lay that near bad call on coach Zorn, you need to be fired now.

Another flying stop: In the Chargers tenth drive, fourth quarter, receiver Craig Davis was about to go in for what would have been the go ahead score, safety Kareem Moore makes another flying stop with an assist from safety Fred Smoot.

Rocky McIntosh's blown goal line coverage, Justin Tryon's missed interception, Derrick Dockery's false start at the goal line and all of Fred Davis' gaffes today, these are the things that separate winners from losers.

I can already feel the rope: As the game ended and the camera caught Jim Zorn leaving the sideline after the game, he placed his right hand to his neck, look out here boss got a dead man walking.

The Redskins are losers. Good night 2009.

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Shooter: Statistically quarterback Jason Campbell had a great game, 28 of 42 for 281 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, and he did have one fumble, borne of poor pass protection. With no running game to speak of Jason had to carry the team himself, ten different players caught passes with five different players catching three or more. Jason finished the day with a 101.4 passer rating, his fifth game of the season with a passer rating over 100. I am telling you, this team could do a hell of a lot worse than to keep Jason Campbell at quarterback.

Fat Contract Albert: Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth did not play. Was in San Diego for the game, on the sideline wearing a tee shirt. Albert missed four games this season. All in all a decent season for Albert, when in the game he showed what a difference he could make, then other times he got winded or just kind of sat there.

OH CRAPPO: Pro Bowl rookie hybrid defensive endbacker Brian Orakpo was credited with two tackles in the box score, Brian did not have a terrific game, he had one good play and one bad play in pass coverage. All in all a good season for Brian.

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Washington Post recap, photo gallery. NFL recap, box score, full play by play, Gamebook (PDF), photos, video highlights.


Other recaps: Mark Newgent at Redskins Examiner, Kevin Ewoldt and Ken Meringolo at Hogs Haven, Rico Fantastic at DC Landing Strip, Thumbs Up / Thumbs Down at DC Pro Sports Report.

Next up, nothing, the NFL Redskins 2009 season is over, whatever happens with a new coach, free agency, the draft and all the other intrigue that we have become accustomed to, whatever happens there will be no more Redskins football until August 2010. It has been a pleasure sharing these Sundays with you, thanks to Curly R readers for stopping by.

Curly R's offseason coverage of the Washington Redskins will continue.



Jim Zorn leaving the field: Droid phone screencap by neighbor Scott. Nothing from here via here.

Game 16: Redskins (4-11) at Chargers (12-3)

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Out of the box: The fat lady is soundchecking as the Redskins head out to California for the last hip hip hooray, 4:15pm ET on FOX, 2009 is history after this game, a meaningless affair except to a dedicated few.

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Quick jump to

The Story So Far :: Curly R Aside :: Oppo Research :: Trainer's Table Gameplan :: My Take in 60 Words or Less :: Preview Generalia
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The Story So Far: This is it. Game over for 2009, the Redskins are battered team dragging lame duck coaches across the country for a meaningless game to end a forgettable season, Michael Richman, author of Redskins Encyclopedia and one of the guys I respect the most in the pantheon of Redskinsland, thinks this is the worst Redskins season in fifty years.

I generally agree, though the awfulness of this season had little to do with the win loss record. Redskins fans have struggled through awful seasons in recent memory, in 2006 as Joe Gibbs was struggling to a 5-11 record, no one was calling for him to be fired, and even in the 3-13 1994 season fans were disappointed but still looking forward to the emergence of sure to be superstar quarterback Heath Shuler.

Where Michael is correct, where this season really went off the rails is in how poorly adversity was handled. The team promised great results, then faltered, then began to eat itself. The losses were simply a by product of all that led to this season.

But that is a story for the 2009 Season in Review to be written in the offseason.

The week started with London Fletcher doing his best Susan Lucci as he awaited word on whether he would make the 2009 Pro Bowl (ibid.), alas he did not though teammate rookie hybrid defensive endbacker Brian Orakpo did, the only rookie to do so for the NFC. I am very happy for Brian, I still think a tackle like Michael Oher or Phil Loadholt would have been better for the team, we cannot unmake the Brian Orakpo pick so let us go with it and see him become another DeMarcus Ware or Michael Strahan. As for London, this is getting ridiculous with him not making the Pro Bowl and I feel bad for him getting stuck on such a bad team while still performing personally so well, for the record I think London's public concern that his lack of post tackle celebratin means he does not draw enough attention to himself is nuts. London is an alternate and can still make the Pro Bowl if Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma is playing in the Super Bowl (op. cit.), London maybe the first player ever to make the Hall of Fame without going to a single Pro Bowl. Actually I have no idea if there is a player that already did that.

There was a strange series of events that began in the immediate aftermath of the Dallas game fifteen shutout, with quarterback Jason Campbell admitting to Comcast SportsNet's Kelli Johnson that Jason felt he had been hit so many time this season that it was quote not even fair unquote. In the latest sign that this team is rudderless and it is every man for himself as the ship sinks, Jason's head coach, Jim Zorn, who still says he wants to return as head coach next season, offered no comfort (op. cit.), then as if to pile on, refrained from calling Jason a franchise type quarterback (op. cit.).

Rick Maese at Redskins Insider speculated that this was possibly a result of Jim Zorn remembering how many times he was hit, toss in a bit of the old when I was a player we had it rough attitude there you have it. I think it is really because Jim Zorn has become bitter on the inside if not the outside, very much like Vinny Cerrato blamed Jim Zorn for making him look bad, Jim Zorn blames Jason Campbell for the same.

No on can disagree Jason Campbell has not been tough as hell this season, he has stood in there and taken the hits and still managed to improve this season despite no receivers and a terrible and revolving door offensive line. When asked directly on a radio show on Tuesday whether he wanted to come back with the Redskins in 2010, Jason was evasive and did not answer (op. cit.).

I would like to remind Redskins fans that Jason Campbell, playing with little in the way of a receiving corps and a bullshit offensive line, set career highs in passing yards, touchdown passes and passer rating. Jason may not be Peyton Manning, new actual general manager Bruce Allen should take a hard look at the numbers before he tosses Jason in the offseason. Coach Zorn change in attitude toward his quarterback is another thing not to like about him here at the end.

Hands down though the craziest story of the week was how the Redskins have managed to pre comply with the Rooney Rule on minority candidate interviews, the head coach position is not actually open yet but at some point since late October both defensive coordinator Greg Blache and secondary coach Jerry Gray interviewed for the Redskins head coach position. The story is somewhat complex with subplots about plausible deniability and also involves a pre emptive interview by director of professional personnel Morocco Brown for the not yet vacant general manager position that ultimately went to white guy Bruce Allen, here is everything you need to know: Jerry Gray has almost certainly killed his career and Dan Snyder has managed to mock and kill the Rooney Rule.

Is it the end of the line for Redskins offensive line coach Joe Bugel? He has been coaching in the NFL for 32 years, including fifteen over two stints with the Redskins, rumors around Redskins Park have coach Bugel retiring after today's game. I will be sad to see Joe Bugel go, sadly the game has passed him by and he has lost his ability to coach objectively, he had scraps to work with this season and he could not tell the difference from New York strip.

At this point I am ready for the end and most definitely ready for Jim Zorn to go.

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Curly R Aside: I quite sympathize with lifetime Eagles fan, season ticket holder and Curly R reader/lurker Wilbert Montgomery, by virtue of his fanny being in Fredericksburg Virginia he will not be able to see his beloved Eagles play the Dallas Cowboys in what amounts to a one game playoff, although both teams are in, the winner of this game wins the NFC Beast division title and will host a playoff game. The loser must play all games on the road. Yes that is going to be a real football game and yes I wish I could watch it and I will tomorrow on NFL Game Rewind, the football gods have condemned us to Redskins football, the fans and everyone in the geographical area, we are all going down with the ship.

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Oppo Research: The most significant thing about the Chargers as a team is that they have secured second seed in the 2009 NFL playoffs and have nothing to play for. Chargers and former Redskins head coach Norval Turner, who looks a little better in hindsight every year, has said that the team would prepare just as if the season was on the line. That said, expect San Diego will only play starters for a quarter, or even just a drive or two.

The most significant thing not about the Chargers as a team is that Norval Turner has been there with Dan Snyder and survived getting fired. Today's game and its expected aftermath with Jim Zorn getting fired represents a certain historical symmetry. Norval was fired in the middle of his second season under Dan Snyder, it was somewhat unexpected if not unwarranted, the team was 7-5 and still in playoff contention, after an ugly loss to the Giants Norval was fired after sitting in his Redskins Stadium office for two hours while Dan and Pepper Rodgers debated his fate.

Jim Zorn's fate will be the opposite, a long slog to the bottom of the FAIL bucket with the owner reserving judgment until the formal end of the season when the decision was actually made months ago.

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Trainer's Table: The parade of injuries resumed this week, former 400 pound man and right guard Mike Williams tore a foot muscle in his toes, he was not going to play anyway so the team went ahead and placed him on injured reserve so they could bring in a couple of players to look at (ibid.). There was something they called a competition between Will Montgomery, Edwin Williams and former Eagles practice squadder Paul Fanaika for the starting right guard spot (ibid.), ultimately the team shrugged and said, Edwin what the hell you are in there (ibid.).

The same went for safety Reed Doughty, he suffered what looked like a gruesome ankle break, was actually a high ankle sprain (op. it.), Reed was going to try and fight through but it was hopeless, he was also placed on injured reserve Wednesday along with Mike Williams (ibid.).

LaRon Landry suffered a quote mild unquote concussion on Wednesday in practice (ibid.), at first it looked like nothing but it would up keeping him out of this game, frankly I think he benched, this is a meaningless game, the team knows what LaRon brings and what he does not, and wants to see what else they can do, with safeties Reed and Chris Horton both on injured reserve Kareem Moore and cornerback Fred Smoot will start at safety with undrafted rookie Lendy Holmes the third man in (op. cit.).

Receiver slash kick returner Devin Thomas, who missed his first game of the season last week, struggled to get back from an ankle sprain (ibid.), he did not practice Wednesday (ibid.) and did not make the trip to San Diego (ibid.). Last week with Devin out quarterback Jason Campbell tried to find fellow second year man Malcolm Kelly, there was nothing doing and Santana Moss was essentially the Redskins passing attack. I am not sure Malcolm Kelly can get open.

Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, still bothered by a hip injury, did not practice when the team hit the field Wednesday (ibid.).

Right tackle Stephon Heyer strained the patellar tendon in his right knee (ibid.), which is not the knee that has been bothering him all season, he was trying to play through it,

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Gameplan: The Chargers have nothing to play for, win or lose their playoff seeding cannot change. For at least thirteen of the past fifteen games the Redskins could really have used the opponent to sit their starter and play the second and third teams. Finally, the Redskins get a break.

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My Take in 60 Words or Less: Many of you will not be here next season. We will. Go to your football deaths with honor.

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Washington Post interactive gameday, keys to the game, key matchups, Redskins roster. Broadcast coverage, jesus look at how small that is.

Other previews:


This is it for the 2009 Washington Redskins, sit yourself down and watch it, for better or worse, come high drama or disappointment in the 2010 offseason there will be no more Redskins football until August.


This is a gameday open thread.



NFL helmet logos from here.

Just About All She Wrote

I had the same experience at the Eagles game

Danny Rouhier checks in with his week sixteen Redskins video in which he discusses his unfortunate trip to Landover to see the Redskins in person to play the Cowboys. He is not a happy man.

Redskins fans, please flood Danny's YouTube channel with views and comments, it is imperative we continue to get this kind of high quality content and humor throughout the offseason, Danny has quickly become an important voice in the pantheon of Redskinsland.

Oh and he's a shitload funnier than that doofus Frank Caliendo on the FOX pregame show, dump Frank and give Danny the sketch segment of that show and it improves immediately.



YouTube from here.