It’s amazing how quickly people point fingers when a team opens a new season with a loss.
Don’t get me wrong -- I’m as guilty as the next guy when it comes to criticizing a coach’s game plan, a player’s lack of smart decision-making, etc., but I also like to think that I’m constructive in the way I analyze games. I like to break down what went wrong and can sometimes come across as accusatory, but I also try to be patient with the current situation, not jump to conclusions and suggest a complete overhaul.
A slew of Redskins fans, however, have a different attitude.
Over on The Official Redskins Blog, comments are flying left and right to replace Jason Campbell with Colt Brennan, the 3rd string rookie quarterback from Hawaii who impressed in the preseason and who, evidently, has an extensive fan club. After one game.
Says "chaddyboy808":
Couldn’t be much worse. How long will the Redskins nation suffer behind poor performance after poor performance with JC? He will never lead the Skins anywhere but the cellar. Colt is the key.
Says "Roland":
I am sorry, but I am not sure that Jason Campbell will be a successful quarterback in the NFL.
Says "redskinsman":
Time to trade JC to Baltimore or Minnesota and get something while he still has some value.
Let’s take a step back and look at the circumstances, shall we?
First off, I think Campbell could’ve played a better game against the Giants, there’s no doubt about that. He never seemed to find a rhythm, was stuck fleeing linemen too often and appeared flustered from the opening snap.
What fans need to realize, however, is that these things were not necessarily Campbell’s fault. The Burgundy and Gold played rather poorly in the Meadowlands, and as I pointed out in my previous post, I think there could’ve been some much better choices made by the personnel on the sidelines as well.
More importantly, though, the play of the offensive line needs to improve dramatically. A quarterback is only as good as the men blocking for him, and with an extra second or two in the pocket, I think we’d see a significant increase in JC’s performance (and, more importantly, confidence).
A new offensive scheme has come to town, whether we like it or not. With the limited number of preseason snaps for starters, it would take any young quarterback a regular-season outing or two to get things right. The window of opportunity is small in a 16-game season, sure, but history has shown that an 0-1 team has absolutely no need to panic.
For the past however-many years, fans of the Washington Redskins have been very vocal about the direction in which Dan Snyder has taken this organization. They jump on his back when he tries for the quick fix and rip on him when he goes out and grabs a high-profile player with the hope that said player will turn things around overnight.
One poorly-constructed game into the 2008 season -- in New York, against the reigning Super Bowl champions -- and some fans are calling for the exact thing they so quickly criticize. While there are plenty of supporters that have stayed sane during the past 6 days, it's tough to ignore the naysayers that think the world is coming to an end.
If Jason Campbell's supporting cast can step up and give him the chance to get into a groove, I sincerely believe that he can produce as well as we need him to. Games before the Week 10 bye include homestands against Arizona, St. Louis and Cleveland and a road trip against Detroit. If the Skins are looking at 3-6 or worse -- let's be honest, 4-5 would be damn near miraculous -- I think it's fair to question whether or not he's the man for the job.
Until then, however, I think we need to be patient and give #17 the shot he deserves.
Don’t get me wrong -- I’m as guilty as the next guy when it comes to criticizing a coach’s game plan, a player’s lack of smart decision-making, etc., but I also like to think that I’m constructive in the way I analyze games. I like to break down what went wrong and can sometimes come across as accusatory, but I also try to be patient with the current situation, not jump to conclusions and suggest a complete overhaul.
A slew of Redskins fans, however, have a different attitude.
Over on The Official Redskins Blog, comments are flying left and right to replace Jason Campbell with Colt Brennan, the 3rd string rookie quarterback from Hawaii who impressed in the preseason and who, evidently, has an extensive fan club. After one game.
Says "chaddyboy808":
Couldn’t be much worse. How long will the Redskins nation suffer behind poor performance after poor performance with JC? He will never lead the Skins anywhere but the cellar. Colt is the key.
Says "Roland":
I am sorry, but I am not sure that Jason Campbell will be a successful quarterback in the NFL.
Says "redskinsman":
Time to trade JC to Baltimore or Minnesota and get something while he still has some value.
Let’s take a step back and look at the circumstances, shall we?
First off, I think Campbell could’ve played a better game against the Giants, there’s no doubt about that. He never seemed to find a rhythm, was stuck fleeing linemen too often and appeared flustered from the opening snap.
What fans need to realize, however, is that these things were not necessarily Campbell’s fault. The Burgundy and Gold played rather poorly in the Meadowlands, and as I pointed out in my previous post, I think there could’ve been some much better choices made by the personnel on the sidelines as well.
More importantly, though, the play of the offensive line needs to improve dramatically. A quarterback is only as good as the men blocking for him, and with an extra second or two in the pocket, I think we’d see a significant increase in JC’s performance (and, more importantly, confidence).
A new offensive scheme has come to town, whether we like it or not. With the limited number of preseason snaps for starters, it would take any young quarterback a regular-season outing or two to get things right. The window of opportunity is small in a 16-game season, sure, but history has shown that an 0-1 team has absolutely no need to panic.
For the past however-many years, fans of the Washington Redskins have been very vocal about the direction in which Dan Snyder has taken this organization. They jump on his back when he tries for the quick fix and rip on him when he goes out and grabs a high-profile player with the hope that said player will turn things around overnight.
One poorly-constructed game into the 2008 season -- in New York, against the reigning Super Bowl champions -- and some fans are calling for the exact thing they so quickly criticize. While there are plenty of supporters that have stayed sane during the past 6 days, it's tough to ignore the naysayers that think the world is coming to an end.
If Jason Campbell's supporting cast can step up and give him the chance to get into a groove, I sincerely believe that he can produce as well as we need him to. Games before the Week 10 bye include homestands against Arizona, St. Louis and Cleveland and a road trip against Detroit. If the Skins are looking at 3-6 or worse -- let's be honest, 4-5 would be damn near miraculous -- I think it's fair to question whether or not he's the man for the job.
Until then, however, I think we need to be patient and give #17 the shot he deserves.
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I have a feeling people will change their minds about Campbell after yesterday's performance. Consistency is key, so next week we can see what the Skins are made of.
ReplyDeleteI also wonder if any of the Colt B. supporters know that he first attended U of Colorado prior to Hawaii and why he was kicked out of Colorado.
YES, actually the whole state knows what happened in Colorado with Colt(the episode made it possible for Hawaii to get him). People are quick to say he will fail, kinda like they said he wouldn't make it in Hawaii, wouldn't make it to the NFL. Quick to doubt, but slow to give credit to his work.
ReplyDelete