Sure those Lions were only 0-2 this year.

Yes those Lions had 16 new starters, and a new head coach, but is that the best excuse we can come up with for why we lost?

“Well, they were a good team; better than people give them credit for.” That’s our response?

How are we ever supposed to beat “good teams” if we console ourselves after a loss…if we justify a loss by saying “oh, well, they were a good team.”

I guess the natural flow of thought from that is that we aren’t supposed to beat “good teams.” It is our destiny to lose to “good teams.”

Shouldn’t we want to be the best team? Shouldn’t the team think they are the best team? Maybe that’s what’s driving us all so crazy. It’s subtle but it’s there. We, the fans, believe the Redskins are “the best team” but if you listen to the coaches and players, we are just a team, and if we lose it’s because the other team was better than us.

Where’s the anger? Where’s the accountability? For God’s sake come up with something better than “well, they were a good team.”

Blame it on the refs for all I care, but be upset about it.

Joe Gibbs was a master of taking responsibility; even if it was clearly the players’ lack of execution, he accepted the blame. Jim Zorn’s mantra seems to be “hey, I called the plays to work, but they didn’t. If you can tell me which plays will work and which won’t…you’re hired.”

Damnit Jim! These aren’t exhibitions! Get your head in the game! You gotta understand that if the players fail to execute it IS your fault! Players are only as good as their coaches. You need to accept that responsibility, and then nail their position coaches for it. What’s that old saying about excrement rolling downhill?

You’ve tried to “stay medium” and that’s great when you’re winning, but you are LOSING! Staying medium isn’t an option anymore.

You’ve got to WANT IT! NEED IT! Be ready to fight and claw and even die for it if you have to.

At the end of the game you need to be critical of what went wrong with YOURSELVES; not complimentary of the other team! You send the wrong message when you accept that the other team was “better than us.”

Sure Robert Henson had a point about how we (the fans) can’t do what you guys do. Yes, we have our 9-5 jobs and some of us flip burgers for a living, but we have something that is sorely lacking right now, we have heart!

We don’t want to “be medium” we want to be excited. I don’t kick back on my couch to watch a relaxing day of football. If I wanted something to help me sleep on a Sunday afternoon, I could turn over to NBC and watch golf. So far it seems to have the same excitement level as watching the Redskins play.

We’ve got the Buccaneers next week who are coming in 0-3. After that we may see an 0-4 Panthers team; are we gonna accept losses to them as well? What happens when we start facing teams that have actually won a game this season? How about teams who have won more than they’ve lost?

If you don’t figure it out soon, we may be the ones waiting until the end of the season (when teams are benching their starts for the playoffs) before we get our next win.

Ouch… you call that a “get right game?”

Can it possibly be as bad as it seems? 3 weeks ago, I was ok… they didn’t look great against the Giants, but, what the heck… I didn’t actually expect them to win at Rutherford, now did I? Last week… a win that was as close to a failure as a win can possibly be. The Ram’s “ineptitude” was exceeded only by that of the Lions, yet we were but an interception away from being down 10-9 at the end of the game. Real questions began to arise about Zorn’s competence as a play caller. I’m left anxious about the next game with the Lions, especially in light of the fast start the Lions had against the Vikes.

Today… disaster. I have seen Chicken Little… and he looks an awful lot like someone I know.

The Danny has some serious problems, of his own creation, to deal with.

There is increasing pressure from some quarters (mostly from, I think, a very frustrated fan base) to fire Zorn now.  But a coaching change now would certainly doom the season, and preclude any possibility of a recovery.

On the other hand, who sees any real possibility (at this point) that Zorn will man up, develop the ability to analyze opposing defenses, create coherent yet unpredictable game plans, call plays that opponents don’t anticipate, begin to enforce some team discipline, expect performance from starters, and on and on and on. So, it appears that NOT making a coaching change would certainly doom the season.

How schizophrenic is that?

In other words… It doesn’t matter what he does… Snyder will be wrong! Or he’ll be right! No, that can’t be right… can it?  This has to be a glorious circumstance for that faction of fans who have devoted the past 9 or so years to trashing the Danny. On the other hand, I know that the vast majority are truly distressed by the current state of the ‘skins… and would have been thrilled to see the team leave Detroit with the 32-6 “get right” victory that we all felt was needed.

Psychological devastation?

There is word that there was no emotion in the locker room following the game. No angry rants. No screaming for reporters to get out. No thrown chairs. No lockers ripped from walls. No expressions of wounded pride.  Just a quiet, defeated, team. Can you imagine the “Over the Hill Gang” (the kiddies will need to break out their “Redskins History Primers“) losing this same game to the Lions? Ford Stadium would have a major hole in it’s side… where the visiting locker room used to be.  Imagine that locker room with Brian Mitchell in it.  Where is the player leader here?

Sounds like Zorn has created the team he wanted. They are “medium”. They play “medium”. They run “medium”, catch “medium”, and tackle “medium”. That’s nice, and all… but, um, Jim… medium ain’t winnin’ you no games. I’m definitely in favor of moving the temperature knob over to SCREECH… or even RAW. Medium sucks.

And, what the heck has happened to the defense???? Improvements in the D line have yielded… a dramatic deterioration of the run defense. Has Gregg Blache taken to sleeping through game film? 4 scoring drives of over 70 yards?????? WHAT???? 2 of them over 90??? 1 of 99????? What kind of cruel joke is this? Defense is our strength… I thought. It now appears they are jealous of all the attention the Offense has received, and are now trying to “out-medium” them.  I hold hope that the player leadership on the defense will stand up and do something.  There are some proud, powerful voices on that side of the field, and I don’t see them tolerating this stuff.

We have the power  to change things (well… at least in our own delusional minds)

As I write, there are fans responding to polls (as if it will make a difference) about whether Zorn should go now, or stay through the season. Fans being fans, most seem in favor of an immediate coup… a portion suggesting that Cerrato must be on the executioners platform with him.

Of course, such a move would end the season… and would probably kill the career of any coach willing to take the job for the rest of the schedule (which, along with being incredibly impulsive and foolish is why it’s probably high on the Danny’s list of options). On the other hand, I can’t imagine what kind of miracle would be required to resurrect the coaching career of Jim Zorn (and with it, the season of our Washington Redskins).

We’ll know soon enough, but my bet is that Zorn gets the season. Whether he gets a clue or two along with that is anybody’s guess. Strap up tight, folks… there’s turbulence ahead.

 I have this recurring nightmare. 

Ford Stadium is rocking.  Redskins ball, third down, 9 yards to go. The thunderous voices of all 6542 Lions fans in the house are drowning out Jason Campbell’s efforts to audible out of the option pass called by coach.  Sonny is in the booth screaming “It won’t work!”  Sam Huff chuckles “He’ll bench you, Sonny”.

The ball is snapped anyway… ughhhhhhh… 

Sonny vs Jim

I’ve sat and listened to “the interview” several times.  I sit, mouth agape, in astonishment, every time.   “I’m sorry, Sonny… I’d have to bench you.”

I want Jim Zorn to succeed.   Really, I do.  His is one of the great stories of the NFL.  No, he’s not a sure inductee into the HOF.  No, he has no oversized rings on his hand.  No, he’s never kissed a Lombardi trophy while screaming “I’m going to Disneyland!”  But he was an undrafted free agent whom eventually became the bright face of a struggling expansion team.  Had he remained with his original team, he likely would have languished in anonymity.  Had he played with any number of other fairly well endowed teams, however, he may well have become Brett Favre.  He was talented, and was a gunslinger.   He played by the seat of his pants… he was fun to watch.  He had guts.   He knew how to call plays.

When he was announced as the new Head Coach of the Washington Redskins, my initial response was “well… that’s… um…  interesting.”  I thought about it.  It grew on me.  “This could be just what Jason Campbell needs”.  A gunslinging coach… one with a love for adventure… a gambler… 

What did we get?  One who is practicing defensive coaching.  “Coaching not to lose” rather than “Coaching to win”.  How odd.  Last year, part of my mantra was “Campbell needs to play with emotion.  He’s too controlled.  He’s too afraid of making a mistake.  As a result, he was missing the obvious. 

This year, Campbell seems to have loosened up some (admittedly, I’m still waiting to see him bring that dragon to the game with him, but there have been hints that weren’t there before).  Now, it’s the coach who needs to tap his emotion.  He’s afraid to make a mistake… As a result, he IS missing the obvious.   I now wonder… was it Campbell?  Or, was it the coach, all along.

When does a halfback option work?  Answer:  When the Run is working and is expected.  As a result, the defense sells out the second they read sweep.

When does a halfback option NOT work?  Answer:  On a passing down… ummm… such as 3^rd down and long… you know?

Yes, Jim… you “called it to work”.  The problem is, it was an obvious passing down, and no one respected your run enough to sell out to it.  Bad call, Jim.  Man up, and admit it.  Stop arguing with one of the greatest “on the field” play callers ever.  Here’s a thought, Jim.  How about signing up for a course at the “Sonny Jurgensen College of Advanced Play Calling”?  They may even have an express course.  Nobody is more of a homer than Sonny… and when Sonny starts to get off the bus… you’d better be listening.

Mike Shanahan is off somewhere, his substantial coaching resume in his left hand, waiting for a call from his friend, Dan Snyder.  We cannot afford to go through another coaching change.  We need Jim Zorn to get with the program, find his old Seahawk gun slinging mojo, and start coaching to win.  Now.  We need Zorn to succeed.

A loss at Detroit may well spell the end of the Jim Zorn Experience.  Heck, a marginal win may not be a good thing, but a loss would be a true disaster.  We are in the NFC East currently…  I can tolerate a lot, but not being the laughingstock of the Division.

They say that what’s important is whether the game goes into the W or L column.  Yeah… usually that is true… but not this week… not tomorrow.  It must be a W… and it must be by 12 points or more… The Redskins DO NOT LOSE to Detroit.  It’s not permitted.  Beyond that, this offense must produce touchdowns… several of them.

I cannot recall any game against a less talented team ever being more important than this one.  Win big, and confidence is restored.  Win small, and the doubts continue.  Lose?  Not an option if the season is to bear fruit.

What to do, Jim?  I don’t know… but calling the game as though you were on the field yourself might be a start… as I recall, you weren’t too bad in your day.  That’s right… I’m suggesting that you trust your players. 

I really hope I wake up on Monday morning wondering why I was ever worried…

I understand why the Redskins made the decision they made, and I understand Rock’s decision to keep playing, particularly when his hometown Lions offered him a contract to play close to his family and off-season home.

So to the question I’ve received both publicly and privately, no, I will not change my screen name. I am still a Jon Jansen fan. Since he made the decision to stay out of the NFC – East, I won’t even stop pulling for him to do well unless he’s up against Brian Orakpo or another Washington player.

Watching Jansen and Michael Strahan battle it out twice a year was the highlight for me of some pretty dismal years as a Redskins fan, so for that, I am grateful. Thanks for being a classy leader, a solid contributor, and a Rock for this franchise.

Good Luck with Detroit… except on September 27th.

439 – Total yards of offense for Washington. The Redskins may not have put the game away until late, but it certainly wasn’t because they were having trouble moving the ball.

328 – Yards passing for Jason Campbell. He was 23 of 28 on the day, and hit 8 different Redskins with passes.

140 – Yards receiving on 9 receptions for Santana Moss. His longest was his 50-yard touchdown reception. Moss now has 658 yards receiving on the season – 5th best in the NFL.

127.4 – Quarterback rating for Jason Campbell against the Lions – his best NFL game total ever. Campbell’s season QBR moved up to 100.5 – also 5th best in the NFL.

126 – Yards rushing by Clinton Portis on 24 carries (5.3 YPC). His 944 total rushing yards so far this year, still leads the league. It’s not even Halloween yet, and CP has almost 1000 yards on the season. It was the 5th game in a row that Portis has gone over 120 yards – a feat that he accomplished one other time in his career. Only Portis and O.J. Simpson have ever done it twice.

80 – Yard punt return by Santana Moss. Not even teammate Devin Thomas could stop Moss from taking the punt all the way to the house. It was only the second time that Moss had lined up to receive a punt all year, and it was his second touchdown of the game..

64 – Consecutive games with a catch for tight end Chris Cooley. Cooley had 6 of them on Sunday for 74 yards.

57 – Yards receiving on just 4 catches, for the immensely talented Lion Calvin Johnson. Shutting down the best receivers in the game is starting to be just another ‘day at the office’ for Redskin Carlos Rogers.

56 – Total yards rushing by the Lions. The Redskin defense continues to completely shut down opposing running backs.

36 – Minutes of Redskins ball possession (35:45) to Detroit’s 24 minutes. Despite having the ball for over 9 minutes in the fourth quarter, the Lions still had the ball for 11:30 less than Washington.

6 – Solo tackles by London Fletcher – none bigger or better than his last one on Calvin Johnson that ended the game.

5 – Solo tackles from Mike Green. Pretty good for a guy who just got to Washington and was thrust into the starter’s position because of a game-time decision on Chris Horton’s injury.

4 – Field goals from Shaun Suisham; though the Canadian missed a 50-yarder, he was good from 25, 47, 45 and 42.

3 – Defensive starters scratched due to injury at the Lions game – Shawn Springs, Chris Horton, and Cornelius Griffin.

2 – Punts for the Redskins all day. Ryan Plackemeier only averaged 40.5 yards per punt, but that was due to squibbing one punt to the 10-yard line. His other punt may have been the best one by a Redskin punter all year – under pressure, he boomed a 49-yarder that had to be fair caught, and had no return.

1 – Sack for Demetric Evans. It was his first of the season.

The Redskins now have 6 wins! While its easy to look back and say that the Redskins could have beaten the Rams and been 7-1, the truth of the matter is that very few people picked this team to have 6 wins at the half-way point of the season. Its the first time since 2000 that the Redskins have reached the 6-2 mark.

Next up is the very tough, defensively sound Pittsburgh Steelers.

Baldwin, who played college at Alabama A&M, replaces linebacker Curtis Gatewood, who was released from the practice squad yesterday.

Baldwin entered the league in 2007 as a fifth-round selection of the Detroit Lions.

Gatewood was originally signed by the Redskins as an undrafted free agent out of Vanderbilt following this year’s draft.

For all updated roster moves, please visit our Redskins Transactions and Roster pages.

For more on Baldwin’s addition, please check out:

Redskins.com

Redskins Insider Blog at WashingtonPost.com

The Official Redskins Blog