» This whole preseason "vanilla" issue

Montana Redskin · Hog Joined: 12 Jan 2004 Posts: 311

Everyone, including the Redskins and coaches, continue to banter on on on about how we should relax and wait because we just ran vanilla stuff and only "2% of playbook", etc..etc...

Didn't all of our opponents for the most part run the same thing, have the same approach? (yea, NE seemed to be a bit more reg. season attitude).

In all of those, we were dominated, as in 127-20 or something, one of worst preseason showings in history of NFL.

Seems like we have the perception that the Redskins are the only team running basic plays/formations and everyone else isn't?

That does concern me a bit...

Brunell and all QB's weren't ever really impressive, back up o-line horrible, no running whatsoever....

Come Monday night, I hope this changes but for some odd reason I think we may have a rough September and don't want to get out to a 1-3 type start again like '04.

Again, the basic fact is all our opponents weren't showing anything either and we got blown away.

Deadskins · Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 9:46 am Post subject:

No, I do not think the other teams played vanilla. Do two flea-flickers and a reverse seem vanilla to you?

gay4pacman · Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 10:52 am Post subject:

no huddlethe whole first half vs. NE? Not vanilla.

box · piglet Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 31 Location: MS

Guess its time to run Saunders and his #1 rated O system out of town. He doesnt have a clue what he is doing. We have all seen how bad his O is this preseason. We are doomed and we all know G>W> doesnt know how to coach D. Hell , throw in GIbbs too. What does he know we dont?

Evil or Very Mad

JPFair · Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 5:08 pm Post subject:

Here's my take on the whole "vanilla" thing, and I really believe that people should look at it like this. I could be wrong, but I dont' think I am.

In the first pre-season game against the Bengals, the Redskisn first string D were totally dominant for that first series. Even the first string Offense was doing good. Remember the catch by Lloyd? So, after the very first series, of the very first game, the Redskins just backed off after that.

After they ran their first seris of downs, and Clinton got hurt, the Gibbs and the coaches basically said let's tone it WAY down for the rest of the pre-season and dont' do anything stupid.

When Portis was hurt, the coaches might have just said to the players, go out and play, but don't put yourself in a position to get hurt, which would explain what looked like a lack of effort. on both the Offensive side and the Defensive side.

As for other teams, they were not ALL vanilla. Bellichick surprisingly showed a lot more than he has in the past, but that's because he needs to see what he has cuz he's lost Mangini and his top WR. The Jets were very UN-vanilla, but they've got a new head coach and he needs to see what type of planning he can do. The Ravens have a new QB, and they need to see what he can do. The Bungles were surprisingly un-vanilla as well (i.e. flea flickers) but that could be attributed to the health of Palmer and if he's not able to go in week one.

So, if you look at it, the very first series of downs in the first pre-season game, the Redskins Defense looked dominant, and that was all Gregg Williams needed to see. On the Offense, when Portis got hurt, Saunders or Gibbs didn't want to take any more chances, and they were carefull to keep Lloyd, Randle El, and Moss out of the whole package, or on the field together at the same time, and anyone can understand the need for that.

The O-line need work, but again, the coaches might simply have said "dont' get hurt" even if you allow a sack, let it go but DONT GET HURT.

There's a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes that we dont' know. The Skins, I beieve, never once put Lloyd, Moss, and Randle El on the field at the same time. They never once did a trick play, or looked like they were trying to grasp a new offense. Could it be that they know what they're doing?

Dont' worry people, this is when Gibbs is at his best!!! We're in for a dream year!!

Dishgeek · Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 12:17 pm Post subject:

This_Heat · piggie Joined: 04 May 2006 Posts: 139

shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... the season starts in 1(!) week

Irn-Bru · Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 1:51 pm Post subject:

Hooligan · Hog Joined: 14 Aug 2004 Posts: 882 Location: New Jersey

I agree totally with JP, and a few of my friends have said the same thing. We did a good job out of the gate and proved what we needed to. After injuries began to strike, coaches had everyone back off and save themselves for the season. That could explain a lot, like Carter seeming so unimpressive.

I hope it's true and we beat Minnesota like a dirty rug.

PulpExposure · Pushing Paper Joined: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 4461

The only thing that really bugs me about the preseason is that our offensive line, playing in a vanilla offense, allowed quite a bit of pressure on our quarterbacks. Yes, you can say they weren't playing to avoid injury, but every one of those hits on Brunell could have knocked him out for the regular season.

The o-line play kinda bothered me.

cvillehog · Hog Joined: 05 Aug 2004 Posts: 5218 Location: Richmond, VA

Really? From what I saw, the first team O-Line got much better as the preseason progressed.

PulpExposure · Pushing Paper Joined: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 4461

JPFair · Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2006 3:50 pm Post subject:

John Manfreda · Hog Joined: 23 Mar 2004 Posts: 2094 Location: none

you wanna know how vanilla the Redskins were, well they weren't they were throwing out all the tricks (insert laugh here), now back to reality this is how vanilla they were Randel El did not return one punt. Not only were they vanilla but they were giant brand ice cream vanilla, not even Ben and Jerry's vanilla.

PulpExposure · Pushing Paper Joined: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 4461