Adding a ‘consultant’ makes for an awkward situation. Matt Bowen
What do we make of Sherm Lewis coming to Washington as a “consultant” to head coach Jim Zorn and an anemic Redskins offense that’s struggling to score points?
Raising the white flag already?
APDaniel Snyder apparently feels that Jim Zorn needs a little extra help in D.C.
Not yet, but it’s a sign that things aren’t up to par with owner Daniel Snyder. He’s bringing in reinforcements to the top of the food chain — and that will most likely lead to what we’ve all thought so far this season: a change at the top.
When I was a rookie in St. Louis in the 2000 season, the “Greatest Show on Turf” -- an offense that consisted of Marshall Faulk and Kurt Warner along with a young Orlando Pace, Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce -- was putting up points like you’d see from Florida and Tim Tebow against a 1-AA school in awful uniforms.
On defense? Not so much. We started the season 6-0, and despite the overwhelming amount of offense that Mike Martz and Warner could generate, we went on a terrible losing streak because of our defense. In came the late Bud Carson, a defensive innovator and a coach who was thought to be the deciding factor in our mid-season turn around.
To say the least, it was awkward for the players in the defensive meeting room -- our coordinator, Peter Giunta, conducting a meeting while Bud interjected his thoughts. Suddenly, we had two coaches with two different philosophies in the same room — and the coordinator became the subordinate.
The result: a 10-6 season with a first-round wild card exit down in New Orleans. Yes, the league’s best offense was wasted because we couldn’t make plays and couldn’t produce in our defense with both Giunta and Carson. A Super Bowl ring down the drain that still stings me.
So what happened the next season?
Giunta and his staff were out — and Lovie Smith and his staff were in. An entirely new defensive system, new coaches, new ways to practice, etc, etc. The “call for help” the previous season wasn’t enough, but how could it be?
APHow will Zorn and new offensive consultant Sherm Lewis coexist?
That’s the issue facing the ‘Skins right now. No disrespect to Sherm Lewis, but how can he come into the facility now and change things? There will be no new players who suddenly arrive to make this offense more explosive, there won’t be a new offensive line, and Zorn will still call the plays.
I understand the idea because the Redskins are at a crucial point in their season. Despite the heat coming down on Zorn, QB Jason Campbell, Albert Haynesworth and this entire franchise, they’re still sitting at 2-2 — a place a lot of clubs would like to be right now. They travel to Carolina on Sunday to take on the winless Panthers — another team that’s hamstrung on offense — and a loss will most likely open the skies to a media rainstorm in that town.
And Zorn’s job security will once again be brought into question.
Whether that happens remains to be seen, but the story here is that consultants are only brought in for one reason — and that’s to fix something that’s broken.
Like the Redskins’ red zone offense.
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Zorns wearing a lot of hats right now. Maybe one hat just got smaller. That might be a good thing. But I don't see how this will really change anything for the next few weeks. It would take time, this move was better made last year when, you know, they hired zorn... I'm still behind the man. He's 10-10 as a coach. I really think it takes more then 2 years to completely revamp an offense when you are on a team that throws its draft picks away.
Btw I think it'd be cool if you talked about how defenses attack different styles of offense. How does a defense adapt to stop a west coast offense one week and some coryel(whatever its called) offense the next? just a thought. Be cool to hear more stories of yo play back in da day.
A consultant in this situation is just a bullet in the chamber. Now Snyder can pull the trigger when he feels like it. I have worked for people like Snyder before. They have constant turnover at all levels because they prefer to micromanage with an iron fist. And it just doesn't work. The sad thing is that they think they know what they are doing, but they really don't.
A consultant in this situation is just a bullet in the chamber. Now Snyder can pull the trigger when he feels like it. I have worked for people like Snyder before. They have constant turnover at all levels because they prefer to micromanage with an iron fist. And it just doesn't work. The sad thing is that they think they know what they are doing, but they really don't.
Maybe Sherm will finally get his turn as a head coach (at least until seasons end) is Snyder sees fit to fire Zorn
Matt, the Skins offense hasn't been terrible statistically except in terms of scoring, which of course is the whole point of the game. It's hard to tell from the TV feed what is happening with the receivers and in the red zone. Maybe you could break it down for us and give us an idea if it is execution, QB play, playcalling or what that is keeping them out of the end zone.
I also second Roberto's request that you explain how you game plan for different offensive schemes.
Knowing Snyder the way we have come to know him for the past decade or so, he probably got the tip to hire Sherman Lewis from Mike Shanahan. He probably approached Shanahan and said "If you were to pick an offensive coordinator right now, who would you pick?" Hint Hint.
Fast Forward to Circa January, 2010: Enter Mike Shanahan as head coach of your Washington Redskins. His first move? Sherman Lewis has just been promoted to...you guessed it. Offensive Coordinator.
This would actually be a shrewd move on Snyder's part if he has already made up his mind to fire Zorn after the season. Sherman would get the beat on the players on the roster now so Shanahan could hit the ground running. both on offense and defense.
This, of course, in light of the recent trip of Redskins One to Denver. Connect the dots, and Voila !!
Gibbs and Saunders couldn't generate many points with Jason Campbell under center either.
He's a great guy by all accounts but he's also a coach killer.
Some stats for you.
In forty starts, Jason Campbell has only won ONE game by more than one score.
In forty starts with Jason Campbell at the helm, the Redskins have only scored 30 points or more TWICE.
Both are NFL records.
His biggest problem is he doesn't see the whole field. There is no way Malcolm Kelly and Devon Thomas are as bad as their stats indicate. That would be impossible. Kelly Washington was in Skins camp this year and it was reported it was definitely outclassed by Kelly and Thomas. Now he's in Baltimore and is catching balls left and right -- because he has a QB who doesn't lock in on his first read.
I hate Danny and Vinny. They're awful. But they were 100 percent correct to try to get Cutler in the offseason.
"There is no way Malcolm Kelly and Devon Thomas are as bad as their stats indicate. That would be impossible."
===
As a Skins fan, to me that's the biggest reason to go to Todd Collins. This team isn't going anywhere this season. Collins isn't the QB of the future, but neither is Campbell. I've watched Campbell's learning curve flatten out for two years (it's really more of learning plateau); this is as good as he gets.
The Skins are going to start over at QB next year anyway. At least switching to Collins would give them more information - are the WRs really that bad , or is it the QB? Maybe Kelly & Thomas are actually serviceable. The team needs to figure out what their needs are (o-line, o-line, QB, and then maybe o-line again), because they're looking at three-plus years of rebuilding. Might as well get started now.
Meateater's request that you point out the problem is right on point. As I understand the West Coast Offense, three receivers and a TE do pass routes and the RB also, the last being an emergency dump-off if all else fails. This requires a QB who can check down five possible receivers really fast. Some people say Campbell can't do this. Redskin coaches do not complain about him so maybe those people are wrong.
But the coaches are continually saying that Kelly & Thomas are "making progress." And that would explain their next to zero production: they are making progress, not actually doing their jobs. So in effect Campbell has 2 or three options where the plan is to have 4 or 5.
So we would like to know what you think: is it the QB or the receivers? It is impossible for the fan to know, since we can't see the film that would show what is happening down field when Campbell goes back to pass.
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Oct 07, 2009
02:13 PM
It's never a good sign when your boss "suggests" that you need some help with your job. However, it's hardly breaking news that Zorn is on the hot seat. I think there are some potential positives here. Lewis is clearly not a head coach in waiting. He has a lot of experience in the same Holmgren WCO that Zorn supposedly was an expert in. If nothing else, he can go over the game plan and play chart with Zorn and maybe suggest things like avoiding halfback passes on 3rd and goal. Maybe he can suggest some new plays for the red zone. Zorn seems to be fixated on Portis off left tackle. Maybe he can come up with a way to get the second year receivers Kelly and thomas involved.