From: drew@verdix.com (Drew Johnson)
Subject: Re: Dallas 23 Washington 10
Organization: Verdix Corp.
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 18:51:39 GMT

In article <BuDHJF.F5D@acsu.buffalo.edu> v073pzuy@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Hooked On Phonics) writes:
>In article <1992Sep8.052459.2111@gmuvax2.gmu.edu>, stapleto@gmuvax2.gmu.edu 
>	(Kathy Stapleton) writes...
>
>>     Does anyone out there have any ideas as to WHY the Redskins were
>>not up to their Super Bowl form????  I hear that Gibbs was saying that
>>the offense has been very unorganized as of late...and even though I
>>am a loyal Skin fan through and through, I cannot say even ONE nice
>>thing about this darn game.  Not ONE!  The touchdown made by the Skins
>>was pure luck and I could not believe all of those open holes that the
>>Skins defense let by so Emmett could strut his stuff to go another
>>game 100+ yards...  And I have NEVER NEVER seen the Redskin offensive
>>line do such HORRIBLE blocking for Ryp....I remember last year...only
>>*seven* sacks were allowed...  *Seven*!!!!!!!!!!!!  And this game,
>>*two*?  Anyone have any explanations?
>
>Yeah, one my friends and I considered from way back last year when the 'Skins
>were on the road to the Bowl...
>
>They are old.  They sacrificed what they had in the future for the big shot
>last year--witness the rash of Plan B acquisitions last year.  Note that I'm
>talking mainly about defense here--except for the apparent truth to the idea
>that Mark Rypien was a flash in the pan, the offense is in good shape (ok, some
>older guys on the OL, but all teams have those players...).

What do you mean "sacrificed what they had in the future?"  They aren't trading
away draft picks for older players anymore.  Do you mean to say that they
might have cut promising young players in favor of older players acquired
via plan B?  This does not hold up, because all of the promising young
players they liked they kept around anyway (either on IR or the developmental
squad).  They use plan B to fill gaps in their team with quality personnel.
As has been stated over and over, the starting secondary that took the
team to the SB last year was 75% plan B guys, none of whom was more than
27 years old.

There are 2 "older guys" on the OL, Jacoby and Bostic.  Jacoby was in and
out last year (as well as the monday night debacle), and his backup is a 3rd
year man.  I'm not sure how old McKenzie is, but both Schlereth and Lachey
are under 30 (Schlereth is well under, Lachey turns 30 this year).  They
have 3 very good backups that are under 28 (Brown, Simmons, and Elliot).
This is not an "old" OL.  It was a grave coaching error to go into Texas
Stadium unprepared for crowd noise on an opening monday night game, when 
Dallas believes they have something to prove,  This cost the OL dearly.
They did not play poorly because of age, they played poorly because they
were unable to work together.  Shoot Gibbs for not planning for it, and praise
JJ for expecting and making the most of it.

Age is currently a factor for the Skins in one place;  DE.  Except for
1 rookie, these guys are pretty long in the tooth.  It looked like it showed
on monday night.  I am hoping it is not a trend, but I am more than a little
worried.

The good news is that the Skins have 2 home games against teams they have
traditionally done very well against (especially recently).  Had the NFL
stacked up, say, the Giants or Eagles away after this opener, I think the
Skins would be looking pretty bad indeed.

Drew
drew@verdix.com
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.pro