NFL Week Four Picks, Pats, and Apologies

Last Week: 11-5
Season: 31-16
Record Picking Redskins Games: 3-0
Against the Spread: 5-6
Lock of the Week: 2-1

Last Week's Pats: Nothing to really write home about...I missed on my upset picks. I did get Vikings over Panthers when many people we're going the other way. Also, correctly picked the Redskins to beat the Cardinals in a game most people had pegged at 50-50.

Last Week's Apologies: Overall record was fine, but I had a miserable week against the spread: 0-4. Total disaster. I was 3-0 the week before, which pretty much illustrates why the bookies don't mind if someone gets on a hot streak. You are bound to come back down to earth...usually with a thud. I also picked against the Titans for the second time this year, which has burned me twice. That's a really strong football team in Tennessee, and I think I've finally gotten the memo.

This Week's Picks:

Atlanta at Carolina: I could see this being a pattern for the Falcons: Play hard every week, beat the lousy teams, get run over by the better teams--especially on the road.

Panthers 23, Falcons 12

Denver at Kansas City: I could see this being a pattern for the Chiefs: Play hard every week, get run over by the lousy teams, get run over by the better teams.

Broncos 31, Chiefs 17

San Francisco at New Orleans: Having suffered back-to-back heartbreakers on the road, the Saints really need a win to settle things down. San Francisco's offense seems to have life with Mike Martz, but I want to see it succeed in some hostile environments before I go crazy about it.

Saints 30, 49ers 20

Arizona at New York Jets: Possibly the toughest game to pick on the schedule this week. Arizona is a good team. But they aren't a great team, and they still have some significant historical hurdles to get over before people really start taking them seriously. This is a big game for the Jets, coming off to subpar performances. If they lose on Sunday, the fans will start grumbling. I'm giving a very, very shaky vote to the home team here.

Jets 24, Cardinals 22

Minnesota at Tennessee: Earlier I said the Titans taught me my lesson. I am going to practice what I preach. Gus Frerotte stabalizes the Vikings a bit, but does he have enough to handle a pretty fierce defense in Tennessee? I wouldn't bet on it. One thing that worries me as a Titans fan? Adrian Peterson has yet to explode this year.

Titans 20, Vikings 17

Green Bay at Tampa Bay: The Packers just lost to a superior team against Dallas last week. I still think Green Bay could wind up in the NFC Championship Game when it's all said and done. Really like the road underdog here.

Packers 19, Bucs 14

Houston at Jacksonville: The Texans have made me look foolish in their first two games this year. By no means am I in love with the Jags, but they did have a gut-check win in Indy last week, and I see them winning ugly at home.

Jaguars 17, Texans 15

Cleveland at Cincinnati: Yuck. Total must-win for both teams if either has any prayer of not having a terrible year. I honestly have no clue in this one. Do I go with the team with the better pedigree headed into the year (Browns)? Or do I go with the team that showed signs of life last week (Bengals)? Ah, I'll just flip a coin.

Browns 27, Bengals 24

San Diego at Oakland: For all their internal fiascos right now, the Raiders have put together a couple of really nice efforts the past two weeks. I'm still not sold on the Chargers defense, and I see this one being pretty close. But I'll go with San Diego.

Chargers 28, Raiders 21

Buffalo at St. Louis: Total desperation time in St. Louis. But I could actually see the Trent Green promotion paying dividends in the short-term. It's not easy to get blown out four weeks in a row in the NFL. I think both of these teams are "due" in a certain sense. But I still see the Bills getting the victory.

Bills 23, Rams 20

Washington at Dallas: Redskins fans may hold a parade after this game. Not a victory parade mind you, but a "Thank God We Never Have to Play in that Hellhole Again" parade. Since 1996, the Redskins are 1-11 in Texas Stadium with an average margin of defeat of almost 10 points in those losses. The Redskins have improved greatly since opening night in New York, and that progress should continue. When these teams meet again in November, Washington could be primed for the upset. But Dallas looks downright salty right now, and I'm not sure anyone is going to go in there and beat them this year.

Cowboys 34, Redskins 17

Philadelphia at Chicago: The Bears have to be kicking themselves right now after dropping two winnable games the past two weeks-- especially after holding a double-digit lead with four minutes left against the Bucs last Sunday. Those losses could come back to haunt them, because even if they play well Sunday Night, the Eagles may prove to be too tough.

Eagles 26, Bears 17

Baltimore at Pittsburgh: One thing is for sure: This one won't be pretty. I'm not sure yet if the Ravens defense has regained form, or if they've just beaten up on two lousy teams. Rookie QB Joe Flacco has been able to stay under the radar and start his career 2-0. Things won't be so easy this Monday Night.

Steelers 22, Ravens 13

4 To Score

1. Packers (+3) at Bucs. Just a have real strong feeling that the road dog wins outright here.
2. Panthers (-7) vs. Falcons. I see the Falcons having a really hard time getting points on the board.
3. Texans (+7.5) at Jaguars. Texans gotta made me look good eventually, right?
4. Rams (+8.5) vs. Bills. Going on the trend that eventually, the Rams need to keep one close.

Deja Vu in Dallas

The Jimmy Johnson Cowboys of the early-mid 90’s were the most talented football team I’ve ever seen. I give them a slight nod over the 49ers of the 80’s and a significant nod over the Patriots of this decade. I wasn’t alive to experience the Packers of the 60’s or the Steelers of the 70’s, but I can say with 100% certainty that those Cowboys teams are at least on the same level.
That Cowboys team had Hall of Famers at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and cornerback (Deion Sanders 1995). In addition to those sure-fire Hall of Famers, safety Darren Woodson, guard Larry Allen, tackle Eric Williams, and defensive end Charles Haley could also be bound for Canton. Then, you mix in the myriad of Pro Bowlers over the years and you have a total juggernaut. In addition to their talent, those teams were also well constructed, well coached, and tough. Had it not been for the power struggle between owner Jerry Jones and Johnson, those Cowboys would have most likely earned more than their three Super Bowl rings.

With free agency making it more difficult to build those types of teams, I have been wondering if I’d ever witness a team with that type of talent again.

Enter the 2008 Dallas Cowboys. The most talented team, since, well, the Dallas Cowboys.

Before you read any further let me answer a few questions:

Am I saying this current batch of Cowboys is as good as the teams of the 90’s?

No. Not even close. At least not close enough to even begin that discussion. They must accomplish much more. But I do think some very similar seeds have been planted.

Am I saying this current batch of Cowboys is unbeatable?

Absolutely not. In order to win big in the NFL, you need more than just raw talent. Coaching, timing, scheme, motivation, and toughness are all intangible factors. The Giants proved last year that a team that has those intangibles can find a way to win individual games against teams with superior talent. In terms of those intangibles, there are still many unanswered questions for these Cowboys.

But this article is about talent. Pure and simple. Who has the best players? And let me tell you, this Dallas team is absolutely loaded.

Terrell Owens is certainly one of the five best WR’s in the game, if not the very best. He is setting some incredible individual records and is a lock for the Hall of Fame.

Jason Witten is easily one of the top three TE’s in the game. He is a dangerous weapon and very versatile. Not only is he a reliable target as a possession receiver, but he can also stretch the field. If he stays this course, he too, will be in Canton.

Marion Barber has entered the discussion as one of the best RB’s in the NFL. The man is an absolute beast. He isn’t going to bust out many highlight reel runs, but he will grind out every yard. If you don’t think Barber belongs in the top grouping, then you can surely admit that he and Felix Jones combine for an exception 1-2 punch in the backfield.

Tony Romo has a lot to prove once the post-season begins. Until he answers his critics in that regard, there will be this lingering question about how good he really is. But let’s not forget that Peyton Manning started his career 0-3 in the playoffs. It’s no coincidence that the Cowboys went from a decent offense to a dynamic one once Romo took over. I’m not ready to start the Hall of Fame talk for Romo quite yet, but he is a Pro Bowl staple, he puts up great numbers, and his winning percentage is excellent. Again, a player who is on the right course to Canton.

The offensive line is fantastic. The Giants found a way to wear them down in the playoffs, and much like Romo, this unit needs to answer some questions due to that failure. However, week in and week out, the guys up front make lanes for the backs and keep Romo clean. Flozell Adams and Leonard Davis are two of the best in the game.

DeMarcus Ware is arguably the best defensive player in football. If you gave me one choice of any defender in the league with which I could start a team, he would be my choice. The man is everywhere. And he’s young.

Two years ago, during a Titans-Giants game, I turned to my friends and said, “This Pacman Jones guy might be the best corner in the NFL.” Well, two years later Jones has almost blown his career, and he still has some work to do to get to an elite level, but the talent certainly hasn’t gone away. This was a good gamble by Jerry Jones.

Two weeks ago against Philadelphia, Romo and Owens led a dynamic passing attack that totaled 41 points in a shootout win. The very same Eagles defense gave up only 6 points to the Steelers yesterday. On Sunday night, the Packers held Romo and Owens in check for the most part (although Romo still had 230 yards passing), but the normally stout Packer front seven was dominated by the Dallas front line and gave up 217 yards on the ground to the Barber-Jones combination.

The Cowboys can outgun you, and the Cowboys can grind you out. Truly, a pick your poison scenario.

Defensively, the Cowboys may sill be vulnerable in their back 7—this is the biggest difference between this team and the teams of the 90’s. Having said that, that unit is still above average, and Ware leads a very strong front line that will keep the pressure off the secondary.

How do you beat Dallas?

I honestly don’t think you can do it matching them up man for man. If most other things wind up even, then Dallas is going to win on talent against anyone in the NFL.

The way you have to beat Dallas is by using what’s between your ears and what’s in your heart. And if the Cowboys respond well mentally and emotionally to their playoff loss last year, then that may not be enough either.

Head coach Wade Phillips is still a big question mark. He has not won a playoff game in his career, and it is painfully clear that Jerry Jones and the Cowboys’ brass is grooming offensive coordinator Jason Garrett for the job sometime soon. I see this as a potential problem—especially in the playoffs if a team can keep things close early and turn up the heat on the sidelines.

The Cowboys are an extremely popular team. A popular team to love and an even more popular team to hate. If you happen to fall into the latter category, then you better hope that the Cowboys remain unable to figure out the intangible aspects of winning big in the NFL. Because when it comes to the tangibles, Dallas is the best the NFL has to offer.

NFL Week Three Picks, Pats, and Apologies

Last Week: 11-4
Season: 20-11
Record Picking Redskins Games: 2-0
Against the Spread: 5-2
Lock of the Week: 2-0

Last Week's Pats: Very good week-- especially against the spread. I went 3-0 in that department and won my lock of the week (Titans) quite easily. I also called the straight-up victory for the Broncos and was only one point off in the final score prediction of Bears-Panthers.

Last Week's Apologies: I want to apologize to myself for changing a gut instinct. I pegged the Raiders to beat Kansas City all week, and then changed my pick last minute on Sunday morning. Of course, the Raiders proceeded to handle the Chiefs with ease. Also missed on three really close games (Bills, 49ers, and Colts). Not much to apologize for this weekend-- especially if you followed my advice with your money!

This Week's Picks:

Kansas City at Atlanta: Two Words: Tyler Thigpen. Yep, that's the guy who will be under center this week for the Chiefs. Who knows, maybe he's the next Tom Brady. More likely, he's the next Tyler Thigpen.

Falcons 27, Chiefs 17

Arizona at Washington: Two offenses that really exploded last week. But fans of both teams may want to temper their enthusiasm after realizing that both teams lit up the scoreboard against weak defenses. This will be a much sterner test for both sides. Arizona has a highly underrated secondary, but their inability to run the ball could do them in if a team can generate a pass rush on Kurt Warner. I think the Cardinals are the slightly better team here, but homefield plus the Cardinal's abysmal history has me tossing a coin and going with the Redskins.

Redskins 26, Cardinals 23

Houston at Tennessee: Before the year, I was very high on Houston. I picked them to beat the Steelers on opening day-- they responded by getting trounced. The Titans, on the other hand, have looked very steady thus far, and their offense appears stabalized with Kerry Collins at the helm. Still, I am going to play my pre-season hunch here that the Texans will compete for a wild card this year. Upset of the week.

Texans 17, Titans 13

Oakland at Buffalo: The situation is Oakland is a total mess. So, I was pretty surprised to see them go into Kansas City last week and win handily. But the Bills look salty so far in 2008, and while I could see Oakland hanging around, no way do they pull this one off.

Bills 20, Raiders 10

Tampa Bay at Chicago: So far, Chicago looks much closer to the 2006 Bears than the 2007 Bears-- which is a good thing for Bears fans. Matt Forte gives the offense some punch. Chicago opened the season with two difficult road games, and came out a very respectable 1-1. I see them handling the Bucs at home this week.

Bears 19, Bucs 16

Carolina at Minnesota: Why the Vikings waited until week two to decide Tavaris Jackson was not the answer at QB is a mystery. This was an organizational decision that should have been made early in the off-season. Now, the Vikings are stuck with veteran journeyman, Gus Frerotte. Frerotte should be an upgrade from Jackson of course, but he certainly isn't a longterm solution. Still, I like Minnesota to get their first win of the season in what amounts to a desperation game for the Vikings.

Vikings 24, Panthers 17

Cincinnati at New York Giants: The question isn't whether or not the Giants will win this game. The question is will the Bengals completey embarrass themselves yet again? For some reason, I see Carson Palmer having a respectable day, but the Giants will score at will.

Giants 34, Bengals 20

Miami at New England: Everyone keeps asking who is the favorite in the AFC now that Tom Brady has been lost for the year. After this week, those people will need to look in the standings and realize New England is 3-0.

Patriots 29, Dolphins 14

New Orleans at Denver: The Saints defense is on the soft side when healthy. Banged up like they are now, and they may have a bottom 5 defense in the league. Jay Cutler and the Broncos offense looks 100% for real. Another shootout in Denver?

Broncos 31, Saints 27

Detroit at San Francisco: Memo to the Lions: Don't get behind 21-0 and you might have a shot this week. Then again, maybe not.

49ers 28, Lions 24

St. Louis at Seattle: Yawner of the week. Two bad teams right now. I understand why Seattle's offense has struggled somewhat, but I don't understand why their normally stout defense has gotten pushed around by two subpar offenses. Still, I'm not sure how anyone could pick the Rams to win anything right now.

Seahawks 27, Rams 13

Cleveland at Baltimore: If the Browns haven't pushed the panic button yet, they should at least have hands hovering over it. They are 0-2 with two home losses. Their offense has looked putrid since pre-season. They can't cover anyone. The next two week they play at Baltimore and at Cincinnati. Cleveland may need to win both to have any chance at catching the Steelers this year. I am picking the Browns this week because I could see Joe Flacco struggling much like Matt Ryan did in his second start, but this is far from a confident choice.

Browns 16, Ravens 13

Pittsburgh at Philadelphia: Possibly the game of the week. Should be very entertaining. There's something about the Steelers I really like this year-- and I had them pegged as a disappointment in my pre-season picks. But they have performed quite well so far this year and I love their overall team balance. Having said that, the Eagles look sharp and agressive. Donovan McNabb is playing at an extremely high level and I see him leading the Eagles to a dramatic win this week.

Eagles 24, Steelers 21

Jacksonville at Indianapolis: If the Jags lose this week, I think we can officially start kicking dirt on their Super Bowl hopes. Playing in Indy, against a team that finally righted themselves in the second half last week, is not a good spot for the Jags.

Colts 23, Jaguars 13

Dallas at Green Bay: If Steelers-Eagles doesn't do it for you, then this one should. Excellent match-up. Slowly, I think people are beginning to realize how good of a job Ted Thompson has done in building this Green Bay team. They are my pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. But for this week, I see Romo and the Cowboys getting the upper-hand.

Cowboys 28, Packers 20

New York Jets at San Diego: Much like the Browns, the Chargers find themselves in a bit of a desperate situation this week. The focus all week has been on the early whistle that helped hand the Chargers a loss last week. But San Diego needs to put aside what they can't control and focus on a defense that has gotten shredded in the opening weeks of the season. If I'm a Chargers fans, this game scares me to death. But I have a feeling they find a way to avoid the 0-3 hole.

Chargers 27, Jets 21

4 To Score

1. Texans (+5) at Titans. Playing a pre-season hunch. Gonna give the Texans another week to prove me stupid.
2. Patriots (-13) vs. Dolphins. I think the New England defense may have gotten into a groove last week.
3. New York Jets (+9.5) at Chargers. Not sure I can pick the Chargers to blow anyone out right now.
4. Browns (+2.5) at Ravens. Going with a trend, picking against a rookie QB.

NFL Week Two Picks, Pats, and Apologies

Last Week: 9-7
Season: 9-7
Record Picking Redskins Games: 1-0
Against the Spread: 2-2
Lock of the Week: 1-0

Last Week's Pats: A below average start to this season for sure, but I did call a few things correctly. Most notably, I nailed my lock of the week with the Panthers easily covering the spread in their win over San Diego. I also went agains the grain and picked the Falcons to beat the Lions.

Last Week's Apologies: Biggest apology by far goes out to the Steelers. I pegged the Texans in an upset, and I could not have been more wrong. Pittsburgh absolutely trounced Houston. They called off the dogs early in the 2nd halfm but make no mistake, this was a total beating. It's early, but I'm already starting to wonder if I didn't underestimate the Steelers this season. Also need to apologize to the Broncos, who I picked to lose in Oakland. Again, can't miss on a game much worse than that.

This Week's Picks:

Oakland at Kansas City: Before last week, I REALLY thought Oakland would be a better team than Kansas City. But after last week, that thought process is looking flawed to say the least. But I am going to be stubborn and go with my original gut feeling for one more week. There is no reason that Oakland's defense should be that bad.

Raiders 21, Chiefs 20

***EDIT*** Sunday at 11:21 a.m-- Decided to change my pick last minute here amidst all of the ridiculouslness going on in Oakland. No way that teams comes to play today. New Pick:

Chiefs 20, Raiders 13

Green Bay at Detroit: Speaking of bad defenses.....the Lions are just, well, ugh. That's about as much analysis as I can provide for that bunch. I see them being fairly competitive at home, but I don't think they get enough stops to win the game.

Packers 27, Lions 21

Tennessee at Cincinnati: The putrid Bengals don't stand a chance against the steady Titans. I think Marvin Lewis may have already mentally "clocked out." The question is how long before Mike Brown realizes it?

Titans 26, Bengals 13

Chicago at Carolina: In my pre-season predictions, I picked the Panthers to play in the NFC Championship Game. After last week, I'm feeling pretty good about that prognostication. Having already upset the Colts on the road, this game has a very "bonus" feel for Chicago. Not a lot of pressure here for the Bears. Still, I like Carolina at home.

Panthers 20, Bears 16

Buffalo at Jacksonville: I think this is close to a must-win for the Jaguars if they harbor any serious thoughts about being a Super Bowl team. But I'm not sure that any team with those kinds of major issues along the offensive line is a serious threat to anyone. In addition to their line woes, I also still have my doubts about David Garrard. Buffalo, on the other hand, was very methodical in their win over Seattle. Here's a very shaky vote for the home team.

Jaguars 19, Bills 17

New Orleans at Washington: If everything you saw in Week Y translated to what you'd see in Week X, picking NFL games would be very, very easy. If that were the case, the Saints would be the simple pick here: They looked very solid and at times, explosive, beating the Bucs last week. On the flip side, we have the Redskins, who had a hard time getting out of their own way in New York. But in the NFL, everything you see is not always what you get. This is a 100% "gut feel" pick, based little on logic.

Redskins 23, Saints 20

Indianapolis at Minnesota: Did the Colts struggle because Peyton and crew were shaking the rust off, or are there deeper problems in Indy? My guess is the former, but I saw enough issues out there on Sunday Night that make me skeptical about pulling the trigger and predicting a tough road win the Colts. This one could go either way, but I favor the home team.

Vikings 24, Colts 21

New York Giants at St. Louis: The only real question in this game is whether or not the Rams will embarrass themselves again, or will they at least show up for awhile? The Giants could lay an egg and still win this one.

Giants 31, Rams 20

San Francisco at Seattle: I'm not sure people realize exactly how bad the Seahawks have it with their skill position players right now. Matt Hasselbeck, has few, if any options. And if the Seahawks normally stout defense gets pushed around all year like they did in Buffalo last week, Mike Holmgren will end his career on a very sour note. I'll give that defense a second chance and pick them to get a win for Seattle in a very, very ugly game.

Seahawks 17, 49ers 13

Atlanta at Tampa Bay: The Falcons were impressive last week, but I have a feeling Matt Ryan is really going to struggle in his first trip to Tampa.

Bucs 22, Falcons 10

Miami at Arizona: The Cardinals 2-0? Is this possible? With the Seahawks reeling and the Rams and 49ers looking pitiful, this may be the best shot Arizona has had in a long time to make a serious playoff push. Kurt Warner was the right choice for this team and he'll help his squad get the season off to a fast start.

Cardinals 27, Dolphins 20

New England at New York Jets: I sense some serious overcorrecting going on here. With Brady going down and Favre going up, most people have shifted their thought process on these two teams. But I'm not ready to write-off the Patriots quite yet. I have this sneaking suspicion that Matt Cassel is going to be pretty good.

Patriots 26, Jets 23

Baltimore at Houston: No team disappointed me more in week one than the Texans. But a rookie QB coming to town may be just what the doctor ordered.

Texans 17, Ravens 9

San Diego at Denver: As I've mentioned several times already this week, it is very difficult to ignore the results from just one week of action. I've gone against what my eyes saw last week several times already, but I think what I saw from Denver was legit. Jay Cutler looked incredibly good, and I see the Broncos sending a message this week.

Broncos 28, Chargers 23

Pittsburgh at Cleveland: Not going to fall into the trap here either. Cleveland will need to show me a lot more than they did in week one before I pick them to beat a quality team. I learned my lesson with the Steelers last week.

Steelers 30, Browns 23

Philadelphia at Dallas: Saved the best for last. Top game of the week gets the Monday Night showcase. Philly has looked good from the start of pre-season and they kept up the good work by dismantling the Rams in week one. And Dallas every bit as explosive as they did last year-- but maybe with an extra chip on their shoulder? This is an excellent game and a real early season treat. I look for the Eagles to keep pace for awhile before Romo proves to be too much.

Cowboys 31, Eagles 23


4 To Score

1. Titans (+1) at Bengals. I think the oddsmakers are overestimating the impact that Vince Young has on his team. If anything, I think it may be a plus for the Titans. Really surprised Tennessee enters this game as an underdog.
2. 49ers (+9) at Seahawks. I could see Seattle covering the spread by keeping the 49ers in the single digits-- but I just don't think the Seahawks have the firepower to blow anyone away right now.
3. Texans (-4.5) vs. Ravens. I missed very badly on Houston last week. I say, let's roll the dice again.
4. Broncos (+2) vs. Chargers. I had a really hard time finding a 4th game this week. The Broncos seem like a good enough bet.

Snyder Should Be Given Clean Slate From Fans

Redskins owner Dan Snyder just can't shake the reputation he (somewhat deservedly) earned SEVEN years ago. There is this perception that he is an impatient, meddlesome, owner, who only cares about money. Perhaps this applied in 2001, but since then, I really don't think that has been the case.

Let's face it, Steve Spurrier fired HIMSELF. The guy quit with about 5 games left in the 2003 season. He totally packed it in. He was on the golf course (figuratively) by Dec. 1st. Dan Snyder didn't "pull the plug" on Spurrier, Spurrier did that himself. Now, I think Snyder absolutely deserves criticism for HIRING of Spurrier in the first place-- but the notion that he was impatient, meddlesome, or didn't give Spurrier the chances to succeed are simply not true.

Enter Joe Gibbs. Not only did Snyder convince Gibbs to come back, he gave him FULL authority. Gibbs ran this team for four years-- and I'm not sure that Snyder or Vinny Cerrato had anything to do with anything during those 4 years. He handed the keys to Gibbs and let him drive. This was supposed to be year 5 of Joe Gibbs. Not year one of Jim Zorn. Gibbs had good personal reasons to step down when he did, but from a football standpoint, he really left Snyder and the Redskins high and dry. Gibbs built this team in a certain mold-- and he was fairly successful. We were a joke after the 2003 season and 4 years later, we had stabalized and had two playoff appearances under our belt. In a 5 year plan, 2008 was probably going to be the "make or break" year for Gibbs Part II. But the Sean Taylor tragedy, coupled with the health of Gibbs' grandson simply zapped the energy Gibbs needed to complete that run. Snyder did EVERYTHING in his power to get Gibbs to return-- Snyder did NOT want to make changes or hand the keys over to someone else. I don't think Snyder had as much as a mental list of possible replacements. I fully believe he was totally caught off guard and somewhat devestated when Gibbs retired.

I think the combo of losing Taylor forever and then losing Gibbs as part of the Redskins was a serious blow to Snyder. So, once Gibbs was gone, what was Snyder to do?

Here is what I hope is happening:

--I hope Snyder learned some things from Gibbs. I hope he learned a bit iof humility, I hope he gained a sense of patience, and I hope he was able to extract the importance of "team" and "family." Gibbs had his flaws both as a coach and GM, but he WAS able to restore a certain pride to this franchise. When Gibbs got here, we were a joke. When, he left, we weren't champs, but as fans, we could hold our heads high once again. I hope Snyder learned from having such a great MAN run his organization for four years. And I'm not ready to say that he hasn't. So, when it was all said and done, Snyder was left with a team ready to enter year 5 of a plan.....be he was FORCED to start over at the top.

Let's examine the major criticisms of Snyder:

1. He always goes for the big splash: He certainly didn't do that this off-season, even after there could have been some panic after Gibbs left.

2. He's impatient and makes rash decisions: Again, not this time around. As a matter of fact, he was criticized for te exact opposite-- taking TOO long to make a decision. Gregg Williams would have been the "easy" choice. Fassel or Mariuci would have been the "safe" choice. He did neither. He rolled the dice a bit... but he did not do it to make headlines or get pats on the back. Hiring Zorn was a major out-of-the-box risk.

3. No GM to run the team: Believe me, I am NOT convinced Vinny is the man for the job-- not even close. But for the first time, at least Vinny is more than just a raquetball buddy for Snyder. He has an actual title and actual responsibility. We now have a GM and a coach, period. Perhpas Snyder chose the WRONG GM, but at least he hired one. I have SERIOUS doubts about Vinny, and I understand that he is almost a comical figure in DC, but I am willing to give him a chance.

4. No value for the draft: Well, we had 10 picks-- all 10 made the team. Were they the right picks? Will any have an impact? Remains to be seen. This class is not off to a good start, but it is entirely too early to make any significant judgements in that regard. Bottom line, Snyder is NOT doing ANY of the things that he gets blasted for so regularly. Perhaps Vinny and Zorn were AWFUL decisions. Perhaps they will prove to be terrible at their jobs-- that is certainly a possibility. And I am not telling ANY Redskins fans to have "faith" in this regime-- that would be silly. But I do think that Snyder has made significant changes from a philisophical standpoint, and no one seems to realize that.

Now, if we have a bad season and Snyder goes nuts, fires Zorn, and goes after some big name-- I'd then have to say that he probably learned nothing from Gibbs, and that were we most likely doomed to keep repeating this losing cycle. But until he does that, I am willing to see if Gibbs' good qualities rubbed off on our owner. The front office was put in a horrible situation over the past 3 months of last season:

--The franchise's best player and best draft pick in years was murdered. I bet there are a lot of teams in the league that might be struggling a bit if their best player was suddenly killed. If Brian Westbrook was murdered last November, do you think people would be as high on the Eagles this year?

--The young QB gets injured and misses the pivotal games of the playoff run. This was problematic because we were unable to judge Jason Campbell under that playoff push atmosphere. Had he been there, we may have had a clearer idea of what he was going into THIS season.

--Coach entering th 5th year of a 5 year plan retires suddenly. Those are all tough blows for an owner to be dealt. I think he's handled it pretty well, and I want to see how this all pans out before I go nuts on anything. Fans say they are "tired" of being patient and "starting over." But sometimes life deals you blows that force you to accept those things. Yes, in many ways, we are "starting over" again. And it is certainly frustrating given the results of the past 17 years. But this particular "restart" was NOT self-inflicated. It was totally circumstantial, and in some ways, tragic.