Jim Zorn's Debut? UnimpreZZive

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I love this new Redskins offense. Ya know, the kind that never uses timeouts, doesn't have a hurry up offense and decides to throw short on third (and fourth) downs.

That was Redskins fans saw tonight as their team lose to the New York Giants, 16-7.

On plenty of third down plays (and a late fourth down play), the Redskins threw passes that were a few yards short of the first down. Many of the passes were completed, but didn't move the chains. Their first four drives of the second half ended on plays that came up short of the fourth down.

The hurry up offense? Uninstalled, I guess. Despite trailing the entire game, the Redskins never had any sense of urgency ... especially late in either half. It worked out alright in the first half -- the Redskins scored a TD just before halftime.

In the second half, however, the Redskins didn't go no-huddle, ran off waaaay too much time off the clock by huddling up and threw too many dink and dunk passes. And that was when they weren't running the football under four minutes left ... when they are down by nine points.

I left this game extremely unimpressed with Jim Zorn. I know it is early on (first game and all) and he must be given some time to install his offense. I get that. But the playcalling and clock management were horrible ... and there are enough veteran coaches on that sideline that know better.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

9-04-2008 @ 10:51PM

Abraham said...

well i am redskinfan from mexico and i have just watched the game in which we lost (redskins) and redskins offense wasn't as i was thinking it would be.

the plays calls were were so horrible, i didn't see anything of west offense,

insted of calling short passes plays give clinton portis the ball ... better

9-05-2008 @ 12:16AM

casey said...

unacceptable. plain and simple. the entire offense looked like a jv squad out there run by jv coaches.

9-05-2008 @ 10:49AM

Mark said...

Hey, I used to be a JV coach and I never would have called a game like that one!! Little league...perhaps.

9-05-2008 @ 10:56AM

9-05-2008 @ 12:23AM

lee said...

they have had big problem moving ball even at end of preseason to lose to carolina 47 to 6 come on and now this !!!The Giants may be reighinig champs but they were good only in first half!! We stuffed them in second half the play calls sucked for us in the second half !!! What west coast offence did we see? NONE!! So lets go from here? Were picked to be last in our division but we held them too no points in second half!! so let's get it on people!! been a skins fan since1970

9-05-2008 @ 12:39AM

MikeB said...

All of these weapons we have on offense and we run 6 yard patterns when we need 15 yards for a first down. Portis had a good game, but we need to get him the ball on pass plays as well as running plays. Cooley catches 1 pass....Give me a break......Doesn't Zorn realize that Washington DC is on the east coast and not the west....In this offense, why do we need speed at the receiver position, for they only run routes less than 10 yards.....We need to draft 7 footers for our receivers so when they catch a 6 yard pass, they fall forward for almost 2 more yards, thus making it a 8 yard play....We will never extend a defense running this type of offense....It could be a long season for Skins fans.

9-05-2008 @ 6:48AM

giant fan since 57 said...

Zorn was certainly guilty of poor clock management and bad play selection. Also his game plan has to be questioned. Why all those runs that ate up his valuable time at the end of the game? Not to mention that Cooley only got one throw? Add that to a series of 5 yard comleted passed on third and 7 and it adds up to a loss.

On a positive note I thought the Skins defense played good ball in the red zone, which prevented a total blowout.

Skins fans should be happy that Gibbs finally left. He waited too long. Also don't forget that in Parcell's first year with the Giants he benched Phill Simms and played Scot Brunner with the result that the Giants went 3/12/1. I'm not saaying Zorn is Parcells, just reminding fans that this was his very first game as a head coach.

9-05-2008 @ 6:54AM

DonR said...

I'm a Giant fan and glad they won but they sure were not tested by the Skins offense or lack of same.

9-05-2008 @ 7:24AM

Brijay725 said...

If you are a Giants fan (like I am), a victory is a victory. The Giants did what was needed to win. The Giants will hardly win games by scoring alot of points or win games by large margins. For Redskins fans, dont be so quick to run Jim Zorn out of town. This was only one game. He is new to being a head coach (and he never had coordinator experience either), so give him time. After all, Joe Gibbs started 0-5 as a first time head coach and won the first of 3 Super Bowls the next season.

9-05-2008 @ 7:29AM

The Giants did what they had to in order to win. The Giants dont play shootout kind of football. It's encouraging to see them win a home game (a problem they had last season).

For Redskin fans, don't be so quick to run Jim Zorn out of town. He is new to being a head coach. After all, the great Joe Gibbs started off 0-5 in his rookie year and won the first of 3 Superbowls the next season. Give Zorn some time!

9-05-2008 @ 8:09AM

jack gibson said...

joe gibbs saw the handwriting on the wall with this bunch of losers and he left

9-05-2008 @ 9:00AM

sandman said...

well... what's next, the RAMS, the score 54-3...RAMS..I seen for the past five years no improvement from redskin's organization and it tells me and the rest of redskin nation another season we get punked out!!! but DAN SYNDER DONT CARE so we should'nt either.. redskin nation should just stay home this season and save on gas and the expensive hot dogs and drinks. ROOT for the other team..Redskin fans are now NFL fans. I'm done with the redskin's BS !..I'm from NY and we have a 2 great teams..teams that owners put effort and improvement ..watch them..G-MEN & JETS..Adios Redskins...............

9-05-2008 @ 9:18AM

Tom said...

Zorn is another example of Dan Snyder's lack of football knowledge and poor management

9-05-2008 @ 10:38AM

Mitch said...

Amen! He's an idiot.

9-05-2008 @ 9:54AM

gary said...

That was embarrassing show last night....I was there. They do not belong in the NFL if they are gonna play like that...I've been a skins fan since 1980,and i have never been embarrassed like that before..

9-05-2008 @ 9:55AM

Sportsman said...

I agree with "Harry." No one but the Redskins offense knows which plays were called, but it was clear that Cambell's inability to read the defense and constant "check downs" were the reason passes were far short of a first down. Cambell failed to find Cooley until the 4th quarter, which was mind boggling by itself, when you're constantly checking down. The West Coast offense is based on timing and Cambell continued to hold the ball past the alloted time, allowing the Giant's D-Line to pressure him.

Regarding Zorn; the clock management was terrible and the team was pathetically lethargic. Obviously, Zorn was not hiding a bag of tricks in the Preseason games as suspected, he was simply hiding the ineptness of play calling and related team and game management.

9-05-2008 @ 10:28AM

odie said...

Yeah it may have been Jim's first game as a head coach, but that is no excuse for not know what the hell to do at the end of the game. For your offense to take forever and a day to get a play off when the clock is ticking and you are down by two scores????? My wife doesn't even know the rules to football and she even commented they were taking to long. Pull your head out of your @$$ Zorn!!!! While you are pulling things, pull Jason Campbell, he doesn't have a clue!!!!

9-05-2008 @ 11:10AM

Paul said...

As a Skins Fan since 1983... I know this -- The only quarterback that seems comfortable in the west coast offense is Colt.... put him in! Campbell looked too much like a rookie. These last three games (two preseason and last night) have been an embarrassment. The offensive looks simply offensive.

There is a reason the Skin's can't run to the right... its because Jansen isn't starting. Insert the veteran back into the game.

The only positive I got out of this was that the defense played well during the second half. I hope this doesn't mark a long season for Skin fans. Here's wishing.

9-05-2008 @ 12:10PM

chris said...

I AGREE, CAMPBELL SUCKS, CANNOT READ HIS OWN OFFENSE AND AFTER FOUR YEARS, HE DOESNT GET IT. I AM GLAD HE GOT HURT LAST YEAR SINCE IF HE DIDNT, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET INTO THE PLAYOFFS THANKS TO TODD COLLINS! I THINK COLT NEEDS TO COME IN AND HE GIVES LIFE BACK INTO A DEAD OFFENSE AND HE IS 100 TIMES BETTER THAN BIG LIP DUMB ASS CAMPBELL, DUHHH WHICH WAY DO I THROW!!!!