Tag: Mike Shanahan (Page 6 of 13)

      Writer plays race card when it comes to Donovan McNabb’s benching

      November 15, 2010 /
      Washington Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb outruns the St. Louis Rams defense for a 26-yard gain in the second half at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis on September 26, 2010. UPI/BIll Greenblatt Photo via Newscom

      Author John Feinstein says race is factoring into how Mike Shanahan is handling Donovan McNabb in Washington.

      After he benched McNabb for Rex Grossman at the conclusion of the Redskins’ game in Detroit two weeks ago, Shanahan said that McNabb wasn’t physically fit enough to run the two-minute offense because of a hamstring injury. Later it was reported that the Redskins have had to cut the playbook in half because McNabb is having a hard time picking everything up.

      That prompted Feinstein to play the race card when he appeared on a local Comcast Sports talk show in Washington recently.

      From FOX Philadelphia:

      “The situation with Shanahan and McNabb has gotten completely out of control. Shanahan simply won’t say ‘I made a mistake. I got mad at Donovan, I put Rex Grossman in the game and it was a mistake.’ Instead, the first spin is that he doesn’t know the terminology of the two-minute offense, i.e. he’s stupid. The next day, it’s, well, his cardiovascular, he’s out of shape, i.e. he’s fat. Now, he’s leaking to Chris Mortensen — who is culpable in this, too, because I guarantee he didn’t call Donovan McNabb for a response — that we had to cut the playbook in half because of McNabb.”

      “I think there’s racial coding going on here, and it’s my belief that that kind of behavior is worth firing a coach for. Dan Snyder’s not gonna do it, but I think it’s out of control.”

      I’ve got one, big, fat trump card for Feinstein and his name is JaMarcus Russell.

      While the Redskins didn’t sign the mammoth bust, Shanahan did bring Russell in for a workout two days after the Lions game. If Shanahan doesn’t want to work with black quarterbacks, then why bring in Russell? If Shanahan feels as though he has to cut his playbook in half for black quarterbacks, then again…why bring in Russell? It doesn’t make sense.

      I think what happened here is that Shanahan got caught overthinking. Grossman had been running the two-minute drill in practice because McNabb had been nursing a hamstring injury, so Shanahan thought he could sneak one past the goalie by bringing in Grossman. Plus, it’s not like McNabb had been sharp up until that point, so Shanahan took a gamble.

      Obviously that gamble didn’t pay off, but to accuse the man of racial coding is a bit extreme. This appears to be a classic example of the media looking too much into a situation instead of keeping the matter on the surface. McNabb wasn’t benched because he’s black. He was benched because Shanahan thought he was smarter than everyone and it backfired.

      External Sports, NFL

      The time is now for Donovan McNabb to prove doubters wrong

      November 10, 2010 /
      LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 10: Quarterback Donovan McNabb of the Washington Redskins greets fans before playing against the Green Bay Packers at FedExField on October 10, 2010 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

      I’ve always liked Donovan McNabb and have always felt that he’s gotten a bad rap for, in my estimation, absolutely nothing.

      But let’s go already.

      During a weekly appearance on ESPN 980, the Redskins’ quarterback said the idea that he doesn’t know the offensive playbook or has difficulty calling plays is ridiculous.

      “That is hilarious to me. That is really funny to me,” McNabb said during the interview. “For everyone who may not have heard this, it’s probably a shock.”

      Then prove it.

      Look, I thought Mike Shanahan’s decision to bench McNabb for Rex Grossman at the end of the Lions game was horrendous. You don’t bench Donovan McNabb for Rex Grossman. Hell, you don’t bench Jon Kitna for Rex Grossman. He’s Rex Grossman, how good did Shanahan think the guy was when he decided to put the game on his shoulders in Detroit a couple of weeks ago? What a brutal decision.

      That said, it’s not like McNabb has set the NFL ablaze with his play this year. I realize he’s only in year one of a new system, but in eight games he’s thrown for 1,971 yards with seven touchdowns and eight interceptions with a 76.0 QB Rating. If that’s not the definition of “meh” then I don’t know what is.

      He says he knows the offense. Then prove it. He says this idea that he can’t handle Shanahan’s playbook is hilarious. Then prove it. Shut everyone up once and for all by taking over a game, Donvoan. Put everything on your shoulders and will the Redskins to victory. Let’s see it.

      Don’t get it twisted – I’m not calling out McNabb. I want him to succeed so that he can prove all of his doubters wrong. I want him to have the last laugh because he’s a good player and he still doesn’t get the credit he deserves. I want him to lambaste the Eagles on Monday night not because I don’t like Philly or that I’m biased, but because I’m a Donovan McNabb fan. I want him to win.

      But crap or get off the pot already. I realize the Redskins’ offensive line has been putrid at times this year and he has nothing to work with in terms of skill players, but I don’t care. The great ones know how to win with less.

      I’m not saying he needs to win a Super Bowl and he’s not going to with the talent that the Redskins currently have. But how about giving everyone the ol’ one-figured salute for once by going out and winning a game in the midst of all this doubt? He doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone, but for once, be great, Donovan. Leave no doubt.

      External Sports, NFL

      Redskins working out JaMarcus Russell – yes, that JaMarcus Russell

      November 2, 2010 /
      Dec 13, 2009; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell (2) reacts after a sack as Washington Redskins defensive tackle Kedric Golston (64) and defensive lineman Lorenzo Alexander (79) look on at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The Redskins defeated the Raiders 34-13. Photo via Newscom

      The Washington Redskins’ quarterback situation has gone from interesting, to absurd, to ludicrous in the past 72 hours.

      With just over two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter against the Lions on Sunday, head coach Mike Shanahan benched Donovan McNabb in favor of Rex Grossman despite the Skins only being down one score. On Monday, Shanahan said that McNabb didn’t have enough “cardiovascular endurance” to run his two-minute offense, which is why he went with Grossman.

      Today, Mark Berman of FOX 26 in Houston is reporting that the Redskins will work out free agent JaMarcus Russell, who has been working out in Texas in hopes of returning to the NFL. This is the same Russell who just had codeine possession charges dropped last week.

      Now, Russell may be in the best shape of his life but he’s still JaMarcus Russell. He may have seen the error of his ways and has now committed himself to the game of football, but he’s still JaMarcus Russell.

      I know the Skins haven’t officially signed him yet, but why? Why JaMarcus Russell?

      Maybe I’m looking too much into this, but it’s clear that Shanahan’s confidence in McNabb is disintegrating. He said that McNabb is still his starter, but you don’t bench your starter with the game on the line in favor of Rex Grossman and then turn around and work out one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history during your bye week. Again, maybe I’m reading too much into the situation and there’s a possibility that McNabb’s health status is in question but how good is Donovan feeling about his current situation? He hasn’t fully picked up Shanahan’s offense yet, but it’s only been seven games.

      Michael Wilbon wrote yesterday that this will be McNabb’s first and last year in D.C. Seeing as how Shanahan is about to bring JaMarcus Russell in for a work out, I’m not going to question Wilbon’s theory.

      External Sports, NFL

      Shanahan says McNabb wasn’t physically fit enough to run two-minute drill

      November 1, 2010 /
      DETROIT - OCTOBER 31: Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan watches the action during the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on October 31, 2010 in Detroit, Michigan. The Lions defeated the Redskins 37-25. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

      Mike Shanahan now has a new excuse for why he pulled Donovan McNabb with the game on the line Sunday in Detroit: Donovan didn’t have the “cardiovascular endurance” to stay on the field and run Shanahan’s two-minute offense.

      Come again? Shanahan is kidding right? This is all just one big joke that he and McNabb are in on and they’re eventually going to let everyone else in on it at some point, right?

      I don’t care if McNabb lost both of his legs and was throwing up profusely – there’s no way I’m taking him out with the game on the line and putting in Rex Grossman. I know McNabb has been rather average this year and that Grossman knows the offense better after playing under Kyle Shanahan in Houston last season but he’s still Rex freaking Grossman.

      Rex Grossman or Donovan McNabb? Donovan McNabb or Rex Grossman? *Makes the gesture of levels with both hands and moves them up and down.

      It’s Rex Grossman! Am I on another planet here? Are we in some alternate universe where Grossman led his team to multiple NFC title games and made six Pro Bowl appearances and McNabb was the former first round bust that couldn’t hold onto a starting job (or the ball) with the Bears despite leading them to the Super Bowl? I mean, come on – it’s Rex Grossman…Rex Grossman.

      How could McNabb be in good enough shape to play 95% of the game and rush for a team-high 45 yards, but not have enough “cardiovascular endurance” to operate the two-minute offense? Shanahan is full of s*&t. Either that, or he’s completely and utterly delusional.

      For the Redskins’ sake I hope it’s the former, although that would mean that their head coach has no faith in his starting quarterback.

      External Sports, NFL

      Why did Shanahan bench McNabb for Grossman?

      October 31, 2010 /
      DETROIT - OCTOBER 31: Kyle Vanden Bosch of the Detroit Lions hits Donovan McNabb of the Washington Redskins during the first quarter of the game at Ford Field on October 31, 2010 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

      Donovan McNabb has been to six Pro Bowls, has been named the NFC Offensive Player of the Year and has led a team to a Super Bowl.

      Rex Grossman has never been to a Pro Bowl, has never been the NFC Offensive Player of the Year and although he did lead a team to the Super Bowl, it was primarily due to his defense and Devin Hester’s return abilities – not his play at quarterback.

      So it’s natural that Mike Shanahan would choose Grossman over McNabb to run his two-minute offense down a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

      I’m not kidding. You think I’m kidding? I’m not kidding.

      With just under two minutes remaining in the Lions’ 37-25 win over the Redskins on Sunday, Shanahan benched McNabb for Grossman, who promptly fumbled on his first play, which led to a 17-yard touchdown return by Ndamukong Suh to ice the game for Detroit.

      The details are sketchy at this point, but McNabb definitely wasn’t hurt. He had taken six sacks and threw an interception that led to the Lions’ go-ahead touchdown with just over three minutes remaining in the game, but his offensive line and running game didn’t do him any favors either. Suh, Corey Williams, Kyle Vanden Bosch and Cliff Avril completely dominated the interior of Washington’s offensive line so there wasn’t much McNabb could do. The interception was ill timed, but he still completed 17-of-30 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown. Those aren’t Hall of Fame numbers but he wasn’t Jay Cutler out there either.

      Unless McNabb was turning the ball over at a Brett Favre-like pace, there’s really no reason to ever sub Grossman into the game – any game. What did Shanahan think, that Grossman was going to lead the Skins back with a heroic touchdown drive? Grossman hadn’t taken a snap all season and yet there he was, in for McNabb at the most crucial moment in the game.

      Look, I could see Shanahan making a move if he had a better option at backup. But this is Rex Grossman we’re talking about. It’s not Kerry Collins, Charlie Batch or even Chris Redman – it’s Rex Grossman. Just why…what the…huh…are you serious?

      Shanahan has some explaining to do as the Redskins gear up for their bye.

      External Sports, NFL

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