Time to Fade Washington
By Bruce Marshall
We thought this might be a bad idea.
We're talking about Mike Shanahan's hiring by the Washington Redskins. This has not quite been a train wreck of marriage like Dennis Rodman and Carmen Electra, but it sure hasn’t been a blissful one, either. The signs of dysfunction are everywhere at Redskin Park. And the season can't end soon enough in D.C.
While it is not a total shock to us to see the Washington situation unravel, as we enter the December 19 weekend it is a bit of a surprise to be lumping the Redskins in with some other, easier to project trouble spots from before the season. No one needed a crystal ball to forecast problems in Carolina, where HC John Fox and GM Marty Hurney were entering the last years of their contracts, without given an extension or vote of confidence by owner Jerry Richardson in the offseason. Absent a veteran QB outside of the little-used Matt Moore, with only rookies such as Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen and Cincinnati's Tony Pike in reserve, it was not hard to envision the Panthers struggling. And as sure as Santa Claus is going to be coming down chimneys later this week, we believe Fox and likely Hurney will be given their walking papers the day after Carolina's final game vs. Atlanta.
(Although that doesn't mean the Panthers are going to lose this week to the visiting Cardinals...after all, Carolina, despite its 1-12 record, is a slight favorite!)
Likewise, it wasn't hard to see the tripwires that had been laid in Cincinnati for another under-fire HC, Marvin Lewis. The addition of WR Terrell Owens, to go along with Chad Ochocinco, put the two most self-absorbed characters in the NFL in the same clubhouse, and in the same offense. These are not two guys you want to be next to in a foxhole and perhaps a reason why the Bengals couldn't forge the sort of bunker mentality they needed to shake out of a slump that has become acute. Now, it's QB Carson Palmer who looks like the unhappiest player in the league, having to worry about his two diva WRs as much as his banged-up OL. At 2-11, the season can't end soon enough in Cincy, and Lewis has the look of a coach who knows he's soon going to be walking the plank.
A few other "fade" situations were a bit harder to identify before the season. Indeed, many believed Tennessee was going to be a serious playoff contender. And through much of the first half of the campaign, the Titans played to that form. But bubbling under the surface were internal squabbles, mainly involving QB Vince Young, whose well-publicized in-game spat with HC Jeff Fisher and subsequent suspension (conveniently disguised around VY's thumb injury) shook the locker room to its core. And with backup QB Kerry Collins past his sell-by date, the Titans had no other viable alternatives at QB, or a diversion to help RB Chris Johnson. A current six-game losing streak has wrecked the season, split the clubhouse, and perhaps risks Fisher losing his job. Owner Bud Adams, the driving force behind Fisher being forced to draft Young instead of the QB he really wanted, Jay Cutler, in the 2006 Draft, is said to be doing a slow boil and perhaps ready to make a change, something Bud, approaching 90, used to do with regularity to his coaching staff. Fisher's run as the NFL's longest-serving coach (since 1994) might be about to end.
In Cleveland, there is word that team president Mike Holmgren might be preparing to hit the eject button on HC Eric Mangini. The Browns have competed valiantly most weeks but only have a 5-8 record to show for their troubles. Mangini, who needed his Browns to rally down the stretch last season to save his job a year ago, might be running out of weeks to do the same this season. A switch this Sunday back to rookie QB Colt McCoy, behind whom the offense moved more confidently than it did with Jake Delhomme at the controls, might be Mangini's last desperate roll of the dice to save his job. If the Browns can't beat Cincy this week, the handwriting might be on the wall.
Meanwhile, there is something very ironic about the way the season has unraveled in Minnesota. Most observers had a couple of possible scenarios in mind for the Vikings, but safe to say few envisioned the season collapsing. At 5-8, the Vikes are going to miss the playoffs, but that is hardly the story. Left in the wreckage of this season are the head coaching career in the Twin Cities of HC Brad Childress, likely the career of QB Brett Favre, whose season went just as badly in 2010 as it went good in 2009, and perhaps the franchise itself. Favre's problems were not impossible to identify, either, with another long absence from training camp before deciding to play again, on top of offseason ankle surgery.
The bigger news, however, might be that owner Zygi Wilf has new ammunition to hold the Minnesota State Legislature hostage in stadium talks after the embarrassing Teflon roof collapse at the Metrodome/Mall of America Field before last week's game with the Giants. Wilf has been fuming for the past few years after the state helped fund new stadiums for the baseball Twins and the U of Minnesota Golden Gophers, whose new TCF Bank Stadium will ironic be an emergency home venue for the Vikings on Monday against the Bears. But the state did nothing for the Vikes, at least not yet, and now Wilf has fresh ammunition to fire at the politicians. Be prepared for threats about moving the team out of Minnesota after the latest stadium fiasco.
But it's Shanahan's situation that really intrigues, especially since it indirectly involves another team. Denver's woeful performance this season can be traced back to the day owner Pat Bowlen canned The Shan right after the '08 season and instead hired Josh McDaniels off Bill Belichick's New England staff. Less than two years later, young Josh is gone, the Bronco organization in tatters, and The Shan looks like the most uncomfortable guy in the NFL with the Skins. By the way, the Broncos might be starting Florida rookie Tim Tebow at QB vs. the Raiders in Oakland this week, as first-stringer Kyle Orton, taking a beating in recent games that would make even George Chuvalo cringe, is questionable with bruised ribs. Interim HC Eric Studesville, whose chances of keeping the job on a full-time basis might be less than Bowlen asking Shanahan to come back to Denver, cannot lose anything by giving a shot to Tebow.
It's Shanahan's Redskins, however, who might win the title of "Most Dysfunctional Team" in the NFL. Hardly what owner Dan Snyder expected before the season began, but as usual, Snyder's influence is likely behind some of the problems. It was obvious in summer that Shanahan wanted to cut ties with disgruntled DT Albert Haynesworth, though the word is that Snyder wouldn't allow The Shan to discard big Albert. The distractions eventually became too great and Haynesworth was recently suspended, but the damage has long been done. In the process, new GM Bruce Allen has been almost an invisible presence.
Meanwhile, the Donovan McNabb situation appears ready to explode, with The Shan announcing McNabb has temporarily lost the starting job to Rex Grossman. This after a rollercoaster season that saw McNabb pulled for the final minutes of a close battle at Detroit for what The Shan called "cardiovascular reasons," then a widely-discussed contract extension for McNabb (which really wasn't much of an extension at all, and easy for the Skins to terminate at the conclusion of the season). McNabb has been ineffective lately, but remains a popular figure in the clubhouse, which The Shan might have lost for good with the recent McNabb benching. Chuckling to himself up I-95 must be Eagles HC Andy Reid, who caught some flak from the fickle Philly fans after letting McNabb go in the offseason, only to get the last laugh with replacement Michael Vick a contender for MVP honors. Meanwhile, the Skins flounder, Dan Snyder stews, and The Shan must be wondering if it was all worth it, perhaps damaging a shot he might have eventually had to at least forge a candidacy for the Hall of Fame. Not after this debacle, however. If only Pat Bowlen hadn't hit the eject button two years ago...
We thought it might be interesting to reprise a story we first penned early last January, right after Shanahan took the Redskins job. We didn't think it was a particularly good idea then, and don't think so now. Our words from 11 months ago, however, are worth reviewing today. Keep in mind that at the time of this story being run, the Skins still counted Jason Campbell as their QB, as it wouldn't be until spring that McNabb joined the team. Following is what we wrote about the Shanahan hire in a story entitled "Mr. Shanahan Goes to Washington," last January 6...
Off-field news always intrigues at the conclusion of the pro football campaign, and this January is no different, with the biggest volley of the "coaching change season" just fired by the Washington Redskins.
The first thought is that pairing new coach Mike Shanahan and owner Dan Snyder might not be the best of ideas, considering the egos involved. Not to mention the fact that The Shan is Snyder's seventh different head coach since buying the franchise in 1999. On the other hand, we cannot believe that Shanahan didn't go into this deal with his eyes wide open, with some assurances that Snyder would not be involved in the nuts-and-bolts football decisions for the franchise.
The most interesting piece to the new Redskins puzzle, however, is new GM Bruce Allen, the first time Snyder has ever officially designated a "GM" during his ownership. Allen will likely be playing the role of buffer between The Shan and Snyder, something he knows a little bit about after working between Jon Gruden and Al Davis during days at Oakland a decade ago, then more recently between Gruden and the Glazers at Tampa Bay.
Still, there should be a few things Shanahan would do well to consider as he begins his new job.
1) Washington isn't Denver. Although the Broncos dominate the news cycles in Denver, the press corps in the Rockies is a lot different than the one in D.C. The Shan won't be able to control the spin in Washington as he could in Denver, because the press members in D.C. won't let him. Shanahan can expect the nagging to begin right after his first press conference, through the Draft and minicamps, and into training camps. All well before the regular season begins.
In D.C., the Skins get covered as closely as the Presidency, and the elbows are much sharper, because the members of the press (who far outnumber those in Denver) will be competing hard against each other for that all-important scoop. They will not defer as easily to Shanahan's wishes, secretive nature, and his trademark vanilla "coachspeak" as did the press in the Rockies. Even Joe Gibbs had to submit himself to the Redksins Report, hours with the Post and Times beat writers, as well as WTOP Radio and the various TV stations. Not to mention being polite to all of the Washington celebrities who will hound the coach at various offseason events. Steve Spurrier certainly learned as much during his short stay between 2002-03, recognizing quickly that he couldn't smart off to the press in D.C. as he could in Gainesville. Anything contradictory would be jumped on immediately by the Washington media corps. Those who saw "the ball coach" attend charity events and the like in the D.C. area confirm, as they were amazed at how deferential Spurrier was to questioners in the audience, far different to his days at Florida, or, subsequently, at South Carolina. Spurrier obviously knew that the media was there, ready to catch him on any slip. How comfortable will Shanahan be in the same, never-ending spotlight?
2) Dan Snyder. For the moment, all appears to be well-set with the new Redskin power structure featuring Allen and Shanahan, but let's see how it all works when events play out in real time. Many longtime Redskins observers don't believe Snyder will be able to step aside so gently, and instead suspect that Allen will eventually find out that the boss will not necessarily defer to him on critical issues. Moreover, as well-intentioned as the new Redskin front office might be, Snyder is never going to set himself up as the fall guy if personnel decisions (even those of his own making) go wrong. Snyder will cleverly let Allen take the heat for any bad personnel moves.
It is worth noting that of Snyder's Redskins coaches, only the deified Joe Gibbs lasted more than two seasons, with strong-willed sorts such as Spurrier and Marty Schottenheimer reduced to bit players in the Snyder saga. Snyder can also be a coach's worst enemy, at least if reports about him talking to agents, getting directly involved in player acquisitions, developing his own draft board, and attending workouts for players are true. Snyder's forays into free agency have been expensive and not necessarily worthwhile. Heck, even Jerry Jones, who at least has some real football in his background at Arkansas, is considered more tolerable by gridiron insiders. Snyder famously wants to win now, not later, and has been notoriously intolerant of anything less.
3) Bruce Allen. His last name still means something in Redskins Nation as the son of the iconic George Allen, who put the Skins back on the map as the head coach in the '70s. And that connection might buy Bruce a little space from Snyder, who gave Gibbs more maneuverability than his other coaches simply because Snyder, like all Skins fans, had Gibbs on a pedestal. Allen, however, is not Gibbs, and is in the unenviable position of being the man between Snyder and Shanahan (who, if reports are to be believed, will have the most say-so in football personnel decisions). There are also some in the D.C. area who believe Bruce was not-so-gently coaxed into taking the Skins GM job by brother George, who is desperately trying to re-start his political career in the Commonwealth after "macaca" and the loss of his U.S. Senate seat to Jim Webb in 2006, and is hoping any Skins success with his brother involved will credit some good will for him.
4) NFC East. Mostly, however, Shan will be dealing in a much tougher neighborhood than the AFC West in which he resided for 14 seasons between 1995-2008. Although one between the Chiefs, Raiders, and Chargers was usually formidable at any given time during the Shan's Denver tenure, rarely were more than one good at the same time. Which is unlike things in the NFC East, where Jerry Jones has the money and wherewithal to regularly beat Snyder, and the Giants and Eagles also like to win every bit as much as the Cowboys. The Shan will also be inheriting a Redskins team not to be confused with his mid '90s Broncos, who, despite coming off a 7-9 season under Wade Phillips when the Shan took over, still had John Elway at QB and a decent talent base at the core of the roster. The Shan will instead inherit Jason Campbell at QB and a team that finished 4-12 for Jim Zorn this past season.
As for Shanahan, it should be noted that his record at Denver was a bit mixed after Elway's retirement and the second of back-to-back Super Bowls at the conclusion of the 1998 season. Although the Broncos enjoyed one of the best three-year runs in NFL history between 1996-98, recording a 46-10 overall mark and two Super Bowl crowns, between 1999-2008, Shanahan reached the postseason only four times, and recorded only one playoff win in that span (vs. Bill Belichick's Patriots in 2005). The Shan's Denver teams also missed out on the playoffs on the final day of the 2002, 2006, and 2008 regular-season schedules.
Along the way, Shanahan, who had full control of all Bronco football matters, took increasing heat for his personnel decisions, which began to include numerous blown draft picks and disappointing free-agent acquisitions. In his last couple of Denver years, however, Shanahan might have begun to rehabilitate his aura somewhat with a series of inspired draft picks, from Brandon Marshall to Tony Scheffler to Jay Cutler to Ryan Clady to Eddie Royal, although Denver's FA acquisitions in those years were nothing special. On the field, the Bronco defense blew hot and cold, and by the time owner Pat Bowlen hit the eject button after the 2008 campaign, Shanahan's Denver stop unit was one of the league's worst. And Shanahan has all but admitted that defense is not his strong suit.
On the plus side, the Shan was something of a transformational coach in the history of the game while at Denver, in particular altering a long-held perception that bigger was better along the offensive line. Along with line coach Alex Gibbs, Shanahan changed those dynamics, focusing on smaller but quicker offensive linemen who could move, and the results were often breathtaking, especially for a ground game that routinely ranked among the league's best. Although some credited much of Shanahan's success to Elway, the opposite was also true; indeed, Elway raved about Shanahan, and it's worth noting that Elway's most-productive years came under Shanahan, who was a Denver assistant under Dan Reeves between 1984-87 (and o.c. between 1985-87). Elway was not quite the same force in the non-Shanahan years between 1988-94, when the Broncos recorded a record barely over .500 (60-52) during that stretch. The Broncos had evolved into a run-based offense featuring Terrell Davis (a late-round Shanahan draft steal in 1995) after the Shan reappeared as Bronco coach in '05, and Elway began to flourish in his newer, more-reduced role. Although he was still capable of memorable displays, including an MVP trophy in his final game, Super Bowl XXXIII against the Falcons in January, 1999.
And therein might lie Shanahan's biggest problem in D.C., more than Snyder, Bruce Allen, or the Washington press corps will provide. He inherits Jason Campbell at QB, not John Elway. Plus a 4-12 team.
Good luck, Mike.