It no longer matters if Redskins coach Jim Zorn stays or goes. Players already have checked out on the coaching staff.
Players and coaches can deny it, but the team clearly was not focused despite coming off a bye week. It reeks of Steve Spurrier’s days. When your defensive star is fighting on the sideline of his old team, sloppy play causes 10 penalties and five sacks, and mental errors are so common they’re no longer shocking, it shows the team isn’t scared of the Monday film room. And when players no longer fear coaches, it’s time for a change.
Not that it will do any good this season record-wise, but a change may produce better efforts than the lackluster 31-17 loss to Atlanta on Sunday. Put secondary coach Jerry Gray in charge and let him scream at players for two months. Give Gray a chance for a head coaching job somewhere by producing over the final eight games. Let players think they’re gone if they don’t improve. Otherwise, scores will become even more lopsided.
There’s probably no salary cap next season barring a dramatic turnaround in labor negotiations. That means the Redskins can cut whomever they want without penalty. While players might think they’ll sign elsewhere, many won’t. After all, who wants castoffs from one of the worst teams?
Safety LaRon Landry has been awful after not attending any voluntary offseason camps. He needs to learn the NFL is a year-round job because Landry has fallen from potential All-Pro to occasional playmaker.
It may be time to part with Clinton Portis and Jason Campbell. And everyone on the offensive line. And much of the secondary. And the punt returners. And ticket takers, the ball boy, cheerleaders and parking attendants, too.
It’s apparent Zorn has been undermined so badly he uses coal for eye black. The job seems more out of his grasp by the game. The Redskins are 4-12 in their last 16 games; a record they’ll be lucky to replicate for this entire season. The next win seems farther away than the end of the recession.
It wasn’t Zorn’s fault for accepting the position. And it’s not really his fault for losing it. A month of non-stop speculation over Zorn’s job security has emboldened players into doing things their own way. Otherwise, DeAngelo Hall wouldn’t have been on the wrong sideline exchanging taunts.
When Norv Turner was fired with three games remaining in 2000, quarterback Jeff George ignored interim coach Terry Robiskie so blatantly the two screamed at each other in the Redskins Park hallway. George sat the final game with some fictional injury after telling Robiskie he’d get the latter fired.
It’s not that blatant yet, but it might as well be, because players’ actions say it all. Unless someone puts fear into them, the Redskins won’t win again this season.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more at TheRickSniderReport.com and Twitter @Snide_Remarks or e-mail [email protected].
