Win or lose, 'Skins' brain trust will get scrutinized

STEVE DeSHAZO: Redskins' new decision-makers are on the hot seat

Date published: 9/4/2008

By Steve DeShazo

HE MAY NOT have enhanced his Hall of Fame credentials in his second stint as coach of the Washington Redskins, but neither did Joe Gibbs tarnish them.

Far more impressive than his 31-36 record or his two wild-card berths in four seasons was the way Gibbs held his team together last fall. Instead of unraveling after Sean Taylor's death and Jason Campbell's season-ending knee injury, the Redskins improbably rallied to reach the playoffs.

Much of the credit goes to Gibbs. He seemed lost and almost senile during the Buffalo time-out fiasco, but his poise and leadership trumped his outdated play-calling and steered the team through a crisis.

Gibbs is back in NASCAR (with different issues). But as the Redskins open the 2008 season tonight, they could use his wisdom and experience. He left plenty of talent on the field, but the team's critical decision-makers are all (to be kind) unproven.

We'll start with Jim Zorn. He's never even called a play in an NFL game, let alone been a head coach at any level.

As training camp opened, Zorn semed like the anti-Gibbs: youthful, loose and candid. His players fed off his energy, and spirits were high after three straight preseason victories.

But after being outscored 71-6 in their final two tune-ups, the Redskins stumble into tonight's opener. And legitimate questions have arisen about Zorn.

Is his West Coast offense the right fit for Campbell, who seems to have to learn a new scheme annually? Can Zorn match wits with the NFC East's top-notch defensive coordinators--especially with a thin, green receiving corps?

And most importantly, do his players respect him enough to shake their preseason doldrums?

It's hard to blame Zorn for replacing oft-injured veteran Jon Jansen with second-year tackle Stephon Heyer. An aging sieve of a line was the primary reason the Redskins' first-team offense sputtered in August.

Still, Jansen is the longest-tenured Redskin and a popular locker room presence. By benching him, Zorn may well establish his authority, but he risks alienating some of his players at a critical time. Washington visits all three NFC East rivals in the next five weeks, and losses in all three could end their playoff hopes before Halloween.

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Date published: 9/4/2008