We’re back here at the Park where it will be another interesting Monday. The Redskins of course lost to Detroit yesterday 19-14 and several players declined comment afterward, saying they wanted to wait until their emotions cooled down. We’ll try and get to them when the locker room opens at 11 a.m.
Said one NFL insider last night: “I just hope Dan doesn’t do something knee jerk.”
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With today’s Jewish holiday, even if The Danny was going to tar and feather the franchise, it wouldn’t be today. But it makes no sense from a simple logistical standpoint to fire Zorn at this point.
Here’s why:
1. Zorn calls the plays.
Ultimately, the lack of offensive production will be his undoing, but there isn’t a member on the offensive staff who has performed those duties ever or in the recent past at the NFL level. Remember, offensive coordinator Sherman Smith was previously Tennessee’s running backs coach, not play caller.
Last year, St. Louis’ Scott Linehan gave up the play calling (to old friend Al Saunders) and when the Rams started 0-4, Linehan was fired and the structure — Saunders calling the offense, interim head coach Jim Haslett handling the defense — remained intact.
In San Francisco, Mike Nolan didn’t call any of the signals — Mike Martz (offense) and Mike Singletary (defense) did. That made turfing Nolan easier to do.
2. Who would be the interim coach?
The only coaches on staff with any head coaching experience at any level are Joe Bugel (Arizona and Oakland), Stump Mitchell (Morgan State), John Palermo (Austin Peay) and Chris Meidt (St. Olaf).
If there was a Haslett or Dick Jauron (interim in Detroit a few years back), then Zorn would have to be more concerned at this point.
Some would say Greg Blache as the interim but the defense is part of the problem.
3. It would tougher to hire an established coach next year.
This may be a reach but if you’re a Gruden or Shanahan, why would you consider (besides money) to come to the Redskins when you see the last guy got only 19-to-whenever games before he was sacked.
The smart move for Snyder is to see how the season plays out and then make a decision. If the Decade Of Dan has taught him anything, it’s how teams can turn it around in-season. The 2001 Redskins started 0-5 and then won five straight games. Of course, Marty was still whacked.
— Ryan O’Halloran
