Mr Gruden goes to Washington – Understanding the effect of the Redskins’ new Head Coach

The Quarterback Whisperer

The Redskins, no doubt, will be hoping that Gruden’s skills and background working with quarterbacks will equip him for the job at hand in Washington. He has shown over the years that he has the necessary tools to return Robert Griffin III back to his electric 2012 form, and as far away as possible from the hesitant, inaccurate quarterback that the Redskins had to deal with this season.

Washington’s primary concern is fixing the slump that franchise quarterback Robert Griffin III has found himself in

They will also be hoping that their new coach can be a big asset in fixing the Redskins red-zone woes. This past season under Gruden, the Bengals boasted the second best red zone touchdown percentage in the league, behind only the offensive juggernaut of the Denver Broncos.

The Redskins, meanwhile, were a lowly 21st in red zone touchdowns, despite ranking a lofty 9th in yards. Both the stats and the tape tell us that Washington had an offense that could move the ball down the field, but ultimately were unable to convert that into points on the board. Pierre Garcon, the Redskins’ best wide receiver, believes his new coach can fix that:

“We didn’t score points in the red zone and finish drives,” Garcon told NFL Network. “Third down and red zone was the number one thing that we didn’t do well on…They did well in Cincinnati with their red zone offense. I think he can definitely bring in some new wrinkles … “

Keeping Haslett

Jay Gruden has the tools to be successful in Washington. Having said that, there is a real possibility that he is going to fail in his new role. It has nothing to do with his offensive record, the development of Robert Griffin III or the offensive side of the ball at all. The real concern with hiring Jay Gruden is what is going to happen to the defense.

When Gruden came to Washington, it was made abundantly clear that Jim Haslett would be staying on as the team’s defensive coordinator. This was no surprise, as during his time with the Florida Tuskers in the UFL, Gruden served under Haslett who was head coach of the team in 2009.

Why Redskins’ owner Dan Snyder is choosing to keep Haslett on is unclear. It might be because of Haslett’s links to Gruden and the chemistry they have. It could also be because they are waiting for his contract to expire so they can avoid buying him out and save money. Don’t put it past Dan Snyder to be that cheap. Regardless of whether the reason is friendship or frugality, it is a damaging move for the organisation.

A legacy of mediocrity

The Washington Redskins defense, under the guidance and tutelage of Jim Haslett, has been one of the worst in the NFL during his employment. Below is a list of his defense’s final rankings during each of his four seasons. He has overseen an above league-average defense only once, during the 2011 season:

2010 – 21st in points allowed, 31st in yards allowed.

2011 – 21st in points allowed, 13th in yards allowed.

2012 – 22nd in points allowed, 28th in yards allowed.

2013 – 30th in points allowed, 18th in yards allowed.

As far as Haslett is concerned, those numbers are a reflection of the salary cap penalties that the Redskins have endured over the last few seasons. The financial restraints, he would argue, have impacted his ability to put a good defense on the field.

A good defense is not about talent alone. It is about the scheme, and what you can do with the players that are given to you. Haslett has never figured out what to do with his, and there is no reason to assume he will start doing so now.

ASHBURN, VA – CIRCA 2011: In this handout image provided by the NFL, Jim Haslett of the Washington Redskins poses for his NFL headshot circa 2011 in Ashburn, Virginia. (Photo by NFL via Getty Images)

This could spell disaster for Gruden. When an NFL team brings in an offensive-minded head coach like Gruden, it’s essential that the team also bring in a strong and qualified defensive staff. Gruden, after all, is only going to be able to fix one side of the ball.

If he were smart, the new coach would consider bringing in his own assistants; men who can come in and provide a fresh perspective to a defense that has been spluttering for years. Instead, he (or perhaps Dan Snyder) has decided to rely on his friend Haslett and hope for the best. It is likely going to bring nothing but more of the same mediocre product that Haslett become so distinguished at producing.

Will it work?

Jay Gruden appears to be a decent football coach. Most importantly, he is a very good quarterback coach and that, above all else, is what the Redskins need right now. Second year quarterback Robert Griffin III more than doubled his interceptions total from his rookie campaign, as well as dropping from a 65 to 60% completion rate, doubling his fumbled from 3 to 6 and losing over a yard in his yards-per-passing-attempt average. Fixing “RG3” is the organisation’s number one priority, and as a quarterback guru Gruden is well equipped for the task.

Whether Gruden will be a success in Washington is really an unknown at this point. He has never worked with a mobile quarterback like Griffin before, and he has only three years of experience as a coordinator in the NFL on his résumé. With that in mind, the risk Dan Snyder has taken is great; he has handed a five year contract to a man who hasn’t even been a co-ordinator in the NFL for that long.

If Gruden can bring 2012 form back to RG3 and his offence, many people may consider his appointment to be a success. However, things are not that simplistic. If the new coach is to bring a winning record back to the D.C. area, he is going to have to rely on others to help him do it.

His friend, Jim Haslett, now holds all the cards. Justified or not, Haslett has been given a new chance to right the wrongs of previous years and finally fix one of the least inspiring defenses in football.

It is a lot of responsibility to bear, but for Haslett, for Gruden, and for the sake of the many fans of the long suffering franchise, let’s hope he can do it. Let’s hope he can repay the faith with something better than a 20th ranked defense.