Back to the Drawing Board for Snyder

After another lackluster performance for the Redskins in which they gave up 18 unanswered points and lost to another winless team, Dan Snyder has to be asking himself, what now? The Redskins seem to be falling apart. After the opening game against the Giants, the Redskins have played four straight winless teams and will play a fifth next Sunday against Kansas City. The Redskins, however, have failed to take advantage losing to both Detroit and Carolina. After Kansas City, the gravy train will end and the Redskins will be facing some of the best teams in the league such as Atlanta, Denver, and New Orleans. Based on how badly the Redskins have played thus far, it's hard to hold much hope for the rest of the season. But there is hope for the Redskins' future. While many remain dissatisfied with how owner Daniel Snyder has attempted to build a championship team, he has a great opportunity to get things right.

Head coach Jim Zorn has done little this season to instill confidence in his coaching abilities and will likely be out of the job at the end of the season if not before. While Snyder has been criticized in the past for firing coaches too quickly, this is a move that needs to happen. Not only are the Redskins losing to the worst teams in the league, they look like a beaten team before they even step onto the field. Football is a sport that requires emotion, and the Redskins don't seem to have any.

It is especially important for Snyder to act this off season because there are several very prestigious potential candidates available for the job. Bill Cowher and Mike Shanahan are two obvious choices as both have won a Superbowl. John Fox and Jeff Fisher may also find themselves looking for work in the off season after a horrendous start for both Carolina and Tennessee. The problem Snyder will have is convincing anyone to come to DC. After Joe Gibbs retired, Snyder put together an entire coaching staff, including an offensive and defensive coordinator, before he even had a head coach. As a result, no one wanted to coach the Redskins. Snyder offers candidates the chance to coach a team they would have no control over with a staff they didn't hire. This is why the job only appeals to coaches looking to make a name for themselves, like Jim Zorn who had never been an offensive coordinator before, let alone a head coach.

Snyder, however, remains reluctant to give up any power over his team. In 2001 when Snyder hired Marty Schottenheimer, he gave him full control over players and personnel. Schottenheimer then went on to lose his first five games and was openly criticized by his players. Although he managed to turn things around and win eight of his last eleven games to finish 8-8, Snyder fired him at the end of the season. The message was clear, if he was going to give up control of his team, he expected results. This reluctance, however, is something he must get over. With numerous coaches available for the Redskins, Snyder must do whatever it takes to bring one to Washington. Although Snyder may not understand why, money is not the issue. In order to bring in a coach like Cowher or Shanahan, he needs to give them control and the opportunity to build a championship team in Washington. Otherwise he may find himself choosing between Jim Fassel and Greg Blache and years away from a team that has any chance of a Superbowl.