Jay Gruden: The Most Important Game of His Coaching Life

When the Washington Redskins hired Jay Gruden to become their 26th head coach since arriving in DC, they did so with games like this upcoming Sunday’s matchup against divisional rival New York Giants in mind. The Redskins have played more games against this team (this is their 168th meeting) than any other in the NFL. It is a contest with first place on the line in late November and, fortunately for the Redskins, they are being coached by a young, vibrant and energetic person.

Gruden has had to deal with massive injuries in 2015 and somehow has still kept his young team from imploding. He has also had to deal with the sometimes unrealistic expectations that come with being the third-most important guy in the nation’s capital (the president of the United States being one and the Redskins quarterback the second) from a win-starved fan base.

Has the head coach made some gaffes along the way? Yes. And some of those are ones from which he may never recover… at least not here in the District of Columbia.

Gruden was hired by team president Bruce Allen and owner Dan Snyder in order to restore the team to prominence and to maximize the talents of 2012 rookie of the year quarterback Robert Griffin, III. The order of that assignment can be debated which, in this politically charged town, still depends on with whom you speak.

Regardless of that situation, Gruden has judiciously changed the culture of overpaying veterans on the downside of their career, looking instead for hungry and eager-to-produce youngsters. Combining Gruden with newly hired first-year General Manager Scot McCloughan has given the Burgundy and Gold a jolt of reality with expectations of finding and coaching up young talent and making them competitive.

This tandem could be just what the Redskins needed. The last time one like this existed around the beltway the team was a playoff and/or Super Bowl-bound mainstay.

For Gruden, this game will go a long way in determining whether or not he is the long-term answer for the coaching job or just another failed experiment by Washington upper management. His record as Washington’s head man is not impressive by any means at 8-18. But the key to this season is the direction in which the team is going. Under former Head Coach Mike Shanahan, it was obvious that Washington was free falling and that change was needed.

According to several players on the team, this coach is the right person for the gig. He may not show the press much during his press conferences this year (which is a new and different approach to his almost painful candidness from last season)… but players have said they can talk with him and that he has a different side to him when needed. He can laugh with guys but also crack the whip when/if needed. This is a balance that a roster full of both young and old just might need.

Jay Gruden may still be a work in progress. His halftime adjustments may not be those of Joe-Gibbs-like adjustments. The latter however has a bust in Canton, Ohio so comparisons between the two are not fair at this juncture of Gruden’s career. Keep in mind that Gibbs struggled in his first year as head coach before realizing his personnel wasn’t suited to his initial mission of making the Redskins “Air D.C..” Gibbs was on Don “Air” Coryell’s staff in San Diego with the Chargers and they had prolific offensive team. With the Redskins he had to change his philosophy to a run-heavy power game and the rest is history.

Perhaps Gruden is figuring out what must be done to make the Redskins relevant again. He seems to be doing it and doing it his way.

The anointing of Kirk Cousins as the team’s starting quarterback took a lot of guts as it was seen by many as an unpopular move even if appropriate. The move may signal the mindset of a coach who feels strongly in his approach, no matter what the naysayers argue.

Having made those changes and being given more talent this year than in years past, the proof has to be in the pudding for Gruden now.
His teams have failed miserably on the road over the past two seasons, going 1-13. They have also “wet the bed” against winning teams where they were not even competitive in defeat. Now in a must-win game against a division foe with everything on the line, Gruden and his players need to seize the moment and beat a worthy opponent.

The upcoming game against the Giants is at home where the Redskins have played well, going 4-1 this season. Those wins however have not come against winning teams so the spotlight will be shining brightly on whatever Gruden does to motivate his team. The Giants (5-5) have had the Redskins’ number over the past three seasons, winning five straight. They are vulnerable on defense however having the worst pass defense in the NFL.

Again, this is why Gruden was hired… to show his offensive prowess. This is especially important against an opponent that is susceptible to giving up points and numbers to good offenses. Should his team win Sunday and go on to do the unthinkable — which would be to win the division in only his second year as coach — perhaps a franchise that needs stability like all living creatures need water can finally begin to see the sky clearing.

Sunday is not just a big game for the team, it is a big game for Gruden who can exercise some of the demons that jumped on him when he walked into Redskins Park and took this job.

The Redskins head coach has a chance to put his stamp on this team and its fan base once and for all come Sunday. If his team wins, this town will feel great Monday. If not, well… we have seen this story play itself out far too often.

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