After a 2-4 Start, the Redskins Take Away Zorn's Playbook
Things are becoming worse for the Washington Redskins, and it’s only Week 7. On Monday, the team said that Sherman Lewis, a 22-year N.F.L. assistant who had been retired since 2004 before being hired as a consultant two weeks ago, would take over play-calling from Coach Jim Zorn.
Two weeks ago, Lewis was calling bingo at a senior center — literally. Now he is calling plays in the N.F.L. All this comes on the heels of the Redskins’ latest debacle, a 14-6 loss to previously winless Kansas City.
Zorn looked pained when he met with reporters Monday. He was alone, with neither Lewis nor the club’s chief of football operations, Vinny Cerrato, available to explain themselves. Zorn said Cerrato “strongly suggested” he cede play-calling duties in a meeting Sunday. Zorn said he chose to comply “because I want to stay here and win.”
The former Redskins’ quarterback Joe Theismann blasted the move on a local radio show. Zorn noted that the move had the potential to hurt team chemistry, and some players said they had misgivings.
But Zorn acknowledged that the Redskins had not displayed much chemistry in slipping to a 2-4 record.
“Now where’s the cohesiveness in 6 points a game?” he said.
KICK RETURNS LIFT BRONCOS Eddie Royal became the first Broncos player to return a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in the same game, helping undefeated Denver win, 34-23, at San Diego.
The Broncos did not have an offensive touchdown until Kyle Orton threw a 19-yard pass to tight end Tony Scheffler late in the third quarter for a 24-23 lead. Denver added a field goal by Matt Prater and a late 5-yard touchdown catch by Brandon Stokley that survived video review.
The Broncos are 6-0 for the fifth time, the first since going 13-0 in 1998 en route to winning their second straight Super Bowl behind John Elway. They have a three-and-a-half-game lead in the A.F.C. West over the Chargers (2-3). (AP)
BENGALS LOSE TOP PASS RUSHER Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Antwan Odom, who was tied for the league lead with eight sacks, will miss the rest of the season because of a torn Achilles’ tendon. Odom was the Bengals’ top defensive acquisition after the 2007 season, but he missed four games to injury last year. (AP)
FISHER SAYS HE’S NOT WORRIED Last year at this time, the Titans were 6-0 on their way to the league’s best record, 13-3. On Sunday, the Titans suffered their worst loss, 59-0 at New England. The Titans owner Bud Adams told The Tennessean he would not make any coaching changes during the season, but offered no promises about Coach Jeff Fisher’s future.
Fisher said he remained confident “we’re going to get this turned around.” (AP)
AROUND THE LEAGUE The Baltimore Ravens’ Samari Rolle, 33, is not expected to play this season, and it is likely his career is over after a recent operation did little to correct a nagging neck injury. ... The league suspended the Carolina Panthers’ Dante Wesley for one game without pay for a hit on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Clifton Smith. ... Atlanta Falcons cornerback Brian Williams will miss the rest of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. (AP)
Things are becoming worse for the Washington Redskins, and it’s only Week 7. On Monday, the team said that Sherman Lewis, a 22-year N.F.L. assistant who had been retired since 2004 before being hired as a consultant two weeks ago, would take over play-calling from Coach Jim Zorn.
Two weeks ago, Lewis was calling bingo at a senior center — literally. Now he is calling plays in the N.F.L. All this comes on the heels of the Redskins’ latest debacle, a 14-6 loss to previously winless Kansas City.
Zorn looked pained when he met with reporters Monday. He was alone, with neither Lewis nor the club’s chief of football operations, Vinny Cerrato, available to explain themselves. Zorn said Cerrato “strongly suggested” he cede play-calling duties in a meeting Sunday. Zorn said he chose to comply “because I want to stay here and win.”
The former Redskins’ quarterback Joe Theismann blasted the move on a local radio show. Zorn noted that the move had the potential to hurt team chemistry, and some players said they had misgivings.
But Zorn acknowledged that the Redskins had not displayed much chemistry in slipping to a 2-4 record.
“Now where’s the cohesiveness in 6 points a game?” he said.
KICK RETURNS LIFT BRONCOS Eddie Royal became the first Broncos player to return a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in the same game, helping undefeated Denver win, 34-23, at San Diego.
The Broncos did not have an offensive touchdown until Kyle Orton threw a 19-yard pass to tight end Tony Scheffler late in the third quarter for a 24-23 lead. Denver added a field goal by Matt Prater and a late 5-yard touchdown catch by Brandon Stokley that survived video review.
The Broncos are 6-0 for the fifth time, the first since going 13-0 in 1998 en route to winning their second straight Super Bowl behind John Elway. They have a three-and-a-half-game lead in the A.F.C. West over the Chargers (2-3). (AP)
BENGALS LOSE TOP PASS RUSHER Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Antwan Odom, who was tied for the league lead with eight sacks, will miss the rest of the season because of a torn Achilles’ tendon. Odom was the Bengals’ top defensive acquisition after the 2007 season, but he missed four games to injury last year. (AP)
FISHER SAYS HE’S NOT WORRIED Last year at this time, the Titans were 6-0 on their way to the league’s best record, 13-3. On Sunday, the Titans suffered their worst loss, 59-0 at New England. The Titans owner Bud Adams told The Tennessean he would not make any coaching changes during the season, but offered no promises about Coach Jeff Fisher’s future.
Fisher said he remained confident “we’re going to get this turned around.” (AP)
AROUND THE LEAGUE The Baltimore Ravens’ Samari Rolle, 33, is not expected to play this season, and it is likely his career is over after a recent operation did little to correct a nagging neck injury. ... The league suspended the Carolina Panthers’ Dante Wesley for one game without pay for a hit on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Clifton Smith. ... Atlanta Falcons cornerback Brian Williams will miss the rest of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. (AP)
Source: New York Times
