Yet Gibbs's offense, after adding a star running back in Clinton Portis, was the team's weakest link.
"During the offseason, we will look at everything. We will tear everything down and put it back together again," Gibbs said.
Coach Joe Gibbs's first year back with the Redskins ended with a 6-10 record.
(Jonathan Newton - The Washington Post)
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| Game Day: Redskins 21, Vikings 18
• One area in which the Redskins may make some changes is at the receiver position.
• Coach Joe Gibbs does not expect the team to make major personnel changes in the offseason.
• Notebook: Several Redskins are visiting the doctor to get some lingering injuries treated.
• The Redskins end a frustrating season on a positive note, getting their second win in three games.
• Thomas Boswell: As the season ends, order has been restored and hope revived.
• Lackluster season has a sobering effect on fans who expected miracles from Joe Gibbs.
• Relentless pressure eliminates the Vikings' deep passing game.
• The Vikings turn attention to making most of playoff chance.
• Notebook: Walt Harris gets second start at corner, may get a lot more.
• Play of the Game: Patrick Ramsey hits Taylor Jacobs with a 45-yard pass four minues into the fourth quarter.
• Best & Worst
• Sunday's Post: The aura around Joe Gibbs has all but dissipated.
____ On Our Site ____
• Photos
• Grade the Redskins.
• Talk about the game.
• Sit down. Take a deep breath. There's only mere months until the NFL draft. In the meantime, try our postgame quiz.
_____ Multimedia _____
• Video: Gibbs reflects on Sunday's win and what's next for Redskins.
• Video: Ramsey talks about how the Redskins kept motivated.
• Video: Marcus Washington says adversity brought team together.
_____ The Chat House _____
• Get Michael Wilbon's take on the game at 1:15 p.m. EST Monday.
• Submit questions.
_____ E-mail Newsletter _____
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_____ NFL Insider _____
• Post's Mark Maske on all things NFL -- only on washingtonpost.com.
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However, say what he will, it is unlikely that the Gibbs offense of '05 will truly be much different than the '04 version. If the Redskins can't design, then execute passing plays that stretch the field next season, then Gibbs probably ought to consider kicking himself upstairs while bringing in a new offensive brain trust. Two years is an NFL eternity. If Gibbs can't prove that his offense, or an updated variant of it, will work within such a time span, then he's probably wasting his own time.
This isn't a news flash to Gibbs. He's far too proud to associate his name with such an ugly offense for long. What he needs next season are far more days like yesterday when, against a lame Vikings defense, Patrick Ramsey had a 100.8 quarterback rating and reserve tailback Ladell Betts gained 118 yards on 26 carries. Even so, the Redskins managed only 21 points. "This offseason will be one of the most important six months of my career," Gibbs said. Perhaps, in this Gibbs era, it is Williams's no-name defense that is ahead of the league in its theories, just as Gibbs's offense once bamboozled the NFL. Maybe next season Gibbs would be wise to try to play the role of Richie Petitbon, the defensive coordinator who built very good defenses that perfectly complemented Gibbs's great offenses.
No player will be as important as Ramsey because, after a seven-game audition, Gibbs has anointed him as next season's starter. Partly because he likes what he sees. Partly because, once salary-cap issues are factored into the picture, there's little choice.
After Ramsey replaced Brunell, the Redskins went 3-4. But it was a strong 3-4. Of the defeats, three were in competitive games with the Eagles (twice) and Steelers, teams that may end up meeting in the Super Bowl.
The last was on the heartbreaking bomb at Dallas. As for Ramsey, in his seven starts, he has completed 65.4 percent of his passes with 8 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 1,313 yards on 217 attempts and a decent, though not exemplary record of minimizing turnovers.
"One of the most interesting things next season will be to see how much Patrick improves," Gibbs said. "I hope he keeps progressing."
Replace the word "interesting" with "crucial" and "hope" with "pray." Ramsey doesn't have to become great. For the Redskins to be a playoff team, he just has to find a way to be as good as Mark Rypien or even Jay Schroeder.
As this season ends, order has been restored and hope revived despite a record that, outside the Redskins locker room, will be considered downright dismal.
When a team's only major offseason problem is for Joe Gibbs to find a way to fix Joe Gibbs's lousy offense, things could be a lot worse.
