Jim Zorn Is the Real Key to the Washington Redskins

Four big issues face the Washington Redskins offense. Head coach Jim Zorn is the least discussed of the four.Skepticism about quarterback Jason Campbell, fears about the offensive line and doubt about young wide receivers get more ink in the build-up to the season. Jim Zorn's progress in his first stint as head coach has the greater impact, though it's tougher to measure from the outside looking in.Zorn's performance in the Steelers preseason game was encouraging. He called for a deep pass on the opening play of Washington's first possession. He faked a punt, successfully, on the same 15 plays drive that controlled the clock 6:49 and ended with a score.After the Baltimore Ravens game, Zorn labeled the team "soft." That's a fighting word to football players. It motivated the Skins' snarly nature when the Steelers were in town.Mr. Zorn knows his team and is confident in using them aggressively. Zorn called more conservative plays as the season fell apart last year. The accidental coach can't be blamed for that entirely when he was contending with degraded blocking and receivers who delivered Brandon Lloyd-like performance. If fans expect their quarterback to be a playmaker, they want their coach to be a turn-around artist on the order of the Philadelphia Eagles' Andy Reid.The Eagles stood at 5-5-1 by week 12, 2008, including an embarrassing tie with the then 1-8 Cincinnati Bengals. The Redskins' December win at home against the Eagles seemed to knock the Philadelphia out of playoff contention. Yet, Reid guided the Eagles to a wildcard spot and led them as far as the conference championship game. Reid did that with pedestrian wide receivers and a sub-par (for him) performance from Brian Westbrook. Reid motivated quarterback Donovan McNabb, by benching him. In spite of the sweep by Washington, Reid made the playoffs because he did what Jim Zorn failed to do, beat the Rams and 49ers and tie the Bengals. The combined 2008 won-loss record for those three teams was 13-34-1.  It's no accident that Reid, the longest serving coach in the NFC East is also the guy with the best won-loss record, 97-56-1 since 1999.If you've had a career longer than five years, you've seen this principle at work. It's the sense that you do better in your second and third year on the job just because you know what to expect and what to do about it. Talent may get the job. Practice may perfect skills. Only time allows the experience to know what to do better, to know how to use the talent you have.Winning isn't about having the best players. It's about making the best use of superior players.Brian Orakpo and Albert Haynesworth may be great additions. One of those young receivers may come through. Jason Campbell might improve his performance by 33 percent. But the Redskins might win two more games this season just because Jim Zorn knows what he's doing with the talent he has, quarterback and O-line and all.