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The whole world of the Washington Redskins can take care of all the most extreme trends in the NFL, including the most nasty and tense, and exaggerate them. Over the past 25 seasons, franchising has often been a nightmare of stress, internal team turmoil, hardship, staff change and total rebuilding. For many coaches and players, reputations arrive tactfully and then collapse.
And then there is coach Jay Gruden, who is completely different.
Now, sort of, in its fifth year despite a record of under 500, Gruden seems to exist in a serious but simultaneously playful NFL world. He is concerned about the losses, even disgusted with himself sometimes, like a week ago after being beaten at home by the Colts of Indianapolis. But he never explodes in public and with the slightest provocation, like the defeat of 31-17 Sunday against the Packers of Green Bay, Gruden is so tickled that he can barely keep the smile on his face and the laughter of his voice.
"It's a league from top to bottom. Can you stay focused? Said Gruden after watching his defense play its third consecutive game with just 44 points in total.
[Redskins take down the Packers and a hobbled Aaron Rodgers in 31-17 victory]
"How do you handle adversity because adversity will hit? You will make business figures. You will not win every quarter. And you'll have to deal with some really tough losses like last week, "added Gruden after watching his new quarterback, Alex Smith, go 12 for 20 for 220 yards and two touchdowns with an interception and a score of 110.4.
For many years, the Redskins have lived in a world just under 500 years old with occasional playoff races. It's madness in a sport where the loss has been compared, but not quite assimilated, to death. This franchise in particular chose to predict unlikely triumphs and subsequently find scapegoats. Still, Gruden mounted those waves and got a contract extension while ignoring and not suffering any damage from Kirk Cousins' long controversy.
"I grew up in a football family. My father [Jim] was a coach. That means he's been fired every four years. My older brother [Oakland Raiders Coach Jon] reacted by running around looking for fans to hit, "said Gruden as he stood in the middle of his team's locker room. "I just wanted everyone to be happy.
"I will not let the game eat and beat me," he says, his smile becoming serious.
Is it mainly thanks to these millions of dollars of NFL coaches in the bank that times are tough, while the good times, like Sunday at FedEx Field, are still as fun as becoming quarterback of the Pantheon ? Football League.
[Redskins’ takeaways: Adrian Peterson bounces back and defense gets to Aaron Rodgers]
"No, it's not money. I'm not crazy, said Gruden with his sly look. "And I do not read any of those things – the forums, Twitter – where they say all those bad things about you."
What about all these unbiased newspaper articles?
"My mother is taking care of it. She told me that she would send me all the good ones. So far, in five years, there have been two or three, "Gruden said. Rush shot.
What's the next step, with a 2-1 breath record, which in the NFL is better at light-years than a 1-2 human record? Oh, and goodbye too?
"How is Tiger doin?" Asked Gruden. Gruden is warned by a few shots.
"Sweet! What hole?" Go to the back nine.
"I have to get there," said Gruden, heading to his desk and a television.
Sometimes, it seems that Gruden's healthy temper does not help his teams reach the intensity level of the December games, or the games they are favored, that a more or less crazy coach could do. However, the coach of his players, associated with his long passion for the study of the game, seems to have a balance effect – his teams also seem to recover from their defeats and win when it is not expected, as the defeat of Packers and Aaron quarterback. Rodgers.
[Aaron Rodgers keeps playing, but his knee injury is clearly holding him back]
"Last week, Jay was very upset about the game plan when he did not have to. We did not run it, "said Pro Bowl tackle Trent Williams, who led Washington to 166 yards on the ground, including 120 by Adrian Peterson in the 52nd 100-yard match of the future carrier's career. Pantheon. "Jay is a good guy. He is so much in the favor of the players and cares so much about us that we want to play for him. "
Is this different from a lot of NFL coaches? "You know it," Williams said with a roll of eye.
"We have a chance of being very good," Gruden said at his post-win press conference.
Later, he was asked what crucial factor would determine if this occurred.
"If we make efforts with skills," said Gruden.
These words have a bit of edge.
"Everyone in this league has skills," he said.
Can the Redskins, Gruden's Redskins in particular, always overcome complacency in good times while still playing their best – sometimes – against their best enemies?
This season the Redskins seems to continue as a race on the high seas with a next wave trick unpredictable. This is a team, 7-9 last year, but much healthier, with enough talent to rely on 8-8 or slightly better, but enough weaknesses, and players with a history of injury. Gruden's team – a virtue to which no NFL coach may have been charged – may be appropriate for his team's demanding race.
"Jay is like most of us," said defensive end Ryan Kerrigan, unaware of the age difference, like most players, with the 51-year-old. "When you win, he's pretty happy. When we lose, it becomes very hot. It is hard when it is necessary. But we know that we have everything.
If Gruden is lucky, he will one day have a season where his entire team will give it to him as often as he does. For the moment, at 2-1 and two whole weeks when Gruden can smile.
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