Optimism / Pessimism

After last season, we can only go up, so I'm optimistic (as always). Simply because we have a starting QB with great potential and our running game was very effective towards the end of the season last year.

If our running resembles anything from last season, the only thing JC has to worry about is not losing the game for us. That takes a lot of pressure off of him.

i gotta wait till the draft is over, but so far the team appears to be getting better, not worse. going into next year with ross tucker as our starting LG and pucillo as the only backup OL would be REALLY bad, so they need to fix that and get a DL guy to finish it up.

i always see the glass half full. for some reason, it seems like its easier to have a one year turnaround in the NFL, as compared to any other of the major sports. the skins have a proven coaching staff. the skins also have a talented roster. i see a least 8 wins this year . and if the chips fall in the right spot, 10+ wins. the only question i have is how far Campbell can mature as a starting quarterback. there is no doubt in my mind the skins defense will bounce back after a nightmare season last year. good thread

i always see the glass half full. for some reason, it seems like its easier to have a one year turnaround in the NFL, as compared to any other of the major sports. the skins have a proven coaching staff. the skins also have a talented roster. i see a least 8 wins this year . and if the chips fall in the right spot, 10+ wins. the only question i have is how far Campbell can mature as a starting quarterback. there is no doubt in my mind the skins defense will bounce back after a nightmare season last year. good thread


great post man i am optimistic too everything on offense looks good except for the lg situation. i would love to see ed mualitalio in a skins uniform that would be a great thing now it all depends on the maturation of JC

as for the defense london flecther and generaql silk were great additions now i am just waiting for the draft to see if the skins can trade down pick p a second rounder and still get amobi okoye that would be a coup of a off-season.

ok does anyone know if the bly trade is dead or trading springs did we stop talking to the broncos or something

OPTIMISM - One reason, contunity and commitment to players on the team. The players had a down year and all the coach did was resign them and guarntee them more money, and just bring in a few pieces. He also is letting them work out on their own. The coach keeps saying he likes the team, I mean how do you not want to play hard for a coach who has your back even though the rest of the league says you aren't worth sh*t. They have so many pieces on offense it is insane. On Defense they are stacked everywhere except the Dline. Grab Branch and you have a versitile and deep line with proven leaders. You have the perfect QB for the defense, and two LB's who could start weakside on alot of teams. Three starting caliber CB's, a missile for a safety. Not to mention one of the best Special teams units in the NFL, minus the kicker.
One Reason for Pessimism- no SS, Fox is just alright (but does have an upside), maybe we could go out and get Hamlin cut Arch and eat the cap hit this year.

OK, so as with everything the glass is either half empty or half full. So where are the Redskins in your mind?
I see it like this.
I see the formula in success in the NFL as continuity among coaching and philosophy. People can argue all they want about the formula in regard to team building, be it via draft or free agency or whatever, and I don't think that matters half as much.
Players are mercenaries anymore. They move around a lot, everywhere, from every team, to every team. They better be able to adapt, or they're toast.
I see the Redskins building that coaching and philosophical continuity. I think Gibbs would like to win a Super Bowl, but if he doesn't, he certainly will accomplish what he came here to do, which was put this house in order.
I think that our next head coach is already on staff, whether it's Williams, Saunders or the guy behind the curtain, who knows as of yet.
Overall: Optimism.

We've been too free with draft picks, and after several debatable moves they finally made one that was undebatable, spending a 3rd and 4th on Twinkletoes Duckett. Undeniably stupid, and a move that put egg on their faces. In reading over articles and messages around the rest of the league, the overall notion is that no matter what ends up happening with the supposed Bly trade, the Broncos will rape the Redskins. We could grab their best 2 players and their first round pick for the next five years and give up Ade Jimoh's jockstrap and the perception would still be the same.
We have to be more shrewd with our picks. If not to use them ourselves, but to use their full value in acquiring other players. I have no problem including a pick in a deal to get what we need, but as is seen time and again in many trades, a pick is much more valuable than we give it credit for.
Overall: Optimistic, only because I think the shame of the Duckett trade will burn the next time they get so freewheeling with picks.

Last year we fell off considerably after a typical gritty Joe Gibbs style season of 2005. In retrospect the natural flux of the QB position should have tipped us that it would slip a little, but the defense really let the team down. I don't need to repeat it, everyone knows how it went.
Unfortunately unless they philosophically change entirely and go back to the blitzing style that we used in 04 and 05, I'm not so optimistic. If Smoot and Rogers are our starting corners, we better not allow QBs the kind of time they had last year, or we're going to get torched. I never understood why, when we were weak in the secondary, we didn't blitz. GO get the QB, don't give him all day. And with those two as our starters, they don't have the ability to be following receivers around for 5 and 6 seconds.
I love signing London Fletcher, but he's a playmaker beyond the line of scrimmage. We need to get back to making plays behind the line, or I don't see it being much better.
Overall: Pessimism

Offensively, man, what weapons! Moss in unarguably one of the better threats in the NFL, Randel El can shine if given the opportunity, Cooley is outstanding, Portis and Betts are outstanding, the line is strong, even if they lost one piece. I love what I saw out of Campbell last year, especially the little things, He doesn't get rattled, doesn't make the killing mental error. He's got a nice deep ball, could stand to learn to put some zip on the short ball, but his problems seem completely coachable.
Overall: Optimism


So how do you see things?


~Bang


More than anything we now have a legit young starting NFL QB that can make all the throws. This is going to be the his 1st off season where he's going to be in the same offense in 5 years. Now AS can run the whole offense.

I'm cautiously optimistic for several reasons:

#1. I am a Redskins fan and, therefore, optimism is embedded in my DNA.

#2. The offense has enough playmakers between Portis, Betts, Cooley, and Moss (not to mention Sellers, ARE, and Lloyd) that it has the potential to be very explosive. Saunders' history seems to indicate that his offenses show marked improvement, to say the least, in their second year.

#3. The O-line took a hit when Dock left, but it's still in good shape after having led the offense to the league's 4th best rushing attack and allowed the 3rd (?) fewest sacks in the league.

#4. Campbell started to look pretty damn good the past few weeks of the season. He shouldn't book a ticket to Honolulu yet, but he's showed enough promise for anyone to be optimistic.

#5. I simply refuse to believe that our defense will get any worse, it can only get better and I think GW can make it dramatically better. Our offseason moves on defense have certainly helped (Fletcher, Smoot, and a D-lineman with #6).

#6. Our special teams are in good shape, or at least better shape than last year. ARE is always a threat to take it to the house on punt returns. Frost has shown consistent improvement and proven to be a decent punter. Suisham is an unknown, but he's bound to be better than our kickers last season (who seemed like they were nailing a whopping 60% of their FG attempts).

#7. Joe Gibbs is at the helm, so anything can happen.

#8. It's the NFL, teams that are horrible one year always surprise people (e.g., the saints).

Overall Optimistic:
Offense: I think Campbell with make a leap this year by being emersed in the Saunders system in the offseason and practicing with the 1st team all year. If he uses all three WR threats and the TE plus the support of the running game, we as a team will be unstoppable. The only weak spot would be the gap in the LG spot.., that is why we need to jump on the Ravens Gaurd now because he is the ideal fit to make a run.

Defense:
I am uneasy right now, so it depend on what we do in the draft. Ideallly Branch would be the best fit, but its seems we will go another route. If we get Bly plus also keep Springs I would be estatic.the level of talent in the secondary would be major. The addition of Leadership is great, I felt this d had no leader out there. I would bring back Lavar just for an added pass rush... but ego's have to be left at the doorstep on both sides. I think an interior D lineman will be a major plus because it will free up our ends. With the potential of our offense our defense has to be that much better.