Has the buzz begun?

Wandering around the internet today I am discovering a disturbing trend. The Skins are getting a lot of play in the "This team might be good" arena. Has anyone else noticed this or am I just paranoid? I'd much prefer to fly under the radar for a while longer. In 2005 we were 3-0 and called "The worst 3-0 team ever". As mad as that made me it also was good because we were so underrated.

I am noticing this mostly in everyone's weekly picks columns.

I am a freaking mess. Us winning games makes each week even more stressful. It really is easy when we just suck and it doesn't matter.

I know. See, I'm not one of these people wanting the media on our jock, but I DAMN sure don't want them putting us at twenty-four in a power poll below at least four teams without wins.

Wandering around the internet today I am discovering a disturbing trend. The Skins are getting a lot of play in the "This team might be good" arena. Has anyone else noticed this or am I just paranoid? I'd much prefer to fly under the radar for a while longer. In 2005 we were 3-0 and called "The worst 3-0 team ever". As mad as that made me it also was good because we were so underrated.

I am noticing this mostly in everyone's weekly picks columns.

I am a freaking mess. Us winning games makes each week even more stressful. It really is easy when we just suck and it doesn't matter.


You're not paranoid. I've noticed the same thing. One article I saw said something like if the Redskins win this weekend, they are on their way to solidifying their push for dominating the NFC East. Another said that if the offense finds a groove they could be dangerous enough to contend for the NFC title.

It's been a wierd week in sports reporting though, I also heard last night that it will be the Cubs and Yankees in the World Series.

You're not paranoid. I've noticed the same thing. One article I saw said something like if the Redskins win this weekend, they are on their way to solidifying their push for dominating the NFC East. Another said that if the offense finds a groove they could be dangerous enough to contend for the NFC title.

It's been a wierd week in sports reporting though, I also heard last night that it will be the Cubs and Yankees in the World Series.The nimrods at ESPN are just starting to figure out that we might have the makings of a very strong D. Before the season started, Schlereth actually said that our D would be a weakness because we did very little to upgrade the unit that finished 31st last year. I guess that inserting Fletcher, McIntosh, and Landry into the lineup, while adding significant depth at CB was doing very little in his mind. I am so glad that we selected Landry over Okoye and other D-linemen available. If the Danny can re-sign Taylor, our safeties will terrorize opposing WRs well into the next decade.

What they're really not taking note of is that Jason is going to be dangerous before it's said and done.

Here's something else (from ESPN Insider):


7. Washington Redskins
This is an underrated team and after years of underachieving, the Redskins are finally playing Joe Gibbs football -- a hard-nosed running game combined with an aggressive defense featuring a blitz heavy package. Gibbs changed the philosophy of this team in the offseason. He wanted to get back to his old Redskins formula, which is give the ball to the RBs, Ladell Betts and Clinton Portis, wear down defenses and take shots in the passing game when the matchups are there. This means Gibbs doesn't have to ask QB Jason Campbell to carry the offense. The Redskins have the ability to control the flow of the game and keep them out of offensive shootouts, but they must overcome injuries on the right side of their OL and Campbell must play with consistency. They may not be pretty, but they are real.
Status: Contender.

Also from the Worldwide (Bill Simmons):
The Redskins can move the chains, play defense and make 2-3 big plays downfield per game. The number of NFC teams that can do all three of those things is exactly zero, which means I'll be taking the Redskins seriously from this point on.

In the NFC it's not going to take much to make some noise. If the Skins romp over the Giants to go 3-0, we'll definitely start to hear a lot more hype.

Here's something else (from ESPN Insider):


7. Washington Redskins
This is an underrated team and after years of underachieving, the Redskins are finally playing Joe Gibbs football -- a hard-nosed running game combined with an aggressive defense featuring a blitz heavy package. Gibbs changed the philosophy of this team in the offseason. He wanted to get back to his old Redskins formula, which is give the ball to the RBs, Ladell Betts and Clinton Portis, wear down defenses and take shots in the passing game when the matchups are there. This means Gibbs doesn't have to ask QB Jason Campbell to carry the offense. The Redskins have the ability to control the flow of the game and keep them out of offensive shootouts, but they must overcome injuries on the right side of their OL and Campbell must play with consistency. They may not be pretty, but they are real.
Status: Contender.

Blitz heavy package?

Am I missing something?

John Clayton had Washington picked as a sleeper in preseason. He's the only one I can recall giving props that early though.