Redskins Insider: Make do or makeover

Redskins Insider: Make do or makeover - Washington Times (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jul/26/redskins-insider-make-do-or-makeover/)

Can't wait till this season starts!!!

Good article, tells it like it is...You would think the FO would want a quality kicker when our offense struggles to score and the our defense keeps the game close, we need every point we can get and to lead the league in missed field goals is absolutely pathetic and unacceptable. I like the comment with Samuels and the O-Line "Because the decision-makers have neglected to draft a player to groom or fill in for him," Yeah thinking ahead and building with the draft for some reason doesnt resonate with the FO. Sorry to sound negative, but our season hinges on the health and play of the O-Line and it just frustrated me to read the article and to be reminded. Hopefully the guys we brought in will work out.

To go along with the blurb about Chris Samuels, the entire offensive line has me seriously worried and tailoring my expectations. I have this sneaking suspicion that we will not be able to stay healthy all season, which in turn will handicap our playcalling and lead to mixed results on the offensive end. I will even go as far as to say even with a perfectly healthy offensive line we are mediocre at best as a unit.

I would say that if we fail to reach the playoffs this season and it can even partially be attributed to the offensive line, i think we should blow up the majority of our line (with the exception of dockery and maybe samuels depending on health) and start over there (i.e. draft, trade, beg, borrow, deal, whatever). Stop gaps wont make us an elite unit there.

I will even go as far as to say even with a perfectly healthy offensive line we are mediocre at best as a unit.

I would say that if we fail to reach the playoffs this season and it can even partially be attributed to the offensive line, i think we should blow up the majority of our line (with the exception of dockery and maybe samuels depending on health) and start over there (i.e. draft, trade, beg, borrow, deal, whatever). Stop gaps wont make us an elite unit there.I wouldn't. I'd say when healthy they can be top ten in the NFL. The exact same line from 2008 (with an upgraded LG) was considered elite in the first half. Led the league in rushing and provided JC with excellent protection.

With a healthy OL last year we were 6-2, Portis was being mentioned as the league MVP, and JC had zero INTs.

With a healthy OL last year we were 6-2, Portis was being mentioned as the league MVP, and JC had zero INTs.

And it was a brand new system for JC, which kind of debunks the consistency thoery;) I just hope the 2-6 finish can be pinned entirely on the O-line break-down and not on Zorn being "figured out".

While it was a good stretch for us and a stat that people often refer to, if u really look at our 6-2 start last year you realize a couple of things:

1) We won a lot of close games (ALL one possession differences)

2) We played a lot of poor teams including three of the worst: DET(0-16), CLE (4-12), and STL (2-14)...and actually lost to St. Louis largely because of poor offensive line play.

3) We only beat two playoff teams, eeking out victories against Philly and Arizona (at home). Also it was pretty apparent that neither of those teams were in their playoff form at that point in the season.

4) The only team we beat with a formidable pass rush/D-line during that stretch was Dallas (by 2 points)...basically our 6-2 record wasn't necessarily indicative of superior offensive line play. In fact whenever we played teams with good D-lines we consistently failed: Baltimore, Pittsburgh, first time against Philly (the 2nd time we beat them in an ugly 10-3 defensive struggle), both times to the Giants, and the 2nd time Dallas.

I forgot who said it (maybe Randle El), at the bye week, it was pretty apparent that our 6-3 record was deceptive and we were lucky to be in the position we were. I think it was pretty clear by the way we finished that we were a mediocre team (including the offensive line) in 2008.

Certainly, our offensive line has turned out many great, clutch performances over the years but i guess my main point is that they have lacked consistency and reliability over the past few years. This has hurt us down the stretch in becoming a perennial playoff contender. I think as a group they are aging and their play will begin to drop off quickly. Their best days are definitely behind them...

While it was a good stretch for us and a stat that people often refer to, if u really look at our 6-2 start last year you realize a couple of thing:

1) We won a lot of close games (ALL one possession differences)

2) We played a lot of poor teams including three of the worst: DET(0-16), CLE (4-12), and STL (2-14)...and actually lost to St. Louis largely because of poor offensive line play.

3) We only beat two playoff teams, eeking out victories against Philly and Arizona (at home). Also it was pretty apparent that neither of the latter teams was in their playoff form when they played us

4) The only team we beat with a formidable pass rush/D-line during that stretch was Dallas (by 2 points)...basically our 6-2 record wasn't necessarily indicative of superior offensive line play. In fact whenever we played teams with good D-lines we consistently failed: Baltimore, Pittsburgh, first time against Philly (the 2nd time we beat them in an ugly 10-3 defensive struggle), both times to the Giants, and the 2nd time Dallas.

I forgot who said it (maybe Randle El), at the bye week, it was pretty apparent that our 6-3 record was deceptive and we were lucky to be in the position we were. I think it was pretty clear by the way we finished that we were a mediocre team (including the offensive line) in 2008.

Certainly, our offensive line has turned out many great, clutch performances over the years but i guess my main point is that they have lacked consistency and reliability during the past few years. This has hurt us down the stretch in becoming a perennial playoff contender. I think as a group they are aging and their play will begin to drop off quickly. Their best days are definitely behind them...


The health of the line was the main reason for the 2nd half collapse. Just looking at the bottom line, 6-2 when healthy, 2-6 when banged up.

I'm not going to bother getting into all the particulars, because the 2-6 finish could be nitpicked apart just the same to show they were just a few plays away from finishing 10-6.

Absolutely you could nitpick for the positive or the negative...so you would agree that over the course of the season, you are as good as your record (everything tends to even out, law of averages and so on) and can only be judgedt hat way.

If so...we were 8-8. We allowed 38 sacks (10th in the league). We were in the middle of the pack offensively over the whole season. We were on the fringe of making the playoffs and we didn't. Those are the facts.

I think with all of that considered and through avidly watching all of the games, our offensive line was a mediocre unit. Good at times, but unreliable at others...basically inconsistent

Tells it like it is. Good article.