[NC_Skins]

Ten observations: Redskins 23, Seahawks 17 | John Keim | NFL | Washington Examiner

4. Before we get to a few other things, have to address this: the notion that they shouldn’t win to preserve their draft pick. Have to say, I don’t understand that thinking. In the NBA? Sure. In that league there might be four or five potential impact players in a draft. In the NFL, there’s a heck of a lot more. That’s one point. The other: who knows which players will even come out? Matt Barkley doesn’t have to, for example. Maybe he will but do you know for sure? Besides, what if the QB you really like is, say, a guy who doesn’t project to a top-5 pick for whatever reason. And you really don’t know which direction you’re going to go until after the season, when you’ve had a chance to study these players. Besides, Mike Shanahan will be very aggressive trying to move up if there’s a guy he thinks he can get.

5. But here’s the biggest reason why you don’t do it: when you’re trying to establish a foundation for a winning franchise, you don’t get there by going 3-13 and losing 12 straight. That’s unbelievably short-sighted thinking. You go places by creating an atmosphere of success. If they go 3-13, then you’d be a heck of a lot less confident in the coaching staff, right? Well, so would some of the players. That’s a lock. Is that really what you want? If they go 4-12 they have many more issues than one QB can solve. And it would take a few years longer. I’d much rather see a team do what the Redskins did today: show some fight, overcome adversity and win. Yeah, the Seahawks aren’t very good. Yeah it could end up giving them a lower draft choice. But, again, while it’s obviously important to develop talent it’s just as important to establish a culture. I’d rather see a guy like Helu, clearly a part of the future in some way, have a big game and help lead a win.