Good article on Skins from USAToday

[MTK]

A pretty fair and balanced look at Skins and the upcoming season:


It is now year four of Joe Gibbs' return to the NFL, and what do the Redskins have to show for it, other than a well-compensated coaching staff, wealthy players and a three-year record of 21-27?

This seems to be a team balanced on the edge, one that could go in either direction. Play better defense, win a few close games, and the playoffs are again possible. Get mediocre play from some of the new big-bucks acquisitions, make no progress offensively and Gibbs, a Hall of Famer, may be deemed a failure.

Full Story: Gibbs faces tall order to avoid failure tag in D.C.

[mlmpetert]

Very good article. Excited to hear:

Give Campbell points for putting in the hours throughout the winter and spring.
"Every time I look over my shoulder, he is here," Saunders says. "He has
worked extremely hard on his techniques and fundamentals."

[Rajmahal33]

Im impressed at how well they broke down the team. Usually when a national publication breaks down a team they state the obvious and sometimes mess up their facts. Good find.

I think the skins season will ultimately come down to injuries and the bench. If someone does go down in a key position (say offensive line) do we have the depth to step up at that spot? Lloyd will be the most improved player...I don't count jason campbell, b/c although he was 2-5 or whatever those games didn't really matter and the team was already crippled.

[Hog1]

That is a STUNNING article...........totally fair.
The thing I like most about London Fletcher quotes, or in an interview. He often feels like he has to defend his talent level. That dude MUST play with an attitude, and a chip on his sholder. I like that

[MTK]

Yeah I was shocked when I read that last night. It's refreshing to read a balanced article that doesn't take ignorant shots at the Skins.

I do agree with the basic point that this is a team on the edge that could make a playoff run or struggle.

If things fall into place I could see 10-6 or better, and I could just as easily see 6-10 or worse. Depends on how well the D can hold up and the development of Campbell.

[Schneed10]

Yeah, this article has good basis in common sense. It basically says the Skins' season could go poorly, or could go well. The same could be said for almost all of the teams in the NFL. The article doesn't prematurely write off the team like so many ridiculous pundits love to do.

For me, it comes down to this:

- Can Jason Campbell make the leap?
- And can GW come up with a better scheme?

Our defensive line hasn't changed, we have a rookie at SS, pretty much the same starting CBs in Rogers and Springs... we do have a much better MIKE LB and some additional depth, but our personnel additions certainly are not enough to go from the 31st ranked D to a top 10 or even top 15 D. For the D, it comes down to playing better. A part of it is staying healthy, but a bigger part of it is adjusting the scheme. If GW's tweaks don't work, we're not going anywhere.

But based on what I'm hearing about Campbell so far, and based on what I know about GW's brain, I like our chances just fine despite all the questions we have.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Yeah I was shocked when I read that last night. It's refreshing to read a balanced article that doesn't take ignorant shots at the Skins.

I do agree with the basic point that this is a team on the edge that could make a playoff run or struggle.

If things fall into place I could see 10-6 or better, and I could just as easily see 6-10 or worse. Depends on how well the D can hold up and the development of Campbell.

You beat me to it.

[EARTHQUAKE2689]

I really cant believe that they had such a positive outlook on the team but i am a little suprised they said carlos should start ahead of fred.

For right now i would think unless carlos shows some kind of drastic change before the season starts then fred smoot should be the starter

cant wait for the season to start go skins

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by EARTHQUAKE2689

I really cant believe that they had such a positive outlook on the team but i am a little suprised they said carlos should start ahead of fred.

For right now i would think unless carlos shows some kind of drastic change before the season starts then fred smoot should be the starter

cant wait for the season to start go skins

I think it's an open competition, but since no coach has come out and said that Smoot will be the starter, you have to assume that Rogers will hold onto the job given he was the 9th pick and that nobody has said otherwise.

Either way though the nickel is going to play an awful lot anyway.

[MTK]

I think Rogers has the slight edge headed into camp, but Smoot will push him.

I don't think it will make a big difference, like Schneed said the nickel will play a lot anyway.

[EARTHQUAKE2689]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

I think it's an open competition, but since no coach has come out and said that Smoot will be the starter, you have to assume that Rogers will hold onto the job given he was the 9th pick and that nobody has said otherwise.

Either way though the nickel is going to play an awful lot anyway.

while this is true, you also have to take into account that Greg Williams remembers how Fred Smoot played before with the Skins and the fact that he has better cover skills but for right now based on how carlos has played in the past two seasons that Gibbs is more than likely is favoring Smoot since he is a "gibbs" guy. So i guess we will have to just wait and see.

[dblanch66]

I was happy about the list of players that were on the breakdown list that we let go. The team will be better without them!

[Southpaw]

Originally Posted by EARTHQUAKE2689

based on how carlos has played in the past two seasons that Gibbs is more than likely is favoring Smoot since he is a "gibbs" guy. So i guess we will have to just wait and see.

How is Smoot a "Gibbs" guy? Gibbs drafted Rogers. He inherited Smoot, and then Smoot left.

I know you're a big Smoot fan, but you might be disappointed if you're really expecting him to start this season.

[JDALY27]

USA Today article didn't mention anything the WARPATH has not already stated. Good to know this site has its shit together!!

Nothing new in the article but opinions.

I disagree that the Skins can just as easily go 6-10. We will be 8-8 just based on Defensive pride coming off of last year. The development of Campbell brings us over the top into the playoffs. But maybe I'm biased.

[FRPLG]

I have a sneaking suspicion that Carlos Rogers is going to step it up this year. I don't know that he'll ever be an elite corner but I think he can become a good CB1. His play last year simply wasn't as bad as most want to believe. If you watched him objectively you saw a lot of better than average coverage with basically no help from the front 7. Dropped INTs really should count as a factor when comparing elite CBs. If they can cover and prevent completed passes then anything else is gravy. Plus the dropped INTs were somewhat of a fluke. No way he drops another 6 INTs this year. The law of statistics says it isn't possible. He'll be fine.