John Clayton on the Redskins' Playoff Chances

[over the mountain]

Originally Posted by 53Fan

Alzthiemers is a bitch ain't it mountain?

lol yeah i forgot. no sarcasim thoo, i hope we can return to 20.9 ppg and ranking 18th in scoring next year like clayton's article suggests.

go skins!

[John Denny]

Suisham needs to step his game up. He needs to make FG's from 40 and in with regularity and not kick the ball out of bounds on kickoffs. How many times did he do that last year? Too many!
Ideally, we need to score more TD's and maybe we will in Zorn's second year. I'm sure the players are more comfortable in his system and he's more comfortable running the show (I wasn't impressed with his game management last year) so scoring 5 more points is very attainable IMO.
The defense should be solid though hopefully we'll force more turnovers which will give us a shorter field.

[Pocket$ $traight]

Originally Posted by John Denny

Suisham needs to step his game up. He needs to make FG's from 40 and in with regularity and not kick the ball out of bounds on kickoffs. How many times did he do that last year? Too many!
Ideally, we need to score more TD's and maybe we will in Zorn's second year. I'm sure the players are more comfortable in his system and he's more comfortable running the show (I wasn't impressed with his game management last year) so scoring 5 more points is very attainable IMO.
The defense should be solid though hopefully we'll force more turnovers which will give us a shorter field.

Hopefully Suisham gets beat out. He really has turned into a liability. Let him figure out his problems on some other team's time.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by KI Skins Fan

Basically, we need 5 more points per game from someone, anyone. Because we don't care where that touchdown comes from, we can't continue to overlook any area of the team that can be improved to help us get those points. We've done some positive things in that regard, but we need to do more.

1. ARE must be replaced on punt returns. With a good PR, we could pick up 1 or two TD's per season on PR's.

2. We still need another proven NFL WR. ARE is not effective as a wide out - he belongs in the slot as a #3 receiver and I don't think we can count on any of the young WR's to get the job done.

3. We need to upgrade our FG kicker. This should have already been done and if it's not done it will cost us a game or two.

4. Our new FG kicker needs a big leg on kickoffs, as well. We're surrendering field position on kickoffs.

5. It wouldn't hurt to have more speed in the game at RB on 3rd downs. Speed kills, you know. We need to get an occaisional "home run" from a RB via run or pass.

6. Jason Campbell must get a lot better in the Red Zone. He also needs to take more chances, particularly with the long ball. I think he will.

I agree pretty much. Field position is so crucial. Our defense has been poor at creating turnovers and sacks, and our punt return has been really weak. If Alridge or Dorsey can crack the roster and return punts, and our D steps up the sacks and turnovers (which I really think they will), it will create shorter fields for the offense.

Basically the offense needs to get better, but it will be a helluva lot easier for them to do so if they're handed a shorter field more often.

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by John Denny

Suisham needs to step his game up. He needs to make FG's from 40 and in with regularity and not kick the ball out of bounds on kickoffs. How many times did he do that last year? Too many!
Ideally, we need to score more TD's and maybe we will in Zorn's second year. I'm sure the players are more comfortable in his system and he's more comfortable running the show (I wasn't impressed with his game management last year) so scoring 5 more points is very attainable IMO.
The defense should be solid though hopefully we'll force more turnovers which will give us a shorter field.

I thought Suisham turned a corner as a reliable kicker for the first 8-9 games last season, but his kickoffs were noticeably shorter the 2nd half, and he missed crucial field goals during that stretch as well. I wish we had signed Sam Swank out of Wake Forest to compete for the job. I'm pretty sure that Philly signed Swank to push Akers for the starting job there.

[GusFrerotte]

Originally Posted by MonkFan4Life

If Jason Campbell can play more like he did in the first Philly game and less like he did the last 8 games of the season 21 points a game shouldn't be that difficult.

The WR corp needs to step it up a lot for that to happen. We really took a gamble with these low round rook WRs, not too mention last year's rook WRs.

[skins89moss]

Originally Posted by Angry

We have needed 5 PPG for the past 5 years. I do not see our chances improving just by the defensive offseason additions. Unless the defense averages a pick 6 a game, then nothing is going to change. There may be a slight improvement on offense this season and the D might improve as well, but I am not about to make predictions about the scoreboard when points have been at a premium for this team.

With that being said we are going to win some games, but by no means do I believe that we will average 21 PPG.

Well this team isn't the last five years team, with that said we can average 21points a game. Our offensive players will be playing in the same system for the 2nd stright year. Remember our team has changed offenses when Spurrier, Gibbs, and Al Saunders came in as coaches. When Al Saunders came we changed to his system to from Coach Gibbs system. Then the next year Gibbs changed it back. Our Defense will give us more chances to score.

[schndr_tdd]

In the second year of the WC offense,things will click a little faster and sharper.Which,hopefully produces more yards per play in the passing game.

[freddyg12]

Originally Posted by schndr_tdd

In the second year of the WC offense,things will click a little faster and sharper.Which,hopefully produces more yards per play in the passing game.

I'm waiting to see how much of the spread formation - 4 wrs, empty backfield - is used v. 2 TEs or the I. Seems that when Zorn tried to go to the spread sets last year JC got killed.

If they can run 4 wr plays effectively then it's a sign this offense has improved by leaps & bounds.

[KLHJ2]

Originally Posted by skins89moss

Well this team isn't the last five years team, with that said we can average 21points a game. Our offensive players will be playing in the same system for the 2nd stright year. Remember our team has changed offenses when Spurrier, Gibbs, and Al Saunders came in as coaches. When Al Saunders came we changed to his system to from Coach Gibbs system. Then the next year Gibbs changed it back. Our Defense will give us more chances to score.

I used to think positively too until I had my homer goggles surgically removed 2 years ago.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by Pocket$ $traight

Hopefully Suisham gets beat out. He really has turned into a liability. Let him figure out his problems on some other team's time.

Careful, that's matty's favorite player! LOL.

Seriously, it all falls on Campbell's shoulders. When he's on, we win, when he's not, we don't. Granted it's not that cut and dry, but it's close. I get tired of seeing him complete 3 or 4 in row just to miss on the next 3 or 4 in a row. Consistency young man!!! Stop overthrowing your deeper WR's. Can't do slants all year. We have a playoff caliber team, no doubt about it, but do we have a playoff caliber QB? Portis is old enough where we can't rely on him. He doesn't break the big ones anymore, but he is certainly a very good all around back...we need Campbell to step up.

[GusFrerotte]

I agree, JC needs to step up, but thing is J, we really didn't help him out in the offseason or the draft. Orakpo was a great pick up, as was Haynesworth, but our D was solid last year. We just didn't score the damn points!!!! The Offensive line should have been upgraded with FA and the draft. I know we had all low rounders this year, but we should have at least drafted a couple O linemen and see if we could get a diamond in the rough or at least a decent backup for depth's sake. I know we got Dockery back, but that isn't much of an upgrade if you ask me. Don't know enough about Williams to make a statement about him. Just hope and pray that Kelly doesnt become our next Taylor Jacobs, and that at least two of these young WRs pan out.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by GusFrerotte

I agree, JC needs to step up, but thing is J, we really didn't help him out in the offseason or the draft. Orakpo was a great pick up, as was Haynesworth, but our D was solid last year. We just didn't score the damn points!!!! The Offensive line should have been upgraded with FA and the draft. I know we had all low rounders this year, but we should have at least drafted a couple O linemen and see if we could get a diamond in the rough or at least a decent backup for depth's sake. I know we got Dockery back, but that isn't much of an upgrade if you ask me. Don't know enough about Williams to make a statement about him. Just hope and pray that Kelly doesnt become our next Taylor Jacobs, and that at least two of these young WRs pan out.

I absolutely disagree about Dock...he's an upgrade, and a valuable addition. Williams could be, but i think we are more on the hope side of that one. Other than that, I understand. We do have the ingredients though...we have the people to perform like we did in the first 8 games last year. Just need Campbell to improve (which I do expect).

[44Deezel]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

If my calculations are correct we're talking about scoring about 70 more points (or 7 TDs) more than we did last year to get to 21 points, which could be a tall order...but my math has never been good.

Still, 21 points a game seems like something most NFL teams should be able to achieve with some regularity.

Clayton is generally pretty positive about the Redskins. He usually thinks they have the talent to be at least a solid Wild Card team

If Campbell can get to 20TDs, we're in business. 13TDs is embarrassing. 20TDs a reasonable expectation for any legitimate starting QB. There's no way he does any worse.

[tryfuhl]

Originally Posted by GusFrerotte

I agree, JC needs to step up, but thing is J, we really didn't help him out in the offseason or the draft. Orakpo was a great pick up, as was Haynesworth, but our D was solid last year. We just didn't score the damn points!!!! The Offensive line should have been upgraded with FA and the draft. I know we had all low rounders this year, but we should have at least drafted a couple O linemen and see if we could get a diamond in the rough or at least a decent backup for depth's sake. I know we got Dockery back, but that isn't much of an upgrade if you ask me. Don't know enough about Williams to make a statement about him. Just hope and pray that Kelly doesnt become our next Taylor Jacobs, and that at least two of these young WRs pan out.

I think that we went with more immediate impact players this year.. guys that can get on the field from the start, Orakpo and possibly Barnes. Will give us a year to evaluate Rinehart and the other young guys. Might put us into position to get more of an impact guy next year on the OL. That and we do seem to have the mentality of "if our line could just stay healthy we won't have any problems" as well.