Optimism / Pessimism

[BangCartoon]

OK, so as with everything the glass is either half empty or half full. So where are the Redskins in your mind?
I see it like this.
I see the formula in success in the NFL as continuity among coaching and philosophy. People can argue all they want about the formula in regard to team building, be it via draft or free agency or whatever, and I don't think that matters half as much.
Players are mercenaries anymore. They move around a lot, everywhere, from every team, to every team. They better be able to adapt, or they're toast.
I see the Redskins building that coaching and philosophical continuity. I think Gibbs would like to win a Super Bowl, but if he doesn't, he certainly will accomplish what he came here to do, which was put this house in order.
I think that our next head coach is already on staff, whether it's Williams, Saunders or the guy behind the curtain, who knows as of yet.
Overall: Optimism.

We've been too free with draft picks, and after several debatable moves they finally made one that was undebatable, spending a 3rd and 4th on Twinkletoes Duckett. Undeniably stupid, and a move that put egg on their faces. In reading over articles and messages around the rest of the league, the overall notion is that no matter what ends up happening with the supposed Bly trade, the Broncos will rape the Redskins. We could grab their best 2 players and their first round pick for the next five years and give up Ade Jimoh's jockstrap and the perception would still be the same.
We have to be more shrewd with our picks. If not to use them ourselves, but to use their full value in acquiring other players. I have no problem including a pick in a deal to get what we need, but as is seen time and again in many trades, a pick is much more valuable than we give it credit for.
Overall: Optimistic, only because I think the shame of the Duckett trade will burn the next time they get so freewheeling with picks.

Last year we fell off considerably after a typical gritty Joe Gibbs style season of 2005. In retrospect the natural flux of the QB position should have tipped us that it would slip a little, but the defense really let the team down. I don't need to repeat it, everyone knows how it went.
Unfortunately unless they philosophically change entirely and go back to the blitzing style that we used in 04 and 05, I'm not so optimistic. If Smoot and Rogers are our starting corners, we better not allow QBs the kind of time they had last year, or we're going to get torched. I never understood why, when we were weak in the secondary, we didn't blitz. GO get the QB, don't give him all day. And with those two as our starters, they don't have the ability to be following receivers around for 5 and 6 seconds.
I love signing London Fletcher, but he's a playmaker beyond the line of scrimmage. We need to get back to making plays behind the line, or I don't see it being much better.
Overall: Pessimism

Offensively, man, what weapons! Moss in unarguably one of the better threats in the NFL, Randel El can shine if given the opportunity, Cooley is outstanding, Portis and Betts are outstanding, the line is strong, even if they lost one piece. I love what I saw out of Campbell last year, especially the little things, He doesn't get rattled, doesn't make the killing mental error. He's got a nice deep ball, could stand to learn to put some zip on the short ball, but his problems seem completely coachable.
Overall: Optimism


So how do you see things?


~Bang

[724Skinsfan]

I agree with a lot of what you say. Overall, I am very optimistic. My big pessimistic view right now deals with the defensive tackle position and what the skins are going to do to stop the run. If they grab Alan Branch then I change to optimist.

Really good thread/post, especially during the off-season!

[SmootSmack]

Awesome post. Let me dissect it before I respond.

[skinsfan_nn]

Simply put. I KNOW Joe wants another RING and so do I!
I think we have a team that is missin just a couple pieces, several have already been found. I really think we are real close to being where we need to be on both sides of the ball.
I think they also, have a business plan in place that we are going to slowly watch this plan unravel, to the GOOD.
THIS GLASS IS ALMOST FULL! COME ON KICKOFF 2007! SKINEM ALL!!!!
P.S. Nice Post

[ncskinsfanec]

If anyone's read any of my post in the last year they would know I'm very optimistic about this team and where it is going! I love the coaching staff (especially a certain Hall of Famer) and the offense progressed nicely this past season. If the defense gets shored up in the offseason, I would be very suprised if we didn't put 10 or 11 wins on the board next season.

[Bill B]

What about depth on both sides of the ball. I love our starters on the offensive line but last year we barely had any injuries to deal on the offensive line. If we resign Todd Wade and get a starting guard and one more backup Guard/center I'll be happy.

On defense I am pretty much in agreement to work up front and go back from there.

[SkinEmAll]

Originally Posted by skinsfan_nn

Simply put. I KNOW Joe wants another RING and so do I!
I think we have a team that is missin just a couple pieces, several have already been found. I really think we are real close to being where we need to be on both sides of the ball.
I think they also, have a business plan in place that we are going to slowly watch this plan unravel, to the GOOD.
THIS GLASS IS ALMOST FULL! COME ON KICKOFF 2007! SKINEM ALL!!!!
P.S. Nice Post

I dont recall you getting permission to use my name.
jj!

[EARTHQUAKE2689]

Originally Posted by SkinEmAll

I dont recall you getting permission to use my name.
jj!

i didnt use your name

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by EARTHQUAKE2689

i didnt use your name

He wasn't even quoting you

[skinsguy]

Someone using my name?

[Crat92]

I feel what you're sayin on the blitzing tip, but I can also understand why they didn't. Had they blitzed more, the secondary would have REALLY been torched due to various injuries. GW felt that they had a better chance by sitting back in coverage. They still got torched! So there in lies the problem. You're damned if you do , and damned if you don't!

[SkinEmAll]

Originally Posted by EARTHQUAKE2689

i didnt use your name

was that supposed to be a joke? or were you being serious?

[BangCartoon]

Originally Posted by Crat92

I feel what you're sayin on the blitzing tip, but I can also understand why they didn't. Had they blitzed more, the secondary would have REALLY been torched due to various injuries. GW felt that they had a better chance by sitting back in coverage. They still got torched! So there in lies the problem. You're damned if you do , and damned if you don't!

Yeah, but if youi're damned no matter what, take no prisoners.
I know the old axiom is "live by the blitz, die by the blitz". But if you don't even try to live, you're bound to die anyway.


~Bang

[BeastsoftheNFCeast]

Im optomistic about our offense with the two back system and campbell getting more practice, but I'm pesamistic about our defense. Right now it just seems like there are too many holes and not enough studs. We can fix some of this with the draft or a trade, but I feel that there are too many holes that even if we try to patch it all up, there will still be a few leaks. I feel we need to get a 2nd safety, I think our DTs are weak, I feel we only have one DE, I am not sold on Smoot, he needs to prove himself before I recognize him, Springs is injury prone, Fletcher will be good, but he is 32 so he will just get worse and worse every year so I feel he will not be as solid as he was last year, McIntosh needs to prove himself, and Rogers needs to dramatically step up his game.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by BangCartoon

Yeah, but if youi're damned no matter what, take no prisoners.
I know the old axiom is "live by the blitz, die by the blitz". But if you don't even try to live, you're bound to die anyway.


~Bang

Good thread.

I think it's a smart move by Grilliams to try to get away from the blitz. It's a useful tool in getting pressure on the QB, but it can not create sustained success for a defense over a long period of time. If you have a crappy DL (like we did), blitzing gives you a chance to get some pressure on the QB. But it doesn't matter how good your cover guys are, eventually they are going to get beat.

Unfortunately for Williams, we got zero pressure on the QB last year. Our D Line was just not very strong across the board. They weren't good vs. the run or the pass.

Next year's line isn't going to be much better. However, our biggest cover issue was the linebackers not getting to the underneath routes, and we did fix that issue by bringing in LF. I believe the safety issue will stabilize itself with the return of Prioleau and a healthy Archuleta. So this leaves two key's for the defense to return to dominance:

1) Carlos Rogers must emerge as a shutdown corner
2) Griffin and Saleve'a must improve their level of play across the board

About the first, I'm not so sure it will ever happen. Carlos is a great tackler and we need him on the field to play the outside run. But he's never going to be a great man to man shutdown corner vs. great receivers.

The second is unlikely to happen also. I think Saleve'a has to get more playing time. He's a better player than Golston or Montgomery right now. But that No. 6 pick is our ace in the hole. If we bring in a guy like Amobi Okoye, he can force the players ahead of him to raise their game. If they can not take there game to the next level, we could very well start Okoye as a rookie.

Because of the massive need for DL improvement, im pessimistic about our defensive chances.

Offensively it all starts with the running game. Right now, we don't have the personel at guard and at TE to improve the running game. If we don't satisfactorily fill these positions, our running game will likely regress.

But the passing game will improve. Campbell will cut down his interception and bad decision rates as the season goes on and Cooley and Moss will make big plays after the catch. We really can't suffer any more from luck on the offensive end either. How many times last year did you see otherwise successful drives fizzle on the edge of our kickers' short FG range, only for us to punt the football. This simply wont happen as often. If our offense didn't improve any, we'd still put up more point. Because of this, I'm quite optimistic.

BTW, loved the latest Bang Cartoon.