Unlike years past in DC, fans do not have to scramble for a newly acquired, marquee player's jersey before making the trip to Redskins training camp in Ashburn.
For one offseason at least, the 'Skins stayed quiet and built through the draft. True, a new coaching staff has arrived, but this appears to be a welcomed change, according to players like star running back Clinton Portis.
Now is the time to really break down this team and see what they need to do to make the jump from a wild-card team to a Super Bowl team.
1. Jason Campbell must step-up his game.
The heaviest load will fall upon young quarterback Jason Campbell. He must make the transition to the West Coast offense, which I feel suits his abilities well. He has plenty of weapons at his disposal and now is time for him to become more than a game manager. He now must become a game winner.
Too many times last year Campbell let victory slip away and this is the year he has to make the throws he failed to make in key situations last year.
2. The offensive line must remain healthy.
The OL have some quality depth, but the starters are among the finest in the league. To run the ball well, there must be consistency in the trenches, so guys like Randy Thomas and Jon Jansen must come back strong.
3. LaRon Landry has to play free safety.
The acquisition of Stuart Schweigert led defensive coordinator Greg Blache to suggest that Landry might move back to strong safety, but anyone who watched Landry play last year saw his amazing transformation once he stepped into the FS spot. To get the most out of this defense, the 'Skins have to play Landry at FS.
4. Clinton Portis needs to improve.
Portis says this new system fits his style, and let's hope he can back that up. Portis has been quality back, but has never been the player he was in Denver. Maybe the coaching change will help him revert to his old form.
5. Jim Zorn needs to prove himself.
Zorn must prove he can handle the pressure. Being an NFL head coach requires endless preparation, and fans will quickly come to know whether Zorn has been putting his time in. Zorn has been around the NFL for a long time, but this is new territory for him. Thus far, he has handled himself well, but he has only been through the easy part of his journey.
6. Receiver drops have to be eliminated.
The receivers were very under-productive last year, and whenever Campbell got into the rhythm, they would drop passes. These lapses can't happen if the team wants to win. It cost them several games last year (see Tampa Bay and Green Bay), and it is the sign of a team that really isn't ready to be a big-time contender.
This team is a big question mark for me. I know they have talent, but I have seen them underachieve my whole life. If Zorn and Campbell get on the right page, then this team could go a long ways, but Campbell has yet to prove he can win pressure packed games.
Hopefully the team can capitalize on its weapons and have a great season, but I, for one, see another 9-7 wild-card team. And that's not enough to be labeled a great season.
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3 months ago
I wish I shared your optimism about the 9-7 season. As a huge Redskins fan I would happily accept the guarantee that the Redskins will go 9-7 because, in disagreement with your article, that would be an amazing...ill say it again...amazing season. No team that is installing the West Coast offense has ever, in my reading, gone over .500 in the first season (if you can find something to disprove it, please show me). Bill Walsh himself went a pitiful 2-14 in his first season so if Zorn can pull it off it will be a testament to how great of a coach he is...but he is a first time head coach, not even with the experience of a coodinator and I think a 6-10/7-9 season is more in line with how this team will do.
3 months ago
Yeah this is a concern and I can see your points, but the defense will be in practically the same hands and was ranked in the top ten last season. Though it won't be as good, it will still keep us in games. And in the NFL that can lead to wins.
3 months ago
Keeping the continuity on Defense (with Blache) was key. They're going to need to keep the Skins in the game for the first half of the season. The other factor that will help is that the coaching staff is keeping the running game virtually unchanged. Unless I've misheard Zorn... The two big questions are simply the passing game under the new WC Offense and game management as a whole. If just one of the two big WRs can provide a significant contribution from maybe mid-season on and if we can keep delay penalties and timeout fiascos to a minimum.... Well, 9-7 probably wouldn't be a bad guess. More than anything else, the schedule concerns me. It's a killer, both starting and ending the season.
3 months ago
I have heard Portis gush about the differences in the running game, but I think it just involves allowing Portis to do more of his own thing as opposed to running in a system...Not really a big change but one that could make Portis a better player. The schedule will be tough, but if we make the play-offs we will have already been tested.
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