Washington Redskins: 5 Reasons to Have Faith in Mike Shanahan

Before Mike Shanahan, Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway and the Denver Broncos were the butt of many jokes.

Q:  How does John Elway eat his cereal?

A:  Out of the box because he lost all his bowls.

Q:  How many Denver Broncos does it take to change a flat tire?

A:  One, unless it's a blowout, then the whole team shows up.

Shanahan's arrival quickly changed all the nonsense.  Denver pulled off an unexpected win over Brett Favre and the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers.

The Broncos would repeat as champions, and John Elway rode off into the sunset, no longer as the guy who couldn't win the big one, but as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.

Denver was good before Mike Shanahan, but it was Shanahan who led them to greatness, twice.

Here are some more reasons why Washington Redskins fans can be optimistic.

1. Shanahan Has Rebounded from a 6-10 Season Before

The following season after winning back-to-back Super Bowl titles, Mike Shanahan found himself in unfamiliar territory.

The Broncos struggled out of the gate losing their first four contests on their way to a 6-10 season.  There were plenty of reasonable explanations for the decline of a team that went 14-2 the season before.

The important thing to know is that Mike Shanahan had his back against the wall.  He had been at the top, and now he was at the bottom. 

The following year in 2000, the Broncos rebounded to an 11-5 season and a wild-card birth. 
They would lose to the eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens.

If anything, it does show that Shanahan knows how to coach with an unproven quarterback and without the star power of John Elway, Terrell Davis and Mark Schlereth.

2. Mike Knows the Ground Game

Throughout his 14-year tenure with the Denver Broncos, the lowest his team ever ranked in total rushing yards was 12th.  That is quite amazing also considering they finished in the top five, nine of those years.

The Redskins are building their offensive line as we speak, planning their next moves in free agency.  Shanahan knows what kind of blockers will work best in his scheme and you can count on Bruce Allen to get them.

Shanahan used running backs that were downhill runners and were able to flow with the zone blocking. 

He showed us how people like Mike Anderson, Olandis Gary, Tatum Bell and Reuben Droughns could be 1,000 yard rushers.  Gary was drafted by the Broncos in the fourth round in 1999, gaining 1,000 his rookie campaign. 

Could we see Roy Helu Jr. do the same with the Redskins?

3. Like Father, Like Son

Whether you believe it or not, Mike knows offense.  Before he became head coach with Denver he was the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers.
 
With the Broncos, his team finished in the top five in total yards nine times.  Even more promising is the fact that when the offense had a down year, they were able to improve dramatically the following year.
 
The Broncos went from ranking 22nd in the league in total yards in 2001, moving up to third in 2002.  In 2006 they went from being the 21st ranked offense to 11th the following year. 
 
I have a hard time believing current Shanahan offensive coordinator Kyle has not learned anything from his old man.  Sure he may try his own thing here and there, but the foundation was built by Mike. And Mike has proven he knows offense.

4. Mike Has Help

Shanahan will benefit from a coaching staff that features former head coach, and highly regarded defensive coordinator, Jim Haslett.  The 3-4 transition can be a difficult one, but Haslett knows what kind of personnel he needs. 
 
Dan Snyder loves to spend in free agency, and Bruce Allen is smart enough not to make an Albert Haynesworth mistake twice.
 
Special teams coach Danny Smith is highly regarded and was the only member of Jim Zorn’s coaching staff Shanahan kept.  Several other teams tried to entice him with offers during the offseason, but Smith stayed put.
 
Running backs and assistant head coach Bobby Turner spent 15 years with the Denver Broncos, where, along with Shanahan, led one of the league's best rushing attacks over that time period.

Helping the young receivers is former NFL great Keenan McCardell.  If anyone knows how to get the most out of your talents, it's McCardell, who was a 12th round draft pick.

5. Mike Has an Ego

In the NFL, reputation is everything.  Mike Shanahan has a great one with an ego to match.  He takes great pride in wins and losses but has struggled as of late. 
 
Shanny is well aware of his legacy and will do everything in his power to uphold it.  He will keep trying until the Redskins return to form and won’t take anything less.
 
Don’t believe any of the motormouths telling us he’s only there to pass the buck to his son.  Not only does he desire to be great, but he desires his son to be great as well.
 
Shanahan’s  back-and-forth shenanigans with Albert Haynesworth last year were meant to send a loud message to potential free agents.  Mainly, we are no longer a team where you come to get paid and get special treatment. 

The Redskins expect to work and win.