Washington Redskins Year in Review: Handing out Best of and Worst of Awards

Now that the dust has settled on the Washington Redskins 2011 campaign, the opportunity is presented to look back on the highs and lows of the season.

Admittedly, in a 5-11 year, there can't be as many highs as lows overall. But there were some positive moments during the season for the Redskins and some hope for the future.

The problems that many feared would derail the team heading into the campaign did exactly that. After 16 games, remedying these issues remains a top priority for the coaching staff.

Here are 10 best and worst of awards to commemorate the 2011 regular season for the Washington Redskins.

The Categories

The awards have been based on six simple categories. These categories are an attempt to cover the essential areas of the Redskins team and the impact they had on the season.

The first category is Best and Worst Team Performance. These distinctions are awarded based on the two most notable collective efforts of the season.

The second category is Best and Worst Individual Performance: These awards go to the single efforts that made the biggest contribution to the outcome of a game.

The third category is Best and Worst Performing Rookie: A revelation of the high and low point of the Redskins 2011 draft class.

The fourth category is Best and Worst Performing Free Agent: Highlighting money well spent by the Redskins front office and money that was simply wasted.

The fifth category is Best and Worst Positional Unit: An assessment of the positional groups that either shined or flopped throughout the season.

The sixth and final category is Best and Worst Coaching Job: Awarding and shaming two prominent members of the coaching staff.

Hopefully, these categories will provide a full range of the finest and most pitiful aspects of the Redskins 5-11 campaign.

Worst Team Performance: At Buffalo Bills, Week 8

Out of 11 defeats, there were obviously plenty of candidates for this award. But the 23-0 shutout suffered at the hands of the Buffalo Bills has to rank as the worst team performance of the Redskins season.

The game was notable for the 10 sacks the feeble offensive line surrendered against a mediocre Buffalo Bills defense that usually struggles to get to the quarterback.

On the rare occasions he was afforded the time to throw, John Beck proved that Mike Shanahan's gamble of pinning his team's hopes on a career backup was one of the most ill-advised decisions of his career.

The defense tried hard, but the 120 rushing yards they allowed from Fred Jackson was just one of many examples of the unit's inability to stop the run.

Having entered the game at 3-3, this defeat showed just how much trouble the Redskins were in. From this point on, the team's prospects looked bleak, and many were resigned to expecting the worse.

Best Team Performance: At New York Giants, Week 15

The completion of a rare season sweep of perennial tormentors the New York Giants easily takes the award for best team performance of the season.

The Redskins travelled to MetLife Stadium to take on a Giants team looking to seal the division crown and secure a playoff spot.

The G-men were desperate for the win, but instead found themselves beaten to the punch by a Redskins team that out-fought and out-thought them on both sides of the ball.

The Redskins stunned the Giants faithful by dominating every phase of the game. The key to this great victory was the simple and measured play calling.

The usually blitz-happy Washington defense adopted a read and react approach and the offensive staff resisted their constant urge to go to the pass and instead relied on a determined running game.

The Redskins stuck to their formula and stayed patient. The clock eating, ball control offense and safe, conservative defense, perfectly complimented each other.

This was how the Redskins should have played all season and showed what was possible when the coaches designed game plans suited to the personnel instead of trying to force through favoured systems.

Worst Individual Performance: Rex Grossman vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Week 6

Rex Grossman's four-interception horror show in Week 6 confirmed the worst fears many had regarding the mistake-prone quarterback heading into the season.

The former Chicago Bear was at his generous best and gifted the game to the Philadelphia Eagles with a litany of costly errors.

Grossman hurled four picks in three quarters, including three to unknown safety Kurt Coleman. Grossman's penchant for turning the ball over always made him a disaster waiting to happen.

Unfortunately, this crucial divisional showdown highlighted the pattern of blunders that would plague the Redskins offense, and Grossman in particular, all season.

The defeat led to Grossman's benching and John Beck's woeful tenure under center. Grossman's four interceptions derailed the season and set the team on the path to yet another losing campaign.

Best Individual Performance: Roy Helu vs. Seattle Seahawks, Week 12

Rookie runner Roy Helu's breakout performance in Week 12 gave the Redskins all the offense they needed to secure an impressive road win over the Seattle Seahawks.

Helu totalled 30 touches and recorded 162 combined yards from scrimmage. The youngster capped his great day with a spectacular run and hurdle for a 28-yard score.

The win snapped a six-game losing streak and generated brief, but real excitement that the Redskins had unearthed a genuine playmaker with big time talent.

Helu built on this incredible showing and is now one of the few reasons for optimism on this Redskins team.

Worst Performing Rookie: Leonard Hankerson

It was a rookie year to forget for ex-Miami Hurricanes standout Leonard Hankerson. The first year pass catcher took his time to adapt to the Redskins offense and ended the season on injured reserve.

It's not so much poor quality performances which brought Hankerson this dubious honour. Instead, it is the tremendous frustration exemplified by his struggles that landed Hankerson on this list.

Many, including this author, were expecting big things from a player widely considered to be an absolute steal when the Redskins selected him in the third round of the draft.

But Hankerson seemed to take an age to break into the team, and every week waiting for him to emerge only added to the irritation.

When he finally did begin to make an impact, Hankerson gave Redskins fans a tantalising glimpse of what they had been missing.

But just as he seemed set to become the Redskins most explosive offensive weapon, Hankerson was ruled out for the season with injury.

In yet more frustration for both player and the fans, Hankerson disappeared from the team as quickly as he had appeared.

Hopefully, Hankerson can enjoy a productive offseason and begin the 2012 campaign in spectacular fashion.

Best Performing Rookie: Ryan Kerrigan

His quick adaptation to the 3-4 and solid consistency throughout the season make Ryan Kerrigan a natural choice as the best-performing rookie of the Redskins 2011 draft class.

The former Purdue star managed a speedy and effective transition to the 3-4. This schematic switch has confused more than a few Redskins veterans.

But Kerrigan started brightly and maintained his high performance levels all season. He exploded onto the season with a spectacular tip, interception and touchdown return combination against the New York Giants on opening day.

Kerrigan finished second on the team with 7.5 sacks and eagerly took to his responsibility to make plays in space and learn coverage concepts.

Kerrigan has displayed the kind of attitude and playmaking skills that makes him essential to the team's hopes for the future.

Worst Performing Free Agent: Chris Chester

Given what was expected from Chris Chester, it's hard to look past the former Baltimore Raven as the most disappointing free agent to join the Redskins in 2011.

Chester was supposed to solidify the right side of Washington's offensive line. But instead, he contributed to making it one of the weakest single areas on the Redskins team.

Chester was sluggish for the majority of the season. He looked unable to physically dominate defenders and struggled handling the nuances of pass protection.

The Redskins staff has the right to expect much better from a player as athletically gifted as Chester in 2012.

Best Performing Free Agent: Jabar Gaffney

Jabar Gaffney narrowly beat out Barry Cofield to earn the award as the best performing free agent for the Redskins in 2011.

Not much was expected of the journeyman pass catcher when he was acquired in a low-key trade with the Denver Broncos.

But the 31-year old flanker was a pleasant surprise, putting together a solid and consistent season. Gaffney finished just 53 short of 1,000 receiving yards and scored a team-high five touchdowns.

The 6'2" 200-pounder snared a club-leading 68 passes and proved to be a reliable and effective weapon all season long.

An intelligent route runner with a good understanding of the system, Gaffney should be given the opportunity to maintain his position as a key member of the offense.

Worst Position Group: Quarterbacks

The Redskins' fortunes in 2011 were always going to be tied to how well their quarterbacks managed to perform.

Unfortunately, the position group was a disaster for much of the campaign. Things began badly when John Beck failed to beat out Rex Grossman in Preseason.

Before the real action even began, the Redskins had been forced into a change. Grossman started well, but his turnover jinx soon made an unwelcome appearance.

When he was benched in favour of Beck, it seemed as though it was the perfect opportunity for the Redskins to have the kind of offense they had wanted all along.

But instead, Beck floundered badly. The offense was less capable than when Grossman was at the helm, and the team could not manage a single win with Beck in the lineup.

Grossman returned, but the damage to the season had been done. The veteran still posted some good numbers, but remained incapable of shaking off his bad habits and continued to turn the ball over.

The clamour for the Redskins to select a quarterback with their first pick in the draft has reached fever pitch. Based on the shoddy performances of 2011's participants, that desire is certainly justified.

Best Position Group: Running Backs

The Redskins' 2011 running back group produced three 100-yard rushers at different times during the season and contains two definite stars for the future.

Mid-round rookies Roy Helu and Evan Royster were the highlights of the Redskins offense in 2011. Helu rushed for over 100 yards in three consecutive games, and Royster capped the year with two straight similar efforts.

The zone-blocking scheme has been the sole success of the Shanahan era so far and ensured that the Redskins could rely on a strong running game throughout the season.

Even the overrated Tim Hightower began the campaign in fine form, and the injury-prone Ryan Torain posted 135 yards in a win over the St. Louis Rams.

With a running game capable of dominance, the Redskins should be in contention in every game they play.

Given the effectiveness of their scheme and the talent and potential of Helu and Royster, it is an absolute crime that the Redskins chose to ignore the run so often this season.

Worst Coaching Performance: Kyle Shanahan

Kyle Shanahan's insistence on skewing his play calling heavily in favour of the pass baffled and infuriated Redskins fans all season long.

It's still difficult to fathom why Shanahan refused to design game plans that would offset the troubles and inconsistencies at quarterback.

With a shaky signal caller, relying on the run was always going to be the safest, smartest option. But Shanahan consistently moved away from the ground game, even when it was working.

Putting the ball in the air 30-plus times with a quarterback noted for turnovers was a recipe for disaster. Shanahan seemed determined to call the same kind of offense he ran with the Houston Texans despite the distinct absence of Andre Johnson and Matt Schaub calibre players.

The irony is that Kyle Shanahan actually designs some clever and outstanding plays. But it is the lack of balance in the pattern of his play calling that confounded and frustrated all year.

Best Coaching Performance: Jacob Burney

Defensive line guru Jacob Burney has been the outstanding assistant coach for the Redskins in 2011. After having to endure the Albert Haynesworth fiasco in 2010, Burney has slowly and carefully constructed a stout three-man front in D.C.

Despite losing highly promising rookie Jarvis Jenkins for the year before the season even began, Burney has put together a powerful and aggressive group that spearheaded the defensive improvement.

Burney took 4-3 veteran Barry Cofield and moulded him into an effective 3-4 nose tackle. Cofield was approaching a level of dominance towards the end of the season and now demands double teams on a regular basis.

Burney also deserves credit for the continued improvement made by Adam Carriker. The former St. Louis Ram is one of the few players who has relished the Redskins' switch to a 3-4.

The 6'6" 315-pounder is now a disruptive 2-gap defensive end. Carriker notched 5.5 sacks for the season and looks like a natural fit for the scheme.

In addition to the starters, Burney oversaw a respectable rookie season for seventh-round draft choice Chris Neild, who proved himself a capable deputy for Cofield.

With the return of Jenkins and maybe the addition of another talented lineman in the draft, Burney should produce one of the best three man fronts in the league in 2012.

The Best of Winners Are the Building Blocks for a Successful 2012

By carefully and sensibly utilising the positives from the winners of the "Best of" awards on this list, the Redskins can create a winner in 2012.

Roy Helu and Jabar Gaffney provide the offense with two effective weapons, and Helu in particular has the potential to post monster numbers next season.

Ryan Kerrigan's efforts combined with the collective skills of the stout defensive line forms the foundation of a potentially devastating front seven.

The key for the Redskins is to harness and use these positive attributes correctly. The performance on the road against the Giants is the end result the coaching staff should strive for. 2012's team should be assembled and designed with this type of performance in mind.

The playmaking ability of the defensive line affords the defense the luxury of not having to send multiple blitzers to generate pressure. The skills of Helu and Royster should make them the focal point of next season's offense.

The Shanahan-Allen regime has to do a better job in 2012 of complimenting the talented personnel already in place.