Washington Redskins: 5 Offensive Scheme Changes the Redskins Will Make in 2012

After witnessing a 5-11 season, it's easy for us Redskins fans to look back on the year and identify everything the team should have done differently. As the saying goes, everything is easier in hindsight. 

But I have a feeling that head coach Mike Shanahan and his staff are doing just that—looking back on the season that was and confirming that the Redskins may need more than just an upgrade of players. 

A top priority for the Redskins is obviously the addition of new players, and with new players comes the freedom to create new plays, adjust playbooks and alter schemes on both sides of the ball. 

Taking into account what we saw last season—and the anticipated arrival of fresh faces—Redskins fans can expect some new and improved looks for next year. 

If any of this comes off as too obvious, I apologize. Redskins fans can relate. 

Turnover Margin

We yell about it every year, and it's far from rocket science, yet the Redskins appear to be a team that doesn't like to boast a decent turnover margin. 

Although the Redskins desperately need to increase their morbid interception total (13), no one can get on them too much for their 17 forced fumbles in 2011. The problem, however, were the 24 interceptions—good for second-worst in the NFL. 

It's no secret that Rex Grossman was, and still is, a turnover machine. My personal opinion is that he isn't back at all next season, especially after his ridiculous comments referring to a "damn good 5-11." Whether we see Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson or Matt Flynn starting at quarterback next season for the Redskins, I'd be willing to bet that the quarterback play will be improved and his interception total will be under 20. 

Bottom line: a -14 turnover margin will very rarely get your team to the playoffs. 

Completion Percentage

I swear this won't all be about how much I disapprove of Rex Grossman as a starting quarterback in the NFL, but while we're on the topic, it's important to note an interesting find. 

Of all the teams that made the playoffs this season, only two had quarterback completion percentages below 60 (Denver and Baltimore). 

That's not to say that a team's success rate relies solely on a quarterback's precision, but I believe it's safe to say that it's an important piece of the puzzle. And for the Redskins, their 58.5 percent doesn't necessarily have the support of a Broncos or Ravens defense. 

Whether an increase in completion percentage is a result of changing the quarterback, the receivers, the positional coaches or a combination of all three, the Redskins have to do something about it. And to ease the anticipation jitters, fans can count on a new quarterback, the return of Leonard Hankerson (who looked good in limited time last season), at least one new receiver (via the draft or free agency) and Ike Hilliard has already been hired to take over as wide receivers coach following the firing of Keenan McCardell. 

*The Cincinnati Bengals also finished with a sub-60 completion percentage but were unable to advance past the wild-card game, thus keeping them out of this slide. 

Where Are the Touchdowns?

Quick! Name an embarrassing statistic that the Redskins apparently took pride in last season!

Tough task, huh? There's so many to name. But I think I'm going to go with the Redskins' miserable 18 points per game, which was better than only Tampa Bay, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Cleveland, Kansas City and St. Louis. And the Redskins had the "veteran" quarterback on their team. 

As promised, I won't continue to bash Grossman. In all honesty, it doesn't matter how the points get on the board, but the Redskins need more. 

Of Grossman's 16 touchdown passes this season, 15 were completions in the end zone. Is that Grossman's fault? Not really. I think it attests more to how bad the Redskins need offensive playmakers.

Although Roy Helu has shown signs of explosiveness and the spliff-smoking Fred Davis has demonstrated his ability to make plays after the catch, there are few guys on the Redskins roster that have the skill set or motive to really break something wide-open. After seeing both Super Bowl teams rank in the top 10 in scoring, the Redskins shouldn't waste any time trying to acquire a playmaker in order help their offense. 

Just a few playmakers to keep an eye on in April's upcoming draft: Robert Griffin III, Justin Blackmon, Trent Richardson, Kendall Wright and David Wilson. 

Ike Hilliard to the Rescue

This is kind of a piggy-back on the last slide, but it's deserving enough. 

If you follow me on Twitter—and you totally should—then you know all about my in-game tweets. Although it's usually friendly criticism of my one true love, the Redskins have been known to get under my skin a bit. And if there's one thing that really annoyed me in 2011, it was the lack of YAC. 

When receivers catch the ball, the plays are really made depending on their yards after the catch. A catch is nice, but it's what happens immediately after the catch that makes the game.

For the Redskins last season, Santana Moss led all wide receivers with just 203 yards after the catch.

If you watch Redskins games, this lack of YAC by Washington receivers looks identical to a complete lack of effort. If the ball wasn't thrown into the end zone, then a completed pass that was short of the goal line had no chance of actually crossing it.

Can new wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard install a new motor in the receiver corps and start the damn thing?

Note: I really like our young guys — Niles Paul, Leonard Hankerson and Terrence Austin. 

Solidify the Kicker

Nothing personal against Graham Gano, but he has to be on the hot seat. 

I'd like to vow for him and give him another year, but if Gano can't impress in camp, then the Redskins may be forced to ship him. 

Even with the well-respected Danny Smith handling the special teams, the Redskins aren't necessarily known for having consistent and/or half-decent kickers. Changing such would be nice. 

Imagine what it would feel like to have your kicker come out and you having the opportunity to say to yourself, "Oh he's got this."

If you tell me that you've said that about any Redskins kicker over the last five or six years, then I'm totally comfortable with calling you a liar. 

Your football team should have a kicker that's better than 75 percent. The 27 other teams with more accurate kickers than the Redskins will probably say the same thing.