Redskins On The Warpath...to The Playoffs?

If the old adage of "Offense sells tickets, defense wins championships," is true, then this year's Washington Redskins should be making great strides towards winning their first playoff game since 2005 and possibly their first division title since 1999.

After losing six of their final eight games following a 6-2 start to finish the year at 8-8, the Skins spent the off-season bulking up their defense, adding coveted free-agent Albert Haynesworth from the Tennessee Titans and drafting defensive end Brian Orakpo from Texas with the 13th pick.

These two plays are key cogs to a defensive unit that gave up an average of 17.8 points a game, but allowed over 20 points in seven of sixteen games, going 2-5 over that stretch. 

If the team is to have a chance this year, Haynesworth, Orakpo and the rest of the down and dirty defensive unit will have to step up their effort to keep opponents out of the end zone.

That's not to say that the offense is completely off the hook.  In fact, there is almost more pressure on quarterback Jason Campbell to improve from last year's dismal homestretch, in which offensive production dropped dramatically from 19 points a game through the 6-2 start to only 13.4 during the 2-6 finish.

Unlike the defense, the Skins failed to upgrade their scoring machine, instead relying on Campbell, running back Clinton Portis and star receiver Santana Moss to carry the load once again.  This will be a lot to ask, as all three players are only getting older and their best years might be behind them.

The one intangible this year for Washington will be their strength of schedule.  The bright spot of confidence for the team should be their record within the division and conference from a year ago.  The Skins swept their rival the Philadelphia Eagles to go 3-3 overall in division play and 7-5 in the NFC. 

With the schedule rotating to the historically weak AFC west, the Redskins will take on the likes of the Raiders, Chiefs, Chargers and Broncos instead of last year's bruising AFC North.

If Washington can improve its out of conference record from 1-3 last year, they might be playing in the playoffs instead of watching them from the living room.

In the end, its exactly as Al Pacino once said, "Any Given Sunday." With this team, one play either way could make or break a game, sending them either to the showers or to the big game in Miami in February

With a little bit of luck and a couple plays going their way this year, look for the Redskins to take at least a wild-card spot from the second spot in the NFC East.  Taking at least one game from the NY Giants could also put the team over the top and earn them their first division title in a decade.