7 Reasons the Washington Redskins Will Win the NFC East in 2014
The Washington Redskins are coming off of a 3-13 finish, are sporting a new head coach and have plenty of questions surrounding their ability to compete. However, their division rivals have done very little to separate themselves from the lowly Redskins and could be in for a rude awakening.
The landscape heading into 2014 could be perfect for Washington to go from worst to first.
There is still plenty to be decided between now and the regular season, but the Redskins have the makings of a dark-horse division champion.
Far-fetched as it may seem, here are the reasons the Redskins will win the NFC East in 2014.
Mike Shanahan Is Gone
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Mike Shanahan won back-to-back Super Bowls as head coach of the Denver Broncos. Outside of Denver, and even after his championship victories there, he has done very little.
Shanahan did some good things in Washington. He cleaned up the locker room, drafted Alfred Morris and Trent Williams, and signed quality players in Pierre Garcon and Barry Cofield. But by and large, he was known to be stubborn and controlling in his role as head coach and vice president of football operations.
With Shanahan gone, Robert Griffin III won't be hindered by Shanny's set ways for quarterback development. And the Redskins defense, Jim Haslett included, won't be handcuffed as DeAngelo Hall told a D.C. radio station in a conversation transcribed by Dan Steinberg of The Washington Post.
"No disrespect to Mike Shanahan, he’s a great coach, but he liked to micromanage things," Hall told ESPN 980. "He kind of liked his hands on everything. Jay [Gruden's] kind of like look, I'm gonna let Haz kind of do his thing."
Bruce Allen is the sole general manager. Jay Gruden is the sole head coach. And overall there is more of a cohesive feel to the staff and roster, even this early in Gruden's tenure. Shanahan's fingerprints are still on the roster, and that can't be helped.
But at least now, the Redskins won't be subjected to the facile argument that Shanahan knows what he's doing because he has those two Super Bowls to his name.
Jay Gruden's Experience
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Jay Gruden's resume may lack extensive NFL experience, but includes a distinguished career as a player and coach in the Arena Football League, seven seasons as an offensive assistant under brother Jon in Tampa Bay, two seasons as head coach in the United Football League and three seasons as offensive coordinator in Cincinnati.
The best coaching pedigree doesn't always make the best coach. Gruden's experience outside of the NFL will benefit the Redskins and surprise the NFL.
Gruden's greatest asset is his non-traditional experience, which will aid Robert Griffin III"s development as a quarterback. In addition, his focus on the offensive side of the ball will bring balance to the Redskins.
Consider that Gruden had success with Andy Dalton in a system without a true running back and only one top receiver.
With Griffin's cannon of an arm, Morris' bruising running and the tandem of Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson on the outside, Gruden finally has the players to run a system without having to compromise with anyone else's vision.
Philadelphia Lost DeSean Jackson and Still Has a Suspect Defense
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Chip Kelly's uptempo offense took the NFL by storm in 2013, vaulting the Philadelphia Eagles from a 4-12 team to a 10-6 division champion. The emergence of quarterback Nick Foles, the dynamic play of LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson's dangerous downfield presence were electric.
Foles and McCoy are still with the Eagles, but Jackson, who accounted for 30-percent of Philly's passing yards, is now wearing burgundy and gold.
Riley Cooper had the next most receiving yards for the Eagles with 895 and McCoy was third on the team in receiving yards. Jackson's absence will have a dramatic effect on the Eagles offense. Jeremy Maclin returns but needs to prove he can stay healthy, and any receiver Philadelphia drafts will take time to develop.
On the flip side, the Eagles defense was mediocre in 2013, allowing the fourth-most yards in the NFL, the most passing yards per game and a middling 23.9 points per game.
They added Malcolm Jenkins to fill a need at free safety and Nolan Carroll to upgrade their cornerback depth, but they didn't vastly improve the overall makeup of the unit. The Eagles can still generate turnovers, but their average pass rush doesn't do enough to change games.
The roster has a solid foundation, but failing to upgrade where necessary will leave the Eagles with a high-powered offense and a dead-weight defense.
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New York Is on the Decline
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Eli Manning threw an NFL-worst 27 interceptions in 2013, and has thrown 58 over the last three seasons. While he remains one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL, he makes too many bad decisions to be considered among the elite.
Manning's turnover problems and New York's continued decline don't bode well for Tom Coughlin or a third Super Bowl Run.
The Giants are still a solid team, without question, but solid puts them in the middle of the division, at 8-8 or 7-9, not at the top.
The Giants are in need of a blind-side protector, a receiver to take pressure off of Victor Cruz, a go-to running back and some beef along the defensive line. If their secondary is healthy, with the addition of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, they'll be fine, but their front seven is lacking.
They've signed a number of veterans, but it looks too much like the old team trying to fill needs via free agency, when rebuilding is probably the best solution.
Not to count the Giants out before a single down of football has been played, but they no longer have the makeup of a long-term contender.
Dallas Has Not Improved at All
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Jerry Jones seems to think his Cowboys are doing just fine, even after allowing DeMarcus Ware and Jason Hatcher, two of his best defensive players, to leave via free agency, and doing nothing to give Tony Romo the help he needs on offense.
Romo, who is in the second year of his seven-year $119.5 million contract, has just Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray to work with thus far.
The offense will find a way to work, even without Miles Austin, but the defense is still atrocious.
The Cowboys signed Henry Melton, which hardly makes up for losing two excellent veteran defensive linemen, particularly for the worst defense in the NFL in 2013.
Every bit of the Dallas defense was porous, and the Cowboys' solution was to shed talent? It is understandable to want to get younger, and perhaps this is the first step in Jones rebuilding his roster.
If that's the case, Romo and the Cowboys are going to have a rough year, and the Redskins can only benefit from it.
Receiving Corps Significantly Improved
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The addition of Andre Roberts via free agency was considered a smart, if underwhelming, offseason move. With the receiving corps lacking dependability after Pierre Garcon, Roberts was at least a better second receiving option than anyone else on the depth chart.
Then DeSean Jackson hit the market after being released by the Philadelphia Eagles, and Washington promptly signed him.
By himself, Garcon was doing great things for the 'Skins, but that wasn't going to fly over the long haul. Jackson's presence immediately changes the Redskins offensive capabilities. Garcon can excel anywhere on the field, but is great at creating yards after the catch.
Jackson is the deep threat that will open the rest of the field up for Garcon, Roberts out of the slot and tight end Jordan Reed.
Opposing defenses will have to decide which receiver demands their top corner. When both are capable of hurting them, the decision is difficult.
Robert Griffin III Will Be Healthy
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Robert Griffin III may have been fully healed by the time the 2013 season started, but he wasn't completely healthy. He wasn't planting and driving through his throws. He wasn't making dynamic cuts on his runs. And he was out of sync with seemingly everyone on the field.
Following his second major knee surgery, his mind wasn't right to be starting.
Fast forward, he's more than one year removed from his surgery and looks every bit as electrifying as he did when he won the Heisman at Baylor and through his Rookie of the Year season.
A healthy RGIII went 5-1 in the division in 2012, and that was with minimal receiving help and a questionable offensive line.
A healthy RGIII will light up the division in 2014, which will now have to deal with DeSean Jackson as well as Pierre Garcon, Jordan Reed, Alfred Morris and Andre Roberts.
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