Washington Redskins Repeating a Regrettable History with Donovan McNabb

The Washington Redskins are no strangers to change at any given time during the season or the offseason. Owner Dan Snyder is as mercurial as they come in terms of how he handles the team, and it shows in the relative lack of success since he assumed ownership in 1999. This season was no different as Snyder hired an experienced head coach, new defensive coordinator and brought in a proven veteran quarterback.

Those who forget their history are doomed to repeat it, and repeat it the Redskins have.

It was 2004 that saw Snyder bring three-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Joe Gibbs back into the league to give the Redskins an experienced head coach. To coach the defense, the Redskins brought in Gregg Williams, who had experience as defensive coordinator with the Tennessee Titans and head coach with the Buffalo Bills. Then the team traded for longtime Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mark Brunell to have a veteran to lead the offense.

Tell me this doesn't sound exactly like the offseason the Redskins just put together?

This offseason saw Snyder bring two-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Mike Shanahan back into the league to give the Redskins an experienced head coach. To coach the defense, the Redskins hired Jim Haslett, who had experience as defensive coordinator with the Pittsburgh Steelers and head coach with the New Orleans Saints. Then the team traded for longtime Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb to have a veteran offense.

Snyder went from treating the Redskins like his personal fantasy team to a game of mad-libs. The similarities get even eerier upon further review, especially between Brunell and McNabb.

When Brunell came to Washington, he was a ripe 33 years old and turned 34 a few days after the season started. McNabb is currently 33 and turns 34 later this month. Brunell's career passer rating is 83.9, McNabb's is 81.9. Brunell's career completion percentage is 59.5, McNabb's is 58.9.

Numbers only paint part of the picture, but they are hardly dismissible in this context. Two different players following similar paths to one team and achieving similar results.

In Brunell's first season with Washington, his play was mediocre and highlighted by inaccuracy and a general look of oldness. He was a weathered 34, and it was apparent from the start of the season. McNabb's season thus far is following the same script, down to the leg injuries hampering his mobility and his midseason benching in favor of a "better" option.

Through eight games, Brunell managed an awful 49 percent completion percentage. McNabb is better through eight games, but still completing just 57.4 percent of his passes. Both dealt with offensive line woes, a spotty running game and no-name receivers.

Brunell lost his job to Patrick Ramsey. Is McNabb on his way to losing his job to Rex Grossman?

Perhaps it is too soon to think the McNabb has lost his grasp on the starting job for the Redskins, but it isn't like we haven't seen it happen before. Heading into a bye week will only add to the growing doubt that McNabb will be the unquestioned starter for the rest of the season.

Much like Brunell, McNabb is taking the blame for the failures of the team around him.

Both quarterback looked erratic to start their careers with Washington. They also had a number of passes dropped by receivers. Sure-handed players like Chris Cooley and Santana Moss have routinely let passes slip through their hands.

It also doesn't help that their timing was marred by poor offensive line play that currently has McNabb looking over his shoulder and rushing even the most routine of throws.

After 10 games, Brunell had thrown seven touchdowns against six interceptions. McNabb is eight games into the season and has seven touchdowns against eight interceptions. So where does it stop being an issue of surrounding talent and start being a problem with McNabb?

It is easy to place blame on the quarterback, because he is supposed to be the leader of the team. The issue fans had with Jason Campbell was that he wasn't, among other things, a vocal leader.

The Redskins faithful saw McNabb as the savior of the franchise. He may be an older player, but he has experience playing with an array of talent, both good and bad. The pessimists saw it as another fantasy football-esque move by an increasingly desperate and clueless owner. The realists saw his arrival as having the potential to turn things around, but it was still Washington and no one player can make that big of a difference.

The Redskins are 4-4 and look less and less like a playoff team and more and more like a .500 team. McNabb has only succeeded in achieving last year's win total in half as many games.

The Redskins are lucky they have their bye week this week, as they can spend the off week letting the McNabb/starting quarterback talk die down and focus on what matters most. Winning games is everyone's top priority, but Washington has proven more than adept at making victories secondary to the latest player tantrum, owner-meddling and minutia of coaching decisions. McNabb is Mark Brunell 2.0 and the Redskins will be lucky if he comes back for a second year.