Washington Redskins: The Good and The Bad Through 13 Games
As brutal and disgusting as the Redskins’ loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was on Sunday afternoon, fans really can’t be all that surprised. Clock management was poor, holding continues to be a no-call for the Skins, the special teams unit was atrocious yet again, and Shanahan’s play-calling was reminiscent of the Jim Zorn days (eww).
After losing five of their last six games, the Redskins hold a 5-8 record and are virtually eliminated from playoff contention. Fans appear to be losing hope and the Redskins Nation can do nothing but scratch their heads.
So, where do we go from here?
Bright Spot No. 1: Culture Change
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Much anticipated with the arrival of Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen, the idea of a culture-change in Washington has received mixed reviews. Personally, I’d say Shanny Sr. has the team pointed in the right direction. Standing up to Albert Haynesworth, going hard on all players, and staying loyal to those who commit themselves are all commendable actions of Shanahan so far through 13 games.
With the drafting of new players and the signing of (hopefully) younger free agents, Shanahan’s philosophy will spread and likely plant itself within the entire team. Although it won’t be an overnight miracle, we can be confident that Shanahan will sell his process.
Bright Spot No. 2: Rushing Attack
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Before you rip me to shreds and send me hateful emails, try to hear me out. Statistically, the Redskins ground game is pretty lousy. However, injuries have been a major setback for the entire backfield and the unit itself is deserving of another campaign.
In one of the team’s most unfortunate injuries, veteran Clinton Portis went down and left the offense with minimal experience at the running back position. Portis’ running ability and superb pass-blocking has been missed all year, not to mention my numerous gospels of a huge year for CP this season have made me look stupid.
Ryan Torain then stepped in and gave the team some life. After losing him for a few weeks due to a bad hamstring, Torain returned against the Buccaneers last week and ran for 172 yards on 24 carries. Although injuries make up a large portion of Torain’s football resume, he hasn’t shown any reason why he’s not deserving of a starting job.
Undrafted rookie Keiland Williams has stepped-in on multiple occasions and has been extremely solid. Demonstrating a strong workhorse style of play, Williams looks like he can be a great change-of-pace guy for the Redskins. As a better comparison, Williams reminds me of a running back that Bill Belichick would keep on his roster and love.
Recently-added running back James Davis also appears to be a guy that will stick around with Shanahan for a while. Davis was an electrifying back while at Clemson and his running style goes hand-in-hand with Shanny’s system.
Bright Spot No. 3: The New 3-4 Defensive Scheme
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You either love it or you hate it, but there’s no question that the 3-4 scheme provides a team with a lot more opportunities to force turnovers. And after so many barked and cried that the Redskins needed to revert back to the old 4-3 scheme, they must remember that things will not change overnight. The current defense, although running a 3-4, is operating primarily with 4-3 personnel.
Stay calm people. This defense will be fine. The key, however, is to stick with it and remain consistent.
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Not-So-Bright Spot No. 1: Coaching / Playcalling
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When the team announced that Kyle Shanahan would leave his fantasy-friendly offense in Houston to come join his dad in Washington, Redskins Nation was expecting nothing less than what the Texans had been doing for three years prior. The result, thus far, has been a huge wakeup call.
While I don’t feel all that comfortable criticizing the offense’s output at this point because of injuries and setbacks, I am confident in saying the Shanny Jr. has left me puzzled at times. Not so much that the Redskins have attempted 444 passes and just 264 runs, but more so the plays that are called during certain scenarios. A halfback toss here, a pass shy of the marker there, and everything in between.
I’m not beginning a “Fire Kyle” group or anything (I need to see more), but he’s definitely not on many people’s good side right now.
To go along with odd offensive play-calling, the coaching staff is demonstrating horrible clock management and random quarterback benchings in favor of someone horrible named Rex – leaving me with huge question marks.
Not-So-Bright Spot No. 2: Special Teams
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Danny Smith has received praise for years as being one of the most respected special teams coordinators in the country. But, as great as Mr. Smith may be, when is his bulletproof shield removed? At what point does the head coach look back and determine that the team commits entirely too many blunders on special teams. Hell, even the talents of Brandon Banks are put on hold because the poor kid can’t rip off a big run without having a guy lay out an erroneous block in the back.
I understand that coaches earn the respect of their peers and football entails a lot of loyalty, but in no business is there job security so strong that it allows for numerous mistakes week in and week out.
Although often overlooked as being just a sub-unit for a football team, the special teams is just as major a factor as the offense and defense. Hopefully Shanahan and Company remember that come season’s end.
Not-So-Bright Spot No. 3: Donovan McNabb
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As a huge fan of Donovan McNabb (both as an Eagle and Redskin), I mention his name on this list simply do to unmet expectations.
When the Redskins traded for McNabb back in April, some questioned and others embraced. Now, after 13 games, Redskins Nation is waving the “Off With His Head” sign.
Through 12 games this season, McNabb is posting the worst quarterback rating of his 12-year career with a 75. He has thrown 15 interceptions to just 12 touchdown passes and he’s on pace for the most fumbles in a season for his career. Needless to say, McNabb’s tenure thus far has not been a sturdy one.
In McNabb’s defense, his offensive line is questionable, his receiving targets are minimal, and his accuracy problems shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that has ever watched him play. Unfortunately for Donovan, his leadership cannot be calculated and displayed on a stat sheet.
What should be mentioned, however, is that McNabb’s presence in combination with his tough play has given this ball club two or three wins that they wouldn’t have had under previous reigns. McNabb is the definition of a veteran quarterback.
Conclusion
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Moving on from this point will not be easy and our attention (as fans) should be focused primarily on how the new front office handles it. Will the team build through the draft like so many successful teams do? Or will they revert to old ways and spend entirely too much money on useless space-eaters? Will Dan Snyder keeps his hands out of the cookie jar and his body in the booth? Or will he go above and beyond to make the extra dollar?
For the most part, the team’s remaining schedule will show us nothing more than which players are fighting and which players are laying down. Shanahan and Company should take note of the ‘fighters’ and stick to the original plan that was established when they signed on. This was suppose to be a rebuilding season and that’s exactly what it is. But, like always, us Redskins fans think the regular season will be just as entertaining and successful as the offseason. That’s simply never the case.
Here’s hoping for the turnaround.
HTTR!
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