Washington Redskins

The truth is, when your team in winning, life is boring.  Really.  If we were 11-2 like the Giants, all we’d see on the boards are 53 threads titled ‘We’re so awesome!’.  I’m old enough to remember the ’91 season (I’m older that that, actually), and as fun as it was to know – not think, but know – that you were going to crush everyone, it also got a bit old.  Am I saying that I would prefer to be 7-6, or even 0-13, rather than 11-2?  Not at all.  Am I saying that the Redskins should continue to strive for mediocrity, just so we can have something to argue about?  Heck no.  Am I comfortable asking myself questions?  Not really, in fact it is a bit weird.

Since we’re not 11-2, the debate seems to center around who is to blame for this quickly deteriorating season.  There’s the vocal Jason Campbell camp, who is running on the platform of missed reads, a slow release, and that they can’t understand what it is he’s saying in interviews.  A small radical group also wants Colt Brennan to show what he’s got.  Then you have the folks who believe that the offensive and defensive lines are to blame, based on that whole ‘can’t seem to block anyone or apply pressure’ manifesto.  They also seem to think that age is a factor.  There’s also the group that blames the coaching staff.  How can JC throw or the line block if we’re only sending two guys out into the pattern, with 5 DBs?  And if I can predict that we’ll run on second down after an incompletion, then chances are the other team can as well.  Lastly, there’s the little-known receivers are to blame movement.  Moss isn’t a number one receiver, where’s Thomas, Kelly and Davis, no one can get any separation are their issues. 

The truth is that blame for the team’s current woes can probably be spread around to everyone – perhaps not equally, but I don’t know if any player or group has played perfectly during this eight-game slide (okay, maybe Ethan Albright).  A team that played above it’s head early, is now underachieving.  And while it’s easy to look for a single solution at a single position, I think the truth is simply that this team needs help in many different areas – help from free agents, help from the draft, help from current players just gaining experience.  And that takes time.  Madden told us on Sunday night that we’re a good team, but not an elite team.  Whatever those early-season wins made us believe, I think that’s the bottom line.  And until we get there, there’s enough blame for everyone.

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Hi there.  I’d ask you if you come here often, to this Redskins bar at the corner of Frustration Street and Disappoinment Avenue, but I’ve seen you here before many times this year, so I know the answer to that question.  I’d prefer to go the Redskins bar at Superexcited Square, which borders Playoff Plaza, but that one seems to be closed a lot lately, and I always find myself here instead.  Here, the lights are low, the music is depressing, and most of you look like you’re drowning your sorrows in your drinks.  I leave here telling myself that I won’t come back here, and yet for the past few weeks, like a battered spouse, I keep returning.

I get paid big bucks here at TheHogs.net to make light of Redskins games, to find the funny that gets squished in between big hits and touchdown catches – and the Redskins are not making my job very easy right now.  The first couple of poor performances had some funny in them, but this isn’t funny anymore.   There are only so many times I can comment on the poor efforts that we see week after week before it gets old (if it hasn’t already). 

The Giants game was discouraging not because of the loss, but because of the effort and execution that was lacking on the field.  A win is a win, and so a loss is just a loss, but this game does nothing to improve anyone’s confidence.  We can’t say that the Redskins played their best game, and simply were defeated by a better team – very easily the best team in the NFL.  Instead, the lackluster Redskins head up north to play a stout Baltimore team that is playing with confidence right now.

We can all agree that something needs to change if we want to leave this part of town, and make our way over to the bar in Superexcited Square.  The lack of effort, lack of confidence and lack of spirit needs to be reversed.  I don’t care of Jim Zorn, Jason Campbell or the waterboy spark the change, but if the Redskins play with this dreary, gray attitude from here to Week 17, they’ll earn a spot on the couch come January.

Before I get into the drivel, please take note that while Plaxico Buress’ situation may seem comical to some, I look at it as a serious issue, and will refrain from making light of it in this blog.  Aside from damaging his career, it also hurts the already injured NFL image, which needs another black mark like it needs another hole in the leg.inflatable camping tent

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If you haven’t heard it enough already, it’s a phrase that you’ll continue to hear up until the game against the Giants this coming Sunday.  On the surface, it’s true.  Sunday’s game against the Seahawks netted another point in the win column for the Redskins.  But it goes a bit deeper than that. 

You can characterize the Seahawks in any manner you please.  They could be a tough team that hung in there and played above their 2-8 record, and it took all of the Redskins’ efforts and talents to beat them back while on the road.  Or they’re a sad excuse of a team, and the clumsy performance by the Redskins almost cost them what should have been an easy win against a team that deserves its 2-8 record. 

I saw what you probably saw – a Redskins team that can’t seem to finish drives or protect the quarterback.  A team that gives up frustrating points in the closing minutes of the half.  A team that seems to lack confidence.  A team that, right now, is not playing well enough to get into the playoffs.  Assuming that we beat Cincinnati, San Francisco and a struggling Eagle team – teams with a combined record of 12-22-1 – that still leaves us at 10 wins, which may not be enough to get a wild-card spot.  We’ll need to either beat the Giants this weekend, or Baltimore next weekend. 

And in order to do that the Redskins will need to step up and win a game where  win is not just a win, but it’s a BIG win.

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