The season is just around the corner.I'm getting so excitied.I have not been like this in years.The truth is I think we have a really good shot of making it into the playoffs this year.I can see some key things that are hopefully going to be enough to pull it off.The adding of speed at our w.r. core is got to be big.I hope to see the blitzing teams get burned with some deep pass plays.Patrick ramsey's Q.b. play should improve this year.Gibbs being smart enough to try and add new things to a 1992 offense scheme,not saying that it's bad but it just needs to be tweaked for the today's blitz packages.The o-line must dominate and play well and stay healthy.I would really like to see betts get the ball more this year.Im not trying to take away from portis he is the best back, but I want to see the team do everthing they can to throw the defense off.Who says you just got to have one good running back.I want to see both portis and betts having a 5.0 yrd per carry average.The special teams play should also be better because of speed being added.I can just see these things, being enough to spark our offense in the right direction.Ramsey needs to develop with the w.r. core fast because we can't afford another season looking like last year.I think one of our key victories in the early season is got to be against dallas.Parcells has had the better of gibbs and the cowboys just in general have had the better of the skins.We need the win for the confidence level.The next big target is the eagles.We need to put them in their place.Our division rivals our are biggest keys and getting a winning record back at home.The defense needs to keep it up also.I hope to see a year like the last one but if they can keep it in the top ten then that is fine with me.The only thing im not sure about is our field goal kicker.Does has anyone know how the coaches feel about that department?If we do make it to the playoffs who better than gibbs to be leading the way.I say the race is on to the superbowl.I have always been told to think positive so I'm not giving up now.
Excuse me if my HOMERISM is too much for some people to handle.
skinpride1 wrote:The truth is I think we have a really good shot of making it into the playoffs this year.
We do have a great chance. I agree 100%!
skinpride1 wrote:The adding of speed at our w.r. core is got to be big.I hope to see the blitzing teams get burned with some deep pass plays. Patrick ramsey's Q.b. play should improve this year. Gibbs being smart enough to try and add new things to a 1992 offense scheme,not saying that it's bad but it just needs to be tweaked for the today's blitz packages. Ramsey needs to develop with the w.r. core fast because we can't afford another season looking like last year. The o-line must dominate and play well and stay healthy.I would really like to see betts get the ball more this year.Im not trying to take away from portis he is the best back, but I want to see the team do everthing they can to throw the defense off.Who says you just got to have one good running back.I want to see both portis and betts having a 5.0 yrd per carry average.
Portis is a great back but not that best. Maybe in the top 5, definately in the top 10. Betts will definately get more touches this year. He really impressed Gibbs last year and will be the one to keep Portis fresh for our playoff run! The oline will be better with additions at center and Jon being back. Our run blocking will improve because of personel, scheme and comfort! Hopefully it will imrpove enough that our pass blockign will become compentent enough to take 8 guys out of the box.
skinpride1 wrote:The special teams play should also be better because of speed being added.I can just see these things, being enough to spark our offense in the right direction.I think one of our key victories in the early season is got to be against dallas.Parcells has had the better of gibbs and the cowboys just in general have had the better of the skins.We need the win for the confidence level.The next big target is the eagles.We need to put them in their place.Our division rivals our are biggest keys and getting a winning record back at home.
Dallas, Philly, and Pitt did not beat us easily last year. They had a lot of trouble and WOULD have lost if we had an offense! We our well on our way.
skinpride1 wrote:The defense needs to keep it up also.I hope to see a year like the last one but if they can keep it in the top ten then that is fine with me.
I agree, I'd like to see us improve but we have a few question marks. We dont know how some key additions will turn out but I believe we'll be fine.
Now this is redskin pride. Even when the media and other fanbases (who believe everything they hear), tell us how bad we are going to be. They say we don't have a chance to even go 8-8. We are still talking super bowl.
That's what makes us THE BEST FAN BASE IN THE NFL!!! We have faith.
This is the main thing we need to win, faith. Everyone Our fans, players, coaches, front office, and even our owner.
I know I believe. Anyone with me???
Great Post SkinsPride1
"Tough times don't last Tough people do."- Marcus Washington, Redskins Linebacker
"Big time Players make Big Time Plays in Big Games !!!"- Santana Moss Redskins WR during an upset by The U over Florida Sate
Of course we are the best fanbase and maybe the biggest. I cant wait for the season to start, heck, I want to watch preseason games to watch our "role" guys do their thing.
The keys to us making the playoffs are:
1. A more aggressive offense that can execute, especially on 3rd down and in the 4th quarter.
2. A defense that swarms to the football and has guys step up in place of injuries/departures.
3. Luck. Plain and simple, if you avoid the injury bug you can go a long way with the parity in today's NFL.
portis26 wrote:The keys to us making the playoffs are: 1. A more aggressive offense that can execute, especially on 3rd down and in the 4th quarter. 2. A defense that swarms to the football and has guys step up in place of injuries/departures. 3. Luck. Plain and simple, if you avoid the injury bug you can go a long way with the parity in today's NFL.
The offense will be BETTER than last year just because it can't be WORSE. Just having Patrick Ramsey take the handoff instead of Brunell FUMBLING the handoff....should help the Skins. If Patrick can just throw incompletions instead of giving up TD's on fumbles and interceptions, then we will be OK on offense.
But what really bothers me is that our defense is still not GREAT. It can be 3rd or can even be 1st this year...in yardage...but until they start taking the ball away and scoring then they are never going to be great. Great defenses make critical plays at critical times, Great defenses put their offense in great position to score, and great defenses keep the other team on the field more than their own offense is on the field. And above all GREAT defenses SCORE!
I hope the injury to Rogers and the Taylor trial don't hurt the Skins too much. If the Skins had drafted defensive line and they had pursued defensive linemen in free agency or had traded their number 1 pick for a pass rusher, then I wouldn't worry about the secondary so much. But with Taylor out and Rogers out, the secondary seems a bit thin having already lost Smoot. Throw in the fact that our defensive line has 3 guys who are thirty something, and the middle linebacker spot is in a quandry, I am going to have to take a wait and see attitude on this years defense.
However...I predict Patrick Ramsey will go to the PRO Bowl.
Portis is the best running back in the league, and I'll tell you why I think that. (This is obviously just my opinion).
A lot of RBs have some serious weakness which means you can eliminate them instantly from contention, leaving Jamal Lewis, Ladainian Tomlinson, Shaun Alexander, Curtis Martin, Clinton Portis, Edgerrin James, Corey Dillon, Priest Holmes, and maybe Willis McGAhee. (Westbrook isn't one of the best RBs because he isn't really an RB, he's a decent three position player -he's a better reciever than runner).
I'll give you my opinion and some stats (If they make it that far) (Excluding special teams and passing) and do summary executions of those who don't match up in that group.
Lewis is a large HB who breaks tackles well and catches the ball averagely. He does not score often at all (partly due to the low powered offense he's spent his career as a part of) with just 34 total touchdowns in his five year career (four in which he played for sixty games in his career). He averages 113.7 total yards per game, 0.5667 touchdowns per game, and 0.4 fumbles per game.
Ladainian Tomlinson is an average sized back who proved a decent runner on a poor team, but when his team had a better offense, his average per carry dropped from 5.3 yards per carry the previous year to 3.9 this last year. His career average is 4.3 yard per carry. Tomlinson's greatest ability is cathing with which he has averaged 4.62 catches per game, and 32.095 recieving yards per game. He has averaged 125.73 total yards per game, 0.925 touchdowns per game and 0.3 fumbles per game.
Lewis is out.
Shaun Alexander is a worthless, overrated crybaby (Why is the rushing title more important than the team?). Alexander is out. (I know a lot of people will disagree with me, but I think he stinks, and soon enough he'll start declining anyway , partlydue to his age[HB's tend to peak at 26 or 27, and he's 28] but mostly due to being worse than his stats currently indicate).
Curtis Martin averages only 4.1 yards per carry and is 32. He's out (this isn't a who's had the best career discussion, it's who is the best now, and despite his surprising season, he is still too old.).
Edgerrin James averages 138.54 total yards per game, 1.012 touchdowns per game, and .383 fumbles per game. His average per carry is 4.2 yards. Edgerrin James has decent speed, decent catching, and decent tackle breaking. His numbers are quite inflated due to having to face no real opposition during his career (Peyton Manning draws the defenses attntion every play of James' career).
Corey Dillon will be 31 this season, and like Martin had a resurgent year, but his numbers this last season are due to having a good oline, a perrenial lead, and Tom Brady. Dillon is too old, and having just one great season is suspicious in eight years, so I think he got too many yards for his current ability. His average per carry over his career has been a decent 4.4, but he's out.
Priest Holmes is also too old at 32, and may be starting to get too fragile as well, but he is very good at finding the endzone. In my opinion he is not a spectacular runner, just decent, until you get near the endzone -it may very well just be the vagaries of age since he seems to see the holes very well but can't always act on what he sees, but it could have to do with the injuries he's suffered in the last years. He is also a good catch with 313 catches over his eight years. HE's out.
Willis McGAhee has only played one year, and only averaged 4.0 yards per carry, so it is too early too include him in such a list. He's out.
Clinton Portis is a smallish runningback (though there are reports that he's added some muscle mass this offseason). He averages 121.068 yards per game, .864 touchdowns per game, and .295 fumbles per game. His average per carry is 4.9 yards. He is very fast, very agile, has very good vision (though he can get too impatient), breaks tackles as well as the behemoths (despite being way smaller), and always gains a yard or two during the tackle if he doesn't break it. He will be 24. His average this last year was just 3.8.
So why do I think Portis Is better than the other two left on my list? Edgerrin James' gaudy touchdown and yardage numbers are from being ignored and having a good line, and to ignore a good HB is suicide in the NFL (They just have to do it anyways because ignoring Peyton is a much quicker and sure death). When it comes to whether Portis is better or Tomlinson is better, the answer is really simple. Do you want a runningback to catch (Tomlinson) or run (Portis). (Either one can do both tasks, but Portis is the best pure runner in the league, and Tomlinson is the best hybrid HB/WR [like Westbrook but he carries the load at halfback too).
Of course something like this can be subjected to a hatchet job easily, but I don't get paid to do this and it is getting late. Good Night.
portis26 wrote:The keys to us making the playoffs are: 1. A more aggressive offense that can execute, especially on 3rd down and in the 4th quarter. 2. A defense that swarms to the football and has guys step up in place of injuries/departures. 3. Luck. Plain and simple, if you avoid the injury bug you can go a long way with the parity in today's NFL.
The offense will be BETTER than last year just because it can't be WORSE. Just having Patrick Ramsey take the handoff instead of Brunell FUMBLING the handoff....should help the Skins. If Patrick can just throw incompletions instead of giving up TD's on fumbles and interceptions, then we will be OK on offense.
But what really bothers me is that our defense is still not GREAT. It can be 3rd or can even be 1st this year...in yardage...but until they start taking the ball away and scoring then they are never going to be great. Great defenses make critical plays at critical times, Great defenses put their offense in great position to score, and great defenses keep the other team on the field more than their own offense is on the field. And above all GREAT defenses SCORE!
I hope the injury to Rogers and the Taylor trial don't hurt the Skins too much. If the Skins had drafted defensive line and they had pursued defensive linemen in free agency or had traded their number 1 pick for a pass rusher, then I wouldn't worry about the secondary so much. But with Taylor out and Rogers out, the secondary seems a bit thin having already lost Smoot. Throw in the fact that our defensive line has 3 guys who are thirty something, and the middle linebacker spot is in a quandry, I am going to have to take a wait and see attitude on this years defense.
However...I predict Patrick Ramsey will go to the PRO Bowl.
Our Defense scoring points would be great, but the NFL counts defensive scoring and special team scoring from the other team against the defense, which makes no sense. And we lost some games due to non offensive scoring and special team scoring(The Giants, Ravens)I am happy with the defense shutting down plays and offensives, I dont want our team to become the Ravens and always go the INT.
1.) DEFENSE - last year the defense was obviously the heart and soul of the team. I still have a lot of faith in Gibbs and the offense, but I believe that Gregg Williams proved a lot last year by establishing that his defense was a force to be reckoned with. If we wanna make the playoffs again this year, the D will need another top 10 performance.
2.) RAMSEY - he has his spot in the limelight. hes gotta take advantage
3) O LINE - with the return of jansen and the signing of Rabach, it appears that the offensive line should be a tight group this year and we also have the potential to have a little bit of depth out there.
4) SCHEDULE - skins simply have to beat the teams theyre supposed to beat. no stupid errors costing them the game.
my 2 cents!
"Never get less than 12 hours sleep, never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city, and never go near a lady with a tattoo of a dagger on her hand. Now you stick with that, and everything else is cream cheese." - Teen Wolf
Just goes to show you all of these website's predicting records and playoffs don't mean *sh$t*! How about them 3-13 Chargers of last year?, 8-8 Steelers?, 12-4 Seahawks? (and in the Superbowl!), and 11-5 Chiefs who actually finished 7-9 lol what a joke. Don't worry about all of this junk they put out in the offseason all it is is HYPE and nothing more. As they say "That's why they play the games."
I agree that luck will play some part in making the playoffs. I remember last year, early in a game against Dallas and we get a bad call (defensise pass interference)against us that changed the complexion of the game.
Bad luck injuries (Jansen, especially) hurt us.
Another key is decision-making. Gibbs made a bad decision starting brunell at QB. Our offense had to endure two learning curves, one with brunell at the helm, and then again after Ramsey took over. They never recovered. Ramsey must make good decisions with the ball this year.
Discipline is another key. Too many mistakes killed us (false starts, etc). We need to be more disciplined to minimize negative downs.
Last, I agree that getting a lead is a big deal for us. Man I'd love to watch us wind down the entire 4th quarter with smash-mouth Redskin football behind the HOGS/Dirtbags. I just love it when we pound people running the ball and there is nothing they can do about it.
Note: I've enjoyed reading all your comments over the past few months, Redskin fans. It feels great seeing so many dedicated skins fans who know football well and like to discuss it with others. Thanks!!
SKINZ_DOMIN8 wrote:There are 3 things this team needs to do to make the playoffs:
1. Actually win some division games.
2. Quit making stupid penalites.
3. Get solid production from the QB position.
All 3 of these have been past nightmares.
1. Name a team that could make the playoffs without winning SOME division games, since it's at the top of your list we must be the only team trying to gat in without winning any.
2. This was a issue early in the '04 season, and the number of penalties dropped. However when stupid penalites were made STUPID is a nice way of putting it.
3. Can't comment on this one, not because I can't - but because I'm not going to waste my time with you and your skewed opinion on Ramsey
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{o,o}
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When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hold on....
SKINZ_DOMIN8 wrote:There are 3 things this team needs to do to make the playoffs:
1. Actually win some division games.
2. Quit making stupid penalites.
3. Get solid production from the QB position.
All 3 of these have been past nightmares.
1. Thank you Captain Obvious... 2. Like mentioned above, our penalties dropped and should continue to drop with a year under everyones belt. They should drop with our QB position solidified with Patrick. Gibbs tuned down the offense a bit and is probally easing in the things that were troublesome this year.
3. Patrick played good for us last year after a ruff start.
So according to your own assesment, we're doing pretty darn well.
The season is just around the corner.I'm getting so excitied.I have not been like this in years.The truth is I think we have a really good shot of making it into the playoffs this year.I can see some key things that are hopefully going to be enough to pull it off.The adding of speed at our w.r. core is got to be big.I hope to see the blitzing teams get burned with some deep pass plays.Patrick ramsey's Q.b. play should improve this year.Gibbs being smart enough to try and add new things to a 1992 offense scheme,not saying that it's bad but it just needs to be tweaked for the today's blitz packages.The o-line must dominate and play well and stay healthy.I would really like to see betts get the ball more this year.Im not trying to take away from portis he is the best back, but I want to see the team do everthing they can to throw the defense off.Who says you just got to have one good running back.I want to see both portis and betts having a 5.0 yrd per carry average.The special teams play should also be better because of speed being added.I can just see these things, being enough to spark our offense in the right direction.Ramsey needs to develop with the w.r. core fast because we can't afford another season looking like last year.I think one of our key victories in the early season is got to be against dallas.Parcells has had the better of gibbs and the cowboys just in general have had the better of the skins.We need the win for the confidence level.The next big target is the eagles.We need to put them in their place.Our division rivals our are biggest keys and getting a winning record back at home.The defense needs to keep it up also.I hope to see a year like the last one but if they can keep it in the top ten then that is fine with me.The only thing im not sure about is our field goal kicker.Does has anyone know how the coaches feel about that department?If we do make it to the playoffs who better than gibbs to be leading the way.I say the race is on to the superbowl.I have always been told to think positive so I'm not giving up now. 
