Bright spots despite gloomy outcome. Season not over yet!

[RayNAustin]

Always goes back to the OLine.. but if we were talking strictly QBs, give me Cutler over JC.. just me.. i'm just sayin

Give me JC and two first round draft picks over Cutler, I'm just saying...

Yes, and then you'd draft a corner who can't catch (Rodgers) and a QB who can't throw (Campbell) with those two picks and still be up the creek without a paddle.

[PulpExposure]

guys i understand that you want to be realist and look at just that one game, but please give the team a chance.

WE LOST ONE GAME!

We lost one game and the team looked exactly like last year's team doing it. This team hasn't improved one iota. They will not go 8-8 this year because they will not have the lucky 6-2 first half of a season like they had last year. This team is a solid 6-10 team.

There is no way you can look at the team in Week 1 of last year and Week 1 of this year and say they're the same.

Both were losses. The loss last year was a thorough butt-kicking, though.

[Fios]

Always goes back to the OLine.. but if we were talking strictly QBs, give me Cutler over JC.. just me.. i'm just sayin

Give me JC and two first round draft picks over Cutler, I'm just saying...

Yes, and then you'd draft a corner who can't catch (Rodgers) and a QB who can't throw (Campbell) with those two picks and still be up the creek without a paddle.

That doesn't make any sense

[grampi]

guys i understand that you want to be realist and look at just that one game, but please give the team a chance.

WE LOST ONE GAME!

We lost one game and the team looked exactly like last year's team doing it. This team hasn't improved one iota. They will not go 8-8 this year because they will not have the lucky 6-2 first half of a season like they had last year. This team is a solid 6-10 team.

I see more reason to be optimistic then when we lost game one in NY last year and we were 8-8. I'm not predicting 15-1, but the Giants are a good team and we lost one game on the road. This is pessimism, not analysis.

Looking at this team, which clearly is no better than last year's team, and thinking they're going to end up doing as well or better than last year's team is called blind optumism.

[grampi]

guys i understand that you want to be realist and look at just that one game, but please give the team a chance.

WE LOST ONE GAME!

We lost one game and the team looked exactly like last year's team doing it. This team hasn't improved one iota. They will not go 8-8 this year because they will not have the lucky 6-2 first half of a season like they had last year. This team is a solid 6-10 team.

There is no way you can look at the team in Week 1 of last year and Week 1 of this year and say they're the same.

Both were losses. The loss last year was a thorough butt-kicking, though.

I wasn't comparing this year's week 1 performance to only last year's week 1 performance, I was comparing it to last year's team overall, which wasn't good, and it looks exactly the same to me.

[Irn-Bru]

Looking at this team, which clearly is no better than last year's team, and thinking they're going to end up doing as well or better than last year's team is called blind optumism.

And that's called jumping to conclusions.

[grampi]

Looking at this team, which clearly is no better than last year's team, and thinking they're going to end up doing as well or better than last year's team is called blind optumism.

And that's called jumping to conclusions.

Did you watch last week's game? Did you watch them play last year? Please tell me, oh wise one, how the team looked better last week than they did last year. I know it's only week one, but this team isn't all of a sudden going to get rid of their problems and become a Superbowl contender. IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME TEAM AS LAST YEAR'S TEAM. They will lose both games to the Giants, they'll be dam lucky to split with Dallas and Philly, and they will end up 6-10.

[Irn-Bru]

Did you watch last week's game? Did you watch them play last year?

Yes.

Please tell me, oh wise one, how the team looked better last week than they did last year.

I like to converse with people on THN who are interested in discussion. Do I need to point out why it wouldn't be worth my time to write anything in response to this?

IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME TEAM AS LAST YEAR'S TEAM.

No, it really isn't. Sorry to burst that bubble.

[grampi]

Did you watch last week's game? Did you watch them play last year?

Yes.

Please tell me, oh wise one, how the team looked better last week than they did last year.

I like to converse with people on THN who are interested in discussion. Do I need to point out why it wouldn't be worth my time to write anything in response to this?

IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME TEAM AS LAST YEAR'S TEAM.

No, it really isn't. Sorry to burst that bubble.

You obvioulsy can't tell me how last week's team looked better than last year's team because they didn't. And I'm afraid just saying "no, it really isn't" isn't much of an argument. That's on the same level as saying "just cuz."

[Gametime33]

You know who talks about a soft schedule and winnable games before the first snap are teams that are hoping for better luck next time.

They practice, study the playbook and strap on their helmets each Sunday praying for victory.

But do they truly believe they can win?

The coaching staff either does not trust Jason to prove his worth through the air or they believe the offense is best served through playing smashmouth football.

JC did not make a passing attempt until the second quarter versus the Giants.

WTF?

I had assumed we would want and try to establish an offensive rhythm with a balance of run-to-pass, but that did not seem like it was the gameplan for Coach Zorn.

Malcolm Kelly will have to have an impact against the Rams this week to convince me Zorn has not lost faith in the aerial attack.

ey scoring was nice. Yet let's not forget the opposing d-linemen knew the game was already won so they were probably on orders to shut it down to avoid injury.

Jason Campbell is a true question mark. Will he find his touch in DC or will he be cast away like Tom Hanks crying No Jim Zorn. No?

I hope for the season's sake and for JC that he leads us to the facts (wins) and detracts us from the fiction. (losses)

[RayNAustin]

guys i understand that you want to be realist and look at just that one game, but please give the team a chance.

WE LOST ONE GAME!

We lost one game and the team looked exactly like last year's team doing it. This team hasn't improved one iota. They will not go 8-8 this year because they will not have the lucky 6-2 first half of a season like they had last year. This team is a solid 6-10 team.

You're right about the offense looking like last year, and Campbell absolutely looks just like Jason Campbell. But the first half schedule is much weaker than the tough one last year, so I think it's absolutely possible to start 6-2 or 5-3 this year, even with less than acceptable offensive production. And that is what worries me the most.

I'm afraid that (Campbell and Zorn) will get a false sense of progress with a few cheap wins against inferior opponents, and the second half of the season will arrive and blow up in their faces again.

Personally, I think the proper move would be to sit Campbell right now, and put Collins in there against the weaker opposition for a couple of games to allow him to get settled, and also allow a good evaluation of his grasp of this WC offense. I'd also sign Garcia as a back up for the remainder of the year.

Neither Collins or Garcia could possibly play considerably worse, so there's really nothing to lose by trying ... a loss is a loss. This idea that the Redskins should not even try to fix something that needs fixing, and just stick with Campbell no matter what, is a defeatist attitude.

Really ... when was a law passed that said putting in your 2nd QB was a freaking felony? Come on ... If Collins doesn't play well ... you put Campbell back in ... if Collins looks good, THEN YOU ABSOLUTELY KNOW FOR SURE where the problem is offensively, and that gives you the information you need to address the long term in the off season.

I guarantee that Collins could not possibly play much worse than Campbell, while the only evidence available suggests that he's likely to play better. Collins, at his age is certainly not the future .. but based on performance, can anyone say that Campbell is?

I said before last year started, that Campbell was ill suited to run a WC offense. In fact, it is the worst possible system for a guy like Campbell. The position calls for quick reads, quick progressions, and quick accurate passes ... qualities that Campbell doesn't possess, and cannot be "learned". Collins, on the other hand has shown that these are indeed his strengths. Collins is not a runner or a scrambler, and he doesn't have the arm to toss it 65 yards in the air, but he makes quick reads, and he gets rid of the ball, and he is accurate.

This is a no brainer.

[Redskin in Canada]

IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME TEAM AS LAST YEAR'S TEAM.

No, it really isn't. Sorry to burst that bubble.

Let us bring G.W.F. Hegel into the discusion, please, shall we?

Yes, it is the same team -and-

No, it is not the same team.

It all depends on the kind of level at which such analysis is made.

This is NOT the same team for obvious reasons in tems of roster, experience, and coaching adjustments. Some good new players have been brought in and they will undoubtedly help. So, there are some important improvements, particularly on defense, which was already solid.

This IS the same team in terms of the following common denominators:

1) QB - Shall we elaborate further to the discussions in other threads. I think not.

2) OL - Some improvement has taken place, just not enough again to contend with success in the NFC East. I literally pray that this unit does not suffer anywhere near similar injuries to those endured last year. But even at the best of times and healthy, the unit has not shown the kind of substantial improvement which might compensate for the several flaws in Jason's execution. There were no holes for Clinton Portis to run.

3) Play calling was questionable last season andit it remains questionable so far after game 1. This is the single most important question mark which needs to be addressed. This issue is at the core of the definition of a winning or losing season. I hope there is a difference between last and this year but I remain watchful about this issue.

But it is also NOT the SAME Team because:

a) Defense - It is a solid unit as it was last year, only better. Surely, Carlos will only catch colds ... and some of the tackling can improve in the next few games but it will. I wish they would use Orakpo better at what he does best at DE. They are more capable to stop the run now than they did last year.

So, overall, this is the SAME team in terms of the same overall flaws at offense and it is NOT the SAME Team with a solid top-5 NFL defense.

Fair enough?

Did I mention that ownership and Front Office reamin the SAME too?

[Redskin in Canada]

I'd also sign Garcia as a back up for the remainder of the year.

Andy? Andy Reid? What are you doing here posting in our website?

Eagles sign Garcia

[USAFSkinFan]

Well realistically, for the 'Skins to make the playoffs, they're going to have to be better than 2 out of the other 3 teams in the division. I think it's safe to say that right now we're not better than any other team in our division... that means we've got to use these next 5 games to improve... I don't mean improve our record, I mean we have to find what it takes to actually be the better team on the field... those last 10 games (other than Denver, and Oakland maybe) are brutal... we have to go into those games with a better QB, better WRs, better running game, better pass rush, better pass D than we have right now... and especially those 3 home division games we play in prime time... we need to put some fear into those guys and earn some respect around the league... If we start that stretch of 10 games with the same lack of confidence we've shown in the past... where we're happy with making a play here or there, or fighting hard, or pulling it out at the end, or giving it our best, then we can forget about the playoffs... we've got enough high paid talent on this team... we shouldn't be happy anymore unless we score at least 30 and win by at least 20... this team needs an attitude adjustment...

[SkinsJock]

I do not think most here thought we were going to be very good this year - we HOPED that we would be a lot better and despite what we saw last Sunday we may in fact be a better team than last year - this can only be judged based on a whole season, not just 1 game.

We lost the first game last year and then went 6-1 for the next 7 games - despite that fact there were some here (including me) that saw that we were a lucky team and not a very good team

I think we can accept that the defense will be a dominant defense this year - last year's defense was a good defense statistically but in reality could not do much to help the team win - this defense will be much better in that regard.

The offense has been upgraded according to many - I think there are way too many issues for them to be a lot better from what we saw last year - we did not do enough and we have to hope that we can learn what we need to do from what happens with this group - we may need a lot of changes or just some upgrades - we have to see, but to think that this team was going to be a whole lot better offensively is really just a lot of dreaming

So we know that we will be very lucky to get into the playoffs and we hope that the lessons learned from our offense this year are not too painful

in my opinion, we are better than last year but not by much offensively if you ask me

Sooooo - we are not a very good team but we hope we can get lucky here again for the next 6 weeks

[KazooSkinsFan]

Looking at this team, which clearly is no better than last year's team, and thinking they're going to end up doing as well or better than last year's team is called blind optumism.

Blind optimism, sure grumpi. Observing to our #4 ranked D we have Hall on the field not Springs off it, a clear run stuffer in Haynesworth and a promising rookie pass rusher. On O our OL is looking a lot healthier and we got Dockery back. At receiver our rookies are looking improved and we have ARE back in a role he's more comfortable with and that was clear in the first game. If JC improved is in question, but he's not worse. But that's just "blind optimism."

You have running around screaming like your hair's on fire the sky is falling and nothing's improved. Yes, you have destroyed my argument by hyperventilating. I'm humbled.

[KazooSkinsFan]

Yes, and then you'd draft a corner who can't catch (Rodgers) and a QB who can't throw (Campbell) with those two picks and still be up the creek without a paddle.

Wow, so basically we're stupid and there's no point in doing anything because it won't work out anyway. Thanks Ray. It's nice hearing from a "fan."

[KazooSkinsFan]

I wasn't comparing this year's week 1 performance to only last year's week 1 performance, I was comparing it to last year's team overall, which wasn't good, and it looks exactly the same to me.

And that's the extent to the argument you've presented, it looks the same to you.

[grampi]

Looking at this team, which clearly is no better than last year's team, and thinking they're going to end up doing as well or better than last year's team is called blind optumism.

Blind optimism, sure grumpi. Observing to our #4 ranked D we have Hall on the field not Springs off it, a clear run stuffer in Haynesworth and a promising rookie pass rusher. On O our OL is looking a lot healthier and we got Dockery back. At receiver our rookies are looking improved and we have ARE back in a role he's more comfortable with and that was clear in the first game. If JC improved is in question, but he's not worse. But that's just "blind optimism."

You have running around screaming like your hair's on fire the sky is falling and nothing's improved. Yes, you have destroyed my argument by hyperventilating. I'm humbled.

All these improvements and yet the team managed to only score a measly 17 points. Somehow all of your claimed improvements aren't adding up.

[Deadskins]

Looking at this team, which clearly is no better than last year's team, and thinking they're going to end up doing as well or better than last year's team is called blind optumism.

Blind optimism, sure grumpi. Observing to our #4 ranked D we have Hall on the field not Springs off it, a clear run stuffer in Haynesworth and a promising rookie pass rusher. On O our OL is looking a lot healthier and we got Dockery back. At receiver our rookies are looking improved and we have ARE back in a role he's more comfortable with and that was clear in the first game. If JC improved is in question, but he's not worse. But that's just "blind optimism."

You have running around screaming like your hair's on fire the sky is falling and nothing's improved. Yes, you have destroyed my argument by hyperventilating. I'm humbled.

All these improvements and yet the team managed to only score a measly 17 points. Somehow all of your claimed improvements aren't adding up.

That's 10 more points than they scored on the G-strings, in either game last season. And that was a team that was without Osi, I might add. So the improvement should be obvious, unless you choose not to see.

[grampi]

Looking at this team, which clearly is no better than last year's team, and thinking they're going to end up doing as well or better than last year's team is called blind optumism.

Blind optimism, sure grumpi. Observing to our #4 ranked D we have Hall on the field not Springs off it, a clear run stuffer in Haynesworth and a promising rookie pass rusher. On O our OL is looking a lot healthier and we got Dockery back. At receiver our rookies are looking improved and we have ARE back in a role he's more comfortable with and that was clear in the first game. If JC improved is in question, but he's not worse. But that's just "blind optimism."

You have running around screaming like your hair's on fire the sky is falling and nothing's improved. Yes, you have destroyed my argument by hyperventilating. I'm humbled.

All these improvements and yet the team managed to only score a measly 17 points. Somehow all of your claimed improvements aren't adding up.

That's 10 more points than they scored on the G-strings, in either game last season. And that was a team that was without Osi, I might add. So the improvement should be obvious, unless you choose not to see.

I'll let their record determine if they're better or not. I still say they'll end up 6-10 this year.

[Paralis]

Should save a lot of time, not having to watch the games and all...

[grampi]

Should save a lot of time, not having to watch the games and all...

Oh I'll be watching the games. I wouldn't be a Skins fan if I didn't.

[PulpExposure]

Should save a lot of time, not having to watch the games and all...

Oh I'll be watching the games. I wouldn't be a Skins fan if I didn't.

Why be optimistic when you can wallow in misery?

[CanesSkins26]

Observing to our #4 ranked D we have Hall on the field not Springs off it

I'm not really sure that that is an improvement though, especially if Hall continues to play the way that he did against the Giants. Spring obviously had huge durability problems but when he was out there he was our best corner imo.

a promising rookie pass rusher

Unfortunately we aren't taking advantage of Orakpo's pass rushing skills by playing him at linebacker.

On O our OL is looking a lot healthier and we got Dockery back.

Agreed

At receiver our rookies are looking improved and we have ARE back in a role he's more comfortable with and that was clear in the first game.

They looked improved and during the preseason, but Kelly, Thomas, and Davis were all invisible against the Giants. Let's see them perform in a meaningful game.