NFC East Beat Writers Series: Redskins

[Just Win Skins]

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys

Interesting read. Granted we realize WR is weak but the article questions the change from 4-3 to 3-4 defense.

Regards,

AD

[ATX_Skins]

Not bad, but honestly nothing new that we didnt already know.

I am more concerned about our safeties than LB's

[Just Win Skins]

Not bad, but honestly nothing new that we didnt already know.

I am more concerned about our safeties than LB's

Agreed on nothing new, just passing along information. I'm jonesing *sp for football!

[SkinsJock]

Granted that these 'issues' are a concern but then again - we were 4-12 and a I'm pretty happy about the fact that the guys coming in want to make a lot of changes - IMO we needed to change the way we do most everything - this franchise has not been consistently good since Snyder came in here

We now have a FO with a plan

We now have a HC who has spent the last year getting ready to come back into the NFL and do things - I will not be surprised if he is a lot different than what a lot of people think - I do not believe he will coach or do things the same as he did in Denver only because I think he will want to be unpredicatable as possible and I think he's learned from any mistakes he made before

We now have a better OC than we've had for a while

We have a new DC that does not want to go with what has been here before - IMO Haslett and Shanahan have a plan to have a better defense than we have had for a while - everyone questions the change but nobody states that the defense did not stop anyone from winning all those games against that so called top 5 defense - Haslett and Shanahan know they have to have a good defense and I'm sure they'll find away to get that done

We now have a QB that can lead the team

we are not going to be suddenly a playoff team but I do think we'll be a more competitive team and we are on the right path back to being consistently competitive - I see a 8-8 or even 9-7 but it's the way we are going to play that will be the most fun to watch

H A I L

[aswas71788]

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys

Interesting read. Granted we realize WR is weak but the article questions the change from 4-3 to 3-4 defense.

Regards,

AD

As said by others, there is nothing new here that has not already been kicked around. Al least it is not derogatory. We were 4 - 12 last year, everything and every player should be in doubt.

As for changing from a 4 -3 to 3 - 4, the concerns are the same as for every team that makes such a change. Every beat writer out there beat up Dallas for making the same change a couple years ago. Look at theri defense now. Of course there is a earning curve and there will be some problems, including staff, to be ironed out with the change. I would rather make the 4 -3 to 3 - 4 change this year than wait.

Accept that this year is a year of change, not rebuilding, and that the Redskins will not be a Super Bowl favorite. But it will be better than last year though.

[Snout]

we are not going to be suddenly a playoff team but I do think we'll be a more competitive team

There are a lot of things that need to come together -- talent, coaching, confidence, luck, chemistry, cohesion, attitude. Some teams can turn it around very quickly, some wallow in mediocrity for a long long time. I would like to think that we can turn it around very quickly. I think we can be a playoff team this year, and even have some success in the playoffs. If other teams have had huge turnarounds, why not the Redskins?

[SkinsJock]

other teams that had big turnarounds had a lot of things in place - we were not just 4-12, we did not look very good (we were terrible) and there are a lot of things that need addressing in order to be consistently competitive

I'll agree, we have made a lot of progress, but I just think some fans here are kidding themselves if they think that we are going to be consistently competitive - we need to get so many things fixed here - it will take time to make the progress we need to have a team that deserves to win because they are better, not just lucky

I think that we'll see a lot better play this season and we could get lucky - hell, we almost beat the Saints last year

I'm not interested in getting lucky, I want to see a consistently competitive product and that does not happen when you were as bad as we were the last 2 years - the teams that had huge turnarounds were not as bad as their records - we were 4-12 bad

[1niksder]

I'll agree, we have made a lot of progress, but I just think some fans here are kidding themselves if they think that we are going to be consistently competitive - we need to get so many things fixed here -

If the team is buying in why shouldn't the fan?
Shanny said he wants to restore the team to it's former glory AND win now.
If we believe that he can pull the Redskins out of a decade plus of decline why not believe he can win now? He has build a roster that can win now but looking at it, it has a lot of stop gaps but the only real holes left to fill is safety and to figure out which of the 11 WR will make the squad. This means they can when now but not for long without upgrades.

it will take time to make the progress we need to have a team that deserves to win because they are better, not just lucky

I think that we'll see a lot better play this season and we could get lucky - hell, we almost beat the Saints last year

They lost to the Saints because they were unlucky that day (I went with that for a long time... truth is they were un-prepared). I don't think that will be the case this season or in the near future.

I'm not interested in getting lucky, I want to see a consistently competitive product and that does not happen when you were as bad as we were the last 2 years - the teams that had huge turnarounds were not as bad as their records - we were 4-12 bad

These turn arounds happen every year and the team wasn't as bad as the 4-12 record... the coaching staff and F.O. may have been a 4-12 group but they were the first ones gone.

[HEROHAMO]

The Cowboys are always overrated and SuperBowl favorites in the pre season. Paper champions not worried about them.

I would say the team that worries me the most is the Giants. They have veteran leadership on offense. There defense which was banged up last year should be healthy and that pass rush is still one of the best in the league.

The Eagles should take a step backwards this year. Whenever you lose your franchise QB especially to a division rival it is never good. Dont care what anyone says they will take a step back. Desean Jackson is good but who is going to deliever the ball to him now?

As for us, I love the improvements we have made this off season. We have added a potential franchise LT and picked up a former pro bowl left tackle. Artis Hicks is also a good addition.

Donovan Mcnabb we have a franchise QB. Sure he is towards the end of his career but still has a few good years left in the tank. Not the scrambler he used to be but is still mobile and can avoid the sack with a quick release.

I love the 3-4 scheme I just dont know how the defense will do in the first year. For me I am looking for more QB pressures, sacks and turnovers. If we improve on those things the switch will be successful. I also was never big on Haslett but hey lets see what happens.

The Albert Haynesworth situation, the issue is not so much Haynesworth playing NT. It is more of Shanahan establishing control. Which is something that a coach of his caliber demands. Shanahan knows what he is doing. I do disagree with AH playing NT but it is not just about AH playing NT.

My prediction we finish 1st in the division. We have arguably the best QB in the division. With a good defense and running game. Thats enough to win this division. IMHO

[yupchagee]

I'll agree, we have made a lot of progress, but I just think some fans here are kidding themselves if they think that we are going to be consistently competitive - we need to get so many things fixed here -

If the team is buying in why shouldn't the fan?
Shanny said he wants to restore the team to it's former glory AND win now.
If we believe that he can pull the Redskins out of a decade plus of decline why not believe he can win now? He has build a roster that can win now but looking at it, it has a lot of stop gaps but the only real holes left to fill is safety and to figure out which of the 11 WR will make the squad. This means they can when now but not for long without upgrades.

it will take time to make the progress we need to have a team that deserves to win because they are better, not just lucky

I think that we'll see a lot better play this season and we could get lucky - hell, we almost beat the Saints last year

They lost to the Saints because they were unlucky that day (I went with that for a long time... truth is they were un-prepared). I don't think that will be the case this season or in the near future.

I'm not interested in getting lucky, I want to see a consistently competitive product and that does not happen when you were as bad as we were the last 2 years - the teams that had huge turnarounds were not as bad as their records - we were 4-12 bad

These turn arounds happen every year and the team wasn't as bad as the 4-12 record... the coaching staff and F.O. may have been a 4-12 group but they were the first ones gone.

We had 0-16 coaching. Just remember how the "O" improved when we brought in the bingo caller.

[SkinsJock]

Sorry guys - I'm a big fan and I agree that a lot of very good things have happened but IMHO we are going to be a lot better but we are not winning the NFC East and we would be very lucky to finish better than 9-7 - if that gets us into the playoffs that's great but it's not the level we should be getting to with a decent FO and HC

the difference in winning games because we are lucky and being consitently competitive is all I'm really looking for

most consistently competitive franchises are in the playoffs each year because they have good depth along both lines and at key positions and we are not there yet and will not be for another year, IMHO