2018 Season--Realistic Expectations?

[El Mexican]

Hey everyone! A new NFL season is upon us!

Just wanted to get your general assessment of our team.

As practically every season of the Snyder-era, I'm predicting our Redskins' go 8-8.
I see no factual evidence of the team improving in a significant
manner based on last year's results and what transpired during the offseason.

QB situation--draw
WR and TE--not so hot
RB--an enigma
O-Line--solid
D-Line--finally improving
LB--not so hot
S--weak
CB--untested

Hope I'm not being too negative?

Thanks, have a great season everyone!

[cowboykillerzRGiii]

I challenge a few of those marks.. Dline is a monster.. Safety is improved with some depth and a healthy Monte allowing DJ to play his position more accurately. Im hoping some chemistry improves for all our dbs.. But unproven- id have to say we are as good as breeland getting burned with Dunny... And Fabion in the slot should be solid. I may have my names mixed up there but both showed a lot of promise.

I also see the wr position as improved. Good ol Pryor was a bust for us- injuries aside, having Richardson and a more accurate Smith should help Doctson break out. If not our depth is better.. After Harris i think Simms is a freak and more upside then Grant.

Rb... We enter with 3 of the same as last year... And add in AP. If he can contribute and inspire the room- id say slighlty improved to much better then it was.



Im going to be watching special teams with hopes of improvement. Having the depth should correlate to better teams play. Interested to see who is returning punts- i LOVE Crowder- but that experiment failed miserably

[cowboykillerzRGiii]

19-0 AD!!

[riggofan]

No idea, man. I did hear some interesting comments on the radio today pointing out that the past few years Cousins never started the season especially hot. He got better as the season went on. Alex Smith the past three years has started well. Maybe that will count for something. To me its still all about staying healthy. We're just not a team that can lose the number of players we did last year and be competitive.

If you're looking for optimistic, I really like Walter Football's comments yesterday on overrated/underrated teams this year:

Washington Redskins
It's easy to forget how competitive the Redskins were last year before they suffered so many injuries in the middle of the season. They nearly beat the Eagles in Week 1. They defeated the Rams in Los Angeles the following Sunday. They then clobbered the Raiders when Derek Carr was healthy. After that, they were a dropped Josh Doctson touchdown away from winning in Kansas City on Monday Night Football. Following a win over the 49ers, they were once again in a close battle against the Eagles before losing control in the third quarter.

The wheels came off after that, however, as the Redskins had countless injuries. There were several weeks where they struggled to field a complete offensive line. Poor Morgan Moses had to play on one leg. It was brutal, yet the Redskins still beat the Seahawks when everyone Seattle was healthy, and they took the Saints to overtime in New Orleans.

The Redskins lost Kirk Cousins in the offseason, but Alex Smith is just as good of a quarterback as Cousins. Smith is five years older, but for the next season or two, there won't be much of a difference between the two. In fact, it could be argued that Smith gives the Redskins a better chance of reaching the playoffs, given that he's actually been in the postseason very often, unlike Cousins.

Anyway, its September. I'm all in for the Skins as usual.

[El Mexican]

I'm leaning towards "inconsistent". Competitive is too flattering an adjetive for last year's team.

My main area of concern are the brutal divisional games. History shows that
our best teams have always had a good overall record agains Dal, Phi and NYG.
Until that happens, I'm remaining cautiously optimistic.

[SkinsJock]

I'm hoping for 9 or 10 wins but my gut says 7 .... or 8, at best

the first half of the season is tough - be great to start off with a W in AZ

[riggofan]

be great to start off with a W in AZ

This for certain.

I always argue for breaking the season into four quarters so you don't get too hung up on a loss or two each week. We'll win a game we don't expect to, and we'll lose one that we shouldn't. Here's my optimistic W/L for the season:

Q1: Cards, Colts, Packers, Saints
2-2

Q2: Panthers, Pukes, Ginas, Falcons
2-2

Q3: Bucs, Texans, Pukes, Eagles
3-1

Q4: Ginas, Jags, Titans, Eagles
2-2

9-7 record.

For the record, I think the Giants are going to suck this year. I think the Cowboys will be middling. And I think the Eagles will step back a little, especially if Foles has to start the year.

[ferryrich]

Usual stuff.
7-9.
Some great performances resulting in a L.
Some games we don't really do much in, but get the W.
Lots of games we throw away.
Maybe 2 wins that are completely deserved.
Individual errors, opponents big plays costing us big in otherwise close games.

I am looking forward to watching the DL this year, for a change

[DEHog]

Gruden continues to struggle as a game manager, one or two loses will be blamed on his game management, which cost us a shot at the playoffs. Skins finish 8-8, Gruden fired...

[oj]

Gruden continues to struggle as a game manager, one or two loses will be blamed on his game management, which cost us a shot at the playoffs. Skins finish 8-8, Gruden fired...

Agree, Hopkins will cost us 2 more just like last year.

[cowboykillerzRGiii]

Hopkins has won more games for us then he has lost.. But i get it

[Countertrey]

Had our d line not collapsed from repeated, season ending injuries last year, it would have continued to improve into the ranks of the beasts and destroyers. The loss of those players is, in fact, what turned the 2017 season into a pool of mediocrity.

D-line stays intact: 10-6... maybe 11-5.
D-line is again shattered: 7-9

[SkinsJock]

^^ - +1 - Manusky and Callahan have done really good jobs here

[Burgundy&GoldForever]

7-9

The backups are hot garbage, the secondary is suspect as hell and there's about a snowball's chance in hell of no one getting injured.

[cowboykillerzRGiii]

Dbs look pretty good today my man... Dunny balling out of control vs Fitz (hof)

[SkinsJock]

realistically, Alex Smith is clearly an upgrade over Kirk Cousins ...

I know, it's only 1 game ... BUT ... this is what a difference making QB is like

[riggofan]

Had our d line not collapsed from repeated, season ending injuries last year, it would have continued to improve into the ranks of the beasts and destroyers. The loss of those players is, in fact, what turned the 2017 season into a pool of mediocrity.

D-line stays intact: 10-6... maybe 11-5.
D-line is again shattered: 7-9

Best take. CT and Reid were pretty bad injuries last year as well.

[riggofan]

realistically, Alex Smith is clearly an upgrade over Kirk Cousins ...

I know, it's only 1 game ... BUT ... this is what a difference making QB is like

Smith was solid yesterday, and I will admit that I am actively rooting against Cousins in Minnesota. But I'll be honest, I didn't watch yesterday's game and come away thinking that Smith/Cousins was the biggest difference in how the team performed. We saw what our team looks like healthy, when the front office has invested heavily (and wisely) in both the defensive and offensive lines.

I still kinda think you're right that Alex Smith is going to win some games that Kirk wouldn't. We'll see...!

[SkinsJock]

we all saw what happened on the field and it's a transformation that we've been hoping for for a long time - our team has not played with that kind of attitude or that kind of determination in the past 5 seasons - we all saw what can happen when the guys on the field refuse to lose - maybe Kirk Cousins would have been able to be a part of that but we never saw that kind of leadership or determination while he was here - I watched him play yesterday and he was the same old Kirk Cousins - almost any good QB would do well with that Vikings' roster - Cousins is a good QB - thankfully we now have someone who is better

[cowboykillerzRGiii]

And we blame the FO for this amazing turn of events (instead of over paying Kurt Grossman?!) Or do they only get credit for the negative?
Even the AP move looks genious right now!

[oj]

We'll give them credit for the Cousins/Smith move but the AP move could have happened last year. It'll take more than this to earn our respect, praise is a lofty goal they can shoot for around 2020.

[cowboykillerzRGiii]

LOL i get the skepticism.. But AD at vet minimum wasnt on the table last year.. And our D? Letting Breeland walk and builing through youth has to be acknowledged?

[SkinsJock]

31-48 is the record for the last 5 seasons and the Redskins have averaged less than 8 wins a season since Dan Snyder took over

I am very happy about the recent acquisitions but the Redskins have not been a very well managed organization for a very long time

anyone with any sense knows that the main fault for the ineptitude here lies with the FO not the players or the coaches

we have added some good young players recently but we still have the idiot Bruce Allen here who could not get a job with any other franchise

I'm hopeful but this is the Redskins

[cowboykillerzRGiii]

Shut up man... You're wrong. Bruce Allen has been a cap Guru since his instatement. Blame Snyder for injuries all you like... But at some point the finger points to the head coach. Why did Denver let old man Shanny go? Why did the phecals let Mcnugget go? Blame the past administration on whom ever you choose man... But our current roster is the best it has been since Snyder took over- and giving the FO credit is due just.
Some here wish we paid Kurt Grossman a kings ransom to lose games we should win (1-6 vs the sworn enemy) and man... Im glad we let him walk!
Im glad we let Breeland and Grant walk. Im glad we are investing in youth, and building a roster that cuts GOOD players in the cut to 53.
Peippe like you... Wont be satisfied until we win the sb... Well keep holding your breath and being mad at the world- cuz progress is slow in this league, and you are witnessing it at a high rate.
Every fa acquisition, even Scandrick, has paid dividends to this team as of late- save hurt Pryor.
We are growing- and rapidly. If you want a reference point- see the Cards reboot- trash. See the ginas.. See dullass..

After week one we are the beasts of the east- yet the same tired dribble falls out of ypur finger tips... Snyder this Allen that... Stfu until week 10- then eat crow or tell me how bad we are. Your *sh$t* stinks my friend, like captian picks doodoo

[El Mexican]

Great first game. If everybody is healthy we can be competitive. At least that has been established.

Let's keep 'em rolling.