SportingNews: Team Report

ANT7088 · Post by **ANT7088** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 11:35 am

PLUS FACTORS: The return of Joe Gibbs gives the team a tremendous advantage in planning and strategy, as well as an intangible that almost is immeasurable. Gibbs has a system that has produced three Super Bowls wins. After an 11-year absence, he has some catching up to do, but that won't be a big problem. He and his offensive staff have been through just about everything. RB Clinton Portis has game-breaking speed and also the power to get tough yards between the tackles. His receiving skills give the offense another dimension, and Gibbs will find ways to get him the ball in space to put pressure on defenses. OLBs Marcus Washington and LaVar Arrington have the potential to be among the best in the league at their position. Washington is capable of doing everything a linebacker is supposed to do. Arrington has been moved to the weak side to take advantage of his size, speed and athletic ability. If he focuses on his assignments, he can be dominant.

MINUS SIDE: The coaching staff is new, as is almost half the roster. Twelve starters will be new. Getting all those coaches and all those new players to think the same way and trust each other in one offseason is difficult to achieve. The defensive line, which has three new starters, is a huge question. It's vital to have someone who at least is a threat to rush the quarterback and must be accounted for on every play. DTs Cornelius Griffin and Brandon Noble have to jam the run and keep blockers off the linebackers, or their speed and power will be neutralized. QB Mark Brunell once was outstanding, but he will be 34 in September and played in just three games a year ago. Can he still perform at a playoff-quality level? If QB Patrick Ramsey is called upon to play, he must avoid turnovers.

WOODY'S BOTTOM LINE: Optimism reigns almost entirely because of Gibbs. But too much has to be done too quickly for this team to become a playoff contender. Gibbs is good, but he's no miracle worker. And even he has adjustments to make. This team more closely resembles Gibbs' first Redskins' team in 1981 than it does any of his playoff or Super Bowl teams. If Gibbs gets this club to 8-8, it should be considered a successful season. A 7-9 record seems more likely.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/team?categoryId=67062

hailskins666 · Post by **hailskins666** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 11:44 am

WOODY'S BOTTOM LINE: Optimism reigns almost entirely because of Gibbs. But too much has to be done too quickly for this team to become a playoff contender. Gibbs is good, but he's no miracle worker. And even he has adjustments to make. This team more closely resembles Gibbs' first Redskins' team in 1981 than it does any of his playoff or Super Bowl teams. If Gibbs gets this club to 8-8, it should be considered a successful season. A 7-9 record seems more likely.

i've been hoping for 8-8 all along. i too would consider that a successful season.

redskinz4ever · Post by **redskinz4ever** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 11:49 am

i said this before and i'll say it again 8-8 is just fine with me i would be overjoyed with a .500 record for gibbs to get this team ready for a superbowl run.
i just hope us as redskin fans understand as great as gibbs is it might take two years to fully get this ship floating in the right direction.also i said before i have the skins going 10-6 !!! if gibbs can do that .... man will that be awesome. REDSKINZ4EVER !!!

Redskins1974 · Post by **Redskins1974** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 11:55 am

I definitely agree with you guys. Hovering around .500 this year is fine with me b/c our team will play as a team and play hard no matter what. Anything better is icing on the cake!

hailskins666 · Post by **hailskins666** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 12:09 pm

i think 8-8 is by far the most realistic prediction, after considering what pusells did with dallass, and what lewis did with the bengals. a winning record would be nice. so would the playoffs. but i don't think any nfc teams will be able to grab a wild card with anything less than 10-6. i'll be happy as long as we don't have another losing record.

PhillyHog · Post by **PhillyHog** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 12:22 pm

I'd be content with a meaningfull game after Thankgiving... I'm so sick and tired of being more conscerned about draft position than the playoffs for the last 5 weeks. I honestly think we'll be in the hunt whether we get in or not. That would be enough for me in year 1 ASS (After Steve Spurrier).

Justice Hog · Post by **Justice Hog** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 12:25 pm

8 - 8 may be realistic, as a lot of you seem to think....but I truly think that 10-6 is within reach for this team considering the talent and coaching we now have.

Glovesave · Post by **Glovesave** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 12:49 pm

We have a fairly easy schedule this year compared to the past few years, so we should be at least 500. I won't make any predictions for record because a lot of things can happen.

I will say the one thing I am looking forward to is a team that plays competitive and sound in the dicipline department. I think a Gibbs coached team will at the very least demonstrate these two qualities. Under Turner and Spurrier I didn't always see that same high level of competitive spirit or a real sense of dicipline.

I often wonder how long Westbrook would have lasted under Gibbs.

gundo · Post by **gundo** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 1:02 pm

8-8 should be had easily. If you look at the Skins' roster, the talent is overflowing. There is no reason, other than the lack of familiarity with each other, that this team should finish worse than 9-7. And if they get out the gate early with 3 or more wins against 4 very beatable teams -- TB (old and slow); Giants (young and slow); Cowboys (solid defense, no offense); Browns (solid offense, no defense) -- 10-6 is easily within reach.

Plus, the one unit where familiarity is key is the offensive line, where the Skins actually have some familiarity.

I'm not trying to be greedy, but 8-8 will not be a success. 9-7, maybe, but this team has enough talent to be in the playoffs, so anything less will be disapointing to me.

Redskin Stouff · Post by **Redskin Stouff** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 1:31 pm

If we make the playoffs this year, I don't think I would be able sleep for 2 weeks (because of course we would be the 1 or 2 seed)

riggofan · Post by **riggofan** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 1:50 pm

I would consider 8 - 8 another typical crap Redskins season. We're the new Bengals. If we don't make the playoffs this year I am going to cry like a little girl.

davef · Post by **davef** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 2:53 pm

Better than 8-8 would be great, but I'm expecting about 8-8, given that was Gibbs' record in 1981. Better to be happily surprised than disappointed..

redskincity · Post by **redskincity** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 2:57 pm

I am going for the gusto, I think Joe is a better coach than Parcells and he is walking into far a better situation than Parcells did, so I am going with 10-games. We lost six games under SOS by seven points or less and I expect more from Joe.

Last year all the talking heads said that "Parcell may win seven" and most ate crow after he went on to win 9, and thats with no QB nor running game. I have high hopes and aint giving up now.

"Go Joe, the greatest American hero."

gregory smith · Post by **gregory smith** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 3:19 pm

Come on guys Spurrier won 5 games with less talent in a totally flawed system. Surely we can manage 9 wins.

VRIEL1 · Post by **VRIEL1** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 3:21 pm

Justice Hog wrote:8 - 8 may be realistic, as a lot of you seem to think....but I truly think that 10-6 is within reach for this team considering the talent and coaching we now have.

I agree with you! I keep looking at the schedule and can't get past the idea that we should do fairly well. Some of the teams that have been strong in the past to me appear to be on the down hill. I'm not a fool though and know that this is basically a rebuilding year but for a rebuilding year I can see us making the play-offs. I wouldn't go so far as saying that we would go to the superbowl but atleast a playoff spot.

hailskins666 · Post by **hailskins666** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 4:06 pm

lots of wishful thinking guys. i hope it pans out.

NikiH · Post by **NikiH** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 4:18 pm

I don't know about play off contention but I'm with RedskinsCity I think we lost so many games last year by just one opportunity. I don't see Gibbs coaching staff letting us blow chances like that. So I say at least 10 wins. Think about it we have added talent, the only minus is Champ is gone. And though Springs isn't the same quality I have been down right impressed with him.

1niksder · Post by **1niksder** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 4:20 pm

Justice Hog wrote:but I truly think that 10-6 is within reach for this team considering the talent and coaching we now have.

That's what I said awhile back and I haven't seen anything to change my mind. Gibbs will instill a winning attitude into this team, and it will show. This years we will win the Games that we are expected to and the close ones we'll find a way to pull them out

hailskins666 · Post by **hailskins666** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 4:21 pm

i think springs has looked really good too. but all these "changes" is what is defeating team chemistry. that fact remains the same. lots of improvment all around, but the big thing is getting it all on the same page.

JPFair · Post by **JPFair** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 4:22 pm

I think that the key to a winning season is how we get out of the blocks. All it takes is one win to give us some momentum. So much of this is going to depend on when the players fully buy into Coach Gibbs' system. If we get some motivation by way of a couple wins at the beginning of the year, we could snowball that into a good year. If we start out with a few losses, Gibbs will adjust, but much of it will depend on keeping the team positive and buying into the new system which could translate in to an 8-8 year.

Anyway, I don't care if we go 0-16 we're still back on the road to respectability.

gundo · Post by **gundo** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 4:30 pm

The only way we'll be "back on the road to respectability" will be by winning. Spurrier made us the laughing stock of the league, and that will only change with wins.

hailskins666 · Post by **hailskins666** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 4:31 pm

Anyway, I don't care if we go 0-16 we're still back on the road to respectability.

same here, thats what matters.

JPFair · Post by **JPFair** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 4:35 pm

The only way we'll be "back on the road to respectability" will be by winning.

I would respectfully disagree. In my opinion, the very return of Joe Gibbs brings this team instant respectability and we haven't even played one regular season game yet, much less win one.

hailskins666 · Post by **hailskins666** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 4:36 pm

when you're at the bottom of the pile, i think respectability can be defined as heading back in the right direction. i think with the structure we have in place now, this is way better than anything in the past few years. i'd say we're headed in the right direction.

jaw32 · Post by **jaw32** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 5:33 pm

You gotta go in thinking playoffs at a minimum. This team has a lot of talent with a few holes here and there. If a few players step up, who knows. The schedule is not that tough. I say start at 12-4 and adjust as you go!

Has it been that bad over the last years that you would really be happy with 8-8? I sure hope the players don't feel that way, I know Gibbs doesn't.