The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

So, we're gonna have a revamped offense that features Portis. Ramsey will be utilizing the shotgun now and then. Our defense should still be solid.

Where does that leave us?

Being REALISTIC, how do you think the Skins will do this year?

2 words....Think Detroit.

The playoffs

At the moment we're only as good as our record last year. Things can change over the next 2 months, the pre-season games will give us an idea on how well the offensive improved. The key to the season is the line. If they can protect Ramsey and open holes for Portis then this team can compete with the BEST of them.

After that, the defense AND special teams must improve in there scoring. The Skins were in the bottom of the league in defensive and special teams scores. Sure, they had some fumble recoveries and interceptions but they didn't score. All they did was take away the ball and hand it over to a pathetic offense.

Good teams score on defense or special teams almost once a game. Sometimes twice a game.

Last year was last year....and this year is this year. Does that sound profound? Perhaps not, but it's true.

This is not the same coaching staff that we had last season. These "old guys" who have been to the Superbowl in another era, took a year to adapt to the "new" NFL. With that experience under their belts, look out for Gibbs and Bugel. This offense will run the ball effectively and throw the ball 300% better than last season.

Mark Brunell almost single handedly kept this team from the playoffs last season. Patrick Ramsey will be 300% better than Brunell this year.

The offensive line will be at least 40 percent better this year because we have improved 2 positions out of 5.

The receivers, as a group, are better this year, not to mention they are faster and will benefit from an improved offensive line and improved QB position.

At running back Portis is heavier and stronger and we have added a couple of huge fullbacks to block or plow into the endzone from the 2 yard line. And of course the coaches are scheming to take advantage of Clinton's desire to spread out the defense and not PLOW into the line so much.

No one should hesitate to admit that this team has a much improved offensive squad and should score 6-10 points more per game. The last time Joe Gibbs started on his head coaching career with the Skins, the 2nd year was an incredible year for the offense. Joe Gibbs is the best coach I have ever observed at changing things up and adapting at halftime: Last year was the first half and we are about to enter the second half. Look out this season.

The Skins defense last year was a championship caliber defense. Since then they have added more cornerbacks than they have lost. They have added more linebackers than they have lost.The only question lies with the defensive line, but if Salvea can pick up his game and turn it up a notch, and if Daniels stays healthy, then the Redskins defense could actually be better than last year. That's scary for opponents.

And lost in all the discussion over offense and defense, is the fact that the Redskins have spent more effort on improving SPECIAL TEAMS, than on any other aspect of the team. There will be new faces as well as starters playing on special teams and the speed and competition will give the Redskins one of the top 5 SPECIAL TEAMS squads in the NFL.

I have the Skins marked down for a possible, and even likely, Superbowl appearance.

I agree. I think we are going to the superbowl this season, and winning it.

Let's just say, I think we should have been a 11-5 team last year, and that was with too many injuries, a very limited playbook and MB playing QB most of the season. I expect our defense to be almost as good, possibly better than last season(depends on MLB) and our offense to be top 12. Ramsey will bust out this season and we should go far this season.

Playoffs. Maybe even the Superbowl if we can stay injury free.

This thread oozes with optimism - I like it - Superbowl!

skins2win wrote:This thread oozes with optimism - I like it - Superbowl!

Sorry but Hats has entered the building.
We're not going to win the superbowl just yet guys. We're setting up a great team but I don't believe we're that ready for the superbowl just yet. I admit, we're in a better situation than last offseason...but we're not quite there yet. Let's actually get into the playoffs this season....get a sense of the January air.....and then think championship. We're building up a great team but we DO still have SOME holes. CB??? We're not SURE that Rodgers will excell at it....I am, but there's always a chance that rookies are not able to pick up everything the coaches put down ( ) Saftey....now that STaylor seems to be behind bars...we need a solid corps which I don't think we have yet. We do have Bowen back...which is a relief...but the team would be SO much better with ST. And lastly, we are still in need of a overpowering DE.
So, it's nice to keep the optimism but it's nice to be in line with reality also. I'm not saying we're not going to the championship this year...I'm just saying we're going to have a much better chance of getting there next season.

I know I should'nt have written this...but...start your bashing men!

playoffs baby !!!

Playoffs.. NFC Championship.... but guys calm your horses down... Superbowl seems a lil out of reach. But if we stay injuiry free and step it up we can do it

Several of you haven't bought into the optimism on this thread, and that's okay if you have another opinion. What I wonder about is why?

It seems like when someone is not optimistic the reason is because of some VAGUE statement like "we're building a team and we need to make the playoffs first...then we can get to the Superbowl the NEXT year". There is NO basis for this kind of reasoniong.

My thought is that there is no particular pattern anymore for getting to the Superbowl. Teams can just jump out of nowhere to get to the Superbowl, like Carolina did 2 years ago. Or they can make the NFC championship game for several years and THEN take the next step...like Philly did. But there is no one method for doing this.

It's okay to think the Skins can make the playoffs this year, but it's rediculous to say we will make the playoffs and THEN be ready to make the Superbowl the next year. What's the basis for that? That's a different team in a different year. You have no idea what players will be around in 2006 and what players will be retiring or which players will be injured or which players will be picked up or released.....either by the Redskins or any of the other 31 teams. It's just rediculous to talk in terms of how much better a team's chances will be 2 years from now or 3 years from now or 5 years from now.

All we know is what players THIS team has....THIS year. If you don't think the Skins are a playoff team, then how about telling us why. How about breaking down the QB or running back or defense compared to other teams and then point out a weakness and why its weak...much like I did. But to bypass this year by saying the team is not strong but NEXT year we will be there....it's just rediculous.

Carolina went from nowhere to the Superbowl in one season...and Tampa went from a dominating Superbowl champion to picking in the top 5 in the draft in less than 2 years.

This is no longer the NFL...it's now the YTO LEAGUE......the Year-To-Year league. Let's talk about THIS year.

playoffs baby!

Batman is 100% correct, can't argue with a thing he said, good post

Batman is 100% correct, can't argue with a thing he said, good post

Greetings from NYC: A high powered offense led by the running of Portis and a strong D should put us in the super bowl this year and next!

runbillo wrote:Greetings from NYC: A high powered offense led by the running of Portis and a strong D should put us in the super bowl this year and next!

Key word: SHOULD

High Powered Offense? We were like last place in 2004.
To be in the middle of the pack would be a great improvement.
Don't expect a "high powered offense", as it will remain a "running team" utilizing the west coast type offense.
There will be more shots down field, but don't consider that high powered like the Colts/Rams.

It's a tough league, and a tough division.
I don't think our NFC East rivals used their first round pick on a 3rd string QB. Intead they loaded up on skill posistions and depth.

If the Skins have a winning season it will be a huge credit to Joe Gibbs and Co., to turn a teams moral and work ethic around after 1 season would be amazing. It can be done, as recent seasons and teams (Rams, Panthers, San Diego) have proven. But you must realize it is very hard to do. It's all there, they just need to execute. And history has shown this team has not done that in the past 10+ year. Again, I think the seasons success depends on the O-Line, lets hope Buges has fixed it.

Until then, put the pledge down...not time to dust off the band wagon yet. Maybe by the end of October?

oafusp wrote:

runbillo wrote:Greetings from NYC: A high powered offense led by the running of Portis and a strong D should put us in the super bowl this year and next!

Key word: SHOULD

High Powered Offense? We were like last place in 2004.
To be in the middle of the pack would be a great improvement.
Don't expect a "high powered offense", as it will remain a "running team" utilizing the west coast type offense.
There will be more shots down field, but don't consider that high powered like the Colts/Rams.

It's a tough league, and a tough division.
I don't think our NFC East rivals used their first round pick on a 3rd string QB. Intead they loaded up on skill posistions and depth.

If the Skins have a winning season it will be a huge credit to Joe Gibbs and Co., to turn a teams moral and work ethic around after 1 season would be amazing. It can be done, as recent seasons and teams (Rams, Panthers, San Diego) have proven. But you must realize it is very hard to do. It's all there, they just need to execute. And history has shown this team has not done that in the past 10+ year. Again, I think the seasons success depends on the O-Line, lets hope Buges has fixed it.

Until then, put the pledge down...not time to dust off the band wagon yet. Maybe by the end of October?

Nice, logical post.

I was torn between "just missing the playoffs" and "will make the playoffs and lose the wildcard."

Optimistically (and realistically, IMO) speaking, I could see the Skins possibly making the playoffs this year, but only under certain conditions (i.e. Skins win their last two, Vikings lose their last game, & the Giants lose their last game, etc.). Without going into detail about our deep threat defensive needs and the questionable performance our offense may provide, I think we will (and have been) build over last year.

It's going to be close. I see us with an 8-8 record - might get in with some help, or we might just miss it. Either way, I don't see us doing as bad as the previous two years.

I see us just missing it.

Now that I've seen a lot of your posts, let me offer my own. (I didn't at the outset because I didn't want to "influence" anyone.)

I agree that last year's 6-10 record certainly did not reflect the type of team the Skins had last year. With a little help on offense, this team could have very easily been 10-6. Thinking of that, however, three words come to mind: woulda....coulda....shoulda. Neither is relevant for this discussion.

Now, focusing on the future.

Look for the Skins offense to improve DRAMATICALLY this year. The Skins will spread out the offense to take better advantage of what Portis brings to the table. The Skins WRs will spread the field much more. Ramsey will have better protection because our OL will be improved. The shotgun also certainly will help. Don't look now, but I really think the Skins can average at least 20 points per game this year.

On defense, sure we lost a few players. Smoot? Expendible in my opinion. Pierce? That's gonna hurt a little more...but we'll get by. Sean Taylor? We're deep at safety so I'm offering my opinion with the expectation that Taylor will not be around this year. This defense won't be as good as last year's defense...but we'll be close.

All in all, I see a 10-6 or 11-5 year with us making it to the divisional playoff round. It'll be heartbreaking, but I see the Skins losing that game this year.

Next year? If we don't lose too many players? SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS BABY! With all due respect to Batman, I feel comfortable making this statement because I am basing it on the Skins keeping a lot of players from this year. If that doesn't happen, then....well...we'll see.

Can someone please explain to me rationally how anyone things this team is in ANY aspect better than the Eagles?

Their coaches, starters, backups, schemes are at least our equal and mostly our better.



wonker

wonker wrote:Can someone please explain to me rationally how anyone things this team is in ANY aspect better than the Eagles?

Their coaches, starters, backups, schemes are at least our equal and mostly our better.



wonker

In short, our coach is better, both offense, defense and line coach. Not sure about the other coaches. Not gonna go into specifics on defense, but our defense is better overall(see last years stats and add how inept our offense was last season into the equation). On offense, our offensive line is better. Our RB is better. Our receivers are better(all they have is TO, and we have 4 above average to solid guys). We have ey, they have nobody like him.

The only thing better on the Eagles is McNabb and TO.


Oh and we are the REDSKINS!!!!!!

Our staff is by far superior. Give it a little time and you will see it. Don't believe the moron media types who say Gibbs is lost. Believe me he is not lost. It's a joke that anyone would even suggest that. He's THE guy in the last 20 years who figures out how to beat defenses. Gibbs never had a great cast. He won with superior schemes and a great offensive and defensive line. None of his QBs were superstars, and aside from Riggins, none of his RBs were either. It was all Gibbs. This team is probably the most talented he's ever had. He'll figure out the scheme stuff. I think he already has. It's just a matter of teaching the guys what to do, and getting them to do it. Last season is a mirage. Once we start rolling this season, everyone is gonna be stunned. The Eagles are very good, but I don't think they are much ahead of the Redskins. We'll find out shortly either way

Have no fear , they haven't even entered in the injury factor yet. Why is it they never fiqure on anyone getting hurt when it all boils down to just that !! PLay Ball