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

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/specials/preview/2005/teams/nfce/washington_redskins.html

When Joe Gibbs was lured out of retirement to coach the Washington Redskins again, the Hall of Fame coach figured the only thing he could lose was his reputation. But after a 6-10 season in 2004, in which the Redskins looked inept offensively and undisciplined overall, Gibbs might be close to losing his sanity, too.

After his team ranked 30th in the NFL in total offense last year, things only got worse for Gibbs during the offseason. Wide receiver Laveranues Coles demanded to be released and was traded to the New York Jets for Santana Moss. Cornerback Fred Smoot left for the Minnesota Vikings after the Redskins didn't make much of an effort to keep him. Coles and Smoot were two of the players Gibbs had identified as 'Core Redskins' -- players who would become the centerpieces of the rebuilt franchise. With an unsettled quarterback situation and lingering injuries hampering many of their best defensive players, the Redskins face an uncertain future.

"My commitment to the Redskins, I want to do every single thing I can to restore the Redskins to winning football games," Gibbs says. "I want to get the Redskins back to winning, and that's first."

Quarterbacks
Will Patrick Ramsey ever feel comfortable as the Redskins' starter? After Ramsey was bruised and battered in Steve Spurrier's offense in 2003, Gibbs hand-picked veteran Mark Brunell to replace him. Brunell and Ramsey were largely ineffective last season, so Gibbs traded the team's first-round pick in the 2006 draft for a late first-round choice this year. With the No. 25 pick, the Redskins selected Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell, who figures to be the team's future starter.

Gibbs stuck by Brunell during the team's abysmal 3-6 start before finally turning to Ramsey. Although Ramsey performed better than Brunell, completing 62.1 percent of his passes with 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, he still held the football too long and was sacked 23 times. Brunell, who turns 35 this season, struggled mightily in nine starts last year, completing less than 50 percent of his passes with seven touchdowns and six interceptions.

Running Backs
Although Clinton Portis ran for 1,315 yards last season, he seemed uncomfortable in Gibbs' offense, which is built around counter runs and traps. The Redskins went seven consecutive games without a rushing touchdown, and Portis ran for only five scores after scoring 29 touchdowns on the ground in 29 games with the Denver Broncos.

Backup Ladell Betts played a larger role in the offense late in the season because of his ability to block and catch passes out of the backfield. The Redskins re-signed restricted free agent Rock Cartwright to a one-year contract and drafted fullbacks Manuel White Jr. of UCLA and Nehemiah Broughton of The Citadel.

Receivers
By agreeing to Coles' demands for a trade or release, the Redskins lost their toughest receiver and best downfield blocker. Despite playing with a nagging toe injury throughout the 2004 season, Coles still led the team with 90 catches for 950 yards.

Moss, who is smaller and weighs only 185 pounds, caught 45 passes for 838 yards and five touchdowns for the Jets last season. Most NFL executives view Moss as a solid complementary receiver, but the Redskins still don't have a bona fide No. 1 wideout. Former first-round pick Rod Gardner has been a disappointment, and the team gave his agent permission to explore trade possibilities. The Redskins signed free agent David Patten from the New England Patriots. He is another smaller receiver but runs great routes and averaged a career-high 18.2 yards per catch last season.

Tight end/H-Back Chris ey was a big surprise last season, catching 37 passes for 314 yards and six touchdowns.

Offensive Linemen
The Redskins' offense took a huge hit when it lost right tackle Jon Jansen to a season-ending Achilles' tendon injury during the first exhibition game. Jansen, the leader of the offensive line, missed all of the 2004 season and the team never was able to replace him. With Jansen back this season, and left tackle Chris Samuels reworking his contract, the Redskins figure to have solid bookends.

Right guard Randy Thomas is a tough player, and left guard Derrick Dockery proved to be very good run blocker in his second pro season. The Redskins signed free agent Casey Rabach, who started 16 games for the Baltimore Ravens last season, to shore up the middle of the offensive line. Rabach is expected to replace starting center Cory Raymer, who has struggled to stay healthy.

Defensive Linemen
The Redskins finished third in the NFL in total defense despite having modest talent and depth on the defensive line. Defensive tackle Cornelius Griffin, signed to a seven-year, $31 million contract before the 2004 season, proved to be worth the investment. He had 70 tackles, six sacks and a team-leading 15 tackles for a loss. Joe Salave'a played well enough at left defensive tackle that the team awarded him with a new three-year contract.

The Redskins are crossing their fingers that veteran defensive ends Renaldo Wynn and Phillip Daniels can stay healthy this season. Daniels played in only five games last season because of groin and wrist injuries, and Wynn had 37 tackles and three sacks in 2004.

Linebackers
Even without Pro Bowler LaVar Arrington last season, linebackers were the Redskins' strongest unit. Outside linebacker Marcus Washington proved to be as good as advertised with 107 tackles and 4.5 sacks, and Antonio Pierce led the team with 160 tackles. Chris Clemons and Lemar Marshall played well when injuries to Arrington and Mike Barrow forced the younger players into action.

Arrington's status for this season remained in question after the draft. He played only four games last season after having cartilage removed from his right knee. He underwent another surgery in April and continued to have fluid drained from his knee. He also was in a bitter contract dispute with the team, alleging the Redskins owed him a $6.5 million bonus. Barrow, signed from the New York Giants to start at middle linebacker, missed all of the 2004 season with tendinitis in his left knee, and his future with the team remains in doubt. Pierce left for New York after the Redskins failed to match the Giants' contract offer. If Barrow doesn't come back, Marshall will probably move to the middle.

Defensive Backs
Smoot, the fast-talking cornerback, left for the Vikings as an unrestricted free agent, forcing the Redskins to rebuild their secondary for the second season in a row. The team drafted Auburn cornerback Carlos Rogers with the No. 9 pick, and he will be thrown into the fire immediately. Veteran Shawn Springs played well at left cornerback last season, and aging Walt Harris is still a capable backup.

If free safety Sean Taylor cleans up his act, he has the potential to be one of the most feared defensive backs in the NFL. The 2004 first-round draft choice is a fierce hitter and runs very well in the open field, but he is unhappy with his contract and faces possible disciplinary action for off-field activities. Strong safety Matt Bowen is coming back from a knee injury that caused him to miss all but five games last season. He will be pushed for the starting job by Ryan Clark.

Specialists
The Redskins signed John Hall prior to the 2003 season to shore up their placekicking. But the former New York Jet played in only eight games and ended the season on injured reserve with hamstring and groin problems. Punter Tom Tupa was terrific in his first season with the team, averaging 44.1 yards, and fewer than 50 percent of his punts were returned. Return specialist Chad Morton is coming back from torn knee ligaments and wasn't as effective before he was hurt.

Final Analysis
Gibbs seems determined to turn the Redskins' fortunes around, but there was probably too much damage done before he arrived back in the nation's capital.

The offense should be better with Jansen returning to the line, but the team did little to address its lack of playmakers on the perimeter. If Ramsey can't throw the ball down the field, defenses will continue to crowd the line to slow down Portis. If Rogers is capable of replacing Smoot, and Arrington returns from a knee injury, the defense should again be among the league's best under Gregg Williams, one of the NFL's top defensive minds. But there are too many deficiencies on offense to challenge for a playoff spot.

Long-Time Skins Fan wrote: Return specialist Chad Morton is coming back from torn knee ligaments and wasn't as effective before he was hurt.

He's a Patriot dude.

People still read SI these days?

oafusp wrote:

Long-Time Skins Fan wrote: Return specialist Chad Morton is coming back from torn knee ligaments and wasn't as effective before he was hurt.

He's a Patriot dude.

It's hard to take an article seriously when it has mistakes like that.

Read my signature!

When Joe Gibbs was lured out of retirement to coach the Washington Redskins again, the Hall of Fame coach figured the only thing he could lose was his reputation. But after a 6-10 season in 2004, in which the Redskins looked inept offensively and undisciplined overall, Gibbs might be close to losing his sanity, too.

Might Joe has lost his sanity..... He drafted Full Backs and word on the street is he may try the shotgun formation. Gibbs has either lost his mind or he's got a lot of defensive co-ordinators wondering. Gibbs will be at risk of losing his sanity around the same time SI starts doing "legwork"

After his team ranked 30th in the NFL in total offense last year, things only got worse for Gibbs during the offseason. Wide receiver Laveranues Coles demanded to be released and was traded to the New York Jets for Santana Moss. Cornerback Fred Smoot left for the Minnesota Vikings after the Redskins didn't make much of an effort to keep him. Coles and Smoot were two of the players Gibbs had identified as 'Core Redskins' -- players who would become the centerpieces of the rebuilt franchise.

This was a complete disaster of a off-season, not for the Skins but for the Skins haters in the press. The Redskins signed no big name free agents(the FAs that were signed were signed early and overlooked). How can you file a story if nothing is coming over the wire?
Coles wanted out - gone - got someone for him (oddly the same postion) and freed up cap space next year(no one mentions this but it's as big as the "hit" we took this year.
Smoot will only be missed in the locker room. Funny they didn't mention AP, his departure would have more impact than the other two.(Coles - a WR in what they call a non-existant passing game, Smooty played the #2 CB spot). Antonio set the defense for Gregg Williams and he move within the division (again that might have taken some research since no one had hear of Peirce). As far as "centerpeices of fanchise", well that will not be players that will be what it has always been with JG. Dedication, Commitment and doing things the Redskin Ways will be the centerpeices of ALL Joe Gibbs Teams

With an unsettled quarterback situation and lingering injuries hampering many of their best defensive players, the Redskins face an uncertain future.

Too lazy to check the by line to see the date of the news they are reprinting. We had "an unsettled quarterback situation " about 12 months ago but that's just not the case now. Ramsey is the QB.
That puncuation at the end of the last sentence is a period, it means the end of a statement. That means Ramsey is the guy that will lead this team period, no if and or buts about it. Should Ramsey not be the best man for the job, Gibbs will give him every chance to keep it. Should he lose the starting job then I'd say we have an unsettled backup quarterback situation, but that's me Gibbs knows what he will do. I just hope it doesn't come to that.

"My commitment to the Redskins, I want to do every single thing I can to restore the Redskins to winning football games," Gibbs says. "I want to get the Redskins back to winning, and that's first."

I've seen or heard nothing that says he has changed course from this statement.

RiC took the time to create his Sig. I'm willing to bet he put more effort into getting his sig right than SI did in doing this story

1nikster........good reply to another half researched article.

In discussing Ramsey I also think they might have mentioned that he sat on the bench through NINE games before being brought in to face the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburg Steelers defenses. GIVE THE GUY A BREAK.

After those 2 games he performed much better and he still had pathetic receivers and no right tackle and no center. That has changed. He has a strong right tackle and a better center and he has had a full year of absorbing Gibbs system and philosophy....plus one more year of LOSING Purriers losing system.

Patrick Ramsey is going to be a much better QB than some of these EXPERTS believe. They are going to be shocked.

BATMAN wrote:1nikster........good reply to another half researched article.

In discussing Ramsey I also think they might have mentioned that he sat on the bench through NINE games before being brought in to face the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburg Steelers defenses. GIVE THE GUY A BREAK.

After those 2 games he performed much better and he still had pathetic receivers and no right tackle and no center. That has changed. He has a strong right tackle and a better center and he has had a full year of absorbing Gibbs system and philosophy....plus one more year of LOSING Purriers losing system.

Patrick Ramsey is going to be a much better QB than some of these EXPERTS believe. They are going to be shocked.

Don't hold your breath. Nothing in his 4 year history with the Redskins remotely points towards it.

But I guess the excuses for him will keep coming. He better have a truly "Breakout" year as far as some of his junta on this website believe otherwise he will be sitting on the bench next year watching a true athlete in Campbell run the show. I.M.O.

Thanks sunshine ...

I'm going to beat this drum again: For some reason, there is a disconnect when reporters write about players who leave via free agency. The thrust of the stories is invariably "the Redskins lost/let go of player X" (or some variation thereof) rather than player X chose to leave or accepted another offer.
At the risk of sounding pedantic: The decision on whether to remain in Washington, ultimately, is that of the player, not the team. That is the very nature of free agency. In fact, one would think the words FREE AGENT would be explanation enough. One would be wrong though.
Had the Redskins simply declined to enter negotiations with either Smoot or Pierce then they could be fairly accussed of "losing" them. However, facts being what they are, the Redskins did attempt to negotiate with them. Pierce and Smoot (who, besides being identified by Gibbs as core Redskins, identified themselves as core players who wanted to be here, another point that is disregarded altogether) found their respective offers to be lacking. Fine, that is entirely within their rights.
But to act as if free agency rolled around and the Skins simply washed their hands of these two is totally inaccurate and is, sadly, reflective of the treatment the Redskins receive in general in the media.
Bottom line: The Redskins thought Pierce and Smoot were worth X, Pierce and Smoot disagreed, so they left in search of greener pastures. The only thing that's been lost is a sense of objectivity.


Edited twice for spelling, because I am that much of a dork

[color=blue]Hate to put this much PRESSURE on my boy P-Ram, but he will be the one to make or brake our season.

The defense will be fine, O-Line will be fine, backfield fine, special teams fine, and the receivers will be fine if P-Ram can get the ball to them in an adequate time and manner.

All esle is regarding the skins is academic if Ramsey won't perform.

Please let's get the season started already.[/color]

SI Credibility? Look no further than their projected starting lineup and then dump the article. They have Rod Gardner starting at wideout. Last I heard he was told to stay away and SI has him starting???

If we had signed smoot and pierce then, of course, we'd be criticized for overpaying them. So many writers are not able to remain objective in their analysis.

Redskins fans....we'll probably see SI hitch-hiking when our bandwagon goes by....I say we slow down....laugh at them....and move on without 'em.

Hail!!!

Redskin in Canada wrote:Read my signature!

I'm sorry man but SI has some damn good articles. I feel for you and what they are doing with Monk is truly unjust but their magazines are crazy good