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

This is an interesting spot for us to be in right now. We have won 3 in a row, which was a pipe dream at the beginning of last season. If we beat philly next week it'll put us at 2nd in the division, against what I hate to say is a string looking Dallas team... but definitely a beatable one. We can't beat any teams with winning records... oh wait we beat the Giants and the ravens... "you like that?"...

Obviously a lot of room for improvement, but if improvement comes, like it did last year, we could finally repeat in the East.

The best thing, at this moment, is that we were 0 & 2 with the talking heads going on and on about O'Dell....visiting Europe....being the greatest receiver....the Giants were 2 & 0...and? We've flipped the script with Mara's club with our team pulling off three victories while they've dropped to 2 & 3. That, alone, feels pretty damned good to me.

Next week will be tough. Our team need to focus and play well to win against the Iggles. Maybe we get some lucky bounces too. I'll take 'em any way we get them. But, today, Victory Monday, feels pretty damned good.

HTTR

You know... our D is starting to put it together... and more importantly, we are making the adjustments at half time on that side of the ball that we literally haven't been able to do in years! Once we get some balance on O, and Kirk plays with that confidence he showed down the stretch last year, we SHOULD be legit contenders.

While the Pitt beat down was atrocious.... the Dullass game was VERY winnable... 4-1 should be where we stand, but now we know we can bang out the close hard games; I'm ready to take that to the next level and deliver some crushing victories to our opponents already!!!
Run more. Throw deep more.
Just win baby!
HTTR

I feel like the next nine games could all be losses so let's not start celebrating just yet.

cowboykillerzRGiii wrote:While the Pitt beat down was atrocious.... the Dullass game was VERY winnable... 4-1 should be where we stand, but now we know we can bang out the close hard games; I'm ready to take that to the next level and deliver some crushing victories to our opponents already!!!
Run more. Throw deep more.
Just win baby!
HTTR

Even the Pitt game was winnable if just a few of the bounces had gone our way. But for a no-call on a blatant PI in the endzone and a horrible pick, the records for the Pies and us are flipped, and we lead the division at 4-1 (2-0 inside). We definitely need to run more, but I feel good about where we are. I think we hand the Smeagols another loss next week.

I feel pretty good about where we stand. The team is not as good as I thought we were, but the wins against New York and Baltimore were both good ones, and we took care of business against the Browns. The Dallas game could have gone either way. So aside from an ass-kicking handed to us by the Steelers, we've really been playing alright.

This week is the real test of our mettle. The Eagles, who have been a real surprise this year, will be pissed coming off a close loss. Quality team and a chance to prove ourselves.

HTTR

Irn-Bru wrote: The Dallas game could have gone either way.

I have a feeling that one will haunt us by the end of the year.

At 3-2, I still feel realistically we'll probably end up an 8-8 team. Maybe we catch some more lucky breaks, like an INT fumbled into the end zone for a touchback instead of a TD against us. That would be great.

If we can get to 4-2 next week though, I might start feeling differently...

Burgundy&GoldForever wrote:I feel like the next nine games could all be losses so let's not start celebrating just yet.

I don't see this, looking at all the upcoming teams only one that realistically is out of reach for us is the vikings. I know a lot of people will say the Packers, but with their terrible pass defense, and our turnover ratio they are beatable. Cards and panthers aren't the same teams as last year... so who do we face that is really that bad? We can realistically finish well this year, really it can be anywhere from I'd say a 7-9 to an 11-5 season for us depending on if the defense can keep finding wins at the end of games and if kirk can keep us in them

Prowl33 wrote:

Burgundy&GoldForever wrote:I feel like the next nine games could all be losses so let's not start celebrating just yet.

I don't see this, looking at all the upcoming teams only one that realistically is out of reach for us is the vikings. I know a lot of people will say the Packers, but with their terrible pass defense, and our turnover ratio they are beatable. Cards and panthers aren't the same teams as last year... so who do we face that is really that bad? We can realistically finish well this year, really it can be anywhere from I'd say a 7-9 to an 11-5 season for us depending on if the defense can keep finding wins at the end of games and if kirk can keep us in them

Teams don't win many games when they can't get a 3rd and 1 running the football. We're leaving so many points on the board it makes me ill. Against good teams that's a recipe for disaster. Cousins is doing some dumb ass things with the the football that he didn't do last season. There are must some things that aren't clicking and unless they do we're probably looking at more losses than wins over the next nine games. I'm not expecting nine losses, obviously, but I think five wins would be an accomplishment.

3-2 is where I thought we'd be after 5 games. I also feel we are an 8-8 team, possibly going 9-7. For me, nothing has changed.
- Our DEF is worse than I thought, although they had a solid game against BAL; however, BAL isn't an offensive juggernaut to put it mildly. All in all, I feel worse about our DEF than I did going into the season
- Kirk has played as expected. He needs a run game to succeed. He can't do it on his own, but if there is a run game, he can put up all-pro numbers. I am not sure what that says about him, but that is the reality of his game. I am not sure he has done anything to warrant a >100M deal, but if he continues this play, he'll get something in that range from either us or another team.
- Run game is bad. Not sure the issue. I think Jones is a decent back and for his size, should be a good north-south runner, he really isn't. I have been saying this since week 2 of last year, but he runs too high.

For me, not much has changed. That being said, the teams we have played are better than I expected them to be going into the season. Discounting games against us, our opponents have combined record of 3-1, 3-1, 2-2, 0-4, and 3-1. Having a 3-2 record against that lot is not too bad.

Ironically enough, the NFC East is the best division in the NFL right now....

Prowl33 wrote:This is an interesting spot for us to be in right now. We have won 3 in a row, which was a pipe dream at the beginning of last season. If we beat philly next week it'll put us at 2nd in the division, against what I hate to say is a string looking Dallas team... but definitely a beatable one. We can't beat any teams with winning records... oh wait we beat the Giants and the ravens... "you like that?"...

Obviously a lot of room for improvement, but if improvement comes, like it did last year, we could finally repeat in the East.

I feel okay. We look like we can be competitive with alot of teams but really not a TRUE consistent playoff team at this point. Offense isn't playing up to their potential, but good enough to win. Defense concerns me more than anything. The division going to be tougher than last year for sure.

Add in our terrible defense is almost leading the league in turnovers, and hasn't allowed a 2nd half TD in 3 games. Overall statistically they are a dumpster fire, but if you shut out teams in the 2nd half and keep taking the ball away that will keep leading to wins too.

Prowl33 wrote:Add in our terrible defense is almost leading the league in turnovers, and hasn't allowed a 2nd half TD in 3 games. Overall statistically they are a dumpster fire, but if you shut out teams in the 2nd half and keep taking the ball away that will keep leading to wins too.

While true, that strategy isn't exactly a sustainable one.

Not comfortable... the wins, while satisfying, are as much the result of poor coaching and play from the opponents as from anything our team did... It would be comforting to see the team shut down an opponent in the 4th quarter, as they should have yesterday.

Countertrey wrote:Not comfortable... the wins, while satisfying, are as much the result of poor coaching and play from the opponents as from anything our team did... It would be comforting to see the team shut down an opponent in the 4th quarter, as they should have yesterday.

They have a lot of flaws but 4th quarter isn't one of them. We are the best in the league in the 2nd half of games from the last 3 weeks in points allowed, yep, the best. Of course all of the other stuff is important, but if we are keeping points off the board that's all that really matters in the end.

I'm happy with any Redskin win, but I'd be happier if:

(1) the Redskins ran the ball close to 50% of the time. Run it with big RB's behind power blocking. No tricky plays. Just trample the defense.

(2) the defense could pressure opposing QB's and could stop the run.

Prowl33 wrote:

Countertrey wrote:Not comfortable... the wins, while satisfying, are as much the result of poor coaching and play from the opponents as from anything our team did... It would be comforting to see the team shut down an opponent in the 4th quarter, as they should have yesterday.

They have a lot of flaws but 4th quarter isn't one of them. We are the best in the league in the 2nd half of games from the last 3 weeks in points allowed, yep, the best. Of course all of the other stuff is important, but if we are keeping points off the board that's all that really matters in the end.

When you have the ball and a lead with 4 minutes left, you need to get first downs on the ground... that is how you do it. You don't go 3 and out, and punt, to give the opponent another chance. That could easily have been a bad outcome.

I am happy as we all are with any win. I also agree with Welch n Tre that we should run the ball more. Matt Jones has shown that he can move the chains.
Kirk Cousins has been good and bad. Main thing with Kirk is he has to utilize all the weapons he has. Desean Jackson, Garcon, Crowder and Jordan Reed! If Peyton Manning had these weapons he'd throw for fifty Tds. No joke. Jordan Reed is a mismatch for any defense. Desean Jackson is open all the time. Kirk has good moments he just has to keep improving.

count me in - 3-2 is a lot better than 1-4 which is where we could have been ... then again we could be 4-1

we are looking at 8 or maybe 9 wins if we get lucky - we are not very good at running the ball or defending the run



NFL franchises need good linemen on both sides of the ball and to have good depth - this takes more than 2 drafts

HEROHAMO wrote:I am happy as we all are with any win. I also agree with Welch n Tre that we should run the ball more. Matt Jones has shown that he can move the chains.

He has? He sure didn't on Sunday v. the Ravens. 31 yards on 14 carries.

Think we might be seeing a bit more Rob Kelley this weekend.

riggofan wrote:

HEROHAMO wrote:I am happy as we all are with any win. I also agree with Welch n Tre that we should run the ball more. Matt Jones has shown that he can move the chains.

Think we might be seeing a bit more Rob Kelley this weekend.

this is a good thing - the run game will benefit having Jones, Kelley AND Thompson getting more plays

SkinsJock wrote:

riggofan wrote:

HEROHAMO wrote:I am happy as we all are with any win. I also agree with Welch n Tre that we should run the ball more. Matt Jones has shown that he can move the chains.

Think we might be seeing a bit more Rob Kelley this weekend.

this is a good thing - the run game will benefit having Jones, Kelley AND Thompson getting more plays

Yeah. Thompson is a little different, but I definitely think some competition from Kelley could benefit Jones.

Normally I would be elated but in reality I am rather nonplussed which I think is probably a really good thing.

I think there are fans of many teams out there who would be ecstatic with 3-2 while there are many others who would be sorely disappointed. I think it's a good sign that I am not skyhigh on 3-2.

And the Philadelphia eagles are not the 1985 Bears. Heck they are not even the 2015 Green Bay Packers. How about we go and kick their asses tomorrow and then ask how we feel about 4-2.

Feeling great!

THAT is how you finish the game.