Lets face it. This season hasn't turned out how Redskins fans expected or hoped for. Between the lackluster offense, a defense that early on in the year made a case for being the worst ever, and a special teams unit which allowed a touchdown in a record three straight games, to say the team is disappointing would be an understatement. Everyone, myself included, anticipated more from this team. The production just isn't there.
With a 2-5 start, RG3 and the Redskins have dug a hole that will be difficult to climb out of. As for last years 7 game win streak happening again... it's not. Forget about it, don't mention it, get it out of your head. However, with the NFC "least" being as bad as it's been this season, and the team at the top known to blow it when it counts, all is not lost. Some things can still be done to salvage what seems like a lost cause. In this article I'm going to highlight a couple of issues that need to be addressed if the Skins want to compete for the division going forward this season.
- Find An Identity - When I look at the top teams in the NFL, the one thing I notice they all have in common is an identity. By this I mean they can hang their hat on one aspect of the game. Denver can pass. Kansas City can run. Seattle is a hard nosed defense that will wear you down over 60 minutes. Last year the Redskins had an identity. They were a running offense. This opened up the passing game off of play action and the read option. Now possibly a hobbled RG3 is part to blame, but the fact that Alfred Morris has yet to carry the ball 20+ times this season is ridiculous. How can the team progress if they can't dominate one aspect of the game? This in turn allows other facets of the offense to open up and become a threat. It would allow Griffin to improve his accuracy and decision making skills if he has confidence in what's being called. The Skins need to figure out what they want to be before it's too late or they get their QB killed.
- Increase the Pressure - If you look at the Redskins defensive front on paper, you see names like Kerrigan, Orakpo, Bowen and Cofield. There's no reason this unit shouldn't be one of the most dominant pass rushing units in football. Even the best quarterbacks in the league can appear to be pedestrian when pressured, see Peyton Manning in the Denver Broncos vs. Indianapolis Colts game. I'm not sure if it's a lack of hustle or passion by the players, or maybe a fault in the scheme by Jim Haslett, but something has to be done to allow these players to produce at the level we all know they are capable of. In the game against the Chicago Bears, we saw a look with 3 middle linebackers all standing up at the line of scrimmage. This caused massive confusion, and even time outs early on in the game. Haslett has to send pressure from different areas and keep the opposing offenses guessing where the pressure is coming from. Regardless of how it gets done, if the Redskins want to get more turnovers, improve field position, and get off the field quicker, pressure is a key component to achieving those goals.
- Show Some Discipline - Nothing is worse then watching Alfred Morris rip off a 25 yard run, only to have it be called back for a hold that wasn't even involved in the play. Or even worse, getting called for holding on a punt and being forced to re-punt, only to give up a special teams touchdown. Case in point, the week 6 game against the Dallas Cowboys. Setting the whole penalties example aside, having Pierre Garcon make a miraculous one handed catch, only to ruin the drive with a botched snap on the ensuing play, is something we as fans have seen far too often. These are mistakes that good teams don't make. Mistakes that well coached teams avoid. If the Redskins want to achieve any sort of success this season, or in the future, mistakes like these must be eliminated. And yeah yeah yeah, I know the Ravens were one of the most penalized teams last year, but that was purely circumstantial. If that's your argument for this situation, maybe you should step back and reevaluate your outlook! But seriously, mistakes like these and the lack of discipline are hurting the Redskins in every facet of the game. Some of these penalties and mistakes are inexcusable and need to be corrected, immediately.
- Open Up The Playbook - Okay, I love the bubble screen to Pierre Garcon as much as the next guy, but it's predictable, defenses are ready for it, and it simply doesn't work. If you're not running different routes and calling audibles at the line, then that play just won't do it for you. It's hard to change the play at the line when you're getting out of the huddle with 7 to 10 seconds left on the play clock! Defenses already know what the Skins are calling. They're running the same stuff from last year if not less due to RG3's inability to stretch the field with his legs. Kyle Shanahan needs to be more creative, take more shots, and pick up the tempo for his offense. A lot of that may rest on RG3, his grasp of the offense, and confidence running. However, the fact that they came out in the second half against Denver and consistently threw the ball instead of sticking with the run (which was working) is ridiculous. It doesn't take a genius to realize that you need to keep going with what is working for you. Force the other team to stop what's working and make adjustments to what they're going to do to stop you. Adjust, adjust, adjust! I can't count the times I've been watching a game when I said to myself, "Are you serious!! You called that!" Now I am in no way qualified to run an offense in the NFL, but it's just simple, basic football to know that if you can run the ball on a team, you run. Moving forward I would like to see more variety in the routes, more consistency, dedication to the run, and some more trust from the coaches in their quarterback (that they spent so many draft picks to acquire.)
The Redskins season could possibly be over already and they may be left to simply develop their young players (including RG3) and try to make the best of their situation. However, if they can address the issues I laid forth in this article, I believe they have a better chance of turning this season around and making something positive out of it. I'm not a professional analyst, who has spent my whole life watching and studying football. I'm just a huge fan that wants more than anything to see the team that I love succeed. I do honestly believe that this team is better than their 2-5 record indicates. The defense has played better as of late, and the offense seems to move the ball better each week. But there are a lot of things they need to improve on. Let's hope this week's game against the San Diego Chargers can start the trend of turning this thing around, playing solid, good fundamental football, and rattling off some wins to get back in the race for the NFC East. Hail to the Redskins.
Brian Smith
Shades of Red D.C.
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