Redskins at Buccaneers

Record : 2-2

I had not had a chance to blog for the past week or so, mainly due to car troubles, so I'll play a little catch-up today, and also get to Sunday's game.  So let's get this started.

The Redskins lost to the Cincinnati Bengals at home, which was the Redskins and RGIII's first home game.  They lost by the final score of 38-31, falling to 1-2 for the year.  The theme continued for the 3rd straight week, as the Defense gave up huge plays to the Bengals, including the opening trick passing play by one Bengals WR, Mohamed Sanu, to another WR, A.J. Green, for a one play TD pass going for 73 yards.  Although the Defense did make some plays, overall they gave up huge passing plays, giving Andy Dalton a 328 yards passing with 3 TD's to 1 INT day, completing 19 out of 27 attempts.  Although A.J. Green is a somewhat big name in the WR ranks, the Bengals Offense was not known for big plays, but against the Redskins, they played big.  On a positive note for the Redskins Defense, they forced a fumble by BenJarvus Green-Ellis, the Bengals RB who had previously carried the ball 480 times without a fumble.  In fact, this was his first fumble in his NFL career, which started in 2008.

The Redskins Offense did not have a great game, with RG3 completing 21 out of 34 passes for 221 yards and only 1 TD.  He did, however, rush for 85 yards on 12 attempts, with a very nice TD run in the Redzone.  Having said that, he got destroyed by the Bengals Defense, getting his 24 times, including 6 sacks, and one of the hardest hits he has received this year in an option play.  There were reports that he had received a concussion test after one of the drives, but he was not hurt.  Alfred Morris had an average day, rushing 17 times for 78 yards and 1 TD, since he had to share carries with RG3.  When the QB rushes for more yards than your RB, it usually does not end well.

There were a number of questionable calls by Mike Shanahan in the game, including challenging a Redskins punt which was called a touchback on the field.  In my opinion, they wasted a timeout there, and with having burned the other two timeouts earlier, that left them with none at the end of the game, where they were trying to go for a game winning drive.

Overall an average performance by the Offense, and a (what has become the norm) poor performance by the Defense.

Now onto Sunday's game against the Buccaneers.

The Redskins were able to win the game by the final score of 24-22, and reaching a .500 record at 2-2.  They won the game with a Billy Cundiff FG from 41 yards.  But Cundiff is not the hero of the game, in my opinion.  Previously he had missed 3 FG's, which placed the Redskins in the situation of trying for a game winning FG.  If he had made those 3, then it would have been a different story at the end.

The Redskins cut Graham Gano in preseason because he had missed 10 FG last year.  As I had mentioned before, 5 of those were blocked, and 2 were from over 50 yards.  Last year, he had made 4 out of 6 FG's from beyond 50 yards.  So this year, the Redskins brought in Billy Cundiff to remedy the accuracy of the Kicker.  What does Cundiff do?  Well, as mentioned above, he missed 3 FG's.  One from 41, one from 57, and one from 31.  Now the one from 57 yards is not entirely on him, it is on the coaching staff, mainly Mike Shanahan.  Cundiff's career long FG was 56 yards, back in 2005.  Since then, and including this year before the Bucs game, he was 1 out of 10 tries from beyond 50, with the only made FG being from 51 yards.  He had missed one from 50+ this year already, so I have no idea why in the world would Shanahn think that Cundiff could make a 57 yard FG.  That is beyond idiotic, and if I didn't know any better, I would start to think that Shanahan had not clue what is going on.  But that is another topic all together.  Back to Cundiff and his two other misses.  The other two were on him, and reminded me of last year's game against the Patriots where he missed a last minute FG from close range, which would have given the Ravens the win.  So all those people, including the Redskins coaching staff, that didn't want Gano to be the kicker this year, are most likely regretting that fact, as he had a very strong leg.

Now onto the second bad thing about the game, and it should not come as a surprise, the Redskins Defensive unit.  For most of the game they had actually been playing well, keeping the Bucs out of the endzone, and making plays.  But towards the end of the game, their now true colors came through once again.  The Redskins were leading 21-6 at the end of the half, which is a very solid lead.  But by the end of the 4th quarter, they were behind 22-21, after giving up a number of deep passing plays to Vincent Jackson.  The they keep the Bucs to only 80 yards rushing in total, but they gave up 299 yards in the air, with Jackson finishing the day with 100 yards on 6 receptions, and Mike Williams with 115 yards on 4 receptions.  Those are not good stats.

The Redskins Offense had a very good day, which it needed to.  RG3 threw for 323 yards, completing 26 out of 35 passes.  He did not find the endzone with his arm, but he was able to do so with his legs, rushing for 43 yards and a TD.  He did have a fumble at the 1 yard line, but luckily, Pierre Garcon, who had returned to the lineup after being out two weeks, was able to jump on the ball for a TD.  Alfred Morris had another great day, rushing 21 times for 113 yards and one TD.  This against a Buccaneers Defense that had come to the game giving up only an average of 47 yards rushing per game.  It appears as though the Redskins have a solid rushing game, and an improving passing game, and are able to make plays and score TD's in the Redzone, something they have not been able to do for many years.

Next week the Atlanta Falcons come to town, and they bring with them a 4-0 record and an average of 365 total yards per game, and a league 3rd best 31 points per game.  That Offense is led my Matt Ryan, who has passed for 1162 yards, with 11 TD's and only 2 INT's.  He will be passing to Roddy White, who has 3 TD's with an average of 15.3 yards per catch, and Julio Jones, also with 3 TD's and 13.7 yards per catch.  If the Redskins secondary does not step up their game big time, they are going to have major problems covering these two big, fast and very talented receivers.

Redskins at Rams results

The Washington Redskins have gone from Superbowl champions to the worst team in the NFL in the spam of two games.....at least in the eyes of the fans.  After beating the Saints in New Orleans, the Redskins lost to the Rams in St. Louis in a very close game, by the score of 31-28.  What most fans will remember of the game, unfortunately, is the unsportsmanlike play by Josh Morgan, when he threw the ball at Cortland Finnegan after being tackled short of the first down mark.  But before getting into that, and the other negatives about the game, let me first look at the positives.

The best thing about the game for Redskins fans was RG3.  He was able to impress by with abilities once again.  He had a long bomb to Leonard Hankerson for a TD that was a thing of beauty.  RG3 threw the ball 68 yards, and it landed right in Hankerson's hands.  Hankerson did not have to slow down, or speed up, or change directions, or stretch out for the catch.  He was running at full speed, and simply opened his arms and the ball landed perfectly.  However, he did almost drop the pass, but was able to keep a hold of it and take it a few yards to the endzone.  RG3's arm strength was well known, but he showed that he is damn accurate with the long balls as well.  He also had another deep pass to Aldrick Robinson, but the 2nd year WR was not able to make the play as the ball bounced off his shoulderpads.

RG3 also showed off his rushing abilities, carrying the ball 11 times for a total of 82 yards and 2 TD's.  It appeared that he was able to run fairly easily when they had QB sneak play called.  On one of the TD's, he was able to split two would-be-tacklers very quickly and smoothly, and make it to the endzone.  The only concern is that over the length of the season, if he continues to rush as many times, his body will not be able to handle it, or that he will leave himself open for a very nasty hit.  I'm hoping that day won't come, as the Redskins need RG3 to be healthy for a very long time.

The rest of the offense played well also.  Alfred Morris had another good rushing game, going 89 yards on 16 carries, but he was not able to find the endzone.  The great thing about Morris is that whenever he is hit, he has so much momentum, that he almost always falls forward another yard or two.  And he is a rookie, so if he is also able to stay healthy, the Redskins have a fine RB leading the rushing game.

The WR core played ok, as they were able to make catches, but they were not that good at yards after the catch, mainly due to the fact that Pierre Garcon did not play in this game.  He is their number one WR, and the main person for YAC yards.  He should be back next week, and should be able to contribute once again.

The Offensive line also played well, allowing only one sack on RG3, but he was rushed a number of times.  This unit is doing a pretty good job, but the last two weeks they have not been fully tested, because both of their opponents had D-line issues.  With more time playing together, the unit can protect RG3 pretty well.

Now onto the negatives.  In regards to refs, I will just say that they have been horrendous in the entire league.  Even though they were horrible, making extremely back calls and multiple no calls, they were doing it to both sides, for the most part.  However, the real refs know about player reputations, and who to watch out for, which in this case would be Cortland Finnegan, the CB of the Rams, and the entire Rams team, because of their head coach Jeff Fisher.  Fisher, when he was with the Titans, had a team that in his tenure led the league in most personal fouls, with 163.  The 2nd highest teams were the Giants and Cardinals, with only 137.  In those 10 years, the Titans committed 67 unnecessary roughness penalties, 46 roughing the passer, 18 unsportsmanlike conducts, and 32 in other variations of personal fouls.  This team was also the same team that had the famous head stomp by Albert Haynsworth.  Cortland Finnegan was also with the Titans, before coming to the Rams.  In 2010, he was fined $5000 for throwing Giants WR to the ground by his helmet, then $10,000 for unnecessary roughness when he hit a Broncos' lineman who had lost his helmet, and then ejected from a game against the Texans and fined $25,000 for getting into a fist fight with Andre Johnson.  Finnegan is a very good CB, but he is considered one of the dirtiest players in all of sports.

Although a major negative in the game, it was nothing the Redskins could do anything about, other than to hold their composure, which they did for the most part.  What the Redskins had problems with, to start, was surprisingly the Defense.  For years now the Redskins had relied on the D to keep them in games, in hopes of being able to get lucky and score enough to win games.  It appears that this season the roles have been reversed.  The Offense is able to score points, but the D is not able to stop the other teams.  They gave up 32 points to the Saints, which can be chalked off to the fact that they are a formidable offense, and this week they gave up 31 to the Rams.  Now the Rams do have a good QB in Sam Bradford, and a very good RB in Steven Jackson, but Jackson was sidelined after the 1st quarter, and a rookie RB was killing the Redskins defense.  Sam Bradford was also able to easily find receivers open throughout the game, mainly Danny Amendola, who racked up a total of 15 catches for 160 yards and 1 TD.  It appeared that the Redskins could not cover any of the Rams' WR's, specially Amendola, until the end of the game, when they finally cut back on the zone scheme defense.  For the day, Bradford was 26 of 35 passing, for 310 yards, and 3 TD's, with only one INT.  On top of that, the Redskins gave up 151 yards on the ground.  The Rams were also about to convert 7 out of 12 3rd downs, which means the Defense was not able to get off the field and give the Offense a chance to score points.

The Redskins also gave up a blocked punt, for the 2nd time in as many games.  Although the reason for the blocked punt was given as one of the linemen releasing too early, this is not looking good for the special teams.  This on top of the fact that Brandon Banks fumbled another return.  He is not being used in the passing game, and his sole purpose is to return kicks, for which he isn't doing a great job, and he is having major problems hanging on to the ball.  If this continues, they will need to find a different solution.

Besides the Redskins defensive coaches not being able to adjust fast enough to what the Rams were doing, another major bad point in the game was the head coach, Mike Shanahan.  There were two calls make by Shanahan, which in my and many other's minds were completely wrong and dumb.  His first was at the end of the first half, when the Rams were going for a long FG.  Mike called a timeout right before the ball was snapped, a "move" that he has been credited with creating.  The idea behind this is to get into the mind of the kicker and make him miss on the second attempt.  This move has only worked a very, and I mean very small number of times, and this was not one of them.  The Rams actually missed the kick on the 1st attempt, but since Shanahan called a timeout, the kick did not count and they were able to retake it, which he nailed.  That gave the Rams 3 points which they should not have had.  The second dumb move came at the end of the game, and this one I have a major issue with.  The Redskins were pushed back to 4th and 15, because of Josh Morgan's mistake, and well out of FG range.  Their kicker, Billy Cundiff, has been in the league since 2002.  His career long successful FG kick is 56 yards, which he kicked in 2005.  That is also the last time he made a FG longer than 55 yards.  Since then, he is 1 for 10 in kicks over 50 yards, and in his career, he is only 5-20.  From those stats, anyone can see that he is NOT a long distance kicker.  If I, and many other fans, know these stats, then I sure hope that the coaches know it as well.  Which is why I am baffled at the fact that they brought him out to try a 62 yard FG!!!  Just to add to that point, the NFL record for the longest FG is 63 yards...  So that means that the coaching staff, mainly Mike Shanahan, since he makes the calls, thought that a guy who hadn't made a FG of more than 56 yards in his career, and who had missed 9 out of 10 FG of over 50 yards, would somehow be able to make a 62 yard FG, with a Offensive line that has had issues protecting FG attempts, and the game on the line.  This instead of having RG3, who was having a very good day against the Rams defense, specially when he ran the ball, trying to give the Redskins a first down.  If that is not the worst decision in the game, I am not sure what is.

I am hoping the Defense can get it together this week, as they have a pretty good Offensive team coming to town, because if they cannot, then it will be a very long day, and a very high scoring game.

Redskins at Rams

Redskins at Rams

Sunday September 16, 2012

4:05PM EST

The Washington Redskins are 1-0, and going to St. Louis to face the Rams, who are 0-1.  The Redskins and Rams have played 8 times since 2000, mainly due to the fact that they have been at the bottom of their own Divions.  Most of the games have been close between the two clubs, the Redskins having won 5 out of the 8 meetings between the two teams.  For some reason, no matter how well the Redskins are playing leading up to this game, they find a way to play very badly.  Could it be that the Rams have a great Defense?  Doubt it, or else they would not be as bad as they have been.  I think it is mainly due to the fact that the Redskins have played down to their opponents' level recently.  Regardless of the reason, this meeting could possibly result in the same thing, at least that is what most people fear.

The Rams are coming off a loss to the Detroit Lions, 27-23, with a poor showing on the Offensive side.  They were only able to get 14 first down, and racked up only 250 total yards on Offense, 77 of which were rushing.  Their stud running back, Steven Jackson, was only able to get 53 yards on 21 carries, and did not find the end-zone, in fact none of the RB's got to the end zone.  Sam Bradford did not have a great outting either, although not as bad as the RB's.  He was able to connect on 17 out of 25 passes, for 198 yards and 1 TD with 0 INT's.  He was sacked 4 times, which is mainly due to the fact that the Rams are having some injury issues on the Offensive line.  Although not much stock can be placed in only one week of Football, these stats due favor the Redskins, who had a pretty good day against a very potent Saints Offense last week.  The Defensive front 7 of the Redskins should have a good day against this offense, and should find Bradford on a couple of occasions.  They should also be able to limit Jackson's yards, since from the looks of it, the Rams are committing to the run this year, and the Redskins have been good at stopping the run.

The Rams did not do a great job on Defense, but they were able to contain Megatron, Calvin Johnson, keeping him from finding the endzone.  But he was able to grab 6 passes for 111 yards, with a 51 yard completion on one of the catches.  However, they were able to make Matthew Stafford's day a tough one, picking him off 3 times.  Stafford finished the night completing 32 of 48 passes, for 355 yards and 1 TD, along with those 3 INT's, one of which was returned for a TD by the Rams' newest CB, Cortland Finnegan.  The Rams' Defense was in bend-don't-break mode, giving up a total of 429 yards to the Offense of the Lions, with Kevin Smith rushing for 62 yards and one TD on 13 attemps.  The Rams are having some issues on the Defensive line, which was only able to get to Stafford one time for a sack.  This does not bode well for the Rams, if the Redskins are able to continue on the Offensive onslaught they started in New Orleans.  If the offensive line for the Redskins can protect RG3 as well as they did against the Saints, and if RG3 is as accurate as he was last week, then they should have a very good day against the Rams Defense.

As mentioned, this type of game is considered a trap game, a game that the Redskins have historically played as bad as their opponents.  But if we are to learn anything from week 1, this Redskins team is nothing like those of the past 15-20 years.  The Offense looks like a real Offense, with a real QB at the helm, and real WR's that can catch the ball and run with it.  The RB position looks solid, after the performance Alfred Morris had.  The Defense held their own against a powerful Saints Offense, but that has been the norm for the past number of years.  The Redskins can easily win this game, if they do not beat themselves by making stupid mistakes and if they do not underestimate the Rams, which want to make up for the loss agaisnt the Lions last week.

Redskins at Saints Result

So the game was played, and it did not go anything like most people had thought it would go.  As I had mentioned in my previous posts, it was a close game, and in fact it came down to the last play of the game with 2 seconds left on the clock, but I had no idea it would have played out like it did.  So let us get to it and go over what all happened.

As the picture at the top shows, the Redskins were able to beat the Saints, in New Orleans, by the final score of 40 to 32.  Yes, the Redskins actually scored 40 points!  The last time they did this was in 2005!  On top of that, all 40 points were scored by the Offense and special teams.  The Redskins were able to score 10 points in each of the quarters, which is insane if you are a Redskins fan.  The Offense looked amazing, and the Defense was able to make plays when it needed to the most.

Robert Griffin III finished the day with completing 19 of 26 passes, resulting in 320 yards and 2 TD's.  He did not throw a single interception, although one should have been intercepted, the CB lost the ball when he hit the ground.  He also ran the ball 10 times, both by design and scrambling, for a total of 42 yards.  Some of the run plays were by design, as mentioned, but some were the result of RG3 getting away from the Defensive rush and making a play instead of being sacked.  In fact, he was only sacked only once, and that was when he was tripped and had fallen down.  According to stats, RG3 was rushed only 8 times out 31 drop backs, which shows that the Offensive line stepped up huge and protected RG3 very well, and also that RG3 got rid of the ball very quickly, which will go a long way in keeping him healthy and injury free.

Besides the stats, watching RG3 play, it brought home the point that finally, after many years of poor QB play, the Washington Redskins have a legitimate QB, a franchise QB, now and for the foreseeable future.  Granted, it is just one game, but the future is bright, if he can stay healthy and continue to grow.

Not all was good, however.  The Offense looked crisp and efficient, it looked professional and it looked as though it knew what it wanted to do, and knew how to do it exactly.  In short, it looked very much like the Saints Offense last year.  But the Defense had trouble with said prolific Offense.  Drew Brees was only sacked twice, and was able to throw for 339 yards and 3 TD's.  Yes he did also throw 2 INT's, but one of them came as a result of a Hailmary pass attempt at the end of the game.  Although his accuracy was low, only 24 out of 52 attempts, he was still able to almost tie the game at the end.  Although the Redskins won't be facing such an air attack on a weekly basis, they will have to deal with a much better rushing attack.  The Saints stopped trying to rush the ball and went straight to the air, but other teams will not.  In fact, the Redskins' next opponent is a very good rushing team.

But not all is doom and gloom.  The Defense was able to stand up and make plays when it needed to, like the last play of the game to stop Drew Brees.  Also, with a potent Offense which takes advantage of field position and scores, the Defense does not have to be as tough and strong as it used to be in the years past.  They can take more risks, knowing that the Offense can make up for their mistakes.

Does this win change my mind on how the rest of the season will go?  Very little.  I still believe the Redskins will finish the season with an 8-8 record.  However, I now believe that those 8 loses will be close games, and the Redskins will be there till the end of the game in all the 8 loses, and the 8 wins can potentially be blowouts.  So as a Redskins fan, I am very much looking forward to the rest of the season, and am excited to see this Offense, specially RG3, grow and develop into a power to contend with.

Redskins vs Saints

Redskins vs Saints

Sunday September 9, 2012

1:00pm EST



The regular season of the NFL is finally here, and it was kicked off on Wednesday with a game between the Cowboys and Giants.  This weekend will be the first full weekend of Football, and there are a number of games of interest.  None of which are more important (at least to me) than the game between the Redskins and the Saints, which will be played in New Orleans.  There are several aspects of this game that are interesting, not only to the fans of both teams, but nationally.  I will try and go through them as fluidly as possible, but those of you that know me know that my mind jumps around a lot, so I apologize ahead of time.

Looking at the national interest, the first aspect is the Redskins QB, Robert Griffin III.  This will be his first regular season game, where the Defense will be coming after him and will try to confuse him with trick plays and false schemes.  A lot of people will be paying close attention to how RG3 plays against the Saints, to see if he is as good as promised, or will be start out rough as most rookies do.  Normally I would say this would be one of the most difficult opponents for a rookie QB, as the Saints have been a tough defensive unit.  They have been known for blitzing almost every down, from multiple directions, confusing QB's as to where the blitz will be coming from next.  Their front seven have been very good at applying pressure on the QB and making him throw bad passes.  This fact, combined with the ball hawks that the Saints have playing at the DB positions have resulted in multiple interceptions.  Again, normally this would be a bad thing, but due to the "bounty" scandal, some of the main Defensive players for the Saints won't be playing this week.  These include Jonathan Vilma, a very good LB, along with Will Smith, one of the best DE's in the game.  There is a possibility that Smith will play this weekend, if a judge rules to hold off on the suspension, but that is still up in the air.  The Saints are also going into the season with a new Defensive Coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo.  Although that would normally be a bad thing for a team, it appears that Steve has the Redskins' number.  He had been the Head Coach for the Rams for the past several years, and the Redskins had struggled greatly against the Rams, not being able to score many points.  Granted this is a new era for the Redskins Offense, but the scheme has not changed much.

Another national point of interest is how the Saints are going to respond to the hardships they have faced.  Not only were they hit with suspensions, Vilma and Smith on the field, their GM, Mickey Loomis, and Head Coach Sean Payton, have both been suspended, along with the Assistant Head Coach Joe Vitt, but the city of New Orleans has been hit with another hurricane.  The Saints have been known to bounce back from such hardships before, having won the Super Bowl after they were hit with Katrina, so many will be paying close attention to how they will respond this time around.

As far as the Saints' Offense is concerned, they will most likely not miss a beat.  Although Payton was the playcaller and the mastermind behind the Offense, Drew Brees has been the QB for several years, and has worked closely with Payton on the Offense, and knows the system as well as the suspended Head Coach does.  To add to that, the Redskins are having some issues on the Defensive side of the ball.  Although the front seven for the Redskins are very strong, there is some major questions in the backfield.  With the indefinite suspension of Tanard Jackson, and the injury to Brandon Merriwether, the Safety position is hurting.  This added to the questions regarding the CB's can be a problem, specially faced with the type of aggressive offense the Saints have.  Drew Brees shattered Dan Marino's record for most passing yards, and looks to continue on the roll.  This will be a major test for the Redskins' Defensive unit, to see if they can at the very least contain the Saints.

Both teams have players on Special Teams that can break open a game on a Kickoff or Punt Return.  The Redskins kept Brandon Banks on the roster mainly for this reason, as he is a very elusive and quick return specialist.  The Saints replaced their star return player last year, by letting go of Reggie Bush and picking up Darren Sprolles, and he was able to pick up exactly where Bush left off.

Since both teams are facing possible issues on the Defensive side, this looks to be a high scoring game.  The only question would be if the Redskins and RG3 can keep up with the Saints or not.  If both sides are able to drive the ball and score, it will most likely come down to which team can get lucky on Defense and either cause a turnover or stop the Offense from scoring.

Having said all that, I believe this will be a close yet high scoring game, and the Redskins do have a very good chance of pulling out a win.

Was cutting Cooley the right move?

NFL teams have to make tough decisions from time to time.  The coaching staff and the GM have to put aside certain aspects of humanity and make business decisions that will improve their team, both for the near future and for the long term.  Everyone knows that.  Most people don't like that idea, which is one of the reasons most of us will never be coaches or GM's, because we won't be able to make the tough decision and cut a player that has become the fan favorite and to a degree the face of the team.  Which brings us to the current situation, where the Washington Redskins cut their Tight End of 8 years, number 47 Chris Cooley.

Most of you know who Cooley is, and what he has meant to this team.  He has been the safety valve for many QB's that have put on the Burgandy and Gold uniform.  When in trouble, they would simply have to find Cooley and know that he was going to not only catch the ball, but make a play, getting a first down or moving down the field.  He was also a very good blocker when asked to block, either in passing or running situations.  Beyond his abilities on the field, he had a great personality.  He was a fan favorite, a fun loving, sometimes wacky person, who had the nickname of Captain Chaos.  I never had the chance to meet him myself, but from what I heard of him and from those that had met him, he was a great person and very friendly.

The news of him being cut, and his very emotional press conference, was a huge shock to many Redskins fans, myself included.  Even though he had been dealing with injuries the past couple of seasons, from all reports, he was in the best shape of his career this year, and looked to return to his probowl level of play.  So why cut such a player from the team?  Could it have been done differently?  Was it the right move for the Redskins, both in the near future and beyond?

To be honest, the majority of us can't answer those questions.  We can assume, we can try to put ourselves in the shoes of the Redskins' staff, to see why this happened, but we won't know for sure.  From what I've seen and heard, the main reasons were Cooley's salary and his age.  The Redskins have a young Fred Davis, who can be one of the best TE's, Logan Paulsen, who is getting better at being a blocking TE, and Niles Paul, who was a receiver last year, but the Redskins converted him to a TE over the offseason.  So just by the number of TE's, and their ages, one can see that Cooley might be on the outside, having been in the league more years than Davis, Paulsen, and Paul combined.  But the issue here is that you are putting a lot of trust in Davis, who is one substance abuse away from not playing for you, Paulsen, who is more of a blocker than a receaving TE and with only 13 catches and 1 TD, and Paul, who was a WR until this year, and who only had 2 receptions for 25 yards.  I for one would rather have a proven veteran on my team, which happens to be starting a rookie QB who will need all the help he can get, and which is also having major offensive line issues.

As for Cooley's price tag, I am certain that if they spoke with him, he would be more than happy to restructure his contract so that he can stay with the Redskins, and retire as a Washington Redskin.  He had said so many times himself, he does not want to see himself in another uniform, he wanted to be a Redskins for his entire career.  Not only that, he has invested so much of his time and money in this community, that to most of us, he is a fixture of this area.

There is another point that has bothered me ever since I heard of this news.  The Redskins are having major problems with their Offensive line, they had trouble protecting RGIII against the 2nd string Colts Defensive line.  They are going to have huge problems protecting him against probowl defensive players in the regular season.  So it would make sense that they would want every help they can get blocking said linemen and LB's.  Yet they let go one of their better blockers, and keep a player like Jamal Brown, who has never been able to stay on the field for the Redskins, who is now on the PUP list, and will most likely not be able to help them at all this year.  To me that does not make sense whatsoever.  Why keep an injured player, who hasn't done much for you, who most would agree is probably way past his prime, and yet let go of one of the better TE's, both in catching and blocking?  I don't know the answer to that, but would sure like to find out.

With all that said, we don't know the truth, and most likely will never know exactly what was said and done to lead up to this point.  All we know for sure is that the Redskins think they are better off with Cooley not being on their team.  I for one do not agree with that statement at all, but who am I to do or say anything about this.  I wish Chris Cooley the best of luck in his career, if he so chooses to continue to play, and the best of luck in whatever he decides to do after he is done playing this wonderful game.  You will always be one of my favorite Redskins, and to me you will always be a Washington Redskin.

Football Season is here!!

Finally, the NFL season has begun!  Granted, it is only pre-season, but we are getting games!!!

Unfortunately, I was not able to watch all of the Redskins' first game, due to the weather, and the place I was at having satellite problems.  I did, however, get to see RG3 play his first NFL game, so that is what I am going to talk about.

Much like many people who are Football fans, I was very much looking forward to seeing RG3 in action.  I shared the same concerns that many people had.  Would he be able to adjust to the pro-level speed.  Would he on edge.  Would he over think things and make mistakes.  Would look like a deer caught in headlights.  And I can say that all those questions were answered in a positive light.

RG3 did not wow anyone.  He did not make spectacular plays, either with his arm or legs.  But he also did not look like a typical, straight out of college, rookie playing his first NFL game.  He was calm in the pocket.  He was able to go through the progression of receivers, and find the open ones.  He did make mistakes, as all players will, but they were not rookie mistakes.

RG3 appeared as though he had playing at the pro level for a couple of years.  He was poised in the pocket, he did not look flustered.  It did not appear as though the game was too fast for him, and he was not overwhelmed by what Buffalo was doing defensively.  Granted, it was just a pre-season game, and neither team was doing anything fancy.  Both sides were keeping things very vanilla and simple.  No stunts on defense.  No delayed blitzes or trick formations.  But RG3 was able to process what little was thrown his way with rather ease.  On the TD play, he looked off his first option, Leonard Hankerson, and found Pierre Garcon on the screen pass, which might not have been a TD play if not for Garcon's play after catching the ball.

RG3's ability to adapt to the pro-level was brought to greater light when Rex Grossman stepped in as QB.  You could see the difference between the two, and frankly, Rex looked more like a rookie QB than RG3 did.

As mentioned, this is only pre-season, and no one can be certain of anything.  The only thing that can be taken from this game is that RG3 is on the right track, and making his way to be what analysts, and more importantly the Washington Redskins thought he could be, a very talented and gifted franchise QB.  I am very much looking forward to seeing him progress and get better, and for the rest of the team to improve alongside RG3.

Overall I was very impressed by the young man, and am very excited to be a Redskins fan!

(Oh yeah, the defense didn't look too shabby either!!!)

Redskins 80th Anniversary Alternate Uniforms

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Redskins organization.  It is a big deal, the team having been around for 80 years!  To celebrate this, the Redskins had a little party, honoring the team and players, the fans, everything, including unveiling their special 80th anniversary alternate jerseys, which they will be wearing in two games this season.  As of now, they have not said which two, but I'm going to guess it will be the two nationally televised games, the Thanksgiving game against Dallas, and the Monday Night game against the Giants.  I don't think it was a coincidence that they said they will wear it in two games, and it just so happens that they have two national games this year.  But we will see.

Now onto the uniforms themselves. 

First, a look at the helmet :

They tried to give it a leathery look, not sure why.  It doesn't look good.  The color of the helmets are supposed to be clear and sharp.  That helmet looks like someones old helmet, which they had left in the attic for a while, and the paint is breaking up.  As for the color.....is that supposed to be gold?  I understand that there are many shades of each color, and that technically falls under gold, but they are stretching it a bit here.  When I think of gold, that is not what comes to mind.  It is too dark, and the "leathery" look makes it even darker.  Besides all of that, were the hell is the logo, or ANY logo for that matter?  I get the fact that you want to pay tribute to the history of the franchise, no problems there.  But why not use an old helmet design?  We have had some very good ones, like :



Now, let us look at the uniforms.  We have Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan showing how they look when worn:

I like the deep burgundy color of the tops, it is much better, in my opinion, then the red they are passing as burgundy.  And the numbers look ok to me.  But the "gold" pants are too light, they are almost cream in color.  It seems to me that if you mix the colors of the helmets and the pants, you will get a better looking gold color.  The socks are burgundy as well, although you can't see them that well in this picture.

Now comes the question of "Why"??  Why did they go with these colors/schemes?  Following is from Redskins.com blogger, Brian Tinsman, in trying to explain the reason behind these uniforms.

"The alternate “anniversary” uniform is a balance between history and tradition featuring a rich darker color palate and updated numbering system.

It is a modern interpretation of those worn back in 1937 - a year signifying the team’s move from Boston to Washington, D.C., as well as their first National Championship. The patch on the shoulder is one that was worn in early team history.

The design also pays tribute to 1937 QB “Slingin” Sammy Baugh, who in his first year in the league led the newly relocated Redskins to their first National Championship.

“The Redskins are an amazing organization focused on team, unity and tradition. This new alternate uniform design for the Redskins is a very special one that truly speaks to the team’s long, rich history” said Nike Football Creative Director Todd Van Horne. “We have truly enjoyed working with Dan Snyder and his team on this project and look forward to seeing the new Elite 51 uniform system on the field this season.”

“In honor of 80 years of rich tradition this anniversary uniform displays our heritage” said Daniel M. Snyder. “We hope that it will bring back great memories to our fans.”" Click here to read the full blog.

To be honest, it doesn't bring back any memories for me, but that is because the time period they were looking at, not only was I not born, but neither were my parents.

Needless to say, I am not a fan of this uniform and helmet design at all, and I am very happy that they are only going to be wearing them twice this year.  Too bad the two games are not preseasons games...

2012 Draft Results

The 2012 NFL Draft has come and gone.  The first two picks had been known for quite some time, but the rest of the draft was very interesting, with teams moving up and down in position to draft certain players they had targeted.  Some moves were expected, but others were a surprise to both the fans and analysts.  Some teams did a lot of moving, as they have done in years past, and some went against their norm and made trades to move up in the draft.  But since this blog mainly deals with the Redskins, I will only look at their draft.  I will have the NFL.com's analysis of the players, as well as my own thoughts on the pick.

Robert Griffin III

QB - Baylor

Round 1 - Pick 2 - Overall position 2




NFL.com Analysis

Strengths

Griffin is a talented quarterback who was built for the position. Although he is slightly undersized, his athletic ability lends well to him being an NFL-type quarterback who can make plays with his feet, extend plays, make the deep throw and lead a team down the field. He has some of the same natural talents that Cam Newton had in the 2011 draft, sans the size. Griffin overcomes a slight size deficiency by simply being so athletic that defenders rarely get a shot on him. It is apparent that Griffin, once a high school hurdler, is extremely explosive. He drops back with absolute ease. He is able to feel comfortable enough in the pocket to step into a throw in traffic or reset outside the pocket. At this point, unlike Luck, he can also move the ball down field with his feet. While many would argue that RG3 might be an athlete playing quarterback, his junior-year performance reaffirmed that he is simply an athletic quarterback, a guy who can make all the smart throws first and create later if necessary.

Weaknesses

Griffin has a slight size deficiency and could have some durability issues if he is hit often enough. He anticipates plays so well and is able to react to a point where he should be able to avoid big hits, even at the NFL level. His junior year was a test to see how well he could recover from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered during his sophomore year, and he came back just as strong. Some might worry that he will look to run first at the next level, but this easily could be curbed through coaching and a good support system on the offense. He truly had one strong season in college, but playing in a talented Big 12 conference and winning the Heisman likely puts those concerns to rest, as well.

 The Pick

The Redskins did trade a lot of their picks to move up to number two overall and get their franchise QB, but I don't think they overpaid.  They were in real need of a franchise caliber QB, since they had not had any in that position for a VERY long time.  So this move made a lot of sense, and it was the right thing to do.  Specially since all the draft experts basically had Andrew Luck and RG3 as the top two QB's for this draft class, and quite possibly in a long time.  It might take some time for RG3 to develop into the face and leader of the team, and to be able to raise his level of play to turn the team around, but frankly speaking, the Redskins were desperate for this change.

Josh Leribeus

G - SMU

Round 3, Pick 8, Overall 71




NFL.com Analysis

Strengths

Leribeus is a very good scheme and overall run blocker in SMU's offense. He is quick off the ball with his first step and almost always gets his hands on blocks early. He is an active player who will fight to sustain his blocks down field. He shows good effort and motor to stay with the play and is just as effective when working in space as a puller. Some small issues with his footwork and athletic ability show up when he tries to work to the second level, but overall he almost always finds a way to block his man.

Weaknesses

Leribeus is a bit slow and struggles athletically. This could be a problem at the next level, as he isn't a very strong or explosive blocker. He would be better served to work within a zone blocking scheme where he isn't expected to fully move defenders.

The Pick

If the QB position was the number one concern for the Redskins, offensive line had to be number two.  They were not able to protect Rex Grossman or John Beck last year at all, and the Redskins have been lacking in the O-line department for a few years now.  Although their main need is at the tackle position, making their interior line stronger is also a priority for them.  At this point, any position on the O-line is a need for the Redskins, so this is a good pick.

Kirk Cousins

QB - Michigan St

Round 4, Pick 7, Overall 102




NFL.com Analysis

Strengths

Cousins has all the intangibles necessary for an NFL quarterback and has been a productive three-year starter. The fact that he was a three-year captain will be highly regarded by NFL general managers. He is an accurate and safe thrower who knows how to pick his spots. He is a good athlete who can make plays on the run, but is not going to run past many NFL defenders. A safe pick as a backup option.

Weaknesses

Cousins is widely considered to be a game manager type at the next level. He makes good decisions with the ball but has not shown he can make the flash plays to move the offense and win games for his team at the next level. He will need talent around him to succeed, which limits his value.

The Pick

Let the talks of QB controversy start....... Really?  I do not understand why so many people, specially the 4-letter network, think by drafting a QB in the 4th round, the Redskins now have a QB controversy on their hands.  This team is now RG3's team, and it will be until he is either injured, or shows that he cannot play at the NFL level.  As long as one of those two scenario's is not true, there is no QB question in Washington.  But this does raise an interesting point.  With so many needs on offense, both at the line and at the WR position, the Redskins seem to have "wasted" a high pick with a 2nd QB.  I look at it as one of two possibilities.  First being that the Shannahan's have finally accepted the fact that Rex Grossman and John Beck are not great QB's, and so they needed to groom the backup to their star QB.  Second possibility is they drafted Cousins since they thought he was a high draft position talent which had dropped down, and they can get a good deal in trading him, be it either in picks (which they traded away to get RG3) or in players, since they do have a lot of holes to fill.  Either way, I am ok with the pick.  Would I have liked to see another lineman, or maybe a DB or WR drafted at this position?  Sure!  But then again I am not an expert at these things.

Keenan Robinson

OLB - Texas

Round 4, Pick 24, Overall 119




NFL.com Analysis

Strengths

Robinson works well in space to position himself to make a play and is a quick mover off the snap. He is at his best when working toward the outside of offensive tackles and getting through to the backfield to run down ball carriers. He has the natural speed to play casually and run down players in space, and can pass set and cover tight ends with ease.

Weaknesses

Robinson can get lazy at times because his speed allows him to play effortlessly. He struggles when rushing the passer and looks stunned when an offensive lineman gets his hands on him. Once blocked, he usually stays that way. He needs to come forward and deliver the blow first himself.

The Pick

Having players like Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan on the team, one might question picking up another Outside LB with your fourth pick.  But a closer look at Robinson answers the question.  Orakpo and Kerrigan were D-linemen in college who were converted to OLB by the Redskins.  This gives them a great advantage in rushing the QB, but it also means they have to cover TE's more often, and as it has been evident in the past two seasons, they are not that good at that aspect of being an LB.  By bringing in a true OLB, who can rush the QB and cover TE's, due to his speed, the Redskins have made sure they have an option to go to when they need more coverage.  No longer will the OLB position be a hinder when it comes to covering receivers.  This was a very good pick in my opinion.

Adam Gettis

G - Iowa

Round 5, Pick 6, Overall 141




 NFL.com Analysis

Strengths

Gettis is quick off the ball and uses his initial explosion as a tactic to overcome size deficiencies. He consistently gets into his man first when pass blocking and is a good overall blocker because of it. He wins with leverage, which is often the only way to gain an advantage on bigger foes. Gettis is very polished in his footwork, and he understands pad and helmet placement's importance in gaining a blocking advantage. His quick feet allow him to be a very mobile and versatile blocker.

Weaknesses

Gettis is very undersized, and this will force many teams to do a cross-examination of his play. Although he is a big-time player on film, some teams could have issues with drafting a lineman who is well under the average size in the NFL, where in 2011 the average was just more than 300 pounds. Aside from size, Gettis doesn't generate much of a push off the ball into his man and relies heavily on footwork to make effective blocks.

The Pick

With this pick the Redskins have brought depth to their line, although for now only at the interior positions.  They still have not addressed the tackle spots in the draft.  Gettis seems to fit the zone blocking scheme the Redskins are now running, with his speed, so he appears to be a good fit for the Redskins.  I do not think Gettis will be competing for a starting position, but he should be able to fill in when needed, either in rotation to give rest to the starters, or if there are any injuries, which I am sure there will be.  A rather good pick for the team, as this is a lineman.

Alfred Morris

RB - Florida Atlantic

Round 6, Pick 3, Overall 173




NFL.com Analysis

Strengths

Morris is a natural runner between the tackles. He is deceptively agile in short areas to avoid clean hits, and plays faster when tasked with finding daylight in a short area. He has a sense of urgency in the backfield. He is capable of blocking in pass protection at the next level.

Weaknesses

Morris doesn't have NFL speed and will need to define himself more as a runner if he wants to make enough of an impression in a camp. He has the natural ability within the tackles to be successful, but in the NFL seams and holes are harder to come by and arm tackles difficult to avoid. Morris will need to prove himself as a thumper early.

The Pick

Another somewhat questionable pick by the Redskins.  With Roy Helu as the feature back, and quality backup Evan Royster, both very young and fresh, and Tim Hightower possibly coming back, the RB position was not a major need for the Redskins, one of only a few spots where they were ok.  But Morris would be a good 3rd down passing back, since he appears to be very good in pass protection, which is something the current RB's have not been that great in.

Tom Compton

T - South Dakota

Round 6, Pick 23, Overall 193




NFL.com Analysis

Strengths

Compton is quick off the ball and can use angles to effectively get up field on linebackers. He can position and does a good job of keeping his man in front of him. He can get around the line to the second level effortlessly when pulling, and has a technically sound pass set, which shows his perfect footwork.

Weaknesses

Compton has limited experience against top-level competition (though he has faced Minnesota and Wisconsin in recent seasons) and could face an early learning curve. He is a good run-blocker but is far from explosive; he is more of a gentle mover and sustainer than a dominating force. As a pass blocker, he punches his hands but can get slightly off balance at times.

The Pick

Finally the Redskins drafted a tackle, bringing in youth and a little bit of depth at the spot.  Compton seems to fit the zone blocking scheme as well, having a quick first few steps.  He should be able to develop his skills while being in the backup position, and will get some game time experience, as the offensive line (as well as the defensive line) switch out frequently to rest the starters and keep them somewhat fresh for the end of games.

Richard Crawford

DB - SMU

Round 7, Pick 6, Overall 213

The Pick

The Redskins were in need of some young talent at the DB spot, and they were able to get some help with this pick.  Although Crawford will not be seeing too much playing time, he can work on his skills while competing for a backup spot, and be able to help the team in a few years, as the more aging players come to the end of their careers.  Crawford can also play both CB and S, so he is somewhat versatile in that regards, which is a plus for him.

Jordan Bernstine

CB - IOWA

Round 7, Pick 10, Overall 217

The Pick

Another DB/CB who will be competing for a backup spot, and add depth to the DB spots.  Unlike Crawford, Bernstine is more of a pure CB, and will not be playing much safety, if any.  There is a good chance that he will not make the main roster, and find a spot on the practice squad.

Along with the 9 players the Redskins drafted, they also picked up several players that were not drafting.  Most of these players will either be competing for a practice squad spot, or building a tape of their skills for other teams to see.  There might be one or two gems that the scouts had missed, but it is rare.

They are as follows :

Alabama WR Darius Hanks

Southern Miss WR Kelvin Bolden

Louisiana Tech RB Lennon Creer

Oklahoma State C Grant Garner

Cal ILB D.J. Holt

William and Mary DE Marcus Hyde

Alabama CB Phelon Jones

East Carolina WR Lance Lewis

Hawaii DT Vaughn Metaoga

Virginia CB Chase Minnifield

New Hampshire DE Brian McNalley

Michigan RB Michael Shaw

West Virginia S Eain Smith

The Redskins 2012 regular season schedule created by yours truly...  Click to enlarge.

Washington Redskins 2012 Regular Season Schedule

Part 2

Let us look at the second half of the schedule for the Washington Redskins in 2012.  If you missed part 1, you can scroll down or click here to see that post.  I believe the team's record will be 6-3 after the bye week.  This portion of their schedule is arguably the hardest part, since most of the games will be played against NFC East opponents, which can and will most likely have playoff ramifications.  Also, the teams in NFC East play each other at a different level than they do the rest of the league, and usually season records do not matter in these games.

Will the Redskins be able to make it to the playoffs in RG3's first year?  Let us find out.

WEEK 11 - Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles comes to town for the first game after a bye week for the Redskins.  In recent years, the Redskins have not performed well after a bye week.  The last time the Redskins won after a bye week was in 2007, when they beat The Lions 34-3.  Overall the Redskins are below .500 in games played after a bye week.  This year does not look too well either.  The Eagles had a disappointing year last year, after being the self-proclaimed "Dream Team", thanks to Vince Young.  The closest they came to being the "Dream Team", was dreaming about winning the NFC East.  But the nickname is not far off, since they do have a ton of talent on their roster, specially on offense.  With Mike Vick at the helm, and the likes of DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin as WR's, and the dangerous LeSean McCoy in the backfield, this is a powerful offense that can score quickly.  DeSean Jackson is also very dangerous on punt returns, and can easily take one all the way to the endzone.  The one weakness the Eagles had last year, other than the offense not meshing fast enough, was their defense.  But another year together, with some additions, their defense looks to be stronger.  In the NFC East, most believe the Eagles to be the team to win the division.  Even with the prospect of RG3 on the team, I do not think the Redskins can beat the Eagles, coming off a bye week.

Record : 6-4

WEEK 12 - @ Dallas Cowboys

Thanksgiving day football!  It looks like the rivalry between the Cowboys and Redskins has been renewed, since they have been given the 4pm EST slot for one of the most nationally televised football gamedays in the year.  The last time the Redskins played on Thanksgiving day was in 2002, and they lost to the Cowboys 27-20.  In fact, the Redskins have played on Thanksgiving day 7 times in their history, and 6 of them have been against the Dallas Cowboys, in Dallas.  The interesting part is that the Redskins have a record of 1-6 on Thanksgiving day, the one win being against the only other team they have played on this day, the Detroit Lions, back in 1973.  Not much of a rivalry when it comes to Turkeyday between the Redskins and the Cowboys.  Nevertheless, this should be an interesting game, possibly the first time RG3 will face the Cowboys, and experience the rivalry between the two teams.

Having said that, I unfortunately think history will prevail.  Not only have the Cowboys had their way with the Redskins on Thanksgiving day football, but the Redskins have performed poorly in nationally televised games.  They have two strikes going against them this week, so I do not see them winning in Dallas.

Record : 6-5

WEEK 13 - New York Giants

Not only do the Redskins follow up a nationally televised game with another one, on Monday Night Football, but they do it against their NFC East rival, AND the defending Super Bowl Champions, the Giants.  Although the Redskins were able to sweep the Giants last year, and I believe would have won the first meeting between the two team this year, I do not think the extra rest between the Thursday night game and this Monday Night game will be enough.  As mentioned, the Redskins have a poor performance history on nationally televised games, specially Monday Night games.  Even though they are playing at home, I think they will struggle and extend their losing streak to 3 games, causing all sorts of panic for the fans, and slumping down to a .500 record, and possibly start to lose their grasp on a potential playoff appearance.

Record : 6-6

WEEK 14 - Baltimore Ravens

The Battle of the Beltway, regular season edition.  Since the Ravens were established in Baltimore in 2000, the two teams have played against each other a number of times, but mostly in preseason.  The close proximity of the two teams adds to the appeal of the game, and to the rivalry.  Granted, the rivalry is not so much between the players, but more the fans.  Most football fans from MD had been Redskins fans by default, since there were no other options close by.  But since the Ravens moved into town, the majority of the fans, specially those closer to Baltimore and the Eastern portion of MD, quickly changed sides and went with the Ravens.  These games seem to mean more to the fans than the players.  For the players, this is just another game, since some of them have been on both teams at one point or another, and they don't play each other in the regular season enough to have a rivalry.  There is also the fact that they are in different conferences, so there isn't much of a competition in positioning for a playoff spot.

As for the game itself, the Ravens were very close to making it to the Super Bowl last year.  Their defense has been their strong point for all of their existence, and this year is no different.  With aging key players like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, they know that they do not have too much time in getting to and winning another Championship.  So the defense is going to be very hungry.  The offense can only improve, with another year together, and bringing in new pieces.  Joe Flacco needs to stop worrying about what people think of him, and play the game, as he has some great weapons around him.  This game is not going to be easy, it will most likely be a defensive and low scoring game.  The advantage has to go to the Ravens, since their defense knows how to score when they create a turnover.

Record : 6-7

WEEK 16 - @ Cleveland Browns

The Redskins need to put an end to their losing streak, if they even hope to have a chance at a playoff spot.  Based on their schedule, this is their shot at it, since the next two games will be with NFC East opponents, and the Browns, although are on the rise, are still in the rebuilding process, and have an unproven QB with Colt McCoy.  They do have a pretty good offense, and a rising defense, but they are still a few years away from being a strong team.  With the Redskins reeling from their loses, I think they will pull it together in Cleveland, and no matter what the Browns throw at them, the Redskins should leave the dog-pound with a win, and return to .500

Record : 7-7

WEEK 17 - @ Philadelphia Eagles

The last time the two team met, a few weeks ago, it left a bad taste in the mouth of the Redskins players, so they are looking to avenge the lose at home to the Eagles.  However, at this point in time, the Eagles are more than likely trying to make it to the playoffs, and are going to playing very hard to win the game.  With a record of 7-7, I do not think the Redskins will be able to make to the playoffs, since most NFC teams would have improved, so a wild-card spot is unlikely, and although the Giants won the NFC East last year with a 9-7 record, I do not think the same will happen this year.  It looks like the Eagles are going to, once again, sweep the Redskins in the regular season, and close out any hopes of making it to the playoffs in RG3's first year.

Record : 7-8

WEEK 18 - Dallas Cowboys

The Redskins will close the 2012 season, and RG3's first year as the potential franchise QB, at home against their rival.  The only thing that would have made this game better would have been if it was for a playoff spot, or the NFC East title.  But, seeing as how both teams have a lot of work to do to become the great teams they were in the past, I think both will be out of the playoff picture and not much to play for.  Except for the fact that Redskins will be looking to make amends to having lost to the Cowboys on national TV, on Thanksgiving day nonetheless.  The Redskins are going to close out their season on a positive note, beating their long time rival, avenging their Thanksgiving day lose, and finishing the season with a non-losing record for the first time since 2008, and quite possibly not at the bottom of the NFC East.

2012 Regular Season Record : 8-8

As a big time Redskins fan, I sure hope that I am wrong about this, and the Redskins do a whole lot better, make the playoffs, and win the Super Bowl..... but I have to be realistic.  I have learned from so many years of bad performance, to not let the off season moves and hype raise my expectations of the team, and then bring me down week after week of losing.  I don't think I'm being too optimistic with these predictions, since you should be able to build upon what you did, specially when you bring in some talented players, top of which is at the helm of your team with Robert Griffin III.  But only time will tell, and as the old, and overly stated saying goes, "That is why we play the game".

Washington Redskins 2012 Regular Season Schedule

So the regular season schedules for all NFL teams has been released, and even though we already knew who plays who next year, we have learned when the games are being played.  Even though it is mid-April, and a few days before the draft, which means teams can and will change in the next few months, almost everyone that does anything with sports has come up with team records for 2012.  It is way too early to know how a team does, and everything is based on how they did last year, but it can be fun.  With that said, I will not do the same for the Washington Redskins.

WEEK 1 - @ New Orleans Saints

There is no way to know what the Saints look like week 1.  They will be without Sean Payton for sure, and their interim head coach, Joe Vitt.  As it stands now, Drew Brees is not under contract either.  They are going to have him under center come pre-season, but at this point in time, he isn't on the team.  Then there is the fact that the NFL might hand out suspensions to some defensive players on the Saints roster, due to the whole "bounty gate" situation.  With all of those things going on, the Saints are going to be going through a lot of turmoil.  Normally this would bode well for the Redskins, but recent years have shown that the Saints are a team that will rally together when faced with great opposition, be it man-made or natural.  The game is also being played in New Orleans, in a dome, with a crowd that is 100% behind their team and support them tremendously.  This also being, potentially, Robert Griffin III's first NFL regular season start, does not look too promising for the Redskins.  Granted, they have played well against the Saints in the past, but I do not see them doing so this time.  They will probably be in the game, but will not being able to pull out a win.

Record : 0-1

WEEK 2 - @ St. Louis Rams

The Redskins and the Rams have played a number of games in the past few years, and all of them have been horrible to watch and endure.  They are some of the ugliest games I've ever seen, and the scores reflect that.  Although the Rams are a team on the rise, and have made some great moves lately in getting better as a club, they are not there yet.  One can even say that the two teams are very close in where they are, and where they are trying to get to.  The Rams had been hoping to greatly improve their defense, by bringing in Gregg Williams as their defensive coach, but due to the previously mentioned "bounty gate", Gregg Williams has been suspended indefinitely.  This should not be a huge hit to the Rams, since Williams wasn't on the staff long enough to even start creating a defensive playbook, but it still sets them back some.  Their offense looks to be improved, with another year under Sam Bradford's belt, giving him more experience playing in the NFL, and coming together with his teammates.  The Rams are currently sitting at number 3 on the draft list, and some think they will pick up the stud RB Trent Richardson, specially if Cleveland picks up a QB at number 4.  If Richardson is not on the list, then the Rams will more than likely give Bradford another weapon in WR Justin Blackmon.

Regardless of what the Rams do on draft day, the game is going to be an ugly one once again, but I think the Redskins will be able to move the ball on the Rams poor defense, and being in their 3rd year in the 3-4 defense, the Redskins should be able to stop the Rams running attack, be it behind Richardson, or their veteran RB Steven Jackson.

Record : 1-1

WEEK 3 - Cincinnati Bengals

The home opener for the Redskins comes against the Bengals, who were able to get to the playoffs last year.  This is one of those teams that you never know how they are going to play.  They can be one of the better teams in the NFL, or they can play very sloppy and lose to almost any team.  This being the home opener for the Redskins, and the debut of RG3 in FedEx Field, I do not see how the Bengals are going to be able to pull out a victory.  I think the Redskins are going to be playing with a lot of emotion, rallying around their young QB, and the stadium will be rocking with all the fans wanting to see if the hype behind RG3 was legitimate or not.  It won't be a blow-out, I don't see too many chances for that this year, but it should not be a nail-biter either.

Record : 2-1

WEEK 4 - @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs came down to earth last year, finishing with a 4-12 record, after having a great year in 2010.  This was partly because the rest of the teams had figured out the Bucs, and also because of their success in 2010, giving them more difficult opponents in 2011.  They now have changed head coaches, and the former TB head man, Raheem Morris, is now a DB coach for the Redskins.  This most likely will not give any advantage to the Redskins, since the new coaching staff in TB will have changed almost everything about the team and their playbook and play calling.  Still, with Morris, and TB's safety, Tanard Jackson, joining the Redskins, it will give them an insight into the mindset of the Bucs.  The Bucs are also one of those teams that are in the process of rebuilding, but having changed head coaches will set them back a bit, what with the new regime bringing in their own program.  Even though the game is in Tampa Bay, and the Bucs do play better at home, the Redskins should be able to win this game without too much trouble.

Record : 3-1

WEEK 5 - Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons come to DC, and bring along a very potent offense, with Roddy White and Julio Jones catching darts from Matt Ryan.  Ryan has one nasty cannon for an arm, and not too many DB's can stay with Roddy White.  They also happen to have one hell of a RB in Michael Turner, and an elite TE in Tony Gonzalez.  Although their defense is not their greatest side, they are very good at stopping offenses, specially when the Falcons score quickly, and the other teams have to play catch-up.  In those situations, this defensive unit can be very dangerous.  The Falcons are a very good team, and they are only improving.  With the Saints going through the troubles they are dealing with, the Falcons know this is the right time for them to be aggressive and take the division.  The Redskins' defense will not be able to stop the onslaught of the Falcon's offense, and I do not think the Redskins offensive unit will be able to match the scoring drivers Matt Ryan will be putting together.  This will be the first home loss for the Redskins.

Record : 3-2

WEEK 6 - Minnesota Vikings

After having to deal with the Falcons offense, the Redskins are going to be able to breath a little once the Vikings come to town.  After having his season end last year in a game against the Redskins, Vikings star RB Adrian Peterson is set to return this year.  Even with Peterson on the roster, the offensive unit of the Vikings needs major improvement.  2nd year QB Christian Ponder will have his hands full, since the Redskins are going to do all they can to stop Peterson and force Ponder to beat them.  This will be a hard task for Ponder, since he does not have a top-level WR to throw the ball to.  The Vikings defensive unit has been known for many years as a great unit, but recently they have failed to stop teams from scoring.  This year will not be any different for them, as they continue to rebuild their team.  Look for the Redskins to win this one rather easily.

Record : 4-2

WEEK 7 - @ New York Giants

The Redskins have to wait until week 7 to play their first NFC East game, and it just happens to be against the Super Bowl champs.  Granted, the Redskins had the Giants' number last year, sweeping the eventual champs, but these things are normal when talking about NFC East opponents.  For some reason, regardless of records or standings, NFC East teams play each other differently, and the outcomes can cause one to take a moment and ponder what just happened.  Having said that, this is one that the Redskins can steal.  The Giants usualy start out strong, then fizzle mid-season, and then finish the year strong, and the Redskins just happen to catch the Giants towards the middle of the season.  The Giants are also without their bruising RB, Brandon Jacobs, whom they released, much to the happiness of Redskins fans since he had given Redskins fits in years prior.  Although the game is being played in NY, weather should not be a factor, and so the Redskins, if playing well, should be able to beat the SB champs.  It will most likely come down to the last play of the game, either the Redskins stopping Eli Manning and company, or the Redskins kicking a FG to win the game.



Record : 5-2

WEEK 8 - @ Pittsburgh Steelers

This game against the Steelers is a very tough one to predict.  For some reason, the Redskins have played very well against good teams in the past few years, so there is a good chance they will play well this week.  That, combined with the fact that the Steelers are now without their now retired star WR Hines Ward, who was very vital in bailing out Ben Roethlisberger last year, does seem to favor the Redskins.  However, the game is being played in Pittsburgh, which is a very difficult place to play what with the fans and their yellow towels.  The Redskins are coming off a tough win against an NFC East opponent, and coming into Heinz Field after a game like that will not end well for them.  I do not see the Redskins pulling out a win this week.

Record : 5-3

WEEK 9 - Carolina Panthers

This is one of the games that many people would be looking forward to.  A game between now 2nd year QB Cam Newton, and rookie QB RG3.  Many analysts have said that the two play a common style of football, both have a great and accurate arm, and both are very agile and athletic.  It is just too bad they are not going head-to-head in a one-on-one match up.  Instead, Newton will be facing the Redskins defense, who was, for the part of the game last year, able to keep him in check, until the 2nd half.  Newton is going to have his trusted, and very dangerous weapon, Steve Smith, on hand as well, so it will be a very tough test for the London Fletcher and the rest of the LB crew, and the DB's.  On the other side, RG3 will be facing a Panthers defense who can be very stingy and tough, but has been known to give up yards in the air.  This should be a good game, as the two defenses should be ready for the opposing QB's, since they practice against the same style on a weekly basis.  I think the Redskins will avenge their loss last year, and beat the Panthers in a very close game.

Record : 6-3

WEEK 10 - BYE

The bye week comes rather late this year, but that can be a good thing, giving the team to heal up from any injuries before they start the grueling part of their schedule.

Record : 6-3

I will do the 2nd half of the schedule in a few days.  Please check back next week for that.