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.

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!!!)

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.