Are we a playoff team?
 

I thought we were until last week, and now I have serious questions. I think we have great players, but all teams have injuries and that is no excuse for the crap we saw today.

In our losses our team has either had a terrible mentality/gameplan or poor excution, or both. I think we got very lucky today, and if this was any team better than the Cards(which there are alot) we would have been squashed.

If we need 3 turnovers, a pick-6, blocked PAT, and a lucky FG miss to win against a lowly team such as the Cardinals I would think we have serious issues. I am happy for the win, but realistically it just shows how bad we are.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

No. We are simply not a playoff team.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

I don't think so.

I think we're a wildcard at best and even the Giants may be more worthy of that than us.

I dunno. I'm seeing something like 8-8 right now. 10-6 at best.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

This point not at.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

Could we poll this mods? It might be overwhelmingly "No", but we could also have the poll option of "Unsure".

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

while i think the skins were very bad today, i think alot of people underestimate how much the cardinals have improved. remember, this is the same team that beat the steelers. but as of right now, no we are not a playoff caliber team

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

I saw the tail end of this game, and there's no way this game should have come down to Rackers missing a field...just barely at that.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

Look at it from another perspective. If our offensive line was completely healthy, then we would be more successful running the ball and running the ball would also open our passing up. Before all the injuries, our offensive line was considered one of the top offensive lines in the league.

Now that we only have Chris Samuels playing with a bunch of 2nd and 3rd stringers on our line, this heavily cripples our offensive output. If the run blocking isn't there, you're not going to be very successful running the football. If you can't run the ball, then you become one dimensional, and forcing the game into the hands of a young quarterback who is starting in his first full year. Our receivers have been dropping passes left and right, and apparently couldn't get open down field against the Cardinals.

I mean, really, one can say that pointing to injuries is no excuse, but this isn't Madden Football. If you could simply plug in players and have the same consistency as you would with your starters, then those guys wouldn't be on the bench in the first place. Your offensive line is your offense. It all begins in the trenches. I don't care what type of offense you have or the players who have at those high skilled positions, without a healthy, good offensive line, you won't be successful.

Now, I agree that we have had poor execution. As far as poor game plans, what are you honestly going to do when your receivers have been dropping passes, have been injured themselves, and your offense hasn't been running effectively? That doesn't give you a lot of options. Simply saying, "I'd open the offense up more." Well, just how are you going to do that when you know the facts of our injuries? I also agree that I do believe we have some good players. But, don't think of our offense only in terms of the quarterback, running back, and receiver position. There is much more to our offense than just those skilled positions.

We get an healthy offensive line back, we see a much better offense on the field. That is a fact.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

But to follow up. Do I think we're a playoff team? Not unless we can get healthy again.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

The Cardinals are not a bunch of scrubs. They're a middle of the road team. I think we are only slightly above "middle of the road" and it showed today. I'd love to have the right side of our line back though... I think this may end up being a "what could've been" season for us.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

The offense regressed so badly today I don't know what to think?

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

Brian Mitchell: "Al Saunders needs to change the way he calls his offense or else he's gonna cause this team some trouble."

Ehhh?

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

The Cards are a good team. No question about that. If Warner was healthy we might have lost today. He didn't look like himself. With that being said I don't know what our game plan was on offense. It was just run here run there and throw some short passes adn screens and punt. The offense today looked like last year's offense.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

Short answer, yes!

There are a lot of obsticles, but we are better than we played today.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

Okay, let's not confuse playoff caliber talent with being a playoff team. While we have talent, and have had some splashes of success, I'm not sure what to think of this team to be honest. A new team shows up from week to the next.

That being said, don't be shocked if the Skins are the first team to knock New England from the ranks of the undefeated.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

Exactly, which I feel is why this game shouldn't have been close. The dude had a busted up arm and you let them hang around in the game like that? This game should've been closed out at 21-6.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

[quote=skinsfan69;367008]The Cards are a good team. No question about that. If Warner was healthy we might have lost today. He didn't look like himself. With that being said I don't know what our game plan was on offense. It was just run here run there and throw some short passes adn screens and punt. The offense today looked like last year's offense.[/quote]


Skinsfan69, the Cards are not a good team. Let's not get this twisted. They are okay at best, but they're not good.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

We're borderline wild card (5 or 6 seed) right now. If we get Thomas back in December and can get more consistent offensively we can be. Defensively we are but Grilliams needs to dial up the pressure a little more.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

[quote=skinsfan69;366977]No. We are simply not a playoff team.[/quote]


Maybe not at this time but to be honest ...right now I don't know if the Giants are?I want to believe ...but as they use to say I'd rather be lucky than good.It's a long season.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

we need better play calling on defense. why are we not blitzing more? put some pressure on the quarterback and not give him so much time to stand there and find the open reciever... yes we are a playoff team but, we need to get healthy, stop dropping passes, play a more physical style defense, and number 1.) close games out that we are leading at the half...... this could of been our third loss that we were leading at the half.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

[quote=12thMan;367016]Skinsfan69, the Cards are not a good team. Let's not get this twisted. They are okay at best, but they're not good.[/quote]

How can you say that? They have 3 wins. They beat a good Pittsburgh team. They have very good skill players. To me they look like a good team.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

[QUOTE=Giantone;367022]Maybe not at this time but to be honest ...right now I don't know if the Giants are?I want to believe ...but as they use to say I'd rather be lucky than good.It's a long season.[/QUOTE]

There WILL be average teams to make the playoffs this year, so if you think your team is not a playoff team, then you're saying your team is worse than average.
No way are the Skins below average IMO.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

[QUOTE=Paintrain;367021]We're borderline wild card (5 or 6 seed) right now. If we get Thomas back in December and can get more consistent offensively we can be. Defensively we are but Grilliams needs to dial up the pressure a little more.[/QUOTE]

Great pt about Thomas, I'm just afraid we'll be too far behind in the Wild Card race by the time he gets back on the field.

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

[quote=WaldSkins;367024]we need better play calling on defense. why are we not blitzing more? put some pressure on the quarterback and not give him so much time to stand there and find the open reciever... yes we are a playoff team but, we need to get healthy, stop dropping passes, play a more physical style defense, and number 1.) close games out that we are leading at the half...... this could of been our third loss that we were leading at the half.[/quote]

Have we really been blitzing at all so far this season? I know they haven't been since the Lions game when GW realized he could drop everyone back into coverage and get turnovers.

But prior to that?

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

[quote=Giantone;367022]Maybe not at this time but to be honest ...right now I don't know if the Giants are?I want to believe ...but as they use to say I'd rather be lucky than good.It's a long season.[/quote]

Giants look like they are becoming a really good team. You guys beat up on a team you are suppose to beat up on. SF was simply terrible today. How Trent Dilfer is still an NFL QB is beyond me.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

12th there is absolutely no way we will beat New England if we play offense like we did today. I know the Cards are a rising team with a pretty good defense, but there's no excuses for just how close we came to losing. We needed a lot of breaks today and I definitely saw that trademark second half collapse by our offense again. It's not the defense's fault that the offense goes 3 and out the majority of the time and leaves them on the field for way too long.

That said, we are not a playoff team. Our defense is very good, but when you can't support them on offense and you leave them on the field for way too long, i.e. today and the Giants game, they get tired and start playing poorly. This season reminds me of 2004 again, in the sense that we are getting great defensive play but we can't do jack shit on offense to help them out.

Jason Campbell is a young quarterback and he simply needs the running game to help him out at this stage in his development right now. We can't run the ball because the majority of our offensive line is injured, teams know we aren't gonna do a lot to the right. This ties into my theory that the offense goes as the offensive line goes, we have too many injuries on the offensive line, and we are seeing the result with poor offensive play.

If we were playing a good team today we would've lost this game easily. I know some fans are gonna be all "well we won so who cares whether or not we played poorly". We have a tough schedule and if we play like this against a good team we are gonna lose a lot of games.

This also doesn't seem like a problem that's gonna be fixed easily. If this continues throughout the season we aren't gonna do anything this year.

One more thing lol. We were playing some serious prevent defense at the end and as a result it allowed Warner and the Cards to get into field goal range. Why defenses continue to play prevent at the end is beyond me. I've never seen it work. It's designed to take away the deep ball but honestly NFL teams are just as content to take the short stuff and move the ball down the field one play at a time instead of throwing deep.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

Why arent we? because we got a tough test from a team who was atop there division, a team who also battered the steelers. We havent been blown out and we lost two games by a TD and a field goal. Were 4-2 and we managed to beat a good team with half of our offensive line injured, dont underestimate this win or this team.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

trent dilfer has two working arms......kurt warner doesnt leave the pocket and hands off opposite handed and still put 19 points on us.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

[quote=skinsfan69;367025]How can you say that? They have 3 wins. They beat a good Pittsburgh team. They have very good skill players. To me they look like a good team.[/quote]

They just aren't, in my opinion. Just from an organizational standpoint, everything is new. They don't have a rushing threat to speak of. They don't have, and haven't for the entire season, any consistent play at quarterback. They're defense is up and down. Good individual talent on defense, but very suspect in terms of scheme and being a force. I could go on and on...

Have they played some competive ball this year - yes. But they are not a team the Skins has any business losing to on the final play of the game.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

[quote=MTRedskinsFan;367028]Great pt about Thomas, I'm just afraid we'll be too far behind in the Wild Card race by the time he gets back on the field.

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF![/quote]

Why would be too far behind? were 4-2 and one of the better teams in the NFC, the Cardinals are alot better than people think

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

[quote=mooby;367033]12th there is absolutely no way we will beat New England if we play offense like we did today. I know the Cards are a rising team with a pretty good defense, but there's no excuses for just how close we came to losing. We needed a lot of breaks today and I definitely saw that trademark second half collapse by our offense again. It's not the defense's fault that the offense goes 3 and out the majority of the time and leaves them on the field for way too long.

That said, we are not a playoff team. Our defense is very good, but when you can't support them on offense and you leave them on the field for way too long, i.e. today and the Giants game, they get tired and start playing poorly. This season reminds me of 2004 again, in the sense that we are getting great defensive play but we can't do jack shit on offense to help them out.

Jason Campbell is a young quarterback and he simply needs the running game to help him out at this stage in his development right now. We can't run the ball because the majority of our offensive line is injured, teams know we aren't gonna do a lot to the right. This ties into my theory that the offense goes as the offensive line goes, we have too many injuries on the offensive line, and we are seeing the result with poor offensive play.

If we were playing a good team today we would've lost this game easily. I know some fans are gonna be all "well we won so who cares whether or not we played poorly". We have a tough schedule and if we play like this against a good team we are gonna lose a lot of games.

This also doesn't seem like a problem that's gonna be fixed easily. If this continues throughout the season we aren't gonna do anything this year.[/quote]

Hey, I totally agree here. The only way I see us beating New England, if the the same team that beat Detroit shows up. Other than that, all bets are off.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

Also, from a practical standpoint, we're looking at being the sick-man of the division (again). Cowboys probably keep best record in the NFC. Giants are the real deal now - high powered O w/ a D as effective as ours. The Eagles have the ability to turn almost anything around w/ McNabb and Westbrook and their D. We could very well go 1 for 6 or 2 for 6 in the NFC east. That adds 4 to 5 losses onto our guaranteed loss next week (NE) and we're looking at best case scenario of 9-7 or 8-8 on the season. And that's only possible if we don't give up another game we're supposed to win this season.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

[quote=12thMan;367036]They just aren't, in my opinion. Just from an organizational standpoint, everything is new. They don't have a rushing threat to speak of. They don't have, and haven't for the entire season, any consistent play at quarterback. They're defense is up and down. Good individual talent on defense, but very suspect in terms of scheme and being a force. I could go on and on...

Have they played some competive ball this year - yes. But they are not a team the Skins has any business losing to on the final play of the game.[/quote]

Do you watch football, Edge was second in the NFC in rushing. There defense shut down Willie Parker, who at the time was the top rusher in the league, you really need to look at some Cardinals stats before you talk about there team

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

[quote=MTRedskinsFan;367039]Also, from a practical standpoint, we're looking at being the sick-man of the division (again). Cowboys probably keep best record in the NFC. Giants are the real deal now - high powered O w/ a D as effective as ours. The Eagles have the ability to turn almost anything around w/ McNabb and Westbrook and their D. We could very well go 1 for 6 or 2 for 6 in the NFC east. That adds 4 to 5 losses onto our guaranteed loss next week (NE) and we're looking at best case scenario of 9-7 or 8-8 on the season. And that's only possible if we don't give up another game we're supposed to win this season.[/quote]

Trust me, its easy to look like the real deal win your playing against San Francisco LOL, but all jokes aside, there are playing good football

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

[quote=GiantsSuck703;367040]Do you watch football, Edge was second in the NFC in rushing. There defense shut down Willie Parker, who at the time was the top rusher in the league, you really need to look at some Cardinals stats before you talk about there team[/quote]

Ummmm, yes I watch football. I am telling you I don't think very much of the Arizona Cardinals. Period. Granted I think they are capable of playing some "inspired ball" here and there, but they 'aint Green Bay that's for sure. I got news for you too, I don't think they're better than the Lions either. Let's see James keep those stats up. Both their record and their stats will catch up with them.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

[quote=BleedBurgundy;366999]The Cardinals are not a bunch of scrubs. They're a middle of the road team. I think we are only slightly above "middle of the road" and it showed today. I'd love to have the right side of our line back though... I think this may end up being a "what could've been" season for us.[/quote]

No matter what people think about the Cardinals, and how the redskins barely beat them- they still beat a Pittsburgh team that would be undefeated except for that one loss.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

[QUOTE=GiantsSuck703;367037]Why would be too far behind? were 4-2 and one of the better teams in the NFC, the Cardinals are alot better than people think[/QUOTE]

We're not expected to get Thomas back till Dec.

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

[quote=MTRedskinsFan;367046]We're not expected to get Thomas back till Dec.[/quote]

So you believe Thomas alone will make that big of a difference?

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

[quote=12thMan;367043]Ummmm, yes I watch football. I am telling you I don't think very much of the Arizona Cardinals. Period. Granted I think they are capable of playing some "inspired ball" here and there, but they 'aint Green Bay that's for sure. I got news for you too, I don't think they're better than the Lions either. Let's see James keep those stats up. Both their record and their stats will catch up with them.[/quote]

And I dont think much of Dallas, but there still the best team in the NFC, what you think of Arizona has absolutely nothing to do with how good they are

Re: Are a we playoff team?
 

Here's the deal.
We will only make the playoffs if some other team screws up.
The skins have not really been outplayed by anyone all year.
In fact, they gave away 2 critical NFC games, NY and GB.

You should not be a legitimate playoff team if you are giving games away.
We are lucky when the Skins tried their very hardest to lose a third today but didn't.
This is not a team that puts teams away with leads.
Our 2nd half adjustments just plain suck offensively.
What did we do with a lead these games?....you got it....we went into a shell and hoped the clock expired.
We only won today because the cardinals coaching staffs were idoits on the 2 pt conversion...
We are not a "winning" team.
We basically only win when the other team "loses" the game.
(except for Detroit)

We are still a 7-9 team, 9-7 if we are lucky....get ready for some losses.
Our offensive line just sucks....worst in years....I sure hope Randy Thomas gets his butt back sooner....either that or we need to make some serious changes on the right side of the line.