Sporting News Football '08: Redskins (Magazine)

[djnemo65]

Originally Posted by Daseal

Nemo:

Here are my questions. Jason Campbell. I love the guy, but it's got to be a big year for him. Granted, all these new systems isn't fair for him -- but as he goes, we go -- and I'm not sure hes ready yet. Especially since we're switching offenses this year. Secondly, where do you see huge upgrades at skill positions. We have more or less three rookie receivers (Davis isn't exactly an inline blocking type of TE), rookie receivers typically have little to no impact. RBs will be the same, as will QB -- so skill positions are the same.

However, my concern comes on the defense. From what I understand, Blache is a Dline rush coverage type guy -- which I don't think works for this team. That and I'm not sold he's a quarter of what GWill was. Also -- Rocky and Carlos probably not being there on opening day is huge, along with the question mark that is Marcus Washington. I think our defense falls off rather significantly, and our offense improves some.

Granted, it's June. Maybe I'll feel better when I see a few practices in training camp, or when I hear the injured guys are working out.

Please don't take this as a knock on Zorn. I actually think he's a great candidate. But lets be realistic, he was a quarterbacks coach less than a year ago. The adjustment might be more steep than he was expecting and it takes a while to implement an offense.

Now, 4-12 is ridiculous. I expect us to be at worse 6-10. at best 10-6. But I think in our division -- even 9-7 may not land us the 2nd spot.

Fair enough, I don't think 6-10 is unreasonable at all, just because of how close the division currently is. A few ball bounces will account for 3 or more wins or losses. The issue I have is with a playoff team keeping its roster intact while being picked to finish a full 5 wins lower. How do you rationalize that?

And Beemen, I consider Thomas, Kelly, and Davis to be significant upgrades. Regarding your certainty that the two former will not exceed 50 catches this season, if that happens they will have been big fat busts, since they will be used immediately and will get plenty of opportunities. While that's possible, I don't think its unreasonable to expect one to make a serious impact his first year, thus my choice of the word significant. If I'm wrong about that, as you seem convinced I will be, then I will probably also be wrong about the Skins being a playoff team next season. If I'm right I am going to laugh at you, not invite you to my playoff party, and then email you pictures showing how fun it was afterwards

Last year's offensive line situation was unusual, and was in many ways a perfect storm. I should say I think its also unlikely they will be equally or more injured this season; if they are we will probably be in trouble.

Just out of curiousity Beemen are you going on the record as picking them to finish last this season like the author of the article in question?

[rypper11]

Originally Posted by djnemo65

And Beemen, I consider Thomas, Kelly, and Davis to be significant upgrades. Regarding your certainty that the two former will not exceed 50 catches this season, if that happens they will have been big fat busts, since they will be used immediately and will get plenty of opportunities. While that's possible, I don't think its unreasonable to expect one to make a serious impact his first year, thus my choice of the word significant. If I'm wrong about that, as you seem convinced I will be, then I will probably also be wrong about the Skins being a playoff team next season.

The problem is that most rookie wr's don't have immediate impacts. Especially with a QB learning a new system. One will be a number 2 and one will be a number 4 (barring injuries). Their biggest addition will be in the Red Zone when their size and hands will offset their inexperience. I wouldn't be suprised to see Cooley and three rookies on the field every time we are inside the 15 while he will be with Moss and ARE the majority of time outisde of scoring position (so either leading the team in TD receptions while all three combining for 50 receptions is highly likely). That being said, neither should be considered a bust for at least two full seasons despite not taking over the game as a rookie (like Randy Moss did). As unpredictible as drafting a wr is, either could be a pro bowler in a few years though fans will have to expect mistakes along the way. Still, don't be suprised if we are in the WildCard game again this year.

[Beemnseven]

Originally Posted by djnemo65

And Beemen, I consider Thomas, Kelly, and Davis to be significant upgrades. Regarding your certainty that the two former will not exceed 50 catches this season, if that happens they will have been big fat busts, since they will be used immediately and will get plenty of opportunities. While that's possible, I don't think its unreasonable to expect one to make a serious impact his first year, thus my choice of the word significant. If I'm wrong about that, as you seem convinced I will be, then I will probably also be wrong about the Skins being a playoff team next season. If I'm right I am going to laugh at you, not invite you to my playoff party, and then email you pictures showing how fun it was afterwards

Last year's offensive line situation was unusual, and was in many ways a perfect storm. I should say I think its also unlikely they will be equally or more injured this season; if they are we will probably be in trouble.

Just out of curiousity Beemen are you going on the record as picking them to finish last this season like the author of the article in question?

I have no idea what they'll do this year. I go back and forth, wondering what 2008 will hold, but more often than not, I tend to think that they probably won't do as well as 9-7. 4-12 might be a little extreme, but after the dream season of 2005, did anyone expect a 6-10 season from a Joe Gibbs-led team when everyone (including me) thought they had it all figured out? Chalk it up to complete inexperience with head coaching -- we'd be delirious to think that Zorn will step right in without any growing pains and instantaneously hit on all cylinders right off the bat.

Also consider that, (and this is the root of our disagreement) there were really no improvements to the receiving group whatsoever. I know you count Kelly, Thomas, and Davis. Sorry, I just don't see it. Not yet anyway. Moss, Cooley, and Randle El have amounted to an average passing threat when you look at year-end statistics -- they just can't seem to break out of the middle of the pack. But don't expect the coaches to be convinced of that to the extent that they'll toss out Randle El and hand it all over to Thomas or Kelly. Everyone around the league still lives with the completely irrational notion that Randle El really is an elite wideout.

Then there's the defense. We have durability concerns with Smoot, Springs, and Rogers coming off that knee surgery. No upgrades at the pass rush other than more dumpster diving through the Vikings' trash with Erasmus James. Despite an obvious decline with Marcus Washington, a hobbling Rocky McIntosh, and an aging London Fletcher, the linebackers seem solid, but they might also be teetering on the edge. Other than run-stopping, we just don't have a solid checkmark anywhere on D.

I guess I just don't think it's impossible for this team to finish way below expectations regardless of the previous season's results. We saw it with Ritchie Petitbon in 1993, another guy with no head coaching experience. They finished 4-12 then. I certainly hope they don't finish that way, but I suppose I'm just not blind to the possibility of everything blowing up in Zorn's face in his first season the way others apparently are.