Where the road is dark and the seed is sowed
Where the gun is cocked and the bullet's cold
Where the miles are marked in the blood and gold
I'll meet you further on up the road


It’s February 3rd, 2008.

The upstart Giants are in the Super Bowl. They aren’t supposed to be in the Super Bowl. You know it. I know it. Bob Dole and the American people know it. 13-3 Dallas was, as usual, favored to represent NFC East playoff hopes. Yet here they are. This 2007 Giants team had gone 4-4 to close the season, lead by an Eli Manning completing just 56% of his passes on the year, throwing nearly as many interceptions as touchdowns, and whose erratic play was frequently as bad as his haircut.

Opposite them on the turf at University of Phoenix stadium? Perfection.

The 18-0 New England Patriots were bound for glory and NFL legend. This Patriots team was special, having cut their way through the 2007 NFL ranks like a knife through warm butter. Scoring an average of nearly 37 points per game, with the 4th ranked defense in the league, and a +16 turnover ratio, the Patriots were a juggernaut that could not be stopped.

But with a 13 yard 4th quarter touchdown toss to Plaxico ‘Quick Draw’ Burress, Eli Manning did the unthinkable. He ruined the perfect ending to the most perfect prom ever. Brady was not crowned king. Members of the 1972 Miami Dolphins got drunk, high-fived, and left Glendale satisfied that their perfect season remained the NFL Holy Grail.

And here we find ourselves again, looking at another Brady-Manning matchup for all the marbles. The Gunslinger vs. the Bubble Gum Kid. But there’s been a lot of highway travelled since their last historic duel.

Since shocking the world and stealing destiny in Super Bowl XLII, the G-Men have looked like Longfellow’s little girl. You know, the one with the little curl in the middle of her forehead. When they’ve been good they’ve been very, very good. But when they’ve been bad, they’ve been horrid.

The good? The Giants lead the NFC East in 2008, going 12-4 before being upset by the Eagles in the divisional playoff. The horrid? In 2009, they slumped to 8-8, 3rd in the division, and missed the playoffs. Calls for head coach Tom Coughlin’s head began in earnest. 2010 looked more promising, as Coughlin lead his team to a 10-6 record, but behind the surprising return of Michael Vick, the Eagles captured the division’s only playoff spot, and the Giants again watched the post-season from their recliners. And of course, this season the Giants were viewed by many as the 3rd or 4th worst team in the division, behind Andy Reid’s ‘Dream Team’ and the always destined-for-glory Cowboys. Yet, amid continuing cries for Andy Reid’s ouster, the Giants scratched and clawed their way back to relevancy, riding the resurgent arm of Eli Manning and the suddenly impressive play of an over-achieving defense.

It’s been a twisted, winding road back for the New England Patriots as well. In 2008, the Pats continued their success, finishing 11-5, but lost out to Chad Pennington’s surprising Dolphins squad for the AFC East’s only playoff spot. The following year, 10-6 took the division but the Patriots floundered in their Wildcard game against the Ravens. And in 2010, the Patriots captured the division going 14-2, but again succumbed to an early exit, this time losing to the Jets in the divisional playoff.

In the 2 successive playoff losses since their near-perfect 2007 season, Tom Brady has looked downright human, averaging just 225 yards passing for a paltry (by Brady standards) 4 touchdowns, and a surprisingly equal number of interceptions. Brady’s claim to NFL greatness as perhaps the game’s best QB ever is under siege. Although the Patriots team he and Bill Belichick bring to Super Bowl XLVI is loaded with new faces, it is the familiar ones, namely Brady and Belichick, whose legacies will be judged on the outcome of this game. The great ones have lost their way since nearly achieving perfection. It’s taken them 4 years to find their way back to opportunity and the outcome is nearly completely on their shoulders.

In stark contrast, no one expected Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning to be here. Manning has gone from grudging respect to elite in the space of a single season, Coughlin from fighting for his very job to NFL coaching God in the space of 20 weeks. Think these guys are feeling any pressure to win Sunday?

Fuggedaboutit.

So who prevails Sunday?

For more than a month, I’ve watched the opportunistic, over-achieving, inspired play of the all but down and out Giants. I’ve watched Coughlin will his team on, first to post-season survival, and then to road wins over two teams most didn’t think they could beat. I’ve picked them to continue moving on and I picked them to be here for the final game of 2011. My eyes tell me they should win SB XLVI. Eli Manning is the best QB in the NFL right now throwing to a top flight receiving corps. The Giants are playing inspired football. And their defense, criticized and vilified for most of the year, has looked scary of late. It’s hard to bet against the Giants. They’ve found themselves here before, improbably facing the daunting duo of Brady and Belichick and one of the ‘great’ NFL franchises, and they didn’t flinch. Why doubt them this time?

That’s a hard question to answer. But I have a feeling it’s going to be different this time. It all comes down to Brady and Belichick, perhaps the most competitive and stubbornly obsessed QB-Coach combo in NFL history. They know the Patriots have been a shadow of their former selves the past 4 seasons. They know that each of their personal legacies will be forever bolstered or tarnished by the outcome tomorrow. And, I believe, that’s all we need to know.

Tom Brady had his worst playoff performance ever just two short weeks ago. His first words after the game? “I sucked pretty bad today...” Brady said. "I'm gonna go out and try and do a better job in a couple of weeks."

One could argue, pretty convincingly, that recent history shows us the Patriots are imminently beatable, that the failures of Belichick and Brady to capitalize on playoff opportunities since 2007 show they are not the force to be reckoned with they once were.

But I think that’s the exact reason the Patriots are going to humble the upstart New York Giants on Sunday. They’ve been thinking about and waiting for this rematch since that shocking day in February of 2008. And Tom Brady isn't just going to 'try and do better' tomorrow. He's going to make a statement.

Payback? It’s a bitch. And Sunday, it’s payback time.

Patriots 37 – 24.


Now I been out in the desert, just doin' my time
Searchin' through the dust, lookin' for a sign
If there's a light up ahead well brother I don't know
But I got this fever burnin' in my soul
So let's take the good times as they go
And I'll meet you further on up the road

Now come the fans of the teams whose draft slots are close behind the Redskins. The Jags, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Chiefs and Seahawks. Picks 7 through 12-these are the ones who might want to trade-up for RG3, or Luck, or maybe join the contest to grab Matt Flynn or possibly somebody else.


It would be more expensive for these teams to move up high enough to go after RG3, for example, but how desperate are their fans?

And are any of them looking at the Redskins?

There is one apparently seriously desperate group of fans but we'll have to work down the list first-and you'll see why I went to the #12 slot.

Starting with the Jaguars who just hired a new HC, Mike Mularkey former OC of the Falcons.

He's what they're talking about. Not the draft. Nothing about pick-trades or anything-not yet anyway.

(An aside; I found a thread in a Jags fan forum about how they'd love to have former Redskins WR coach Keenan McCardell as their WR coach. Interesting.)

The Dolphins at #8/#9 depending on a coin toss are talking about the draft and a few are looking at RG3 with a hint of longing but the realization that he's going to command a heavy price. The Redskins are seen as an obstacle.


There's some Matt Flynn talk but mostly they're looking at the second and third round-doesn't look like they'll care much what the Redskins do. The rest of the talk is about the Dolphins HC search.


The Carolina Panthers definitely aren't in the QB hunt. And the talk on their fan forums is centered around trading down to get more picks not up to reach for a "superstar". Probably a smart way for them to go too.


The Bills fans at #10 are in a state of frustrated confusion. A lot are mad at Fitzpatrick, but only one or two even mention the possibility of a trade-up for Luck or RG3-and they're pretty much ignored. They're still debating what to do with no consensus on anything right at the moment.

The Kansas City Chiefs are at #11 (or #12, again, coin toss) and they aren't too thrilled with Cassel, or Palko. The Redskins do get mentioned in a conversation about an...unusual...trade scenario involving Cassel one fan posted.


Uh....yeah...

There is trade-up talk but the probable price is scaring some-but not all.

Once again the Redskins are seen as the spoiler.


Desperation time.

Remember I told you I had found the most QB desparate group of fans yet? Well, here they are-fans of the Seattle Seahawks.

Jackson/Whitehurst. Almost as lovely as Grossman/Beck in terms of driving fans crazy.

Seattle fans are ready to do just about anything to get a different QB under center. Threads about trading up?

How about a poll about which trade-up scenario to use? Or whether to grab Matt Flynn from the Packers?



Four #1s for Luck? Wow.

There were a few posts indicating an interest in Kellen Moore the Boise State QB. His size is an issue-he's listed at 6' 1" 191lbs but I've read that that's an exaggeration by an inch or two.

They don't mention the Redskins anywhere in their speculations but they sure are anxious to have somebody else taking snaps.

Redskins fans can relate I think.

In the next edition of Redskins Recon: The Offseason I'll be perusing other teams fan forums for their take on the two most discussed names we've seen; Robert Griffin III and Matt Flynn. It may be interesting to read what other teams fans have to say. There's a lot of chatter about these two almost everywhere so this may take a few days to sort through and I may have to split it into two editions-one for each. I haven't hopped either guys bandwagon so I'll try to be as "disinterested" as possible and give a fairly representative sample of non-Burgundy and Gold opinions.

One more thing, among the areas of interest I plan on looking at are free agency and a special NFCE edition looking at what Dallas, Philly and Giants fans are hoping to acquire through the draft and FA. If there's an area of interest or something special going on in the offseason or some breaking news that you'd like to hear other teams fans opinions on just mention it in a reply to one of these Redskins Recon posts and I'll try and see if there's enough "NFL fan talk" to either include it in a "potpourri" multi-topic edition or its own separate one if the posts are popping up all over the place.


Once again...stay tuned, this is going to be one wild offseason to watch, IMO. :)

New food prices at FedEx...

Hotdog - $54.00
Soda - $51.00
Beer - $67.00
Bag of peanuts - $48.00
Pizza, one slice - $89.00
Pizza, full box - $408.00

Additional costs...

Bathroom stall - $131.00
Parking - Various, from $622.00 to $914.00 for each game.
Parking - Various, from $3,908.00 to $7,746.00 for entire season.
Tailgating Fee - 1-30 people, $12,017.00 for each game.
Tailgating Fee - 31-100 people, $19,509.00 for each game.
Tailgating Fee - 100 or more people, $26,004.00 for each game.

:biggrin2:

The top five draft picks. The teams that pick ahead of the Redskins. The place where Luck, Griffin, Kalil, and Blackmon-the "super-hot" properties reside. The place where the teams desperate for their "franchise QB or whatever" will try to trade up to and the teams who might be willing to sell their slot for a heavy-duty load of extra draft picks live. The Colts, Rams, Vikings, Browns and Bucs have the top five picks-but do their fans want to keep them?

And where do the Redskins, sitting at #6, fit into their plans?

Let's start with the Colts. Standard wisdom states that Andrew Luck going to the Colts is about as done a deal as you'll see in this draft.

A lot of Colts fans would disagree.

Colts fans are divided about their QB situation and how to treat it. And even who to treat it with. And Luck isn't a lock with everybody. They know the Colts have other team problems that need addressing. The one possibility nobody's mentioning, however, is Peyton retiring.






The Redskins did rate an occasional mention.

Which brings us to the Rams sitting on the #2 pick. Their fans, it turns out, are heavy duty wheeler-dealers and they're looking at the Redskins as a target-for some interesting reasons.

When RG3 announced he was officially heading for the draft, a lot of St. Louis Rams fans started salivating. As in a thread titled "Music to Rams fans ears: RGIII tells coach he's leaving for NFL Draft."

Most Rams fans are split between two options-Blackmon and trading down for more picks-and that's where the Redskins come in. A goodly number of Rams fans want to use the Redskins as pressure to try to get one of Cleveland's two first round picks.

The most interesting thing in all this to me is what they think the Redskins would be willing to give up to grab the #2 pick in a competition with the Browns.


Vikings fans are pretty much set on Kalil at #3 but there were a few who mentioned other possible scenarios. with the Redskins in the mix of course.


And those Browns fans? Well if they read those Rams fan posts they'd say "Meh, we're good" No mention of a trade up or down in any forum I visited.

None.

Of course what Heckert/Schurmer are actually going to do is another matter but the fans seem perfectly happy sitting on the two 1st round picks and their other "gifts" from Atlanta last year-they're not all that unhappy with McCoy either. They're more interested in giving him more tools to work with. I can't say I blame them.

Oh, the Tampa Bay Bucs? They're too busy discussing the coaching situation to have much to say about the draft at all...yet.

In the second half of this pick-trade recon we'll look at the teams picking 7 through 12-including the most QB desperate fans I've seen yet. :)

The season is complete and now it is time to think about the future. Let’s get to the questions for this week.

1. The season ending game was very ugly. Does this set a bad tone for next year?

Answer: No. There were many positives with the emergence of rookies and younger players. A solid foundation is being formed and the memories of this game will quickly be forgotten.

2. London Fletcher had another season of excellent play. He wants to return at age 37. Is this a good move?

Answer: Absolutely. He seems to defy age and it would not be surprising to see him playing at a high level for three or four seasons to come.

3. The Redskins staff will be coaching the South team in the Senior Bowl. Will this be helpful for draft purposes?

Answer: In a word – yes. This will give the staff an up close and personal look at players that come from the best teams and conferences in the nation. Also, keep in mind that Coach Shanahan drafted Ryan Kerrigan, Jarvis Jenkins, Roy Helu, Leonard Hankerson, Niles Paul, and Chris Neild last year – all were senior bowlers.

4. Quarterback seems to be the targeted position for this offseason. Who will it be? Luck? Griffin, III? Tannehill? Flynn? Orton?

Answer: BBQ is predicting a trade up to acquire Griffin, III. Don’t be surprised with two other choices – a return of Rex Grossman as a backup and a lower round pick on someone like Kellen Moore.

5. No question here. Just a note to let you know that BBQ will have several offseason editions that will be devoted to free agency, the draft, OTAs, training camp, and various topics.

See you again sometime soon.
Hail to the Redskins!

The season ending game is upon us and we are left with more questions than answers at this juncture. Let’s get right to the questions.

1. Another week, another injury (Roy Helu). Is our luck really that bad?

Answer: It sure seems like it. Toss in the mind numbing choices that two suspended starters made and this has been a very frustrating season. Stay optimistic though. Next season is bound to have a decent measure of good luck.

2. Rumors were spreading that John Beck could play on Sunday. Is that a smart choice?

Answer: This rumor has been debunked by Coach Shanahan. There is always the chance that Rex Grossman could get hurt and Beck’s services would be needed.

3. Dave McKenna has left the Washington City Newspaper. Is this a good thing?

Answer: Fans are going to have differing views about this news. BBQ sees this as a positive and hopes to never hear of his name again.

4. PFT seems to suggest that Coach Shanahan is on the hot seat. Could he be fired after Sunday’s game?

Answer: This is highly unlikely. BBQ continues to believe that Coach Shanahan will be here for the duration of his contract and probably beyond the allotted five year time frame.

5. Aldrick Robinson could make his debut on Sunday. Are there any expectations at this point?

Answer: There is a chance that Robinson could be on the inactive list. If he isn’t, this would be a good time to impress the coaching staff.

That’s all for this week. Enjoy the game.
Hail to the Redskins!

I've discovered something. The more disgusted a fanbase seems to be with their team, the fewer threads there are about upcoming opponents-most are about how/why their team sucks.

You remember all the negative things they were saying in October? That hasn't changed much.

Here's a link to that episode of Redskins Recon if you want to refresh you memory: http://www.bgobsession.com/blog.php?b=274

There was a thread about losing and the draft, of course.



He's referring to Boston College junior LB Luke Kuechly who hasn't announced his intentions as far as the 2012 NFL draft yet but his name came up a couple of times in the Eagles fan boards. They do need LB help.




Some Eagles fans have been selling their tickets to this game with the Redskins. This got a mixed response.

There was of course some more discussion of Vick. The last line in this post just made me shake my head and mumble"...Wow.."



Some Grossman "analysis" popped up.


Smart a$$es...





You might remember the slew of negative coments about Reid's decision to make former OC Juan Castillo the new DC. Well there's now a poll asking members what they think will happen to Castillo. These are the reslts as of Thursday morning.

Stay--43.88%--61 Votes

Get Fired--49.64%--69 Votes

(lol)get hired to be HC somewhere(lol)--6.47%--9 Votes

Gotta give the inveterate sarcastic smart-a$$es somehere to go. LOL.



This post, in a thread discussing whose job was more in jeopardy, Reid's or Shanahan's, may be one of the most accurate I've seen yet from another team's fans.

The last two sentences of that second paragraph had an eerie resonance to me as a Redskins fan.

Finally this interesting post. EMB Legend posted this interview done by Dave Zangaro of CSN Philly with-of all people-Mike Shanahan about the Eagles problems and the future of Andy Reid and DC Juan Castillo along with his take on LeSean McCoy

Blognosticator - China

Fortunately I had family commitments on Christmas Eve and wasn’t able to watch the Redskins game against the Vikings. I say fortunately because once again the Redskins managed to lose against a team they should have beaten. This has been one of the patterns we’ve seen with the Redskins over the last 20 years, playing to the level of their opponent; playing good teams tough and bad teams poorly. This has resulted in an inordinate number of close games, most of which the Redskins manage to lose. The reasons are myriad, ranging from dysfunctional team management to poor coaching to inferior talent to simple bad luck or some combination thereof. Another season has come and gone, and like far too many before it, was eminently forgettable as the Redskins didn’t even come close to sniffing the playoffs.

The point of a Blognostication, however, is to provide some type of prediction on the upcoming game, so I won’t dwell too much on the past except as it relates to the game in question. That being said let us move on to the Eagles. The Eagles, oh how we hate thee. Let us count the ways…no, there is too much, let me sum up: the Eagles are cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed sacks of monkey **** whose mothers are hamsters and whose fathers smelt of elderberries. We fart in your general direction. You don't frighten us, Philly pig-dogs!

Hmmm…I think I may have mixed up some of my movie references. Oh well, the sentiment still stands.

When the Redskins have the ball:

They need to run the ball. The Redskins have rushed for 100 yards or more in each of the last 5 games, compared to only twice in the previous 10. Methinks Mike Shanahan is finally getting the message through to his son to ‘run the ball damn it.’ I don’t think we can underestimate the contributions of Rex’s frequent and often inexplicable interceptions on reinforcing the message. As we all know if they can run the ball they can keep the opposing offense off the field as well as be able to use the run game to be able to set up the play-action pass. Let’s face it, this year’s QB and receiving corps don’t scare anybody, especially a team with Asomugha, Samuel and Rodgers-Cromartie back there, so keeping the LBs and safeties a step off would help. Their CBs have been nicked up recently, so that should help as well. Now if we could only get Rex to throw an INT free game for once… Rex has thrown 19 interceptions to only 15 interceptions in 12 games this year and hasn’t had an INT-free game since the season opener. It’d be a nice way to bookend the season.

When the Eagles have the ball:

The Redskins need to stop the two-headed monster of Vick and McCoy. The Redskins have seemingly always had difficulty with running QBs and Vick has been no exception. They need to contain Vick and not let him pick up cheap first downs with his feet that extend drives. McCoy is the real deal, but stacking the box could leave the field open for Vick whose ability to give himself extra time in the pocket won’t help matters. We’ll need a good game plan from Haslett as well as a couple of big plays from some playmakers on defense (I’m looking at you Hall, Kerrigan, Orakpo) to keep their offense under wraps.

Prediction:

If the Redskins can get up on top early the Eagles will give up, as they have been eliminated from playoff contention and will want to get their disappointing season over with. I look for the Eagles to mail it in but, with the talent disparity and the way the Redskins always play, I expect it to be close. Once again the Redskins will fail to break 30 points, making it a rare 0-for-the-season in that category. Nevertheless I’m predicting a Redskins victory to close out the season and start off a Happy New Year!

Redskins - 27
Eagles - 23

The holidays are here and the Redskins had an awesome game last week. Can the momentum continue? Let’s get to the holiday edition of BBQ for this week.

1. Matt Barkley is not entering the draft and Robert Griffin III is still undecided. Does this change the idea of taking a QB in round one?

Answer: It’s probably a good time to see where the team finishes the season first and then take the time for evaluating prospects (draft and FA). It’s too early to be pushing the draft “panic buttons”.

2. Continue winning and build momentum for next season or tank it and get a great draft position?

Answer: Go for the wins. This front office, coaching staff, and scouting department is as solid as they come. Do not fret about draft positions. As said last night in a thread – we will find our “offensive Ryan Kerrigan” in the upcoming draft.

3. Willie Smith had a good game against the Giants and really did well against the Patriots. Is it possible that we have found a great LT and affords the coaches to move Trent Williams to RT?

Answer: It is certainly possible and the next two games could go a long way towards such a decision. In fact, it could solve many problems with the OL. Time will tell.

4. The NFL decided to play the Sunday games on Saturday for this week. Wouldn’t it be fun to have those games on Christmas Day?

Answer: Sure, but it would not be fun for the teams and their families. Enjoy the Saturday games and enjoy the family time on Sunday.

5. No questions here for this week. Just a note to say Happy Holidays to all. May 2012 be the best year ever for you and your loved ones.

God Bless.
Hail to the Redskins!

This is weird.

I dug through five or six Vikings fan forums and with one small exception didn't find a thread specifically aimed at the upcoming Redskins-Vikings game. Like I said, weird. What's even more interesting was that they're hardly talking about us at all. Anywhere. Oh, I was able to find a few posts mentioning us but not very many.

You see, right now the Vikings fans are preoccupied with the Vikings-and how poorly they're doing.

I guess being 2-12 will do that to you.

One Vikes fan started a thread askingfor score preditions. So far there are four responses.

Four-all predicting a Redskins win.


In a thread made last week.


Grossman did get a mention in a post made prior to our Giants game.

One poster mentioned a fact that should make Rex breathe a litle easier.



Mostly the Vikes fans are expounding on what's wrong with the Vikes. Basically, if you aren't Jared Allen, Percy Harvin, AP,or-to a limited extent-Christian Ponder you are not liked. And if you are a coach or your last name is Wilf, forget it.

Especially HC Lelie Frazier.

Some blame mostly the coaching, some the talent, and some both.







Those brought back some recent Skins memories.

Frankly, I think their fans are selling the team a bit short, but when things are going really badly, that's what fans will do, I guess.

I think the Redskins have an excellent chance at going to 6-9 after this game but I don't think the Vikes will fold as badly as their fans seem to think.

Blognosticator - Elephant

For the second year in a row find myself writing a blog about the Redskins after they have been eliminated from playoff contention. While I love to write, talk, argue, yell and scream about Redskins’ football, I have tired of going into the final few games of the year knowing once the regular NFL season ends the Redskins season is over. It has become an all too familiar feeling that was once so foreign to Redskins’ fans. Last year I wrote a blog displaying the joys of going into the final days of the regular season knowing the Redskins were in it. There was a twenty-year period where the Redskins were almost always a name identified with post-season play. This year I won’t do that because I feel, although we may not be going to the playoffs, we are a team on the rise. While our record may not show improvement, if you are a fan of the Redskins’ you can just feel better days on the horizon.

Because I sense the oncoming resurgence for Redskins’ football, I am not nearly as bitter as I was this time last year no matter how many times I found myself scratching my head this season. It is rarely enjoyable going into the coulda, woulda, shoulda’s, but for all the head scratching moments, the reality is that this team is only two wins against our hated rival away from being in first place in our division. This team has shown flashes of brilliance…on the other hand, they have also shown glimpses of abysmal. I think that is indicative of a young offensive coordinator still sowing his oats and a QB who reaches the pinnacles of greatness and the pits of Hades. OK, Hades may be a bit extreme, but Rex Grossman brings out such an emotion!

I do not think a five-win season accurately identifies this team. Reading what a fellow Skins’ fan has repeated throughout the season and watching the performance of this team over the past month, I am starting to buy into the idea that a consistently competent QB would immediately make this team a playoff contender. I know we need to upgrade at many positions especially offensive line, but for the first time since we saw a four game win streak to end the 2007 season under Joe Gibbs, the Redskins’ are playing like a team, a cohesive unit. While I still have concerns about the player acquisition skills of Mike Shanahan, he has shown that he can find players who can contribute. If nothing else, the 2011 draft class is full of solid depth, but there are several players who have shown they can be either great or very solid starters. Ryan Kerrigan, Roy Helu, Jarvis Jenkins and Leonard Hankerson appear to be solid draft picks but Evan Royster, Maurice Hurt, Niles Paul, and Willie Smith should become solid depth at the very least. Mike Shanahan is building something here and for those of us who believe certain changes could have made us more competitive, faster (staying with a 4-3 base on defense) it is comforting to see the positive attitude of our players at a time when everyone could just give up, that wreaks of good coaching and solid veteran leadership. It smells like a refreshing air of change in Washington.

Now let’s look at the competition for this upcoming weekend, the Minnesota Vikings. Five years ago the Vikings pulled off and off-season move I wished the Redskins had made at the time. Understanding the value of solid line play, that games were won and lost in the trenches, the Vikings signed Steve Hutchinson to the largest contract an NFL guard had ever signed to date. At the time this was a seemingly controversial signing, but over the next few years it would prove to be a key acquisition to making them a team of relevance in the NFC North. The following year with a pair of defensive tackles that were stars, they signed Jared Allen making their defensive line the most formidable in the NFL. Along the way they picked up skill players through the draft like Adrian Peterson and then they signed the keystone, Brett Favre. With Bret Favre at the helm, they fell just short of a Super Bowl bid. Unfortunately, the wheels fell off the following season proving that there is a small window for success if not continually addressing core positions. Favre proved to be done, they lost the all-pro performance of their defensive tackles with off-field distractions, the offensive line began showing age and they lost key receivers to free agency. Although AP was still gaining yards, they were not nearly as easy as they were his first couple of seasons. But the 2010 season was supposed to be an anomaly; all they needed was a solid QB who would fit their system to come in and save the franchise. So they got a supposed steal from the Washington Redskins in Donovan McNabb. McNabb was supposed to be a great QB who didn’t fit the system in Washington.

With thoughts of the Super Bowl in mind, Donovan was brought to Minnesota to take over where Brett Favre had left off just two seasons prior. Bwahahaha! As Redskins’ fans discovered last season, Andy Reid had done a masterful job of disguising McNabb’s deficiencies. For the second season in a row, McNabb was replaced as the starting QB for a team who had such high hopes for him. This time it did not take until the final three games of the season, in fact, it did not even take half the season for Leslie Frazier to realize he had a better chance of winning with the rookie they chose in the first round of the 2011 draft. So much for a McNabb revenge game in DC! Not only was he benched in Minnesota, he is floating aimlessly in the abyss of unclaimed players on wavers. But that is just part of the story in Minnesota, while they were fooling around with Brett Favre, they began to lose sight of the other positions that were either ageing, left via free agency or were suspended because of their off-field issues. Couple the drop off in on-the-field production with the stadium fight and possible move of the team and this franchise is a complete mess, just a season of play away from being mentioned for a deep run into the playoffs.

So what do the Redskins’ face on Saturday? The Vikings’ defense is solid against the run, but are among the worst in the NFL in defending the pass which is rather odd since Jared Allen has a chance to break the single season sack record provided he plays lights out football the next two games. He will likely be playing angry this weekend after a blowup with coaches because they pulled him out of the Saints game this past week since he did not record a sack. The problem is he had continually pressured the elusive Brees. This could be a huge problem summoning the Rex of Hades to appear. They have a solid run game ranking fourth in the NFL in rushing yards even though Adrian Peterson is on track to barely break a thousand yards. He had a poor performance against the Saints last week so his ankle may still be hurting, an injury that kept him out three games. But the pass game is among the worst in the NFL so we should be able to stack the box. Overall the Minnesota Vikings of 2011 are deservedly among the worst in the NFL much to the surprise of many.

The Redskins should have no problem beating this team provided we play to the level we have over the past month. We cannot let the Vikings get the run game going. Toby Gerhardt had a very solid game against us last year spelling AP. If either of these guys get going we could end up playing down to the competition again. If the run game gets going for Minnesota, Ponder has been successful moving the chains, but if they are playing from behind the Vikings are in trouble. We need to establish the run. If I were Shanahan I would hope for the first possession in the game, try to get Helu going early and get a lead on them quickly. If Minnesota has to play from behind, Orakpo, Bowen and Kerrigan should have a field day. With the way the Redskins have played in the last month I expect a sound victory. If Rex from Hades rears his ugly head, we could be in for a very frustrating day and the fans will end up calling for Shanahan’s head again. LOL! Ugh! I think this team has grown quite a bit since we lost to Dallas. I do not believe they play down to the level of the competition and go out for a second straight week firing on all cylinders, this time beating a team we should beat easily.

Redskins 31
Vikings 3

HTTR!

And Merry Christmas everyone!

Beathard was the king of making deals to acquire more picks but in lower rounds.

The Redskins often didn't have a #1 pick as in 1982 because they traded it for other picks that turned out to be stars.

That 1982 pick was traded at the April 1981 draft so the Skins could go back into the third round and take Russ Grimm. We also netted two fifth round picks, one of which ended up being Dexter Manley.

Even though it's not strictly accurate, I would start judging Shanahan from this past April forward. He and the front office worked a full slate of draft picks and integrated younger players into the lineup a lot faster in 2011 than in 2010.

I am willing to give Shanahan a mulligan of sorts for the 2010 mistakes IF he bounces quickly off the mat and these later decisions in 2011 turn out to be the right ones.

The drive time trio over at ESPN 980, especially Andy Pollin, kept making snide remarks about Willie Smith starting against NE and noting he gave up a sack on his first play as evidence of the lack of talent.

This is complete BS. You don't learn ANYTHING about a rookie based on one play.

Smith settled down and had a solid game otherwise for a UDFA.

Perry Riley is out there going 110% and making his share of mistakes. But he has the talent to be a starter and there is no way he is going to progress until he gets reps on the field.

These media guys kept talking all these years about drafting players and then developing them under Snyder and yet they criticize the current coaching staff when the younger players get out there and make mistakes in their first few starts and the team 'gets close' but doesn't win against New England.

What a joke.

Is the outcome of a 4-9 season supposed to be winning the last 3-4 games?

It should be about developing players and giving guys a chance to see if they might be part of the solution going forward.

Not everyone has a relatively smooth transition to the NFL as Ryan Kerrigan did.

Then again, the Redskins can't build a roster if the strategy is to stock it soley with #1 draft choices.

We need to find undrafted rookies and lower round picks that make it.

Their learning process is often messy.

Get used to it.

And for Andy Pollin, the great negator on 980, deal with the fact that the team is now doing what you have been preaching and stop being such a d-bag.

Another week is in the books and another moral victory for the Redskins. It doesn’t help in the win column though. Let’s take some questions.

1. Does the play of a franchise QB add substantially to the number of victories in a given season?

Answer: Absolutely. Look no further than the Colts and Peyton Manning. If the Redskins had a viable franchise QB this season, they would be all alone in first place and looking at a deep run in the playoffs.

2. LaRon Landry was placed on IR. Has he played his last down for the Redskins?

Answer: It’s possible, but if the talented SS is willing to take a team friendly deal, then he may stick around. We should know more when the details of his injury are fully known.

3. DeAngelo Hall received a personal foul penalty for throwing a referee’s penalty flag last week. How much longer can his attitude be tolerated?

Answer: After this latest incident, one has the feeling that he is now on the shortest of leashes and is one more “mind-melt” from being released or traded in the offseason.

4. London Fletcher received a “roughing” penalty last week. Was it the right call?

Answer: Fletcher did not receive a monetary fine this week and replays clearly showed that he made a clean hit. However, it is fortunate that he did not receive an additional penalty for contact with a referee and said fine from the league office.

5. Any last minute holiday gift suggestions for the Redskins fan in your life?

Answer: Look no further than the BGO store.

That’s all for this week. See you again next Friday.
Hail to the Redskins!

It would just figure that the very first thread I looked at on a Giants fan forum would have the title

"Any chance we lose to Grossman twice?" and the first post would be this:

I wonder if any other 4-9 team stirs up this much worry among division opponents? It turns out some Giants fans are seriously worried about this game. Some aren't so worried but they seem to be outnumbered.


Oh goody, another "Must Win" comment.:rolleyes:

One Giants fan actually echoed some Skins fans sentiments about the officiating in the Pats game.

He also commented on the run game.



Some Giants fans aren't too thrilled with parts of their coaching staff. Sounds familiar.

One fan did post a match-up analysis.


Dangerous? Well, we probably are. Just how much so we'll find out Sunday.

Blognosticator - Rymanofthenorth

This season for anyone who has been paying attention, was never about winning, from the getgo, Shanny said this was going to be a rebuild, a vastly different message than he gave us when he got here. While he came short of actually admitting that he was flat out wrong on several decisions, actions spoke louder than words and he drafted guys on defence to fill the massive holes that the switch created. He admitted the Mcnabb decision was a fail and hitched his wagon to Beck and Grossman, neither of whom would seem to be an upgrade yet have looked better in this offence. We were fooled early on by going 3-1 and keeping games close. I could document all the mistakes but its been done, instead I'll talk about the team now.

The truth is we aren't at the point where I think we can be consistently competitive, we still have massive holes along the Oline, the only player who has looked pretty consistent so far is Hurt at Guard and montgomery at center and neither is someone who looks unreplaceable everyone else shouldnt even be back unless its as backups. Receiver is serviceable but NEEDS an upgrade, we need a number one receiver because Moss would be an outstanding number 2. Hankerson might be that guy some day but hes injured and probably wont be back full strength until the year after next everyone else right now might flash but really arent much more than #3 level receivers. TE went from being a strength, but with Davis having a bout of stupidity and Cooley coming off another injury it no longer looks as bullish. RB is not set but looks solid with Helu making the most of his chances, Hightower is an upgrade over Royster who is serviceable but nothing special I would be surprised of Torain is brought back as he is a walking bandaid. This offence has just enough talent to flash against weak defences, heck against weak defences we actually look good, we move the ball, we even score! the problem is that against teams with decent secondaries, our receivers don't run free so easily, against a solid front, we dont get push and against good linebackers, we allow penetration.

On Defence? we are vastly improved over last season, which means we are about where we were before we blew everything up. some people think of this as improvement, I look at it as treading water after sinking. We really didnt improve anything, we are just getting back to where we were at around 11th on defence, we need to continue improving or this was a waste. On Dline we do look better, Carriker is having a career year and even though thats not saying much, he looks pretty solid, Bowen suffers from not having anyone to rotate with, he is actually not very solid against the run for such a big DE. Cofield has played pretty well but is another guy who suffers from not having a backup, he would be better served at DE in this scheme as he gets pushed around a lot in the run game, I would love to see us grab a huge run stuffer at NT and rotate him inside and at DE, it would change a lot. Reily has stepped up at ILB but still makes mental mistakes, that will change as he gains confidence and experience. Fletch is slowing down but he is savvy and was pretty fast to begin with, I don't think Rocky will want to be back in this scheme and will have more realistic expectations in free agency now. OLB is probably the strength of this team with an above average guy in Rak and a stellar one in Kerrigan. It would be amazing if Rak ever has the light go on, he is an above average player right now simply based on his measurables, he isnt a super quick guy but has a solid first step and amazing strength and power for his size he just needs to learn more varied pass rush moves and how to be a linebacker, he still looks uncomfortable at times. Kerrigan look polished and while he does make the odd mistake, he plays far more like a veteran. We need some upgrades at corner as Hall and wilson are not number 1 cover guys and we have no young guys to step up. we will also need to start looking at safeties as atogwe hasnt been healthy or very good and Landry is not worth a huge long term contract. Gomes has looked ok in bursts but is young.

specials, we could use a more consistent kicker but Rocca was a huge find. in my mind cover teams are as good as your depth, and ours arent great but should get better when we add some more players.

You guys can read about the Giants anywhere on the net, they arent really a superbowl contender either but they are one of the better teams in our division, Im not gonna bother talking about them because this game isnt about them or even us this season, because this season is lost, we need to evaluate the young guys, identify holes and fill them in the offseason. some of my fellow posters on BGOB have said it better than me, we arent going to cheer to lose, we are going to accept short term pain for long term gain. and all we can do is hope that the team uses the picks well. If everyone could be in our gameday chats, they would see guys who havent given up on the team, maybe we arent cheering for this particular team the rabid way we usually do, but thats because we are washington redskins fans, not washington redskins of 2011 only fans. I don't know even one guy who reads this forum who doesnt bleed burgundy and gold, we all want our team in the superbowl, I think that we just disagree in how to get there and how willing we are to accept short term pain lol

all that goes to what the point is about this blog, we are going to lose to the Giants and im ok with that, we are probably going to lose out, and im ok with that. because we might lose but we are no longer losers. we didnt pack it in against the Pats we were just not good enough to win yet. thats changing and now? we just have to have faith that we will draft the right guys, sign the right guys in free agency and for now? just play out the string baby, because better times are ahead, as a Redskins Fan we have to believe that.