Kirwin: Redskins in Tier 3, possible playoff contention

Pat Kirwin has ranked the teams where they are right now, and he's placed the Redskins in tier 3, "teams that could be in contention for a playoff spot."

Washington Redskins: The addition of a proven head coach, general manager and quarterback has changed everything for the 'Skins. Last year, Washington scored 17 or fewer points 11 times. Not many teams can win that way. Donovan McNabb is not going to let the offense repeat those numbers in 2010. He energizes the 'Skins the way Favre ignited the Vikings.

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Isn't that pretty much where they always are?

You hear the cliché all the time that this team or that team needs to “learn to win”. I think the Skins need to do that. On paper they have potential to be in the mix in the NFC East. Until they prove it consistently on the field though you can’t ever rate them any higher than a maybe.

We only averaged 16.6 points a game last season, just edging out Detroit for 26th place. That has to improve. Not to put too fine a point on it here but how well McNabb plays is going to determine how far this team goes next season. If he’s able to throw 25 TDs and create the type of balance that allows the running game to be more productive as well then yeah, this team should be right there. It’s an awful lot to ask of one guy, but like it or not he’s definitely the catalyst.

Hog Fever said:

We only averaged 16.6 points a game last season, just edging out Detroit for 26th place. That has to improve. Not to put too fine a point on it here but how well McNabb plays is going to determine how far this team goes next season. If he’s able to throw 25 TDs and create the type of balance that allows the running game to be more productive as well then yeah, this team should be right there. It’s an awful lot to ask of one guy, but like it or not he’s definitely the catalyst.

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This thought got me ... um ... thinking.

If we had a QB that could throw 25 TDs that would be a huge improvement. Does anyone know the last Redskin QB to throw for 25 TDs in one season? I had to look it up. Trent Green, Brad Johnson and Mark Brunell all came pretty close. But it wasn't any of them.

It was Mark Rypien in 1991.

If McNabb can give us QB play we haven't had here in literally 20 years, we should be a much better team this year.

we do know one thing....the margin for turning things aorund is quite wide. the Skins were so dysfunctional last season that attaching deep/lasting meaning to it would be a mistake IMO. history has shown large single season turn-arounds. I can easily see the Skins going 8-8...but also 10-6.

it alwys amazes me how these professional writers basically scribble stuff any of us could write. anywho.....believe it or not...I don't think the offense (or the O line) will be the problem child this year. I have my eye on how the defense adapts to a whole new staff and a whole new scheme. that's where the real risk is IMO.

either way.....AH aside...this is the first time post 1992 other than Gibb's first season that I feel adults who know what they are doing are in charge.