Blognosticator - DocSandy
A tale of two teams…. and I don’t mean the Redskins and the Bears.
Let me first apologize for the lateness of this. Had to have a semi-emergency procedure on my jaw Friday morning. Neo must have lost faith in me that I was going to get this done. In any event.. let’s get right to it… First, as is tradition with blognostications, some facts:
1) According to various power ranking, defensively, the Bears and Redskins are neck and neck over all. So nothing there to argue one way or the other (though we are both below the league average).
2) Offensively, we’re ahead of Da Bears with 2 teams separating us (Detroit and Houston). But still, way below the league average.
3) Overall we moved down from #13 to #18 (Thanks Dallas and penalties) and the Bears moved to 21st from #20. Okay so supposedly we’re better than them in the overall department. Probably due to our high ranking in special teams despite last week’s fiasco. We are still in the top 10 at #7 (last week #5) where Chicago is #31, down from #30. And that, my friend, is what this game is going to come down to.
Field position and keeping their offense off the field. They have a 1-5 home record, we are 0-5 on the road. Something has got to give here, right? Let’s hope our special teams come out ANGRY at what they did (or rather didn’t) do last week. Other than 2 games, Chicago has pretty much been in every game. The Redskins.. well, there were 6 games we were really not in once they got out of hand, so the key here fellow fans? DO NOT LET IT GET OUT OF HAND.
We won’t have the services of Chris Thompson, Jeron Johnson or Perry Riley. This could hurt us. But an unknown is the signing of RG Pierre Thomas. And where, pray tell, WHERE IS ALMO? I said this his rookie year and I will continue to say it. He reminds me a lot of The Diesel.. he needs to warm up. You don’t get warm up playing running back by committee. I want to see Almo in there from the get-go. Sure, perhaps he won’t be in the Burgundy and Gold for very long, but I still want to see what he can do WHEN given the chance. And that doesn’t mean bring him off the bench cold for 1-2 plays, and then send him back.
Despite last weekend, we STILL hold our destiny in our hands, not unlike RG3 and Almo’s rookie season. I’m not bringing up RG3 to start any sort of argument, but to make a point. One main difference between THAT team and THIS team is simple. No one “has” this team. Not Gruden, not any one of the players (Cousins comes close, but he’s got to get rid of his mistakes before it’s 100%). Back when Almo and RG3 were rookies… BOTH OF THEM had this team. They didn’t need a coach because the players saw what RG and Almo were doing on the field for this team and they wanted to be part of something special.
So at the beginning I said this was a tale of two teams. We have the Washington Redskins who played their hearts out against the Eagles, the Giants and the Buccaneers. Then we have the Washington Redskins who supposedly played (if that’s what you want to call it) when they were up against Carolina, New England and the first game against the Giants. Which team are you going to be on showing up? I’m betting on an angry team, who, even though the score was close, was absolutely embarrassed Monday night against Dallas. THAT is the team I want to show up and that’s the team I expect to show up. Call me the eternal optimist. But I don’t think we win a squeaker this week. I think we win big. And I think we do start something special. Do we make the playoffs? I don’t know. I’m not sure I want to because I’m not sure we have the talent not to be disappointed in an early (yes, you are hearing a Redskins fan say I’m not sure I want to make the playoffs). If we were healthier, had a few more key top notch players, my feelings MIGHT be different. Now, don’t get me wrong… if we make the playoffs.. I’ll be there just like anyone else screaming and cheering them on to win and to go as far as they can go.
So don’t call me Ishmael. Call me confused.
Oh… the score? Is that part of this? I predict a 28-13 game, Redskins.
Thanks for reading. Next time (if there is one), I hope to do better for you guys. See you in chat for the game!n We unfortunately don’t get it once again :sigh::.
A tale of two teams…. and I don’t mean the Redskins and the Bears.
Let me first apologize for the lateness of this. Had to have a semi-emergency procedure on my jaw Friday morning. Neo must have lost faith in me that I was going to get this done. In any event.. let’s get right to it… First, as is tradition with blognostications, some facts:
1) According to various power ranking, defensively, the Bears and Redskins are neck and neck over all. So nothing there to argue one way or the other (though we are both below the league average).
2) Offensively, we’re ahead of Da Bears with 2 teams separating us (Detroit and Houston). But still, way below the league average.
3) Overall we moved down from #13 to #18 (Thanks Dallas and penalties) and the Bears moved to 21st from #20. Okay so supposedly we’re better than them in the overall department. Probably due to our high ranking in special teams despite last week’s fiasco. We are still in the top 10 at #7 (last week #5) where Chicago is #31, down from #30. And that, my friend, is what this game is going to come down to.
Field position and keeping their offense off the field. They have a 1-5 home record, we are 0-5 on the road. Something has got to give here, right? Let’s hope our special teams come out ANGRY at what they did (or rather didn’t) do last week. Other than 2 games, Chicago has pretty much been in every game. The Redskins.. well, there were 6 games we were really not in once they got out of hand, so the key here fellow fans? DO NOT LET IT GET OUT OF HAND.
We won’t have the services of Chris Thompson, Jeron Johnson or Perry Riley. This could hurt us. But an unknown is the signing of RG Pierre Thomas. And where, pray tell, WHERE IS ALMO? I said this his rookie year and I will continue to say it. He reminds me a lot of The Diesel.. he needs to warm up. You don’t get warm up playing running back by committee. I want to see Almo in there from the get-go. Sure, perhaps he won’t be in the Burgundy and Gold for very long, but I still want to see what he can do WHEN given the chance. And that doesn’t mean bring him off the bench cold for 1-2 plays, and then send him back.
Despite last weekend, we STILL hold our destiny in our hands, not unlike RG3 and Almo’s rookie season. I’m not bringing up RG3 to start any sort of argument, but to make a point. One main difference between THAT team and THIS team is simple. No one “has” this team. Not Gruden, not any one of the players (Cousins comes close, but he’s got to get rid of his mistakes before it’s 100%). Back when Almo and RG3 were rookies… BOTH OF THEM had this team. They didn’t need a coach because the players saw what RG and Almo were doing on the field for this team and they wanted to be part of something special.
So at the beginning I said this was a tale of two teams. We have the Washington Redskins who played their hearts out against the Eagles, the Giants and the Buccaneers. Then we have the Washington Redskins who supposedly played (if that’s what you want to call it) when they were up against Carolina, New England and the first game against the Giants. Which team are you going to be on showing up? I’m betting on an angry team, who, even though the score was close, was absolutely embarrassed Monday night against Dallas. THAT is the team I want to show up and that’s the team I expect to show up. Call me the eternal optimist. But I don’t think we win a squeaker this week. I think we win big. And I think we do start something special. Do we make the playoffs? I don’t know. I’m not sure I want to because I’m not sure we have the talent not to be disappointed in an early (yes, you are hearing a Redskins fan say I’m not sure I want to make the playoffs). If we were healthier, had a few more key top notch players, my feelings MIGHT be different. Now, don’t get me wrong… if we make the playoffs.. I’ll be there just like anyone else screaming and cheering them on to win and to go as far as they can go.
So don’t call me Ishmael. Call me confused.
Oh… the score? Is that part of this? I predict a 28-13 game, Redskins.
Thanks for reading. Next time (if there is one), I hope to do better for you guys. See you in chat for the game!n We unfortunately don’t get it once again :sigh::.