Love the post Ax.
for my part I sometimes think I annoyingly skew too far to the optimist. Every week I put a small bet on a Redskins win. (It's literally only about $5 per week, but so far this season I am doing rather well on the endeavour.
)
As crazy as this sounds, I prefer to think positive thoughts towards the team and sometimes wonder if cosmically we as a fan base affect the team with our collective negativity.
Bollocks I know, but it's how I like to think about it.
The realist in me looks at the team now in comparison with the rest of the League.
In reality there are not many teams that anyone would consider 'complete'
There are teams with great offences, teams with great defences, teams with amazing QB's and teams with elite RB's or Receivers. Teams with great head coaches, great owners, etc etc.
Not many have most of those components at the same time, and that's the game that's played. Trying to get as many of those things to line up as you can, and it's not easy.
Years past we've had bits... mostly to be honest just a hot offense and very little else.
Now our Offense has taken a backward step, and there are a hundred reasons why it could and should be better. From unfamiliarity to injuries.
But I look at the team and think... We have a good Defensive line that should only get better over the years. Our secondary has flaws sure, but it has nice pieces. Our Special Teams have been killing it! Our Run game has been solid, and we have Guice on the horizon next year. We have continuity at HC for the first time in a long time.
To me it feels like, yes... we're not quite there, but for the first time in a long time we're starting to align the pieces of the puzzle.
This year I was looking for a winning season and a step forward from the D. Playoffs would have been nice too. I think we're on that target.
Then I want a strong draft and off season.
Then NEXT year with our rookies from this year a year further along with the NFL, I want to see us make a good push for deep into the playoffs. Maybe even a Superbowl in the next few years if we can shore up the weak spots on the roster.
I also think that we as Skins fans tend to think only in context of our own team. As a fanbase we can be negative and down on the team, but as you say... we're 6-3, 2 games ahead in our Div. Best stat we've had to a season since 2008 regardless of who we've played or how we won.
We forget sometimes that we're one of 32 teams in the league and any given week half of them lose. Imagine being the Tampa fan base this morning? Or either of the New Yorks?
We're a team trending up. We have much to be positive about and a shot at the playoffs. And once you're in the playoffs anything can happen.
There are so many teams trending down, like those mentioned above. We're not one of those. Our biggest issues preventing us from rising further are mostly injury and unfamiliarity related, especially on Offence where we have a no name O-line now and all our elite skill players are riding the injury list.
I don't kid myself that we're a member of the elite teams, we're not (we're at least another off season away!). But I feel we're at least trending in that direction, and if the way to keep winning is to grind it out on D, grind the run game and not make mistakes then that's fine with me. All that other stuff can be fixed later.