ESPN.com: Dare the Washington Redskins Dream?

[Pravda]

Say what you will about the 'Skins this year (and whether this would even be possible), but it's positive food for thought. Better than some of my other more recent bile, I guess!

So the Washington Redskins are back this week, and the issue of what their remaining seven games mean is a present reality. Whether coach Mike Shanahan was or wasn't "giving up on the season" when he said what he said eight days ago about using the final seven games to evaluate what he's got for the long term, the fact is that the Redskins, while 3-6, are not mathematically eliminated. They are only 2.5 games behind the division-leading Giants, who are off this week. And of the Redskins' final seven games, five are NFC East games -- one against the Giants and two each against the Cowboys and the Eagles.

Remainder here.

I vary between completely giving up on this year (though don't worry, it's not in front of the team, I don't want them to think that I too have given up on them) and paying attention to some small indefatigable flame of hope that lingers often overwhelmed by darkness that we may in fact make some kind of noise in the remainder of this season.

Balancing those two instincts, I think we recast success for the remainder of the season by defining goals that we have a reasonable chance of accomplishing. Goals like:

1. Don't finish in the bottom 3 in Total Defense for the season

2. Don't let RGIII get another concussion

3. Don't let RGIII get Theismanned

4. Finish in the top 5 in Rushing Offense

5. Finish with at least 3-3 record against the NFC East (with one win against the Cowboys, preferably on Thanksgiving)

6. Have at least 5 games of the remaining 7 with one receiver with over 100 yards receiving (on the Redskins, not against us -- i.e., I'm not saying that our goal should be to not give up huge receiving plays in 2 of 7 games!)

7. Have a +7 or better net turnover ratio for the season.

Although some of those are tougher than others, I think they are all potentially possible, and certainly more than the ESPN Best Case Scenario.

What are your reasonable goals? What are your stretch goals?

 

[Elephant]

We should lose out to get a better draft pick...oh wait!

 

[Fear The Spear]

We should lose out to get a better draft pick...oh wait!

You better tell Adam Rank......he refers to us as one of the teams competing for the No. 1 overall pick.....

"Undaunted, we will continue our look at those teams competing to be the No. 1 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, no matter who the top dog is. And until we have a better name, we will continue to refer to this space as the Fans for Barkley."

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap10...es-chargers-compete-to-be-among-leagues-worst

 

[Om]

Jeebus. What I would give for an NFL defense right now.

 

[Neophyte]

Jeebus. What I would give for an NFL defense right now.

NFL defense nothing, I would take an SEC defense at the moment.

 

[China]

Jeebus. What I would give for an NFL defense right now.

And not so long ago when we had a defense you were wishing for a QB. Now we have the QB and no defense. I'd love a real defense too, as long as it doesn't mean we lose what we've gained on offense. Someday I'd like to have both.

 

[SNF]

I'm still holding out hope that the defense can raise it's level of play all the way up to below average. That would give the offense a chance to win a few games. Not holding my breath though.

 

[Henry]

Jeebus. What I would give for an NFL defense right now.

It's always something, isn't it?

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Hopefully this offseason Snyder takes some action on the cap penalty, and the second $18M is wiped clean. Then we'll have some room to maneuver.

 

[Neophyte]

I don't see it happening, Lanky.

 

[tshile]

I don't see it happening, Lanky.

Neither do I

 

[Lanky Livingston]

I don't know...I could see some sort of back room deal between Goodell and Snyder, where as he says something like deal with the penalty this season, and we'll erase it for next season as long as you don't make a huge stink. Why else would he take it sitting down unless A) that happened or B) he was planning on fighting it big time this offseason? Just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Pravda]

It's always something, isn't it?

And that's just it -- in aggregate we haven't been very good in a long time, even if we've been really good in certain phases.

If you aggregated our special teams, offense and defense ranks (somehow) over the last 15 years, I'd be surprised if we were ever higher than 20th overall.

Can't seem to pull it together and/or be balanced enough to make a go of it.

 

[McD5]

Mike Shanahan's Broncos won one playoff game in 10 years, while he had total control.

Why were people expecting something better here? It baffles me.

 

[DieselPwr44]

Reasonable goal: drink at least an 18 pack the next 7 sundays while watching the Skins.

Stretch goal: Is when you get up to go to the fridge for another beer, right?





OK:

WR corps improvement, one of Hank or Robinson blossoms

RT improvement from either Tyler or JB

Figure out a pass rush on D and a way to improve the secondary,somehow,someway.......

Danny Smith gets mysteriously left in Cleveland.

 

[redskins76]

not finish in the bottom division again !

 

[DieselPwr44]

"To dream..the impossible dream...to fight the unbeatable foe...to bear,with unbearable sorrow,to run where the brave dare not go......."

 

[tshile]

It all starts today. 3 straight wins and the season just gets started.