Saints, Shanahan inspire 'Skins to beat 50-1 odds

[brandies]

http://www.cbssports.com/cbssports/story/12910660/saints-shanahan-inspire-skins-to-beat-501-odds

The Saints did it. A franchise that rose from the depths of embarrassment, from faces hidden in the shadow of paper bags, reached the pinnacle in a few short years.

So why can't the Redskins, a team that has known glorious success, do the same?


Dan Snyder (left) now tries to get it right with Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen. (Getty Images)
"We're finally looking forward," said Super Bowl winning quarterback Joe Theismann. "There are teams in the NFC that the National Football League needs to be good -- the Cowboys, the Giants and the Redskins. We're on the right track with Mike Shanahan."

The track might stretch longer than Washington fans would wish.

When the odds were released in Las Vegas for the 2011 Super Bowl, the Redskins came in at 50-1. The Colts were 13-2, Chargers 8-1, while both the Saints and Patriots were tagged at 10-1. It could be worse. The Lions, Raiders, Buccaneers and the Rams were all listed at 100-1.

"Washington has a structure now," said former Redskins general manager and current CBS guru Charley Casserly. "There's a plan -- with [new general manager] Bruce Allen and Mike Shanahan, hopefully Dan Snyder will show patience and let the team develop."

It wasn't a particularly memorable decade for the Redskins. There were ill-advised draft picks, busted free-agent signings and grumpy ticket holders. Fans and management are tired of being middle of the pack or worse -- the Redskins just finished back-to-back seasons at the bottom of the NFC East.

Owner Dan Snyder, whose teams have gone 80-93 in his 11 years, hired a respected general manager in Allen (the son of a Redskin legend) and snagged a top-tier coach. Allen should do well dealing with the energetic Snyder, who, say what you want, isn't cheap or blasé about the game.

In eight years with the Oakland Raiders, Allen dealt with Al Davis and still organized

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[Om]

Lesley Visser? Huh.

Regardless ... this is exactly the kind of column that will get Redskins fans fired up and optimistic for the coming season. Don't you just hate that?

 

[servumtuum]

It probably wouldn't do a great deal of good to counsel patience, either, would it, Om?

 

[EatSleepRedskin]

To be quite frank, I think most Redskins fans are tired of being pumped up and just want to see more results.

I know that's true with me.

We've had way too much hype around here the last 10 years. I'll wait to see some wins before I starting visualizing TD passes.

 

[Om]

Brother Serv, maybe it didn't convey, but I was poking a certain element of Redskins fans in the ribs is all ... the ones that, well ... feel kinda like Brother ESR.

It's all good. Personally I remain what I have been for many years now, an optimistic skeptic. High hopes, tempered expectations.

 

[Bulldog]

It's all about the quarterback.

The Saints improved and made the 2006 NFC title game right away because Drew Brees started a 4 year stretch where he has been untouchable.

Think the Colts would be better than 6-10 without Manning?

The Vikings, who were 12-4 in 2009, were 9-7 prior to Favre.

Other NFC playoff quarterbacks: Kurt Warner, Aaron Rodgers, Tony Romo, Donovan McNabb.

When the Redskins start to get the kind of leadership and production these qbs delivered the team will improve rapidly.

Part of it is the offensive line of course.

But one has to remember that Aaron Rodgers received spotty pass protection in 2009 and over the first 9-10 games was among the leaders in sacks/yards lost.

Kurt Warner's offensive line included ex-Redskins guard Jeremy Bridges (remember him?) starting at LT

So, there are quarterbacks who are successful and capable of running an NFL offense without having a line full of pro bowlers in their primes.

 

[Call me Ismail]

It's all about the quarterback.

The Saints improved and made the 2006 NFC title game right away because Drew Brees started a 4 year stretch where he has been untouchable.

Think the Colts would be better than 6-10 without Manning?

The Vikings, who were 12-4 in 2009, were 9-7 prior to Favre.

Other NFC playoff quarterbacks: Kurt Warner, Aaron Rodgers, Tony Romo, Donovan McNabb.

When the Redskins start to get the kind of leadership and production these qbs delivered the team will improve rapidly.

Part of it is the offensive line of course.

But one has to remember that Aaron Rodgers received spotty pass protection in 2009 and over the first 9-10 games was among the leaders in sacks/yards lost.

Kurt Warner's offensive line included ex-Redskins guard Jeremy Bridges (remember him?) starting at LT

So, there are quarterbacks who are successful and capable of running an NFL offense without having a line full of pro bowlers in their primes.

Correct. A point I have been trying to make for a few months now

My one questions with Lesley is based on this line

The Redskins have the fourth pick overall, but it's highly unlikely Jimmy Clausen or Sam Bradford will last that long. So is free agency the way to go?

I'll give 50-1 odds that the Redskins will have a choice at one of the 2 QBs at the number 4 pick, unless Tampa or Detroit does something incredibly stupid

 

[Skinsfan76]

I think if the Rams take Bradford or Clausen then I could see a team desperate for a QB trading up with Tampa and taking the other QB. However I would think one of them would be there at 4. Chances are above average that both could still be avalable.

 

[servumtuum]

Brother Serv, maybe it didn't convey, but I was poking a certain element of Redskins fans in the ribs is all ... the ones that, well ... feel kinda like Brother ESR.

It's all good. Personally I remain what I have been for many years now, an optimistic skeptic. High hopes, tempered expectations.

It conveyed, my friend, I simply decided to confuse things by aiming a bit of sarcasm at your sarcasm. Some friends of mine and I used to annoy the living daylights out of innocent bystander/observers by seeing just how far we could carry such shenanigans until somebody cried "uncle!"

Optimistic skeptic, eh? Well, having a bent toward a ruthlessly realistic appraisal of any given situation-or, at least, a desire to be ruthlessly realistic-I must say that the structural changes in the Redskin organization have given me what seems to be at least a sturdier foundation upon which I can begin to construct a framework that can support something resembling an more optimistic perspective than has been possible in the recent past.

Got it?

 

[Riggo-toni]

Let's see:
The last 2 NFC QBs were both UFAs in '04, and we passed on them, preferring to spend a 3rd rounder and a fat contract for Brunell. It's the kind of thing that would mke Brian Billick proud.
Then Snyder refuses to hire Gregg Williams as head coach because GW thinks that
a) He should have final say in personnel matters over Cerrato.
b) That Campbell, not Saunders, is the root of the Skins anemic offense, and he wants to retain Saunders.
c) He wants to start Todd Collins over JC.

Soooo...fast forward 2 years later:
Cerrato has been fired after making numerous questionable personnel moves.
The man who turned Hasselbeck into a SB QB and a pro-bowler can only manage to convert JC into the game manager that everyone outside of Snyderatto knew he was.
Zorn's offense made Saunders look like a genius.
The Skins win 4 games all year.
The Saints win everything, and GW's defense slams 3 straight future HOF QBs in a row.

What exactly is Shanahan supposed to inspire? That we'll be sure to win one playoff game in the next ten years? That we'll find the next Maurice Clarett in the draft? That we can recycle ex-Browns defensive linemen that will make Allen's selection of the next Gaines Adams no feel so bad?