Tell the Truth Monday- The 2025 Crystal Ball Edition

[Chris]

Honestly, I don't even want to try. Before this season, I thought rookie QB, mediocre O line and mediocre defense, that'll get us five or six wins. I will be interested to see the Front Office work this off season. We still need a lot of help, and as I've been preaching for decades, we need an O line to keep Daniels upright.

Thanks for your honesty. I believe that most though that 5,6,7 wins with all of the changes, roster turnover, rookie QB, etc would be an acceptable beginning. Little did any know or expect that Daniels would so quickly be a game-changing force.

 

[Utah]

The standard has been set. Prepare (everyone), coach and play that way. Accept nothing less and demand even more.

Don't forget DQ's best phrase. "Doing hard sh*t with good people". Bring in better talent, keep growing the stuff we got, all with the understanding that everything we do is to reach the Super Bowl.

Now, lets prepare for game 1.

 

[method man]

We need more speed on defense, namely we can't keep getting caught flat footed against the run.
We are also going to need new OTs. Cosmi's injury means Coleman likely shifting inside, provided we can find a quality LT, and Wylie should be upgraded.

One of the things we really got lucky with this year was with injuries. Allen was the only starter we lost for a meaningful stretch. We can’t count on this type of luck next year.

The mental model I have for the OL currently is to sign Stanley and Moses to take over at tackle and move Coleman and Wylie inside with Cosmi starting the season on PUP. What this approach allows for is for us to go 6 deep at tackle with 5 starting caliber options.

A tackle would still be an option at 29 if Simmons or Conerly are there but you can have that guy compete with Wylie to start at RG and then move outside down the road

 

[Single-Bar Facemask]

I think we'll be playing the Eagles in Philly on that opening Thursday night game. And we'll win it.

I also think we'll be back in the playoffs, but I realistically think a Super Bowl push is on deck for 2026 (but I won't complain if it's next season)...

 

[SkinsFTW]

It is too bad the Eagles didn't implode after 2023. I guess they didn't because of Lurie and Roseman, unfortunately - they had patience. I suspected that maybe Roseman helped Sirianni make some changes on his staff but never really corroborated that theory.

FANGIO! I was saying it in the off-season when a lot of people somehow thought that the Cowturds would win the division. Fangio is the biggest reason for the quick turnaround. Their defense went from like 30th to first.

Oh and Barkley, and roseman drafted more studs with an assist from AP.

 

[SkinsFTW]

I was kinda pissed when they called AJ Brown on offensive PI right at the beginning of the Super bowl when we all know he should have been called for it all 3 games vs us and never was. But they called it on us 5 or more times.

It's like, the refs do actually know what Brown does but they let it slide until the first drive of the Super bowl, as if they are finally going to let him know they are paying attention vs the Chiefs, when they didn't all season. And that was even one of his lesser offenses.

 

[burgold]

One of the things we really got lucky with this year was with injuries. Allen was the only starter we lost for a meaningful stretch. We can’t count on this type of luck next year.

The mental model I have for the OL currently is to sign Stanley and Moses to take over at tackle and move Coleman and Wylie inside with Cosmi starting the season on PUP. What this approach allows for is for us to go 6 deep at tackle with 5 starting caliber options.

A tackle would still be an option at 29 if Simmons or Conerly are there but you can have that guy compete with Wylie to start at RG and then move outside down the road

I think Noah Brown's injury hit the offense harder than people realize. He had become the number two receiver so they had to replace his targets, but more than that he was such a willing blocker that the run game fell off right after he got hurt... and it never really recovered. I don't think that was all him, but I think his run blocking was a real part of our early season running success.

 

[Echo Hawk]

Trenches both sides of the ball please!

 

[iheartskins]

I'm of two minds here.

On the one side, we artfully build from the 2024 season: plugging gaps, solving the run defense issue, etc. etc. all to culminate in an even better performance in 2025. Super Bowl? I don't know...but maybe.

On the other side, the pressure of increased expectations paralyzes the team and they are unable to fill the gaps they need and/or injuries just don't go the team's way and they don't make the playoffs.

It feels binary to me.

 

[skinsmarydu]

/or injuries just don't go the team's way and they don't make the playoffs.

It's the injuries that scare the snot outta me.

 

[Chris]

Keeping Mariotta seems like a no brainer decision to me.

 

[SkinsFTW]

Keeping Mariotta seems like a no brainer decision to me.

Either that or if he leaves see if they can get Justin Fields for about the same price.

 

[Chris]

Mariotta has proven he can successfully run this offense in the event that he is needed to.

 

[burgold]

Mariotta has proven he can successfully run this offense in the event that he is needed to.

Yep. He's one of the ones I've done a 180 on. Originally, I thought it was an unfortunate signing and I hoped they'd keep Howell as a backup just in case Daniels got hurt or busted. Then, I hoped maybe he'd be a one year rental and Hartman could take over backup duties on the cheap.

Mariota came through big for this team and everyone seems to love him or at least they all want to play cards with him.

 

[Command The Best]

My hope, concern for 2025:

1.) Concern due to “expecting”… expecting 2025 and beyond to be fruitful because JD5 had such a wonderful successfull rookie campaign that he will do it again along with the team success as well making to the Conference Championship, expecting sometimes can derail you individually or as a unit, so I’m a bit worried of the “expecting”

2.) my hope, get better running the ball, let’s be honest having Daniels be the leading rushing in what 13-15 games this season isn’t a great formula for success and eventually will wear him down.

3.) Concern, regressing, look no further then to the Texans, yes they made the playoffs again in Strout 2nd season but they went out added a lot of pieces to what everyone thought was a great young team only to regress in so many facets, if not for being in a weak Division they wouldn’t have made the playoffs, so regressing is a concern for me going into 2025.

4.) my hope, whether or not through Free Agency, trades, draft etc… to improve the trenches on both sides of the ball, no matter how you slice it, dice it, call it the game is still won on both sides of the ball in the trenches… and as someone stated earlier in a response, a pass rush will help any Defensive Backfield look 100% better… you get pressure on any QB and CB look All Pro imho.

5.) Been saying this a lot lately, don’t stand on 2024, add to it, branch out more… get JD5 under center and not always in the pistol or shotgun…. get creative and show some different schemes and looks at the LOS.

6.) Concern, I’ve been seeing it a lot lately on Podcasts, and Channels where it seems everyone is saying we need to target FA or draft guys to counter the Eagles, I hope we don’t get into the chasing the Eagles mentality as to we have to sign this type of guy or draft this type of guy because we play the Eagles twice a year. Don’t get into that blueprint cause that’s a rabbit hole of all rabbit holes.

I’ll be honest, I hope 2024 wasn’t a oddity and that they can keep up the momentum and continue to become a winning franchise year in and year out, doesn’t mean win the SB or go to the Conference Championship, just a winning team.

 

[SkinsOrlando]

On a non Redskins related hope for 2025 - Travis Kelce retires so I never have to hear a damn thing about Taylor Swift and football again

 

[burgold]

On a non Redskins related hope for 2025 - Travis Kelce retires so I never have to hear a damn thing about Taylor Swift and football again

I don't get the hate for Taylor Swift showing up. For my entire football life, cameramen have panned for celebrities whether it was Spike Lee or Jack Nicholson or Taylor Swift. We don't see her doing anything but cheering for her man. Maybe I'm missing something (likely this is all politics), but I don't get the hate.

 

[Petey hodge]

As a father of a teenage daughter (and 10 year old son), that Google ad brought me to tears... the one with the dad who took an active role in raising his little girl right up to dropping her at college. that one hit hard.

 

[method man]

I think Noah Brown's injury hit the offense harder than people realize. He had become the number two receiver so they had to replace his targets, but more than that he was such a willing blocker that the run game fell off right after he got hurt... and it never really recovered. I don't think that was all him, but I think his run blocking was a real part of our early season running success.

I agree it hurt us for a few weeks until Dyami stepped up late in the season. He doesn't have Noah's size but he overall gave us more than Noah did. If I were to choose one of the two to bring back at similar salaries, I think I'm choosing Dyami. He just gives you more - deep ball threat, screens, YAC, blocking and special teams. Noah is the better route runner, intermediate threat and plays with more savvy but injuries have been an issue for him throughout his career

 

[SkinsFTW]

I don't get the hate for Taylor Swift showing up. For my entire football life, cameramen have panned for celebrities whether it was Spike Lee or Jack Nicholson or Taylor Swift. We don't see her doing anything but cheering for her man. Maybe I'm missing something (likely this is all politics), but I don't get the hate.

I don't think it's hate, and it's not like the other celebrities where they show them once or twice. They put Taylor Swift up there just about every time Kelce does anything.

That was one way to verify that the Chiefs were getting their asses kicked. They only showed her a couple times all game long that I remember and once was when she got booed.