The View From Here

Let’s get this out of the way first: I don’t like the Redskins.

In fact, everyone has a list of teams they unequivocally hate, and the Redskins check in at numero tres, thanks to the proximity to the 410 and Tagliabue’s using them as a consolation prize for not getting the Bombers in 1992. They’re behind only the Steelers and the Colts. And, also in fact, the animosity towards Indianapolis has dwindled to quite a serious degree that it’s possible the boys from the Beltway could overtake them. Then again, they’d have to be remotely competitive and beat the Ravens in a meaningful game. Well, the latter won’t happen this year, since the only matchup is a preseason nothing Week 2 of the preseason.

The point that’s being made here is that I really think the former will.

There are a million reasons why it won’t happen, the biggest of which being the literally biggest: the absolute tire fire that is Albert Haynesworth. He’s unhappy, unmotivated, and uncheap (damned dedication to alliteration…). But other than that…

The first reason any team ever has a chance to go from Worst to First is the schedule, and it’s pretty glaring in the NFC East. Every team plays the NFC North and AFC South, but the difference is in NFC South and NFC West. Both divisions are built the exact same way: three teams all about the same level, and then a doormat. So while the rival Cowboys have to deal with the Saints and the Eagles get the Falcons and Niners, Washington gets to sit back, relax, and beat the tar out of Tampa and St. Louis, two of the three teams picking ahead of them this year. Now, it’s true when the schedule came out, both the Rams and Bucs went, “Sweet, we get to beat the tar out of the Redskins this year.” But it’s all about competitive differences in division.

Next, let’s look at what exactly Mike Shanahan means to the division. Nay sayers will always bring up that the Broncos won only one playoff game without John Elway (Divisional game vs New England in 2005). But Shanahan knows offense. Remember it was only a couple years ago that he was dragging people in off the street and turning them into 1,000 yard rushers. Now even if Clinton Portis and Willie Parker are both done, who’s to say the third guy isn’t going to get the job done? Shanny does offense and that’s the problem in Washington. The defense actually doesn’t stink, even with Haynesworth spending the majority of his money on jet engine fans for when he’s on the bench. The Redskins were tenth in total defense. TENTH. On a 4-12 team! So why was that the case? They were 16^th in points allowed (translation: short fields) and 22^nd in total offense, 26^th in scoring offense. Now all stats are meaningless, but the point here is that the thing Shanahan does right is the thing the Redskins don’t. Post Elway, Shanahan’s offense finished in the bottom half of the league only twice and in the top five five times. Including the 6-10 year after Elway retired and no one knew what to do, Shanahan had a losing record only once: the year he got fired.

And then there’s McNabb.

That’s why were talking about the Redskins in any term other than Bye Week. The trade was massive because it gave the Redskins a motivated quarterback who just might be the third best of the last ten years. He’s also only 33 years old. Oh yeah, and he left the Eagles. If he can get any kind of protection (and knowing Shanahan’s history, he’ll get the right tackle at 4), the Redskins offense may not be electric, but won’t be abysmal. It’s impossible to bring in a guy like McNabb and still just be an absolute disaster.

Way Too Early Prediction: The Redskins will go 10-6 and win the division. They’ll also be competitive for the next couple years.

But will they overtake Indy? The jury is still out.