Diehard Otis

Just read Brewer's latest column regarding The Redskins' new philosophy vís-a-vís its current roster, & how depth will emerge as a central issue later this season.  Quite a good read:

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/redskins-have-right-idea-but-they-lack-depth-necessary-for-immediate-success/2015/08/16/ec19b104-4464-11e5-8e7d-9c033e6745d8_story.html

Something tells me that this little kernel of wisdom should get filed away for later in the year (as a little positive reinforcement).

[And let me just say, I have really been enjoying Jerry Brewer as The Post's new "Skins Columnist".  His story-telling style is unique, thought-provoking, and refreshing.  This guy just got done covering the Seattle Seahawks for the past nine years, so he knows what a Championship Football team looks like.  That gives his perspective some instant credibility.  Between Keim & this guy, I think we'll get an honest read on The Program this fall]

You have a link for that?

The only scheduling differencing between us and the others would be us playing the other last place teams which should in theory favor us

You got me Brave (no link - well, I didn't look for one).

But I distinctly remember reading the NFC East Blog to see how our schedule was rated.  And more than once, our degree of difficulty was the highest in The Division.  

MD has already started usurping VT in local recruiting, WVU is next.  I doubt the Terps will ever outrecruit PSU.  MD joining the B10 is the worst thing that could have happened to VT and WVU.  Once Beamer retires from VT, and it will be soon, MD is going to be rolling in local recruits.

I don't expect Maryland to out-recruit Penn State either.  But if College Park is able to take ownership of the DMV, Baltimore, and the Virginia Tidewater area, I think that would propel The Program to National relevance.  

Been barking up that tree for years.  And strangely enough, it looks as if it may be coming to fruition (more-or-less).

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On another note, Maryland being a basketball POWERHOUSE was only a matter of time.  Without a doubt, Maryland-DC is the Gold Standard in hoops talent.  Bout time Turgeon started getting that right.

Random gripe, so I'll put it here.

Man, doesn't it seem like we get the toughest schedule in The Division every year?  Sure I'm looking at it with homer goggles, but when I see where our schedule is ranked on NFC East blog, we are like 4 or 5 spots higher than the next closest team.

Wassup with that?

Rainbows and Unicorns - 9

Optimistic - 7

Reality check - 5

Hahahahaaaa!!!  Well played. 

Maybe, just maybe a little optimism will shine in College Park this season.

What gives me pause is knowing that MD has to out-recruit Penn State (and West Virginia) to be competitive in the league.

Michigan State, Ohio State on the road are all but guaranteed losses and Wisconsin at home as well.

 

There's three 'tune up' games at home to start the year.

 

So 3-3 there.

 

Then the season really comes down to how they fare against teams they beat last year - Michigan, Iowa, Penn State, and Indiana

 

And the other teams they lost to last year - West VA (ugh), and Rutgers (DOUBLE UGH).

 

My guess is Maryland is picked to win like 5 games because Vegas doubts Maryland will beat those same teams again this year.  

The key to me is the West Virginia game.  If the Turtles can knock them off, then this might be one helluva year.

...but I don't see it.

Knocking them off will be touuugh!!

....so ummm...what's the over/under on Wins for the program this fall?

(I peeked at that schedule a few weeks ago & my initial thought was brutal!)

Really?  Because if I want to root for a DC to team to win one round I'd pick the Capitals who can't seem to win a 1st round.

 

I don't get this "settling" for a first round win.  We had that last year.  The team is better built.  Anything less than getting to the ECF is a wasted season with the roster we have. My goal as a fan of the Wizards is how I've always been.  I want 50 win seasons and competing for championships.  I know we can't win it every year, but I just want to be one of those teams that is always favored.  I'm holding out hope for 2016 myself, but I'm not counting on it.

Well, I don't know how old you are or if you're originally from the DMV.  But those of us that remember the Glory Days of Redskins Football also remember the loooong 30-year nuclear winter of NBA basketball in DC.  Sure, Jordan hung up the nikes here & there was that 0 fella for a few years...but the Washington Bullets were so bad they had to change their name.  And still nobody cared.

Then, these Wizards come along with this amazing backcourt & its like "WAIT, WE HAVE AN NBA TEAM?!?"

Thing is, I just didn't really follow the NBA all that closely since Jordan....untill now.  I caught on to this team around December (and yes, The Skins had something to do with it) and was pleasantly shocked at how good they were.  And even more, I was enthused that it wasn't a fluke.  These guys are actually going to be good, and relevant, for a while.  Well whaddiya know?  We do have an NBA team!

Pj, I'm not saying that you're wrong.  It's just - well, I can completely appreciate where Destino's coming from, because that's how I feel.  My deal with the Wiz is, let's just enjoy being good for awhile.  Because the truth is, it's been awhile.

Maryland's uniforms against Ohio St. (unconfirmed)

 

https://twitter.com/realWillThrill/status/517074864424112128

Those uniforms with the white pants are my personal favorite of Maryland's 5,638 football uniforms.

And here's the cute little irony: since espn (and ALL the networks) slurp you guys becuase its always good for their bottom line, your megalomaniac owner will keep believing the hype & joyfully fornicate in the cesspool of press adulation building up to the inevitable late season letdown.

Helluva ride, ain't it?

Here's my counter: Somebody in the organization should have stood up and said, "Jay, you're great, we want you to put in your offense, but you've got to have an experienced OC who can call plays on gameday that you trust." And then forced that decision. If that was McVay, fine.  But the fact is that Jay has never called plays as a HC, he's got 1000 things going on on the sideline. He's not only the HC, but he's mentoring the young OC as well.

 

I like McVay.  But I'm not sure that having an inexperienced HC, and inexperienced OC, and a holdover DC who doesn't have a great track record here was really the best choices, and those are on Bruce.

 

Could be wrong in the end.  It's still early.  But I think that you could see some of this coming. 

You've got a legitimate point here regarding the choosing of McVay.  All I can offer is that from all of the accounts that I've read, this young buck (the OC) is supposed to be quite the rising talent.  And yes, there are undoubtedly some inherent risks involving in having such a young core at the fulcrum of the Offensive portion of the staff.  This is rank speculation on my part, but it would seem that Allen subscribed to some long term thinking here - figuring that we might have ourselves something pretty good once they get the feel of things.

But I admire the move; NO ONE can say that he layed up in this instance.  So if it blows up, its on him.  That takes guts.

And yes, we will all have to live with some Rookie mistakes this year.

(how often do Coach and Commentator Gruden talk, I wonder?)

Maryland could conceivably win the Big Ten in their first year.

You know, this isn't as preposterous as it would have sounded at the outset of the season.  The Terps look good, but Ohio State & Michigan State are going to be real tough to get past.  Win one of those two, & Maryland could end the year RANKED.  That would be a Major Win for the program.  So far, I am very pleasantly surprised.

We aren't winning the Big 10 East, but like I said, I still think we can win 4 or 5 games in the Big 10.

Penn St isn't anything. Neither is Iowa, Rutgers or Michigan. Ohio St will be tough as will Wisconsin on the road and Michigan St.

I'm in line with pjfootballer's thinking.  Winning the Division may be outside the relam of possibility, but finishing near the top is reasonable.  I still think Winning at Happy Valley may be tough, but Iowa & Michigan are very Winnable games.  And Rutgers (with the Fridge up there as their OC) might be tougher than most think. 

But Edsall has inspired some genuine confidence in the program!  If he can get the boys to finish near the top tier (and get a B1G upset in there somewhere), Maryland Football could really go places.  The timing seems right, since Michigan & Penn State are down historically. 

There's a chance. 

This regime gets the benefit of the doubt. 

We have a new GM, Head Coach, & Offensive Coordinator in their 1st season - we have seen (in my opinion) that inexperience manifest itself in the play calling & game management already this season.  But there were going to be bumps in the road anyway.  We all knew that.

The rash of devastating injuries have really hurt The Program. Not only did we lose our Starting Quarterback in Week 2, but the 2 thinnest position groups (Offensive Line & Defensive Backfield) were among the areas bit by the bug.  Add to that the fact that we had 2 Division Games to play in 4 days(!) kind've exacerbated the trying circumstances the staff found themselves in.  Believe me, I'm not making excuses for anyone here, but those are the facts. 

This is Year 1 for this group: that's a lot of adversity for any staff right off the bat, but particularly for a group learning on the job.  But in my view, this respresents a fabulous opportunity.  My perspective is that trying circumstances build character and experience.  That may sound trite, yet the benefits of those attributes will manifestly pay dividends down the road (according to my own personal experience).  Sure everyone wants to freak out now, but let's wait a little while.  It might be alright after all.  It's still early.

[sIDE NOTE: Maybe the Giants know something about Kirk Cousins too.  This is the second time they've kicked our ass with him starting.  I do find that interesting.]

Undefeated in the Big 10. Haha. Great opening win. Glad someone corrected the idiot announcer who kept insisting we played AT Ohio state when we play them at home.

YES! That had gone past ridiculous.  Truthfully, that had to be the poorest production of a football game I've seen in some time.  The replays cut into live action so often, they just stopped showing replays!  I have never seen that.

As for the game itself, way to go Terps!!!  A HUGE inagural Win....and a very impressive showing.  Maryland left little doubt in Bloomington as to which team was superior.  Fabulous effort.  Coach Edsall gets props.

I would also like to publicly eat crow, because I was one of the doubters before the season began.  I don't think its getting too carried away to say that a 4-1 Maryland football team going into Ohio State week is a quality bunch indeed.  I was wrong.

Go Terps.

kind of a weird game today. looked like a fairly decisive win on the scoreboard, but the stats and my eyes tell a different story. 

 

but, syracuse was 2-0 going into this game, and we beat them at home by 14, so i cant complain. 

I watched from the 2nd Quarter onwards.  Seemed to me that Syracuse was simply the inferior team.  The Red Zone Turnovers, the Penalties, the poor Special Teams, etc.  Its just...well, that's crap that a losing team does.  That being said, their running game ate the Turtles up (but I believe it was a function of the entire Starting Linebacker Corps being injured).

All in all, they did put the Orange away by Halftime essentially.  But up next is Indiana.

The B1G gauntlet begins...

Actually he has sucked as a passer all 20 years at MD. Can't throw the ball downfield at all.  Sad part is the Terps really have a solid team, they might do some damage with even a decent QB.

My sentiments exactly.  I would add that short of injury, what will it take for Edsall to bench him?  He earned the pine with that play.

I just feel like Brown holds this team back.

It seemed most appropriate to place this here:

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704779704574553660931611086

So I ask you, members of Redskins Nation - where are we now, roughly 5 years hence?

Watching BTN Live & it just feels weird.....Maryland in the BIG 10.  This won't seem real until an Iowa or Purdue shows up in College Park.

You're putting Minnesota on a pedestal. They are in the same category as our football program.

That was not my intention.  My point is, I am honestly unsure of the Turtles beating a team like Minnesota.  I am more than willing to be pleasantly surprised, but Wake Forest they are not.  And Maryland didn't even beat them bums last year.

Trust me - I WANT to see Maryland's Program kick ass!  No doubt about it.

I am more than ready to be pleasantly surprised, but its hard to shake the pessimistic outlook going into the season.  As a fan, I have no idea how Maryland's gonna beat a team the caliber of Minnesota, much less the real BIG Boys.

This sure is Edsall's put up or shut up year.  I am more than willing to be proven wrong here.  Beat 5 BIG Ten teams & I'll be his biggest supporter.

**** dallas now & forever.

With that said, I expect The Rival to struggle this year.  Not 3-13, but more in the range of 5-7 wins.  Just competitive enough for their megalomaniac owner to believe that a tinker here or there is what's necessary instead of a full blown rebuild.  Because if they invest the time & resources into a rebuild, they could attract the right type of coach to actually do it.  Not a preferred scenario.

Let them hover around .500 & continue to have mediocre drafts.  That suits me just fine.

While I do like this incarnation of the yellow pants, I love your uniform avatar Hunter_R.  Those are the uniforms of The Washington Redskins for always (for some of us).

White on gold. We don't have burgundy pants this year.

WoW, I didn't know that!  That's something.  The default image of The Redskins in my mind's eye is the White on Burgundy look.

And so long as uniforms aren't the putrid burgundy on burgundy, who cares what we wear?

Agreed.  It looks ridiculous when NFL teams rock this look for their dominant color.  That should stay in high school (although, I've always been fond of Clemson going with the all orange).

I wouldn't mind seeing the white on white once in a while. 

I liked the White on Whites too.  I've always liked the all white road uniform.  It seems rather elegant.  

And for the record StephenB, your man cave looks amazing!  Very well done sir!  (The "go for 2" literally made me laugh out loud)

I'll tell ya what I reeeeeally hate; the 'girls from tx, of course! But what REALLY sticks in my craw is when, during cowqueer week, SKINS FANS are whining & crying about how good that team is over our own & how we don't have a prayer of winning this week, ect. This sentiment is clearly unacceptable! I just can't deal with it. I mean, on a Washington Redskins fansite, no less! Utterly amazing! Just wait till that overrated ******* romo chokes this year...I can't wait for all their lame & petty excuses. Hail forevermore!