Another one from the Dispatch

[wildbill]

http://www.timesdispatch.com/sports/redskins/MGBWO6SZ73D.html

By:Paul Woody

Steve Spurrier is on vacation. Dan Snyder is not returning your calls. You have questions about the Washington Redskins and don't know where to turn.

You've come to the right place.

Who starts at quarterback?

When all is said and done, and considering this is Washington, it involves a quarterback and far more will be said than done, look for Shane Matthews to win the job. He has the confidence that comes from 15 starts. Those have been fairly successful starts, which helps Matthews' confidence even more.

Has Steve Spurrier been successful because of his system or the players running his system?

Very good question.

Who knows?

Spurrier had superior athletes at Florida, and any good coach with a good system probably would have been successful there. Then again, Spurrier was successful at Duke, where acquiring outstanding players is a far more difficult task than doing so at Florida.

Everyone says Spurrier does things on offense that no one else does. The real question is how long it will take NFL defensive coordinators to understand Spurrier's strategy and find ways to counter it.

That's where good players come in handy. As Richie Petitbon once said, "Sometimes you call the wrong defense, then your guy makes a sack, and it's the right defense."

Will Stephen Davis be a major part of the offense?

Let's be logical here. Who would you rather feature in your offense, Davis, who has three consecutive 1,000-yard-plus seasons, or Rod Gardner, Jacquez Green and Matthews?

Exactly. Spurrier thinks the same way. He knows how important Davis is to the offense. Chances are Spurrier will find more ways to use Davis, not fewer.

Other than quarterback, what position is WOODYunstable and needs attention?

Excellent question. You deserve a compliment for realizing football isn't just about who starts at quarterback. Have you considered a career in sports writing?

Left guard might not sound exciting, sexy or pivotal to the success of an offense, but that position's importance shouldn't be overlooked. When the Redskins have struggled in pass protection and the running game during the past two seasons, it has been because of breakdowns in the middle of the line.

The Redskins have a lot of bodies for this position - David Loverne, Kip Vickers, Alex Sulfsted, Ross Tucker - but it's not clear they have the right one. They had a lot of bodies for the right guard spot last season, but it took them six games to find the right guy for the job, Ben Coleman.

Is the defense going to be as good as advertised?

Marvin Lewis isn't earning almost $1 million per season as the coordinator to field a faulty defense. It should be good. LaVar Arrington is on the verge of becoming a great player. Champ Bailey is an outstanding cornerback, and Fred Smoot is a very good one. Jeremiah Trotter might not be Ray Lewis, but Trotter can be very good.

That's the big question for this defense concerns the line. Is it good enough to help make the linebackers and cornerbacks outstanding? And the answer is, "Maybe."

What was the major success and shortcoming of the off-season?

Middle linebacker Trotter is the answer to both questions. Signing him strengthened the Redskins' defense while weakening that of the Philadelphia Eagles, Trotter's former team and a division rival.

However, paying him a $7 million signing bonus was not a good idea. The Redskins overpay at least one free agent each off-season, and Trotter fills that role this year. So far, it always has come back to haunt them.

Any thoughts on their record for 2002?

Sure. Spurrier has never come close to having a losing record, so why should he start now?

Here's another interesting, overlooked and maybe meaningless fact. Since Dan Snyder bought the Redskins, the team never has finished with a losing record (10-6, 8-8, 8-8).

Spurrier will be a successful NFL coach. It seems unlikely he'll enjoy great success this year. He doesn't have all the players he needs, and there is a learning curve in coming from college to the NFL.

The question, as it always is with the Redskins, is how patient Snyder will be if the Redskins are 8-8 again?

[Thinking Skins]

I like the answers to that last question.

Sure. Spurrier has never come close to having a losing record, so why should he start now?

Here's another interesting, overlooked and maybe meaningless fact. Since Dan Snyder bought the Redskins, the team never has finished with a losing record (10-6, 8-8, 8-8).

Spurrier will be a successful NFL coach. It seems unlikely he'll enjoy great success this year. He doesn't have all the players he needs, and there is a learning curve in coming from college to the NFL.

The question, as it always is with the Redskins, is how patient Snyder will be if the Redskins are 8-8 again?

I never factored this into the equation. I think this is going to be a fun year

[bulldog]

one of the real questions for me is, are the Redskins a good enough team to play the 2002 season without getting a significant contribution (in terms of starts) from its rookie class?

the Redskins had 10 draft picks this year, more than in any year I can remember.

however, when you run down the list of players chosen, you don't see players that are ready to step on the field in the NFL.

you see players that were selected for the future, even players taken at #1, #2 and #3.

that is somewhat unusual these days. with the pressure of the cap and the need to get younger cheaper players in place, teams tend to want to get starts out of their top choices.

certainly Gardner and Smoot made immediate contributions in 2001. ditto for the top two or three picks from 2000 and 1999.

if all goes as planned Ramsey spends the year learning. Betts spends the year behind Davis perhaps touching the ball 5 times a game when Stephen needs a breather. At 5'10 and over 225+, I don't see Betts as a third down back, but I may be wrong. Hey, its happened before

Russell? Looks to be competing right now for a place as the #4 receiver in 2002 behind Green, Gardner and Lockett. Perhaps he moves up to #3 and in Spurrier's offense grabs 30-35 balls. That's the optimistic slant. The other is he is limited to staying the #4 with Lockett playing well and he catches 15-20 balls and plays some on special teams.

Bauman? We already have Champ and Fred as the starters. Green figures to be the #3, at least to start off the season. Do you need four corners to play effective defense in the NFL?

Yes, my question is do you want both your #3 and #4 corners to be sub 5'9?

Green has undeniable physical gifts of speed and endurance that have helped him compensate for the size differential during his career.

There might not be another 5'8 corner that comes in with his ability to influence the passing game of opponents, not with receivers having grown up to be men over 6'0

There are fewer and fewer Steve Largent type receivers in the NFL each season. What you see more of is the 6'2 and 6'3 athletes that can run fast and outjump smaller DB's to the football.

So, once again, my question is, are the Redskins a good enough team to work and improve without getting a solid contribution from the 2002 draft picks in their initial campaigns with the club?