Prediction--PLEASE archive this!

[kleese]

Those of you who know me for the boards from the old days, know I'm no burgandy and gold colored homer. Obviously, as a fan, I have certain biases, but overall, I've been pretty objective over the years and almost got run out of town when I was calling for Norv to be fired as early as 1996.

So I just wanted to make a quick prediction that I am VERY willing to stand by all off-season and will gladly gloat when it comes to fruition next year.

First of all, we WILL win this Sunday. I don't think that's going out on a limb though.

The big prediction is that we will be GOOD NEXT YEAR. How good, I'm not quite sure. Let me just say that to a man, or pretty close, everyone on this board will be happy with the 2003 season. To me, that would mean at least 9-7 and probably a wild card berth, but it's too early to put numbers on it.

I am more confident right now in the Redskins than I have been since Gibbs. Spurrier had a rocky season, but it is quite clear that he recognzies where he went wrong (something our other recent coaches' have failed to do). Spurrier was a "special" coach in college-- not just a good one. Listen to anyone who really knows Spurrier/football and they'll all tell you that he WILL win in the NFL.

By turning the reins over to Ramsey, Betts, Watson, Thompson, etc... already this year, it shows me that he will be willing to adapt.

And it's not just Spurrier--- I just love Ramsey. Having that QB we've been searching for will have a greater impact on this team than any of us can fathom right now.

We're also going to cut some of the "losing fat" from this team. Whiners, complainers, excuse-makers can check their uni's at the door. A new sense of accountability seems to be taking control at Redskin Park.

Steve got a little ****y, then a little humbled, then a little frustrated, then he got a little mad-- and that's when the change started. You can sense it. Things are changing for the better.

Many people feared we would lay down and die against Houston--but our team, led by youngsters and new faces, played all-out and showed glimpses of what's to come.

This team is going to go 7-9 this year-- I think a 2-3 win improvement next year will be a realistic, if not likely outcome/goal.

Let's face it, teams like NE go from 5-11 to champs, we don't have that confidence because "we're the Redskins." That's the attitude that has prevailed for years and that MUST change-- that's Spurrier's biggest challenge-- I think he's slowly starting to take charge of that.

What will make 2003 different from all the other years we said 'we till next year'? Answer: Spurrier/Ramsey. That's the horse we must ride if we are going to break out of our rut. And for the first time in a looooooong time, I have confidence that we can get it done.

Book it.

[fansince62]

kleese....I sense ythe same!....with the major caveat that the FO has to pull its collective head out of its collective rear end long-enough to give SOS what he needs (players) and the franchise a long-term plan for success...

[Mad Mike]

I'm wit ya 100% kleese! With our record this year I should be depressed but I find myself almost giddy with anticipation for next year.

:fortune: :thumbsup:

[tex]

Your optimism is catching. Next year has the potential to be very exciting.

[SkinsThug]

I am not so hopeful. If we address our obvious needs this offseason like safety and OL/DL, I'll be more optimistic.

However, there is no indication by the front office that they have any understanding that in the NFL, the game is won in the trenches.

At this point, without seeing our offseason moves and schedule, I would say we'll improve by one win.

[Henry]

Ramsey and Spurrier have me feeling optimistic as well. But I'd say my optimism is much more cautious than yours.

Let's just see if we can beat the imploding Cowboys first before we declare 2003 a roaring success.

[Art]

Optimism for next season teeters on the outcome of a single game. A loss here, no matter what, and we'll ache. Our rookie's positives won't be as clear. Spurrier's growth won't be as visible. The young guys who a week before demonstrated the capacity to be the core for growth in a new era of Redskin football will be guys that must be replaced after another awful draft.

It's really that simple.

A win and we're thrilled. We don't really care about the 7-9 because we looked so good at the end of the year getting to it. Everything will look and feel and seem so much brighter. The majority of the team will be returning into, presumably, the same systems for the first time in three years. That's huge.

Win or lose, we have a reason to believe the future is brighter. We are a young team. We have young players at so many key positions. We're only old at defensive line and that has to be corrected. This team went through a draft where eight players have been retained and, of them, you can forsee starter level production for a handful perhaps.

But, the key to success soon is how quickly Ramsey develops. How he adapts as teams get more film on him and can game plan him a bit better. Can he overcome the almost certain adjustment period it'll take to recognize how teams are playing him and how he has to fall back on the weakest areas of his game in order to win. Culpepper is only now overcoming this. Once teams found his weaknesses and planned for them, it's taken parts now of three seasons -- from his second year as a player -- to compensate and start to find himself again.

A QB can't become a great QB until he can beat the opposition when they are making him play to his weaknesses. So, as optimistic as we are about Ramsey, it is, to me, difficult to hope for a dominating season next year. Unless, of course, Ramsey is just abnormal. Unless he's just a rare QB who has all the tools to be great, I think even hoping for 9-7 might be a bit high at the moment. The offseason is key, of course, but, nothing will really matter if Ramsey does not develop.

If he does, there's no reason we can't compete on a very high level very soon. If he doesn't, no matter what we do in free agency we'll be a team still struggling to get over the hump. With Ramsey, it does appear the hump can be taken and put behind us. It's just too soon to dare to dream.

[Riggo-toni]

The one thing holding back my optimism is DT. With Big Daddy gone, will Gardener return and stay healthy, and will we find someone capable to play next to him.

[redskin56]

It may be a cliche, but, confidence breeds success. IMHO we need to win this game in glaring fashion. We need to go into the off season on a high note and concentrate on fixing the areas that are weak. The next seven months need to be spent recognizing what those weaknesses are and addressing them. If we end the season on a positive everyone in the organization will be concentrating on getting better, not how we limped to the finish line.

HTTR

[Reaganaut]

I'm with Art on this: The Skins won't believe unless we get that big Blue and Silver monkey off of their backs no matter how well the team comes into next year. Unless they know they can beat Dallas, they'll be very tense coming into those games next year which will be critical for the division race. Philly can go south at any point just witness the Rams and how far they've fallen. The Skins have to win their division games and Dallas will be absolutely critical.

[Tom [Giants fan]]

I think next year in the NFC East is going to be very interesting. I believe that all four teams (yes, including the Cowboys) will be battling for the NFC East. But I will wait a few months before making any predictions.

[Darth Tater]

Gotta agree with Kleese but with some of the caveat that Art indicated.

And I'll go out on a limb:

If Ramsey develops as he appears he should, we re-sign Gardener, fix our to problem and fix our takling issue, we'll go around 11-5 next year. We fix specail teams somehow and add a game or two. Dont' fix these and we'll be in for another bad season and looking for a new HC.

Oh, and we also need to win this weekend!

[The Sisko]

Agreed on most points. However, I'm thinking that IF we manage to fix some of our most glaring holes from this season (DT,OG, DE, and maybe WR) that we could very well be a 9-7 club next year.

You have to take into account that we'll be playing a tougher schedule next season. However, if his improvement from his first few starts is any indication, Ramsey will have improved a good bit by the end of next season. Put all those things in the hopper and out pops 9-7 (in my mind anyway). I really think the season AFTER next is the one we should really be licking our chops for. :jerkoff:

[tex]

Originally posted by SkinsThug

I am not so hopeful. If we address our obvious needs this offseason like safety and OL/DL, I'll be more optimistic.

However, there is no indication by the front office that they have any understanding that in the NFL, the game is won in the trenches.

At this point, without seeing our offseason moves and schedule, I would say we'll improve by one win.

SkinsThug, a ray of hope did beam down on the Redskins when they resigned Jansen. Maybe they are starting to understand at least little.

[kleese]

Just don't fall into the trap of thinking we need to fix ALL of our holes to be a playoff-caliber team.

If we fix the guard spots, add a speedy WR, shore up DT, add a new safety, and fix special teams, then I'll probably pick us to win the Super Bowl-- we'd bascially have a perfect team.

But that probably isn't going to happen. We're going to have areas that may look like weaknesses on paper. The hope is that good coaching, confidence, success in other areas, etc... will be able to mask our weaknesses.

I'm not saying we'll be at a championship level next year-- I'm saying we'll be at a playoff-caliber level. You're telling me we couldn't do what the Browns, Saints, or Falcons have done this year?

What I want is to EXCEL in one area--- get that passing game as revved up as possible. Get the talent to air it out (one WR, two guards) and the running game should fall into place.

If we're weak at DE or DT then so be it. As long as we have Gardener and Wynn our D line should be respectable.

We can't fix all the problems in one off-season. I say REALLY fix one area and we might be amazed at the trickle-down effect.

[SPare]

Why will next year necessarily be a tougher schedule than this year.

The skins will be playing a 3rd place schedule, just like this year.

The out of division competition will really be the only change, and I just don't see them being that much of a difference.

[kleese]

I don't put much stock into the schedule at all. If we're good, we'll find ways to win games, even against tougher teams. If we're not, we'll find ways to lose games, even against weaker teams.

[MRMADD]

kleese:

The big prediction is that we will be GOOD NEXT YEAR. How good, I'm not quite sure. Let me just say that to a man, or pretty close, everyone on this board will be happy with the 2003 season. To me, that would mean at least 9-7 and probably a wild card berth, but it's too early to put numbers on it.

I'm cautiously optimistic, too, but I don't think 9-7 really qualifies as "GOOD". Hell, we should be 9-7 this year, even with all of our weaknesses. We could easily have won two more games, and we still wouldn't be "GOOD".

And 9-7 is no guarantee of a wild-card berth. If we don't make the playoffs next year, we aren't good. Simple as that.

My definition of good next year:

(1) Be competitive in the NFC East. Getting our asses kicked by every team in the East is embarrassing. If we can compete in the East, we can get to 10-6. Getting swept (so far) in the NFC East this year is what killed us. If we'd stolen a couple of those games, we'd be on the bubble for a wild-card berth right now.

(2) Win at home. We're 4-3 at home and 2-6 away this year. That's not good. If we're gonna suck on the road like that, we need to defend our home turf.

(3) Beat the Cowboys twice. I expect the streak to be broken this week -- the Skins need to start another streak in the other direction. Even if we do finish at 9-7, which I don't consider good, I'd be happy if we swept the Cowboys.

(4) Make the playoffs. Even if it's one-and-done, that's progress.

[88Comrade2000]

Right now, I'll saw we do no better than 8-8 and could well do worse than our 7-9 hopeful finish.

There's two many questions marks that won't be answered until we go the offseason and the 2003 season.

Can Ramsey improve? Will he struggle or bomb in his first real year as starting Qb?

Can Betts/Watsons carry the load for a full season?

Can the WR's improve from this year?

Will the o-line be better?

Etc.., Etc... There more questions but I'm too lazy and it's been mentioned before.

I'm looking at 2004 and if playoffs happen in 2003-that's a welcome bonus.

[laurent]

By now we all know that the Redskins haven't had a stellar season. On the other hand, as bad as we have played this year what seems to get lost amidst all the disappointment is that we could have EASILY won two more games.

Yeah, yeah, I'm not a big fan of the would, coulda scenarios but I don't think even Tom can dispute that those two wins NY got were a fluke.

I don't think it will take a spectacular offseason to get this team back into NFC East contention. For the first time in a few years it looks as if we will have some continuity within the coaching staff and barring a complete free agent and draft debacle I don't see why this team can't win around 10 games next year.

[Eagles_Legendz]

Originally posted by Tom [Giants fan]

I think next year in the NFC East is going to be very interesting. I believe that all four teams (yes, including the Cowboys) will be battling for the NFC East. But I will wait a few months before making any predictions.

Hmmmm. I don't think the Cowboys will be competing for anything next year. The Redskins could make it interesting, depending on off-season moves. Giants should be pretty good. The Eagles, well, lets just enjoy this year shall we?

[Yomar]

the schedule is brutal, but its going to be brutal for everyone in the East, so the key is having a winning record within the division. I think this might take another year of building, there are just so many question marks going into next year, but Spurrier does tend to inspire confidence, even though the team's first year under his stewardship has been pretty bad, I mean what else can you call going 0-5 in the division.