FoxSports: 32 burning questions for each NFL team - Don't Sleep On The Skins!!!!

[Area51]

First time this offseason someone wrote something positive about us(except for our draft).

[Area51]

Well anyone can coach both those teams honestly.

Chargers: Put the ball in L.T.'s hands' date=' pass it to Gates and Chambers.

Cowboys: Give it to one of the many weapons they have.

Both have solid Ds

With the Redskins, if we stay healthy we make the playoffs, which is easier said than done.[/quote']

Redskins: good/really good/sometimes great D(ranked better than Boys last year)

Offense: Many weapons and Moss is back where he belongs, the "X" receiver(I think this will make a huge difference for him and our O).

[Redskin4ever]

This is one of the best assessments I've seen. Not just of the skins, but he even gave a fair assessment of the dreaded cowboys. I like ours better though. Let everyone sleep on us. While dallas takes the headlines and collapses in december and playoffs, we will be the surprise team.

[dfbovey]

Its funny because the only negative thing people have been saying about our team is in the uncertainty because a new coach.

In my point of view, with Zorn and a few players, we've only gained ground.

Not really the only thing that's been said...

We don't know if Campbell will progress to step up and be the franchise QB the Skins drafted him to be.

We don't know if our aging offensive line will hold up.

We don't know if injuries and age on the defense will take their toll this season.

We don't know if the Blache will be as effective as Williams.

Add that to the question regarding Zorn and there is plenty to think about.

[Rdskn4Lyf21]

Not really the only thing that's been said...

We don't know if Campbell will progress to step up and be the franchise QB the Skins drafted him to be.

We don't know if our aging offensive line will hold up.

We don't know if injuries and age on the defense will take their toll this season.

We don't know if the Blache will be as effective as Williams.

Add that to the question regarding Zorn and there is plenty to think about.

All of those were questions last year outside of Blache's effectiveness. Things have only changed for the better.

[HogNose]

New York Giants

Q: When will the Giants retire Tiki Barber's No. 21?

A: They won't be. Rookie Kenny Phillips will be wearing No. 21 this season for New York. Maybe "The Today Show" will retire the oven mits Tiki used in his latest enthralling cooking segment, though.

:rotflmao: :rotflmao:

[Oldskool]

Hate to be the wet towel but learning a completely new offense is on par with losing starters when speaking on a one year scale.

And a rookie HC? I think the author of the article was being too kind and glossing over some big issues.

[z0eboy]

Hate to be the wet towel but learning a completely new offense is on par with losing starters when speaking on a one year scale.

And a rookie HC? I think the author of the article was being too kind and glossing over some big issues.

i agree with you, i dont bet on the offense and our new HC to be ready for anything other than alot of hot routes and check plays from running to passing and vice versa. To expect anything more would be nice but realisticly the defense needs to hold this ship together before it sinks going into 3 road division games within the first 5 weeks :doh:

[PleaseGoForTheWin]

I'm guessing he doesn't think Williams and Saunders were "big pieces" lol :laugh:...

Yea, that seemed odd to me, too!

[SkinsJackpot]

They won't sleep on us when we come out with wins.

[Capt Rich Fla]

God damn right don't ****ing sleep on us. Were gonna have a monster year, I'll bet my sig on it!

Yup! Here we go. I get the same exact feeling every year about this time. I'd bet my sig, but I can't figure out how to get it out of photo bucket and put it in as my sig. Can you help me with that?

[Wrenkels]

Completely agree...I think Zorn gives us more stability in that there is one Chief and the rest Indians running the Redskins....haha

I read this and still ask myself with the 22 starters coming back and what we did in the draft. Is this going to be enough to get us over the top? New coach and new system and a tough schedule. The Redskins could start off slow or the could come out swinging . What remains to be seen is what this new WCO is going to look like in the preseason. I do think that none will be sleeping on the Redskins. We have to much talent to be a bottom feeder like most seem to think around the NFL.

What will be missing is Gregg Williams style of aggressive defense. Other than that the offense can only get better. Health will play a part like it always does. But with all that happen to the Redskins last season. You would think this squad is ready for battle.

[Rudechain]

Zorn however has no coordinator or head coaching experience, which the above mentioned 2 had both. However i do like Zorn, He seems organized and has a fire for the game. Even though he's pretty laid back you can sense his spirit for winning football. And another thing i noticed. I can't totally remember what players were saying about the offense when Saunders came on board, but i remember players just talking about needing to learn the offense. With Zorn, the players are letting on much enthusiam and excitement about the offense. The players really seem to feel they can do big things this season. Of course they better have noses in playbooks, but i have a good feeling about the offense.

The thing is these guys are professional atheletes. They have been playing football a while. They know how to run a route, block, and tackle. They need to familiarize themselves with the terminology in Zorn's system.

When the play is called, they need to understand what their role is in that play. What route they run, if they block or undertake other duties. Not an easy task to be sure, but one I think the team can grasp.

All of the rookie pass catchers were in good schools. Both Kelly and Thomas are having some problems initially, but it's to be expected. But the schools they went to ran some variations of this offense from time to time. Not all the time mind you, but I recall seeing some WCO type plays from these schools. So I think with time they will be fine. ( BTW, I think Kelly will end up the "move the chains on 3rd down" receiver we miss)

Now Davis came from what some could argue a "pro system" at USC. I look forward to the two tight end sets. Give these guys some time and they will be fine. Luckily, they don't have to make an impact right away and can work themselves into the right situations.

[Larry Brown #43]

And a rookie HC? I think the author of the article was being too kind and glossing over some big issues.

I'm getting a little tired of hearing about Zorn being a rookie head coach. Is there any hard evidence that teams typically take a step back from the previous year's W-L record after hiring a first-time head coach?

If someone can present that evidence, I'd love to see it. Otherwise I'm thinking it's just an assumption with no factual basis.

[D-Day]

What will be missing is Gregg Williams style of aggressive defense. Other than that the offense can only get better. Health will play a part like it always does. But with all that happen to the Redskins last season. You would think this squad is ready for battle.

No shot at you, but I see this posted a lot and I always ask myself what aggressive defense. The last two years Williams rarely blitzed and sure as heck didn't do it more then most teams. The only time I can remember a glimmer of an exotic blitz package was preseason two years ago. Every single time we faced a halfway decent NFL level passing team we completely did the opposite of an aggresive D. We fell back into the 10 yard cushions, MLB deep over the middle , and the safeties 20 to 30 yards off the line. Although it was effective most of the time it was not aggressive by any stretch of the imagination. In effect GW's put the skins in a modified prevent defense.

Anyways if the offense can perform on an NFL level CONSISTENTLY then I have absolutely no doubt that Blache can form a very good defense. He is not some retred, he was a very successful coordinator in his own right. Lets also not gloss over the EGO issues that Williams had. For instance his seemingly inability to adapt to what a offense was doing, clashes with players, etc etc.

[IbleedBnG83]

Coaching is over rated as it is...its managing players really

[Thirtyfive2seven]

Midget whores.

FTW

ROFL!! :laugh:

[S4L]

Sort of reminds me of someone who did... :laugh:

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=3578771

:dallasuck

[sorrellsskin]

Steamroller 99 makes a great point. Everyone is excited and not overwhelmed like they were w/ Saunders' offense. Don't get me wrong Al is a wizard on offense the guys just weren't ready or willing to buy in 100%. This just goes to prove the following point. Fans, analysts, and everyone with a voice will go on and on about who will win and why. The players, the packages, the coaches are all important but not as important as the one factor everyone overlooks...

CHEMISTRY!!!!

Between players and coaches, players and players, and players and fans. We have it all and we all believe!!! Its never a matter of talent. If you're a pro you can play, bottom line. This is a job, and like any job you have to love what you do. I see that sparkle in everyone's eye again. Guys are happy, and hungry! This is going to be a big, big season....

HAIL

[dan757]

Zorn however has no coordinator or head coaching experience, which the above mentioned 2 had both. .

Yeah if you consider what Norv did to be valuable experience! He single handely dismantled our precious dynasty!

[Kindred]

True theres something to be said for a new head coach, and losing some other major coaches. But I think this could be nicely countered by the fact that all the starters are still here and playing together again. The experience and familiarity with each other goes a long way imo.

[cphil006]

I concur...

[Califan007 The Constipated]

Hate to be the wet towel but learning a completely new offense is on par with losing starters when speaking on a one year scale.

And a rookie HC? I think the author of the article was being too kind and glossing over some big issues.

I actuallly think having all 22 starters return starts to outweigh the negatives of having a new coach. This is obviously an over-exaggerated example, but do you think the Patriots, Colts or Chargers would faulter much if a new rookie coach were brought in but all 22 starters were kept in place? Most likely not, and mainly because proven veterans who have all worked together over several seasons can help make up for the issues involved in learning new schemes and first-time playcalling.

While obviously the Skins aren't at the level of the Pats or Colts, they DO have talent on offense, and that talent has been playing together for 3-4 years. That will help offset issues that Zorn being a first-time head coach may bring.

[[[ghost]]]

I'm guessing he doesn't think Williams and Saunders were "big pieces" lol :laugh:...

Well, irregardless (I know how much everyone loves that word ) of whether Saunders was a good coordinator or not, he was never really given free reign here at DC, so we nobody can really place value on Saunders.

[Kindred]

]']Well' date=' irregardless (I know how much everyone loves that word ) of whether Saunders was a good coordinator or not, he was never really given free reign here at DC, so we nobody can really place value on Saunders.[/quote']

fyi, "irregardless" is not a word.