ProFootballWeekly... MIS -EVALUATIONS

[dellman]

I checked out Pro Football Weekly's annual magazine today, and I thought about the evaluation process they use by comparing Tennessee's defensive grade with the Redskins defensive grade, considering that we just took their BEST player.

Titans defensive line gets a B and the Redskins get a B...SAME GRADE.

Now, the Redskins defense was ranked AHEAD of Tennessee LAST season and we gave up LESS rushing yards. We just took their BEST defensive lineman away from them so it stands to reason if they were behind us in rushing yardage given up LAST season, then they will be worst off this year. It also stands to reason that if we were BETTER than them last season, without Haynesworth, the Skins will be even better this year WITH Albert H.

It also stands to reason that they LOST 8 sacks and those sacks made it possible for others to appear better than they were. It also stands to reason Albert will open things up for the Skins players.

Do you see how faulty this reasoning is to give us the same grade as the Titans. If they had Albert back, would they now have an A and we would have a C...even though we had a better year aginst the pass and the rush.

Oh yes, and they also predict the Skins to have exactly the SAME record as last year....8-8.

They predict Dallas to finish 3rd again with exactly the SAME record as last year...9-7.

And as you might expect N.Y and Philly once again finish ahead of us and make the playoffs exactly as LAST year.

Boy they really went out on a limb on those predictions! Why don't they just save paper and reissue last years magazine every year, since they seem incapable of updating and taking change into consideration.

[IbleedBnG83]

What annual magazine? Its weekly...lol, j/k. But seriously, they always come out with a few a year, and they are allllll crap!

Every last one of these magazines are garbage.

[bu7ch]

God I can't wait for the season to start.

[rhyno]

It stands to reason that you shoud never use "PFW" amd "reason" in the same post.

[jrfriedm]

PFW=:pooh:

[dellman]

It stands to reason that you shoud never use "PFW" amd "reason" in the same post.

well at least not "logical"reason. After all they have a reason. They are stupid and thats always a good reason to misinform.

Sometimes I think they pull the janitor aside or the computer fix it guy or the guy downstairs selling hot dogs on the street and they say "hey there, how would ya like to have your name in print. Can you write an article on NFL rankings"?

Thats how much sense some of these so called poll rankings make.

[Walking Deadman]

Highlights from the 2008 PFW.

Redskins 6-10

Superbowl: Dallas over NE

Reality:

Redskins 8-8

Superbowl: Steelers over Cards. ; Dallas and NE fail to make playoffs

2009 PFW

Skins: 8-8

Superbowl: NE over Giants

So my guess?

Skins 10-6 (same prediction I made on IIWII)

Superbowl won't be either NE or NY

[dizzinator53]

Pre-season Rankings after Free Agency. It makes a lot of sense. Well, that just their opinion, Man.

[chow184]

Pre-season Rankings after Free Agency. It makes a lot of sense. Well, that just their opinion, Man.

well they are trying to push that stuff as what should happened based on their "immense knowledge" of the game.

truth is that when they're making these they're just going off of popular ESPN and NFLN beliefs.

if you pick up one of these rag sheets they all have the same general idea and these same general ideas are shared by ESPN. it's rather pointless.

I remember after cooley's great year in 2005,this one mag said his numbers would drop in 2006 because people knew who he was now. didn't happen. same mag said the same thing for 2007,never happened.

there's a media perception about the skins as being not good and inferior to the rest of the NFC east but I just don't see it.when the media is sucking us off it's generally a bad sign. When they hate on us,great things tend to happen.

*loved us in 2004 with gibbs coming back-failure

*said we were garbage in 2005-playoffs

*loved us for big FA's in 2006-sucked

*said we would be fighting for the first overall pick in 2007-playoffs

*in 2008 they said zorn was a yes man goon who'd be in over his head- we went 8-8,it's not playoffs but you can do alot worse than 8-8 especially in year 1 of a new HC.

here we ware in 2009,hating on our big FA additions,hating on an OL that shed some age,(kendall,jansen). just hating on the skins in general. any time I hear a mediot say we gave haynesworth a 100mil I just role my eyes and think "is this guy that much of a hater or just that ****ing stupid and naive" ?

the hate makes me feel good about what's to come.

particularly because this years OL has more potential than last years

offense has alot more potential in year 2,and with healthy WR's.

defense looks like it could be flat out nasty.

we swept the darling eagles who everyone is bandwagoning

split the beloved cowboys

got swept by the giants,but this was when they were firing on all cylinders raping everyone. still gave them decent fights.

[Going Commando]

So my guess?

Skins 10-6 (same prediction I made on IIWII)

Superbowl won't be either NE or NY

Superbowl: Redskins over Chargers.

The Chargers are good enough to somehow get past the fact that they are coached by Norv Turner. Phil Rivers is easily the best under 30 QB in the league. Their defense is actually really good, and Merriman is one of the best rush-lbs in the league. LT will actually be healthy and the passing game is one of the best in the league with Jackson, Gates, and Chambers. They have no weaknesses other than HC.

Redskins because its just going to happen. Its not outrageous. The NFC isn't stratified, we were 3-0 versus the teams in the NFC championship. The only teams in the conference we match up poorly against are the Giants, Panthers, Seahawks and probably the Packers. We can beat the trendy teams like the Saints and the Falcons. We can beat the tough teams like the Eagles and Cowboys. We can beat the one dimensional teams like the Vikings and Bears, and we are pretty even with the Cardinals.

The only playoff games I'd fear would be drawing the Giants, and a Packers, Panthers, or Seahawks game on the road.

[Going Commando]

Just for fun here is what I think will happen in the NFC in 2009.

We'll win 11 regular season games this year and win the division ahead of the Giants who finish 10-6.

My playoff predictions are:

NFC - Packers, Saints, Redskins, Seahawks, WC's: 5. Giants, 6. Panthers

The Packers win their division because Aaron Rodgers is a damn good QB. I think he'll be the best in the North this season and Jennings is second only to Calvin Johnson. Defensively they might struggle in the transition but they have most of the pieces for the 3-4 already. The Bears and Vikings are seriously flawed although the Bears are better than the Vikings. Minnesota has crap qbs and chicago has crap receivers. We'll see what happens. The Lions just aren't good.

The Saints win their division because their offense is incredible and has no weaknesses. Their defense still won't be great but it should be better than last year's. Enough for them to win what will be a much softer division than people expect because the Bucs are rebuilding and the Falcons and Panthers look like they'll regress a bit.

The Cardinals also look like a team headed for a slump even though they should be able to run the ball some this season. They got lucky Seattle was in a down year and Kurt Warner somehow managed to hold onto the ball for the important stretches of the season. The 49ers are tricky because they are a pretty decent team hampered by a mediocre QB in Hill. The Seahawks are the best all around team in the division, they'll be sharp next year. I like where the Rams are headed too, I think they can definitely win 7 games but I don't think they are better than the Seahawks--yet. This is a division on the rise. Lots of good coaches, all it lacks are the quarterbacks.

We'll win our division. Our defense will be the best in the league, good enough to cover up for a lackluster offense. Definitely good enough to make Eli Manning look like crap when we play him, and be able to win close games against the Cowboys and Eagles. Campbell will be competent like Garrard was in '07 and give us something like 65% completions and a 2-1 td to interception ratio and Portis will put up tons of yards once again. The Cowboys are retooling themselves right now and their coaching just isn't very good. Their run game will be impressive but I don't like their defense and the passing game will take a hit. We match up well against the Eagles and they won't be able to run the ball or score in the redzone against us. New York will regress a bit when they feel the lack of consistent options in the passing game. Losing Barber, Shockey, Ward, and Burress is going to take it's toll offensively and the Giants will struggle even more than we do to move the ball. Kevin Boss and Steve Smith are decent players and they'll be the Giants top weapons in the passing game. That isn't a good thing. Their defense will be elite though, and good enough to get them into the playoffs.

I went with Carolina for the 6th seed in the NFC. Not a great QB, I'd definitely prefer Campbell to Delhomme at this point, but the Falcons look like they'll regress. Turner hit 370 carries last year, he'll be hurt most of the season. Their offense will become one dimensional and their pedestrian offensive and defensive lines will be exposed. Their defense doesn't impress me and Carolina's does.

[Justsomeguy]

there's a media perception about the skins as being not good and inferior to the rest of the NFC east but I just don't see it.when the media is sucking us off it's generally a bad sign. When they hate on us,great things tend to happen.

*loved us in 2004 with gibbs coming back-failure

*said we were garbage in 2005-playoffs

*loved us for big FA's in 2006-sucked

*said we would be fighting for the first overall pick in 2007-playoffs

*in 2008 they said zorn was a yes man goon who'd be in over his head- we went 8-8,it's not playoffs but you can do alot worse than 8-8 especially in year 1 of a new HC.

:applause::applause: Great Post! I couldn't agree more. Just keep on hating on us.

[Hamilbone13]

Yeah...that's crap. Our D was ranked 4th last year. Now, we've added Haynesworth and Orakpo!! Not to mention, we have D. Hall from the beginning of the season. NASTY! I'll take our D over Tennessee any day of the week.

[ELCHALJE]

Pre-season rankings from Dallas--not putting much stock in Skins.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/061109dnspogooseranks.44197ec.html

[dellman]

Poll after poll is pretty much the same. The Eagles somehow became a bandwagon team, and now everybody is on that wagon. It the trendy thing to do and whenever you ask somebody they all repeat the same Mantra, that they have improved their offense with 2 offensive line additions and added great weapons for McNabb.

If someone just came from overseas, they might think that Philly picked up Tory Holt and T.J. whose-your-mama and that Brian Dawkins and Jim Johnson were both fine and still on that team. Its as though the world has completely ignored that the Eagles LOST both starting right tackles from last season, starting safety, Defensive Guru, and added one ROOKIE wide receiver and one ROOKIE running back, and have virtually no depth anywhere, especially at QB.

All the while the Redskins have cut the one point of contention on the offensive line. Jon Jansen has been constantly ridiculed in these polls and magazines as being a weak spot of the Skins so cutting him and adding Bridges and Williams and promoting Heyer is now being criticized instead.

This is becoming a MANTRA. Most average fans don't do research and neither do so called experts. They just project their own players as all pros and then they project everybody elses team to finish like last year or they say that "this team or that team" played over their heads.

I have been all over the internet and looking though magazines and its amazing that nobody thinks adding 2 great impact players to our defense will even make an ounce of difference. In fact, they all repeat that other mantra: "the redskins overpaid for Haynesworth" , and as a result because they feel we overpaid, somehow that means his sacks and his tackles will mean less to the Skins than they did to the Titans.

All I know is that I think the Redskins can win about 12 games when I look at the schedule. (give or take 1 game)

[chipwhich]

I have been all over the internet and looking though magazines and its amazing that nobody thinks adding 2 great impact players to our defense will even make an ounce of difference.

In the last 10 years I could post someone making your same argument about howgood the skins will be and how stupid the media is.

In the last 10 years the media is more times than not correct and the fan is the one who is wrong.

How about we let the Redskins franchise actually do something instead of year after year signing high priced free agents and disappointing the fans...YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.

Who cares what they predict us to be. They predict us to perform the way we do YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR and until we prove them otherwise, I expect the same.

[dellman]

In the last 10 years I could post someone making your same argument about howgood the skins will be and how stupid the media is.

In the last 10 years the media is more times than not correct and the fan is the one who is wrong.

How about we let the Redskins franchise actually do something instead of year after year signing high priced free agents and disappointing the fans...YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.

Who cares what they predict us to be. They predict us to perform the way we do YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR and until we prove them otherwise, I expect the same.

Well thats the easy answer I guess. Just say nobody cares about predictions and who cares because its all about when the season starts. But you are in the minority. You must be very lonely out there.

ESPN and all the various websites and Las Vegas and the sporting magazines are all making money by reporting what the "experts" are saying and making predictions and offering analysis and do you know why?

BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN IT! Because people care about these predictions. Thats why. So when you ask:

"Who cares what they predict us to be."

Well obviously a whole lot of people and we are talking about it right now.

These predictions and analysis are really about one thing and that is:

HOPE

For those fans of teams which did not make the playoffs or have a winning record, you bet those fans are interested in good things said about their teams because that may be all that they have during the off season. Who wants to go through the offseason thinking that its going to be the same old losing season, same old going to work and hearing from that Giant fan or Eagles fan, etc.

Don't you get it. Predictions generate off season talk and keep us busy and allow us to generate pride in something we believe in. Yes, it may only last for some, until opening day(Detroit fans are one example), but we are all offseason champtions at this point so it DOES matter what people are saying and it DOES matter what you think about your team.

It also matters to some players because it provides them with incentive to prove so called experts WRONG. D. Hall has already said he is playing with a CHIP on his shoulder this season and I can tell you about 3 sophomore receivers who claim that they have something to prove.

So the answer to your question 'WHO CARES", becomes "Lots of people."

[chipwhich]

So the answer to your question 'WHO CARES", becomes "Lots of people."

The point of my post wasn't "who cares". My point was why rant and rave about what ESPN says?

ESPN picked Danny and the Redskins to win the Superbowl after he picked up Bruce Smith and Deion and company. Ever since that absolutely laughable season they have picked us to be at the bottom....and deserveably so.

The point is stop pointing blame at the media. Point blame at the chef. The chef makes the team, the media doesn't. So far ESPN knows what the chefs cooking isn't good.

[dellman]

The point of my post wasn't "who cares". My point was why rant and rave about what ESPN says?

ESPN picked Danny and the Redskins to win the Superbowl after he picked up Bruce Smith and Deion and company. Ever since that absolutely laughable season they have picked us to be at the bottom....and deserveably so.

The point is stop pointing blame at the media. Point blame at the chef. The chef makes the team, the media doesn't. So far ESPN knows what the chefs cooking isn't good.

Oh. Well that is of course a popular point of view. We have nearly as many Danny haters as we have Campbell haters so now that we are talking about it YES we can have a whole lotta discussion on the man that has not allowed any CONTINUITY in this franchise.

While New England and Indianpolis and the Giants and Tennessee and others all making the playoffs every year with the same coaching staff and same offensive systems in place for 6-8 years or more..........

In our Eight year history including today we have had FOUR different offensive coordinators and THREE different head coaches.(in 8 years)

Steve Spurrier ran the offense for 2 years

Joe Gibbs ran the offense for 2 years

Al Saunders intorduced an 800 page playbook for 2 years

and now this becomes year number TWO for Jim Zorn and his system

EVERY 2 YEARS we have a history of changing the offense completely upside down and yet everybody wants to know why Campbell is not an all pro or why we don't have a bunch of all pro receivers or why the offensive line can't seem to pick up blitzes.

and here is the best part of all. If Zorn and Campbell fail we will get yet another head coach and offensive coordinator so as to have 5 head coaches and FOUR offensive coordinators in 9 years. So the cycle could begin all over again.

EVERY Skins fan should be rooting for Campbell to help Zorn succeed or failure is coming yet again for the next 8 years.

[Koolblue13]

We have been hit or miss the last decade.

The cowboys have been pretty good, but have always been media darlings.

The Eagles went to 5 championship games and a superbowl. They also have one of the best records from the last decade.

The Giants just won a superbowl and have almost the same team still.

We all know the eagles and giants will be very good and have a shot to go all the way.

Why would anybody even think of picking the skins to be the best in the division, unless they are fans like us?

[HailfrmDEN]

We now live in me society. None of the writes for espn, profootball mag, sports illisrated will stand out and be different. They are going to make safe predictions because they dont want to loose their jobs.

[Going Commando]

Poll after poll is pretty much the same. The Eagles somehow became a bandwagon team, and now everybody is on that wagon. It the trendy thing to do and whenever you ask somebody they all repeat the same Mantra, that they have improved their offense with 2 offensive line additions and added great weapons for McNabb.

If someone just came from overseas, they might think that Philly picked up Tory Holt and T.J. whose-your-mama and that Brian Dawkins and Jim Johnson were both fine and still on that team. Its as though the world has completely ignored that the Eagles LOST both starting right tackles from last season, starting safety, Defensive Guru, and added one ROOKIE wide receiver and one ROOKIE running back, and have virtually no depth anywhere, especially at QB.

All the while the Redskins have cut the one point of contention on the offensive line. Jon Jansen has been constantly ridiculed in these polls and magazines as being a weak spot of the Skins so cutting him and adding Bridges and Williams and promoting Heyer is now being criticized instead.

This is becoming a MANTRA. Most average fans don't do research and neither do so called experts. They just project their own players as all pros and then they project everybody elses team to finish like last year or they say that "this team or that team" played over their heads.

I have been all over the internet and looking though magazines and its amazing that nobody thinks adding 2 great impact players to our defense will even make an ounce of difference. In fact, they all repeat that other mantra: "the redskins overpaid for Haynesworth" , and as a result because they feel we overpaid, somehow that means his sacks and his tackles will mean less to the Skins than they did to the Titans.

All I know is that I think the Redskins can win about 12 games when I look at the schedule. (give or take 1 game)

I'm on board with you in all that you say. The Eagles won't match up any better against us next year other than that Shawn Andrews might be back to his old form. They couldn't score or run the ball on us before and I don't really see what's changed.

And I especially agree with your 12 game prediction. It's going to happen. We're going to win the division next year. We've drafted well the past two seasons and we've built a talent base that will stick around (hopefully). '07, we didn't have many picks (like usual) but Blades and Landry were solid, and if you put it all together we have a lot of the pieces in place for a very good team.

edit: by very good I meant championship good.

[HighOnHendrix]

We now live in me society. None of the writes for espn, profootball mag, sports illisrated will stand out and be different. They are going to make safe predictions because they dont want to loose their jobs.

By "safe predictions" I am assuming you mean saying what the majority of people want to hear. You're probably right for the most part. It's certainly not that their "safe" predictions are "right" predictions. If you pay attention to the predictions about up-coming seasons and the draft, you'll see how often the talking heads are wrong. I'm sure I would not do any better, but when people for whom this is a career fail this miserably, it needs to be pointed out.

Losing Barber, Shockey, Ward, and Burress is going to take it's toll offensively and the Giants will struggle even more than we do to move the ball.

Not sure why you put Barber on there, since he hasn't played for them for like two years.

[thedevilhimself]

I think it is a cumulative effect of loosing more and more talent on offense means the Giants look more and more shaky .

The thing people forget about the Giants is the defense is all about the pass rush . They like us don't have that total lights out D but they like us are building towards that killer D .

My Big concern about the G men is the offense . The line is set if not overachieving but there is a lack of targets . Boss showed last season he is no Shokey, loosing Ward (1000 yard rusher 5.6 yards per carry WOW) looses part of that rushing threat and Jacobs has shown he is fragile and no Barber .Loosing Plaxico would be bad enough but also loosing Toomer means suddenly they are relying on Nicks Barden Hixton the most disapointing of the Moss brothers and Manigham . None of those names strikes fear .

The Eagles you see less holes and they have to be favorrites . McNabb sees the light at the end of the tunnel is the end of his career and needs that ring, Westbrook is an injury worry but McCoy may have the biggest impact of all the NFCE rookies . I don't see a weak link on the Eagles so they are either going to steam roll the Division or be a huge disapointment .

The Skins . The O-Line is the elephant in the room . We need to find the starter on the right hand side of the line and hope that we can maintain a pass block . This is more important than either Thomas or Kelly to step up . If the line finds a way to hold up then the offense will be better - not fantastic but better and may even be able to win a game or two on its own . D there is a another elephant in the room called the LB corps . Fletcher is good, McIntosh can be good who is the other slot . Best case Orakopo plays lights out at SLB, otherwise we have a platoon possition including Fincher, Thomas and anyone else who can pull on a shirt and weighs in the 240-260lbs . Playing Orakopo off the line weakens the line . Playing him at SLB means we have to play Daniels and Wynn at DE although possibly Rob Jackson steps up and takes a role in the rotation .

Dallas is an Enigma . They have cut some wood and I see replacements but I just don't know how good Spencer can be for example in a full time starting role. The secondary seems to be a problem where they hope Mike Jenkins and Sandrick can fill the Henry Hole . In terms of coverage anyone has to be an upgrade over Williams, but in terms of a force in the middle Williams is still hard to replace . On offense people talk and talk about the running game, but transitioning from a pass first team to a full on running game may need more than one off season, and none of the RBs seems to have the durability you would want .

My predictions

Eagles 12-4

Redskins 10-6

Giants 8-8

Cowboys 7-9