Tough Road Next Year For Skins, Can They Improve and Thrive?

[loren]

So, I think at the least we can all be encouraged by the fire we've shown over the last few weeks, culminating in a blowout win today over the Raiders. It looks like a lot of the aging dead weight on the roster might be able to be shed successfully for some up and coming young 'uns who have been proving their worth, and that maybe some of the motivation from the end of this year can carry over into a good 2010.

There's been a lot of talk about the new coach/QB/GM/draft picks who might be able to come in and turn it around next year. However, whatever improvements we make during the offseason will be put to the test during the actual season against real live football opponents. What does next year look like? Does it figure to help us rebound and get back to the winning ways we all long for?

Of course, there are the two games each against NY, Philly, and Dallas. None of those figure to be sure wins (or losses).

You can see the breakdown of our 2010 opponents here.

We get the NFC North:

Chicago: Who knows? If Campbell sticks around for another year, we'll be able to settle the Campbell/Cutler debate, I guess. The Bears aren't good, but aren't terrible, and this will be a tough game regardless.

Green Bay: Hey! We can also settle the "Campbell isn't good because he has a bad offensive line" vs. "Well, Rodgers has a bad offensive line and he's good" debate too! At Green Bay, this figures to be tough.

Detroit: Mark it as a W baby? No? Still...SHOULD be a win, and you'd hope the Redskins, smarting after this year, wouldn't think they'd just march in and out of the Motor City easily. But maybe Stafford takes a leap, and they get some things going. Probably the "easiest" game, but not that easy, as I'm sure we all know.

Minnesota: Will Favre still be there? If so, this will be a VERY tough win. Even if he's not, they're a tough out, because they have so many other pieces in place even with a shaky QB situation.

We get the AFC South:

Indy: I mean, we get them at home, so we have that going for us, which is nice. I'll hold out hope for this game....but Manning just doesn't lose games like this. We'll see, but this is one of those that you have to chalk up as an "L" when you look at the schedule.

Jacksonville: Another one of those iffy teams. DEFINITELY not an easy W. This'll be on the road, so it helps that they don't have a very good home field advantage, but still, not an easy game at all.

Houston: An explosive offense. Not the easy out they were the last time we played them (and we almost lost), yet another tough game (at least we get them at home).

Tennessee: At Tennessee, against a very good coach and a QB (Vince Young) who looks like he's coming on this year, this will be a tough win to pull out as well.

Last place teams in the NFC South and West:

Tampa Bay: A crappy team, and they probably will be next year, too.

St. Louis: A crappy team, and they probably will be next year, too.

Not really worth it to say much about either of those teams. They suck, but can either one of them be penciled in as wins? Well, since we almost lost to both of them, at home, this year, we probably can't count either one as a "sure" win, because for this Redskins team, there is no such thing. Still, these will probably end up being the two easiest games on the schedule.

So what's the point?

Again, it's very encouraging how much improvement the Redskins have shown, and we can hope they take this momentum into next year, with so many pieces that seem to be coming together. The problem is, I personally think that schedule looks pretty brutal for a team that's looking to do something next year. Let's say we can go 3-3 in the NFC East next year (which would seem optimistic), and let's say that 10 wins gets us to the playoffs. Let's also say that 10 wins guarantees you a playoff spot, and 9 wins may get you in. Let's also say that STL and TB are guaranteed W's (again, maybe a bit more optimistic than we'd like to be).

That means, next year, we need 4 (for a chance) or 5 (to be guaranteed) wins to make it in against this group: CHI, MN, HOU, and IND (home) and GB, DET, JACK, and TN (road) just to get to an alright record! Indy is probably a loss, and even assuming Detroit is a win, doesn't that seem extremely tough? Certainly it will be tougher than the cream puff cupcake schedule we had (and struggled so much with) this year.

Basically, I'm really worried that we can improve, find stability, and be a good team next year, and STILL miss out on the playoffs! It just makes it seem like such a shame that we wasted what should have been a 6-2 record to start this year and completely fell apart in such an agonizing way.

What do you think? Can the Redskins carry whataever it is they might have going at the end of this season to next season against a tough schedule? Is the schedule actually as tough as I've made it out to be, or have I over-inflated the value of the teams we'll be playing? Or will next year be a "rebuilding" (from what?) year anyway, so all we'll be looking for is quality performances from a young team with a rookie quarterback to carry us into 2011?

[SpeedKi11s]

You do realize the rest of our division will have an even tougher schedule, correct?

[loren]

You do realize the rest of our division will have an even tougher schedule, correct?

Hmm...that's a good point, I guess. Still, won't they have the same schedule, basically, except for the fact that they'll different teams from the NFC West and South. Also, in that same vein, recently haven't the other teams in the NFC East almost always had an easier schedule than the Skins, in that sense, since the Skins are almost always at the bottom of the division? That hasn't made much of a difference to the Skins fortunes in past years...

[The Answer]

If Dan and Vinny don't screw up, we will win the division next year.

Keep Zorn and Campbell, build smartly through free agency and the draft, get rid of the old baggage that has been infected by the cancer of the past decade and let the young guys play.

[loren]

If Dan and Vinny don't screw up, we will win the division next year.

Keep Zorn and Campbell, build smartly through free agency and the draft, get rid of the old baggage that has been infected by the cancer of the past decade and let the young guys play.

WHOA!

I love the boldness, and hope you are right!

Getting the division crown is, let's say, an 11 win endeavor. Where do you see those wins coming from in that schedule?

[The Answer]

WHOA!

I love the boldness, and hope you are right!

Getting the division crown is, let's say, an 11 win endeavor. Where do you see those wins coming from in that schedule?

I see us improving and the other three teams declining. We'll beat New York next week and knock Dallas out of the playoffs the following week.

[loren]

I see us improving and the other three teams declining. We'll beat New York next week and knock Dallas out of the playoffs the following week.

I can see the Eagles declining next year, just because McNabb will be another year older. But Dallas and NY? I don't know if I see them declining to the point where, even though we couldn't keep up with them at all this year, we're suddenly surpassing them next year.

Maybe the Cowboys decline if they have to gamble on a new coach once they inevitably fire Phillips?

And maybe if Coughlin (old) retires the Giants take a step back?

I'm not sold on that though.

[JoeGibbs3.0]

If Dan and Vinny don't screw up, we will win the division next year.

Keep Zorn and Campbell, build smartly through free agency and the draft, get rid of the old baggage that has been infected by the cancer of the past decade and let the young guys play.

lmao. From winning 0 NFC east games to winning the division.

Can you tell me why you believe this?

[TwentyOne]

AFC South, sweet! I'll be able to make it to a few more games next year.

[Tut77]

If Dan and Vinny don't screw up, we will win the division next year.

Sadly, that's a big "if".

[The Answer]

lmao. From winning 0 NFC east games to winning the division.

Can you tell me why you believe this?

We'll finish the season with two wins in the division, we should have beat Dallas, and we could have beat Philadelphia. Our guys are starting to figure out the system and still have room to improve. A lot of young guys are making huge contributions and will only get better.

We have a weak offensive line that can be built up and will get Cooley back next year.

The other teams in our division are nothing to get worked up about. They are all better than us right now but we can catch them in a year's time.

[The Answer]

Sadly, that's a big "if".

Agreed. They like turning the team upside down right when it seems we are heading in the right direction.

[Skins93077]

You sure we don't play the afc east? We played the afc central last year. Cinci, pitt, baltamore etc. And this year we play the afc west....

So that in turns leaves us with the afc east....nj, new engl,miami, buff

[The Answer]

You sure we don't play the afc east? We played the afc central last year. Cinci, pitt, baltamore etc. And this year we play the afc west....

So that in turns leaves us with the afc east....nj, new engl,miami, buff

There are four divisions in the AFC.

[loren]

You sure we don't play the afc east? We played the afc central last year. Cinci, pitt, baltamore etc. And this year we play the afc west....

So that in turns leaves us with the afc east....nj, new engl,miami, buff

Check the link in my original post.

[Rypien1191]

Impossible to predict who is good from one year to the next. All that matters is what we do to make ourselves better, and the rest will take care of itself.

[zCommander]

You sure we don't play the afc east? We played the afc central last year. Cinci, pitt, baltamore etc. And this year we play the afc west....

So that in turns leaves us with the afc east....nj, new engl,miami, buff

AFC Central??? It is East, West, North, and South.

[Skins93077]

Really 4 wow didn't know. Thanks for informing me

[loren]

Agreed. They like turning the team upside down right when it seems we are heading in the right direction.

Are we headed in the right direction? I guess that's a topic for a whole nother thread (or 20).

I think I'm assuming that we make all the right moves heading into next season. Maybe that means staying pat with the group we have, or making changes all around, or something in between.

But even IF we improve as much as it's possible for us to improve, are there enough potential wins in that schedule? Me, personally, I have a hard time seeing enough wins there, even for an improved team. I think that looks like a brutal schedule. Maybe I'm wrong, but I can see there being a lot of improvement next year, but I worry we might have to wait until 2011 before we see improvement in the W-L department.

[loren]

Impossible to predict who is good from one year to the next. All that matters is what we do to make ourselves better, and the rest will take care of itself.

Well, that is true, but if we didn't spend a bunch of time trying to predict things we can never truly know in advance, messageboards would be pretty boring, don't you think?

[Leonard Washington]

if the team we saw over the last few weeks (minus the chokes) should be able to play and win against the best in the league.

[loren]

Really 4 wow didn't know. Thanks for informing me

I hope that wasn't sarcasm since you, uh, actually did mess that fundamental fact up in your first post.

[desioreo87]

I think to improve and, better yet, thrive you have to keep the most important pieces in place. These last 5 weeks the redskins have looked like a different team.

I think Zorn has to stay for one more year, provided sherm is calling plays, because I fear that any new HC will want his own personnel which would continue the perennial revolving door in the coaching staff and schemes.

Also, if you want JC to improve you can't switch offenses again. JC is a slow learner apparantely, BUT he is learning and improving. Give him one more year with this group and see how he progresses.

The one thing this FO has always lacked is patience and it seems that this might be the most critical time to exercise patience.

With a smart draft we could be in a great position. Most importantly, we need to look for OL in the draft and FA for depth and upgrading up front. The defense could benefit from another promising DE or DT but for the most part they are set up for success next year.

A RB in the late rounds to add a HR threat would be nice, but i think the last few weeks have shown that if the OL is playing well, it really doesn't matter who you put behind them, (The broncos have illustrated this for years, remember olandis gary?). Also, I think that this group of RBs we have right now or so hungry and driven to play in the NFL that they will work harder than any FA or Draft pick we would bring in.

I mean did you see Ganther running out there, he was a man possessed fighting for a job. Thats the type of play we need. Players willing to fight for the cause.

This team is not too far away from being a good team. We have young weapons in place with veteran experience in the right positions. This team just needs to be supplemented with the right talent to take them to division contenders.

I just pray that the FO realize that patience is the biggest factor in the Skins turning it around next year.

If the performances of the last few weeks continue until the end, then you have to deeply consider giving this set of guys, coaches and players, another shot, bar CP. I think he is done and we don't need that type of personality here anyway.

[dieselfan44]

I think that you could do this every year and accomplish the same thing about equal to beating your head against the wall. No NFL schedule is easy. You have to suit up and go out to play the game to win. Pretty simple: If we play the way we have to past few weeks we can beat anyone. If we play like we did against the Chiefs and Lions we will beat no one.

[desioreo87]

I think that you could do this every year and accomplish the same thing about equal to beating your head against the wall. No NFL schedule is easy. You have to suit up and go out to play the game to win. Pretty simple: If we play the way we have to past few weeks we can beat anyone. If we play like we did against the Chiefs and Lions we will beat no one.

Ok, but answer the question. What do you think the redskins can do to build on these performances going into next year?