Hypothesis for next year's team - your thoughts?

[Stoox]

I'm going to oversimplify a little, and I know there are probably historical exceptions to this idea so don't beat me up over them, but here it is:

You need 4 very high quality items to win in the NFL:

-Head Coach (Shanahan)

-Quarterback (McNabb)

-Left Tackle (Okung/Bulaga)

-Pass Rusher (Orakpo)

We're covered off on all fronts now, provided they take Okung or Bulaga. Losing teams are deficient in one or more of these areas, as we were last year (we only had 1 of 4 covered off). I don't know of any losing teams that have all 4 items.

Unless you're in really, truly awful shape with the rest of the roster (which we're clearly not), you can coach the other 42 players up, and scheme around weaknesses to take care of the rest of it.

The Colts have been winning this way for years. I think now the absolute worst we do next year is 8-8, and if we stay healthy, we can scare a playoff spot at 10-6.

Thoughts?

[blue collar]

SuperBowl.

[The Cowboy Bamma Rocker]

Yeah, too oversimplified... you still need a whole team with decent enough talent as well as depth. Also, a great LT is still not enough when the whole line sucks. see: Redskins O-line the past 10 years even with Samuels. However, we DO have decent enough talent. So yes, as long as we get BOTH tackles and some depth elsewhere this offseason we are in great shape.

[Art McDonough]

Yep! That's definitely oversimplification! There is not a single NFL coach past or present that would agree that there are only four important positions on the the team. There are 11 on offense and 11 on defense. At the conclusion of last season, someone said that not only are the Redskins bad but they are going to be bad for a long time. Getting Donovan McNabb is certainly a step in the right direction but there were a heck of a lot more things wrong last year than QB. I think 8-8 is a very realistic goal for Shanahan's first year. Anything better would be miraculous.

[honejc]

all i hope is that mcnabb actually gets a helmet that FITS his head!

[Hail-to-da-skins-21]

Another Big hole-Safety .........LL has all the tools but just has to put it all together

[Stoox]

Yes, we're going to have holes, but every team does. There are no perfect teams.

Basically, all I'm saying is: with these 4 items covered off, we're not going to have a losing season next year because no losing teams to my memory have a great head coach, productive quarterback, shut-down left tackle and pass rusher that needs a double team.

Whether we make the playoffs or contend for a title is another matter entirely...

[bnewbs]

You're also banking on the fact that if we draft Okung/Bulaga that they will immediately come in and produce near to or better than Samuels which isnt automatic...youre also banking on McNabb producing like he had been in Philly which isnt an automatic cause he had been in that system for a long time. All WCOs arent the same scheme with diff language like Shanny said himself. Shanahan has also never coached regularly against NFC East opponents which he could have trouble adjusting to....theres a reason why our division is one the hardest to play in year in and year out...its hard to compete and be the best because each is physical and competitive nearly every game.

[aussieskin]

The one thing we have this year we have not had for a long time is a modern day coach, JJG was good but he was left behind, all the others were just not good enough or weren't kept long around, my hypothesis is that the skins will play somewhere around 10% better than we did last season, with the new players we are getting and providing some pressure on the starters to perform this could be a higher figure. That we have an excellent quality QB as a starter, i expect the offence to perform much better, the franchise just appears to be working better, the players are excited and from what i read in here we as fans are to. I would like some better depth at all positions but i am prepared to be patient as we draft our depth and recruit our younger players, hopefully using the older players as mentors, at this stage i am not prepared to give a win/loss ratio but i am extremely excited and hopeful that the skins have turned the corner and the true beast of the NFC-E is about to awaken and go on the warpath again, because its when the Redskins play well that the NFC-E becomes the monster division.

[Darth Tater]

At this time, while you can argue that some n-positions are the most important to have filled, you really can't say they are filled. You can, at best, say they were not neglected.

[Skins21!]

The one thing we have this year we have not had for a long time is a modern day coach, JJG was good but he was left behind, all the others were just not good enough or weren't kept long around, my hypothesis is that the skins will play somewhere around 10% better than we did last season, with the new players we are getting and providing some pressure on the starters to perform this could be a higher figure. That we have an excellent quality QB as a starter, i expect the offence to perform much better, the franchise just appears to be working better, the players are excited and from what i read in here we as fans are to. I would like some better depth at all positions but i am prepared to be patient as we draft our depth and recruit our younger players, hopefully using the older players as mentors, at this stage i am not prepared to give a win/loss ratio but i am extremely excited and hopeful that the skins have turned the corner and the true beast of the NFC-E is about to awaken and go on the warpath again, because its when the Redskins play well that the NFC-E becomes the monster division.

I agree with you. The layoff definitely hurt Joe Gibbs but he did a wonderful job fixing the mess Spurrier created. The Redskins have made significant strides recently. First, they fired Vinny. Second they brought in a GM who understands the salary cap. Then they hired a real Head Coach. Finally, they brought in a proven QB who can run a true pro-style offense. Remember, Shanny won in SF with Steve Young and in Denver with John Elway late in their careers. Let's hope he can do it one more time.

Snyder has made a mess of this franchise since he purchased it from the Cook family. Hiring coaches like Norv Turner, Steve Spurrier, and Jim Zorn to the free agent signings of dan Wilkinson and Deion Sanders. I think he finally realized that he needs to get out of the way and just sign the checks.

[wildbill1952]

Yeah, too oversimplified... you still need a whole team with decent enough talent as well as depth. Also, a great LT is still not enough when the whole line sucks. see: Redskins O-line the past 10 years even with Samuels. However, we DO have decent enough talent. So yes, as long as we get BOTH tackles and some depth elsewhere this offseason we are in great shape.

Agree. ALthough LT is the most important OL position for a right-handed QB, a good LT does not block for the whole OL.

Unless they put somebody else in Heyer's body or the OL coach is better at improving Heyer than Buges was, it's still going to be a long season, with no runs to the right or off right tackle.

Dockery was improved frrm his previous tenure here when he returned (less penalties), but everyone who played right guard was terrible if they didn't have Rabach helping. And Rabach, although good at making the calls couldn't push his man backward all season on short yardage. In fact, his guy usually pushed him backward.

I continue to hope Shanny has something else up his sleeve, and not a pick of a safety at number 4 a la Vinny.

[dahibachi]

i don't think we're as bad talent wise as a lot of people think. Rabach, Dockery, Hicks and if he can stay healthy Rinehart (former 3rd rounder) are decent offensive lineman... not great but decent. You add an outstanding LT to the mix and we really only have to worry about RT. Having McNabb, and Shanahan will elevate the play of everyone on offense, i think especially our three young receivers in Thomas, Kelly and Davis. We already had a solid defense but now we will be able to attack with Haslett's new philosophy. I think anything less then playoffs would be a disappointment.

I point to the 2006 saints as an example of what new coaching and addition of a HOF QB can do for your team. Keep in mind, before the season their o-line was considered makeshift and their skill players were highly unproven (except for Horn).

[maddogtre]

While I agree with the posters who say that this idea is too oversimplified, I also agree with the OP that those 4 positions are arguably the most important 4 positions for a successfull NFL team. I'm happy that we might get an above average to great performer for each of these 4 spots, and I also think it is alot easier to build a great team when you have those 4 positions in place.