Let's take another look at our season this year....

[HtownRocks111]

Ok... let's say the balls bounced our way here...

Dallas (W) 1-0

Houston (L) 1-1

@St. Louis (L) 1-2

@Philadelphia (W) 2-2

Green Bay (W) 3-2

Indianapolis (L) 3-3

@Chicago (W) 4-3

@Detroit (L) 4-4

Philadelphia (L) 4-5

@Tennessee (W) 5-5

Minnesota (L) 5-6

@New York Giants (L) 5-7

Tampa Bay (L) 5-8

@Dallas (L) 5-9

@Jacksonville (W) 6-9

------------------------------------------------------------------

So we're 6-9 the way it stands right now. Only 3 of those games were losses by the end of the 3rd quater: Philly (2nd game vs them), St. Louis, and the New York Giants...

Houston, Indianapolis, Detroit, Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Dallas.... we HAD those games.

That's 6 games that could've gone our way... all of them except the Colts game we should have won.

So this is how I see it.... there is 5 losses that should've been wins, that would make us 11-4 right now, in first in the NFC-East with a weak team, McNabb would be looked at as God, and everything would be different.

I hate how people look through their WIN/LOSS glasses and see a LOSS as a LOSS rather then a potential WIN.... the Vikings game, we lost because of a block in the back on a punt return... the Texans game, we lost from great playmaking abilities by our opponents.... I mean some times things weren't meant to be, but that doesn't mean we didn't have the effort and talent it took to win, it was just being in bad place at a bad time OR major kudos to our opponents.

This team has impressed me, given our personel, and I'd hate to see McNabb not get a fair chance behind a revamped team next year.

Thoughts???

[HTTR F Dallas]

We did make some strides this year and we found out some important things about the team as a whole. I think the entire season was a tryout season to see what we have and what we need... McNabb isn't the answer, Grossman isn't the answer. But now we know what we need during the next couple of offseasons to make those potential WINs .. WINS... becuase in the end the WIN/LOSS record is what matters...

Most people aren't even pissed off about the Win/Loss record, but the effort and product put on the field. It wasn't fun to watch.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

I'd say that we "had" the games against Houston and Detroit. We had a fair shot to win the Minnesota, Tampa Bay, and Dallas games. Though we were competitive, I'd agree with you that we never really had the Indy game. So, I'd rearrange your analysis to say that we could be sitting at 8-7 having won the Texans and Lions game (we held late leads). If you want to give us one of those other three games, fine, but remember that we won a couple of VERY close games too. In fact, all six wins could have gone either way. So, I'd say that our BEST REALISTIC CASE SCENARIO is sitting at 9-6 tied with Giants right now.

Your point is a good one though, that would be a fantastic year 1 under Shanahan.

[HOF44]

Most people aren't even pissed off about the Win/Loss record, but the effort and product put on the field. It wasn't fun to watch.

I thought our effort and fight were good. The players just are not big enough, fast enough, at enough positions to compete with a lot of NFL teams.

[Redskins4ever]

After being 4-3, this Redskins team slipped to a 5-9 record. Since that Detroit game, the team loss 6 of their last seven games. That's where the season was lost right there. Had they won at least three of those games, they would be 8-7 right now and would be in the position for a wild cad birth. The Tampa Bay game, the second Dallas game, and the Vikings game are games that they lost that would have truly made a difference had they won those games.

[hail2skins]

I hate how people look through their WIN/LOSS glasses and see a LOSS as a LOSS rather then a potential WIN.... the Vikings game, we lost because of a block in the back on a punt return... the Texans game, we lost from great playmaking abilities by our opponents.... I mean some times things weren't meant to be, but that doesn't mean we didn't have the effort and talent it took to win, it was just being in bad place at a bad time OR major kudos to our opponents.

But if you do that, don't you also have to look at some of the wins we had as potential losses?

[HTTR F Dallas]

I thought our effort and fight were good. The players just are not big enough, fast enough, at enough positions to compete with a lot of NFL teams.

Some of the effort has been okay... the start of the season was fine and the last couple of games has been good... but those games in the middle, especially the Philly game were just sad... The product on the field was terrible...

[wrecker]

In order to win these close games we have to play much better in the first quarter and on third down to keep drives alive.

It always seems to take a quarter to a half to get our offense going.

In most cases we are fighting from behind against momentum and our defense is on the field way too much because the offense cannot play ball control.

The opposing offenses have way too many opportunities.

We cannot get pressure with a 3 man front on defense because we do not have the personnel.

This gives opposing QB's the ability to complete a 27 yard pass on 1st and 25.

On good teams the defenses need to make maybe 3 or 4 key stops to win the game.

Our team seems to need 8 to 10 for us to have a chance to win.

Our record is what we are. We lost a couple games we should have won and we were lucky to win a couple games we could have lost.

[HtownRocks111]

But if you do that, don't you also have to look at some of the wins we had as potential losses?

Not if you're a homer. :pfft:

[No_Pressure]

For all the losses which are potential wins we have wins which were potential losses. Look at it like this: We barely beat the Eagles the first time we played them, a guy dropped the game winner in the end zone. We barely beat the Packers when we played them after we injured half of their starters. We barely beat the Cowboys because of a holding penalty on the last play of the game and easily could have lost that one. We barely beat the Bears by 3 in spite of 4 INT's by one player. We barely beat Tennessee by a FG, we barely beat the Jaguars in OT.

Sure, 5 of our losses were by 5 points or less and its easy to say we should obviously be 11-4 right now. At the same time, every single one of our wins has been by 5 points or less. In fact, other than the Eagles game, every game we have won this year has been by 3 points. We haven't had a decisive victory this entire season. It is just as easy to say we should be 0-16 as it is to say we should be 11-4.

Is that true? No. Neither one of them is true. Perhaps it could be true with a good team which had some bad breaks. I think that the 2005 Redskins should have been more around 12-4 or 13-3 than 10-6 but they got screwed at major points in a number of losses. That team also had an offense in the top half of the NFL and a defense in the top 10 or top 5. This team has the worst defense in the NFL and a bottom half offense. We're lucky to be winning as many games as we are, and it can only be attributed to hard work by this coaching staff in my opinion.

I think in the end our record is accurate and indicative of where we are as a team. We're getting better, we're better than we were last year, but we're not good by any stretch at this point. We deserve to be a 6-10 or 7-9 team. Perhaps even 8-8 had we picked ourselves up faster but we didn't.

[skinsarethebest]

First, I want to say I don't think this team is playoff-worthy, and from a long term perspective, the best thing we can do is to draft high and get a franchise QB

But.... if you want to play this game, I guess you could say we were just three small plays away from being in the playoffs, or at least in prime position to secure a playoff spot

1) That Houston game should never have gone to OT, except for that ridiculous catch. And of course, without that ridiculous timeout, we actually had the gamewinning FG

2) If not for that boneheaded block in the back penalty on the Brandon Banks TD return in the Minnesota game, we would likely have won that one as well.

3) If not for that botched snap on the tying PAT in the Bucs game (which may or may not have been an OT win for us... who knows?), we might have won that one as well.

That's three more wins that basically hinged on one small miscue here or there.

So if we're 9-6 and playing the G-men this weekend, we obviously could be considered a team in the discussion for the playoffs.

Oh well.

Anyway, I like to think on the bright side. We do need a rebuild. Frankly, a "blowup" to be honest.

Let's hope we make some strides in the offseason and the draft.

Hail.

[HRNY4ZRNY]

I think with what Shanahan had this year I would say he did overall a good job.

We have found good players in Banks, Torrain, Keiland Williams, Trent Williams, Jamal Brown and Anthony Armstrong. All were not here the year before. Even Anthony Bryant has played pretty good.

Our O Line preformed better than last year. Heyor has even played better. Will Montgomery has shown he can be a good back up.

I think its good we arent settling on a QB. We have to trust Kyle and his father know what they want in a QB and we havent found it.

We have a ton of potential upgrades so we need to hope our 1st and 2nd round picks are homeruns.

And we need to go into free agency for free agents that are still young and fill in alot of defensive holes.

I dont think people remember just how bad we were with Zorn. Trying to run the ball in on the 1 yard line with Portis on stretch plays and not even getting a yard. The swinging gate and Campbell fumbling the ball all the time.

We have been more competetive this year in our losses.

Or biggest needs if we could only fill 7 positions are.

QB, C, G, WR, NT, DE, FS.

[Pick6]

McNabb was not the reason we really won any of our games this season.

[HtownRocks111]

I see where you guys are going... but the Vikings game we had that won... we won the game, we scored a friggin TD to win the game but it was called off. 7-8 we should be now....

Texans game- If we didn't blitz all of our friggin LB's, and had them help out in coverage, put our 2 best safeties/corners combination on Andre Johnson at the end of the game, we would've won that one as well. So now we are 8-7, and since the Giants are pretty much out of the playoffs, they may sit their allstars for Sunday's game and we could possibly walk out with a win there making us 9-7 on the year.

Shanny would have a smile. McNabb would have a smile. Hell, even Haynesworth might have a smile?

I'm a pleased fan with our effort this year. If Landry hadn't gotten injured, I feel we would've won the Cowboys and Buccs game as well.

[ginsu101]

I hate how people look through their WIN/LOSS glasses and see a LOSS as a LOSS rather then a potential WIN....

Thoughts???

This is the most important factor in a season. This is what determines if you have an oppotunity to make it to the post season and then into the SB. I do understand that potential is a factor during a rebuilding period. Coming off of a 4-12 season, I was excited so see Zorn and DMac come in here. My goal instantly became 8-8. Early on, excitement got the best of many of us, and we stated getting wide-eyed and thought we were better than we are. At 6-9, I'm not totally thrilled, but I am happy that we have shown some improvement. I'm not sure if it is the criticism that the Giants are facing now, are ability to start showing improvements on the field, or a combination of both, but I am not automatically counting Sunday's game as a loss.

[abdcskins]

The season was over when we lost to the Texans. That was like an ax straight to the heart. No recovering from that.

[coloradokid7]

I think we should look at the character and ego of Klanahan. Is it good for the Skins to give him more time when it’s obvious he has an ego that wasn’t checked when Pat Bowlen let him go. Benching Haynesworth and Mcnabb should have been handled better and for the benefit of the team you coach to get the best out of your players not the other way around.

Does Klanahan ever take accountability for anything or is it just me.

[HRNY4ZRNY]

I think we should look at the character and ego of Klanahan. Is it good for the Skins to give him more time when it’s obvious he has an ego that wasn’t checked when Pat Bowlen let him go. Benching Haynesworth and Mcnabb should have been handled better and for the benefit of the team you coach to get the best out of your players not the other way around.

Does Klanahan ever take accountability for anything or is it just me.

Things probably could of been handled better but I think this is one of the last concerns I have.

Are we getting ego confused with conviction? This teams needs a head coach doing things his way. Lets let the Haynesworth drama go. Its not Shanahans fault he had a player making WAY to much money.

Was the 3 4 a good fit... no way... But long term Id rather be in a 3 4 and see the fruits of this Defense in later years.

[justice98]

For all the losses which are potential wins we have wins which were potential losses

And there you have it. It's kinda crazy to only look at almost wins, but not almost losses. Or almost anything for that matter.

[FuriousD]

I'm backing Shanahan.

I'm satisfied with where we are given the complete overhaul we've undergone i.e. new GM, new coaching staff, new offensive and defensive schemes. Make no mistake, it's a tall order getting this franchise turned around and it's far from over. This team is talent depleted at just about every position.

I'm not interested in the coulda, woulda, shoulda game. We won some tough ones and lost some tough ones but in the end we just wore down. That will continue to happen untill we can get younger and deeper.

I have faith that Shanahan will continue to improve this team. We may not have a lot of draft picks again but Shanny seems to be able to ID diamonds in the rough; Banks, Armstrong, Williams for example. We are going to lean heavily FA's and UDFA's next year but ghe'll find some keepers and we'll be better for it.

Fight on, Sons of Washington!

[CurseReversed]

The season was over when we lost to the Texans. That was like an ax straight to the heart. No recovering from that.

I was at that game and it did feel like that scene in braveheart when mel gibson discovers his friend fighting against him. This redskins team is the only team that stuff like that happens too every year, and the team has to just suck it up and move on.

[Highway66]

How can you say we should have won the dallas game we were down 27-7

---------- Post added December-28th-2010 at 02:03 PM ----------

and we had no business winning the 1st dallas game... Those @$$holes giftwrapped that one 4 us same can be said for the Tennessee game

[seantaylor=god]

I'd like to think of this season's struggles as a blessing in disguise.

Look at our record and you see a terrible team with no future. Same thing if you look at our overall team age.

But the fact is we added legit players who were UDFA (Banks, Armstong, others). we've fixed any problems with the salary cap and are in prime position to take advantage of a strong FA class to find a few young starters. The last 2 years we have drafted excellent starters with All pro potential (Orakpo, Williams). We have quietly been building Oline depth ( Jammal Brown has looked better the last few weeks, and can be a stop gap, Lietchensteiger may not be a long term starter but he's close, Montgomery, Mike Williams may be back next year, other guys are working on the practice squad like Slevish Capers, Heyer as depth ). We have found pretty good rotation of backs moving forward (Torrain, Williams, possibly CP if he comes back for cheap, and Davis still is a possibility.)

People act like we're 3 years away, but if we can findt a few players in FA, the draft, and UDFA we will be more competitive next year, and fighting for the playoffs in 2 years. Improving the defense (part of which will occur naturally as we grow acclimated the 3-4, other part as a result of FA moves) and QB are the biggest question marks in my mind, and I would be shocked if we don't draft a QB in the first two rounds.

[Rypien1191]

Is this serious?

We won 3 of our 6 games on an OT FG. We won one because a holding penalty saved us, one because a TD was dropped, and one because Cutler gave us 4 picks and Lovie didn't challenge a TD.

We did not win a game by more than 6 points. NO OTHER TEAM IN THE LEAGUE CAN SAY THAT.

Show me one game where we were clearly the better team. We only outgained our opponents in TWO GAMES all year (Ten, TB). That's an incredible statistic.

I'd say were lucky that we're anywhere near 6 wins.

[Crazy Levi]

Ok... let's say the balls bounced our way here...

Dallas (W) 1-0

Houston (L) 1-1

@St. Louis (L) 1-2

@Philadelphia (W) 2-2

Green Bay (W) 3-2

Indianapolis (L) 3-3

@Chicago (W) 4-3

@Detroit (L) 4-4

Philadelphia (L) 4-5

@Tennessee (W) 5-5

Minnesota (L) 5-6

@New York Giants (L) 5-7

Tampa Bay (L) 5-8

@Dallas (L) 5-9

@Jacksonville (W) 6-9

------------------------------------------------------------------

So we're 6-9 the way it stands right now. Only 3 of those games were losses by the end of the 3rd quater: Philly (2nd game vs them), St. Louis, and the New York Giants...

Houston, Indianapolis, Detroit, Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Dallas.... we HAD those games.

That's 6 games that could've gone our way... all of them except the Colts game we should have won.

So this is how I see it.... there is 5 losses that should've been wins, that would make us 11-4 right now, in first in the NFC-East with a weak team, McNabb would be looked at as God, and everything would be different.

I hate how people look through their WIN/LOSS glasses and see a LOSS as a LOSS rather then a potential WIN.... the Vikings game, we lost because of a block in the back on a punt return... the Texans game, we lost from great playmaking abilities by our opponents.... I mean some times things weren't meant to be, but that doesn't mean we didn't have the effort and talent it took to win, it was just being in bad place at a bad time OR major kudos to our opponents.

This team has impressed me, given our personel, and I'd hate to see McNabb not get a fair chance behind a revamped team next year.

Thoughts???

My thoughs are we play the "bouncing ball" game every year, and most "bad" teams in the NFL can do the same thing.

Long story short, we are what our record says. The ball could have easily bounced the other way in our 3 OT wins and we could have lost those. Seriously, you'd have to be insane to watch this team play this year and see an 11-4 team. Are you kidding me?!?!?!

The Skins were a crappy team this season, just like they were last season, and haven't really improved. In fact, through the disastrous McNabb trade, we are again well behind where we started the year.

Next year is the real barometer. We'll see if there's actually been any strides made THIS year, next year. I'm excited about the sudden youth movement, but it should have happened in August, not December.