Too early to consider Week 2, One of "THOSE" games?

[Crazy Levi]

There are no trap games. The Redskins have been picked by most as a last place team.

And it's week two.

And it's a rebuilding year.

There are no must wins or trap games.

[jaydogg3eb]

The Cardinals are 1-0 as well, and they scored more points than the Skins did lol...why would this qualify as a trap game?

This post just absolutely fails on so many levels. First off, as others have pointed out, both teams scored 28 points. Second, Arizona just beat a team (by only 1 TD I might add) that had the first overall pick in the draft. We just beat the Giants, who even when injured, have a strong defense. May God have mercy on your soul.

[Duckus]

This game will tell me a lot about this team.

In recent years (the past decade) we would absolutely lose this game. If we win this game I think we will see our team "turn the corner" and be considered a "decent" team. I would up my prediction to 8-8 or 9-7 from 7-9.

I have no idea what will happen on Sunday, but I am excited.

[bathory]

Nicely put.

I don't think the Redskins will see the same Cardinals defense. Not by a long shot. However, travel can hamper the Cardinals. Additionally, I have to once again point out that I was never all that impressed with Kolb. I just hope the Cards' seemingly resurgent ground game and ground defense doesn't present major matchup issues.

Beanie has been hitting the hole quicker and harder than ever and our run blocking has been solid.

We held Williams/Stewart to 2.7 ypc. That, plus the Grossman/Newton mobility comparison means that if all things hold, we will be forcing the Redskins to beat us via Grossman's arm. Should be an interesting matchup after each team's week one games.

We'll see if Fitz can get open. Watch out for Heap, too.

The D should be improving. Before last week's game our DC said our whole D hadn't even been installed yet and it showed and sunday with blown coverages.

[addicted]

It doesn't matter what reality is. This is a team that, prior to this season at least, has a repeated pattern of behavior of playing below the level of a poor opponent after a big win against a contender. You'd have to go around smacking 10 years worth of Redskins rosters to get your point across

No see that's the difference between you and me

I don't give a damn what teams who played for losers like Jim Zorn or Steve Spurrier did

The past is no indication of what happens Sunday

This is a Coach Shanahan run team

Did we have a trap game last year in week 2 against Houston after a big week one game?

Some of you would think so but truth about that game was that

1. McNabb had his best output of the season

2. We scored more points in that game then all the rest of the year

3. We could have won it except Gano missed 2 FG's

4. We went to Overtime

5. The Texans don't suck

Now some of you would argue that we did fall into a trap last year but I disagree

We were beaten last season by the better Team week two

And we like Gibbs would say "played our guts out" but came up oh so Gano short of winning

Someone else want to lay down some "trap game" crap under Coach Shanahan's watch?

Its not going to happen and if the team thinks they've done any thing yet and needs an asswhooping reminder I hope they get it

But something tells me they don't

[TD_washingtonredskins]

Someone else want to lay down some "trap game" crap under Coach Shanahan's watch?

I don't really have a horse in the race with this debate, but you could point to the loss to the 1-5 Lions after a big win at Chicago to climb to 4-3. We had a shot to go into the bye week 5-3 and well-positioned (at the time, at least) for a run to the playoffs. Instead, we played horribly and were really only in the game thanks to a great day from Banks. You could also point to our week 3 loss to the winless Rams after we had our collapse against the Texans. Basically, we had outplayed two pretty good teams (we thought, at the time) for 7 quarters and were one play here or there away from being 2-0. We went into St. Louis and got lit up for 30 against an offense that had scored 13 and 14 points respectively.

You could consider those trap games for sure. I don't really buy into the trap game theory, but I'd like to read your thoughts on those two games.

[NoCalMike]

I'll say that it is trap game not necessarily because of what kind of team the Cardinals may or not be, but because the game against the Giants is the type of win that can get a team on an emotional high and leave them unfocused, especially with a showdown @ Dallas waiting in the wings for Week 3......you can't say THAT game is not already on some minds....

The Cardinals game is sandwiched in between 2 NFC EAST divisional games, against heated rivals, one of which we just beat for the first team in a while, and the other is the #1 rival, and it is on national TV.

Regardless if you think we are better, worse, the same as the Cardinals, it would not be out of the question to be concerned that the team could be overlooking the Cardinals. Not in terms of X's & O's or being prepared, but emotionally and mentally being checked out.

All it takes is to not be focused for a half or even a quarter and before you know it, the team is 1-1. Lets not act like we haven't seen this before right when we thought the team had finally started to look impressive. It happens. I hope it doesn't this time, that is all I am saying.

[addicted]

It's not a matter of being excited, its a matter of history ideally not repeating itself. We play up to teams who are considered "better" than us and seem to play down to teams that are on the same level or worse.

The issue the OP is bringing up is avoiding a repeat of last season. We were coming off a Week 1 high against Dallas, new coach, new systems, new QB, looked great against Texans for 3 quarters, and then had a complete meltdown, and it went downhill the rest of the season.

Relax.

Oh please...please...please answer this

In year one under Coach Shanahan

We beat the Superbowl Champions

We beat the NFC Title game runner ups

We beat the Cow****es

We beat the NFC East Division winners

No one can argue that

Neither can anyone argue that we lost 10 games on the year but 6 of those losses were by 4 or less points

Again no one can argue that with me. So when exactly were we "playing down to our competion" last year?

What happened under another coaches watch doesn't mean jack crap under this one. Stop using the sins of the past as some sort of crutch argument...

[E-Dog Night]

30 posts and no Admiral Akbar yet?

[TheItalianStallion]

In recent years (the past decade) we would absolutely lose this game.

If I'm not mistaken the last time we lost to Arizona was in 2000 (over a decade ago). We swept them in 2001 (their final year in the NFCE). We beat them in 2002, 2005, 2007, & 2008. Did we play them in 2004? Can't remember for sure. There's been a lot of talk about the NYG's 6 game win streak over us, but if I'm remembering correctly, we have a 6 or so game win streak of our own over Arizona. So yeah, we've pretty much owned the Cards over this decade.

I see your point but that was an unfortunate choice of words.

[GibbsFactor]

The team went in on their day off to prepare for this game. /thread.

[addicted]

I don't really have a horse in the race with this debate, but you could point to the loss to the 1-5 Lions after a big win at Chicago to climb to 4-3. We had a shot to go into the bye week 5-3 and well-positioned (at the time, at least) for a run to the playoffs. Instead, we played horribly and were really only in the game thanks to a great day from Banks. You could also point to our week 3 loss to the winless Rams after we had our collapse against the Texans. Basically, we had outplayed two pretty good teams (we thought, at the time) for 7 quarters and were one play here or there away from being 2-0. We went into St. Louis and got lit up for 30 against an offense that had scored 13 and 14 points respectively.

You could consider those trap games for sure. I don't really buy into the trap game theory, but I'd like to read your thoughts on those two games.

The Detroit game last year was what's often called "running into a buzzsaw" game

For one the scheduling Gods at work hurt us bigtime in that one

Don't have time to look this stat up but look up records for home teams winning the week after a bye

It's like an 85-90% win ratio, The Lions were rested and coming off a bye and were hungier to win the second game of the year after they played 8 already

And it was Matt Staffords first game playing since being injured week one and first complete game of his in 2011

The final score was 37-25...but if you recall when Rex Grossman went into the game in the 4th Quarter the score was actually 30-25, one score game

Rex comes in to lead a 4th Quarter comeback fumbles the ball Suh picks it up for a TD and it's over

Otherwise it's another game that's closer then a single TD to a team that considering they just had a bye week, it was an away game for us on Halloween, and the return of Stafford didn't help any

The Rams game was a hangover game from the team losing the week before

I don't consider that a trap game because we lost at home the week before

By nature a trap game is when the team riding high and crashes...not low because of a loss and gets smoked like we did

[Duckus]

If I'm not mistaken the last time we lost to Arizona was in 2000 (over a decade ago). We swept them in 2001 (their final year in the NFCE). We beat them in 2002, 2005, 2007, & 2008. Did we play them in 2004? Can't remember for sure. There's been a lot of talk about the NYG's 6 game win streak over us, but if I'm remembering correctly, we have a 6 or so game win streak of our own over Arizona. So yeah, we've pretty much owned the Cards over this decade.

I see your point but that was an unfortunate choice of words.

My point has nothing to do with the opponent, but the situation.

1) Favored by Vegas

2) A chance to make a statement

3) "Easy" game after a tough win

4) Playing a "weak" defense that somehow ****s us up and shuts us down.

[addicted]

It's not a matter of being excited, its a matter of history ideally not repeating itself. We play up to teams who are considered "better" than us and seem to play down to teams that are on the same level or worse.

The issue the OP is bringing up is avoiding a repeat of last season. We were coming off a Week 1 high against Dallas, new coach, new systems, new QB, looked great against Texans for 3 quarters, and then had a complete meltdown, and it went downhill the rest of the season.

Relax.

If you think that we weren;t far worse then the Texans last season personnel wise then watch some football please

The fact is that we weren't nearly as talented last season as they were - Leading NFL rusher, top WR in the game, please...

It's a testament to Coach Shanahan that we were even in that game

And it's a loss that we shouldn't have had and only did because of our sorry ass kicker Gano

Soemtimes you can do everything right but a guy who does nothing will come in and lose it for ya

That's what happened. We weren't on the Texans level last year and the fact we almost won it to me says how great of a job our coach did with that team

[FLRedskins]

Skins we'll be well prepared for this game they know Kolb well

[RansomthePasserby]

Here's a few things that give me hope this ISN'T a trap game.

1) We beat the Giants soundly, with three offensive TD in the first game of the season. In previous opening games, we would win or lose by a couple points and wouldn't score more than 19. This year, we dominated them and went for the jugular in the second half. Continuing to score even when the opposition doesn't is a sign, in my eyes at least, that this team is more focused on winning than in previous years.

2) By all accounts, the players seem focused on going to work and getting the job done, even after a great division win. The calm locker room after the game and Cancelling "Victory Monday" are examples of this.

3) This is a young team that looks like it's going out there with something to prove. No more McNabbs and Haynesworths just looking for a payday.

4) No doubt Tim Hightower will have his head on straight playing against the Cardinals. He wants to beat his old team, and I'm willing to bet he's going to help keep the Redskins focused for this game.

[WSHRedskins3ATLBraves3]

Regardless, we are both 1-0 and we certainly do not have room to talk after our last decade. Lets just keep growing what we've got going

Exactly. Growth is the key.

This team is improving rapidly, but we've still got a ways to go. Let's stay hungry and get to 2-0 against Arizona.

[ukvillaskin]

I don't think they'll be complacent for the Arizona game. They've got a different look about them...I didn't watch the Giants game through gritted teeth as I usually do, waiting for something to go badly wrong. The team has different characters in it this season, they have more dependable players by the looks of it. I think they'll play well again.

[AsburySkinsFan]

The Arizona Cardinals of the last 5 years do not equal the Arizona Cardinals of old, we look past them at our peril.

[Rocky52Mc]

You know exactly what I am talking about.

Big win over division rival at home, team is probably feeling good, the press is has been pretty high on their performance overall.

...and here comes an average team from the NFC West, the Arizona Cardinals.

Traditionally West Coast teams coming to the East to play an early game do not get very good odds.

I can remember last year, being up 2 scores on the Texans, I really felt the 'Skins were on their way to 2-0....then a collapse happened.

Is anyone considering this game one of those dreaded "Trap" games?

This is going to be one of those games that could be a great indicator about how much this team has grown from last season. How much the culture has changed.

1-0 is not good enough for the NFL, the NFC, or even the NFC East.

The 'Skins MUST prove they can be consistent and that begins this week with the Cardinals.

You go out to win the game, plain and simple. The redskins refused to take a day off this week, so there own confidence is being confined. I don't think you can call this a trap game.

[thehogs]

Well we are pretty much average too just like the OP said of the Cardinals. They have some solid players just like us and I expect a tough game that we are perfectly capable of winning.

[Mr. Sinister]

I'd love to go back and look at this for clarification, but specifically pretaining to this board, everytime we win comfortably, we always end up playing a "lesser team" a week later, in which case someone starts a trap game/potential trap game thread, and we end up either struggling, or flat out getting our asses handed to us. It's too early to know what to expect, way too early

So yeah, it's too early to call this a trap game.

[Spear]

I wonder if there's an analogous thread on the Cardinals message board. Are we THEIR "trap" team?

[Mr. Sinister]

I wonder if there's an analogous thread on the Cardinals message board. Are we THEIR "trap" team?

Someone provided a link to one of their threads, and it looked like the consensus was that we were fairly beatable. I'm not sure I'd be so confident when my defense just made Newton look like Warren Moon in his first NFL start.

[braindx]

Arizona offense only put up 14 points after the Panthers lost Jon Beason on the 3rd offensive play of the game.

I don't think their O is that great yet. And it looks like their D has some issues giving up 422 yds to Newton and blowing a bunch of coverages.

Very winnable game IMO. We just have to do it.