Tarhog Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 I’m going to say something that is entirely illogical and counter-intuitive. Sunday’s road clash against the St. Louis Rams is a crucial game for the Washington Redskins. Crucial, you say? Are you kidding? It’s Week 2 of the NFL season – there’s no such thing as a ‘crucial’ game this early in the season. And what might an early road win against St. Louis really mean anyway, given just how hapless, hopeless, and just plain bad these Rams have been? We’re talking about a St. Louis team that’s gone 15-65 over the previous 5 seasons, eeking out a 2-14 record in 2011. In their 2012 home opener, the Rams will be trying desperately to avoid their 9th straight regular season loss. This is a game even a still-rebuilding Redskins team should win. But Redskins fans are already busy making mental preparations for the alternative. Like Pavlov’s dog, we’ve been conditioned to expect that bell to ring, and see our Redskins underperform and lose just when the rational part of our mind tells us they should be turning the corner. We’ve got a ready-made list of excuses that rise with ease to our lips: RG3 is our future, but he’s still a rookie quarterback who’s going to make rookie mistakes. We don’t have an offensive line. Our secondary sucks. It’s Jim Haslett’s fault. Unless it’s Danny Smith’s fault. Cundiff sucks – Gano would’ve made that kick. You know what I mean. If we lose tomorrow, we’ll generally chalk it up to ‘business as usual’ for a team that occasionally shows promise but still isn’t ready for prime time. But that’s why the Redskins really need to win tomorrow against an inferior Rams team. At some point, if you’re ever, ever going to be relevant again, you have to shed your inner demons and start winning the games you should win again. And for the Washington Redskins, this is the season to start doing that. The harsh reality is, in today’s NFL, there just aren’t many patsies out there. ‘Easy’ wins are hard to come by. Just look at the worst teams the Redskins have played over the past couple of seasons, teams like the Panthers, Dolphins, Vikings, Rams, and Bucs. More often than not – these are out-of-division teams we’ve lost to. With general parity across the league, and steadily tougher competition in the NFC East, beating weaker teams you should beat isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. Many Redskins fans have staked their position and set a lower bar for these 2012 Redskins. We’re rebuilding, and anything close to a .500 record this year equals progress. Coming off a brutal 5-11 record last year, it’s hard to argue the point. But it’s also true that any Redskins fan with a pulse watching last weekend’s impressive performance, no matter how hard they tried not to, had a tiny whisper of a thought creep into their consciousness… ‘What if….?’ What if the Redskins are that team this year? What if they are the team that, inexplicably and shockingly, moves to the next level? Sea changes don’t happen often, but they eventually happen for every franchise. It wasn’t long ago that San Francisco was just awful. Then suddenly, they weren’t. Ditto Detroit. Every year, some NFL team redefines the landscape and pecking order of their division. Is it likely that this year’s Redskins team is that kind of team and that this season will be that moment for them? Whether or not ‘the time is now’ or John Madden’s RG3-related gushings represent truth or a couple too many Miller Lites, anyone who watched last week’s surprising Redskins win over a supposedly superior Saints team came away with one conclusion. This Redskins team is different. Whether it’s Shanahan and Allen magic finally taking hold in year 3, the impact of a youth movement nearly across the board, or RG3's tide lifting all boats, there’s something happening in DC. That’s why Sunday’s game, against a bad St. Louis team in Week 2, matters. It’s a chance to reinforce the notion that there’s not just a new sheriff in town, but a new tradition building in DC. And they call it ‘winning’. To read more BGO.C.D. blog entries, click HERE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LD0506 Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 With a rook QB, a top shelf- high dollar- even higher expectations rook QB, every single game this season will be crucial. Allowing Griffin to determine the path his career will take, wins and losses, highlights and bloopers, means that there are 16 classes in the "Further Education of Robert Griffin" as taught by Shanahan & Co., and we'll see what the next one brings. Yeah, I'm a longtime fan, suffered, cried, screamed plenty over the last decade and I need a franchise QB like a junkie needs a fix, but more importantly we need the new kid with the crazy socks to be allowed to grow into himself, so yeah, I think the Rams game is crucial but maybe not exactly the way you meant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarhog Posted September 15, 2012 Author Share Posted September 15, 2012 When I reference 'crucial', I'm not really speaking about Griffin LD...it's crucial that the Redskins start demonstrating the kind of consistency that allows them to beat teams they should beat. 'Any Given Sunday' may ultimately be true, but perennial playoff contenders and the NFL's 'haves' beat the teams they should the majority of the time. I agree that we should expect to, and likely will, see some ups and downs in RG3s development. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Est.1974 Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 I actually extend this to the next three games. What a chance to lay our marker. And why not...Rams, Bengals ( gotta win your first home game, right?) then Bucs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarhog Posted September 15, 2012 Author Share Posted September 15, 2012 Yeah - I know we've had early season runs of late that resulted in exactly nothing (other than inflated expectations). But, setting aside the 'one game at a time' mantra (which is certainly worth repeating over, and over, and over), we have an opportunity to make some early noise if we play anything like we did in Week 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbs Hog Heaven Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 I seem to say this every time you do find the time in the busy, troublesome thing that is crazy modern day life to grace us with your presence T man; but I really wish it was more often like the old days. Another real enjoyable read Sir. I've been alluding to similar around these parts all week. If this REALLY is a new Redskin team, and not more of the tired 'same ol' same ol' ' that builds you up only to knock you flat on your ass the next game; then I agree it's IMPERATIVE we lay down our marker and put this woeful Rams team in it's rightful place. And with that very special young man under center who doesn't seemed phased by anything, who knows were this could lead if momentum really starts rolling ..... Hail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooterman Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Agreed 100%. Time to start winning the games we should win. Tomorrow is a start. HTTR! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarhog Posted September 16, 2012 Author Share Posted September 16, 2012 I seem to say this every time you do find the time in the busy, troublesome thing that is crazy modern day life to grace us with your presence T man; but I really wish it was more often like the old days. Another real enjoyable read Sir. I've been alluding to similar around these parts all week. If this REALLY is a new Redskin team, and not more of the tired 'same ol' same ol' ' that builds you up only to knock you flat on your ass the next game; then I agree it's IMPERATIVE we lay down our marker and put this woeful Rams team in it's rightful place. And with that very special young man under center who doesn't seemed phased by anything, who knows were this could lead if momentum really starts rolling ..... Hail. Hey, thanks GHH That means a lot. ES will always be 'home'. Truth is, I just don't have the time I used to spend on my 'obsession' - except on Sundays, that is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LD0506 Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 When I reference 'crucial', I'm not really speaking about Griffin LD...it's crucial that the Redskins start demonstrating the kind of consistency that allows them to beat teams they should beat. 'Any Given Sunday' may ultimately be true, but perennial playoff contenders and the NFL's 'haves' beat the teams they should the majority of the time.I agree that we should expect to, and likely will, see some ups and downs in RG3s development. Understood, and I agree with you about the whole team showing consistency and competence week in and week out. It will be sweet to get back to being a top tier team that you know will show up every week, but it's still a work in progress. This year I just want to see Griffin cutting his teeth on the pros, start all 16 without injury and anything more is gravy. But it is pretty obvious to anyone that actually follows this team that things have changed, now it's time to see some of that on Sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSSkinz Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Qb's in this league don't take 2 or 3 years to lead their teams to the playoffs when they have veteran teams. Peyton Manning and Stafford took more than a year and I think that had more to do with the talent level when they both were rookies as their teams weren't ready to win. You can make a long list of Qb's in the last 10 years that have come in as rookies and led their teams to the playoffs. The time is now! PS - This game scares me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redskindan07 Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 I will be scared if the Rams OL holds up against our pressure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinsfan1311 Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Good read. Winning a game in the NFL is hard and, for the most part, tough to win. Every single game is crucial. That being said...we beat the Rams, handily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olejoe Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 There is some probability that the Skins have turned a corner and that this time around they will win the games they should win if, for no other reason, the legacy and culture of past performances has been broken with the house cleaning that happened over the last 2 years. The current roster, with a few exceptions, don't really have a past. There should be no ghosts chasing them. The fan base lives with a legacy of losing, but the legacy of the current roster sort of started last week. A couple of markers will be indicators: Score from the Red Zone; Win the one they should; win the turnover stat; few 3 and outs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarhog Posted September 16, 2012 Author Share Posted September 16, 2012 I hear what you're saying olejoe, and I think its a good point. But you could also argue that the Redskins have cleaned house 3 or 4 times over the past 20 years,and losing to lesser opponents has been one of our more consistent tendencies. I'd like to see us shed that habit over the course of the next couple of years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyvern Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Wow! I agree totally with the OP -- 100% It's time for the Skins to show that they are a force to be reckoned with -- and that they are a cut above those perennial cellar-dwelling teams. This team is young, talented, and hungry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD_washingtonredskins Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Good thread. I think we do need to start being more consistent in games we "should" win. Every team loses games against bad teams (if not, we might have had a couple very bleak seasons over the past 15 years) but we need to make those fewer and further between. A solid, 10-point win in St. Louis would feel good and give this team a sense of legitimacy. Hopefully our D is ready to make it easy on the O. I am envisioning a game where our D gives them fits and we ask our O for 20 point, max. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redskindan07 Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Today will be very telling indeed about what we have Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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