Still Time For This Redskins Season To Not Feel Like A Redskins Season

[kleese]

Win totals and post season appearances are on obvious measuring stick, but for me personally, I judge a season based on a more subjective and longterm approach. At the end of each of my teams' seasons I ask the following questions:

1. Was it fun? Did I enjoy the games and all that goes with it pre and post game? Was it enjoyable and if so, for how long?

2. Do I feel good about how it ended and what it sets up for the future.

This is hardly based strictly on wins. As an example, I felt much better after the 1995 season (6-10) than I did after the 2000 season (8-8). 2004 at 6-10 felt rather promising wheras 5-11 in 2006 felt like a disaster.

Last year was awful; one of the worst ever for me. Similar to 2003 and 2009. And all too often over these 20+ years a season has ended and I felt an emptiness about it.

Right now, I'm still holding on. I've enjoyed this season on sort of a conditionally level I suppose. I never felt we'd contend this year and my hopes were to compete, improve, and grow. Of course you always hold out hope of making a run. Those hopes ended with the Giants loss, so I downshifted.

At 1-5, if you told me we'd get to 4-6 I would have taken that in a heartbeat. And now we are a home win over TB from getting there.

This season could still go either way. It could unravel and we could finish 4-12 and look hapless. Or maybe we pull out a few and go 7-9 and have done real positives to take away. Winning still matters to me this year even if it won't amount to much in the grand scheme of the standings.

Like every fan I want Gruden to succeed. And he will have a better chance of succeeding if his message is received and absorbed. And it's much easier to absorb that message when you win. When players see a plan culminate like it did in Dallas, it can slowly help change the culture. But that momentum needs to be carried over. We made strides the past three weeks and then had a setback.

At 1-5, things felt like "same ole skins." Then for two weeks it was like "well, maybe not." And today it was like, "well, here we are again." So it's teetering. But I still have hope that we end 2014 feeling good. I'd say the Tampa game looms large in that regard.

[Isifhan]

It's hard to stay hyped for the future when the same stupid **** happens week in and week out both on and off the field from one regime to another. To me thats a problem that just won't get fixed without major changes.

I really like Gruden but if a factor of him keeping Haslett was because Snyder didn't want to be on the hook for yet another coaching salary for someone who would not be coaching well...even if he thought he could get by with Haslett we're still the same dysfunctional team.

Every week a new anonymous leak before a game. Or the PR person making a mockery of the team or reports of childish behavior by the players. At what point do you throw your hands up and say enough is enough.

Really finding it hard to get up anymore for the team. Sorry if I'm peeing in the proverbial cheerios but thats where I'm at.

[commyderm2]

I know you're not going to like my response to this, but there are no moral victories against the Vikings.

[hail2skins]

I hear you Ed, and I'm still looking for us to have a relatively decent finish, around 7-9 or something.  Sheesh, though, I'm getting so sick of these seasons where we're just looking for a strong finish to salvage something of the season.  Feel really bad for the folks who are going to be trudging out to FedEx for divisional games in late December yet again that should be meaningful to the Skins but, sadly yet again, will not.

[kleese]

I know you're not going to like my response to this, but there are no moral victories against the Vikings.

Did not imply that.

[Koolblue13]

Half way through the season and I've already been cheering for our draft race competition.

[kleese]

I hear you Ed, and I'm still looking for us to have a relatively decent finish, around 7-9 or something. Sheesh, though, I'm getting so sick of these seasons where we're just looking for a strong finish to salvage something of the season. Feel really bad for the folks who are going to be trudging out to FedEx for divisional games in late December yet again that should be meaningful to the Skins but, sadly yet again, will not.

I'm over that. It's been my ES mantra this year. I'm not carrying my fan baggage with me anymore. For me, this regime started THIS year with a lot of work to do. My goal was to go 7-9/8-8 and make positive strides and develop real strengths with the idea of making it easier to then address the weaknesses. I'm on the fence on this season right now. It could still go either way. It's still holding my interest reasonably enough at this moment.

[worldpost]

Sometimes being a Redskin fan is like resetting the Madden Franchise mode.. over and over and over..

Luckily I remember Gibbs 1.0..

[kleese]

Half way through the season and I've already been cheering for our draft race competition.

With 7 games left, I still think compiling wins and momentum is more important than draft slot. If it gets down to 2-3 games and we are looking miserable then I'll be with you.

[Rodriggo]

Knowing this team it beats TB by three then plays SF to the last possession but loses, then Luck throws for 600 yards prompting the anti-Rg3ers also known as "The League of Extraordinay Gentlemen" to quit on him for the 20th time, beating down all the rest of us as we try and find a silver lining in the stretch run at 4-8.

[drowland]

3-6 is the "same ole skins."  They've started out 3-6 five out of the last six years.  

[hail2skins]

For me, this regime started THIS year with a lot of work to do. My goal was to go 7-9/8-8 and make positive strides and develop real strengths with the idea of making it easier to then address the weaknesses. I'm on the fence on this season right now. It could still go either way. It's still holding my interest reasonably enough at this moment.

Ed, I didn't have high expectations either, but what's getting really old is this team not even providing any sort of pleasant surprise at the halfway point record-wise. True, Zorn missed the playoffs in '08, but at least his 6-2 start had folks jazzed.  And Gibbs had two 5-3 starts that ultimately ended in playoff appearances.  Since '08, though.......a bunch of crap starts which would require miracle runs in all of those seasons to make the postseason.....thankfully we got one in 2012, but unfortunately provided no carryover to 2013. 

3-6 is the "same ole skins."  They've started out 3-6 five out of the last six years.  

Disgusting.  I'll always love the Skins, but this is getting nauseating. And we were a glorious 4-5 in the other season (2010).

[kleese]

Ed, I didn't have high expectations either, but what's getting really old is this team not even providing any sort of pleasant surprise at the halfway point record-wise. True, Zorn missed the playoffs in '08, but at least his 6-2 start had folks jazzed. And Gibbs had two 5-3 starts that ultimately ended in playoff appearances. Since '08, though.......a bunch of crap starts which would require miracle runs in all of those seasons to make the postseason.....thankfully we got one in 2012, but unfortunately provided no carryover to 2013.

Disgusting. I'll always love the Skins, but this is getting nauseating. And we were a glorious 4-5 in the other season (2010).

I'm looking to go the OTHER way this year. In 2003, 2006, 2008, 2010... We got off to solid or at least acceptable starts and then faded badly late. Add 1996, 1997, and 2000 to that mix as well. All of those seasons ended with a sunk feeling because we got progressively worse. This year, I'd feel good if we finish out 4-3 or even 3-4 (depending on circumstance) and feeling like the team got better as the season went on.

I'm over the self-loathing Redskins fan shtick. Yes, it sucks that we've sucked forever but brinkng up Norv, Spurrier, Zorn, Shanny does me no good now.

[Koolblue13]

With 7 games left, I still think compiling wins and momentum is more important than draft slot. If it gets down to 2-3 games and we are looking miserable then I'll be with you.

I've never quit on us so early, but I give up.

[campbellcooleyconnection]

Hazless needs to be gone yesterday.Paulsen,Golston,Bowen,Biggers,Chester,Lauvou,Polombus need to go.Ryan Clark is washed up,we need young quick athletic safety & DE Badly!!jarvis Jenkins meh.....Murphy already looks better than bust Orakpo.

[hail2skins]

What made this game so galling was that it played it relatively similar in fashion to last season's game. Going into both games we had just won thrilling OT games (San Diego last year, Dallas this year) and early in both Viking games we were in control.  Then all of a sudden the defense can't stop anyone and RG3 is getting tons of pressure.  I think the only difference was one of the games was played in a dome.

[kleese]

What made this game so galling was that it played it relatively similar in fashion to last season's game. Going into both games we had just won thrilling OT games (San Diego last year, Dallas this year) and early in both Viking games we were in control. Then all of a sudden the defense can't stop anyone and RG3 is getting tons of pressure. I think the only difference was one of the games was played in a dome.

Almost identical situations. And that was the game where I checked out last year. Last year, there were no moral victories ending strong coming off a division title. Shanny was a lame duck and I had incredibly low interest in watching those last seven games. This year is different. I don't think Gruden is hopeless; therefore I'm rooting for them to build some hope.

[Stormy]

What made this game so galling was that it played it relatively similar in fashion to last season's game. Going into both games we had just won thrilling OT games (San Diego last year, Dallas this year) and early in both Viking games we were in control. Then all of a sudden the defense can't stop anyone and RG3 is getting tons of pressure. I think the only difference was one of the games was played in a dome.

Thank you! I said all game long that I felt like I was watching a rerun of last year's Minnesota game and that I knew how that movie ended. One of the many plagues of having Haslett at DC, he never learns from his blunders. The Vikes have a new staff, a new QB and new skill position players all over, but the result was the same because of one constant... Jim Haslett!

To the original post, I don't see eye to eye with Kleese on a number of individual issues this year (i.e. I was not relieved when RG3 got hurt, I didn't expect anything of note from Cousins, I do think Haslett is a major problem for us and one of the worst employed DCs in the NFL etc...). However, I am with him in tossing the baggage from the past and hoping Jay Gruden and some of the youthful talent can build something as the season progresses.

The reason it's hard not to carry baggage from the past with the Skins is that they didn't really turn the page, 50-60% of the front office and coaching staff are still here from the debacle 24-40 run of the previous 4 years. We didn't even get a true fresh start, and we are already paying for it.

[hail2skins]

Almost identical situations. And that was the game where I checked out last year. Last year, there were no moral victories ending strong coming off a division title. Shanny was a lame duck and I had incredibly low interest in watching those last seven games. This year is different. I don't think Gruden is hopeless; therefore I'm rooting for them to build some hope.

I was at the game in Philly following the Viking debacle last season and was disgusted seeing the team sleepwalk to a 24-0 deficit thru three quarters before the late rally fell short. I knew Shanny had to go after that game.

 

Both Jay and RG3 will be here in 2015 and there'll be hope next year no matter what. I just wish for once this team would give us something to be juiced about earlier in the season, instead of praying for miracles.

[emor09]

Honestly, the only good thing that can come out of this season is if RG3 plays 7 awesome games and we know he is the QB of the future. 

[Sticksboi05]

No, it's another Redskins season.  Last place - check, terrible record - check, playoffs require a miracle run - check, media controversy - check.

 

What's different?

[campbellcooleyconnection]

This team will have turned a corner when we can all stop calling things before they happen.Today who didn't see D giving up 7 after the int or letting Vikes March effortlessly for 2 80 yd td drives.how bout a debacle 2 pt try & 2 pt conversion with ease by Vikes?i know this team all too well,sad I can predict the script hours before inevitable final result.

[zCommander]

No, it's another Redskins season.  Last place - check, terrible record - check, playoffs require a miracle run - check, media controversy - check.

 

What's different?

 

The last game of the season is against Dallas. So was in 2012 for the division.

[Cooleyfan1993]

The last game of the season is against Dallas. So was in 2012 for the division.

yeah, but wanna know whats different about that game and week 17 this season? week 17 this season wont end with the redskins going to the playoffs.

[pjfootballer]

I'm dead inside. Even when we pull out miracle wins I feel like I've gone 12 rounds with bubba in a 6 x 6 prison cell. They are not fun to watch anymore and at this point I'd rather have a weekly root canal on a different tooth each time. Lowest I've ever been as a fan with zero hope for the future: