Expected win totals know that FA (the important part) is finished as well as the draft?

[ComManDersFan57]

Hope I'm wrong. I picked 5 - 6. I'm always cautiously optimistic each new year but I don't see a turn around happening overnight. So far, we've done OK with FA and the draft but I don't think it's enough to right this sinking ship. More pieces to the puzzle are needed and the team needs to play smarter. There were countless mistakes on both sides of the ball last year. Unless the new coaches can address this, we're in for more of the same.

[mike42]

We could finish as the league's worst teams. It may get worse before it gets better.

 

The victories of the front office doesn't translate to immediate success.  Even though I think we had a brilliant/safe off season. I still think we are feeling the effects under the Shanahan era. Like what Scott said, we are still far away.

 

Barry will not turn around this defense. At least, not immediately.

 

I see another year of the QB carousel.

 

2016 is when i expect to see serious improvements. I'm hoping we are patient with Gruden because most of this mess isn't his fault.

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

I'm not getting my hopes up so hoping for 4-5 wins. It's the same thing every single year on these forums. Last year during FA and Draft you could have sworn our defense was going to be top 3 according to these forums. We were pretty much 100% playoff bound last year no doubt. "What a breathe of fresh air this draft was", "Bruce is really learning how to draft", "Dan is becoming a real owner", "Haz finally has his pieces in place for an elite defense", "Our Dline is going to be a monster this year". Same thing every year and our team comes out and ****s the bed. What is so different with SM? Nothing.

I just can't see this team turning around in 1 year with SM. I'm not saying I don't believe in SM (I think he could be the best thing to happen to us), but I'm not getting my hopes up as this offseason had 0 differences from last year. And we still have the RG3 factor. Is 2012 RG3 going to show up, or last years RG3.

End thread.

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

Also, this team better get its **** together and quick.

Holtby, Wall, Ovi, Beal, and Bryce are ready to break out

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Also, this team better get its **** together and quick.

Holtby, Wall, Ovi, Beal, and Bryce are ready to break out

 

I have NO clue what you just said but if we're breaking guys out, can I be the driver?

 

And head of PR. We don't want to put our plans on record just in case they go wrong. 

 

Hail. 

[CBass1724]

Come on, guys!  Connor Halliday will lead us to the promised land!  We'll be 13-3, with a first round bye.  Those 3 losses will be in weeks 1 through 3 when Bobby Griffin is our leader.

 

Lock it up.  Championship.

[LD0506]

Too early to say, I'll get back to ya later once camp starts, but I would bet we don't pick in the Top 10 in next year's draft.

[jflow78]

A bit more reserved then WashPo poll that on average had the team reaching 9 wins I believe.

 

I think everyone is a bit more optimistic around this time of year, that's why I'd like to compare this poll to one right after the preseason. A) we should have a better idea of what the team looks like as a whole/playing together,  we'll see if the optimism has subsided a bit. 

Eh, I think expectations only get more ridiculous as we go through the preseason games because there seems to be a large portion of the fan base that, even though they know the games don't count and everything is vanilla, that suddenly think we're going to look awesome during the season.

 

I said 6 wins last year and was disappointed. I'm sticking with 6 wins this year and hopefully I'll be on target or they'll outdo my prediction.

 

I have to say, though I'm pessimistic about the season, I love the direction the team has taken.

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

I have NO clue what you just said but if we're breaking guys out, can I be the driver?

And head of PR. We don't want to put our plans on record just in case they go wrong.

Hail.

Those are just the 5 young gods that currently own DC sports by actually ya know winning

[illone]

7-8 wins

[Butters20]

I want to say 7 or 8, but we didn't address the OL with the moves needed for me to believe we can be. Sure we got Scherff and Williams, but not much hope beyond that. Not gonna be good enough for Rg3 to grow behind. Which means we'll need a new QB next year.

 

I'm going with 5 or 6 tops. I think we will be better this year, but we will still have a top 12 pick next year.

[Veretax]

I'm pessimistic because unless the offense can find a way to establish rhytmn early in the season, we will be hard pressed to win 6 games this year.

[illone]

Whenever the fans think the team will suck they come out and do better than expected.  When we think the team will win 10 games, they stink up the joint.

 

Most of us are thinking 8 wins, so maybe we will be right for once HA!

 

A new Defense is easier to transition than a new offense, which now we are in year two of, so I dont think having a new D will stop the Skins from being good.  If I remember right, under the first year of Gregg Williams this team was a top 10 D.

[Koolblue13]

End thread.

end thread? Why?

End it because its far to early?

End it because a 3 letter word is misspelled in the title?

End it because its a thread of pussified pessimism?

There is no way we don't challenge for the division this year.

[Reaper Skins]

I'm less concerned with our final win/loss total than I am with how we finish out games.  As terrible as our record was last season, we had a LOT of games that we were still in until the final few minutes.  Not to shamelesly plug my own thread, but if you go check out the Conspiracy thread I have quite a few examples from last season where one bad play or missed officiating call was the turning point for us that we couldn't overcome and let the game slip away.  Seeing how much emphasis our GM is putting into toughness and every down hard work and consistency, I'm hoping that some of these last minute meltdowns that we've all gotten used to in recent history start to evaporate or turn in our favor.  Looking at last season, there are at least 5 games that could have gone in our favor very easily had we gotten out of our own heads and just played a full 60 minutes.  As long as we show up for the full game and leave it all on the field this seaon, I could care less what the W/L column adds up to.  I just want to see some effort...

 

Week 1 - Was 6 Hou 17

 

Niles Paul fumble (looks like Grant got the ball last but possession awarded to Texans)

http://www.nfl.com/v...-Kendrick-Lewis

 

Week 3 - Was 34 Phi 37

 

4th quarter, Chris Baker makes a legal hit (he was not fined for it) on Nick Foles after he throws an interception, fight breaks out, both Chris Baker AND Trent Williams are ejected, compared to just Jason Peters on the Eagles (even though Peters instigated and was fined while Williams was not fined at all).  After review, the interception is overturned and possession is awarded to Eagles.  A few plays later, an incomplete pass ruling on the field is ALSO overturned in favor of the Eagles, setting up a Maclin TD. Redskins end up losing by 3 points.

 

http://totalsportswi...ther-things-we/

 http://www.bleedingg...ashington-37-34

Some video footage

 http://www.nfl.com/n...or-week-3-fight

 

Week 6 Was 20 ARZ 30

 

Controversial 4th quarter fumble by Roberts costs us the game

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/football-insider/wp/2014/10/12/hochuli-explains-the-controversial-fourth-quarter-fumble/

 

Week 9 Was 26 MIN 39

 

RG3's first week back, Bus crash before game causes whiplash, injuries to players and coaches, we lose on goal line stance in 4th quarter

http://sports.yahoo....11968--nfl.html

http://ftw.usatoday....ns-bus-accident

 

Week 15 Was 13 NYG 24

 

Rg3 halftime touchdown overturned.  Moss gets ejected, ensuing penalties lead to Redskins meltdown, game over before 2nd half even starts

 

http://www.nj.com/gi...nging_play.html

http://www.nj.com/gi...ng_referee.html

Here's footage of the play as well

http://www.nfl.com/v...s-angry-at-call

 

I'm hoping that if we can start being a mentally tougher team (something our GM is clearly stressing this offseason), these kind of instances will be things we can overcome during games, rather than letting them define the whole day for us and kill our momentum.  Combined with our new strength and conditioning team, I'm cautiously optimistic that we can out tough at least a few opponents when we have those inevitable nailbiters that come down to the wire.

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

end thread? Why?

End it because its far to early?

End it because a 3 letter word is misspelled in the title?

End it because its a thread of pussified pessimism?

There is no way we don't challenge for the division this year.

Sure you said the same thing the last two years

[Koolblue13]

Sure you said the same thing the last two years

I'm a positive person, but this year is definitely different.

Why be a fan of something you don't enjoy?

[The Consigliere]

My max was 6 before FA, & it sits at 6 now. I want to rate us higher....at about 7, approaching 8; however, not only have many other teams also gotten better this offseason, but specifically the ones we get to face on our schedule.

Our schedule won't get any preseason "league's toughest schedule" marks...but i would venture a guess that come season's end, our schedule will be rated as one of the toughest.

 

 

Did you see that article before the draft about schedules, which honed in on an oft-ignored schedule difficulty teams have? Rest.

 

It noted that the redskins have the most games against well rested opponents in the NFL this year at 5. Indeed only two have 4, and only four have 3.

 

So basically in terms of well rested opponents, the schedules of NFL teams looks like this:

 

5 games-Washington

4 games-Seattle and Dallas

3 games-New England, Buffalo, San Diego, Kansas City

2=< The other 25 teams in the league 

 

That's pretty crazy, basically nearly 80% of the league has less than half as many games against well rested opponents as we do. 

 

So that's clearly a a major negative for us. 

 

SOS is middle of the pack at 18th, and if the Giants were to get back to previous standards it would be much tougher. Regardless, the schedule looks moderately tough in terms of opponents, incredibly tough in terms of patterns (a ton of road games late, the meat of the schedule has a bye, but it's also mostly loaded with potential bounce back teams, and the start has a lot of 50/50 games at home, but against teams likely to be healthy and ready to play), and completely wastes our bye week (good luck beating New England, in New England, with the Patriots needing to steam roll the rest of the league after Brady's suspension costs them a win or three early (Pittsburgh, @ Buffalo, and @ Dallas, if the 4 games hold up, all could easily be lost-ergo, no way to they lose to us at home). 

 

So right now, I look at that schedule, and it feels like 5 or 6 wins, and Vegas underlined that, by setting the over/under at 6, meaning you've either got a bet on us really disappointing, or us radically improving despite schedule difficulties, no solution at QB etc. 

 

Feels like unless RGIII rediscovers his old form, this team is gonna win 4-6 games next year.

 

Honestly I don't mind at all, as I don't want to be stuck in no man's land, with a good D, good playmakers, and no QB, always decent, never great, like the Chiefs lately and the Jets a few years ago. Hackenberg, Cook, Jones, all beckon, I want to draft one of them unless RGIII finds himself again (or unless we traded for Mettenberger or something like that). 

[fwo40]

i just don't believe in Gruden.  I think we need another offseason of retooling the roster with him hopefully not in charge of the outcome of that, and then we may creep back toward .500.

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

I'm a positive person, but this year is definitely different.

Why be a fan of something you don't enjoy?

Correlation between enjoying something and thinking they'll win a division title is what exactly?

[Darrel2828]

I believe 5 or 6 is about right. This team hasn't done anything yet to prove otherwise.

Hope I'm wrong,but history says different.

[skinny21]

I'd be curious what positions/units everyone thinks should be improved from last year and which ones have the potential to improve.

[AM626]

7 and 9, we need another year before we start rolling, I see this as a building momentum year. We might see the OL click after november and the younger guys getting playtime on defense and hopefully stepping up to win some games late. Now if we start winning early in the season we might have a chance of real good season, but just to see some improvement on the field would be good enough for me.

[nemocystem]

I'd be curious what positions/units everyone thinks should be improved from last year and which ones have the potential to improve.

I think honestly, even if the QB situation is only moderately improved, that we really mostly need to solidify the front 7, & the secondary to be r ruly competitive. We have done a lot to shore those positions up, but the product is still on display & has yet to leave the store.

I feel that if the secondary is improved enough on its own merit, then what we need most is more pass rush consistency. If we can frequently get pressure u p the middle, & record lots of sacks, then ifbour secondary is truly improved it should result in more turnovers. If we see that, then our offense just needs to not lose the game. An improved run game should help there as well.

All in all...i'd say we need to find our long term solutions at:

RG/LG

FS/SS

ROLB

Slot CB

Blocking TE

STs

QB

If we can establish truly NFL caliber starters at these positions over the next 2 years, then we have ourselves a team.

STs is also a big one where we hope to have addressed adequately throughout this offseason, but you never know till you put the rubber on the road. Many of the positions listed are ones where we feel we got better through our acquisitions this spring...but i have to see results before i get too excited. I have hopes, yes, but i lack confidence or belief at this moment. So everything we do, no matter how much it all feels different, remains in the "wait & see" category for my part.

I do know this....the process already feels so much more fulfilling than in years past. It's a treat to watch Scot at work...truly.

[pjfootballer]

Well, I can understand some that still have their doubts.  I can understand that you want to see it on the field first and the old "we've seen the hype before."  I too, want to see the results on the field.  I can't sit here with a straight face and tell you that the team is ready to compete for the division, conference or Super Bowl.  They aren't.  Scot still has work to do for the next couple of seasons.

 

What I can't understand is some fans selling the team short and only predicting 4-5 wins.  We've won 3 and 4 games the last couple of years. I feel like predicting anything short of at least 6 or 7 wins is a slap in the face to what Scot has done so far in the offseason. We finally have a guy who has a particular philosophy of what he wants his team to be.  You CANNOT possibly compare him to anything we've had in the past, because quite frankly, (Gibbs included, bless him for trying), we have not had a direction since Bobby Beathard retired.

 

I'm not asking you to predict 12 wins and a SB trip.  All I'm asking is that you let go of your total doubt and let a little hope creep in for what Scot has accomplished so far.  You don't have to drink the Kool-Aid, just acknowledge that the drink is there if you get thirsty and you can take a sip if you need to.

 

For me, I'm predicting 7 to 9 wins.  I know, a little more than optimistic, but like Scot said, we need to change the losing culture that has permeateed the organization and fanbase.  We kind of look like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1977-until Dungy arrived. They had a 30+ year culture of losing that was hard to shake. Scot is trying to reverse that. I'm on board with what he is doing. I'm tired of being a miserable fan. You should be too.