Can we stop pretending now?

[dyst]

I believe we have a lot of smart Redskins fans that now realize what a good season looks like, and this is not one of those seasons. The small few that are always positive about the team, honestly not much you can do about them, they will continue to see what they want to see.

 

Every time we have a good year, it's usually mediocre at best and typically happens when the rest of the division is not playing up to par. This is one of those years. We could theoretically sneak into the playoffs with a 9 win season but when you really look at the team, you can tell it is not ready to compete. You should never fall for the hype until they show you consistency weak in and week out over the course of a couple years.

 

You will know when things are legit. 

[Koolblue13]

I dont care for either starting OLB or anyone in our secondary, although I think HHCD will be good. I like our young CBs and DJ has played over his ability, but hes a box safety which helps since our ILBs are pure running attack guys.

 

Offense I hate our TEs and think our WRs are crap . Smith has been average. Our development of oline is crap and Callahan is over rated 

[Bacon]

There are a lot of ignorant and reactionary takes in this thread, but I do agree with the general concept that there's little here to get excited about for the 2018 season. The most interesting part of this team is that it's being built from the trenches out, which is uncommon for the Skins and bodes well for the future. 

 

But this team isn't anything special. 

[Llevron]

I think this thread started with a pretty negative outlook but realistically speaking the Defense is ahead of where we thought it would be last season, same with the running game and the same with special teams. We still are not great any place. But what we have are decent pieces with which to grow into.

 

We still have a ways to go and many hurdles to get past. This Oline, for example is going to have to figure out how to play without Trent. I dont think it's a coincidence that his first game out we suffered catastrophe there. Eventually we are going to have to address the fact that hes on the last 3rd of his career (in my estimation, would love to be wrong). Honestly every position on the Offense looks like it's going to fall apart in the next 3 years. So we have more issues coming. 

 

But if you would have told me at the beginning of the season we would be 5-3 at any point I would have laughed at you. So keep it in prospective. 

 

Yes we are bad. But we are supposed to be worse, and we have been trending up in some places. 

11 minutes ago, Koolblue13 said:

I dont care for either starting OLB or anyone in our secondary, although I think HHCD will be good. I like our young CBs and DJ has played over his ability, but hes a box safety which helps since our ILBs are pure running attack guys.

 

Offense I hate our TEs and think our WRs are crap . Smith has been average. Our development of oline is crap and Callahan is over rated 

 

I wanna fight you on this cause I think they have improved greatly since he got here but honestly other than that I cant say you are wrong. 

[Koolblue13]

Just now, Llevron said:

I think this thread started with a pretty negative outlook but realistically speaking the Defense is ahead of where we thought it would be last season, same with the running game and the same with special teams. We still are not great any place. But what we have are decent pieces with which to grow into.

 

We still have a ways to go and many hurdles to get past. This Oline, for example is going to have to figure out how to play without Trent. I dont think it's a coincidence that his first game out we suffered catastrophe there. Eventually we are going to have to address the fact that hes on the last 3rd of his career (in my estimation, would love to be wrong). Honestly every position on the Offense looks like it's going to fall apart in the next 3 years. So we have more issues coming. 

 

But if you would have told me at the beginning of the season we would be 5-3 at any point I would have laughed at you. So keep it in prospective. 

 

Yes we are bad. But we are supposed to be worse, and we have been trending up in some places. 

 

I wanna fight you on this cause I think they have improved greatly since he got here but honestly other than that I cant say you are wrong. 

He designs our run game. It's been terrible for years. Roullier looks great, but what other talent has he developed? 

[zCommander]

Stop? When there is still a chance left you don't stop pretending. We beat the Bucs next week and then the Texans; the train is back on the tracks to pretend land. We are EXTREME here and that is how we roll (well most of us that is).

 

I will stop pretending when the season is over for the Skins. 

 

This season is not looking pretty as of right now. It was suppose to be with Alex but he is not the Cinderella that some were thinking. I think one of the step-sisters put on the shoe instead. 

 

 

[justice98]

2 minutes ago, Llevron said:

I think this thread started with a pretty negative outlook but realistically speaking the Defense is ahead of where we thought it would be last season, same with the running game and the same with special teams. We still are not great any place. But what we have are decent pieces with which to grow into.

 

We still have a ways to go and many hurdles to get past. This Oline, for example is going to have to figure out how to play without Trent. I dont think it's a coincidence that his first game out we suffered catastrophe there. Eventually we are going to have to address the fact that hes on the last 3rd of his career (in my estimation, would love to be wrong). Honestly every position on the Offense looks like it's going to fall apart in the next 3 years. So we have more issues coming. 

 

But if you would have told me at the beginning of the season we would be 5-3 at any point I would have laughed at you. So keep it in prospective. 

 

Yes we are bad. But we are supposed to be worse, and we have been trending up in some places. 

 

As far as the defense, wll we heard last season was how injuries crippled the defense and how they were fine at the beginning when people were healthy.  So the defense being decent coming into this year was certainly on the table given health AND spending the #1 pick on Payne.  

 

Also coming into the season, the early schedule wasnt that imposing.  Did we think we couldnt beat ARZ, NY, DAL, and Indy?  Not that we automatically would, but 3-1 there wasnt crazy.  

 

Then we basically swapped a preseason prognosticated potential Indy win for CAR or GB, and then got the other one.  So 5-3 was in the plausible area if the defense was better, which it was.  We basically got one extra win than we thought, cuz 4-4 was a pretty reasonable prediction, since most people expected that 7-9 to 9-7 area by the end.

 

My frustration is really only throwing the Colts game away.  I dont care that we're not good enough to expect to beat anybody, I get that, we still shoulda beat them at home.  

 

As bleak as things kinda look in the moment, 6-2 was definitely on the table.  They just need all the headstart they can get, because they probably wont repeat a winning last 8 games.  

 

I feel like they have to beat Tampa and split with Philly.  They gotta go 2-1 outta that.

[RandyHolt]

We coulda been a pretendah

 

[Unbias]

If there's one thing I know is that a Jay Gruden team looks good when the opposition is willing to beat themselves. I'm not saying we don't make plays or can't be better, but rather that we take advantage of mistakes fairly well. 

 

I'm not optimistic, but I see 5 games where our opponent might just roll over and give us the win. That means we'd be a 10 win team, which would probably give us the division. Granted when we reach the playoffs we'll face teams that don't beat themselves, so things will end there, but it's not like the season is over. 

 

What I'm worried about is the future:

 

Offense - AP has been great, but he's 33 years old. He's not the future and if we are being reasonable we shouldn't expect a rookie coming off an ACL to replicate his performance. Smith is who he is. Doctson, despite coming off a good game, probably is who he is. Richardson needs a QB to elevate his game. The OL constantly gets hurt and that rarely gets better being a year older, so we probably need new blood there. Reed hasn't been hurt yet, so all that means is that we still have to collectively hold our breath every time he gets tackled. 

 

Defense - DL looks great and something we can build off of for years. Everything else has played up and down. As much as I like some of the young corners I remember really liking David Amerson and Bashaud Breeland, so please excuse me if I'm in 'wait-and-see' mode. Norman has regressed to a point where most of the fans know he's very likely to be cut this off season. Swearinger has been a rock and I'm excited how him and Haha can look as a safety tandem that's under 30 years old can look, but his contract is up after 2019 and Haha's is this off season, so to keep them together will cost us. 

 

Overall I'm wondering are we a team on the upswing or getting ready for a overhaul? Maybe it's last game, but I'm leaning towards the ladder. 

[justice98]

29 minutes ago, Koolblue13 said:

He designs our run game. It's been terrible for years. Roullier looks great, but what other talent has he developed? 

 

Spencer Long became an NFL starter here, and now in New York. 

 

Moses wasnt really ready to play as a rookie.  He turned into a solid starter and a guy they felt they couldnt lose.  

 

The aforementioned Roullier.  

 

Nsekhe went from guy that was out of football to one of the better backups in the league.

 

And remember the OL he strung together to go up to Searlttle and win?  An OL with 1 injured starter playing and PS and street free agents signed the week of the game.  All glory to Callahan to pull that together.

 

Callahan has really done a great job.  The run game design was probably always fine.  But when your RBs were Rob Kelley, Samaje Perine, and the remnants of Alfred Morris, coupled with some of the worst TE blocking known to man, the run game wasnt really great.  But oddly enough, you get a future HoFer to tote the rock, and some seasoning for your young right side OL and the run game looks respectable.

[SkinsFTW]

This team has 2008 written all over it. 2008: 6-2 start. Great Defense to start the year, Portis tearing it up, Jason Campbell being good ole game manager Jason Campbell w/fans saying "just wait until he gets it together later in the year".

 

OK buddy. 8-8.

 

And those teams didn't have injuries. Moss, Campbell, Portis, Cooley, Randel El, and 3 of 5 of the OL started every single game that year! And the other 2 started 11 and 12 games. That was a Gibbs roster and naturally 2008 was also the year that going for injury prone fools became a priority. (Drafted Thomas, Kelly, and Davis this year and none of them produced) https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/was/2008_roster.htm

 

This current team isn't winning in the paloffs even if they somehow keep on winning. A few have said "we do fine against most teams but it's just those unstoppable passing teams".

 

Well guess what teams we are going to be facing in the paloffs? This isn't 1985 anymore. 

 

Hey, maybe we get lucky and get to play the Panthers in the wild card in DC, but would we even beat them? I'd bet that game would be the same kind we are used to. We go up 10-3 in the 2nd quarter and then start playing not to lose. But we lose 24-17 because that's what the Redskins do and it is also a specialty of Alex Smith in the playoffs. He loses after winning a half, spectacularly, repeatedly. It used to be funny but now the guy is here.

 

The one thing the Redskins have done well over the past decade is the one thing Jim Zorn (not Joe Gibbs) would have been proud of. They've stayed medium. Average, barely adequate while rarely putrid, Not bad, not good either. Just kinda meh. 

[hatchetwound]

Pretend what?  Fact is that we still have a one game lead in the division, we still have to play the eagles twice and we already have one win vs the cowgirls.  Take care of business against the shegals  and the pukes and the division is ours.

 

It was one bad game against a really good team.  R-E-L-A-X.  Look at the rest of our schedule.  I'm not going to say we are going to run the table but man, every single game left is winnable.  Just cut back on the stupid penaltiles and we are set.

[hatchetwound]

18 hours ago, skins island connection said:

 

 Yea, over-looked the schedule on the Pats.

With the Eagles, they're defending SB champions. They're much more aggressive on defense, they don't have run stopping but their secondary does cause confusion for opposing QBs, but even then I doubt AP or Thompson would make much of a difference.

 

 

Isn't it kind of the opposite withthem?  They have a stacked front four but their secondary is extremely suspect? 

 

I just went to ESPN.com to do research and the numbers support this.  They've only allowed 4 rushing TDs all year (tied with Dallas for 6th) and are second in yards per game (83.8).

 

On the flip side, they are 25th in yards per game through the air (269). 

 

 

[Wildbunny]

[Voice_of_Reason]

Nope.

 

we can pretend at least another 2 weeks.  No matter what philly needs 2 wins and us to have 2 losses to catch us.  

 

I fully expect a split the next 2 games.  Lose to the Texans, beat the Cowboys.

 

That will set up a HUGE game with the Eagles. Win that one and the division might be just about clinched. 

[Cooleyfan1993]

34 minutes ago, Voice_of_Reason said:

Nope.

 

we can pretend at least another 2 weeks.  No matter what philly needs 2 wins and us to have 2 losses to catch us.  

 

I fully expect a split the next 2 games.  Lose to the Texans, beat the Cowboys.

 

That will set up a HUGE game with the Eagles. Win that one and the division might be just about clinched. 

Yep. My thoughts exactly. The eagles will probably split their next two games as well (@ Saints next Sunday, then Vs giants the Sunday after thanksgiving, before the MNF game against us). 

 

Philly could still win this game tonight, and i think they will. Dallas sucks too much. I think we have a chance to be 7-4 heading into that MNF game, while Philly could be either 6-5 or 5-6. 

[Renegade7]

58 minutes ago, Voice_of_Reason said:

Nope.

 

we can pretend at least another 2 weeks.  No matter what philly needs 2 wins and us to have 2 losses to catch us.  

 

I fully expect a split the next 2 games.  Lose to the Texans, beat the Cowboys.

 

That will set up a HUGE game with the Eagles. Win that one and the division might be just about clinched. 

You seeing the Dallas Eagles score?  Eagles should be nervous as hell right now, they are essentially losing the same way we would beat them.

[Burgold]

Can we stop pretending now? Looks at standing. Sees 6-3.

 

Nope. Not yet.

[NoCalMike]

You can't pretend you are something other than your record. Right now the record is 6-3 so that is what they are.  If they lose three in a row and fall to 6-6 then that is what they will be then.  It's not pretending, to be happy about a 6-3 start.  How many prior 8-8 seasons did we sit around and dissect all the close loses?  This season some of those losses have been wins instead.  That is how it goes in the NFL unless you are one of the top teams. Clearly, the Redskins are not a top team, but they have managed to have a decent first 2 and a half months to start the season.

[skins island connection]

 

 The Redskins are 6-3 currently.

Who knows what will happen during the next month.

We've seen it happen to this team a few times thus far; a good offense destroys the Redskins defense. It was surprising to see them keep the Bucs out of the endzone, but look at the yardage they gave up. Desperation time for Dallas and Philly; one or both are more than likely going to catch fire, and they have enough good players on offense to get into the endzone, and I'm hoping it doesn't happen when we play them, but I think its inevitable.

 

A good win today, but time is running out for this team; Gruden can't continue to put the onus on the defense to win these games, and against this weak Bucs defense they could only muster up 1 touchdown? That won't cut it in this league. Whoever is calling plays needs to turn it over to someone else, because the offense is becoming predictable.

[Rogue Jedi]

This team is not built for the playoffs.

 

Yes, I get that we are 6-3, but we’ve pretty much limped (literally and figuratively) to that record.

 

We’ve already seen what happens when we face a contender like New Orleans. We get absolutely decimated.

 

Our QB averages about 175 yds a game and misses wide open receivers.

 

We have no weapons at WR. Jordan Reed is a shell of his former self.

 

Our o-line is banged up. Our 33 yo RB is banged up. What we are doing is not sustainable for playoff football.

 

We haven’t won a playoff game since 2005. Even if we end up winning the division, expect that streak to continue.

 

I hate to be “that” guy and a debbie downer but this is the worst 6-3 team in the league. It looks pretty and all, but go beneath the surface and this team has issues

[Mr. Sinister]

11 minutes ago, Rogue Jedi said:

This team is not built for the playoffs.

 

Yes, I get that we are 6-3, but we’ve pretty much limped (literally and figuratively) to that record.

 

We’ve already seen what happens when we face a contender like New Orleans. We get absolutely decimated.

 

Our QB averages about 175 yds a game and misses wide open receivers.

 

We have no weapons at WR. Jordan Reed is a shell of his former self.

 

Our o-line is banged up. Our 33 yo RB is banged up. What we are doing is not sustainable for playoff football.

 

We haven’t won a playoff game since 2005. Even if we end up winning the division, expect that streak to continue.

 

I hate to be “that” guy and a debbie downer but this is the worst 6-3 team in the league. It looks pretty and all, but go beneath the surface and this team has issues

 

You're not being a Debbie downer. Fairly realistic take.

[Warhead36]

Eagles secondary is like our OL. 

[Vanguard]

1 hour ago, Rogue Jedi said:

This team is not built for the playoffs.

 

Yes, I get that we are 6-3, but we’ve pretty much limped (literally and figuratively) to that record.

 

We’ve already seen what happens when we face a contender like New Orleans. We get absolutely decimated.

 

Our QB averages about 175 yds a game and misses wide open receivers.

 

We have no weapons at WR. Jordan Reed is a shell of his former self.

 

Our o-line is banged up. Our 33 yo RB is banged up. What we are doing is not sustainable for playoff football.

 

We haven’t won a playoff game since 2005. Even if we end up winning the division, expect that streak to continue.

 

I hate to be “that” guy and a debbie downer but this is the worst 6-3 team in the league. It looks pretty and all, but go beneath the surface and this team has issues

 

Why do you even watch the games?  

[Commander -JB-]

4 hours ago, Rogue Jedi said:

This team is not built for the playoffs.

 

Yes, I get that we are 6-3, but we’ve pretty much limped (literally and figuratively) to that record.

 

We’ve already seen what happens when we face a contender like New Orleans. We get absolutely decimated.

 

Our QB averages about 175 yds a game and misses wide open receivers.

 

We have no weapons at WR. Jordan Reed is a shell of his former self.

 

Our o-line is banged up. Our 33 yo RB is banged up. What we are doing is not sustainable for playoff football.

 

We haven’t won a playoff game since 2005. Even if we end up winning the division, expect that streak to continue.

 

I hate to be “that” guy and a debbie downer but this is the worst 6-3 team in the league. It looks pretty and all, but go beneath the surface and this team has issues

It’s a hell of a lot better than being the best 3-6 team in the league ?