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At 5-3 We Are Now Officially Trapped


kleese

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I know a few of you differ from the mindset I’m talking about here, but the majority of you will be in the same boat. 

 

For me, as a sports fan I’ve always found it a necessary survival mechanism to separate what I THINK will happen from what I HOPE will happen. Meaning, if I spent my sports fan-life only really being interested when I had a deep belief there was gold at the end of the rainbow, well, maybe I’d be more stable, but I’d also be far more bored. 

 

So for me it’s all about the technical possibility. In 1992 I had very, very little hope we could beat the Cowboys in a potential NFC Championship game in Dallas... I am quite sure we would have gotten slaughtered in that game. However, that didn’t matter to me— I was (and remain) crushed we didn’t get the opportunity when we fumbled away the 49ers game. 

 

In the Norv years I knew the odds of wining in the playoffs wer gonna be REALLY slim, but I still wanted to get there...

 

You get my point. 

 

So here we sit at 5-3 at the midway point of the season. First place in division. And I think the WORST grade you could give the Redskins for the first half is a solid B. And that’s the WORST grade you give give them. In other words, we’ve played half a season and the results have been quite positive. Now, the path they’ve taken to get to 5-3 is far from pretty... but I’ve seen 3-5 enough to know that 5-3 is ALWAYS better, period. 

 

And now the crushing news about the crazy injuries and signing half an OL off the street. It’s really frustrating and deflating. 

 

Of course my head is telling me we are in big trouble and our first place status won’t last much longer. 

 

But here’s the deal. As long as the games matter when they kickoff, they will still matter to me.

 

Consider this: let’s say we hit rock bottom and this one game losing streak turns into a four game losing streak. Yep, let’s say we lose to Tampa, Houston, and Dallas. And let’s say the Eagles WIN two out of three... The reality is that our game on MNF in Philly would STILL be for first place in the division that night. 

 

Yeah sure, if we do lose four in a row to fall to 5-6 will there be a feeling of impending doom heading to Philly? Yeah, no doubt. But at the same time I’m a Redskins fan. And if the Redskins are playing a game in December for first place in the division I am GOING to care no matter how much my brain tells me not to. And understand I’ve laid out what is likely the worst case scenario (this is also assuming Dallas isn’t running the table at the same time). 

 

In other words, there is really no escaping this season as a fan at this point. It’s probably going to take a five game losing streak to do that. Especially when you consider things are setting up much more likely this year that at least one 9-7 team gets in the NFC playoffs. 

 

So, while it might be nice to say “eh, we’re screwed” and check out for the year, I certainly can’t do that. The whole “well we’d be one and done in playoffs anyway” mentality has always been crap to me. Always felt those dudes must be a blast at parties. 

 

So here we sit in an odd position as Redskins fans: The Curse of First Place. 

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I feel you brother, I’m ride or die with team win or lose doesn’t matter. It is a curse but hope is eternal.

 

What the team needs more then anything this weekend is an offensive explosion to take that disgusting taste out of our mouths from yesterday. First chance is Tampa. Let’s go!

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16 minutes ago, kleese said:

So, while it might be nice to say “eh, we’re screwed” and check out for the year, I certainly can’t do that.

 

The whole “well we’d be one and done in playoffs anyway” mentality has always been crap to me. Always felt those dudes must be a blast at parties. 

 

Not going to check out either, but there won't be another game this season where I expect my pulse to get above 70 beats per. I hope they can pull out some miracles, and produce smiles, but I just don't expect it. The run game will likely dip down to about 50 yards per game at best. The OL, WRs, and therefore QB.. won't be enough to keep most games competitive. It's not total deflation though, as I saw a SB trophy as unlikely this year anyway. 

 

Hope to be wrong on all this, and I easily agree with your last two sentences. LOL

 

 

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I'm sorry but this season is far from over.  Outside of Houston and Philly, no other team should scare this defense.  Every other QB we play is a dumbass.  The redskins were going to lose to every high powered offense this year regardless of how good this defense was. 

 

Another thing, we only have to survive this line shuffle til Trent is back. When Trent is back

 

its Trent, TY, Chase, Bergstrom, Moses.     

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The team is finished.  Without the injuries it had major flaws.  This could push them to finish 3rd in the division.

 

My concern is Synder will give this season a pass due to the injuries and not make any coaching/front office changes.  It always Groundhog Day with this franchise.

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5 minutes ago, skinfan2k said:

I'm sorry but this season is far from over.  Outside of Houston and Philly, no other team should scare this defense.  Every other QB we play is a dumbass.  The redskins were going to lose to every high powered offense this year regardless of how good this defense was. 

 

Another thing, we only have to survive this line shuffle til Trent is back. When Trent is back

 

its Trent, TY, Chase, Bergstrom, Moses.     

You are living in a state of denial.  Tampa Bay will give this defense problems.   Dallas at home?  Doesn’t matter who plays QB - Chad Hutchinson beat the skins.  Then we play the teams you said would give us problems 3 out of remaining 8 Games.  Oh, and how will the Redskins actually score?

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I always enjoy your posts Kleese. Very level headed and well reasoned. I’m definitely in the same boat; nervous and concerned with the O line injuries, but we can still rally and make it a good season. Especially in this weak division. 

 

No more excuses and pity parties. Let’s keep going. We always bounce back from losses well, and a win next week makes everyone forget this game.

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9 hours ago, skinfan2k said:

Every other QB we play is a dumbass.

Lmao, Brothers we bleed Burgundy and Gold! We can't give up or give in. We will all either be at the game or in front of our TV screaming, yelling, and cheering them on every game every week, because we love this team! Redskins Nation forever! 

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Ed, I don't think I'm ever "out" during football season. Even in years when the Skins are eliminated from the playoffs, I still watch from kickoff to whistle, probably out of morbid curiosity than anything. Heck, if I can sit there and watch that final game of that 2013 season featuring Kirk and whoever Eli's backup is, I will watch anything.

 

And of course the goal ostensibly is to get into the playoffs and see what you can do, sure.

 

But as someone who is actually living in the DC area and who goes to these games, its becoming apparent that 9-7, playoffs or no playoffsm is not going to move the needle as far as this town being juiced up about the Skins. I saw a team on a three-game winning streak come home at 5-2 and there were tons of empty seats at FedEx yesterday. I was thinking that beating the Falcons and keeping the streak going would help propel us to possibly propel us to win totals not seen around here since 1991. And it wasn't that we lost, but the nature of how we lost...….badly. 

 

This game in a way took me back to the home game in 1999 against the Bills. We were also 5-2, having come off a blowout over the Bears. But we did not look good against Flutie and Buffalo and lost 34-17.  But I think the fans kind of shrugged it off. Why?  The team had actually shown a lot of offensive explosiveness in several games earlier in the season, and I also think we were not that far removed from the glory years, and people were still entertaining the possibility that they could return soon.

 

This year's team, at least in a lot of games, has been winning on the backs of the defense, which isn't a bad thing. But the offense has been horrible, and the nagging feeling is that the D's performance is only going to last so long, and scoring 24 or less points isn't going to cut it. And you have to have serious doubts whether this offense can really get to 20, much less 24.

 

And lets keep in mind that the first half of the season featured 5 home games and 3 away games. The second half has the opposite, with no road game against an opponent as bad as we drew in Arizona and the Giants.  I get a sense that some fans are looking at those games against the Titans and Jags on the road at the season as pushovers and that "we're the Washington Redskins, dammit, and we're just going to have our way with those AFC South weakings." Obviously, the players don't feel that way, but those two teams were playoff teams last season and if you think the Skins are just going to go in there and roll, you're kidding yourself. 

 

 

 

 

 

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Excellent stuff kleese...my thoughts exactly... and even if the wheels fall completely off and we dont win another game I'm still there front n center cheering on my Redskins... wonder what's gonna happen, continue to be entertained here and anticipate a 41st season lol

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2 hours ago, Sandy Monk said:

 

Not going to check out either, but there won't be another game this season where I expect my pulse to get above 70 beats per. I hope they can pull out some miracles, and produce smiles, but I just don't expect it. The run game will likely dip down to about 50 yards per game at best. The OL, WRs, and therefore QB.. won't be enough to keep most games competitive. It's not total deflation though, as I saw a SB trophy as unlikely this year anyway. 

 

Hope to be wrong on all this, and I easily agree with your last two sentences. LOL

 

 

 

No offense. But no one cares what you are doing with your rooting habits. 

 

You are an Alex Smith fan and not of the Redskins who have had a lot more troubles than poor Alex through out his career. 

 

We are a franchise who has been in turmoill for damn near 30 years. 

 

So yeah. No one cares about your opinion here, 

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5 minutes ago, JPG said:

 

No offense. But no one cares what you are doing with your rooting habits. 

 

You are an Alex Smith fan and not of the Redskins who have had a lot more troubles than poor Alex through out his career. 

 

We are a franchise who has been in turmoill for damn near 30 years. 

 

So yeah. No one cares about your opinion here, 

What's wrong with being a fan of Alex Smith and the Redskins?..no one cares about your opinion on rather others have opinions about others opinions..

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2 hours ago, kleese said:

I know a few of you differ from the mindset I’m talking about here, but the majority of you will be in the same boat. 

 

For me, as a sports fan I’ve always found it a necessary survival mechanism to separate what I THINK will happen from what I HOPE will happen. Meaning, if I spent my sports fan-life only really being interested when I had a deep belief there was gold at the end of the rainbow, well, maybe I’d be more stable, but I’d also be far more bored. 

 

So for me it’s all about the technical possibility. In 1992 I had very, very little hope we could beat the Cowboys in a potential NFC Championship game in Dallas... I am quite sure we would have gotten slaughtered in that game. However, that didn’t matter to me— I was (and remain) crushed we didn’t get the opportunity when we fumbled away the 49ers game. 

 

In the Norv years I knew the odds of wining in the playoffs wer gonna be REALLY slim, but I still wanted to get there...

 

You get my point. 

 

So here we sit at 5-3 at the midway point of the season. First place in division. And I think the WORST grade you could give the Redskins for the first half is a solid B. And that’s the WORST grade you give give them. In other words, we’ve played half a season and the results have been quite positive. Now, the path they’ve taken to get to 5-3 is far from pretty... but I’ve seen 3-5 enough to know that 5-3 is ALWAYS better, period. 

 

And now the crushing news about the crazy injuries and signing half an OL off the street. It’s really frustrating and deflating. 

 

Of course my head is telling me we are in big trouble and our first place status won’t last much longer. 

 

But here’s the deal. As long as the games matter when they kickoff, they will still matter to me.

 

Consider this: let’s say we hit rock bottom and this one game losing streak turns into a four game losing streak. Yep, let’s say we lose to Tampa, Houston, and Dallas. And let’s say the Eagles WIN two out of three... The reality is that our game on MNF in Philly would STILL be for first place in the division that night. 

 

Yeah sure, if we do lose four in a row to fall to 5-6 will there be a feeling of impending doom heading to Philly? Yeah, no doubt. But at the same time I’m a Redskins fan. And if the Redskins are playing a game in December for first place in the division I am GOING to care no matter how much my brain tells me not to. And understand I’ve laid out what is likely the worst case scenario (this is also assuming Dallas isn’t running the table at the same time). 

 

In other words, there is really no escaping this season as a fan at this point. It’s probably going to take a five game losing streak to do that. Especially when you consider things are setting up much more likely this year that at least one 9-7 team gets in the NFC playoffs. 

 

So, while it might be nice to say “eh, we’re screwed” and check out for the year, I certainly can’t do that. The whole “well we’d be one and done in playoffs anyway” mentality has always been crap to me. Always felt those dudes must be a blast at parties. 

 

So here we sit in an odd position as Redskins fans: The Curse of First Place. 

Ok. I read this in a good space. The Cowgirls just lost another one; gave up a first round pick for a WR and I thought I just saw Elliot with a nose piercing.

But I tell ya, if I would have read this on Sunday around 4 pm I would have been fairly heated. This is clearly a Tuesday post (its 1130 pm), so its cool.

I do agree that, as a fan, I'll be there in your scenario. And yes we are trapped in this bitter sweet position of first place with a QB and an O-line that sucks; a suspect defense and a brain dead coaching staff. But again, its Tuesday, so its cool. Good post.

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@hail2skins As far the stadium and fan fervor goes, I’m over it. It doesn’t matter to me and I accept what it is. The ship has sailed. They missed a generation of fans and DC is the proverbial transient area where locals don’t necessarily feel the community link to the team like they do in places like

Buffalo where the team has been even worse but fan involvement remains high. Even if we go bananas the rest of the year and enter the last game at 11-4 I’d still expect the stadium to be overrun by Philly fans. It’s just the way it is now and will likely take years and years to change it— and by the way, I think the whole “stadium invasion” thing is just a new deal in the league and actually won’t go away even if we win Super Bowls. Fans travel more now and people root for teams for different reasons than they used to. A place like DC is a desirable travel destination. I think we will deal with invading fans for infinity now— yes, the better we are, the less we will see, but it will still be a thing. 

 

I think your parallel to the 1999 Bills game is really good. That entire year it felt like we were one win away from REALLY doing something and we lost on all of those occasions. The loss at Indy later in the year also always stood out to me. That was the year we didn’t beat anyone with a winning record (sans Miami in the final meaningless game of year) and still went 10-6. Heck this year we’ve beaten the Panthers and Packers both of we were better than anyone we beat in 1999. Yet, there we were, one play away from the NFC Championship Game— which is why you always want to get in. Who knows what shenanigans might take place. 

1 minute ago, joeken24 said:

Ok. I read this in a good space. The Cowgirls just lost another one; gave up a first round pick for a WR and I thought I just saw Elliot with a nose piercing.

But I tell ya, if I would have read this on Sunday around 4 pm I would have been fairly heated. This is clearly a Tuesday post (its 1130 pm), so its cool.

I do agree that, as a fan, I'll be there in your scenario. And yes we are trapped in this bitter sweet position of first place with a QB and an O-line that sucks; a suspect defense and a brain dead coaching staff. But again, its Tuesday, so its cool. Good post.

 

I am just not sure we can be ALL of those things... if you have a horrible QB and OL— then what do you want the “brain dead” coach to do. Are there coaches out there having great success with terrible QBs and OLs?? If anything wouldn’t you say going 5-3 with a “QB and OL that sucks and suspect D” is worthy of coach of the year talk? 

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2 minutes ago, joeken24 said:

Ok. I read this in a good space. The Cowgirls just lost another one; gave up a first round pick for a WR and I thought I just saw Elliot with a nose piercing.

But I tell ya, if I would have read this on Sunday around 4 pm I would have been fairly heated. This is clearly a Tuesday post (its 1130 pm), so its cool.

I do agree that, as a fan, I'll be there in your scenario. And yes we are trapped in this bitter sweet position of first place with a QB and an O-line that sucks; a suspect defense and a brain dead coaching staff. But again, its Tuesday, so its cool. Good post.

Yes you did see Elliot with a piercing.. a pretty little stub in his nose..

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@kleese while I always don’t agree with you - the majority of the time I do and I appreciate your insights.  Please keep them coming.

 

I joiniedExtremeSkins back after Gibbs II started. For the most part, I have merely “lurked” reading great insights from fans like you, and who had a much bigger knowledge base about football than me.

 

My biggest problems are with the FO - Bruce Allen......  he alone with Danny have almost killed my undying love for this franchise that started way, way back back in 1969.   I am just tired at the age of 60 of investing anymore of my heart in this team.  They consistently do everything possible to rip out my heart.  I feel so bad for my youngest son who I “influenced” into becoming a huge Skins fan like his dad.

 

Allen’s screw up of the entire Kirk (Kurt) Cousins negotiations and chasing away the best QB that we had since Rypien was maddening.  

 

Once Kirk was gone - I initially felt like getting Alex Smith was the best possible alternative UNTIL the details around the extension given to Alex were disclosed - that was Bruce’s final FU to the Skins fan base - as we’ll be stuck for awhile.  What really pisses me off is that even if Allen gets fired - he’ll walk away totally enriched while the Skins fans are stuck yet again. 

 

It also really kills me to see Skins fans attacking each other due to our mutual frustration with the team.

 

I am almost to the same point I was after the Senators moved to Texas where I went from being a big baseball fan to a sports guy that didn’t watch a single pitch of this year's World Series.  Pro football has pushed me to a point that I have thought was impossible.

 

 

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16 minutes ago, kleese said:

@hail2skins As far the stadium and fan fervor goes, I’m over it. It doesn’t matter to me and I accept what it is. The ship has sailed. They missed a generation of fans and DC is the proverbial transient area where locals don’t necessarily feel the community link to the team like they do in places like

Buffalo where the team has been even worse but fan involvement remains high. Even if we go bananas the rest of the year and enter the last game at 11-4 I’d still expect the stadium to be overrun by Philly fans. It’s just the way it is now and will likely take years and years to change it— and by the way, I think the whole “stadium invasion” thing is just a new deal in the league and actually won’t go away even if we win Super Bowls. Fans travel more now and people root for teams for different reasons than they used to. A place like DC is a desirable travel destination. I think we will deal with invading fans for infinity now— yes, the better we are, the less we will see, but it will still be a thing. 

 

I think your parallel to the 1999 Bills game is really good. That entire year it felt like we were one win away from REALLY doing something and we lost on all of those occasions. The loss at Indy later in the year also always stood out to me. That was the year we didn’t beat anyone with a winning record (sans Miami in the final meaningless game of year) and still went 10-6. Heck this year we’ve beaten the Panthers and Packers both of we were better than anyone we beat in 1999. Yet, there we were, one play away from the NFC Championship Game— which is why you always want to get in. Who knows what shenanigans might take place. 

 

I am just not sure we can be ALL of those things... if you have a horrible QB and OL— then what do you want the “brain dead” coach to do. Are there coaches out there having great success with terrible QBs and OLs?? If anything wouldn’t you say going 5-3 with a “QB and OL that sucks and suspect D” is worthy of coach of the year talk? 

In a word....No.

 

Lets not get in a debate about something so clear. I didn't say the QB and OL suck on their own. They get help. Look, one can root for the team's success without being delusion. I posted previously about coaches that would have this team rolling. So while I say the QB and OL sucks, I'm saying there is a reason. And its not the coach of the year.

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