How to Win the NFC East - Consistently

[Smurf3]

Only sane, non meddling ownership in the east is that of the Eagles. So at least the Redskins are in the right division to maybe, possibly blunder into a division crown every decade or so with current ownership. If they do they will go no further. All the other talk is typical off season bs and then they have to start playing those daggone games.

[veteranskinsfan]

Do any of you remember Mike Sellers the tight end who played a long time ago on Gibbs teams?  He could block real well and make plays in the passing game.  So Philly has Ertz and Dallas has Witten for so many years.  Hope the ball coach can go out in free agency and find a stud tight end.   On defense we need linebackers who are quick and can cover Ertz on pass plays but also linebackers who are strong enough to stop Wentz when he runs for a quarterback sneak on 4th down.  Last year we rarely stopped teams on fourth down runs.  I do remember a few 4th down stops but not a lot of them.  Our linebacker group was not great last year.

[Wildbunny]

On 1/22/2020 at 8:38 PM, KDawg said:

I think the focus should be more broad in the sense that you want to build a team that can defeat the best teams, not just the teams' in your division.

 

But this thread is specifically asking about countering our division, so my reply there:

 

More focus on LBs (MIKE/SAM AND WILL). Find a SAM who is good off the edge but can space drop a little. 

 

Less focus on DL. We're okay there. We need to always put resources in, but they can be lesser for a short window. 

 

Need to find a faster CB.

That's about countering teams' strengths.

What about being better at attacking their weakness. Or maybe even strengths.

 

Usually it's more about who attacks his opponent's weakness the best that wins, because it creates a sense of urgency on the opponent and takes them out of their comfort zone.

Which ends up with them making costly mistakes.

The best counter to Zeke is too force the Cowboys to sit him.

[profusion]

If the Eagles can be healthier next season, then I install them as the favorite to win the East. They have the best QB and pretty good talent around him (when healthy).

 

The Redskins will have to be able to get after Wentz and rattle him if they want to beat the Eagles. Their TEs will get theirs, but getting sacks and forcing Wentz out of his comfort zone will give the Redskins opportunities.

 

The Cowboys and Giants are dependent on their running games, so stopping the run is the key there, obviously.

 

In all cases, the Redskins offense has to be able to put up at least 24 points every game if they want to win the division...and not just in playing the other three East teams. Better QB play has to be the essential ingredient there.

[KDawg]

1 hour ago, Wildbunny said:

That's about countering teams' strengths.

What about being better at attacking their weakness. Or maybe even strengths.

 

Usually it's more about who attacks his opponent's weakness the best that wins, because it creates a sense of urgency on the opponent and takes them out of their comfort zone.

Which ends up with them making costly mistakes.

The best counter to Zeke is too force the Cowboys to sit him.

So everyone is different, but the game plan is for taking advantage of your weakness. That’s where coaching comes into play. In my opinion, teams should be more focused on their strengths and their own weaknesses than the opponent. 
 

You play someone different every week. The conditions change. You need to execute your **** first. YOU dictate what others do. 
 

Personnel should be centered around what YOU require. Not the teams who you play that you have no control over.

[HTTRDynasty]

Good discussion here.  I think some people that posted on the first page are missing the point though.  Yes, ideally we would have a roster that was stacked everywhere with the GOAT QB leading them, forcing the NFL to bow down and acknowledge us as the dominant team everyone else is forced to figure out how to beat for the next 20 years.  But that's not reality.  In reality, your team is going to have multiple weaknesses among its position groups; and when it comes to the QB you drafted last year, all you can do is develop the guy you have and hope he's a future star. 

 

There just isn't enough cap space or draft capital to make every position a strength.  You have to decide where you want your team to be especially strong; and that decision is going to be predicated in large part on your overall team-building philosophy and schemes; but also will be based on what the teams you face 6 times every year look like.

[skinny21]

 

1 hour ago, KDawg said:

So everyone is different, but the game plan is for taking advantage of your weakness. That’s where coaching comes into play. In my opinion, teams should be more focused on their strengths and their own weaknesses than the opponent. 
 

You play someone different every week. The conditions change. You need to execute your **** first. YOU dictate what others do. 
 

Personnel should be centered around what YOU require. Not the teams who you play that you have no control over.

This is a good point.  Harder to perfect your execution if you’re making significant changes each week/per opponent...

 

 

I think a big key to dealing with mobile qbs is having edge rushers that both force qbs to step up, but can also disengage in a hurry to take down the qb when they try to scramble between the T and G.  Having a good spin move is helpful here, as is speed and length.  So at least we’ve got some serious potential on this front if we draft Young.  

 

As to coverage - when dealing with a mobile qb - they obviously make life so much harder.  I just don’t think you’re going to be able to field a group of guys that can cover for 5 seconds (or whatever).  I think the best you can shoot for is good athleticism - particularly closing speed/COD ability - to try to help make a play on the ball.  

Regarding facing the East’s running backs, it’s all going to be on Del Rio.  I’m worried we don’t have the linebackers to get where we want to be, but at least we should have a strong dline and good SS to help them out.  

 

I think this is a good offseason for us to make up some ground on our division opponents.  Hopefully we can get the band back together on the oline, add a weapon or 2 for Haskins (FA TE, receiver and/or back in the draft), draft Young, and find a corner, FS and maybe backer in FA to help out.  I think coaching will be a big help as well, along with a culture change/improvement.  
 

 

On a related note, I was watching tape on a linebacker (Troy Dye), and he showed an ability to get off blocks even though he’s listed at 225.  I think this is the kind of guy we need to be adding to our linebackers given our opponents and the way the league has trended.   Guys with range and athleticism, but who show an ability to defeat blocks (one way or another), rather than the more traditional thumpers, or 250-260 pound SAMs and MIKE’s.  

[Burgold]

2 hours ago, KDawg said:

So everyone is different, but the game plan is for taking advantage of your weakness. That’s where coaching comes into play. In my opinion, teams should be more focused on their strengths and their own weaknesses than the opponent. 
 

You play someone different every week. The conditions change. You need to execute your **** first. YOU dictate what others do. 
 

Personnel should be centered around what YOU require. Not the teams who you play that you have no control over.

I agree with this with some exceptions. I remember the Redskins playing some team that had the worst run defense in the league. Teams were averaging 150 yards per game against them. At the same time, they were either middling or pretty good at pass D. For whatever reason, Gruden calls a game that 50 passes and 12 runs. Even in the first half, they refused to run the ball. It was like he was trying to fool them because every other team had been running up and down the field on them. 

 

Sometimes, if a team is really bad at something then you have to exploit it. It's sort of like how everybody who played against a Manusky D chose to run wide A LOT. They knew he wouldn't adjust and that big gains were there for the taking.

[volsmet]

Pressure the qb

protect the qb

 

Book of Revelations 

[KDawg]

29 minutes ago, Burgold said:

I agree with this with some exceptions. I remember the Redskins playing some team that had the worst run defense in the league. Teams were averaging 150 yards per game against them. At the same time, they were either middling or pretty good at pass D. For whatever reason, Gruden calls a game that 50 passes and 12 runs. Even in the first half, they refused to run the ball. It was like he was trying to fool them because every other team had been running up and down the field on them. 

 

Sometimes, if a team is really bad at something then you have to exploit it. It's sort of like how everybody who played against a Manusky D chose to run wide A LOT. They knew he wouldn't adjust and that big gains were there for the taking.

That’s the coaching part. You have to have wrinkles. 
 

But that shouldn’t define who you are. And the second you start trying to win by being a chameleon, the sooner you lose for not having an identity.

[volsmet]

3 hours ago, KDawg said:

So everyone is different, but the game plan is for taking advantage of your weakness. That’s where coaching comes into play. In my opinion, teams should be more focused on their strengths and their own weaknesses than the opponent. 
 

 

No (or few) coach cares about what you can’t do. 
 

 

[skins island connection]

On ‎1‎/‎22‎/‎2020 at 1:31 PM, Warhead36 said:

"I don't wanna be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me." -Frank Costello from Departed

 

Basically, forget adapting to the division. Lets make them adapt to us.

 

Chase Young means the rest of the division better have studs on their OL for the next decade.

 

 One of Gibbs' habits that generated more success than failure was going against the grain; Gibbs would most always go against tendencies, as it would catch defenses off guard.  Its a concept that has somewhat been the norm for the majority of teams, as today's pass-happy league was a head-scratching WTF 15 years ago. Today's league sees far more passing on 1st downs, something that was mostly unheard of back in the day.

 

There's ALWAYS 1 thing that makes me wanna throw my 65" tv out the front door, and its goal line offense. A team has a fairly good RB and decent o-line { not great } and they generally get 3-4 yds per rush. But once they get to a 1st & goal at the 2, all of a sudden teams get into a jumbo formation, and the defense lines up accordingly, then the RB is expected to run through 21 guys on the field for a 2 lousy yards, and its a rarity if they succeed.  The dumber teams try it again on 2nd downs!!

Even IF said team plans to run the ball, why on earth do they not spread the defenses out? Force them to honor WRs and TEs and remove 4-6 defenders away from the LOS and give the RB a damn chance! But NOOOOOOOOOO, then said team is stuck with a 3rd down and in most cases the play caller gets away from trying to run the ball, when that's EXACTLY what he should be doing.

 

But it takes a complete team { and I emphasize the word 'team' } to be a perennial success. They don't have to be the top QB, WR, TE, RB, or o-line in the league, but steady and dependable. A team with only a good WR or RB will not be any good, especially on a consistent basis. Of course it also helps if the players are disciplined, and stop trying to be a hero and cost his team points.

 

sorry about the rant, I gotta lay off the Dr. Pepper...

[Koolblue13]

7 hours ago, veteranskinsfan said:

Do any of you remember Mike Sellers the tight end who played a long time ago on Gibbs teams?  He could block real well and make plays in the passing game.  So Philly has Ertz and Dallas has Witten for so many years.  Hope the ball coach can go out in free agency and find a stud tight end.   On defense we need linebackers who are quick and can cover Ertz on pass plays but also linebackers who are strong enough to stop Wentz when he runs for a quarterback sneak on 4th down.  Last year we rarely stopped teams on fourth down runs.  I do remember a few 4th down stops but not a lot of them.  Our linebacker group was not great last year.

Sellers was a FB and a great one. Cooley was the TE. Right? Portis at RB.

 

Although I 100% agree with the importance of the TE. Turner supposedly loves the TE as much as his dad, so that's exciting. Also said we'll go sign one.

 

I've wanted a Witten type TE forever. Cowboys have had a great TE and MLB for decades it feels like. I'm jealous.

[LD0506]

On a related note I'd hire Luke Kuechly as a LB attitude coach. He always impressed me with his smarts, he was great at understanding formations and anticipating the play to put himself in position to act. You rarely saw him faked out, most of his game happened before the snap. I'm tired of seeing our LBs caught looking at the play from the other side of the field.