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Why the Redskins Aren’t an Elite Team
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http://dcprosportsreport.com/?p=2007
Well, the Washington Redskins could have well positioned themselves for a playoff spot with a win at home against division leading NY Giants. What resulted instead was a complete dud.
We’ve said it time and time again here at DC Pro Sports Report, a little over 5 years now, the Redskins are getting beat by better teams where it counts, at the front lines. The Giants protected Eli Manning all day and opened holes later in the game for Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward. They essentially wore down the Redskins defensive front, because they are better,, they are superior. At the end of this article, we provide some comments form some members at our partner site, theWarpath.net.Meanwhile, the Redskins failed to protect Jason Campbell, who was sacked 4 times and hurried many more times, and produced just 22 yards for Clinton Portis on 11 carries. It was rainy, it was cold, and it was ugly. It was a day to let Portis and Ladell Betts do the job. But they couldn’t. The holes weren’t there. In essence, the Giants built a line to run the ball and protect the QB. It is not a secret the Redskins Line is a run blocking line. Heck, they are not even shy about it, they admit themselves that the are much more comfortable in run blocking than pass protection. But, they could not even run block yesterday, they were simply dominated up front by a better defensive line. Fact is, if you aren’t going to allow your QB the time to execute the game plan, if you aren’t going to open holes for the NFL’s leading rusher, if your line simply is not in the same league with the opposing front four, you are not going to win football games. Redskins can win games, they have won 7 of them, just not at the elite level with the elite NFL teams, because the Redskins are not an elite team. Much of that has to do with winning the battles in the trenches. Yesterday’s game was a clear depiction of that fact.
The Giants box of 8 suffocated the Redskins offense, harassed Jason Campbell, and the Redskins went out with a whimper, 23-7. But, plenty of blame to go around. Blame can be spread to the other front line as well. They may have gotten to Eli Manning twice, but other than that, the defensive line failed to apply any menacing pressure and Manning had at least 6 to 9 seconds consistently to scan the field for open receivers. I can’t tell you how many times my remote, grasped firmly in my hand, was willing and able to fly at my TV, watching Manning sit in the pocket for seconds upon seconds, looking side to side, while the front four never cam close to shedding a single block. Sue they got to Manning twice, mostly on coverage sacks, but the word CONSISTENT is big, and the lack of CONSISTENCY is killing this otherwise, pretty good defense.
It was an all too familiar story for the Redskins, a story that gets repeated year in and year out, but is failed to be addressed by the Redskins front office. I for the life of me do not understand and never will understand how Dan Snyder and Vinny Cerrato can sit in the Owner’s Suite, for how many years now (since 2000), and not see the major difference between the NFC elite teams and the Redskins. Just look at the lack of pass protection. Look at the lack of pass rush. The Giants are superior on the Lines. The Patriots of the last few years were superior on the Lines. The Steelers consistently win with incredible defense, starting on the Line. Yet, here in DC, week in and week out, the one thing not only Redskins fans see, but others as well, analysts, draft experts, you name it, the Redskins are getting beat up front, both sides of the ball. What did the Giants do to win, that the Redskins did not do? Protected Manning, opened holes for Jacobs and Ware. Applied CONSISTENT pressure to Jason Campbell. Giants at times dropped balls as well. Giants made mistakes too. Just like the Redskins. The Giants won the battle in the trenches, period.
That old adage, you win football games in the trenches, has never been more apparent than in Washington DC over the past 8 years. The Redskins best record in the past 8 years is 10-6. They can’t eclipse to 11-5, 12-4, and 13-3. They can’t win a NFC East title. They can’t consistently make the playoffs, year in and year out. When they do make the playoffs, it is because they were in a predicament where they had to pretty much win out. Every game suddenly becomes a make or break. Sound familiar? The Redskins can’t dominate teams. Look at what Dallas did to Seattle, yet we barely survived. We lost to the Rams. The Redskins beats the Rams, this Giant game was not as important. Redskins fans are left wondering season after season, why can’t the Redskins ever climb above mediocrity. Why can’t the Redskins ever win the division? Why do the Redskins struggled in games they shouldn’t and get beat bad by elite teams? Why can’t the Redskins become an elite team they once were in the 1980s?
It’s OK to ask those question, because year in and year out, we all do. We are all loyal fans to this franchise, but year and year out, what do we hope for? What do we predict? 10-6? Please make the playoffs? But, never that sense of domination, 13-3 or 14-2 season. Why? Why not the ‘Skins? Have we become accustomed to mediocrity? The simple answer — Yes.
Why can’t we dominate like we did in the 1980s? How did the Redskins dominate in the 80’s. What were the dominating aspects of the Gibbs I teams?
Answer — the Hogs and two great pass rushing DEs (Dexter Manley and Charles Mann) combined with two beasts in the middle (Dave Butz and Darryl Grant). Rememeber that? In other words, the Redskins won football games by taking control at the line of scrimmage, both offensively and defensively. Dan Snyder claims to have been a die hard, avid Redskins fan, like you and I were, back in the days. Yet, as a avid fan, he can’t see how the Redskins won football games back in the day? I just don’t get it. It is a reoccurring failure of the Snyder years, the simple failure to identify the team weakness and strengthen it.
The last time the Redskins took an offensive lineman in the first two rounds was the year 2000, OT Chris Samuels. And has not Chris Samuels been the best offensive lineman in DC since he was drafted? Yet, success does not beget success, not here, not with this front office. The last time the Redskins took a defensive lineman in the first 2 rounds was 1997, DE Kenard Lang. Yes, you are seeing that correctly, 1997! One of the most important components of your football team, the defensive line, and we have had no youthful investment since 1997??? The offensive line protects the quarterback, usually your teams number one investment, and opens up holes for your number two investment, your running back, and the last big youthful investment was 2000???
Isn’t there such a thing as front office malpractice?
Here are some comments from Redskins fans and members of our partner forums, theWarpath.net. If you want to check out more comments, here is the thread.
