Last Year
After another lavish offseason, Redskins fans were not sure what to expect in 2005, but a 3-0 start set the bar high. The team's success was built around an aggressive defense, while Mark Brunell managed the offense fairly well. Now owner Dan Snyder has opened his wallet again and with a veteran team and an all-star coaching staff, the Redskins will be hoping to build on their playoff win from last season.
What We Learned From Last Year
Having your starting quarterback get his clock cleaned is typically not a good thing, but in Washington's case, it was kind of a blessing in disguise.
Patrick Ramsey injured his neck in Week 1 of the regular season and gave way to Mark Brunell, who posted a 3,000-yard season.
It wasn't 1997 and by no means was Brunell a Pro Bowl threat, but he was a solid caretaker.
He only completed 57.7% of his passes, but he only threw 10 interceptions, compared to 23 touchdowns.
In the offseason, the Redskins shipped Laveranues Coles back to his former team, the New York Jets, after two mild seasons, and received Santana Moss in return.
At first, it looked like the Redskins were acquiring a very similar player in Moss, but that was far from the case.
Moss became an integral part of the offense, towing in 1,483 yards and 9 touchdowns.
He wasn't the only one to breakout as second-year tight end Chris Cooley finished second on the team with 71 receptions and 774 yards.
With Clinton Portis running the ball efficiently, the offense was suddenly a functional unit after hampering the 'Skins for so many years.
The key was that the front five was healthy and cohesive for almost the whole season.
Just the year before, the Redskins suffered a big setback when right tackle Jon Jansen was lost for the year in the preseason. It left a big gaping hole on the right side of the line that simply would not be filled.
On defense, coordinator Gregg Williams continued to churn quality defensive players. There were questions as to whether middle linebacker Lemar Marshall could handle a full-time role, but he was excellent, leading the team in tackles.
Playmaker LaVar Arrington spent a lot of time on the sideline, partially because of injury and mostly because him and Williams didn't see eye-to-eye. Warrick Holdman, the third starting linebacker, was mediocre at best.
In the secondary, first-round pick Carlos Rogers was one of the quieter rookies, but played exceptionally well in spurts. Walt Harris, a seasoned and aging veteran, also provided solid production.
The playmaker at the back end was Sean Taylor, who is a do-it-all safety that is emerging as one of the best in the business. Off-field incidents were a bit of a distraction, though.
With an aggressive front seven, the Redskins put the pressure on every offensive line they faced. The defense was strong enough to carry them to the playoffs with modest help from the offense, but with another free-wheeling offseason that has supplied talent on both sides of the ball, the Redskins are hunting for a Super Bowl.
This Year
The Redskins had a few leaks on their roster, last year that they hope to have addressed in the offseason.
They targeted a few wide receivers and acquired both Brandon Lloyd and Antwaan Randle El. They experienced so much success with their small, speedy wideout Santana Moss last year that they figured they load up with two more.
Randle El is a solid third wide receiver, while Lloyd has playmaking potential as a number two starter.
Last season, the Redskins received little production out of their number two spot. David Patten had only 22 receptions, while the others only combined for 26 receptions and 312 yards.
With more weapons and offensive genius Al Saunders taking over the reigns, the Redskins could be a dangerous unit.
With a change in philosophy, Clinton Portis figures to be more of a factor. Joe Gibbs loves a running back that is a bit bigger and stronger than Portis and has therefore misused him a little bit. Saunders figures to cater the schemes more to his skills.
The key on offense will be the front five. The Redskins have a solid unit anchored by two very good tackles, Chris Samuels and Jon Jansen, two stout guards, Randy Thomas and Derrick Dockery, and a good center in Casey Rabach. The problem is that the depth behind this unit is untested. The last minute signing of Todd Wade could be valuable.
On defense, the holes included less than inspiring play at weak side linebacker and strong safety.
That won't be much of a problem anymore as the Redskins signed Adam Archuleta from the St. Louis Rams and used their highest draft pick on linebacker Rocky McIntosh.
With Archuleta and Taylor, there isn't much this safety tandem can't do.
They will be behind a grouping of cornerbacks that figures to be better than last year's as Carlos Rogers grows into a viable starter. Kenny Wright and Mike Rumph are the nickel and dime backs, but that is not much of a concern, considering how Williams' defense have pumped out quality cornerbacks each season.
The linebackers will get a boost from McIntosh, when he's ready, but they will be okay with Holdman starter for now. Marshall is reliable and Washington is the sideline-to-sideline playmaker.
Up front, the Redskins also get a boost with the signing of Andre Carter. He didn't have a lot of success in San Francisco, as they moved him back and forth from the line to linebacker, but Williams will find a role for him. He'll keep the pressure off of Phillip Daniels, who registered eight sacks last season.
In the heart of the line, the Redskins have a solid run stuffer in Cornelius Griffin and will take up a lot of space with Joe Salave'a. There is some depth on the line with Demetric Evans and Renaldo Wynn as backups.
There isn't much that the Redskins are missing on their roster and they have the mixings of a Super Bowl team. Although some question whether Mark Brunell can last — or be successful — over a full season, he won't have to do too much with the weapons around him on offense and with a stellar defense to back him up. With the best coaching staff in the league, you can be assured to see the Redskins in the playoffs come January.
Over/Under: 9
If the Redskins offensive line can hold up for the full season, they will be neck-in-neck with the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East. Their schedule is not overly difficult, but they are in a dog-eat-dog division, which will wear them down. They play: MIN, @DAL, @HOU, JAC, @NYG, TEN, @IND, DAL, @PHI, @TB, CAR, ATL, PHI, @NO, @STL, and NYG.
Fantasy Sleeper
Chris Cooley caught seven touchdowns last season and more than doubled his yardage total from his rookie season. This year, the offense has hired offensive coordinator Al Saunders, who emphasized tight end Tony Gonzalez for years in Kansas City. While that is a good omen, the other smart reason to draft Cooley is that with three smaller wideouts, he is easily the team's best option in the red zone.
This is the fourth consecutive season of comprehensive NFL previews by Dave Golokhov. Stay tuned as he brings you previews for all 32 NFL teams! He can be reached at [email protected].
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