Four games down in the NFL season and we have already
learned a lot about who the 2012 Redskins are.
Most of the preseason questions have been answered and replaced by other
questions. Here’s a look at what we’ve
learned so far: Can Robert Griffin III
live up to expectations? Yes, he’s
everything we thought and more. Is the
offensive line as bad as we thought? No,
it’s worse. Will someone emerge as the
top running back in a crowded backfield?
Yes, and it was Alfred Morris of all people. Can the defense pick up where they left off
last year? Nope.
The offense has completely transformed from a year ago. Led by Rex Grossman and John Beck, the
Redskins were almost unwatchable.
Finally faced with the realization that the Redskins would never turn
things around without a franchise quarterback, Mike Shanahan went all-in and
traded for an opportunity to draft the highly-touted Griffin. So far so good. Griffin has a 69.4% completion percentage and
a QB rating of 103.2. He’s thrown for
four TDs, rushed for four, and thrown only one interception. He’s not only padding his own stats, he’s
made the entire offense better. The
Redskins are third in the NFL in yards per game and fourth in points per
games. The offense never put up more
than 30 points all of last season.
Griffin led the offense to 40 points in his first game. It seemed impossible for Griffin to live up
to expectations, but he’s managed to do just that.
Last season, the defense had to carry the theam. This year it’s the defense that’s lacking,
specifically the pass defense which ranks 31st in the league. Only Tampa Bay has played worse thus far. As good as the offense has been, it’s hard to
win when your team is giving up 30.8 points per game. While the offense looks capable of putting up
points all season long, the Redskins will continually struggle to put teams
away. Against Tampa Bay, the Redskins
jumped out to a 21-3 lead, but they needed a field goal with seven seconds left
to win the game 24-22. They look
absolutely terrible and things are only going to get harder. Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett needs to
fix things in a hurry.
The Redskins sit at 2-2 right now, but things may quickly
turn ugly. With Atlanta, Pittsburgh,
Baltimore and all six division games still on the schedule, the Redskins will
struggle to keep their heads above water.
Even so, that’s ok. The real goal
of this season was to introduce Griffin to the NFL and show the Redskins were
on the right track. The problem won’t be
how they perform this season, but next season. With few draft picks at their
disposal and a cap penalty that will carry over to 2013, the team will struggle
to fill the holes in the secondary and the offensive line. Bruce Allen will do what he can, but it is
likely the Redskins will not have the resources to fix the problems they
face. If the Redskins find themselves
struggling again next season, will the patience of Dan Snyder and the fans
finally run out? Snyder has fired
coaches for a lot less. Will people be
able to keep the big picture in mind this season and the next or will Griffin’s
success bring back the “win now” mentality that has hampered the organization
for so many years?
Mike Shanahan has made his share of mistakes as head
coach. Hiring his son as offensive
coordinator seemed like nepotism at its absolute worse and Kyle has done little
to prove critics wrong. Grossman and Beck
might actually be a worse QB tandem than Brady Quinn and Colt McCoy, and it’s
made even more embarrassing by the fact that this QB competition was by design
rather than necessity. Still, I see a
lot of potential in the core the Redskins have brought in during the Shanahan
era and I am wary of dismantling the coaching staff when things finally seem to
be on the right track. So, let’s
everyone take a collective deep breath.
Griffin looks great, but the Redskins aren’t Super Bowl bound this year or
next year. The Redskins may be a .500
team in 2012 and 2013, but don’t panic.
It’s all part of the plan.
For the latest DC sports news and updates you can follow me on Twitter @TheDC_Sportsguy
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