Redskins 2011 Rallying Cry: BELIEVE

I, for one, am so excited that NFL football is back. Through the short off-season, training camp and now the preseason, every NFL fan dreams that this is the year their team breaks out and wins the Super Bowl. The Redskins are no stranger to this and during most of Dan Snyder’s tenure we have all dreamed that the upcoming season would be “the one.”  It hasn’t happened yet and all the pundits are putting us down, which is why this season should be classified in one word; BELIEVE.

First of all, let me start by bashing all these so called “experts,” and by experts I mean every well known wannabe athlete who tries to be a commentator without any credentials what so-ever. Hello ESPN! Let’s just name a few; Colin Cowherd, Merril Hodge, Cris Carter, Trent Dilfer, Marcellus Wiley, Mark Schlereth. I’m sure I’m forgetting at least 100 others as well.

These “experts” think that the Redskins suck, are a joke, and couldn’t possibly contend with the mighty Vick’s, Manning’s and Romo’s of the world. They don’t have to watch the games. In their minds, the Redskins don’t have a name quarterback so they can’t possibly be good or even compete. It’s sad because this ESPN perception is followed by many reporters on other sites and in the national media. Therefore no one and I mean NO ONE outside of Washington gives the 2011 Redskins a chance.

Some experts are even saying the Redskins are the worst team in the league to which I laugh at. I mean you’re telling me the Bengals, Seahawks, Bills, Raiders, Jaguars, and Panthers are all better? Give me a break.

So why are all the “experts” wrong and I’m right? Because for the first time since Dan Snyder bought the team in 1999 we are building a team, the right way, and we do not care for the high priced slackers who are just in it for the money. For so long we built teams through free agency and bad trades. We acquired “names” and we lacked depth because we spent too much on older high priced veterans. 

The 2011 version of the Redskins are a breath of fresh air to many in Redskins Nation. They’re quicker, younger and have much better depth than they have ever had under Snyder. One of the reasons the Redskins have started well and slipped late in recent seasons has been due to a lack of depth beyond the starters. That’s not going to be an issue this year.

This team has a bunch of guys who just want to compete and play football. There are no distractions. There is competition at every position and guys can’t get comfortable about their spot due to their pay rate because Mike Shanahan will not allow it. The locker room is great and no player is bigger than the team.

Critics may disagree but Mike Shanahan is still one hell of a coach. He will be better in his second season, and the roster is vastly improved to do so. He’s a run first coach and if the preseason is any indication, we will be just fine this year with either John Beck or Rex Grossman. After all, we don’t need our QB’s to be superstars. We just need them to be accurate and make safe, quick decisions. Shanahan won with Jake Plummer and Brian Griese so why can’t he do it here.

The Redskins won 6 games last year and we will be much better this year. With an improved running game, efficient QB play and a big step up from our defense, 10-6 is not out of the question this year. One thing is clear from the preseason thus far. We look much more comfortable in our system this year and in a shortened offseason, that’s a huge difference.

The game of football is not played on paper and it’s why the Redskins will succeed. While the Eagles have bought into the old Redskin mentality of buying a Super Bowl, the 2011 Redskins have no egos. They work hard and although they’re not the most talented team, they don’t have to be. They just have to execute Mike Shanahan’s offense. It’s a proven system that works. Just ask John Elway.

BELIEVE!

~JT

Tim Hightower is About to Break Out

When the Washington Redskins traded for Tim Hightower a few weeks ago, I wasn’t quite sure what to think. I knew he played for Arizona, but didn’t think he’d bring too much to a Redskins backfield already filled with Ryan Torain, Roy Helu, and Evan Royster, among others. After all, the Cardinals only wanted Vonnie Holliday in return for a 4th year back. Why would they give up a talented running back for basically nothing? I was skeptical, but after watching two preseason games, I was wrong.

Mike Shanahan loves running backs and throughout his tenure in Denver and Washington he’s typically gone with unproven guys who seem to surface out of nowhere. Diamonds in the rough, so to speak. The Shanahan list is long of 1,000 yard rushers; Terrell Davis, Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson, Clinton Portis, Reuben Droughns and Tatum Bell. I believe Tim Hightower is the next diamond in the rough.

Shanahan’s Denver teams almost always rushed for 2,000 – 2,500 yards per year, consistently ranking near the top of the league. Last year, the Redskins as a team rushed for 1,461 yards, which was one of the worst rushing years Shanahan has ever had. As a result, the Redskins ranked nearly last in the league in rushing. With an upgrade to their offensive line this off-season and continuity up front, this unit should be significantly better for the upcoming year. As a result, the Redskins should at least approach the 2,000 yard rushing mark this season.

Hightower will go into this season as the number one running back. Ryan Torain is still injured and Roy Helu, although promising, is still a rookie and needs significant work on his blocking technique, something Hightower excels at. Shanahan likes to ride running backs in games and does not do a lot of shuffling in and out so expect Hightower to play, and play a lot. He doesn’t get injured so he will have every opportunity to succeed.

Through two preseason games, Hightower has rushed for 114 yards on 16 carries in very limited action. He looks especially comfortable in the zone blocking scheme, where his quickness and north/south running style seem to fit perfectly. The Redskins are raking up 177 yards per game on the ground, ranking 2nd in the league this preseason. They have looked in sync and appear to be getting better with each outing.

Tim Hightower has increased production in each of his three previous seasons. Starting in 2008, he’s rushed for 399, 598, and 736 yards respectively. If history is any indication his numbers are going to jump this season and along with our improved line play, I say this with conviction.

Tim Hightower will rush for 1,400 plus yards this season!

~JT

Cooley's Time is Up

I love Chris Cooley.

It started with the name, then the nickname “Captain Chaos” and the personality that came with it. His performance on the field has been great, but it’s 2011 and his time with the Washington Redskins should be over. Youth, injuries, declining statistics and Fred Davis are all reasons #47 should be traded soon.

Mike Shanahan is going young, across the board, and although Cooley is still a high level performer, he is often injured and doesn’t really fit the young direction the team is headed. Once the final roster is settled, the average age of the team will be about 27 years of age on both sides of the ball. Cooley is 29, and although that’s not old, he is firmly in the prime of his career with only a few good years left.
Cooley is in his 8th year and throughout his first 4 years, he averaged 6.5 TD’s per year, while in the last 3 years he’s caught a total of 6. Who knows, maybe Joe Gibbs was the only one who knew how to utilize him best, but the fact is that those numbers are shocking.

Making matters worse is the fact that he’s starting to have real injury concerns and once you start breaking down in your prime, it becomes harder and harder to come back. Cooley has missed 10 games over the last 2 years and that number is realistically going to rise this year. He’s come into camp this year after having offseason surgery on a torn meniscus and there are still problems with his knee. He recently went to see Dr. James Andrews and that’s never a good sign. As Mike Shanahan said the other day on Cooley, “There is concern. The knee is sore. He’s getting treatment and hopefully he keeps getting better.” There’s obvious concern in that statement.

The Redskins have added 2 tight ends since Cooley’s injury in Derek Schouman and Tony Curtis. That puts 7 TE’s on the roster and it’s clear to me that the Redskins organization is very concerned about the long-term issues with Cooley’s health.

Even when Cooley comes back healthy, he’s going to have to fight for playing time with Fred Davis, who is finally starting to emerge in his 3rd year. Davis has lost about 15 pounds in the offseason and is having a terrific camp. As Rex Grossman put it, "Fred totally understands what he's supposed to do on every play and how to run routes. He's so fast. It's just a matter of time before he's a breakout star in this league." Mike Shanahan agreed, stating “Fred's always taken it seriously. He's had a heck of a camp. He came in, in excellent shape. ... Sometimes guys should take off a few pounds, and Fred was in that category." All indications are that he’s on the fast track for a breakout season, and if Cooley starts and plays a majority of snaps it would hinder Davis’ growth, unless the Redskins start using more 2 TE sets. I haven’t even mentioned Logan Paulsen, who has proved that he is more than capable as a serviceable, and more importantly blocking, TE as well.

Cooley is the one player on the Redskins whose trade value is still high around the league. The Redskins need to get him healthy and deal him. It’s as simple as that. Fred Davis is a budding superstar and Cooley just doesn’t fit with the whole youth movement in DC. Time to move on and get what you can while the value is still high.

~JT