Thoughts on the Redskins Name Change

So I had a few days to think about the Washington Redskins changing their name. While I am personally not happy about it as a longtime fan, here are my five main takeaways regarding the name change.

1) Corporate Sponsors Pull Out: Fredrick Smith's statement from last Thursday on the Redskins changing their name was the ultimate deciding factor. Smith is the CEO of Federal Express (FedEx) corporation and he is one of three minority owners that owns 40% of the franchise. Washington Redskins Owner Dan Snyder has never face backlash from his corporate sponsors about the Redskins name until late last week. Smith has privately asked Snyder to change the team's name for several years to change the name and his public statement set a chain of events. The next day, Dan Snyder released a statement that the team will do a thorough review on the Redskins name. In addition, other corporate sponsors such as Nike, Walmart, and Dick's Sporting Goods pull off all Redskin gear from their website. Those sponsors publicly said they want the Redskins name to change.

On a side note, do not be surprised if Snyder sues Nike, Walmart, and Dick's Sporting Goods and ends up winning the lawsuit. Those sponsors breach the team's contract by pulling off the team's jerseys and apparel while selling other NFL team's apparel. Those sponsors have deals with the entire league.

2) Cancel Culture Strikes Again: The Cancel Culture are the worst type of people. They just never stop being offended and they act like they made a difference in caring for Native American lives. The people who were screaming for a Redskins name change never reference the 2016 and 2019 Washington Post poll showing that Native Americans support the Redskins name. Also, please do not tell me any nonsense on those polls being fabricated or fake. The Washington Post has been pushing for the Redskins name change narrative for over 30 years and I bet they were not happy to publish that poll result at all.

3) Bad Ownership: Dan Snyder has done nearly the impossible. The terrible performance on the field,  constant dysfunction in the front office, erosion of the fanbase has actually led to the name change being a less risk financially.  If the Redskins were winning right now and competing for a Super Bowl, the name would never change despite the climate we are living in today.  Snyder's poor mismanagement of the franchise has resulted in empty seats at FedEx Field, emptier parking lots, lower local TV ratings, fan apathy, and fewer apparel sales. There will never be a better time then now to do a name change and a complete reboot of the franchise.

4) Possible Ownership Changes? The bad performance on the field has led to anger and disgust internally at the ownership level. According to ProFootball Talk; three minority owners of the Redskins, Fredrick Smith, Robert Rothman, and Dwight Schar, are all looking for a buyer to acquire their 40% stake of the franchise. Now this story get's very interesting. If the new buyer buys the 40% minority ownership stake of the franchise, then the new buyer could buyout Snyder to control the franchise. Another possibility is that Smith, Rothman and Schar could buyout Snyder and acquire the entire franchise. The NFL wouldn't mind that to happen because the league and the other owners are very frustrated with Dan Snyder on how he's handled the franchise. In addition, Snyder frustration over the name change and the ongoing friction with his minority partners could lead him to selling the team. That would cause another parade in the Nations Capital.

One of the few positives that could come from a name change is either Snyder sells the team or be bought out by a new owner, and the franchise gets a new stadium in Washington D.C within the next several years. On the flip side, Snyder could still keep owning the majority 60% of the team despite a new buyer or buy the remaining 40% of the franchise to assure full majority control.

Either way, a potential sale of  40% ownership stake for the Washington Football team is a fascinating development and it's something to follow within the next several months.

5) New Team Name Prediction: Personally, I want the new name to be the Warriors to keep their historic tradition by honoring Native Americans, but it won't happen from a public relations view and where the world is heading to currently. Realistically, the new name will start with the letter R to keep the "HTTR" theme going and that new R name will be the Washington Redtails.

So, we all gonna have to get use to singing after every touchdown at home, "Hail to the Redtails!"

The Alex Smith Trade Proves Why The Redskins Are Still a Dysfunctional Franchise

Courtesy of USA Today

26 years ago, the Washington Redskins played in Super Bowl XXVI at the Metrodome in Minneapolis Minnesota. Redskins easily defeated the Buffalo Bills 37-24 to clinch their third Super Bowl title in franchise history. 

26 years later, the Super Bowl has returned to Minneapolis at US Bank Stadium, which replaced the Metrodome. The Redskins have not returned to the Super Bowl since that day, nor haven't appeared in a NFC Championship game. Based on their recent trade, it appears that more mediocrity and dysfunction is still a realistic possibility going forward and deep playoffs in January is very unlikely.

Last night, the Redskins trade their third round draft pick and cornerback Kendall Fuller to the Kansas City Chiefs for quarterback Alex Smith. Smith was entering his last year of his contract with the Chiefs, so the Redskins extended Alex Smith's contract for five years $111 million with $71 million in guarantee money with injury. Therefore, Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins will be a free agent this offseason and he will have plenty of teams to choose and spend his next phase of his NFL career.

While the Redskins saved $6 million with this trade and guarantee some stability at the quarterback position despite the four year age gap between Cousins and Smith, the mess they created will never be forgotten. Sure, they might have save themselves from another crisis by acquiring Smith, but this shouldn't never happen to begin with.

The Redskins could of easily avoided this drama if they just give a long term contract extension to Kirk Cousins. It was understandable to give him the franchise tag in 2016, but doing so again in 2017 was disastrous. The ongoing franchise tag or long term extension talks became too exhausting for the players, coaches, talk radio hosts, beat reporters, and fans. While the saga continue on, Cousins threw an average of 4,392 yards, 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in the last three seasons. Also, Cousins has let the Redskins to a NFC East title in 2015 and a winning record in 2016. In addition, he has broken the franchise record for single season passing yards in 2015 and 2016 despite dealing with an average running game and a bad defense.

Yes, I know there were some games that Cousins did not delivered in big games, but those loses were beyond the quarterback play. Bad coaching and defense/special teams play will make any quarterback look very bad. Football is a team sport, and all three phases of the game needs to play very well to win games consistently. The Redskins never did so, and they lost games in agitating fashion. The losses affected the morale of the fanbase so badly that seats were empty at FedEx Field and lower local TV ratings last December. 

It was clear that Kirk Cousins was a top 10 quarterback in the NFL and the best quarterback the Redskins have had since Brad Johnson in 1999. Yet, team president Bruce Allen still screw it up by using the expensive franchise tag in back to back years and given his history, he will find ways to screw it up with Alex Smith.

The Redskins already mess up by trading their third round pick and starting cornerback Kendall Fuller. Trading Fuller is a terrible decision because it weakens their pass defense that is already a bad unit. Fuller had a great 2017 season and while he's not the next Darrell Green, he was an upcoming and possibility future pro bowler in that position. Also, Allen never told Fuller personally that he was traded. Apparently, Fuller find out his own trade on Twitter. That alone is unprofessional and classless on Allen.

So for folks who I am too negative and pessimistic about the Redskins trade and future,  ask yourself this question. Do you trust Bruce Allen and his front office staff of actually reshaping the roster by improving the running game, defense, and special teams this offseason? Can they acquire the right type of players in the draft and free agency to make a major impact?  Can the coaching staff put the players in the right position to succeed and get the most of them? 

Smith had all of those working in Kansas City and it is no guarantee it will work in Washington.

However, it doesn't really make a difference. We all know how this is going to end. The Redskins management will do what they always do by finding ways to screw it all up. Even if they opted to go draft quarterback in first round or sign a free agent quarterback younger or with less credentials than Smith, the Redskins still wouldn't be able to rebuild this team with quality free agents and draft choices. They almost always draft poorly or pick guys who get hurt frequently or just quit. They never quite know when to negotiate a fair contract with a good player. They messed up the whole Cousins thing badly and overpaid cornerback Josh Norman. So, no matter how much cap money they may have or not have or the amount of talent on the roster, they will still struggle to put together a decent roster of players because the front office is incapable of creating a winning atmosphere. They put politics and ego over winning on the field.

On the bright side, Bruce Allen is a mastermind of "winning off the field!"

Catching Up!

First off, I really want to apologize for the very long delay on my blog posts on Skins Take over the past several months. I have a lot of things on a personal level that took away a lot of my time since I last posted here. A lot has happened for the Redskins during the offseason. While their draft picks and free agent signings have been decent and are capable of sending the Redskins back to the playoffs in 2017, the firing of Scot McCloughan, and not resigning Kirk Cousins to the long term will be remembered.

The regular season has started, and other than the sudden off the field issues with safety Sur'a Curvens, there hasn't been drama affecting the Redskins on the field. They are 1-1 heading into a Sunday Night showdown at home versus the Oakland Raiders. With an early bye week upcoming and a very tough second half schedule, going at least 2-2 is a must in order to give the Redskins a chance to contend in the NFC East this season. Starting the season 1-3  could put them in a early big hole to overcome.

Currently, it is too early to judge the Redskins based on their first two regular season games. While the passing game remains inconsistent and the defense has marginally improved, the running game did took off in the right direction last Sunday in Los Angeles. With the loss of Pierre Garcon and Desean Jackson, the running game will probably be used more heavily this year then in the last two years. That could be a good thing only if they can control the game and limit turnovers. Evidently, the passing game should be improved over the course of the season.

So while the Redskins will try to get their things sorted out, I will try my best to keep this blog as relevant as possible despite my busy schedule. I will not recap every game, but I will go into more features and details surrounding the team on and off the field.

Thank you all for your loyal support!

It's a Four Game Season For The Redskins

At 6-5-1, the Washington Redskins no longer can control their destiny for a wild card berth, but if they win their next four games, they will be in the playoffs in back to back seasons for the first time since 1991-1992. So far, the rest of the schedule is manageable with the Redskins facing one team with a winning record in their final four games of the season. Listed below is their final four games of the season.

Week 14 @ Philadelphia

Week 15 vs Carolina (MNF)

Week 16 @ Chicago (Saturday/Christimas Eve)

Week 17 vs N.Y. Giants (New Years Day)

While the path to the playoffs isn't daunting, the two major weaknesses for the Redskins could end their playoff chances.

RedZone Offense: The Redskins offense outside the 20 yard line is one of the best offensive units in the NFL. The offense can move the football against anyone in the NFL because quarterback Kirk Cousins is a great quarterback and he has plenty of  elite weapons to choose from. However, inside the 20 becomes a major problem for the Redskins. The playcalling becomes too complex, head scratching and sometime too much reliance on the passing game. This has lead to the Redskins being ranked near the bottom in the NFL in red zone offense.Offensive Coordinator Sean McVay has done a great job with maximizing his talent, but he along with his players are extremely pressing in the redzone and often times, the Redskins have to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns. McVay could be an upcoming NFL head coach in the near future, but if he wants to go that route, his team must find a way to score touchdowns in the redzone.  This issue is a coaching and personnel problem because the Redskins do not have a defense that is good enough to overcome redzone problems.

Defense: The Redskins defense is equivalent to a team from the Big 12 conference. The talent level is not very good at all. The unit is very weak in the defensive line and the secondary. Cornerback Josh Norman is their best defensive player on the field, but he alone cannot overcome the major flaws in the defense. The Redskins defense is dead last in the NFL in 3rd down, which means they cannot get off the field and force a stop.  That is a major problem for a team competing for a playoff spot. Teams that usually advance to the Super Bowl have a good defense. Fans want Defensive Coordinator Joe Barry fired, but firing him alone will not solve anything relating to the defense. This is a personnel problem and general manager Scot McCloughan must address the needs on defense only in the draft because his free agent signings in the past two offseasons has not entirely worked out. But for right now, the only way the defense can improve is playing the bend but don't break style, which means making big stops on 3rd downs and create turnovers to set up the offense with a short field. The Redskins defense has not committed a turnover since week 11 vs Green Bay. Therefore, the defense must find a way to create more turnovers in their final remaining four games.

Despite these glaring issues, the Redskins can still make the playoffs because their offense is extremely potent in the air and on the ground. However, it could possibly be a short stay in the postseason or be eliminated from playoff contention  if they cannot improve in the redzone and on 3rd down defense. The next four games will  test the character, toughness, and determination of what the Redskins are all about in 2016.

Image Courtesy of 247 sports

Approaching the Bye Week, The Redskins Enter a Critical Point Of Their Season

At 4-3 and sitting tied for last place is a very competitive NFC East, the Redskins go to London entering their first of many must win games this season. The Redskins nearly left the Motor City with a victory despite committing two turnovers in the red zone and leaving 10 points off the board in the first quarter. However, the defense got beat by Matthew Stafford in the final 1:05 in the 4th quarter. Everyone can say what they want on the defense, but they did not lose the game in Detroit, the offense and special teams did. Also, give credit to quarterback Matthew Stafford because he's having a career year this season with the Lions. Last Sunday was Stafford's 24th game winning drive in his NFL career. When a quarterback finds a way to win that amount of games in the last minute, it is a challenge for any defense.

Now, let's focus to the next opponent, the Cincinnati Bengals. They have plenty of talent on both offense and defense, but they are off to a 3-4 start. The Bengals have a great running back tandem in Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard. Containing Hill and Bernard will be a major challenge for the Redskins, who have struggled defensively against the run all season. Another major challenge is the health of Trent Williams, Josh Norman, and Jordan Reed. Those three players must be healthy and ready to play if the Redskins have a chance of winning in London.

There is still plenty of football left to be played, but the difference between 5-3 and 4-4 going into the bye week is huge because the second half schedule is brutal. At 5-3, it gives the Redskins a chance to play some meaningful games. At 4-4, the chances of making the playoff odds and winning the NFC East takes a hit, and the Redskins will be need to get on a winning streak against the Vikings, Packers, Cowboys, Cardinals, and Eagles. Those teams are in the NFC playoff race.

So wake up early, enjoy your breakfast, and hope for a big Redskins win on Sunday morning.

Image courtesy of CSNMidAtlantic.com

2016 NFL Regular Season Predictions

Preseason is finally over and the NFL regular season starts this Thursday Night in Denver as the Super Bowl champion Broncos host the Carolina Panthers in rematch of Super Bowl 50. Every year, the NFL produces the best parity in all of professional sports. Who will be the surprise team this season?

Listed below is my season predictions for all 32 teams: 

AFC East

1. Patriots (12-4) 

2. Bills (9-7)

3. Dolphins (8-8)

4. Jets (4-12)

AFC North

1. Steelers (11-5)

2. Bengals (10-6)*

3. Ravens (9-7)

4. Browns (5-11)

AFC South

1. Colts (9-7)

2. Texans (8-8)

3. Jaguars (7-9)

4. Titans (6-10)

AFC West

1. Raiders (10-6)

2. Chargers (9-7)*

3. Broncos (8-8)

4. Chiefs (7-9)

NFC East

1. Giants (10-6)

2. Redskins (9-7)*

3. Cowboys (8-8)

4. Eagles (5-11)

NFC North

1. Packers (11-5)

2. Bears (10-6)*

3. Vikings (8-8)

4. Lions (6-10)

NFC South

1. Panthers (12-4)

2. Buccaneers (9-7)

3. Saints (8-8)

4. Falcons (5-11)

NFC West

1. Seahawks (13-3)

2. Cardinals (8-8)

3. 49ers (7-9)

4. Rams (4-12)

AFC Wild Card

(3) Raiders over the (6) Chargers

(4) Colts over the (5) Bengals

NFC Wild Card

(3) Packers over the (6) Redskins

(4) Giants over the (5) Bears

AFC Divisional

(1) Patriots over the (4) Colts

(2) Steelers over the (3) Raiders

NFC Divisional

(1) Seahawks over the (4) Giants

(3) Packers over the (2) Panthers

AFC Championship

(1) Patriots over the (2) Steelers

NFC Championship

(3) Packers over the (1) Seahawks

Super Bowl LI

Packers over the Patriots

Image courtesy of the NFL and Twitter

A New Redskins Stadium in Virginia Is a Catastrophically Bad Idea

While everyone anticipates the 2016 season and the higher expectations that added after an unexpected division title last season, another upcoming issue surrounding the Redskins is where their next stadium will be located. Last Friday , a small bombshell was stated regarding the Redskins new stadium location.

Virginia Governor Terry Mcauliffe was interviewed at training camp in Richmond last Friday by former Redskin and current talk radio host Chris Cooley on Redskins owned station ESPN 980 (WTEM-AM) . According to the Washington Post, Mcauliffe wants the Redskins new stadium to be located in the Commonwealth.

“I view this as a Virginia team,” the governor said on ESPN 980 on Friday morning, during an appearance at the team’s training camp facilities in Richmond. “I know they’re in Maryland right now. But a majority of the season ticket holders are Virginians, all the players live in Virginia, we have all of your [practice] facilities. . . . We’re in very serious negotiations, as I assume other jurisdictions are. Listen, we would love to have them.”

Another surprising development is that Chris Cooley believes that the Redskins will have a new stadium announced before Election day. The timing of the possible announcement could make sense because the Redskins have their scheduled bye week on November 6th.

Economically, having their new stadium in the Commonwealth makes sense for the Redskins. Their training camp site, team headquarters, the players, coaching staff, front office, and most of their current season ticket holders are all currently located in Virginia. Redskins will be able to control their own revenues within their new stadium and Virginia could create a feasible deal that will lessen the cost of the new stadium to taxpayers. Virginia currently does not have a major professional sports team playing at the commonwealth, so it's obvious that Governor Mcauliffe sees a major economic gain from this venture.

 But for the fans locally, this is a catastrophically bad idea.

Virginia is not a centralized location for a new Redskins stadium for all fans in the D.C metro area. As bad as FedEx field is right now, at least it is off the beltway and within reasonable distance and the next metro stop is a mile walk at best.

If the Redskins build their new stadium in Northern Virginia, the most likely location will be in Loudoun County between the Sterling and Ashburn area because there is plenty of land available. While the metro's sliver line will extend to Ashburn in 2019, building a new stadium in that area could cause major traffic problems. Anyone who has lived in the Northern Virginia suburbs knows that traffic is very bad on rush hour and occasionally on weekends. Adding an new Redskins stadium will add more congestion along Route 7, Route 28, Waxpool Road, Loudoun County Parkway,and the Dulles Toll Road.

Also, the new stadium will not be accessible to the Redskins fans in Maryland and D.C. It is possible that the entire state of Maryland could unofficially become Ravens territory because their stadium will be more accessible to those residents then the new Redskins stadium. That alone, could cause more long problems for the Redskins in terms of growing their fan base.

On the bright side, it's a very good sign that the Redskins are trying to break their ongoing lease with FedEx Field, which is currently expiring in 2027. However, they will need to think long and hard on their next new stadium location and figure it what's best for the fans in terms of accessibility. Having the new stadium in Loudoun County will be a major setback. 

Currently, the RFK stadium site in D.C. provides the best option for the next new Redskins stadium location. RFK Stadium will be torn down in 2018, so the D.C government will need to figure out what to do with the RFK site. However, working with  D.C will be difficult because RFK stadium is federally owned land and the government wants the change the Redskins name. But as always in business, once money talks, nonsense leaves. There is still a chance that the D.C. government and the Redskins could agree on a new stadium deal in the District, but the Redskins will need to be very patient, determined, and diligent.

But for right now, please stay away from Virginia. Your fanbase will be very thankful for years to come.

Image courtesy of Redskins.com

Honoring Chief Zee

Going to Redskins games this season will sadly not feel nor sound the game anymore because they will be missing one superfan; Chief Zee. Chief Zee, known as Zema Williams, passed away early last week at the age of 75. Except for the four games he missed in 2013 due to funerals, Zema has attended every Redskins game since 1978. Chief Zee was known for his attire and super fandom of the Redskins, especially during the team's glory years from 1982-1991. While fans tailgating at FedEx Field or at the old RFK Stadium, meeting and greeting Chief Zee was the right of passage for millions of Redskins fans. His enthusiasm, attitude, and kind-fullness is going to be missed by his family, friends, and millions of Redskins fans across the world.

For folks who want to pay their respects to Chief Zee's, his viewing and funeral will be open to the public. The viewing and funeral is scheduled for Wednesday July 27th at First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Upper Marlboro Maryland. The address is 600 Watkins Park Drive. The viewing will be from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m, followed by the funeral from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.


Image Courtesy of the Score

It's Getting Closer To Football Season

The last time I blogged on this site, the Redskins did the improbable and clinched their second NFC East title in three years and their third division title in the Dan Snyder era.  They were preparing for their wild card game vs Green Bay Packers, which they eventually lost at home 35-18. I was very optimistic on their chances vs the Packers, but Aaron Rodgers step up his game and shown what he's capable of during the playoffs, and the Redskins lack of experience in playoff games really shown on the field. Packers controlled the clock and the game in the second half, and physically wear down the entire Redskins defense, and Quarterback Kirk Cousins, and the entire offensive line got beat badly vs the Packers defensive line.

A lot has happened since then for the Redskins. The draft, and offseason went by with little drama, except bringing Josh Norman coming to Washington, thanks to Carolina botching their franchise tag agreement with him. Likewise, the Redskins will enter training camp with a improved roster on offense, defense and special teams.

However, this season schedule will be more difficult than last season because the Redskins will be facing playoff teams from last season in addition to playing the entire AFC North and NFC North. I will discuss more on the regular season schedule after the preseason.

Beginning July 28th, training camp begins in Richmond Virginia, the preseason begins August 11th, and the regular season begins September 12th. In the coming weeks, the dog days of Summer will pass by, and football will return. We will learn more about the final 53 man roster by early September.

Over the next several months on Skins Take, we will discuss the future of Kirk Cousins, honor the late great Zema Williams (Chief Zee), and look into the plans for the Redskins new stadium. In addition, I will provide analysis on any major news coming out of the organization during training camp and preseason.

Enjoy the last remaining weeks of summer and for the folks who are going to Richmond for camp, have fun and stay hydrated!

Image Courtesy of WNST

The Washington Redskins Could be a Dangerous Team in the Playoffs

Last Saturday Night, the Washington Redskins have completed one of their greatest turnaround seasons in franchise history by defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 38-24, to clinch their second NFC East title in  three years. This was their 15th divisional title and their 600th win in franchise history. The Redskins, who were among the worst teams in the NFL during the last two years, have all of the suddenly look like a real likable NFL team.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins threw for 365 yards and four touchdowns, two of those came in the second half to give the Redskins a huge lead going into the fourth quarter. Tight End Jordan Reed continuous to be unstoppable and a coverage nightmare for defenses. The defense was able to shut down the Eagles offense , despite nearly giving up a big play at times, and the Eagles offense self imploded themselves. This road victory summarizes a major accomplishment for the entire organization. The entire season was all about football, not the endless starting quarterback drama and dysfunction that we all use to seeing from this organization.

Just like this season, the Redskins will enter the playoffs with little expectations and a major chip on their shoulders. Most national media NFL analysts see the Redskins being one and done in the playoffs. That will add fuel to the fire for the players and coaching staff. The Redskins will host a Wild Card playoff game next weekend at FedEx Field against either Seattle, Minnesota, or Green Bay.  In the NFL playoffs, we see upsets and surprises every year and the way the Redskins are currently playing, they can win a playoff game at home. The Redskins are 6-2 at home this season, and they play much better in front of their hometown fans at FedEx Field. Also, unlike in years past, the Redskins are a resilient team. They have overcome key injuries and setbacks all seasons. Anytime they were in a must win situation, they have delivered. Whether that helps in the playoffs remains to be seen, but it is a major step forward.

I am aware the Redskins don't have an elite roster and talent compared to the teams in Carolina and Arizona, but if the Redskins play optimistic football, they have a chance to surprise everyone in the NFL. Kirk Cousins offense continues to move the football and avoided turnovers. The defense is very suspect to giving up big plays, but they are second in the league in forcing fumbles. Special teams continues to improve, but they will need to avoid penalties and improve their kickoff return coverage.

The Redskins will play their final road game of the season today at Dallas. Hopefully, no starters gets hurt today and only plays one full half of action. While today's game is meaningless, Kirk Cousins needs to throw 129 yards to set a single season franchise record for passing yards. Tight End Jordan Reed needs two more touchdowns to set a single season franchise record for the most receiving touchdowns in a single season.

Finally, finishing the season with a NFC East title and a 9-7 record is a great accomplishment going forward. It will solidify their first winning season in three years.

Image Courtesy of CBS Sports

Kirk Cousins Has Solidified The Quarterback Position for the Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins have won back to back games for the first time this season thanks to a convincing 35-25 victory against the Buffalo Bills at FedEx Field. With the Giants and Eagles losing on Sunday, the Redskins can clinch the NFC East with a win on Saturday Night at Philadelphia against the Eagles. Given where this franchise was before the season and in the previous two seasons, it is incredible that the Redskins are one more victory away from winning their third NFC East title and clinching their fifth playoff appearance in the Dan Snyder era. The Redskins at 7-7, have matched their win total from the previous two seasons. Therefore, this season is already a success.

Let be honest, any Redskins fan who is objective and realistic would thought 7-9 is a great season at best. Now, with seven wins already and one more to clinch the division title, that in itself is a major accomplishment.

Anyway, the Redskins are in this position because Quarterback Kirk Cousins has played like a true franchise quarterback. In his week 15 contest versus Buffalo, Cousins completed 22 of 28 for 319 yards, four touchdown passes and one rushing touchdown with a quarterback rating of 153.7. That is perfect quarterback rating by NFL standards. Cousins has set a franchise record for throwing over 300 yards six times this season, and 337 pass completions in a single season. Also, he is leading the NFL in completion percentage.

Cousins is statistically having the best season as a Redskins quarterback in franchise history. He's on track to throw 28 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and over 4,000 yards passing.

Regardless, how the Redskins finish this year, they finally have a long term solution at quarterback. The coaching staff, front office and the entire roster are all in on Kirk Cousins. In a season filled with questions marks and inconsistency across the entire organization, the most important and scrutinized position in professional football is finally filled.

Cousins will get a well deserved raise in the offseason by either a long term extension or a franchise tag with the Redskins. He is the big reason why the Redskins have a chance to clinch the NFC East on Week 16.

Image Courtesy of NBC Sports/Pro football talk

Can The Redskins Maintain First Place in the NFC East?

With a huge 20-14 victory against the New York Giants at FedEx Field, the Washington Redskins are entering December at first place in the NFC East with a 5-6 record. Currently, the Redskins are 2-1 in the division with three divisional games upcoming against the Dallas twice and at Philadelphia, who are both a mess right now. The Redskins can easily clinch the NFC East by winning all of their final five games of the season, or just winning three out of five games. The tiebreakers and their remaining schedule is all in their favor.

So with this in mind, can the Redskins maintain their lead in the NFC East? Despite not having a winning streak and a road victory this season, there is a good chance the Redskins can take full control of the NFC East. However, it is very hard to get a good feeling of the Redskins because they have been very inconsistent all season. While they have struggled on the road this season, a lot of their losses came against elite teams with undefeated and one loss records at the time. The Redskins final three road games of the season will come against teams with losing records.

Given their upcoming schedule, Monday Night's home game versus the Dallas Cowboys is a huge divisional matchup for the Redskins. While the Cowboys still have not won a game without starting quarterback Tony Romo, strange things happen when the Cowboys and Redskins play under the primetime stage. The Cowboys would want revenge from last year's home loss on Monday Night and hurt the Redskins division title chances. Another negative for the Redskins, they have one home win on Monday Night Football since 2000, and are 3-17 in primeitme games since Joe Gibbs retired after the 2007 season.

For the Redskins to prevent a primetime letdown at home, they will have to stick to their gameplan, play inspired football, stop the running game, score touchdowns off turnovers, and win the turnover battle.

Win or lose,  just be happy that the main focus for the Redskins in December is the games on the field insteadof the endless gossip off the field that plagued the franchise the last two years.


Image Courtesy of Rob Carr/Getty Images

Despite a Bad Loss In Carolina, The Washington Redskins Still Control Their Own Destiny For The NFC East Title

Last Sunday's loss to the Carolina Panthers 44-16 in Charlotte was extremely bad all around for the Washington Redskins. The team committed endless turnovers on offense and they couldn't stop Cam Newton and the Panthers offense. After a terrible illegal hit penalty on Redskins

cornerback Chris Culliver, which could of resulted in a game changing interception return for a touchdown, the Panthers outscored the Redskins 30-2.

The officiating dictated the outcome of the game early, and while the penalties were even for both teams, most of the big game changing penalties went against the Redskins. At this time, the Redskins aren't a good enough team to overcome bad penalty calls by the officials. Maybe they will in a few years when general manager Scott McGloughan adds more high level talent to the roster.

The loss still does not change anything in terms of their chances to clinch the NFC East. The Redskins are currently 1-1 in the division with four divisional games left in the season. The NFC East stretch begins this Sunday at FedEx Field vs the New York Giants. The Giants have won five straight against the Redskins. Even worse, Giants quarterback Eli Manning is 7-3 in his career against the Redskins. Meanwhile, Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins has thrown six interceptions in his career against the Giants.

If the Redskins are going to have any chance winning the division, they will have to win Sunday vs the Giants. A win gives them a first place tie with a 5-6 record and a 2-1 record in the division with five games left. Another loss to the Giants gives them a tiebreaker edge to the Giants.

With the Eagles struggling on offense under head coach Chip Kelly, the Cowboys trying to make up huge ground with quarterback Tony Romo back from his injury after losing seven straight games, the NFC East could come down to the Redskins and Giants. Currently, the Redskins have the easiest schedule remaining in the NFC East. Take a look at their remaining schedules for all four NFC East teams.

Washington Redskins remaining schedule:

Week 12 vs N.Y. Giants

Week 13 vs. Dallas: Monday Night Football

Week 14 @ Chicago

Week 15 vs. Buffalo

Week 16 @ Philadelphia

Week 17 @ Dallas

NY. Giants remaining schedule

Week 12 @Washington

Week 13 vs. N.Y. Jets

Week 14 @ Miami: Monday Night Football

Week 15 vs. Carolina

Week 16 @ Minnesota

Week 17 vs. Philadelphia

Philadelphia Eagles remaining schedule

Week 12 @Detroit: Thanksgiving Day

Week 13 @ New England

Week 14 vs. Buffalo

Week 15 vs. Arizona

Week 16 vs. Washington

Week 17 @ N.Y. Giants

Dallas Cowboys remaining schedule

Week 12 vs. Carolina: Thanksgiving Day

Week 13 @ Washington: Monday Night Football

Week 14 @ Green Bay

Week 15 vs. N.Y. Jets: Saturday Night Football

Week 16 @ Buffalo

Week 17 vs. Washington

As you see, the Giants, Eagles and Cowboys have a very tough schedule upcoming. Eagles and Cowboys will need to win and get help from the Giants and Redskins down the stretch.

With these games coming up, this is why Sunday's matchip is the game of the year in the NFC East and possibly the biggest game in Jay Gruden's head coaching career in Washington. The Redskins will need to put the loss at Carolina behind them and realize that the real season begins this Sunday. While they have major flaws on both sides of the ball, playing average football might be good enough to win the NFC East.

Image courtesy of USA Today For The Win blog

Memo to Redskins Fans: Hold Off Your Playoff Hopes

Yes, the Washington Redskins at 4-5, are in the race to win the NFC East this season. After their week 11 road game at 9-0 Carolina, their remaining schedule is manageable.

Yes, the Redskins destroyed the New Orleans Saints at home 47-14 last week and they played their most complete football game of the season. Quarterback Kirk Cousins has done a great job leading the offense and has put the dreaded quarterback controversy to rest. Even the running game was back to being respectable, and the defense is starting to get healthy.

However, the Redskins are 0-4 on the road this season and they have not won back to back regular season games since 2012. In fact, since Jay Gruden took over last year, the Redskins are 1-11 on the road. 

If you look at their road losses this season, the only game the Redskins have a chance to win was at Atlanta, which was posting an undefeated 4-0 record at the time. Redskins hang in with the Falcons for 60 minutes, and Cousins led them to the game tying field goal with no time remaining. Unfortunately, Cousins threw a costly interception in overtime that resulted in a pick six and the Redskins lose a heartbreaker 25-19. 

The rest of their road losses wasn't close at all. The Redskins were outplayed and outcoached by their opponents and the roster at times just did not show up to play. Granted, in those losses, the opponents was just a bad overall matchup for the Redskins. 

If the Redskins want to be taken seriously in the NFC East race, they have to find ways to win on the road. While the Panthers are undefeated thanks to Cam Newton, it is a winnable game.

First, the Redskins will have to show up as a team ready to play. That means limiting self-inflicting mistakes, better tackling, no missing assignments, and better play calling from the coaching staff. Having intense practices this week is a good start to accomplishing these goals.

Secondly, they will have to stick with a ball controlled offense to keep Newton off the field and score touchdowns, not field goals. Scoring only field goals isn't going to win games against Panthers. Thirdly, the defense will have to pressure Newton, stop the running game and contain Tight End Greg Olsen. 

Those tasks aren't going to be easy. The Redskins have struggled offensively vs elite defenses and the defense has major problems defending the run and passing game. On paper, this is a bad matchup for the Redskins and it appears Kirk Cousins could be struggling all day with the offense being stagnant, and the defense having trouble containing running quarterbacks.

Hopefully, the Redskins can turn the tide on their road woes and play a full 60 minutes of competitive football against the best team in the NFC.  If they show up, they have a chance to pull off the upset.

So as you heard the endless playoff chatter in the media, please remind yourselves to hold it off for now. Just like the NFL season is week to week, the same philosophy applies to the 2015 Washington Redskins.

Image courtesy of USA Today

Thoughts on the Washington Redskins Trademark Ruling

The Washington Redskins suffered a major loss today after a federal judge in Northern Virginia ordered the cancellation of the NFL team’s federal trademark registrations. This order will not take place until all appeals have been exhausted by the team. That alone could take several years.This ruling will not change anything from the Redskins point of view. They can keep the name and continue to appeal to higher levels of court as much as they can, despite their brand could suffer millions of dollars. Dan Snyder and Bruce Allen will continue to fight the court system and their critics on defending the Redskins name. They both know that the NFL and their fanbase supports the name, while congress and the political correctness crowd does not.

However, by this ruling, it is abundantly clear that common sense has been triumph by lies and nonfactual statements from the political correctness crowd, congress, and mainstream liberal media. There is no facts to support that the majority of Native Americans are offended by the Redskins name. Yet, the media and congress continues to push their nonfactual agenda. It is atrocious that in today's fast-paced society that we don't focus more on hard facts. Instead, it is more focused on agenda driven statements on why the Redskins name is offensive. Do you want congress and the federal government to determine what word is offensive and not?   

The nonsense regarding this issue continues to evolve for months and years to come until Dan Snyder changes the name. Regardless your view on this issue, the Redskins name has been around for 82 years. That goes back to the early history of the NFL. It will be wrong to change the Redskins name because it would eliminate 82 years of storied history and fan connection to the name.  Many fans have a personal connection to the Redskins name for generation after generation. The "Hail to the Redskins" fight song is a great example of that pride and tradition. If you around the streets of D.C. and other parts of the U.S., if you ask the meaning of the word Redskins, most citizens will refer it to the NFL team in Washington. 


For now, the Washington Redskins will not change their name anytime soon.  It is going to a long legal battle and the appeals will continue until all legal options are gone.

Time to Blow Up The Entire Redskins Front Office

When I started this blog back in 2009, I wanted to bring a fresh new take on the Redskins and offer new ideas on how the fix the franchise and get back to winning ways.  I was very adamant on owner Dan Snyder to fire Vinny Cerrato and Jim Zorn. I was adamant on Snyder needs to not get involved on player personnel decisions. So, when they hired Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen in 2010 , it appears that the Redskins were heading back to their winning ways and the roster had to be overhauled. Seriously, they had a former Super Bowl winning head coach, an experience talent evaluator, and an experience general manager with salary cap experience. Finally, Snyder was taking a step back in football related decisions, and he focused on activities outside of football.

Five years later, and 10 months after the firing of Mike Shanahan, the entire Washington Redskins organization is still a absolute joke. The 2012 trade to draft quarterback Robert Griffin III in 2012, and the salary cap penalty has put the franchise in a bad spot. On a positive side, Griffin did led the Redskins to a divisional title in 2012, while the Rams haven't been to the playoffs since the trade.

However, the trade led to major holes on the secondary, safety, middle linebacker, defensive line, offensive line and special teams. As a result, the Redskins are one of the worst teams in the league.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins is a turnover machine and he's become the second version of Rex Grossman. Defense doesn't have any talent, can't make stops, and create turnovers. Special Teams is a disaster because they continued to set awful field position on a weekly basis. In the loss to the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday, the offense had 15 offensive possessions. The Redskins best starting field position was their own 36. Their worst was their own seven. On average, the Redskins started at their own 20. The Redskins are on track to have one of the worst starting field positions in the NFL for the second straight year.

More importantly, the Redskins do not know how to win a football game. Going back to week 10 of last season, the Redskins have one victory in their last 14 games. These amount of losses can destroy the morale of the locker room and player confidence. Therefore, it's very easy to explain why the Redskins are 1-5 and in last place in a much improved NFC East.

Dan Snyder may have stepped back on football operations, but his football team is a complete mess.

If Snyder truly cares about the organization, he will need to overhaul the entire scouting department, personnel department, and the general manager after this season. That means Bruce Allen,Scott Campbell, AJ Smith, and Doug Williams will need to find new jobs with other NFL teams. Snyder does respect Allen and trusts him on football related decisions. However, Allen and his scouting department completely mismanaged the roster in the off-season by giving linebacker Brian Orakpo a franchise tag for $11 million. The Redskins could of use that money to acquire young gems in the draft or get a couple of offensive linemen in free agency. Instead, they committed $11 million to a linebacker who has a half sack this season with no force fumbles and interceptions. Also, the Redskins draft picks from this season and the last two seasons haven't really worked out at all. Rookie linebacker Trent Murphy is not an impact player, cornerback David Amerson can't stay healthy, and linebacker Perry Riley is an average linebacker on his best days.I Finally, Defensive Coordinator Jim Haslett is still with the organization. How he kept that job for five years is absolutely amazing.

Allen is a great salary cap expert and he will not overspend on free agents, but he's not a talent evaluator. To be honest, I have no clue who's making the final decision on evaluating talent.

Snyder thought he learned his mistake five years ago, but right now, it feels like the Vinny era again.  As this season continues to get worse and sense of apathy settles on the fanbase, Redskins fans have to ask this question every week.

Will Dan Snyder ever learn his mistakes and hire a general manager with NFL talent evaluating experience?

Image: Courtesy of the Washington Times

At 1-3, The Washington Redskins Season Could Be Spiraling Out of Control

After losing to the Philadelphia Eagles 37-34 in heartbreaking fashion, the Washington Redskins returned home in a short week to host the New York Giants in a key divisional game last Thursday Night. The Redskins were hopeful to bring in an inspired performance and get their first divisional win in two years.

Bu as usual in a primetime game, the Redskins did everything they could to anger and divide the entire fan base even more by losing to the Giants 45-14. Quarterback Kirk Cousins threw four interceptions, a lost fumble, two sacks and one touchdown pass. All four of his interceptions occured in the second half, and he went 1-8 on third downs. Suddenly, the Kirk Cousins supporters all suddenly went from comparing him to the next version of Tom Brady to Rex Grossman. Cousins just wasn't the same player he was a few days vs the Eagles. He couldn't handle the pass rush from the Giants.

At this rate, the fan base and the media should evaluate Kirk Cousins as a rookie, even though it is his third NFL season.While Cousins sample size is still small, if he continues to struggle in the next few games or so, then Robert Griffin III will get his starting quarterback job back when he's healthy to return. Third string quarterback Colt McCoy could see playing time if Griffin is not ready to go.

The Redskins defense showed that they are what they are as a unit, despite dealing with a ton of injuries. The secondary became extremely thin when De-Angelo Hall suffered a season ending torn Achilles injury at Philadelphia. This left the Redskins relying on second year corner David Amerson and rookie Bashaud Breeland as their top two cornerbacks along with veteran Ryan Clark.

The defense never stopped the New York Giants offense.  Quarterback Eli Manning throw for five touchdowns, three of them to tight end Larry O'Donnell. The Giants kept throwing the ball towards the middle of the field and the Redskins couldn't stop it. Also, Manning had his third rushing touchdown of his career, and all three came against the Redskins.  Basically, the Redskins defense look like a junior varsity defense right out of high school.

Finally, the Redskins committed 11 penalties during the game, and that's a huge problem. While some of the penalties were absolutely absurd, committing two penalties during an extra point for the Giants is inexcusable. Given the struggles on offense, defense and special teams, the Redskins have no room for error to commit these penalties.

So at 1-3 through the first quarter of the season, and 0-2 in the NFC East, the Redskins season could be spiraling out of control and they look like a team with no identity. As if anything can't get any worse, they Redskins will play their next two games against NFC West opponents. They will host Seattle at FedEx Field next Monday Night, then travel to Arizona on the road. It is very possible that the Redskins could be irrelevant before Halloween.

In the next few weeks, we will either see the Redskins play with pride, correct their awful mistakes and possibly save their season, or continue to be a bottom-feeder team in the NFL.

Image: Courtesy of USA Today

Kirk Cousins Has a Chance to Prove Himself

While the Redskins got their first victory of the season against the Jacksonville Jaguars in their home opener, the main headline is the status of Robert Griffin III left ankle injury. Griffin will miss 4-8 weeks, which means he may not be ready to return until November.

This could mean backup quarterback Kirk Cousins has eight weeks to prove that he can be an effective starting quarterback in the NFL.

After what he did last Sunday against the Jaguars, Redskins fans are highly optimistic about Kirk Cousins and the media and fan base begin the old trendy conversation. The good ole " quarterback controversy."

First off, there hasn't been a quarterback controversy. Cousins filled in for Griffin and played very well. Yes, Cousins is a pocket passer and fits very well for Jay Gruden offense because it sets up the quarterback to manage the game and trust the receivers to make a huge play. Griffin did struggle from the pocket, but he was never a pocket style passer. Griffin was always a running quarterback and his speed was his best asset to escape the pass rush. In 2013, coming off his knee surgery, Griffin's mobility was severely limited and expose his major flaws as a traditional quarterback.

Despite the flaws, there is a huge disparity between the two quarterbacks according to their career numbers.

Kirk Cousins

TD: 10

INT: 10

QB Rating: 74.3%

Completion Percentage: 57.6%

Robert Griffin III

TD: 36

INT: 17

QB Rating: 91.8%

Completion Percentage: 63.3%

As you can see, Griffin posted better numbers then Cousins. However, Cousins sample size is very small, so the jury is still open on his case.  In addition to his 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, Cousins is 5-5 in his career as a starter, while Griffin is 11-19.

Cousins will have a tougher task this afternoon when he faces the Philadelphia Eagles on the road. As long as the Redskins defense, wide receivers making plays, and the running game plays very well, Cousins should have a good game. Unlike last season, Cousins will enter the game with more weapons on offense to work with and for the moment, a dominant defense.

But as of right now, there is no quarterback controversy. Cousins is just filling for Griffin because of injury. The only way it becomes a controversy if Kirk Cousins plays well enough to keep the Redskins in playoff contention and possibly for the NFC East title. Then at that point, Griffin reign could end in D.C.

Therefore, Redskins fans should be patient and take it as a week-to-week approach in terms of evaluating both Cousins and Griffin.  Also, be mindful that Cousins performance will have long term effects on the team's plans for this season and beyond.

Image: RGIII and Kurt Cousins practicing courtesy of NFL.com

Redskins Destroy The Jaguars In Their Home Opener

Before I quickly summarize yesterday's home opening win for the Redskins,let me get this issue out of the way. I will post my thoughts on Kirk Cousins and Robert Griffin III ankle injury in my next blog post.

Now, back to the actual game:

The Washington Redskins, despite losing Robert Griffin III and Desean Jackson to injury, defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 41-10 in dominating fashion. The Redskins didn't let the RGIII injury derailed them and backup quarterback Kirk Cousins took over the game and threw for two touchdowns and had zero turnovers. Tight End Niles Paul had a career high eight catches for 99 yards and one touchdown, and running back Alfred Morris rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown. Even rookie wide receiver Ryan Grant had a few receptions.  Even though it was against the Jaguars, Cousins was distributing the ball to seven different receivers.

The defense had a field day against the Jaguars offense. Linebacker Ryan Kerrigan had four out of the 10 sacks that the entire defensive unit had for the Redskins. The 10 sacks was the most in a single game for the Redskins since 1977. The Jaguars never had an answer for the Redskins defense, and even when they scored a touchdown before halftime, the defense continued to pressure Quarterback Chad Henne all afternoon.

Overall, this was a great way to end the 9 game losing streak for the Redskins by destroying one of the worst teams in the NFL. Next week's opponent versus the Philadelphia Eagles will be a early road divisional test for the Redskins. It will be interesting to see if the Redskins can carry their momentum into Lincoln Financial Field.

Image: Ryan Kerrigan from Bleacher Report

Is the Season on the Line for the Redskins?

It is very rare for anyone to say a team's season hinges on just one game in the second week of the NFL season. But for the Redskins, that might be the case this Sunday vs the Jacksonville Jaguars at FedEx Field. This will be the Redskins home opener of the 2014 season.

After losing 17-6 to the Houston Texans, the Redskins currently own the longest losing streak in the NFL at 9 games. Despite hiring new head coach Jay Gruden, Robert Griffin III playing knee brace free for the first time in two years, and the addition of Desean Jackson from Philadelphia, the Redskins offense produced six points. While Griffin didn't lose the game and show some signs of improvement, he looks very tentative and scared as a pocket passer. He just doesn't trust his right knee at this point and he continues to take sacks very consistently. I'm not sure what is exactly wrong with him, but ever since his knee injury, he doesn't seem to be the same player.

But the Redskins have bigger issues then Griffin's quarterback performance. The entire team looks exactly the same as last year's 3-13 squad. The team continues to make mental mistakes on offense and special teams.

All around town and nationally, a lot of folks still think that the Redskins are better than they actually are record-wise.

However, the Redskins haven't won a regular season game since November 3rd 2013 vs the San Diego Chargers. They lost the final eight games of the regular season. From a mental standpoint, those losses drains confidence from the players. The Redskins just need to find a way to win and build from it going forward. They will have a great chance on Sunday vs the Jaguars.

While the Jaguars lost in week 1 to the Eagles 34-17, their defense cause problems for quarterback Nick Foles by forcing him 3 turnovers in the 1st half. Jaguars first year head coach Gus Bradley is a former defensive coordinator of the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. He runs a similar style defense to what Seattle does this season. While the Jaguars front seven is improved and, their secondary lacks talent. This is where Griffin needs to capitalize in the passing game if the Redskins want to win on Sunday. They have to stretch the field deep and run a balance attack on offense. Expect Jay Gruden to be very committal to the running game more this time then last week. The running game is the best asset for the Redskins offense this season.

The defense actually played as good as they can last week by holding Houston to 10 points. However, with the offense struggling in the second half, the defense started to wear down, especially in the 4th quarter. With Barry Colfield out for several weeks because of an right ankle injury, the Redskins will be thin at the defensive line on Sunday. It will be interesting to see if the defense can create a pass rush without Colfield in the lineup.


Either way, both teams aren't talented enough to overcome an 0-2 start. Therefore, the Redskins season is at stake on Sunday. A win will be give them something to build on for next week's game at Philadelphia.

However, a loss to the Jaguars at home could spell a very long season ahead, and Griffin's job security could be on the line.

Image: RGII and Jay Gruden from the Washington Times