Tim Hightower: RB, Washington Redskins

The future of this franchise's running game rests strongly (not solely) on Tim Hightower's shoulders, which in my humble opinion is a great place for it to rest.  For those of you who don't know the Redskins' new toy in the backfield I wanted to introduce you to him.
As a Senior at Richmond, Tim Hightower was the star and set school season records in rushing yards (1,924) and touchdowns (20).  This was accomplished on 5.9 yards per carry.  After a great season like that, you'd think it hard to be ignored, but Hightower was not invited to the combine in 2008.  He did perform admirably at his Pro Day with a 4.59 40-yard dash and 20 reps on the bench press.  He was eventually drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the 5th round (149th pick).
In his time with the Cards, Hightower was not what you would call a star, but more a reliable backup with occasional fumblitis.  He did have 13 total touchdowns in his rookie season but averaged only 2.9 yards per carry.  This was not the Tim Hightower that Redskins fans are coming to know and love.  He showed in his next two years in Arizona that he is capable of pounding the ball and breaking tackles.  His averages continued to increase from 4.2 YPC in 2009 to 4.8 YPC in 2010.  Tim also showed that he was a weapon in the passing game catching 63 passes in 2009.  The only downside was that he had 10 fumbles in the last 2 seasons and it is probably a large reason that Arizona was so willing to let him go.
I personally think that this will go down as a huge win for Shanahan and Co.  Hightower is a perfect fit for the Zone Stretch scheme that Washington runs, he is a tough north and south runner who gets the yards that are given to him and nothing less (and occasionally more).  I think he will match some of Terrell Davis' numbers from Denver and help the Redskins be the surprise team of the season.
If it isn't too obvious by now that I've been drinking the Tim Hightower Kool-Aid the last few weeks, then perhaps this will do it: Tim Hightower will start all 16 games this season, be a Pro Bowler, and rush for over 1300 yards. Bold Predictions, but ones I'm prepared to own up to if I'm wrong. Hail!

NFC East Preview

Cowboys:


Key Losses:  Stephen Bowen, Marc Colombo, Marion Barber, Roy Williams


Key Additions:  Abe Elam, Tyron Smith, DC Rob Ryan


Summary:  The Cowboys' offseason was greatly affected by the new Salary Cap and forced them to do a lot more cutting, than signing.  They made sure to hold onto LT Doug Free and kept the defense mostly intact while adding a good safety in Abe Elam.  The line improves a little with rookie Tyron Smith, but this team looks eerily similar to last year's 6-10 squad.  The addition of Rob Ryan as Defensive Coordinator is a strong move that I do believe will pay dividends.

2011 Record Prediction:  8-8


Eagles:


Key Losses:  Quintin Mikell


Key Additions:  Nnamdi Asomugha, Cullen Jenkins, Jason Babin, Ronnie Brown, Steve Smith, Donald Lee, Ryan Harris, Jarrad Page, Vince Young


Summary:  The "Dream Team" is earning it's name if you just go by big name Free Agents.  However, this looks a lot like the 2009 Redskins and just about any other Redskins team in the Daniel Snyder era pre-Shanahan.  I do not deny that on paper they're the best team in the NFC East and possibly the whole NFC, but putting these names on the same team and expecting immediate chemistry just won't be happening.  This team can go one of two ways this season and I for one look forward to seeing which they take.

2011 Record Prediction:  10-6


Giants:


Key Losses: Steve Smith, Barry Cofield, Plaxico Burress (if you count it), Kevin Boss, Shaun O'hara


Key Additions: Keeping Ahmad Bradshaw and Mathias Kiwanuka


Summary:  The Giants were incredibly inactive in the Free Agent market, and didn't really even bring back some of their star players.  I do believe their Wide Receiving corps will still be strong with Nicks and Manningham, but Steve Smith has a star when healthy.  I still believe this team has a strong front four, but with injuries to 2 DBs and Rookie DT Marvin Austin I see the season starting off rough.  This is another team that could do really well or be a complete flop.  I have faith in Tom Coughlin to keep the team afloat, but any given Sunday.

2011 Record Prediction: 9-7


Redskins:


Key Losses: Albert Haynesworth, Donovan McNabb, Clinton Portis, Derrick Dockery


Key Additions: Tim Hightower, Jabar Gaffney, Chris Chester, OJ Atogwe


Summary: The Redskins were pleasantly quiet during Free Agency and I see that being a positive thing for the team this season.  Each player brought in for this team serves a direct purpose.  Getting rid of Haynesworth and McNabb for anything at all was a win for the team since everyone and their mother knew they would have been cut anyway.  The only HUGE question is the Quarterback situation.  I will stand by my prediction of John Beck starting and doing well but we shall see.


2011 Record Prediction: 8-8

Final Roster Predictions

Ok, it's time to make those predictions for the final 53 man roster. Three of the four preseason games have been played and there really only may be 2 or 3 spots undecided by the coaches so I will take my best shot at picking the roster for this year's Redskins.

QB: John Beck, Rex Grossman
RB: Tim Hightower, Roy Helu, Ryan Torain
FB: Darrell Young, Mike Sellers
WR: Santana Moss, Jabar Gaffney, Anthony Armstrong, Leonard Hankerson, Terrence Austin, Brandon Banks
TE: Chris Cooley, Fred Davis, Logan Paulsen
OL: Trent Williams, Kory Lichtensteiger, Will Montgomery, Chris Chester, Jammal Brown, Sean Locklear, Artis Hicks, Willie Smith

DE: Adam Carriker, Stephen Bowen, Kedric Golston, Doug Worthington
NT: Barry Cofield, Anthony Bryant, Chris Neild
OLB: Brian Orakpo, Ryan Kerrigan, Rob Jackson, Markus White
ILB: London Fletcher, Rocky McIntosh, Keyaron Fox, Perry Riley, Lorenzo Alexander
CB: DeAngelo Hall, Josh Wilson, Kevin Barnes, Philip Buchanon, Byron Westbrook
SS: LaRon Landry, Reed Doughty, DeJon Gomes
FS: OJ Atogwe, Chris Horton

K: Graham Gano
P: Sav Rocca
LS: Nick Sundberg

Close Calls (Probable PS): Selvish Capers, Erik Cook, Evan Royster, Maurice Hurt, Aldrick Robinson

Chances are that I'll be wrong on several of these. Artis Hicks is not one that I feel confident about but took him over Selvish Capers and Erik Cook simply for his veteran leadership.  I could see Capers and/or Cook surviving one more year on the practice squad while someone may try to take Hicks.  Evan Royster is just drawing the short straw in the RB race, but if there is an injury to one of the guys listed above I think the Redskins will move quickly to bring up Royster and place the other on IR (if serious enough).  Chris Neild benefits from Jarvis Jenkins' injury in this scenario and snags a roster spot.  I think he'll be serviceable in this defense and be able to give breathers to other lineman.  He may even be a good run stopping DE if given the opportunity.  I look forward to seeing just how close I am when cuts are made.

Top 10: Preseason vs. Ravens

1. John Beck will start week 1: Yes, statistically Rex Grossman had the better game, but he did not do enough to separate himself from Beck.  Beck still had a TD pass, was consistent in his short and intermediate passes and showed the ability to throw a decent long ball.  The best quote I've heard all day was from Mark Schlereth on Mike and Mike in the Morning saying "Mike Shanahan put his reputation on John Beck, and Mike Shanahan really likes to be right".  I think Beck will surely have the starting job to start the season and I just hope he is given enough slack to make a few mistakes.

2. Terrence Austin made this roster:  I don't want to say I know everything, but I predicted Austin would have 4 catches for 70 yards and he ended up with 5 receptions for 71 yards. I'd say that's pretty darn close.  He has shown enough that he can't be hidden on the practice squad, and with Banks still uncertain you have to assume he will be a solid part of this team for 2011.

3. This defense is GOOD: The media is quickly running out of excuses for why this team is the worst in the league.  DeAngelo Hall had his first pick with a beautiful return (as I predicted he would) and the pass rush is vastly improved from last year. I expect for this team to solidly finish in the top 10 and if you need more reason past my previous article, just watch last night's game again.

4. Jarvis Jenkins will be missed:  It was reported today that Jarvis Jenkins' injury was in fact an ACL tear which means he is out for the season.  He was showing a lot of promise and would have surely been a factor on the D-Line. I think the team survives without him this year and will win the same number of games regardless, but it will be closer.  Look for him to be a beast next year.

5. The Redskins will have a 1000 yard rusher (or 2): This line is blocking, these backs are hitting holes and finishing strong.  For the 2nd straight week, Hightower had a long run and averaged over 4 yards per carry (6.2).  As long as our backs stay healthy it will be a sure thing that Hightower gets 1000 yards, and could also be matched by Helu or Torain.

6. Reality Check, the Redskins are not a playoff team:  Sorry, regardless of all the positive talk above, this team will not be going to the playoffs this year.  I do believe they will be there soon, and hope to be wrong honestly, but with the weakness in pass coverage and a still suspect pass protection I don't see the Redskins thriving in the NFC East which is known for good QB play and dangerous pass rushers. Here's to next year.

7. Trent Williams can be dominant: All I ask for you to do is fast forward your DVR to the play where Hightower scored his touchdown, and rather than watch the run, please focus on Trent Williams and watch him maul Ray Lewis.  When he gets going, Williams is a beast at the LT position.  However, he has been spotty so far in his career and I hope to see that change.

8. Leonard Hankerson has been forgettable: I honestly expected Hank to get more reps with the first team, and he has faded to the bottom of 2nd string.  The worst part for me is that I haven't really noticed until I went back and watched the game again.  I still believe he can be a great possession receiver and red zone target, but that may be 1 or 2 years away yet.

9. The Redskins are a team: That may sound like a stupid comment to make, but read any interview from this year from any player, then go back and read any interview from any player from last year.  You then tell me the difference.  It's very interested to me to see how much happier the players are, and how optimistic the locker room sounds.  The team working together cannot be under appreciated.  This will account for at least 2 extra wins during the season.

10. Redskins fans are loyal and excited for this season: The game last night broke the previous Redskins record in TV ratings for preseason football, scoring an 18.7 rating.  So ready for football!

Battle of the Beltway Preview

This is not your usual "What to watch for" articles, however, it is a prediction of what you will in fact see from the Redskins in their preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens.

1. One of the two Quarterbacks will step up and claim the starting job: My prediction is that John Beck will in fact show why the Shanahans believe so strongly in him.  The Baltimore defense will be far more aggressive than the Colts were last week, which will force Beck to think quickly and should also afford him the ability to take shots downfield assuming the O-Line can give him enough time.  This will show if he is ready to run this team full-time or if he is a game manager and decent backup.  It is also possible that Rex can come in and reclaim his starter role if Beck fails miserably.  I will, however, stick with my prediction of Beck building on his legend.

2. DeAngelo Hall will get his first INT:  To stack on this, I believe the first string defense will get 2 turnovers in this game, and start to show the Redskins fanbase what Jim Haslett's defensive scheme is all about.  DeAngelo is the obvious pick to get a pick though, and I don't think he will disappoint.  I've loved his aggressiveness from way back at Virginia Tech and I think he'll continue it this year, aided by the upgraded pass rush scenarios up front.

3. Kyle Shanahan will make sure there is more than 1 TD scored:  I think the play calling will be a lot more aggressive in the redzone to not only test our QBs, but the team as a whole needs to see that they can get into the endzone and not have to settle for field goals every time they travel 80 yards down the field.  I also believe that he's learning the strengths of this team and realizing that between Gaffney, Stallworth and Davis there are some quality redzone targets for our QBs to hit.  Watch for Washington to open up and show a little more of their hand offensively.

4. Terrence Austin will secure a roster spot:  With Brandon Banks missing another game, Kelly being injured and Hankerson not making coaches sleep easy at night there has been an unexpected bright spot in the Redskins' receiving corps.  Terrence Austin is having consistently good punt returns, isn't dropping balls, and on occasion is beating 1st string defensive backs to get open.  I think he will get more time with the starters in this game and show coaches he deserves to be on the 53.  Bold prediction: 4 catches for 70 yards+.

5. Roy Helu will make people think he should be the starter:  Roy Helu has flashed brilliance, but behind Tim Hightower he has looked like an equal or even a slight 2nd.  I think he continues to grow, while Tim Hightower (Apologies to @BurgundyBlog) may have plateaued since we all know of his lingering fumble issues.  Both are dynamite out of the backfield, and are picking up blitzes like Clinton Portis of old.  I see 1 or 2 big gainers tomorrow for Helu that will have message boards lighting up with his name.

I will guarantee here and now that I am correct on AT LEAST 3 of these predictions.  If I'm not, come call me out on it and I'll give you a shoutout via twitter. (Eventually that will mean something).

Why the Redskins Defense will rank in the Top 10

Players:

Last Year's Starters:

DE: Phillip Daniels, Adam Carriker

NT: Anthony Bryant

OLB: Brian Orakpo, Lorenzo Alexander

ILB: London Fletcher, Rocky McIntosh

CB: DeAngelo Hall, Carlos Rogers

SS: LaRon Landry

FS: Kareem Moore

This Year's Probable Starters:

DE: Stephen Bowen, Jarvis Jenkins/Adam Carriker

NT: Barry Cofield

OLB: Brian Orakpo, Ryan Kerrigan

ILB: London Fletcher, Rocky McIntosh/Keyaron Fox

CB: DeAngelo Hall, Josh Wilson

SS: LaRon Landry

FS: OJ Atogwe

I could just stop there and let educated football readers see that it's obvious the Redskins are better, but I have to argue for a Top Ten defense in the National Football League.  So I'll begin by breaking down the positions.  

At DE, one of my favorite Redskins, Phillip Daniels is gone and replaced by a young and underrated Bowen. Then they are absolutely getting better at the other side with Adam Carriker in his 2nd year in this system, or the coaches have decided that the younger, Jarvis Jenkins is better at the position and thus an upgrade as well.  

The Redskins also took care of the Nose Tackle position by acquiring Barry Cofield from the NY Giants.  He is not your typical NT as a space eater, but he can in fact get after the quarterback while still holding his position with double teams to keep the linebackers clear.  This is an obvious upgrade over Bryant, or the "other" Nose Tackle from last year who shall remain nameless.

At OLB Orakpo is getting better each year at his coverage skills as well as learning how to rush from a 2 point stance.  I think he will benefit the most from having a stronger D-Line this year and will up his sack total from last year.  Another benefit to Orakpo will be having a legitimate pass rusher opposite him in Ryan Kerrigan.  He will have a learning curve as any rookie does, but he is learning fast and is a hard worker.  I see him being better at 75% than Alexander was at 100%.

Moving on to CB which may not be a huge upgrade with Hall still here and having Wilson in place of Rogers. I just see that the team loses some coverage with Wilson, but gains a capable Interceptor.  The biggest advantage this year will be if the D-Line and OLB can get a pass rush leading to less time covering for the DBs.

Lastly in the position breakdown is the Safeties.  Landry was already playing at a Pro-Bowl level last season before the injury and assuming he recovers I would guess he'll be right back at it.  Atogwe on the other hand is the perfect compliment to Landry as he is a great coverage safety and is known for his ballhawking skills.  Atogwe is a great upgrade over Moore and will surely make his impact felt in the form of turnovers and sure tackling.

Scheme:

Do not ever underestimate the importance of time.  This team for the most part has a full season under its belt now in Haslett's 3-4 system and should know the nuances of the schemes.  Orakpo has more experience as a LB, Bowen is a true 3-4 DE, and perhaps the most important is that they now have a strong NT to anchor the whole D.

Haslett emphasizes the power of the turnover, and though that can bite the team in the rear end at times, I see it paying off way more with Wilson and Atogwe in the defensive backfield.  They have greater hands than their predecessors and exhibit the aggressiveness that Haslett enjoys seeing in his defenses.

All of this should combine with a stronger team attitude and a happier locker room to have a Top Ten Defense this year.  If I'm wrong, come back and let me know it.

John Beck: Gamer

John Beck's legend began immediately following the 2011 NFL Draft when the media began questioning why the Shanahan's did not draft a Quarterback to lead their franchise.  Mike Shanahan simply replied "we have John Beck", and the feeding frenzy began.  Those who have been around the Redskins as even casual fans for longer than 2 years, know that the team is a favorite to be picked on by the media.  This just added to their ammo and gave others a reason to laugh.

Things continued to look bleak for the Washington franchise as they finally entered training camp without picking up any veteran QBs (unless you count Kellen Clemons) to compete for a starting job.  Beck looked shaky in practice with constant reports coming out about him overthrowing open receivers or putting up lame duck balls that were easily being intercepted by 2nd and 3rd string DBs.  I began to question our great coach along with the rest of the world.  Then, Beck suffered a groin injury and had to deal with the twitterverse announcing how "disappointing" his groin was.  No man should have to endure that public mockery.

The first preseason game arrived and Beck was sidelined with his disappointment, and made way for Sexy Rexy Grossman to have a great statistical game against a strong Steelers' defense.  This began fueling the fire that Beck would be the #2 QB behind Grossman and practices were watched under a microscope for the following week, with much of the same results.  Then, on Tuesday it was announced that Beck would be the starter against Indianapolis for the 2nd preseason game.  Fast forward to Friday...

Beck enters the game looking confident and showing signs that he's relaxed (laughing and joking with teammates on the sidelines).  His first drive begins with back to back handoffs to Tim Hightower who turns the second into a 58-yard run.  This will make any quarterback more comfortable.  The next play though, John Beck hits Jabar Gaffney with a beautiful pass putting them on the 1 yard line and setting up an eventual Hightower score.  This trend continues with good running setting up play-action, and Beck doing what is asked of him.  He takes what is given to him, and even running twice for 17 yards.  The speed he showed in Friday's game is a big reason that Mike and Kyle Shanahan said that he would probably end up as the starter over Rex.  Beck finished with a strong 14 for 17 and 140 yards.

Yes, preseason doesn't count and he probably can't play that well for 16 whole regular season games, but Beck has shown that he is a gamer and was even complimented by Gaffney when he said "He’s a gamer. From everything we did in practice, he was a totally different guy out on the field."


 I look forward to the third preseason game in which the starters will play well into the 3rd quarter.  The Redskins will be up against a strong Ravens' Defense that will no doubt want to knock Beck out, considering Washington acquired him from Baltimore for what ended up being a practice squad quality DB.  This will be a great test for the future of the Redskins quarterback.  I for one, believe he'll pass.

My Fantasy Football Team

I just wanted to post my fantasy football team so you all could see what true domination looks like. I'm happy with how things turned out but it hinges on Chris Johnson deciding to shut up and play.

QB: Josh Freeman
WR: Larry Fitzgerald
WR:  Vincent Jackson
RB: Chris Johnson
RB: Lesean McCoy
TE: Jermichael Finley
W/R: Stevie Johnson
K: Graham Gano
DEF:  Chicago Bears

BENCH: Ryan Williams
BENCH: Tim Hightower
BENCH: Santana Moss
BENCH: Fred Davis
BENCH: Michael Crabtree
BENCH: Sam Bradford

Yes, there are a decent amount of Redskins on the list but they were all taken in very late rounds so I think I got great value for those picks. I'll keep you updated on my record throughout the season.

Redskins Starters: After 1 Preseason Game

Here are my predictions of who will be starting for the Redskins on Week 1 against the New York Giants based on 1 preseason game.


Offense:


QB: Rex Grossman - Rex started off the QB competition with a great performance and has left Redskins Nation wondering how legitimate John Beck really is to have the Shanahan's drooling over him.  I see Rex holding onto it through the rest of camp and preseason though as Beck hasn't sold me yet.

RB: Tim Hightower - Hightower ran strong and made quick decisions to get upfield behind a much improved line.  He did great with blitz pickup and showed some good hands.  Obviously the longer Torain stays injured, the further Hightower will pull away in the running back race, but expect for these guys to split carries once both are healthy.

FB: Darrell Young - Young showed why Mike Sellers is playing TE in the 4th quarter of the first preseason game.  He showed equal hands, faster feet, and the same determination to hit somebody as the aging Sellers.  I feel like the drop off is minimal from one to the next, and the age difference is a great benefit to this team going forward.

WR1: Santana Moss - Always a true pro, Moss ran great routes, caught the balls he was supposed to and even got a touchdown. He is the only receiver with any true chemistry with Grossman. No doubt on this one.


WR2: Jabar Gaffney - Gaffney will be a great addition to this offense for 2011.  He's a big target with sure hands, and a solid route runner.  He won't be breaking any receiving records, but should be the equivalent of a security blanket to our QB.

TE: Fred Davis - Sleepy Freddy is in the best shape of his NFL career and looks like a hybrid TE/WR.  On top of that, he was actually finishing some of his blocks on Friday night.  With Chris Cooley injured, Davis is stepping up big and will be your week 1 starter.

OL: Trent Williams, Kory Lichtensteiger, Will Montgomery, Chris Chester, Jammal Brown - This group is pretty much set in stone based partially on how well they are playing together, but more because the depth behind them will not be pushing them for starting time anytime soon.  I see the Redskins getting a 1000 yard rusher again and keeping Rex on his feet more often than not.


Defense:


DE: Stephen Bowen, Jarvis Jenkins - This will be a fun battle to watch between Jenkins and Adam Carriker. Stephen Bowen is a lock and I more expect to see a strong rotation with these 2 and Carriker, but expect to see Bowen and Jenkins as the starters against the Giants.

NT: Barry Cofield - He's a LOCK.  Got pushed back in the first play from scrimmage Friday night, but turned it around quickly and made a strong impact.  I think Cofield will be thrilled to actually be able to hit Eli Manning week 1.

OLB: Ryan Kerrigan, Brian Orakpo - Orakpo is an obvious one, and you'd think Kerrigan would be, but he's not playing like a perennial Pro-Bowler yet.  I see him turning into a Fletcher type player, but that will come in time.  Look for Jackson and Alexander to push for playing time early in the season.

ILB: London Fletcher, Rocky McIntosh - London is the Captain, and Rocky is the incumbent so I'm going with this starting tandem right now, but I believe that Keyaron Fox has a strong chance of taking Rocky's spot in the starting 11 by the end of preseason.  He has more size than McIntosh and already knows the system from playing in Pittsburgh with LB Coach Lou Spanos.

CB: DeAngelo Hall, Josh Wilson - DeAngelo isn't a cover corner but he's a playmaker and wants to get to another Pro Bowl.  Josh Wilson is a stronger cover corner but did not show it on Friday.  I see this being the starting 2 based solely on Kevin Barnes and Philip Buchanon not being ready (and being suspended) respectively.

SS: OJ Atogwe - He's the man for the job.  A good cover player with ball skills and the perfect compliment to Landry's free roam, hard hitting style. As long as he's healthy he'll be starting.

FS: LaRon Landry - If he's healthy, he starts and nobody should question it.

2011 Schedule and Predictions

I am about to give you insider information with predictions you can take to the bank.  If you happen to go broke thanks to me, I don't reimburse.  However, if you get rich off this, I do accept donations. Enjoy the read!


Week 1 vs. NYG:  I'm going out on a limb and saying that the Redskins will finally break the trend and beat the Giants to open the season 1-0.  The Skins have improved in every position other than QB, even at the expense of the Giants (Barry Cofield).  The Giants have remained inactive during this brief Free Agency period, managing to lose Cofield, Steve Smith and not being able to bring back Plaxico Burress.  I feel that they are still a winning team, but not in this game.


Week 2 vs. ARI:  Arizona has two things going against them in this game.  It is early in the season so Kolb won't know the whole playbook, and will have limited chemistry with his receivers, also it is a 1pm game with a West Coast team traveling east.  That has shown to be a large advantage to the home team more often than not.  2-0 for the Redskins.


Week 3 @ DAL:  Dallas Week! Well I don't see this being a positive experience for Washington.  Playing in Dallas with Tony Romo being healthy, and likely having Dez Bryant playing at a high level.  I see it being a close one, but the Redskins will lose this one thanks to some probable turnovers caused by a strong pass rush.  2-1.


Week 4 @ STL:  I wish this could be a payback game for the Skins, but Sam Bradford is playing really well, and has even more targets to throw to this year than last.  The Redskins pass defense is its weakness, and the Rams will throw it 50 times a game so I feel like this is a matchup nightmare.  2-2.


Week 5 BYE: Going into the Bye week at 2-2 is not a bad thing. We're not expected to make the playoffs so I'd call 2-2 a win, 3-1 a success, and 4-0 a miracle. Anything less is us living up to expectations.


Week 6 vs. PHI:  Here it is, the Redskins get their first look at the "Dream Team" and I see it living up to media expectations. If Vick is still healthy at this point I see it being bad for the Sons of Washington.  The defense cannot keep up with the speedy wideouts while keeping an extra eye on Vick.  I think the Eagles defense won't be as good as it should be on paper, but they'll keep the Redskins to 17 or below. Loss 2-3.


Week 7 @ CAR:  IF the Redskins are to make a push at the playoffs they must go 5-1 or 6-0 over the next six games.  I think they start it off right against the Panthers. Cam Newton will be starting by this point and is a freakish athlete, but is at this point not ready to lead an NFL team.  I think the Redskins offense will be too much for a young, rebuilding Panthers' D.  Win 3-3.


Week 8 @ BUF:  Buffalo will be chasing Cincinnati in the race for Luck this season.  I truly believe that the Redskins are just a better team than the Bills and will show it, even in a tough place like Buffalo.  The Bills defense is improved, but they traded away their best offensive weapon and have a weak offensive line. Our new, stronger D-Line should have a field day. Win 4-3.


Week 9 vs. SF:  This is another case of west coast team coming to EST and playing at 1pm.  No, I don't believe this automatically makes the home team win, but against a weak 49ers team with Alex Smith at the helm I think the Redskins would win in Hawaii. Win 5-3.


Week 10 @ MIA:  Miami is a team I am having a lot of trouble figuring out.  I'm far from sold on Chad Henne, but I think the defense is better and they'll continue to have a strong running game (even with Reggie Bush).  Let's not forget that the Redskins are also very good at giving away games that they should win.  I'm not sure why or how, maybe it's because one of my good friends is a Dolphins fan, but I see Washington losing this one. 5-4.


Week 11 vs. DAL:  I refuse to pick the Cowboys to win against Washington twice in one season, so it just won't happen.  I do honestly expect a split here because of the laws of averages.  The Cowboys are not that good this year, made evident by the fact that the media hasn't already crowned them as Super Bowl Champions. Win 6-4.


Week 12 @ SEA:  Seattle has done a lot, but gotten worse in the offseason. They didn't bring back their franchise QB (yes I am a Hasselbeck fan), they replaced him with a poor man's Michael Vick, and added a big name WR.  The defense will be weak after letting Lofa Tatupu go, and the OL is getting long in the tooth aside from last years first round pick (Russell Okung).  I see the Redskins getting a great win here and looking like playoff contenders (record wise). 7-4.


Week 13 vs. NYJ:  This is where it gets rough.  I'm going to make the next few rather quick as it should just be understood. We lose to a good Jets team, that has 3rd straight AFC Championship game written all over them. Loss 7-5.


Week 14 vs. NE:  Unless Brady has gotten injured, the Patriots will be making the playoffs again, and won't let the Redskins get in their way of doing so.  They have a lot of talent at most positions, and will be releasing Albert Haynesworth soon to make a statement.  If he is somehow still on the team, he won't make an impact. But Patriots win anyway.  7-6


Week 15 @ NYG:  Washington does not want to go to New York at this point in their schedule, but it has to happen.  The Giants will be looking at a playoff spot, and if I've been correct the whole way then the Redskins will need to win out and pray to take a Wildcard. Which of course means that the Redskins Fan Base will be split between winning or bombing the final 3 games to get a better draft pick.  I see the Giants winning this one in a close game where injuries will be sustained.  Eli Manning has one of his best statistical games ever, because that's how people play against the Redskins.  7-7


Week 16 vs. MIN:  The return of McNabb!  I cannot wait for this game to see how he is welcomed. I don't think it's going to be a Philly style cheer then boo later, I'm seeing a boo from the beginning and him throwing about 3 picks.  I just don't see how he is a franchise savior (even if the head coach does want him there).  This is the last win of the season, but a needed one. 8-7


Week 17 @ PHI:  The only way the Redskins win this one is if the Dream Team has clinched home field throughout the playoffs and they play their backups.  I don't see that happening with the Packers and Saints chasing them down, so they'll be playing hard and that's not good for Washington.  End the season at 8-8.

Obviously this is a fan's opinion, with a little bit of homerism put in.  I truly see the team finishing somewhere between 6-10 and 9-7 with the Dallas games, Seattle and the Rams games being the swingers.  Playoffs will be next year!

Top 10: Preseason vs. Steelers

Here are my top 10 points of review on the first preseason game against AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Redskins took the win 16-7.

1. Rex Grossman is allowed to be confident:  Rex has been getting ripped in the media for his comments regarding the Redskins chances of winning the NFC East, but on Friday night he showed why he feels like it is possible.  I know it's a preseason game, but he threw for 207 yard and a TD, also on the first drive of the game he led the team almost the entire length of the field, only to be foiled by Shayne Graham missing a 29-yard field goal, which brings me to my next point.

2. Graham Gano is winning the kicking battle:  Gano showed why Shanahan wanted him here in the first place by putting all 5 of his kickoffs through the endzone for touchbacks, then he put himself that much further ahead of Graham by making his 3 field goal attempts.  Shayne Graham has already been released per Rotoworld, but I would be surprised if another veteran was not brought in to continue pushing Gano.

3. Tim Hightower will start Week 1:  Hightower looked like a perfect fit for the zone stretch scheme as he ran hard and made quick decisions.  He rarely stutter-stepped and found his way upfield quickly gaining the yards that were given to him, and sometimes more than that.  Tim also did a great job in the passing game, both making receptions and blocking.  He reminded me a lot of a young Clinton Portis in his aggressiveness and wanting to make the first hit.

4. Our Wide Receivers may be a strength:  Now hear me out on this one.  Last year we complained about how we didn't have a solid #1 receiver, and to be fair I still think that is the case.  However, I think we have four #2 receivers in Moss, Gaffney, Stallworth and Armstrong.  I think that on a building team, to have that depth and experience at any position while you still have youth behind them (Hankerson/Paul/Austin) you should feel happy with the direction the team is moving.  If we're behind honest with ourselves though, we realize that not all these players will make the team, but this is a position battle I look forward to watching more.

5. London Fletcher still has it:  He may be a graybeard on this team but he is still playing at Pro Bowl level if his 15 snaps is anything we can judge him on.  He had 2 tackles in the first 2 snaps and was in on a sack of Big Ben with corner Kevin Barnes (more on him in a minute).  I think if he continues to stay healthy as he has his entire career he could continue to be a strong piece to this puzzle for the next 2 or 3 years.

6. Our DBs struggled (except 1):  Josh Wilson had a very disappointing debut with the team getting beat on a couple of occasions and not really looking comfortable in his role.  There were growing pains being shown with obvious communication breakdown between the CBs and Safeties.  The one bright spot in the secondary was Kevin Barnes and his aggressive attitude.  He tackled hard, had decent coverage and also got a sack as I mentioned above.  I think after a few more games together, and if Landry and Atogwe get healthy it can still be a good position for the Skins.

7. Ryan Kerrigan is a rookie:  Just reminding those of you who seem to think he's supposed to be a Pro Bowler right out of his box.  He did have some good plays but showed several times that he's not completely comfortable playing in the defensive backfield, yet.  He tipped off the rush by leaning forward a few times, and didn't have the fluidity in his movement when covering.  His best play came on a TFL that was assisted by new NT Barry Cofield breaking through the OL to stop the RB in his tracks.

8. We made good moves in Free Agency/Trades: DE Stephen Bowen, NT Barry Cofield, WR Jabar Gaffney, WR Donte Stallworth, RB Tim Hightower, OL Chris Chester all made some form of an impact.  I think this is the best, most understated offseason we've had in the Dan Snyder era, and I for one hope it continues.  No guarantees on any of these players, and it's possible Stallworth doesn't even make the roster but after 1 preseason game I'm happy with the choices Bruce and Shanny have made.

9. Brandon Banks must make the team: He is the best game changer this team has, and he showed that in just 2 plays on Friday.  He took a kickoff from 7 yards deep in the endzone out for a 58 yard return and then grabbed a punt, patiently set up his blocks and wound up 19 yards further up the field.  If Banks doesn't make the roster the Redskins won't be able to hide him on the Practice Squad this time around.

10. No more injuries: There were no additional injuries and the players already injured or on the PUP list are that much closer to getting back.

Can't wait for the next game! Thanks for reading and I hope you like what you see.