Here we stand...
6-2. If we don't hand the Rams their only touchdown of the game, its probably 7-1. The Redskins have proven that they belong in the discussion of the NFL's best.
So, how did they get here? The Redskins I have grown up with, led by the Norv Turners, Steve Spurriers, and Marty Schottenheimers, have been mediocre to bad with an occasional flash of good play.
It was a period that was painful for the fans of Gibbs' first era. The Redskins fan base is spoiled in tradition. The NFL Championships and Super Bowls of years past leave this loyal group wanting nothing but the best. And I believe that we are very close to getting it back.
In a desperate attempt to revive the franchise and return to greatness, Dan Snyder took a risk and went into the past, pulling Joe Gibbs out of retirement. And Redskins fans can thank Mr. Gibbs for the team they see out on the field today.
Despite going 31-36 (1-2 in playoffs) over his four years as head coach, Gibbs built a foundation for success and has put this team in position to win. Although I believe that his philosophies on the sideline held the team back, Gibbs made some key personnel moves in conjunction with the front office and built a base for a championship team.
Key move #1: Clinton Portis for Champ Bailey and 2nd Rounder (Tatum Bell).
At the time, many fans and media members were claiming we gave up too much for Portis. Some may still believe it. I don't. We got rid of Bailey, who wanted out, and brought in a player who currently sits at the top of the MVP discussion, and is on pace to have a seat reserved in Canton.
Clinton Portis has been the backbone of this offense since he got here. Since Portis' arrival, the Redskins are 21-4 when he runs for 100+ yards. He added some weight to his frame to fit into the Gibbs power-running game, and has become one of the most versatile backs in the league. He is the best pass-blocking back in the league, he can catch out of the backfield and out of the slot, he can run defenders over, and still has the speed to get to the edge. With the continued growth of Jason Campbell forcing defenses to respect the pass, Portis has been able to show how dominant he can be this season, leading the league in rushing and putting up 7 touchdowns in 8 games.
Key move #2: Moving Up to Draft Jason Campbell
He has had his ups and downs, like every young quarterback. He has been outperformed by Todd Collins (last season's late run) and Colt Brennan (this preseason). He has drawn criticism for being too slow (mentally) for the NFL, not accurate enough, a fumbler, a bust.
But it turns out that Gibbs was right in moving up to select this kid.
His performance this year has shed all those labels. While tackling yet another offensive system, this time with rookie Head Coach Jim Zorn, Campbell seems to have found his fit as a West Coast Offense quarterback. He is completing 66% of his passes, is on pace for 3400 yards, and hasn't thrown an interception. Those are all-pro numbers, and at this point he has to be included in the MVP discussion.
Along with his drastically improved mid-range accuracy, my number one concern with his game, Campbell has proven that he can win games with the deep ball. Against the Saints and the Lions, a pair of 50+ yard touchdowns to Santana Moss showed that if you give him a chance, Campbell can beat you with his big arm, as well as pick defenses apart underneath.
Record Watch: Campbell's 256 consecutive pass attempts without an interception leaves him 53 shy of breaking Bernie Kosar's record of 308 consecutive attempts without an interception.
Key Move #3: Laveranues Coles for Santana Moss
Like Champ Bailey, Coles was a player that wanted out of Washington. So the Redskins sent him back to New York in exchange for the return-specialist-turning-receiver with bad hamstrings. Moss had missed 13 games in the first four seasons of his career with nagging hamstring injuries.
But when healthy, Santana Moss changes the way opposing defenses have to play the Redskins.
Moss has proven to be one of the best deep-route runners and one of the fastest players in the NFL. His double moves leave even veteran corners looking foolish. He gives the Redskins a legitimate deep threat, which helps open up the running game and draws double coverage which gives our other receivers more room to make plays.
Key Move #4: Picking up London Fletcher.
In the Snyder era, the Redskins have been heavily criticized for their reliance on free agency. The countless busts (Adam Archuletta, Brandon Lloyd, etc.) and players brought in past their prime (Bruce Smith, Deion Sanders, etc.) have made the Redskins a laughing stock in the offseason.
The pickup of Fletcher, however, was one I prayed they would jump on.
Fletcher has become the heart and soul of this defense. I look forward to watching him play every weekend. He seems to be magnetically attracted to the football, given the way he flies around the field. I have seen him run down the likes of Brian Westbrook and Calvin Johnson, which a middle linebacker in his 11th season should have no business doing. And perhaps most remarkably, he has never missed a regular season game in his career.
Key Move #5: Making the most out of the draft.
Much like their highly criticized free agency strategies, the Redskins had grown to disregard draft picks in the Snyder era. Despite giving away multiple picks with the approval of Gibbs, the Redskins have made some excellent picks that have helped build the foundation of this team, from the first round to the seventh.
2004: Chris Cooley, 3rd Round.
Cooley has transformed into an elite tight end. He is the only tight end in history to have 6 or more receiving touchdowns in his first three seasons.
2005: Carlos Rogers, 1st Round.
Despite having hands of stone, Rogers have finally started to emerge this season as an elite corner. He is extremely physical and a big hitter, excelling in the role of a Cover 2 corner roaming the flats. He has also drastically improved in downfield coverage. He is a top end #2 corner, and in Shawn Springs' absence, he has proven to be able to hold his own against #1 receivers.
2005: Jason Campbell, 1st Round.
The Redskins long awaited franchise QB appears to have arrived. Coming out of College with all the physical skills, a few years of coaching have transformed this raw talent into a top 10, arguably top 5, quarterback in the NFL this season.
2006:
Rocky McIntosh, 2nd Round. Rocky is slowly turning into an elite outside linebacker. At one point in 2007, he was leading the NFL in tackles and sacks. Injury cut his breakout season short, but he has bounced back well and continues to play at an extremely high level.
2006: Anthony Montgomery, 5th Round/Kedric Golston, 6th Round.
Montgomery and Golston are two parts of a solid DT rotation, and have proven to be two strong late round draft picks. Their competition for the starting spot has only heightened their level of play. Are they superstars? No, but few DT's are. But they were both great values in the later rounds.
2007: LaRon Landry, 1st Round.
At the time, it looked like Landry and the late Sean Taylor were going to be the best safety tandem in history. Since Taylor's death, Landry has taken Taylor's role as a ball-hawking free safety. He has elite speed and delivers punishing hits. Playing as much as 20 yards off the ball on most plays, he has the speed to go sideline-to-sideline and shut down the deep ball. The reason why you don't hear his name very much? Teams are avoiding him, plain and simple.
2007: HB Blades, 6th Round.
We haven't heard a lot from Mr. Blades yet, but he will more than likely be London Fletcher's replacement. And when he finally takes over as a starter, we will know him well. A preseason All-American, Blades reminds me a lot of a young London Fletcher. Just watch him in the Redskins' goal-line packages, where he gets the majority of his playing time and you will understand.
Blades dropped to the sixth round mainly because scouts said he didn't have the size to be a middle linebacker, and didn't have the speed to be an outside linebacker. He is listed at 5'10, 240 pound. London Fletcher is listed at 5'10, 245 pounds, and I think he has done quite well in the middle for the last 11 years.
Thank you Joe.
Joe Gibbs came in and turned this franchise from disaster to contender. The Redskins' personnel moves under Gibbs' control along with the innovative coaching of Jim Zorn have put this team in the position they're in today. Was Gibbs perfect? No. He gave away draft picks for busts, and had a conservative philosophy on the sideline that held what I believed was a talented team back.
But, he did what he could with what he had and built the foundation of a winning football team.
Hail.