The 'Skins season kicks off this Sunday with a fierce rival from the NFC East, the New York Giants. But before this game initiates the beginning of a long, grueling season, I've gotta take a stab at the 'Skins schedule.
Week One: @ Giants (0-0)
The Giants are one of the best teams in the NFL, and games in the NFC are especially competitive, so the edge has to go to the home team. Giants in a close one, 20-17.
Week Two: VS Rams (0-1)
The 'Skins will be looking to bounce back after this week, and with first year head coach Steve Spagnuolo, who was the Giants defensive coordinator the past two years, the defense should be ready for what the 'Skins have to offer, but the defense is going to take this one over. 'Skins win 24-6.
Week Three: @ Lions (1-1)
With a chance to go above a .500 record in week three while playing the worst team from last year should be an easy win for the 'Skins, but they better not take this game lightly. They found themselves in the loss column with a similar game against the Rams last year, and they came to regret it at the end of the season. This team will remember that game, however, and blowout a young Lions team, 27-10.
Week Four: VS Buccaneers (2-1)
The 'Skins come home week four to play their third rookie head coach in a row. The Buccaneers are in a rebuilding season, and with a roster filled with youngsters, the Redskins should overmatch them greatly. Veterans like Ronde Barber, however, will prevent the 'Skins passing attack from taking off, and the game will be a little closer. 20-13.
Week Five: @ Panthers (3-1)
This game should be the biggest challenge the 'Skins have had since the season opener against the Giants. The Panthers have a fierce running attack and always put a solid defense on the field. The 'Skins lose in a close one, 21-17.
Week Six: VS Chiefs (3-2)
Wanting to stay above .500 and frustrated about the close loss to the Panthers, the 'Skins will dominate a young Chiefs team. Matt Cassel will throw a lot to stay in this one, and will get picked off a few times, but with a porous defense, the Chiefs won't be able to keep up. 'Skins win easily, 34-17.
Week Seven: VS Eagles (4-2)
Mike Vick makes his first appearance at FedEx Field and causes a stir. The focus will be on him coming to town and not on the team, and they will thrive. This will still be a battle in the East, but the Eagles will still be getting used to using Vick, so the 'Skins steal one, 24-21.
Week Eight: BYE WEEK (5-2 and feeling good)
Week Nine: @ Falcons (5-2)
Coming off the bye week, the 'Skins are fully rested, ready to play some football again, but are shocked by Matt Ryan and the fantastic Falcons. 'Skins lose, 24-10.
Week Ten: VS Broncos (5-3)
Once again on edge after a loss, the 'Skins come back ready to face the team that almost had a hand in sending Jason Campbell out of town. Campbell has a big day, throwing three TD's. 'Skins win handily, 31-13.
Week Eleven: @ Cowboys (6-3)
It's finally the biggest rivalry of the season, and the 'Skins first trip to Jerry Jones' Palace. It's a close one between these two rivals, and after a delay where Shawn Suisham breaks the Jerry's big screen TV over the stadium, the 'Skins blow it in the fourth quarter as Marion Barber runs all over them, 24-13.
Week Twelve: @ Eagles (6-4)
The Eagles have figured out their offense, and the defense has hit their midseason stride. This is a close game, but it doesn't show on the scoreboard. Eagles win, 27-14.
Week Thirteen: VS Saints (6-5)
Hitting their first two game skid of the season, the 'Skins look to bounce back at home verse their old defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams. The Redskins current coordinator, Greg Blatche, worked for several years with Williams, and the 'Skins offense practices against pretty much the same defensive scheme every day, they will take this one, but not without Saints quarterback Drew Brees putting a few nice scoring drives together. Redskins, 31-21.
Week Fourteen: @ Raiders (7-5)
The Raiders recently traded a first round pick in 2011 for a 29 year old defensive end who has only played 16 games two times in his eight year NFL career. Do I need to say more to how much disarray this organization is in? 'Skins crush, 35-9.
Week Fifteen: VS Giants (8-5)
Entering their toughest home stretch of the season, the 'Skins beat a banged up Giants team, but it's an ugly one. 14-10.
Week Sixteen: VS Cowboys (9-5)
The rivalry comes home and with the playoffs on the line for the both teams, the home team prevails in another slugfest. Redskins win, 17-16.
Week Seventeen: @ Chargers (10-5)
It comes down to the last game of the season, but the Chargers have already clinched their division and their hearts aren't in the game as much as the 'Skins are. The 'Skins win this one from the beginning, 21-17.
The 'Skins finish 11-5 with a wildcard spot in the NFC. It's going to be tough, and a lot of this depends on the team staying healthy, but I think it should shake out like this. What does everyone else think?
Showing posts with label Shawn Suisham. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shawn Suisham. Show all posts
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Redskins Roster Review: Special Teams
As free agency approaches, I'm going to take a closer look at the Redskins three units: special teams, defense, and offense.
Special teams has long been an area of weakness for the Redskins, and the arrival of Jim Zorn did nothing to change that. In 2009, the unit ranked 21st out of 32 teams in punt return average, 28th in punt coverage, and dead last in field goal percentage.
Something, obviously, needs to change.
The first thing they need to do is to find someone, anyone else to return punts instead of Antwaan Randle El. His main focus needs to be on playing wide receiver, and he hasn't contributed returning the ball like he used to. Instead of making a defender miss and racing down the field, he often dances around in one place, rarely making any significant gains.
Another change that needs to be made is at the punter position. The low ranking of the punt coverage unit is a direct result of the lack of a consistent punter. The Redskins cut Derrick Frost in favor of rookie draft choice, Durant Brooks, who was replaced mid season by Rian Plackemeir. Plackemeir showed some improvement during the season, but was inconsistent, and was cut after the season.
Danny Smith, the special teams coordinator, has been praised by both current head coach Jim Zorn and former head coach Joe Gibbs, but he has never been given any punters with significant skills to work with. The only punter currently on the roster is Zac Atterberry, who has never even played in a regular season game. Obviously, there needs to be a punter with experience added.
Smith also has not been given a consistent kicker to coach up. Shawn Suisham showed promise towards the end of the 2007 season, but posted the lowest field goal percentage in the league this past season. Suisham will be a restricted free agent this off season, and it is expected that the Redskins retain him. They can't solely rely on him, though. Some form of competition, whether it be an undrafted rookie or a veteran, has to be brought in to at least push Suisham to get better.
The kick return and coverage units, on the other hand, shined last season, both ranking in the top ten. Special teams captain Khary Campbell was a major contributor to these units. He becomes a free agent this off season, but the Redskins need to look to retain him. He has been here a while, knows our system, and plays hard every week. He can also be a suitable plug on defense at linebacker when he is needed.
There are a few things Vinny Cerrato, vice-president of football operations, has to look at in the coming weeks, but will he take the steps necessary to improve? In recent years, it seems that Cerrato hasn't taken a long enough look at improving special teams in the offseason. There are often young, unheard of players coming in the door, and walking out a few months later. How about bringing in a veteran with some staying power for a change?
I know this may be asking a lot considering the considerable salary cap bind the Redskins are in, but most of the games the Redskins find themselves in, they are losing or winning by less than a touchdown. These games are often decided by special teams. Whoever wins the field position battle and gets a few field goals through the uprights often finds themselves with the all important "W" at the end of the game. If the Redskins could generate some longer returns off punts, pin their opponents inside the 10-yard line, or even hit some makeable field goals, they could get a few more "Ws" next season.
Special teams has long been an area of weakness for the Redskins, and the arrival of Jim Zorn did nothing to change that. In 2009, the unit ranked 21st out of 32 teams in punt return average, 28th in punt coverage, and dead last in field goal percentage.
Something, obviously, needs to change.
The first thing they need to do is to find someone, anyone else to return punts instead of Antwaan Randle El. His main focus needs to be on playing wide receiver, and he hasn't contributed returning the ball like he used to. Instead of making a defender miss and racing down the field, he often dances around in one place, rarely making any significant gains.
Another change that needs to be made is at the punter position. The low ranking of the punt coverage unit is a direct result of the lack of a consistent punter. The Redskins cut Derrick Frost in favor of rookie draft choice, Durant Brooks, who was replaced mid season by Rian Plackemeir. Plackemeir showed some improvement during the season, but was inconsistent, and was cut after the season.
Danny Smith, the special teams coordinator, has been praised by both current head coach Jim Zorn and former head coach Joe Gibbs, but he has never been given any punters with significant skills to work with. The only punter currently on the roster is Zac Atterberry, who has never even played in a regular season game. Obviously, there needs to be a punter with experience added.
Smith also has not been given a consistent kicker to coach up. Shawn Suisham showed promise towards the end of the 2007 season, but posted the lowest field goal percentage in the league this past season. Suisham will be a restricted free agent this off season, and it is expected that the Redskins retain him. They can't solely rely on him, though. Some form of competition, whether it be an undrafted rookie or a veteran, has to be brought in to at least push Suisham to get better.
The kick return and coverage units, on the other hand, shined last season, both ranking in the top ten. Special teams captain Khary Campbell was a major contributor to these units. He becomes a free agent this off season, but the Redskins need to look to retain him. He has been here a while, knows our system, and plays hard every week. He can also be a suitable plug on defense at linebacker when he is needed.
There are a few things Vinny Cerrato, vice-president of football operations, has to look at in the coming weeks, but will he take the steps necessary to improve? In recent years, it seems that Cerrato hasn't taken a long enough look at improving special teams in the offseason. There are often young, unheard of players coming in the door, and walking out a few months later. How about bringing in a veteran with some staying power for a change?
I know this may be asking a lot considering the considerable salary cap bind the Redskins are in, but most of the games the Redskins find themselves in, they are losing or winning by less than a touchdown. These games are often decided by special teams. Whoever wins the field position battle and gets a few field goals through the uprights often finds themselves with the all important "W" at the end of the game. If the Redskins could generate some longer returns off punts, pin their opponents inside the 10-yard line, or even hit some makeable field goals, they could get a few more "Ws" next season.
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