Is no news good news?

Those crickets you have been hearing from this blog? Yeah, those are the same ones you can hear over at the hangar for Redskins One. I haven't written a whole lot around here lately simply because there isn't much to talk about. There are no free agents coming through the normally revolving door at Redskins Park and there aren't even any good rumors of anyone bound for D.C.

So as long as things are quiet I will come by to dust every so often but once things start rolling again, you can bet this blog will be humming.

Collins returns

In a sign of some continuity, the Skins have finally re-signed backup QB Todd Collins. I think this is a good move, especially since Collins got us to the playoffs after starter Jason Campbell went down with an injury.

I do actually have one small problem with this whole scenario however. As we are trying to get away from our free spending ways - i.e. no more big, long contracts that we continue to pay years after guys leave the league - I am puzzled by the contract Collins received.

Now I think Collins should be rewarded for what he did last season however, how smart is it to sign a guy turning 35 in May to a 3 year contract? Vinny Cerrato said at the bottom of the story that they are waiting for the market to come back down before they make any other signings but was the market for Collins really 3 years, $9 million?

Baby steps I guess ... but welcome back Todd. Great to have you sticking around.

Lloyd area officially ends

Well, another costly mistake is finally out the door as the Redskins released WR Brandon Lloyd today.

I hate to say that this move seemed obvious but when you spend an entire season in Joe Gibbs' doghouse and catch only 2 passes for 14 yards (which "bumped" his total number of passes caught with the Skins to 25, with no TD's), you know your time has to be short. It just seems to be a shame that during a season in which both starters battled injuries and veterans were signed midseason to try and help the passing game that Lloyd couldn't stay out of the doughouse long enough to get another shot.

It's mistakes like this which cost us two draft picks and $10 million in guaranteed money in a new contract that I hope truly are things of the past as was reported over the weekend. And I'm not just complaining about the steep price of getting overpaid talent here, but the fact that they will continue to eat at our salary cap long after they hit the retirement home it seems.

But I guess if we are moving in a new direction, we've got to start cutting the dead weight somewhere and Lloyd seems like the logical choice.

So here's to clearing out our locker room and salary cap by 2012.

Jacoby at front of unemployment line?

Apparently 15 years after his retirement, Hog great Joe Jacoby has decided being a car dealer and radio analyst is not enough so he is at the NFL combine looking for a job?

According to the Washington Times, Jacoby has decided he wants to be an assistant coach somewhere. He's hit up old friends like Joe Bugel and Russ Grimm to prepare and apparently he is now officially looking for work.

After the career that man had as an OL for the Skins my only response to this is give this man a job.

Possible free agent targets

Now I by no means pretend to know what Vinny Cerrato has planned for the opening of free agency on Feb. 29 (and I don't think he does either) but the following projections are what I feel the team should do to address the holes we need to fill.

(Editor's note: I realize I promised the completion of my mock draft this weekend however, because I am so unfamiliar with most of the prospects right now I will post a new mock draft after the completion of the combine, once I can do more research on the topic.)

Despite Jim Zorn's recent comments about both Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El being good fits for the offense, it appears Cerrato and company think the Skins need a more durable WR. And even though free agents may not be a priority, the buzz is D.J. Hackett could be reunited with Zorn this offseason.

I personally think if we brought back midseason signees Keenan McCardell and Reche Caldwell, we should be fine. Size doesn't catch passes, talent does and I think there are enough guys in the current group with talent that we can get away with being a little undersized. This is not a position to worry about in free agency.

If we go after anyone in free agency, I think the one guy we should seriously consider is Justin Smith. This guy gets after the QB and paired with Andre Carter, these two would wreck havoc on opposing OL's and provide the type of pass rush we haven't seen since the days of Dexter Manley and Charles Mann. The only problem with this scenario would be that Dan Snyder would have to go back to his old ways of whisking people away on Redskins 1 before they knew what hit them. Smith will demand top dollar and will probably be out of our price range (is that an odd statement to anyone else?) 15 minutes after free agency opens.

An option at safety could be Mike Doss. If he too isn't vastly overpaid once this thing gets underway, he could be a valuable leader brought in to fill a tough hole. He isn't Sean Taylor by any stretch of the imagination but he could be the guy who helps seal the wound.

If you haven't gotten it from this post already, all signs point to the Redskins actually building through the draft for once. Gone seems to be the influence of George Allen bringing aging veterans looking for one last run. If that truly is the case, we may finally get that permanent turnaround we've been searching for since Snyder bought the team. Maybe the guy has finally learned his lesson.

Mock Draft v1.0: Picks 1-10

I realize I promised a full mock draft, and it is still on its way however I decided to break it into parts and post it through the weekend. I will still keep on the rest of the schedule I promised, but for now here are my projections, based on nothing more then what I have observed, as to how things could shake out at the draft in April.

1. Miami - Chris Long, DE, Virginia
Howie's boy is probably the one guy at the top of this board that best fits the Bill Parcells mold. Don't surprised if the Dolphins trade this pick to stockpile more in later rounds as the Fins need all the help they can get but if Miami stays put, this makes the most sense.

2. St. Louis - Jake Long, OT, Michigan
Two picks and two Longs gone. The Rams need help along both lines so a DL could go here, especially if Miami trades down and Chris is still on the board. But if Chris is gone, look for the Rams to draft a franchise OL similar to what they did with Orlando Pace in the late 1990s.

3. Atlanta - Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
First the Falcons won the coin toss for the third pick and now they win the Matt Ryan lottery in this scenario. Ryan's pick not only signals the end of the QB problems that plagued the team last year but would officially help Atlanta get out of the Michael Vick era.

4. Oakland - Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
Look for the Raiders to trade this pick if McFadden falls this far and look for Dallas to be licking its chops to move up here. McFadden could be the Adrian Peterson of this year's class where he may just be too good to pass up to the team he falls too, even if they are already set at RB.

5. Kansas City - Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville
Despite a senior year in which the wheels fell off the Cardinals bus, KC has been desperate for a QB since Len Dawson retired and while Brohm may be too much of a reach for any other team in this spot, he may be too good for the Chiefs to pass up. Look for an OL to go in this spot as well.

6. New York Jets - Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State
This first round is all about the pass rush this year and the Jets nab the second best DE with this pick. The Jets have plenty of holes throughout that need patching but Gholston is the safest pick with the most potential.

7. New England (from San Francisco) - Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
Despite the ramifications of "Spygate," New England still has this pick and will probably use it to acquire more picks so they can continue to stockpile talent. If by chance they don't, look for them to get McKelvin to fill one of the few holes they had on defense.

8. Baltimore - Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
The Ravens would like to take another chance at finding that all-important franchise QB but if Ryan and Brohm are both off the board, it might be a little early to grab at any of the others. Ozzie Newsome has a knack for finding talent in the draft regardless of position and with Ellis probably the best talent left on the board, look for the Ravens to go here.

9. Cincinnati - Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
The Bengals were a mess last year but they still seem to have plenty of talent on offense so once again the defense needs to be addressed. And with DL's flying off the board, this is where the Bengals get theirs, taking Harvey to boost a pathetic pass rush. Look for the Bengals to address defense early and often in the draft.

10. New Orleans - Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
The Saints should look to bolster their secondary here and while the DB class this year is deep, the cream of the crop is thin and with only McKelvin gone at this point the Saints can cash in here with Jenkins.

The one thing about this year's class is that after the top 4, the name recognition diminishes. However, this will probably one of the classes that stocks the league for year's to come. Check back for the rest of my predictions throughout the weekend and let me know how far off the deep end you think I am.

What do the Redskins really need?

With the offseason Olympics ready to get underway, I decided the best place to start was at the beginning (I realize this is an earth-shattering concept) and determine what holes actually need to be filled.

While looking around the net I noticed a blog where the guy was completely off his rocker and in the same column he got on Dan Snyder for getting rid of the continuity put in place in the coaching staff right after he said the Skins should get rid of it seemed 2/3rds of the team's starters including Clinton Portis, Jon Jansen and Randy Thomas.

If it was this guy's intention to grab attention, well then he accomplished his job. If it was his intention to provide meaningful insight into what action the team will take then he fell well short of the mark.

"George" does make a solid point in stating that if there is a major injury on the offensive line next year there will be issues. However, we weathered a ton of injuries on that line last year (Jansen and Thomas included) and we were able to bring along some young, talented players. But, think of how much smoother next season would be if Jansen, Thomas and the rest of the guys can avoid injuries - you're talking about one of the best collective units in the game. Jansen and Thomas are not washed up and so talk of the O Line needing help is overly exaggerated although a late round flier, especially coached by Joe Bugel, never seems to be a bad idea.

But I am rambling and I want this to be more of a list so here are the needs of the team as I see them, in no particular order:

1. Defensive backs: We need both safties and CB's after the loss of Sean Taylor and the continuing struggles of Carlos Rogers. It was nice to have Shawn Springs healthy for a good chunk of time and Fred Smoot was a reliable asset too. Reed Doughty has proved himself worthy of a shot at a starting spot after taking over for Taylor but depth at both positions are crucial.

2. Defensive line: This group has been so sporadic the last few years that something needs to be added and if this were a car it would be a stabilizing bar. Many projections online have us taking a DT with our 1st round pick and that would definitely be a good move. Phillip Daniels isn't getting any younger either so it might be nice to find his eventual replacement this year too.

3. Offensive line: I already talked about this earlier but a late round pick to add depth seems like the smart play here. Stephon Heyer proved to be a valuable commodity despite not even being drafted so who's to say we won't need another Heyer this year?

4. Quarterback: Yes, Jason Campbell is the QB of the future but if he goes down again, how much longer can we rely on Todd Collins? This year could be the one to draft or sign a younger backup so he could get acclimated to the time and be ready if the situation ever arises. The rest of the offense seems to be in good enough shape (although it would be nice for the WR's to produce more this year) so drafting a future QB could be a luxury this year the Skins may not have next year.

In keeping with continuity, it seems many of these starters could already be the place and the emphasis then should be on selecting role players. I realize we were 9-7 but we were close and when we got on a roll we were one of the toughest teams to play at the end of the year. Adding missing pieces - and not making major renovations - could be just what this team needs to advance in the playoffs next year.

The combine and the draft

While the NFL free agency period seems to open later and with less fanfare every season, all eyes have turned to the scouting combine and the impending NFL Draft.

Things get going on Saturday with the OL, TE and specialists subject to being treated like every day cattle first while the glamor positions take the field Sunday. A full schedule and complete coverage is available on NFL.com.

With free agency set to being at the end of the month, Redskins Huddle will break down team needs Thursday, post its first mock draft on Friday and list potential free agent targets on Saturday.

Coaching news and notes

There's been a lot of news to catch up on since Jim Zorn was "promoted," so here are the highlights:

There's a stump in the backfield - or at least coaching Clinton Portis and company. Stump Mitchell has taken over as running backs coach ...

And on a related note, Earnest Byner gets screwed in the whole coaching fiasco and is now without a job after getting a 1-year contract not too long ago. For a great piece on the coaching change, visit Curly R.

The offense has a new head man as well as former Titans assistant coach Sherman Smith has been named OC. Smith fills the last open spot on the staff while Zorn has retained that he will call the offensive plays - a la his mentor Mike Holmgren.

That wraps up all the definitive moves, the only other thing is don't believe the Ocho-Cinco rumors. After reports said the Skins were interested in acquiring Chad Johnson from the Bengals, multiple sources from Cincinnati said Johnson is not available. So that means it will either take the Skins a lot more than what would be wise to give up or an organization actually means what it says.

Zorn promoted to head coach

Even though he hasn't done a single thing for the Skins yet, newly named offensive coordinator Jim Zorn has already earned a promotion - to head coach.

It what has to be the strangest - and probably worst - coaching search in league history, it apparently seems that the only person who didn't have a problem with Zorn being hired as OC was Zorn himself.

If we weren't a laughing stock before, we probably are one now. Taking an early look at 2008 - before any moves have been made - we are probably lucky to get through this season with one head coach.

My head hurts too much to try and make any more sense of this hire, so I will just leave it at this: I guess it's better than Jim Fassel right?

What about Russ?

As we enlarge our coaching search, I have been wondering why Russ Grimm is not a serious candidate to return to his team and take over for his coach.

When Joe Gibbs returned 4 years ago, wasn't it he who wanted to pry Grimm away from the Pittsburgh Steelers to run the offense? And wasn't it those same Steelers who held onto him with their kung fu grip, saying the only way Grimm would leave was if he was to become a head coach somewhere. So what happened?

When Bill Cowher retired after the 2006 season, Grimm and Steelers OC Ken Wisenhunt were the players' favorites to take over the job. However, the Steelers went with Vikings DC Mike Timlin and said goodbye to their offensive masterminds. Wisenhunt still picked up a head coaching job, taking over in Arizona, but Grimm was not so lucky.

Wisenhunt took care of Grimm, bringing him to Arizona, but again it only seemed like a matter of time before Grimm would take over somewhere. But much like his induction to the Hall of Fame, Grimm is still waiting for the phone to ring on a head coaching offer.

It was speculated early on that Grimm could be a candidate to take over in Washington, but in the hordes of candidates Dan Snyder has brought in, Grimm was not one of them. Given Snyder's penchant to relive the glory days it would seem Grimm would have been a good fit for his former team.

Instead, we spent our time hiring coordinators and waiting for other coaching candidates to become available for interviews. We may do okay if we actually hire Giants DC Steve Spagnuolo, especially after what he did to the mighty Patriots, but it still would've been cool to see Grimm head up the latest version of the Skins.

Hopefully the way this process has been drawn out, we will find our perfect fit and Grimm will finally get a well deserved shot with someone.

Monk, Green are elected to the Hall

It's about time. For 8 years Art Monk has had to wait and see if the voters thought enough about him to elect him to the Hall of Fame and in 2008 they finally did.

Monk's teammate Darrell Green was also elected to the Hall, but unlike Monk he was elected on his first try.

When I think of the Redskins, these are the guys that come to my mind. My dad and I always talked about Monk and Green and I can still remember when Green ran that 4.2 40 on his 40th birthday. I carried a small clip from the USA Today about that incident in my wallet for years.

I was living in Utah at the time Green retired and I can still remember seeing a small thing on The Washington Post's web site where they wanted fans to share their memories about Green. I wrote in and told them about the clipping I carried in my wallet and to my surprise, they actually ran it in the paper.

These guys were the Redskins and truly epitomized what it meant to be a part of this great franchise. Congrats to both and hopefully there are a few more ex-Skins that will get in in the year to come.

Fate of three determined tomorrow

While most of the football nation is focused on who will win this year's Super Bowl, Redskins fans all over the world will be scouring the news wire services to see if our favorite WR will finally get the enshrinement into the Hall of Fame that he deserves.

Art Monk is up for election to the Hall for the 8th time while former teammates and Darrell Green and Russ Grimm also hope their phone rings.

I was extremely upset last year when Michael Irvin was voted in before Monk despite Monk finishing his career with higher totals than Irvin. But this article by The Washington Times may have softened my view. Irvin specifically said:

"As great as it was for me last year going into the Hall, that held a hole for me. I don't think I necessarily deserved to be in before Art. How is it you can be No. 1 [in alltime catches as Monk was from 1992 to 1995] and not be in the Hall?"

The simple answer to Irvin's question there - he wasn't Jerry Rice. We also know Sports Illustrated's Peter King was adamant about keeping Monk out of the Hall until recently and now he is leading the charge to finally get him in.

If Monk sees his name omitted from the list of finalists again this year, I say the Hall of Fame (and the writers who vote for the honors) are just as dysfunctional as Dan Snyder and Vinny Cerrato are at running a coaching search.

Here's to hoping at Monk and Green are honored tomorrow.

More coaching drama

So who are we to believe?

According to this tidbit from ESPN's John Clayton, the Skins are set to name Jim Fassel as head coach ... after the team conducts 1-2 more interviews after the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, Colts assistant Ron Meeks has been scheduled for another interview with Dan Snyder and there are now rumors circulating that Snyder's "mystery" candidate could be Steve Mariucci?

My only thought at this point is that this thing is now messier than a soap opera, Skins fans are getting on each other about how much Snyder has screwed up the team since he took over and there seems to be no end in site.

At this point the only thing I can say for sure is that things will definitely be different next year and that continuity Joe Gibbs was trying to bring back in his second run may have just been thrown out the window. I think I'm to the point now where I would just like someone to wake me up when this nightmare is over.

Zorn hired, Williams out

According to ESPN, the Skins finally hired Jim Zorn as offensive coordinator, despite the fact the team doesn't have a coach.

My only comment on this hire at this point is isn't it weird to hire an OC before a head coach? Just a thought.

Also, ESPNEWS has been reporting that Gregg Williams is no longer a candidate for the head coach position and that he actually fell out of favor during his 4 interviews. That must have been some falling out considering he was given a huge raise not too many seasons ago to not pursue other head coaching jobs so he could take over for Joe Gibbs when he left right? Or did I only dream that since no one seems to be mentioning that now.

Well, at least we don't have the problems the Raiders do. People complain about him but at least he hasn't lost it like "Tracksuit" Al Davis. Some things never change.

Another tribute for Taylor

I saw this story floating across the news wires today and thought this was a pretty cool tribute.

Similar to what Major League Baseball did to honor Jackie Robinson this past year, Skins Pro Bowlers Chris Cooley and Chris Samuels will wear No. 21 to honor the late Sean Taylor at this year's Pro Bowl. It's a fitting tribute since Taylor is the first person voted to an All-Star team since 1986, and it should be fun if for nothing more than to see DL flattened by OL.

On the coaching front, it seems Jim Fassel is still considered one of the front runners for the coaching position but there is activity on the OC front as the team interviewed Seattle QB Coach Jim Zorn for the position.

Regardless of how this all plays out, we should at least be a different team offensively in '08.

The Super Bowl is upon us, so it's time for lists

In what is sure to be only one of many lists - and provides us with a welcome break from the sluggish coaching search that is underway - EPSN has ranked the performances of all 82 starting QB's.

And while the list is top heavy with the performances of QB's from the bay area, it's nice to see Doug Williams' 4 TD performance in Super Bowl XXII crack the top 3. The first game I actually remember watching was Super Bowl XXII and what made it even more special is the fact I lived in San Diego at the time. I even remember touring the stadium the day before and getting to see the field all painted up for the festivities.

It's a shame things haven't been nearly as exciting in a long time but hopefully the Skins are about to turn the corner and become a top franchise again like they were in the late 1980s, early 1990s.

Is the surprise spoiled?

My last post dealt with the lack of noise involving the Skins coaching search and a possible rabbit that could be pulled out of a hat. Well, it looks like the surprise could be spoiled if this is to be believed and this is the big secret.

I hate this move if Jim Fassel is to be named head coach, and am equally not as thrilled if he becomes the OC on Gregg Williams' staff. In case anyone forgot to notice, Fassel struggled his last couple of years with the Giants and his time in Baltimore was a nightmare at best. I'm not saying Al Saunders' days in DC have been anything more than mediocre, but Fassel would be a definite downgrade.

I have no problems with looking at tons of candidates and keeping things hushed up so that your fans have something to get excited about once an announcement is made but this is not the right direction. If Dan Snyder is worried about the offense and the growth of Jason Campbell, let get someone who could move Campbell forward, not set him back.

I don't know who is out there that is looking for a move up, but if the Skins want to go unconventional, let's find someone who has a track record better than mediocre. If you want mediocre or someone like Fassel, go after his former boss Brian Billick instead. At least he won the Super Bowl matchup between the two and held on to his previous job longer.

Are we being deceived in the coaching search?

Bram Weinstein brought up an interesting point in the Redskins Radio e-mail today, saying that the apparent "lack" of information being divulged about the Skins coaching search is very similar to the last time, when Joe Gibbs ended his retirement to resurrect the franchise.

I'm not a huge Weinstein fan, but I do like his comment about waiting for owner Dan Snyder to "pull a rabbit out of his hat." He still thinks the job goes to D coordinator Gregg Williams or recent interview Jim Mora Jr., but I think Snyder is still trying to see if he can convince Bill Cowher or someone with successful, previous head coaching experience to take the helm. I'm for this idea, especially since the Big Tuna already has a new gig.

I've let my thoughts on this matter be known in previous posts and hopefully this matter will be settled soon. There is only so much you can say about a covert coaching search.

Green, Monk, Grimm finalists for Hall

In his first year of eligibility, Darrell Green took another step towards being elected to the Hall of Fame by being named one of the 17 finalsts. And while I am really excited that Green is being received so well, I can't help but wonder if the voters will finally wise up and elect Art Monk this year.

Skins fans know Monk retired as the leader in multiple receiving categories in NFL history but was overshadowed by at the same time as GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) Jerry Rice. And while it's been a shame that Monk has been denied his spot for so long, the thing that really gets me is that Michael Irvin was voted in before him, even though Monk's stats over his career were better than Irvin's in almost every category.

I could rant and rave about this for days but I will save that if Monk is once again denied when the final vote is cast on Feb. 2.

Other finalists who contributed to the Skins include Russ Grimm and Andre Reed (we won't hold the fact that he mainly played for Buffalo against him).

Who will be the next coach?

Now that the media carousel is spitting out tons of names for the vacant head coaching gig, let's take a look at who may actually be on the radar:

1. Jim Schwartz (Tennessee defensive coordinator): The first official interview, I find it hard to believe that while he is one of the hot candidates this offseason he will actually get the job. If Dan Snyder decides to hire a defensive minded HC, I think another former Titan DC will get the job. Which brings us to ...

2. Gregg Williams (Washington assistant head coach-defense): This in house candidate and former head coach seemed to be named the successor to Joe Gibbs the moment Gibbs hired him to run the defense. However, the longer this process drags out and the more big name candidates interview for the job, the less likely it seems Williams has the job locked up.

3. Al Saunders (Washington assistant head coach-offense): Another former head coach in the league, Saunders was brought in two years ago to punch up the offense. Unfortunately, I don't know if the offense was really that much better under his guidance and I don't really see him as a likely choice to succeed Gibbs.

4. Bill Cowher (former Pittsburgh head coach): This is the exact type of big splash Snyder has made in the past and he could do a lot worse than hiring the former Steelers head guy. However, Cowher has repeatedly said he wanted to take two years off before coaching again which would put his return in 2009. But we know from experience that if Snyder wants something bad enough, he will usually throw enough money at it to make sure he gets it. So if Cowher feels the need to get rich again, he will probably have the opportunity.

5. Russ Grimm (Arizona assistant head coach-offensive line): Gibbs wanted to bring his former lineman in to run the offense when he returned but Pittsburgh wouldn't let go of him. One of the fans choices to replace Cowher, Grimm was passed up and followed Ken Wisenhunt to Arizona. It's probably not likely Grimm will be hired but it would be fun to see the old "Hog" take control of a team he helped get to 3 Super Bowls as a player.

I personally still think Williams has to be the favorite to get the job but if Cowher can be swayed out of the booth, the job is his. Either one would be a good choice to run the Skins and have the type of mentality needed to keep this team headed in the right direction.

Gibbs to retire

Well, I feel like an idiot. After my late post last night getting on the media for the slew of stories we were about to get about whether Joe Gibbs would return, he goes and decides to announce his retirement today.

Gibbs took on a lot this year and to say his second run wasn't as good as his first is unfair. He was out of football almost completely (he spent a couple of seasons as an in-studio announcer right after his first retirement) and had about 15 years of progress to catch up on. And while he still made some big blunders and had troubles at times adjusting to the "New NFL," he still took us to the playoffs.

At the very least the AP put it best in their story when they said Gibbs twice rescued the franchise from mediocrity because before his return, we were on our way to becoming the 1990s Bengals.

The obvious replacement has to be Gregg Williams, who it has been rumored was to be the heir apparent when Gibbs finally left, but it could still be a somewhat open position. Al Saunders is also being rumored as a replacement but you have to feel that after he has struggled to get this offense going in two years, he is more of a long shot.

Who do you think will replace Gibbs? Drop a comment saying who you'd like to see as the next head guy for our team.

Let the media circus begin

The Skins have been out of the playoffs for two days and the local media is already harping on whether Joe Gibbs will be back as coach next season. Nevermind the fact that he is probably still processing the loss to the Seahawks and enjoying his first day off in months, but in an effort to be the first one to break a potential story the media now has to harass a coach the day after his team's season finishes as to whether he is retiring.

I don't know about you but when I finish a huge project that has taken up all of my time, I tend to enjoy a day or two to relax before I start thinking about the next job. And it's my feeling that if I feel that way many others may to, including Joe so why not give the guy a break. He should have at least earned that much considering the type of year he had.

Seattle comeback ends 07 for Skins

Arguably the hottest team in the NFC entering the playoffs, the Skins saw their season come to a halt with a loss at Seattle on Saturday.

But rather than try to dissect what went right, wrong or second-guess the guy getting paid millions to make the decisions, I would like to take a few moments to reflect on how far the team came this year.

I realize I may be shooting myself in the foot with this statement but the fact that we made the playoffs after the season we had should be considered a victory, especially since it looked like we didn't have what it took after the loss to Buffalo. However, the team rallied together and pulled off a run similar to that from a couple of years.

Now that this season is behind the Skins, we will now spend the next few months speculating what options are available and while we will be doing this a little earlier than desired, I believe that the pieces are place for another run next year, despite the fact things looked good heading into '06 after the run to the '05 playoffs.

Aside from speculating about who Dan Snyder will overpay to come play here, Skins have another cause to keep a close eye on - Art Monk's Hall of Fame election. All I will say about this right now is that it is a tragedy Michael Irvin was voted in before Monk, but both deserve to be there. But again, another topic for another time.

I want to close by saying congrats to the Skins for what they did accomplish and let's hope 2008 turns out better than '07.

Playoffs: Redskins at Seattle

For the second time in the second Joe Gibbs era the Skins have made the playoffs by winning a bunch of games in a row to sneak in as the No. 6 seed.

Previews with an abundance of breakdowns showing why each team will win can be found all over the net so I will end this post with one thought: How cool would it be for the Redskins to open the playoffs and 2008 with a win at Seattle, especially since they try to boast having the loudest fans in the league?

Hail to the Redskins.

Williams replaces Taylor in Pro Bowl

The late Sean Taylor's Pro Bowl replacement was announced today, Cowboys S Roy Williams. And while it may seem sacrilegious to replace Taylor with a Cowboy, it seems to make sense that one big hitter replaces another. Congrats to Roy on his trip to Hawaii but hopefully Washington will have the last laugh this postseason.

Does Joe Gibbs match up to his Hall of Fame self?

For only the third time since he retired the first time, the Washington Redskins are heading back to the playoffs under the direction of Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs. Now there is no doubt in my mind that what Gibbs did in his first tenure with the team qualifies him as a Hall of Famer however anyone who feels the second time around has been as good as the first is just kidding themselves.

But before you go accusing me of saying Gibbs is not a good coach, I want to take an in depth, impartial look at how "The Return of the King," as the Washington Post dubbed his coming out of retirement, has really gone.

First and foremost, Gibbs is the best coach we have had since his retirement. He is the only coach to take us to the playoffs twice, and other than Norv Turner's one playoff year, he is the only coach to post a winning season since then too.

But the one question I have is if Gibbs wasn't who he is, would he have lasted this long at the helm?

His overall record in 4 years (not including the playoffs) is 30-34 and he has losing seasons of 6-10 and 5-11. I think it would be fair to assume that he would have been a coach on the hot seat heading into the season and that he may have even been out of a job in the AFC by midseason. So it sure was nice for him to have the reputation he did.

However, looking past measureables such as records and statistics, it is apparent that Gibbs was the right guy to have in charge this year. It seems that his personality and experience have been invaluable in dealing with the scores of injuries and tragedies the team faced this year and his positive outlook made it possible to rally the Skins and earn the final playoff spot.

And as Washington gets ready for Saturday's game, you have to feel confident knowing that with Gibbs at the helm the Skins should be able to beat Seattle, especially after the year in which the Seahawks have had.

So while media pundits and reporters outside of DC continue to argue whether the game has passed Gibbs by, I feel confident in knowing that he is the one in charge on Saturday. After all, we could be stuck with Norv or Steve Spurrier.

Happy 2008

I realize that it has been a long time since I have regularly updated this blog but in the tradition of New Year's resolutions, one of mine is to update this blog more frequently. But first things first, congrats to the Skins for making the playoffs despite the emotional and injury drains.

We get another shot at Seattle in the playoffs and considering where this team picked itself up from, we should be considered by everyone in the NFC as the scariest team in the playoffs. Excluding the loss to the Patriots, even when the Skins were down they managed to keep their other losses within 8 points.

It will take a lot to make the Super Bowl and it will take even more to beat the AFC rep, but I don't see any reason why Washington won't make it. Granted we beat a down Dallas team and we also lost to Green Bay and Tampa Bay during the regular season, but again, those were close games coming down to the final drive.

The postseason already got more exciting with Washington earning the final spot, but the fact that we actually have a shot at advancing makes it even better.