[sportscurmudgeon]

Matty:

As usual, you are a voice of reason and logic here on the board. The 2005 season is not over and done with already; neither is it one in which a Super Bowl appearance would be expected.


Schneed10:

You pointed out "bad things" that hapened in this offseason and all of them are facts; there's no "ifs" or "maybes" associated with them.

Then you listed a whole menu of great things that have happened to the Skins recently - - without noting the "ifs" and "maybes". So let me try to do that for you:


Good things about this year:

- The same D coordinator as last year (hasn't happened in a long ass time).

Very true regarding the continuity from year to year. Of course this is only a real blessing if all the players who return this year will play up to - or better than - the level they played at last year AND the subs stepping in for Pierce and Smoot play as well or better. Gregg Williams made ZERO tackles last year and he will make ZERO tackles this year.


- Ramsey starting for a full season, instead of for only 7 games.

Ramesy will start in September. Health and winning games will determine if he starts for a full season.


- A team atmosphere, getting rid of the players who don't want to be here.

Very dangerous to list this as a positive. Who knew that Coles would be one of the players to "ask out"? If that is the atmosphere here, what happens next January if Arrinigton and Portis decide to get pissy and want to leave? Just cut 'em and hope they get injured for their new teams because all we want here are "true Redskins"? Be careful what you wish for...


- An O-line with stability, in the same scheme as last year (they'll jell faster this year).

They damned well better jell faster than last year because if they don't Ramsey will not last the year - see point above about him needing to maintain his health to play a full season. You are also assuming that no one on the O-Line gets injured during the year AND that Dockery actually shows to be a productive OL at the NFL level. Both could happen but neither is a 100% lead-pipe certainty.


- More draft picks than last year.

Oh good. We get to pick up the new versions of Rod Gardner and Andre Johnson this year. That'll solidify things for years to come...


- Ramsey growing in the offense.

You've assumed here that you have not already seen the limits of Patrick Ramsey's productivity. I hope you're right, and I know that he has some impressive physical skills - not including any that have to do with his legs and feet! - but so far he hasn't shown them to be enough to do what is REALLY important in the NFL. What is REALLY important is for a good QB to win more games than he loses. Stats are for losers. The only stat people quote about Tom Brady is "three".


- Healthy Jansen.

99% chance you're right on here...


- Healthy Lavar.

I'm not nearly as certain with this one as you are.


- Casey Rabach

Better than Cory Ramer or Lenny Friedman or any of the other jamokes who have played center here for the past few years. But don't get carried away. He ain't going to Canton when his playing days are over unless it's to take his kids to see the NFL Hall of Fame and he buys a family day pass.


- David Patten

Clearly an upgrade over Rod Gardner as the #2 WR. Clearly an upgrade over an INJURED Lavernaeus Coles as a #1 WR. Clearly not a premiere WR in the NFL. If this is your lead pony in a passing attack, you'll be reminded of the Eagles several years ago when their lead pony was James Thrash.


- Santana Moss

I like Moss. I don't like that he has a reputation of not wanting to go over the middle. Maybe that will change here because he won't have to play against Sean Taylor and be terrified about what Taylor might do to him. Oh wait, that's not a good argument because he didn't have to play against Taylor much for the last few seasons either... And Moss has the negotiation leverage with Danny Boy for a contract so get set for that tussle. And if that tussle goes poorly, maybe Moss will be part of that Redskins team atmosphere where you get rid of guys who don't want to be here?


- A pledge by Gibbs to go deep and use the speed he just acquired at WR.

If that OL doesn not perform much better than last year, you will leave a plunger-footed Patrick Ramesy back there waiting to "go deep". Do that too many times and you will witness the rebirth of Mark Brunell under center for your Washington Redskins.


Just keepin' it real...