New Lipstick. Same Ole Hog

[VirgilTibbs]

This franchise sells hope each year but nothing ever changes. Revolving door of players, coaches, new GM but the results are all too familiar. Pity to the season ticket holders who each year think this franchise has finally turned the corner, when in reality there's just new paint on the old pinto.

This franchise STILL lacks leadership and is very apparent not because of the way we were manhandled at home on Monday night, but how obvious issues continually fail to get addressed. Ignore the traditional "we need to sell tickets" flashy off season 75 million dollar splurge on a player who absolutely had no impact on the game whatsoever Monday night. It is much deeper than that.

Fans were finally so excited to have a "real GM" Scot Mcloughan take over this franchise that many have failed to remove the rose colored glasses, be honest with themselves and criticize significant areas where he's already dropped the ball in just one year. Great coaches can make average and underachieving players look good. Great players can make average and underachieving coaches look good. If you have neither, your team looks like the Washington Redskins.

There is no reason why we should be surprised by what happened Monday night. Frankly, this team is not good and never has been. Winning out 9-7 last year in a division consisting of teams either rebuilding or missing key contributors most of the season, only to get manhandled at home in the wildcard game is nothing to be excited for next season. Mcloughan has definitely failed in some areas that has me scratching my head:

- Jay Gruden and Joe Barry are not good coaches. Neither would be head coach or defensive coordinator anywhere else in the league. Neither has proven anything in the league and neither are good enough to offset the deficiencies of a roster full of average to below average players. Scot should have parted ways when he had the chance instead of retaining both.

- After 10 seasons, Kedric Golston is STILL a member of the Washington Redskins and is starting at nose tackle. There is no explanation for why Golston is retained year after year the same as if he were a hall of famer. In 10 seasons, Golston has only accounted for 7 sacks. Does Kedric have some dirt on the team? Some connection to the owner? Who knows, but for a player who wouldn't even make the final 53 on another team to still be on the payroll after 10 underachieving seasons is definitely a sign of serious issues.

- Deangelo Hall is not an NFL starting free safety and the team should have moved on from him when he was no longer capable of playing CB instead of ignoring one of the teams biggest needs and going the cheap route by experimenting with a washed up CB.

- Matt Jones, the injury fumble prone upright runner with bad hole vision who goes down on first contact is not an NFL starting RB. Again, being cheap by letting Alfred Morris walk without any plan to replace with a better option. And none of the backup rbs pose any threat to other teams which is why they will dare us to pass the ball and rarely blitz.

- The starting defensive line is comprised of guys cut picked up off the street or guys who wouldn't even be starting anywhere else. Ziggy Hood, Kedric Golston, Ricky Jean-Francois and Chris Baker is laughable at best to roll out as a starting defensive line and expect to contain some of the leagues best rbs. Heck, 33 year old backup Deangelo Williams ran for 143. Imagine if Leveon Bell was back there.

- There is no one even close to elite talent on defense. With the exception of Norman (who still has to prove his impact) and Kerrigan (who's good but not elite), the linebackers and safeties are either rookies, guys with little experience or fill ins who were cut from other teams. If you thought Bashaud Breeland was better than he actually is, reference Antonio Brown Monday night.

- Kirk Cousins is not the future, there are other QB's in the league who can perform the same or better for cheaper, yet there are still question marks over our direction with him and we enter another year with Colt Mccoy as backup. Monday night, Cousins showed what he is and what he isn't. But this has been apparent for quite some time now.

Desean Jackson catching the occasional 50 yard deep pass or Jordan Reed grabbing 10 catches for 100 yards a few games may be exciting, however we should expect more if this franchise will ever move forward as being taken serious. Serious changes STILL need to be made top down and the roster is far from even being playoff caliber. Other teams in our division have actually gotten better during the off season. We seem to have gotten worse.

While some thought that a new GM would bring change, vision and stability, I see the exact opposite. I see a team with unclear direction, below average coaches, coaching a roster lacking serious talent. We're in for a loooonnngg season. Wash, Rinse and Repeat. Sounds like deja vu?!