Oct 14, 2012; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) hands the ball off to Redskins running back Alfred Morris (46) during the first half against the Minnesota Vikings at FedEx Field. Credit: Paul Frederiksen-USA TODAY Sports

Read the title again. It says that Washington should keep operating out of the pistol, not necessarily only run zone-read option plays. Many people confuse the pistol offense with the zone-read, using them interchangeably, but they are two very different concepts.

The pistol is a formation where the running back lines up behind the quarterback instead of next to him, unlike a regular shotgun position. Washington utilized this formation often in 2012, partly because it helps keep defenses off balance – not just to run zone-read plays.

Offensively, Washington was very effective last season, largely due to the hocus-pocus play calling and design. They led the league in rushing yards per game (169.3) and yards per play (6.17) and were 4th in points per game (27.2). Quarterback Robert Griffin III averaged 8.14 yards per pass attempt, leading the league, again due to the things the Redskins do to keep defenses off balance with the pistol. The Redskins ran a total of 994 plays in 2012. Well over 200 of those plays were executed out of the pistol offense and were run with extreme effectiveness. 128 of those plays were option runs, where Griffin or Alfred Morris ran the rock.

After Griffin tore his LCL and damaged his ACL in the playoff loss to Seattle, the media started the discussion of “Should the Redskins tone down the pistol?” They don’t understand two things – two extremely important things.

First, the “pistol” does not mean “RGIII will be running.” Second, Griffin was injured three separate times last year, with none of them occurring on option runs. The concussion in Week 5 against Atlanta and the LCL sprain against Baltimore in Week 14 occurred on scrambles when no receiver was open. The torn LCL against Seattle came in the pocket on a bad snap.

The fact that Griffin didn’t get hurt on any option plays signals that the coaches (Mike and Kyle) have talked to Griffin about what particular time he should get out of bounds on the QB keepers. He seems to know where exactly he’s going on the designed runs, unlike scrambles, where the entire play is improvised.

My message to the Redskins is to keep running the offense out of the pistol. Why? Because there is so much more than just run option plays that can be run out of the formation. RGIII averaged an astonishing 11.8 yards per play on play action passes, with many of those passes having been run out of the pistol.

One of the staple plays of the Redskins’ offense last season came out of the pistol formation. After establishing the ground game, Griffin stuck the ball in Alfred Morris’s belly, pulled it back, and fired a strike right in behind the linebackers to Pierre Garcon or Joshua Morgan running a skinny post route. As offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan put it, “I think what’s so good about the pistol is just that you can do everything out of it… The thing that the pistol gives you, it allows you to run the rest of your offense. There’s nothing you can’t do out of the pistol.”

Washington also runs its infamous zone-blocking stretch run out of the pistol. Many of those runs come off pitches to Alfred Morris in the formation, which allows blockers more time to engage on the defenders. Then it is on Morris’s shoulders to find a hole and cut through it. Morris has excellent vision and can find that hole easily. As Kyle Shanahan said, the offense can run its entire playbook out of the pistol.

Another aspect of the offense that was beginning to develop out of the pistol was the deep passing game. Aided by a play-action fake, Griffin would launch the ball deep towards speedsters such as Santana Moss and Aldrick Robinson. Griffin’s attempts at deep passes off of play-action from the pistol were effective (see: Aldrick Robinson touchdown against Dallas), but he only attempted 36 passes of 20 yards or more in 2012, or 9 percent of his attempts. In 2013, look for Washington to utilize this more and for these downfield throws to increase to between 15 and 20 percent.

The ‘Skins should keep running the pistol offense because, most importantly, RGIII will not get hurt, and it is effective – it burns defenses. Nobody can stop that little post route behind the linebackers.

So, whenever the media starts this circus of whether the Redskins should continue to operate out of the pistol or not, in the next game, RGIII can line up in the pistol, pull the ball back from Alfred Morris’s gut, fire a strike to Garcon, and silence the suggestion boxes. I meant the media. Actually… well, you get the point.

Dec 16, 2012; Cleveland, OH, USA; Washington Redskins running back Alfred Morris (46) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns during the fourth quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Schwane-USA TODAY Sports

Next to quarterback Robert Griffin III, the biggest reason for the Redskins’ success last season was their sixth-round draft pick, Alfred Morris. Morris turned heads during the season, going from a training camp body to a Rookie of the Year candidate. Morris hails from Pensacola, Florida and attended Florida Atlantic. He was considered an afterthought after being drafted with the 173rd pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, but continually moved up the depth chart. Morris replaced Tim Hightower, who lead the Redskins in the 2011 season before injuring his knee in a regular season game against the Panthers.

Morris ran for 195 yards in the 39 carries that he was given during the preseason. His name didn’t start picking up steam until he burst on to the scene in the third week of the preseason with a 107-yard performance on only 14 carries against Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts. Morris also sat out the last game of the preseason against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

In the Regular Season opener against the New Orleans Saints, Redskins fans got to see more than one rookie’s spectacular performance.  Robert Griffin III was dazzling in the regular season opener, with 362 all-purpose yards, and two passing touchdowns. Lost in Griffin III’s debut was that of Alfred Morris, who ran for 96 yards and two rushing touchdowns.  Throughout the season, Alfred Morris was a consistent force in the Redskins backfield, even outperforming Browns RB Trent Richardson, who was drafted 170 picks ahead of him. The efforts of Morris and Griffin III resulted in a revitalized Redskins rush attack that finished the season atop the NFL.

Fortunately for the Redskins, Morris saved his best performance  for the most important game the Redskins had played in almost 6 years. “In an NFC East Championship Game”, at Fed Ex Field against the despised Dallas Cowboys, Morris had three rushing touchdowns and  ran for 200 yards, which brought his regular season total to 1,613, eclipsing a previous rushing record held by former Redskins RB Clinton Portis. Morris’ tremendous season validated his nomination for the 2012 Offensive Rookie of the Year award, which was ultimately won by Griffin III.

Ever since Portis played his last game with the Redskins, the team had searched high and low for a running back that provide a spark to on the offensive side of the ball. Although the Redskins drafted two running backs this past April, Morris should remain confident in his that he can once again lead the Redskins in rushing. One of the positives about Mike Shanahan’s offensive mindset is his ability to find running backs in the later rounds of the draft. The Redskins offense can go far if Morris turns out to play the same role that Terrell Davis, who was also drafted by Shanahan, played.

Dec 30, 2012; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins running back Alfred Morris (46) stiff arms Dallas Cowboys safety Eric Frampton (27) during the second half at FedEX Field. The Redskins won 28 – 18. Credits: Brad Mills-USA Today Sports

In today’s NFL, younger is considered better. Rookies from kickers to quarterbacks come in and start right away.  Many of these players are under 25 years old and have at least one year under their belt – they could be primed for a breakout season. Others, such as Julio Jones (age 24), have already had their breakout years.

In this younger, faster NFL, which players under 25 stand out? I’ve compiled a list of the top 15 players that have proved to be worthy of making this list. In order to qualify for consideration, a player must be under 25 by the season opener on Sept. 5.

Without further ado:

1.  J.J. Watt, DE, Houston:  Watt was arguably the most dominant player in the NFL in 2012.  His 20.5 sacks led the league last season, along with a mind-blowing 16 passes defended – 5 of them led to interceptions.  This was all while Watt was wearing a brace on his left arm, still recovering from a dislocated elbow.  The thought that Watt was not 100 percent last year should scare quarterbacks around the league.  The best defensive player in the league earns the number one spot.

2.  Von Miller, OLB, Denver:  Pass rush is all about speed in today’s NFL. Von Miller’s combination of a relentless motor and speed to get to the quarterback should give opposing offensive lines and coordinators nightmares. Miller has cemented himself as premier pass rusher along with J.J. Watt.

3.  Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis:  What did Luck not do on the field last season?  He led his team on seven(!) game winning drives, led his team to a nine-game improvement from the previous year, and took the Colts to the playoffs, playing a majority of games under an interim head coach. This was with the 26^th ranked defense and the 22^nd ranked rushing game in the NFL. Luck is the best and most clutch quarterback under 25 in the game.

4.  Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta:  Normally, scouts don’t grade drafts until three years after that draft has taken place. But if there was to be a winner of the 2011 draft, that team would have to be the Atlanta Falcons, making a blockbuster trade to select Julio Jones.  His combination of speed, ball skills, and route-running ability make him one of the best receivers in the NFL.  He and A.J. Green (who will be 25 before the season starts) are the next wave of top-tier receivers in the league.

5.  Robert Griffin III, QB, Washington:  Just like Andrew Luck, what did RGIII not do last season? He resurrected a moribund franchise and, like Luck did, took his team to the playoffs. Although durability may be a concern, he has the willingness to learn and protect himself in the future. Griffin possesses a perfect skillset, one that effectively combines his world-class speed, accuracy, pocket presence, football intelligence, and intangibles. Griffin and Luck, as well as Russell Wilson, are the next wave of great quarterbacks.

6.  Aldon Smith, DE, San Francisco:  Smith would’ve placed directly after J.J. Watt and Von Miller on this list had his production not slipped when Justin Smith was injured. However, he is a solid, young player who should only improve under arguably the best defense in the league on the Pacific coast.

7.  Joe Haden, CB, Cleveland:  Just like Aldon Smith, Haden could’ve been higher on the list.  He was suspended four games in 2012 for use of Adderall and missed time due to injury. Haden is only 24, though, and during the time that he has been able to stay on the field, he has quietly established himself as a shutdown corner.

8.  Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle:  “He’s too short.  He’s too dang short.” In 2012, Wilson proved every scout wrong.  Wilson has all of the aspects of a great quarterback except the height, but he compensates for that with his mobility and football intelligence. Aided by a great running game and one of the best defenses in the league, Seattle is a legitimate contender in 2013 with Wilson at the helm.

9.  Cam Newton, QB, Carolina:  He is ranked behind Luck, Griffin, and Wilson solely because he hasn’t been able to elevate his team like the three second-year quarterbacks have.  2013 could be the year that he does – he possesses all the physical tools a quarterback could wish to have.  Newton needs to make the right decisions on the field and stay cool, calm, and collected. If he does, the Panthers are in for a big year.

10.  Patrick Peterson, CB/PR, Arizona:  He’s fast, versatile, and durable. Peterson is a dangerous returner and skilled cornerback who can stay with any receiver. He is towards the bottom of this list because of his slight drop in production last season, but this is partly due to the fact that Arizona’s offense couldn’t stay on the field. Peterson is poised for a breakout year in 2013.

11.  Luke Kuechly, ILB, Carolina:  Kuechly is a tacking machine inside for the Panthers. As a rookie, he led the league – yes, the league – in tackles, with 164. He led a much-improved Panthers defense in 2012. In 2013, Kuechly has the chance to establish himself as one of the best linebackers in the league alongside Patrick Willis with Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher leaving the game.

12.  Eric Berry, S, Kansas City:  Berry bounced back nicely in 2012 after his 2011 campaign was ended when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament. He is a hard-hitting player who drew comparisons to late Redskins safety Sean Taylor. Berry is one of the best at his positions and should continue to grow and improve on a team that can only improve after having the first pick in the draft in 2012.

13.  Randall Cobb, WR/KR/PR, Green Bay:  Cobb is a versatile player who has the ability to make good things happen when the ball is in his hands, whether that is throwing a smoke screen to him or simply handing the ball off.  Cobb’s agility and lateral quickness impress, and he should only improve and receive more touches with Greg Jennings out of the picture in Green Bay.

14.  Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England:  Gronkowski falls to number 14 because of his durability concern. When healthy, he is as good as any pass-catcher in the game, but he needs to find a way to stay on the field. Gronkowski should be back for the start of the 2013 season and could evolve into Tom Brady’s primary target after losing Wes Welker to free agency.

15.  Alfred Morris, RB, Washington:  Many experts degrade Morris because they think he can only excel under a Mike Shanahan-run system or because they think his numbers are skewed as a result of the zone-read option the Redskins run. However, Morris is a powerful running back with great vision and excellent cutback ability, one that can thrive under any system.  Morris completes this list of the top 15 players under 25 years old.

Honorable Mentions:  Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, New York; Doug Martin, RB, Tampa Bay; Trent Richardson, RB, Cleveland; Earl Thomas, S, Seattle; Aaron Hernandez, TE, New England; Bobby Wagner, ILB, Seattle; Dez Bryant, WR, Dallas.