It seems like around this time of year, every year, we say that the Washington Redskins will be better. We’re serious this time. Seriously.
The offseason is a natural harbor for optimism. After all, for thirty-one teams every season, hopeful Super Bowl aspirations come short. The offseason is the perfect time to dream, because for many, it is when those dreams are closest to reality.
The Washington Redskins hope that dream and reality find common ground in 2018, and although the ultimate goal may seem to be out of reach, it never is. For any team. The NFL, now more than ever, is a year to year league. Almost no one expected the Eagles to dominate the league in 2017. And no one expected the Vikings or Saints to be legitimate players in the playoffs.
These recent events in the NFL only accentuate the current unpredictability of the league. Teams are never doomed to losing seasons, and although reasonable predictions can always be made ahead of time, no team can truly be counted out.
Despite this, many media outlets have counted the Washington Redskins out already. It almost seems to be a tradition in the twenty-first century. But until now, such a lack of confidence has been warranted. But this year’s Washington Redskins’ squad is different. There is reason to believe that they can go far. And with an offensive coach such as Jay Gruden, it all starts with a fine-tuned, hard-to-stop offense. Here’s why the Washington Redskins’ offense can be that reliable unit in 2018.
Offseason Acquisitions
We’ll start with the obvious. The Washington Redskins added quite a bit of firepower to their offensive cast this year, and they have quite a bit of talent coming back as well.
At the skill positions, the most impactful acquisition this offseason was Derrius Guice. A first-round talent out of LSU, Guice has the well-rounded game that all teams look for from their running backs. He can make players miss, he can barrel through contact, and he can work after the catch. The Washington Redskins haven’t had a talent like Guice in a long time, and he should be the perfect compliment for Chris Thompson (I feel like I’ve written that at least 20 times by now).
Guice’s acquisition, however, should not dim the lights shining on Paul Richardson and Trey Quinn, two of the team’s additions at wide receiver. Richardson is a player entering his prime with blazing speed and crisp route running ability, while Quinn is a pro-ready rookie with the positional versatility to give the Washington Redskins security at a position that was severely lacking in that regard last year. The impact of a running back like Guice can’t be overstated. He’ll make every player better, especially the offensive linemen.
Of course, none of these additions matter without a quarterback. And luckily for the Washington Redskins, they found a way to acquire one of those as well. Alex Smith is, at the very least, a lateral move from Kirk Cousins, and if he can uphold his level of play from last year, he’s arguably an upgrade. Smith’s longterm history suggests that he has his limitations, but last year, he reached new heights with his game. He was incredibly efficient throwing on every level, displaying a pinpoint accuracy across the field that not many quarterbacks have.
This pinpoint accuracy has, perhaps, been an underrated aspect of Smith’s game. Smith is very good at putting the ball exactly where it needs to be. He may not be the best velocity thrower, but the NFL is a game of inches, and a pass that is relatively accurate, but an inch or two out of the sweet spot, can throw off a receiver. Good receivers adjust to these passes, but it helps when you have a quarterback who makes the receiver’s job easier.
Alex Smith gives the Washington Redskins exactly that, and with Jay Gruden, a coach who endlessly pestered Kirk Cousins to throw deep, Smith shouldn’t have any trouble. He’s already been gaining chemistry with his deep threats. The hope is that the Washington Redskins’ most important offseason acquisition can pick up where he left off in 2017.
Clean Bill of Health
Only the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers were hit nearly as hard by injuries as the Washington Redskins were last season. The Washington Redskins lost key starters on both sides of the ball, and before injuries struck, they looked like a team that would at least stay in the playoff conversation.
Injuries can make or break a season, and in 2017, the Washington Redskins found themselves on the losing end of that wishbone. It’s no guarantee that they have better luck in 2018 on that front, but it’s hard to imagine the Washington Redskins being so unlucky so soon after such a bad year.
Compound the unpredictable cycle of luck, which should swing into the Redskins’ favor this season, with the changes that have been made by the Washington Redskins, in order to improve player training and durability, and it’s safe to at least assume that the burgundy and gold won’t be so fragile.
When referencing injuries, it is also important to address the nature of the injuries. Many of the Washington Redskins’ injuries were not products of bad genetics, but rather, unfortunate timing and placement. Chris Thompson had a player roll on his knee. Montae Nicholson was led into the helmet by Pierre Garcon. Granted, once an injury happens, there’s always a greater risk for re-aggravation. But it shouldn’t be expected.
With another offseason, the Washington Redskins have a chance to get healthy before the 2018 season. Offensive players such as Chris Thompson, Jordan Reed, Trent Williams, and Morgan Moses will make the most of this time, and although it’s dangerous to assume that they’ll be fully healthy, the time they have to recover is valuable. Josh Doctson, the team’s No. 1 receiver, will also start the year fully healthy, something he hasn’t done yet in his career; Barring any unforeseen changes, that important aspect of this season should not go unnoticed. Every year is a clean slate. And the Washington Redskins needed it now more than ever.
Continuity
Some teams need change. The Los Angeles Rams needed to part ways with Jeff Fisher after an underwhelming inaugural season back in the bay. The San Francisco 49ers needed to find a young, creative offensive mind to reinvigorate their offense. And this year, teams such as the Bears and Lions needed to try something new, in attempts to nudge the playoff needles that have sat idle for so long.
There are teams that thrive on change, based on the circumstances. And there are others that suffer from it. After a disappointing, injury-riddled 7-9 season in 2017, it was initially believed that Jay Gruden would be the next in a long line of coaches to be cut loose by the Snyder regime. He ended up staying, and his retainment will be a key factor determining the team’s success in 2018. And there’s reason to believe the Washington Redskins won’t regret keeping Gruden.
Gruden doesn’t have the record that most esteemed coaches have, but he has battled immeasurable odds in all of his seasons with the Washington Redskins. In his first year, 2014, it was known that he was taking on a project roster. In 2015, those beliefs did not change, and still, Gruden found a way to lead a largely talent-defunct Redskins squad to the playoffs (albeit in a weak NFC East, but optimistic predictions had the 2015 Redskins at 6-10).
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In 2016, Gruden was one game away from making the NFC playoffs as the second wild card team in an unusually strong NFC East. And in 2017, in the wake of a wave of injuries only rivaled by two teams in the entire NFL, Gruden steered the Washington Redskins to a record of 7-9, a mark that could have easily been worse, with how banged up the Washington Redskins roster was.
Now, in 2018, Gruden finally has the circumstances lining up in his favor. He and his quarterback are on the same page. He has the necessary talent on his offense to move the ball efficiently, and he has the young talent on defense, along with a strong cast of position coaches, to surprise the NFL this season.
Gruden’s relative lack of success in Washington has attracted an unfair amount of ire from fans, but the truth of the matter is, the Washington Redskins are lucky to have Gruden. He’s a level-headed coach who players openly respect, and cohesive respect, from player to coach, is the first step to success in any league. A work environment is most effective when there’s mutual respect. The Washington Redskins have that, and more, in Gruden.
It speaks volumes that, in an era of recurring instability at head coach in D.C., Gruden has withstood the turmoil. The front office has to be confident with what he’s done in the face of adversity. He’s a very creative play caller who had the Washington Redskins among the NFL’s top offenses with DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon, and made do with a mediocre, weakened cast last year (his passing offense finished at No. 12 in the NFL, and his running offense understandably suffered, largely due to personnel deficiencies).
Right now, Gruden doesn’t have any excuses. But that’s good. And that’s the way he wants it. Gruden didn’t ask for a weak roster in 2015. He didn’t ask for his roster to be decimated by injuries in 2017. It’s only logical that coaches like it when they don’t have excuses. Because then they truly have the best chance to win.
Next: Analyzing the Redskins' safety position
For the universal goal of winning, Jay Gruden’s best chance is yet to come, and 2018 looks like it’s shaping up to be the year. He finally has a defense that he can lean on in case the offense sputters, but as it stands right now, the Washington Redskins’ 2018 offense should be Gruden’s most efficient unit yet. And as long as you can efficiently and consistently move the football, and you have a defense capable of making stops, there’s nothing to hold you back from winning in the NFL.