Where do the Redskins go from here?
Necessitated by this question, is another question: Who is steering the ship?
For two decades, the Washington Redskins ship has been helmed by none other than Dan Snyder, a lifelong fan with aspirations of bringing Washington back to its former glory. Single-handedly, evidently.
Snyder has spent two decades trying to be the Redskins hero. And his quest has taken a disastrous turn. Now, in 2018, Snyder’s fan base is eroding at record rates. Sensible voices are leaving the front office, while Bruce Allen stays as Snyder’s reckless partner in crime.
Such chaos at such a high level makes any on-field product hard to present without an asterisk. But the Redskins’ 24-0 loss to the Eagles on Sunday is more or less an accurate presentation of current affairs, at all levels. Here’s what we can take away from the team’s season finale, and what it means for the team’s future.
No. 5 – Redskins can’t continue to assume injuries are random
The miserable Redskins team we saw in Week 17 was an indirect product of the injuries that have mounted on the offensive side of the ball. Obviously, there are other, more controversial factors in the team’s demise, but the injuries rendered this team a shell of what it was.
While there are clear and present needs that Washington must address, there is also a pressing issue in-house; many of the team’s impact players are either coming off of major injuries, or have lengthy injury histories. Blue-chip offensive linemen Trent Williams and Brandon Scherff come to mind (It’s worth noting that Alex Smith‘s was truly a freak accident).
Additionally, the team’s depth suffered mightily with 24 players on injured reserve in 2018, and that’s a cost they can’t afford to pay again. In 2019, Washington needs to work toward trouble-shooting this injury problem. After 2017, it was just a fluke. But now, it’s more. Something needs to be fixed, and whether it’s practice habits, or off-field habits, intervention must occur.
No. 4 – Redskins need more dynamic ability on offense
The Redskins yardage total on Sunday was their lowest as a franchise since 1961. It was rock bottom for a 2018 squad that never excelled on offense to begin with.
The quality of the team’s low-level production was better in the early goings of the 2018 season, but it still doesn’t change the fact that it was, well, low-level production. Washington’s offense, once the best thing about the team, turned back its clock, and played outdated football for sixteen weeks. Adrian Peterson benefited on the stat sheet, but the team’s efficiency did not.
In 2019, the Redskins need to add more dynamic ability to their offensive unit. Some of that will come in the form of Derrius Guice, who will be back after suffering an ACL injury in the preseason of 2018. Even more could come from the return of offensive players such as Paul Richardson, Trey Quinn, and Jordan Reed (assuming the team doesn’t move on from Reed’s admittedly unsavory contract).
Still, the Redskins will need to add at least one player with dynamic qualities. Names in the draft have been frequently suggested. Marquise “Hollywood” Brown of Oklahoma would bring Tyreek Hill-like speed and explosiveness, something that could help Alex Smith increase his production, if he sees the field again. N’Keal Harry is another receiver with a different kind of dynamic ability; he’s not as fast, but he’s very elusive after the catch. Hakeem Butler and Deebo Samuel also stand out as intriguing possibilities.
The 2019 NFL Draft is incredibly deep at wide receiver, which means that Washington should be able to nab at least one dynamic talent on offense. And if they play their cards right, they could double down. It’s a presence they need in mass next year.
No. 3 – Redskins Josh Johnson’s entire sample size enough for a backup job
Josh Johnson‘s showing against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 17 will leave a sour taste in fans’ mouths, and rightfully so; it was easily the quarterback’s worst performance as a Washington Redskins player.
That said, Johnson showed enough in three starts to maintain Washington’s backup quarterback job for next season, especially when taking into account Colt McCoy‘s lingering injury proneness, and Mark Sanchez’s lack of production.
The contrast between the value which Sanchez provided to Washington’s limping offense, and the value which Johnson provided, was stark and steep. While Johnson was far from perfect, his mobility gave the Redskins some flexibility. His arm, while inaccurate in spells, was more than capable, and the team responded positively to his leadership, gutting out a road win against the Jaguars.
Johnson shouldn’t start next season, if it can be avoided. But he certainly did enough to earn a job as the Redskins’ backup. If they’re willing to move on from Colt McCoy, and if Johnson is willing to move on from his awaiting starting job in the Alliance of American Football, then the Redskins could bring a bit more security to the quarterback room.
No. 2 – In a vacuum, Redskins head coach Jay Gruden’s resume doesn’t stack up
Jay Gruden has never been perfect, but there were times this season when it seemed like the franchise might have a future with him leading the charge. Now, after the team’s late-season collapse, it’s becoming apparent that a change could be for the better.
It’s important to acknowledge that Jay Gruden has had many factors working against him in D.C. For two years in a row, his team has been one of the most injured teams in the league. Working with Dan Snyder and Bruce Allen can’t be easy, and since 2015, Gruden has at least kept the Redskins in the playoff conversation. His players openly respect his leadership style. That much can be admired.
Past that, however, the redeeming qualities fade. Gruden’s play calling grew increasingly predictable and outdated this season. His practices have frequently been criticized as “laid back” and too relaxed. The results reflect this, to a degree, as the full-team collapses and embarrassing performances under Gruden come far too often for anyone’s comfort. Such a game came yesterday, when Gruden’s team was shut out 24-0 at home against the Eagles.
In a vacuum, Jay Gruden’s resume doesn’t stack up. He was good enough to lift the Redskins from 4-12, but is he the kind of coach who can elevate an average team to the playoffs? He’s given us enough evidence, so that we can comfortably say “no”.
No. 1 – Redskins coaching situation might not matter, with Snyder and Allen in charge
As explained in the last slide, calling for change of leadership at the Redskins head coach position is reasonable. But if we’re looking at all aspects of the situation, it doesn’t matter who the Redskins head coach is, as long as Dan Snyder and Bruce Allen are still in charge.
Last week, with the firing of Brian Lafemina, Allen and Snyder showed just how thick their shell of insecurity is. They refuse to accept their hand in the Redskins’ current state, and they refuse to divert from their failing philosophy.
The firing of Lafemina was met with a monstrous outcry of anger from fans on Twitter, who bombarded Washington’s official Twitter account with messages saying “#FireBruceAllen (they still are). They also sent waves of phone calls to Redskins Park by the dozen, voicing their pent-up frustration with the franchise. That outcry was at least noticed by Dan Snyder, who was reportedly stunned by the fan reaction, per Jake Russell of the Washington Post.
But Snyder showed his true colors again on game day. In response to the fans’ outrage, rather than making necessary changes, Snyder and Allen arranged to have Joe Gibbs attend the team’s final home game, as somewhat of a diversion tactic. Snyder and Allen both visited the bench before the game; It was fitting, to say the least, that they appeared before a 24-0 loss. Like the Mothman before a natural disaster.
Snyder and Allen tried to enact damage control; they tried to save face. But it did not fix anything. Instead, it only showed that Snyder and Allen’s composite lack of awareness isn’t going away anytime soon. As long as they’re still here, they’ll keep making mistakes. And they’ll keep finding others to blame. It’s just how their operation works. No head coach can withstand the dysfunction that has appropriately taken residence in the nation’s capital. A parasitic infection that won’t leave, until the host is drained of sustenance.