Washington Football Team: 2021 season has been a colossal failure
I typically try to spin things in a positive light. Glass half full. But there is simply no more lipstick that can go on the pig that is the Washington Football Team‘s 2021 season. Going into a bye week on a four-game skid has the makings of a season that falls off the tracks and fast.
Just a month and a half ago there was real optimism surrounding the Washington Football Team. They had an exciting young core, specifically on defense, that fans were excited to see how the team was going to build on.
Some, picked them to win the NFC East. Their defense was tabbed as a “top three” unit. The saying “if their offense can just be average, they are playoff bound” was prominent. Well, it is safe to say those phrases can be canned when talking about Washington.
The 2021 version of the Washington Football Team is bad. Very bad. Don’t get me wrong, I did not drink the Kool-Aid of the 2020 season as much as others. This was never a contending team. But still, Washington has significantly regressed.
The season has been a failure and turned into a disaster quickly. Here are three reasons why this season has put the rebuild for the Washington Football Team in limbo. It is fixable, but the vision is in serious disarray.
2021 has been a disaster for the Washington Football Team
1. Perception of a dumpster fire will shy veteran QBs away
Heading into the 2021 season, the vision from Ron Rivera was clear: Continue to improve on the positive steps of 2021, build a solid foundation and get the QB— preferably a veteran— in 2022.
Ron Rivera played the long game with his approach at QB. He could have traded up for either Justin Fields or Mac Jones, yet he declared the price too steep. Maybe he just was not that high on Fields or Jones.
Or maybe, he saw how many veteran quarterbacks could be available. Aaron Rodgers. Deshaun Watson, well, maybe not. Russell Wilson. Derek Carr. The list goes on.
Stephen A. Smith on Aaron Rodgers:
— Eric Sully (@CommandersRealm) May 9, 2021
“The Washington Football Team, you need a name, get a name, but outside of that, I am going to tell you, this might be the perfect landing spot."
It is likely that Rivera eyed what the Buccaneers did; build a great roster and entice a veteran to accelerate the team to new heights. A solid plan — one that many bought into. Build another step in the foundation this year, stay afloat with Ryan Fitzpatrick and pounce in 2022.
Simple enough. Here is the problem: Washington could not afford to botch the “tryout” for the veteran quarterbacks as much as they have. Regressing significantly on defense could not happen; stagnation on offense could not happen, and certainly, no more off-the-field drama could occur.
All three have happened. The Washington Football Team is 2-6 and on the fast track to a top-five pick. No veteran quarterback will want to come to Washington. Despite the positive steps that have occurred—both personnel-wise and business-wise—Washington is now perceived as a dumpster fire.
Whether that is really true or not; I am not sure. But perception is most of the time perceived as reality. Washington will now most likely have to draft a quarterback. This process can yield the most fruitful returns; while also coming with the most risk. Or they can go bargain bin shopping again. The former should be the preference.