The Washington Redskins came into 2013 with high expectations but after a 3-13 season, the team faces an offseason of uncertainty. I’ll take a look at what went right and what went wrong this past season and what the Redskins can do to improve the team in the offseason.
MVP of the season: Pierre Garcon
After playing just 10 games in 2012, Pierre Garcon played in all 16 games this year. Garcon caught 113 passes for 1,346 yards and scored five touchdowns. Pierre Garcon’s energy and passion was also a welcome sight in a horrifying season.
Turning point of the season: Week 10 loss at Minnesota
The Washington Redskins were 3-5 coming off of a goal line stand win against the San Diego Chargers and were heading to Minnesota to play a one win team. The Redskins led at one point 27-14 but would surrender twenty consecutive points and lose to the Vikings. The Redskins never quite recovered and didn’t win a game the rest of the season.
Good:
1. Alfred Morris
Morris followed up his rookie season with 1,275 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.
2. DeAngelo Hall
Coming into the season, the secondary was a point of weakness but DeAngelo Hall was consistent and held his own against some of the best receivers in the league.
3. Jordan Reed
Jordan Reed’s season was cut short due to a concussion but in his nine games, he caught 45 passes for 499 yards and three touchdowns.
Bad:
1. Mike Shanahan
Where do I start? Changes are usually made when you only win three games but the last weeks/ months of the Shanahan era had an especially distasteful odor. Distrust and a sense of disaster permeated in Shanahan’s final days.
The Redskins
problems this year ranged from far more than just coaching but Shanahan was the biggest factors.
2. Special Team
s
It was commonplace to watch Sav Rocca shank a punt or an opposing no name sprint 40 yards for a huge gain against the special teams. Nothing embodied Keith Burns unit’s ineptitude like the game against the Kansas City Chiefs, surrendering 300 return yards.
3. Receivers minus Garcon
I’m talking to Logan Paulsen, Santana Moss, Aldrick Robinson, and Josh Morgan: no one emerged as a complimentary piece to Garcon and Reed. Coming into games, defenses focused on Garcon and the other receivers were not able to take advantage and win 1v1 matchups.
My coach wish list:
1. Bill O’Brien
2. Jay Gruden
3. Art Briles
4. Ken Whisenhunt
5. Gregg Williams
The Redskins that should be resigned:
Fred Davis, Aldrick Robinson, J.D. Walton, Chris Baker, Perry Riley, Brian Orakpo, DeAngelo Hall, Reed Doughty, Brandon Meriweather
Offensive outlook:
I’ll start with saying this, I still think RG3 is a franchise quarterback. The offense has pieces to build on like Reed, Morris, Garcon, and Trent Williams but that’s about it. The next coach will have to develop RG3 and cater to his strengths while still protecting him from injury.
Defensive outlook:
The defense was pathetic to say the least and I think addition by subtraction is the best method. The Redskins will have close to 40 million to play with over the offseason and a huge portion will have to be used to retool this defense. I personally think the team’s most talented players, Kerrigan and Orakpo would be better served in a 4-3 defense because of their lack of sideline-to-sideline speed. The growth of the young safeties (Phillip Thomas and Baccari Rambo) will be something to keep your eyes on heading into 2014.
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Redskins Season Recap & Off-Season Outlook
By Troy Jefferson