In 2011 when Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder opened up his vault to hire Mike Shanahan as the team’s head coach it was expected that order would finally be restored for a team that has become an also ran in the National Football League. After winning the Super Bowl Championship following the 1991 NFL season, the Redskins have only won three playoff games. Since Snyder became the team’s owner in 1999 he has had seven different head coaches work for him. Shanahan came to the Redskins with a glowing resume that was highlighted by winning two Super Bowl Championships as the head coach of the Denver Broncos. With the Redskins currently owning a 3-7 record this season which finds them in the basement of the NFC East, Shanahan is well on his way to having his third losing record in just four seasons in Washington.
In Shanahan’s first two seasons with the Redskins his combined record was 11-21, but he was able to get a reprieve as Washington hit the jackpot at the 2012 NFL Draft by selecting Baylor University quarterback Robert Griffin III with the second overall pick. Last year Griffin had a rookie season for the ages as he helped the ‘Skins to a 10-6 record and their first NFC East Championship since 1999.
This season the Redskins were not only expected to win the NFC East, but they were expected to contend for the Super Bowl. However the 2013 season ended before it started for Washington. Late in the 2012 season Griffin suffered a knee injury to his ACL and LCL which required off-season surgery. Griffin then missed all of the Redskins off-season workouts including training camp. This season Griffin’s completion percentage is 59.7 as opposed to 65.6 percent last season. Griffin’s timing with the offense has been off at times this season due to his lack of reps over the summer. Redskin opponents also have a full season of game film on Griffin which has allowed them to make adjustments on him and Shanhan has failed to make the proper adjustments to counter.
Griffin came from a spread offense attack at Baylor and his legs were able to set up the passing game. Now in the NFL, Griffin’s arm must set up the running game. Last season Griffin threw 5 interceptions and through 10 starts this year he has already thrown 10. The breaking point may have come following last Sunday’s 24-16 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. For the first three quarters of this contest the Redskins were shutout before making a game of it in the fourth. Washington had a chance to tie the contest with under one minute remaining, but Griffin threw an interception. The Redskins were facing a third down situation as they needed a yard to convert and as Griffin stepped back to pass he was pressured and he threw an interception which ended the game. According to CBS.sports.com’s Will Brinson, after the game a frustrated Griffin claimed that the Eagles “kind of knew what was coming”. You can take that whatever way you want, but it doesn’t sound as if Griffin is on the same page with Shanahan or his son Kyle who is the Redskins offensive coordinator.
The Redskins porous defense isn’t helping the team’s situation this season. The Redskins defense is currently ranked 28th in the NFL as they are allowing 389.9 yards per contest. This season the Redskins have already had five games in which they have surrendered more than 30 points in a game while this only happened twice in 2012. The Redskins inept defense falls at the feet of their defensive coordinator Jim Haslett as his unit has been unable to make the key stops when needed.
This has been an extremely down year for the once proud NFC East as a record of 8-8 could potentially win the division. The Redskins started the season with a record of 3-5 and there was a ton of optimism as they started 2012 with a record of 3-6 before winning the final seven games of the season to win the NFC East. Those plans went array this season when the Redskins suffered a shocking Week 10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings by a score of 34-27. Once you combine that with last Sunday’s loss to the Eagles, the Redskins will more than likely be reduced to spoiler as they are now 0-3 within the division and 1-6 in the NFC.
Five of the Redskins final six games of this season are against teams that have playoff aspirations. The Redskins host the defending NFC Champions in the San Francisco 49ers this Monday night. The Niners are looking to end a two-game losing streak as they look for a possible wild card spot. The ‘Skins have two games with the New York Giants who have crept back into contention in the NFC East by winning their last four games after starting the season 0-6. The NFL purposely scheduled these two divisional foes to have two matchups late in the season because the NFC East was expected to come to these two teams. The Redskins host the playoff bound Kansas City Chiefs in Week 14 and the Dallas Cowboys should have alot to play for in Week 16 when they come to Washington.
Snyder did not bring Shanahan to Washington to have a team that wasn’t going to contend. If Shanahan cannot get through to Griffin and if the defense is unable to stop opponents it is a recipe for disaster. The Redskins have talent, but it has been unable to mesh and Shanahan might pay for it with his job.
Leave A Comment