By Tom Garrett.
It’s been a unique offseason for the Washington Redskins.
I obviously don’t mean “unique” in a good way, but it wasn’t all bad: Scot McCloughan made some smart moves that, in my opinion, have improved the Redskins’ roster over the 2014 version.
But we also know that this isn’t a one-year build. Improvement should be expected, but, I’m sorry to say, a Super Bowl victory is unrealistic.
With that in mind, what will it take for this season to be rightly considered a “success?”
Here are five possible criteria:
1. Post a winning record.
This is a tall order, but the vast majority of reasonable fans (an oxymoron?) would see the Redskins posting a winning season as an unquestionable success.
Keep in mind that 2012 is the only winning season the Redskins have earned since Joe Gibbs left. That’s one winning season in the past seven years. Even a break-even record would be a major step forward for this organization.
2. Find an effective, consistent quarterback.
The Redskins have three quarterbacks on their roster.
The oldest of the three has not yet reached his 30th birthday. All of them have starting experience, and any of them could be a potential starter for the next three-plus years. But it’s time to decide.
Whether it’s Kirk Cousins, Colt McCoy, or Robert Griffin III, the Redskins need to come away from 2015 confident in a starting quarterback for the foreseeable future. The day-to-day uncertainty over which quarterback is best for this team must come to a definitive end.
3. Beat every divisional rival at least once.
As bad as 2014 was, at least the Redskins beat the Eagles and Cowboys, although the Giants swept Washington. In 2013, the Redskins failed to win a single game against the NFC East.
Being competitive in the division is an obvious must for building an overall win total. However, it’s also crucial to boosting fan morale – something that is increasingly becoming a problem.
If you don’t believe me, just check those training camp attendance numbers in 2015 compared to the previous two years.
4. Allow fewer than 350 points.
This might not seem like a very high bar for success, but it’s been a long time since the Redskins had an average defense, much less a good one.
Even in that 2012 season, Washington surrendered 388 points while its high-scoring offense carried it. The last time the Redskins gave up fewer than 350 points was in 2009, when they gave up 338.
Over the last two seasons, they’ve allowed a horrific combined total of over 900 points! That 350 level is a good measure of progress.
5. No more embarrassments.
If you want to establish yourself as the franchise that’s “winning off the field,” stop doing so many things to humiliate yourself and fans.
If the team is improving, don’t have that progress sullied by a new story every week that makes your franchise appear disorganized, inept, or devious.
Thus, if the Redskins win eight or nine games, find quarterback stability, get at least one win against the Eagles, Giants, and Cowboys, take a step up defensively, and avoid any more salacious stories in the press – that’s a great year that will show that the franchise is moving in the right direction.
I’m hoping against hope that all of that comes to pass.
But I’m also not holding my breath.
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