FanPost

Goals going into the Rams game

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via media.washtimes.com

The Redskins are an interesting team right now. The 'Skins have found their identity through the air, thus far and are seeking to build off on a couple of more goals going into Sunday afternoon against a Rams team that is in a rebuilding year. Here are a couple of things I would like to see:

  1. A Solid Run Game: The past two weeks we have barely caught a glimpse of the ground game, we have averaged about 53.3 yards per game which is dead last in the NFL. The ground game is not a strong part of our offense right now and it could really help us in the Red Zone rather than having us kick field goals.. A vital part of Shanahan's offense is being able to run the ball a) it keeps the other team's offense off the field b) tires out the opposing defense and c) it melts the clock away. It's safe to say that had we had a decent game on the ground we may have won last week's game.
  2. Continue the Strong Passing Game: I'm not saying that we should run Andy Reid's offense here, but a solid game through the air can open our offense up for big plays and we can continue to leave points on the board not on the field. All I want to see is passing game continue to perform consistently and at a high level without having to air it out ever other play. We can't ride McNabb's arm forever which goes back to our Run Game.
  3. Clinton Portis Improve his balance: Ever since Portis came to Washington his style has slowly changed from a speedy, elusive Running Back to a downhill runner. Joe Gibbs 2.0 didn't help at all because Gibbs used him primarily as a power back which never really fit Portis' physical abilities. Portis' intangibles have diminished and he seems to be more Top Heavy or at least he still thinks he is. I want to see CP run a little more upright without falling every time he passes the Line of Scrimmage.
  4. A Strong 'Redskins' Defense: Last week our Offense played very, very well and we had so many chances to put the game away. The defense took a huge step back after a solid performance against the Dallas Cowboys. The Redskins failed to read those Boot Legs the Texans ran and it came back to bite them in the ass. The Secondary got shredded to say the least; the defense made one too many mistakes, often you would see guys out of their assignments and they failed to properly contain Andre Johnson. The Texans scored on a TD bomb on a 4th and 10, you just don't want to see that. Kareem Moore should instantly make and impact due to his athleticism and ability to work well with Landry.
  5. More Turnovers: I want them to reap the rewards from the mistakes our opponents make. Turnovers are a priority in this defense and we have already had two in two games which is ok for now, but down the road when we're facing the likes of the Colts and the Packers we have got to be able to capitalize on interceptions. As the defense begins to Gel we will see more and more of these, last week one thing stood out to me: we were actively trying to strip the ball before the tackle. Don't be surprised if we get 2 or more turnovers against the Rams, but don't be surprised if we only come away with 1.
  6. Better Blocking Period: Last week our Run blocking was ,in the words of Sir Charles Barkley, "Turrble". I want us to be able to open up some bigger lanes for the Running Backs because winning the ground game starts in the trenches. Part of this has to do with the lack of personnel available to the coaching staff, Shanahan's scheme generally requires more athletic blockers and Offensive Linemen. Special Teams is a another place where we need to properly block, last week against the Texans, Fred Davis missed a vital block and it was one of the reasons we lost that game. We have a Good kicker and I still stand by that statement, but he can't be expected to make every kick if we don't block the opposing team. I don't want to see Trent Williams out on that field, I want him to be fresh for the Eagles game, something tells me that's going to be a huge grind.
  7. Consistency from Our Receivers: I want our receivers to continue to get themselves open so we can actually move the ball down the field, I firmly believe this will continue to happen. Santana Moss already has 16 catches. I also would like to see another receiver emerge, at this point I don't care if it's the 38-year-old Joey Galloway if he goes out there and performs at a high level every week then good for him. However this doesn't mean I wouldn't like it to be someone who's a little younger. Hopefully Devin Thomas has a good game, but again he needs to show some consistency and prove to this coaching staff and the fans that he can become a solid target.

That's all folks, and Hail to the Redskins!