All the attention this past offseason seemed to focus on the offensive side of the ball with Robert Griffin III entering his 3rd year in the league and the free agent acquisition of speedster DeSean Jackson. However, Washington’s defense and Special Teams and more specifically their physicality on those two sides of the ball will be the key if the Redskins want to improve on a dreadful 2013 campaign. The foundation for the last four Shanahan led training camps the Redskins have taken part in have lacked physicality and intensity. Both of which are necessary in a sport like football, after all it is a contact sport and it’s difficult to practice your craft as a professional if you’re told to hold back and go through the motions during practice. The struggles the Redskins had last season with tackling can only be described as abysmal. If you cannot consistently tackle in the NFL you don’t have a chance to win. It does not matter how many weapons on offense you possess, or what QB you have, defense wins championships and that’s a fact. Just look at the Super Bowl champs this past year, the Seahawks were menacing on defense, completely dominating Peyton Manning and the Broncos, a team that just finished up a historical offensive season. If Washington wants to get back to the playoffs they have to set the tone on defense and special teams. Washington ranked 30th in points allowed last season and ranked near the bottom of the league in every special teams category.
Insert Jay Gruden, from the beginning of his hire Gruden knew that his job included much more than just developing Robert Griffin III. He decided to keep Jim Haslett on the staff as the defensive coordinator, a move that raised some questions after Haslett drew the blame for the defensive struggles. However, it came to the surface that Shanahan held back Haslett from firing the creative blitzes he seems passionate about. So far through the first two preseason games the defense looks improved. Now let’s not get overboard, this is preseason but the 1st teamers have held the opposing team scoreless in their brief outings. Pressure looks to be improved as well, the front seven hasn’t had a problem with producing pressure, something that’s a concern coming into the season. When Jason Hatcher returns from his knee surgery the Redskins will possess a formidable pass rush with the likes of Brian Orakpo, Ryan Kerrigan, rookie Trent Murphy, Rob Jackson rushing the ends and Barry Coefield, Chris Baker, and Jarvis Jenkins eating up space on the defensive line. If the defense can consistently produce pressure and tackle the defense should improve.
Jay Gruden did not elect to keep his Special Team’s coordinator on the staff with the new hire of Ben Kotwica. Kotwica, known for his intensity should help bring some of that passion to the field. Prior to the 2013 season, the redskins lost long time special team’s ace Lorenzo Alexander and the team failed to replace him due to the cap penalty they received from the league. In the offseason, the team added depth to the unit, brining in veteran linebackers Adam Heyward, Akeem Jordan, and Daryl Sharpton, all of who can and will play special teams. Competition at the kicker position was also implemented. The Redskins drafted Zack Hocker out of Arkansas in the late rounds of this year’s draft. A move that should make Kai Forbath nervous after his early season struggles last season. Hocker also possesses a much stronger leg than Forbath, consistently kicking touchbacks in the first two preseason games while Forbath has not. Teams rarely cut a kicker that they draft so Forbath will have to prove that he can be the consistent leg of the future. If the Redskins record improves this season, it’s because of physicality, intensity, and attention to fundamentals on the defensive and special teams sides of the ball. If not, than the Redskins will struggle like last season.