Give Me the Numbers...STAT! -- Redskins League Rankings

As always, we bring you our weekly snapshot of how the Redskins stack up in some of the major offensive and defensive categories against the league. We have been trying not to read too much into the early-season rankings, as the unbalanced nature of the NFL schedule combined with the traditionally slow start of NFL offenses can lead to faulty conclusions (this is where smutsboy tells us that the Football Outsiders know how to get around all of that!). We actually love Football Outsiders here at Hogs Haven (Doug Farrar wrote an article on Shanahan's offense in our Maple Street Press magazine). So if you have a nugget from over there that you think would help support a claim you are making here, drop it on us in the comments section.

Jump in...(after the jump). 

Even without Trent Williams this past week, we managed to improve our rushing stats, but it was against the Rams. We slipped pretty much everywhere else.

Our passing game remains in decent standing, but given our overall performance, our record and our pitiful rushing attack, it would seem that we could stand to sacrifice a little there to get the ground game rolling. One thing is certain: our coaching staff has no qualms putting the ball in our quarterback's hands. How often could we say that over the last...jeeeeez...10 years? The 18.7 points per game is also slowly making its way towards our 16-17 points per game we are used to seeing. For my sanity, I need us to be breaking 20 per game. We simply have to be able to do that.

Coaches always swear by their Turnover Differential. Old-school coaches like Dick Vermeil, Joe Gibbs and even Bill Parcells would always suggest that as long as their team remained firmly on the plus side in turnover differential, they would have chances to win games all season. At +2, we are looking pretty decent, though with a 1-2 record, it is hard to suggest we have been saved too much by this stat. In the coming weeks, let's hope that this stat stays positive en route to some wins.

We have to hit on the bad one...last place in the league in 3rd down conversion percentage. We have to figure out a way to stay on the field. I would love to hear some ideas below as to what you think the Redskins need to do on 3rd down that they are not already doing. Is there a package you think we are not using here that we should be? Is there a player that you think needs to emerge as a 3rd down specialist? What about the constant long yardage we face on 3rd down? Is there something we aren't doing well enough on 2nd down to get the job done? Big questions with lots of possible right answers.

Let's hit the D.

I think this one hurts a little more than the offensive chart. I am used to leaning on the defense in arguments about what is typically good about our team. But 32nd in total yards per game? Holy crap. We are giving it up like Lindsay Lohan between rehab stints. Yet...there are some bright spots. We are allowing less than 100 yards per game on the ground. That is respectable. Only problem is that teams have decided that they will just take their 325 yards per game of passing instead. Damn! Despite the Rams' ability to hit on almost 50% of their 3rd downs, we are holding teams on 3rd down with the best of them. And our 7 sacks also has us in almost elite company. In fact, keeping teams to the 22.3 points per game level, combined with continued production in the sacks and 3rd down categories leads me to believe we have some things that could start going our way.

My grand, sweeping conclusion this week: If our offense can stay on the field for at least 5 more 3rd downs per game, we will see some movement up the charts for both our offense and defense. (Did I take the easy route or what?)