(John McDonnell/The Washington Post)
There are not many knowledgeable folks in the National Football League that would not admit that the Washington Redskins overachieved in 2016. In ending the season with a winning record of 9-7 and securing the NFC East Division title, they took themselves out of the NFC basement and forced themselves into the psyche of the NFL world. But whether or not they can repeat the success year-after-year is a big question.
It wasn’t easy winning the division and this is one of the things that several players admitted on the last day of the 2015 season. In the locker room on the Monday after the playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers, linebacker Ryan Kerrigan allowed as how the team had a lot going for it in 2016. But he also said that, after some rest and relaxation, it was up to everyone to get back to work because, “it’s not easy doing what we did in this league.”
He is right. During 2015, every single week for the Burgundy and Gold had its issues and challenges and some seemed near impossible to overcome. Yet for the most part, they did.
In Week 7, after only two wins and four losses — specifically two losses in a row that included an ugly game against the New York Jets — the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game became a “must win.”
In that Jets game, Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins had just one touchdown, two interceptions and only 196 yards passing. Running back Alfred Morris ran for just 21 yards on 11 carries for an ugly 1.9 yards-per-carry average. Washington’s defense could not stop New York’s running back Chris Ivory who gained 146 yards on the ground or WR Brandon Marshall who had 15 yards-per-reception and 111 yards. The Redskins netted only 225 total yards that day to the Jets’ 474.
Things looked pretty bleak after that loss and when Redskins Head Coach Jay Gruden labeled the Bucs contest and “Code Red,” it was appropriate. At the time, Tampa Bay was looking like a really good team and a win against them looked more difficult than doable.
But even with all of the injuries with which the Redskins were dealing in that game (CB Chris Culliver, CB DeAngelo Hall, C Kory Lichtensteiger and WR DeSean Jackson had all been ruled out and RB Chris Thompson was doubtful), Washington came back from a 24-0 deficit at halftime to win the game 31-30.
Cousins’ “You like that?!?” was born and the Redskins found themselves with some momentum.
The Redskins did lose to the New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers — both undefeated at the time — but continued to fight for the goals of winning on the road, winning back-to-back games and beating opponents many thought they would lose to (the Chicago Bears and the Buffalo Bills). When the division was on the line in Week 16 against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Redskins did what they had to do and won the game 38-24 and the NFC East.
The team worked its way through adversity and stayed together. When Gruden named Cousins starter late in the preseason, it caused an uproar among fans and some media.
But Gruden stuck to his guns and his QB closed the season as a Top 10 signal-caller in passes completed, passing yards and passer rating in 2015 that also broke franchise records. Cousins was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week twice and proved he could throw the ball down the field. For the most part, he put a bunch of the Redskins games on his shoulders and was able to carry the load. He reduced his interceptions and the team had his back. Throughout the year, the running game simply did not take off with any consistency and the team still won games on Cousins’ arm and ability to run the offense. In short, he developed just the way Gruden hoped he would.
Washington’s General Manager Scot McCloughan was a master at filling needs in a hurry in 2015. The injury situation got so bad at one point that the staff was not only taking wide receivers and converting them to defensive backs (Quinton Dunbar) but he was literally bringing guys in off the street and the coaches were able to start them (CB Will Blackmon, RB Pierre Thomas). Guys were promoted from being back-ups and from the practice squad to start and they played well (LBs Will Compton, Mason Foster).
As defensive coordinator Joe Barry always said, “There are no back-ups… just starters-in-waiting.” For Washington in 2015, this was exactly the case.
This is not to say the team did not have problems and this is what makes going into 2016 so interesting. With some of the free agents’ situations unknown for the upcoming year due to their contracts (NT Terrance Knighton, DL Jason Hatcher, Blackmon, Morris), there are still depth problems that need to be addressed. The team needs to have more starting-caliber guys in the linebacking unit and along the defensive line. Washington still needs a safety that it can count on game-in and game-out. While both say they are rehabbing right on schedule, who knows whether safety Duke Ihenacho (fractured wrist) and linebacker Junior Galette (torn Achilles) will recover fully from their injuries and play effectively? And even though the contributions of Jackson, fellow receiver Pierre Garçon and rookie wide out Jamison Crowder can’t be ignored, a big, tall red-zone-threat-of-a receiver is something the Redskins haven’t had in years. Lastly, somehow, some way the ground game must be addressed.
There have been teams that were one-hit-wonders over the years (like the 2007 Redskins) but most of the time, when a team gets right in the front office — like Washington did when McCloughan came on board — things get on a roll for a while.
When the Redskins had Bobby Beathard (1978-1988) around as general manager, the team only had a losing record one year (1980 – they went 6-10) out of the 11 years he was there. The team was in the postseason five times and in the Super Bowl three times in that time frame.
When Charlie Casserly (1989-1999) was running things in the building, the team went to the post season four times and to the Super Bowl once.
Under Vinny Cerrato (2000-2009) — officially given the title of Executive Vice President for Football Operations — the team did go to the post season twice but there’s no question that the team got there because of then-Head Coach Joe Gibbs more than because of the things Cerrato did. In fact, his time here was marred by dysfunction, coaching changes and losing seasons half the time.
To do in 2016 what Washington did this year is not going to be easy but it can be done. Multiple teams in the NFL have proved this to be possible. Teams like the Patriots, the Denver Broncos, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks have shown that it all starts with a good front office and trickles down through the coaches to the players on the team.
McCloughan is a hands-on kind of GM who brings in true football players and he represents stability, unity and talent. Owner Dan Snyder obviously trusts him and it’s pretty safe to say that, had the GM not been here, it is unlikely Gruden would have been able to name Cousins starter and leave him there through the ups and downs of the season. As trivial as that may seem, it is not. It is a huge sign that this is McCloughan’s team and this means everything because he is such a good talent evaluator and football person.
If he continues to build up the roster the way he has done this first year and run things his way; and if the owner can stay in his office as he has done, writing checks and rooting on his team, there’s reason to think that the Redskins can gradually get back to being the “Beast of the East,” winning double-digit games and perennially making it to the playoffs.