Rich Tandler's Real Redskins

Grading the Redskins: Wide receivers produce in 2012

Over the next two weeks, CSNWashington.com Redskins reporters Tarik El-Bashir and Rich Tandler will grade each position group’s performance in 2012 and evaluate its outlook for 2013. Previously, we looked at offensive tackles, the interior offensive line, and tight ends. Today, it’s wide receivers.

Grade: B

2012 starters: Pierre Garçon (10 games), Leonard Hankerson (7), Josh Morgan (14), Aldrick Robinson (1), Santana Moss (1)

Key reserves: Dezmon Briscoe

Key free agents: None

Rewind

A few days before free agency started last year, the Redskins filled their top need in a big way by pulling off the trade for the second pick in the draft, the pick that would become Robert Griffin III.

Go here to read the rest of the post on CSNwashington.com.

The top 10 moments of the Redskins season

The producers at CSNwashington.com have created a photo gallary of the top 10 moments of the Redskins' 2012 season with the captions provided by yours truly. Go take a look and relive a magical season.

Need to Know: RG3, Morris on All-Rookie team

Here is what you need to know on this Monday, January 14, 57 days before the start of NFL free agency.

RG3 PFW/PFWA Rookie of the Year

Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III was voted the Rookie of the Year by the membership of the Pro Football Writers of America in balloting conducted by Pro Football Weekly.

Griffin’s backfield mate, running back Alfred Morris, joined Griffin on the All-Rookie team.

Griffin beat out top draft pick Andrew Luck of the Colts and Russell Wilson of the Seahawks for the honors. In the article announcing the award, PFW wrote, “Griffin’s stats were off the charts, setting rookie records in touchdown-to-interception ratio, rushing yards for a rookie QB and passer rating, all while leading the Redskins to a division title.”

Morris had 1,613 rushing yards, the third most of any rookie in NFL history. His 200-yard performance against the Cowboys in the Redskins’ nationally televised regular season finale, the game that clinched the NFC East title for Washington, undoubtedly left an impression on the minds of the voters.

Ballots were due prior to the first playoff game so votes are based on regular season performance only.

Jason Taylor playing through pain

There was an interesting article about playing in pain in the NFL in the Miami Herald yesterday. It centered on former Miami Dolphin and, for one season, Washington Redskin Jason Taylor. Writer Dan Le Batard sheds some light on the darker side of the NFL, one where players get injections in a “dungeon” while screaming, even crying in pain.

The article is of interest to Redskins fans for two reasons. When Taylor missed six games for the Redskins due to an ailment called compartment syndrome, many Redskins fans didn’t understand what it all about. This explains it in detail including just how close Taylor was to losing his leg.

Le Batard also sheds some light on the mentality that drives players to stay in the game with some serious injuries. Of course, that topic is germane because of Griffin’s determination to stay in the playoff game against the Seahawks despite the obvious pain in his right knee.

In case you missed it

• Pierre Garçon hopes he can avoid surgery on his toe
• Sav Rocca hopes to be back in Washington

Days until: NFL Combine 38; start of free agency 57; 2013 NFL kickoff Sunday 237

Need to Know: Beware of irresponsible 'reports'

Here is what you need to know on this Tuesday, January 8, 63 days before the start of NFL free agency.

Beware of rumors

Winston Churchill once said that a lie will get halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to put its pants on. When you combine an injury to a high-profile athlete and instant media, you have the potential for some wild, unsubstantiated stories spreading like wildfire while the truth gets buried.

The worst of this phenomenon came yesterday to fill the vacuum of news we had about the extent of the injury to Robert Griffin III’s right knee. Rumors and speculation were rampant before Mike Shanahan announced that Griffin would undergo further testing. Things got worse after Shanahan’s inconclusive diagnosis.

The worst came from what should be a reputable source, WRIC-8, the ABC affiliate in Richmond. They tacked the following on to an AP account of what Shanahan had said:

BREAKING: Sources close to the Redskins camps say Robert Griffin III has torn his ACL and PCL, and will not be able to play for a minimum of 14-18 months. Stay with 8News for updates.

This quickly spread around the Twitterverse and had many in utter panic. The people at WRIC eventually removed the added paragraph and tweeted out the following in response to inquiries:

No, we aren't exclusively reporting this, we're passing on what several sources said earlier.

I thought that reporting was writing about what “sources” told you but I guess 8News has a different definition than everyone else. Or, at least one that changes when they commit a massive screw up.

The RG3 injury makes for trying times for Redskins fans. Don't make it worse by reacting to every scrap of "information" that might pop up. 

Field conditions

Seattle coach Pete Carroll was happy to get out of FedEx Field with a win but he was not happy with the condition of the playing surface.

"It was horrible, it's a horrible field," Carroll told a Seattle radio station. "It was as bad as a field could get for being dry. And it's too bad. It's really too bad, and we deserve better. ... It was worn out. There was a lot of slipping and all that kind of stuff.”

I asked Shanahan about what Carroll said and if there is any chance that they could convert FedEx Field to field turf.

In case you missed it

• RG3 to see Dr. Andrews
• Shanahan responds to criticism
• Hall may be willing to restructure his deal
• Doughty sees bright days ahead

Days until: Super Bowl XLVII 26; NFL combine 44; start of free agency 63; 2013 NFL draft 107; 2013 NFL Kickoff 243

Need to Know: Stark difference before, after RG3 injury

Here is what you need to know on this Monday, January 7, the day after the Redskins’ season ended at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks.

Before and after

You can argue whether or not Robert Griffin III should have stayed in the game last night but the numbers show a stark difference between the first two drives of the game and the rest of it.

After the first two drives Griffin was six for nine passing for 68 yards and two touchdowns, a passer rating of 128.7. He hurt his knee near the end of the second drive.

For the rest of the game, Griffin was four of 10 for 16 yards with no touchdowns and one interception, a passer rating of 8.3.

The Seattle defense did make some adjustments but not enough to shave 120 points off of Griffin’s passer rating.

The Redskins first two possessions ended in the end zone. They had eight possessions after that, including two with Kirk Cousins at quarterback, and they did not cross their own 41-yard line.

A loss like this does not happen very often. Only the 1957 San Francisco 49ers and the 2003 Green Bay Packers have been leading by 14 points or more after one quarter of play and have gone on to lose the game. 

RG3 thanks the fans

Today’s schedule

9:00—Bagging Day, player availability in the locker room as they clean out their lockers
3:00—Mike Shanahan news conference

In case you missed it

• Lynch helps end Redskins’ season 
• RG3: “No way I was coming out”

Days until: NFL Combine 45; 2013 NFL draft 108; NFL Kickoff 2013 244

2012 Redskins one of best ever at ball protection

The Redskins may lose Sunday’s playoff game against the Seahawks but it is unlikely that they will beat themselves. That is because very few teams in NFL history have been better at protecting the ball than the 2012 Redskins.

In 16 games, the Redskins turned the ball over 14 times. The team’s PR staff noted that this was the fewest in team history, beating the previous low of 16 from the 1982 season, which was shortened to nine games by a player strike.

But the turnover stat is even more impressive than that. Since 1940, only five teams have turned the ball over fewer times during a season than the Redskins did this year. That includes season that had from nine to 14 games in them. Only the 2010 Patriots, 2011 49ers (10 each), 1982 Chiefs (12 in nine games), 2008 Giants and 2008 Dolphins (13 each) have held on to the ball better.

Six other teams also got through a full season with only 14 turnovers.

Rookie quarterbacks took all of the snaps for the Redskins this year with Robert Griffin III starting 15 games and Kirk Cousins starting one game and playing in two others. None of the other teams that have turned the ball over 14 or fewer times in a season had a rookie quarterback playing a substantial role.

Need to Know: Offense paces Redskins' NFC East turnaround

Here is what you need to know on this Tuesday, January 1, the first day of 2013 and five days before the Redskins take on the Seahawks in the first round of the NFL playoffs.

Fast turnaround

You can debate whether the NFC East is still one of the NFL’s toughest divisions or if it’s just living on its past reputation. But you can’t argue that the Redskins’ sudden worst to first takeover of the division is stunning and, in many ways, unprecedented.

Since the merger and creation of the NFC East in 1970, only two other teams had gone from last place in the division to first. The Eagles did it from 2005 to 2006 as did the Giants from 1996 to 1997.

The 2011 Redskins were last in the division in yards gained, points scored, yards per play, yards per pass attempt, passing yards and rushing yards. The offensive woes were due in no small part to the fact that they had the worst quarterback situation in the division.

When the Redskins drafted Robert Griffin III most figured that there would be improvement in relation to the rest of the division. Still, the conventional wisdom was that it would take a while for them to catch up to the rest of the division with offenses being led by Eli Manning, Tony Romo, and Michael Vick.

It took just one year. RG3 doesn’t have the career resume of Manning, Vick, and Romo but he had a better 2012 than any of them and he has a brighter future.

The additions of Griffin, Alfred Morris, and Pierre Garçon helped boost the Redskins from last to first in the NFC East in all but one of the key offense stat categories. The Redskins were first in yards gained, points scored, yards per play, yards per pass attempt, and rushing yards. They were still last in passing yards but that is because they attempted almost 100 fewer passes than the Giants, about 150 fewer than the Eagles and over 200 fewer than the Cowboys.

As you’ve read here before, it’s an offensive league and if you can move the ball and score points, you can win games.

Today’s schedule

Off day, no availability

In case you missed it

Six Pack: Jackson takes advantage of his opportunity

Redskins Rewind: Dez has quiet night before departing

Days until: NFL playoffs Seahawks vs. Redskins 5; NFC Divisional playoffs 11; NFC Championship game 19; Super Bowl XLVII 33

Skins Social: Can the Redskins win it all?

Video: RG3 gets the guys pumped up

Need to Know: Alfred Morris makes history

Here is what you need to know on this Monday, December 31, the last day of 2012 and six days before the Redskins take on the Seahawks in the first round of the NFL playoffs. 

Alfred Morris fast facts

Here are a few things about Alfred Morris’ rookie season and his 200-yard game on Sunday night:

--He finished the season with 1,613 yards, breaking the team record for a single season. Morris broke the record held by Clinton Portis (1,516 yards, 2005)

--Morris finished the season second in rushing yards in the NFL behind only Adrian Peterson.

--He is the first Redskins rookie to rush for 200 yards in a game and the first Redskin to do it since Gerald Riggs gained 221 against the Eagles in 1989.

--And on a team level, his performance helped set a new Redskins team record with 2,709 rushing yards for the season. That bested the total of 2,625 compiled by the 1983 Redskins.

2013 opponents set

If you want the nitty gritty details on why the Redskins are playing who they are playing next year, check out my post from the other day. But here are the Redskins’ 2013 opponents:

Home: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Bears, Lions, Raiders, Chargers, 49ers
Away: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Packers, Vikings, Broncos, Chiefs, Falcons

Today’s schedule

3:00—Mike Shanahan news conference

Player availability TBD

In case you missed it

Morris carries Redskins

RG3 was “at a loss for words”

Days until: NFL wild card playoffs Seahawks vs. Redskins @ FedEx Field 6; Divisional round of NFL playoffs 12; NFC championship game 20