Can the Redskins go from worst to first in the NFC East?
That was a question posed on NFL.com. They took the four teams that finished in last place in their respective NFC divisions last year and ranked them in order of their chances of finishing in first place in 2012. Blogger Daniel Jeremiah thinks the Redskins have a shot but they face some serious obstacles.
I have to quibble with the pick for the team that Jeremiah has the best chance of the ultimate turnaround, the Tampa Bay Bucs. Among the reasons he cites are their new coach, Greg Schiano, who is fresh from the college ranks, and free agent signees Vincent Jackson and Carl Nicks. Anyone who has followed the Redskins in the last decade know that a new coach, especially one straight from the NCAA, and high-priced free agents are not guarantee of a turnaround. Washington would have won the NFC East on multiple occasions if that was the magic formula.
The Redskins are his second pick and Jeremiah cites what should be a vast improvement in quarterback play with Robert Griffin III at the helm and the pass rushing duo of Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan as reasons for optimism.
But in the “not so fast” department there is the strength of the NFC East and the fact that while RG3 may be a special rookie he still will be a rookie quarterback with the accompanying growing pains that will come with learning on the job.
The Rams and Vikings have the third- and fourth-best chances per Jeremiah.
It seems like there is a worst to first occurrence every year in the NFL but it seems unlikely to happen this year, at least in the NFC. Of course, that is what it looks like in June just about every year.
The Redskins could pull it off but a lot would have to go right for them and a lot would have to go wrong elsewhere around the division for that to take place.
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