By Rich Tandler and Tarik El-Bashir
CSNwashington.com
20 questions in 20 days
As we count down to the first game of the Redskins’ season, Tarik El-Bashir and Rich Tandler are going to be looking at some of the big questions facing the team and attempting to look into their crystal balls and answer them.
Question #3: How many wins is enough?
The background: It is well known that Mike Shanahan has a worse record after two seasons than Jim Zorn did. Zorn did not get a third season while Shanahan remains firmly in charge of the Redskins. Although it seems that he is safe from getting fired by Dan Snyder until his contract ends after the 2014 season, that doesn’t mean that Shanahan will survive in the court of fan opinion. How many wins will it take for Redskins Nation to symbolically sign off on the coach returning for the 2013 season?
Tandler: I don’t think that there is necessarily a magic number here. The Redskins have not only posted bad records in recent years but they have also committed the sins of being boring on the field and largely irrelevant in the national conversations. Even if the Redskins only add a win or two to the five they posted last year, if they are exciting to watch and get talked about positively by the national media, that should be enough for most Redskins fans to believe that there is some progress being made under Shanahan. Oh, and improving on the 2-6 home record they posted each of the last two seasons would help, also. The paying fans are getting very tired of sitting in FedEx Field traffic after yet another loss.
El-Bashir: Let me start by saying handicapping wins and losses before the season begins is likely an exercise in futility. Teams that are good early aren’t necessarily able to late as the league’s collective intensity rises. Anyone remember the Redskins’ 6-2 start in 2008? Health is a huge factor, obviously, and that can’t be predicted. But I’ll play along. The success or failure of this season’s Redskins likely hinges three positions: quarterback, kicker and safety. If Robert Griffin III adapts to the speed and complexity of the NFL seamlessly, Billy Cundiff makes more kicks than Graham Gano and Madieu Williams and Brandon Meriweather (remember what I said about health?) are merely adequate, I think .500 is in reach. If not, it will be another forgettable season in Washington.
What do you think? How many wins are enought for you to be happy? His the comments here or hit us up on Twitter @Rich_Tandler and @TarikElBashir
20 questions in 20 days
#20 Aug.20—Will
Jammal Brown play this year?
#19 Aug.21—Will
Chris Cooley make the team?
#18 Aug. 22—Can
Brandon Meriweather get he job done at safety?
#17 Aug. 23—Is
Garçon a No. 1 receiver?
#16 Aug. 24—Can
Trent Williams go from good to great?
#15 Aug. 25—Can
DeAngelo Hall be a defensive playmaker?
#14 Aug. 26—Can
Santana Moss regain his old form?
#13 Aug. 27—Can
Orakpo post 15 sacks?
#12 Aug. 28—Will
Leonard Hankerson break out?
#11 Aug. 29—Can
the Redskins flip their turnover ratio?
#10 Aug. 30—How
much can Hightower contribute this year?
#9 Aug. 31—Was
making Billy Cundiff the kicker a good move?
#8 Sept. 1—Will
Josh Morgan be worth the investment?
#7 Sept. 2—What
can Jarvis Jenkins contribute?
#6 Sept. 3—Is
the offensive line depth good enough?
#5 Sept. 4—Will
a running back by committee work?
#4 Yesterday—Is
the defense ready to carry the load?
#3 Today—How many wins is enough?
#2 Tomorrow—How much should RG3 run?
#1 Saturday—Can RG3 . . . ?
7 or 8 wins would be fantastic. Even 5 again, if promise is shown.
Posted by: PremiumSeater | Thursday, September 06, 2012 at 12:19 PM