1. It’s easy to see why players such as Phillip Daniels and London Fletcher have lasted a combined 28 seasons » Both play for more than just money. It’s rare for a player to nearly choke up when discussing his career and how he’s never won a championship, as Daniels did Monday. It was a legitimate show of emotion from a veteran player. And the way Fletcher plays in games reveals his desire to win. Few fight as hard as Fletcher does during a game. Against the Giants on Sunday he had a couple of plays where he took on the lead blocker then fought his way into the tackle.
2. For a while, the Redskins could claim their 3-4 front was at least effective against the run, even if it struggled to mount a pass rush » But the past three games, the front has not done a good job against the run, either. Guards are easily getting to linebackers, meaning there’s no one who commands a double team in the middle right now. The Redskins still are adjusting to the 3-4, knowing what gaps they should fill at times, but if the linebackers are consistently impeded, it makes any defense a difficult one to play. Getting LaRon Landry and Carlos Rogers back in the lineup will help.
3. The difference between the New York Giants and the Redskins is rather large on both sides of the football » There’s a reason one team could sustain heavy losses to its offense and still score 31 points, while the other team couldn’t afford any absences lest it fall apart completely. But the Giants have drafted well for years, have had a stable organization and have a consistent franchise quarterback in place. Maybe the Redskins will be at this point in a few years, but it will take a couple good draft classes and a consistent scheme on both sides of the ball.
4. These last four games of the season will help shape the direction of the franchise » The Redskins can’t afford to finish with both sides of the ball struggling. It would help if running back Ryan Torain could play the final quarter of the season, just to see if he could be a solid backup or more entering next season. That way, perhaps Washington would have something to build upon with the ground game. The Redskins have shown glimpses of what this offense can become, but to get excited about it they must show it for more than one game at a time.
