Plenty for Shanahan to evaluate in season’s final three weeks
ASHBURN – The changes delivered promise, from the front office to the coaching staff to the quarterback. The Redskins would be better. And that promise would translate to more success on the field.
Ahem.
They’re one game better than in 2009 and face a difficult road to get where they want to go, which is higher in the NFC East standings. Washington dropped to 5-8 after Sunday’s 17-16 loss to Tampa Bay. Now the Redskins are in jeopardy of finishing last in the division for the third straight season.
“You’re not going from four wins to a chance to win a Super Bowl,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “It takes time. It doesn’t happen overnight.”
| Redskins notes |
| » SS LaRon Landry will be placed on injured reserve, ending his once promising season. Landry only played in nine games this season, having missed the past four with an Achilles’ tendon injury. Doctors feared he could rupture his Achilles if he continued to play and, though Landry expressed hope last week about returning, the Redskins didn’t want to risk further injury. “I thought the first half of the season he’d be MVP the way he was playing,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “Hopefully he can get well and get ready to go for next season.” Landry’s season ends with 85 tackles, 10 shy of his career best. He also had eight passes defensed, three shy of his career best. |
| » CB Carlos Rogers might play Sunday, Shanahan said. Rogers has missed three of the past four games with a hamstring injury. |
| » Washington will work out four kickers Tuesday, though Shanahan said this does not mean Graham Gano‘s job is in jeopardy. Rather, it’s because Gano injured his ribs when he got tackled on the botched extra point in Sunday’s 17-16 loss to Tampa Bay. Gano also missed field goals of 34 and 24 yards. “We were very disappointed, but I’ve still got a lot of belief in him,” Shanahan said. “If he’s full speed, he’ll be our kicker.” |
No, it clearly doesn’t. The Redskins were a 4-12 mess in 2009. They’re more stable than a year ago, but the hard work remains as numerous pieces need to be found. One hope for Washington is that this free agent class is deep. Last year’s free agent group, impacted by having to be in their sixth year to be eligible, was not. Then there’s the draft, where they’ll be without their third- and fourth-round picks this season.
“I’m not sure if rebuilding is the right word,” Shanahan said. “[But] hopefully we can head in the right direction.”
And that’s what the final three games have become about: the future. That doesn’t mean Shanahan will focus solely on playing younger guys. But he will use these games to evaluate whether or not he wants certain players to return. In the meantime, he wants to win games.
But the building — or rebuilding — requires patience.
“You’re not used to it,” Shanahan said. “You always want to win, especially those close games. It’s always disappointing when you don’t win. With all the time you put in and all the effort in the offseason, it’s really hard to lose.”
To the players, it’s perplexing. They’ve now lost four games by four points or less, including two of the last three to get eliminated from playoff contention.
“This is the most talented team I’ve been on,” Redskins end Andre Carter said. “It’s all a mindset. There’s no simple way to go about it.”
In several weeks many of these players likely will play their final game for the Redskins as the roster figures to get turned over once again. Washington has the NFL’s 32nd-ranked defense and an offense that ranks 29th in points per game. Overnight success didn’t happen this season; heavy lifting remains to make sure it does in 2011.
“We knew we had a lot of work to do,” Redskins receiver Anthony Armstrong said. “It just takes a little time.”
