Are the Redskins Mediocre?

Jim Henley fesses up: "I’m officially wrong about the 2007 Redskins as of last night. I predicted 4-12; they’ve got a good chance of doubling that. They are not an awful team. Rather, they have earned a descriptor too easily bestowed in today’s NFL: mediocre." He worries, however, that recent successes "will tempt the staff . . . to take it for validation of their overall approach."

Well, just to further enhance Jim's worries about complacency, it seems to me that one might look at an 8-8 season (assuming, of course, the Skins can achieve that lofty feat of mediocrity) that featured a young quarterback, tons of offensive line injuries, and the murder of a key defensive player points to good things for the future. Of course, Zombie Sean Taylor's not going to be suiting up to shore up the secondary, but it would seem perfectly reasonable to hope for modest improvements in Jason Campbell's game plus fewer injuries to produce a better result next season.

Comments

Rather, they have earned a descriptor too easily bestowed in today’s NFL: mediocre

I don't understand this. Is he saying there are lots of mediocre teams in today's NFL? The average winning percentage for a team is .500 (add it up yourself!). Is there less talent today than 20 years ago? Please. There are, however, more extreme records(14-0, 12-2, 1-13).

I believe Washington is way over on the salary cap, which might force changes whether they want them or not.

Posted by Ronnie Pudding | December 17, 2007 9:49 AM

Of course, Zombie Sean Taylor's not going to be suiting up to shore up the secondary.

Hahaha, I like it. Too soon? Maybe. But that's what makes Matt Yglesias an edgy young writer.

Posted by owenz | December 17, 2007 9:50 AM

Pointing out that the Redskins are mediocre is a long way from 'edgy'-- the team has been at and has stayed at that level since the end of the First Gibbs era.

Posted by MattF | December 17, 2007 9:57 AM

Zombie Sean Taylor

Wow. WAY too soon.

Posted by right | December 17, 2007 9:58 AM

WAY too soon is an understatement. Wasn't expecting to find that here.

Posted by Tom | December 17, 2007 10:01 AM

The Redskins have played down this year to mediocre, not played up. If a handful of plays late in a couple of games had gone the other way, they would be at 9-5 (or 10-4) and in the driver's seat for the wild card instead of the Giants

Posted by Kolohe | December 17, 2007 10:52 AM

Zombie Sean Taylor may not be suiting up, but Zombie Joe Gibbs will be. That's the problem.

Posted by brooksfoe | December 17, 2007 10:55 AM

That Redskins free safety (his name escapes me) was impressive last night.

Posted by Fred | December 17, 2007 10:56 AM

Zombie Sean Taylor

Yowza. Add my voice to the chorus: too soon.

Ten points to brooksfoe, however, for the laugh.

Posted by Will | December 17, 2007 11:15 AM

Of course they're mediocre, as is most of the league. This is the whirlwind of parity -- most of the league is bunched up in the middle, with teams that are a little better than average feasting and teams a little worse than average going hungry.

Posted by Aaron S. Veenstra | December 17, 2007 11:57 AM

Too soon. I was taken aback to read that.

Posted by Elvis Elvisberg | December 17, 2007 12:26 PM

too soon. matt just demonstrated that, while he may live in DC, he's obviously not from DC yet (the skins are as close to holy as DC gets, even if their recent years may not justify such high regard any more).

Posted by dj superflat | December 17, 2007 12:36 PM

"produce a better result next season"

In DC? Not a chance. Something will go wrong.

Posted by ostap | December 17, 2007 12:41 PM

Mediocre:

Do you mean in a comparative sense or an absolute one? In an absolute sense, these teams are almost all great. In a comparative sense, with a decent amount of parity, we would hope to see 'mediocrity'. What drives a lot of the 'mediocrity' complaining is gambling. The NFL is becoming less and less predictable as talent gaps are closing and there is more up and down from year to year. So there are a lot more upsets and when a guy bets on the favorite and loses he whines that the favorite is not a 'great' team, that there are a lot of 'mediocre' teams. What a bunch of losers. The level of competition these days in the NFL is awesome. If you want to watch a game where the whole goal is for the far superior team to avoid blowing it, watch the college game.

Posted by mpowell | December 17, 2007 12:43 PM

Too soon. And I'm not even a 'Skins fan.

Maybe Matt's been reading too much of "The Walking Dead."

Posted by vanya | December 17, 2007 12:46 PM

or world war Z (which rocks, seriously).

Posted by dj superflat | December 17, 2007 1:01 PM

Can't Dan Snyder spend some more money and hire someone to manage the clock? That would have been worth two more victories this season right there.

Posted by Musa | December 17, 2007 1:45 PM

Dan Snyder's an absolute asshole. The Redskins won't be worth a tin-plated damn as long as he owns the team. Get used to losing.

Posted by MoeLarryAndJesus | December 19, 2007 1:49 AM