32 in 31: Washington Redskins

Another year of 32 in 31. Sports News on Tap takes the month of August to preview the National Football League. We spend every day of the month looking at a new team and how they will fare in 2013.

One of the more talked about teams in the National Football League this offseason. Whether it be for their controversial nickname that is leading people to just call them 'Washington' or the 'Washington National Football Club', or how the relationship is between head coach Mike Shanahan and Robert Griffin III.

RGIII seems like he will be back for the first game of the NFL season which is pretty incredible given he tore up his knee in mid-January.  The Redskins might heading down the regression train as they play a tougher schedule than they did last year or they might rise above it. Washington bring back a majority of their starters and can find way back to the playoffs.  

OFFENSE
The forgotten man in the Redskins offense is Alfred Morris. If there were not three great rookie quarterbacks last season, Morris is hands down the Rookie of the Year last season.  He had a massive impact on making Washington a successful football team. Shanahan is truly unpredictable when it comes to running backs. Morris could be the big dog again or it could be a combination of Evan Royster, Roy Helu (HELUUUUUU) and Morris.

Everyone is predicting a huge year from Pierre Garcon. I will believe it when I see it. Garcon only had one year where he played in all 16 games of the season. He missed six games last year with injury as well. Garcon looked like a threat playing with RGIII, but he always had some sort of nagging injury. I would expect a good year from him, but let's not get overtly excited about him.

As for Griffin III, he will definitely have teams adjusting to his style of play. No way around it, and it will be up to him and the coaches to figure out new ways to exploit all of his skills. I would be stunned if he keeps running the football as much as he did last season. I know it is part of his M.O. but still, RGIII needs to  spend more time  in the pocket if he expects to finish the season.

DEFENSE
The Redskins defense starts with their linebackers and ends with their linebackers. Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan are two of the best edge rushers in the NFL.  They can create havoc for any team and if the team has a weak offensive line, Washington's defense might be in the backfield more often than not. They also have the established middle linebacker with London Fletcher. I do not know how the linebacker does it in his 16 years of playing football; Fletcher is one of the best underrated players in the last 30 years. After the linebackers, there is a slightly significant drop-off.

Their secondary is truly a problem. They tried to change things by adding three different secondary players in the 2013 NFL Draft, but who knows if any of the three will be able to make an impact. Josh Wilson did not have the impact as much as the team expected him to. DeAngelo Hall is still playing football and he shows flashes of brilliance every now and again. E.J. Biggers is coming from Tampa Bay, but he is a complete unknown honestly. Brandon Meriweather fails to stay healthy, but he defines the term 'big hitter'.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Washington has had their struggles with kicking, but they finally seemed to figure out with Kai Forbarth whom was great after being signed mid-season. Sav Rocca is a fat punter, but he is a good fat punter. Their return game is still unknown after getting rid of Brandon Banks in the offseason.

KEY ADDITIONS
CB E.J. Biggers, DE Phillip Merling, OT Jeremy Trueblood, LB Daryl Tapp - For the first time in a long time, the Redskins did absolutely nothing in free agent minus Biggers whom started 24 games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the last three games.

KEY SUBTRACTIONS
S Madieu Williams, LB Lorenzo Alexander, TE Chris Cooley, CB Cedric Griffin

REDSKINS DRAFT PICKS
CB David Amerson, TE Jordan Reed, S Phillip Thomas, RB Chris Thompson, DE Brandon Jenkins, S Bacarri Rambo, RB Jawan Jamison - Amerson had a bad year leading him to be a second round pick, he has first round potential. I like Rambo strictly for his last name.

GAME TO WATCH
Sunday December 1st: vs. New York Giants 7:30 pm - Washington does not play the Giants until the final month of the season. They play this game and then they close out the schedule with the New York Football Giants. It should be a good one as they played a classic here last year.

WIN TOTAL 
8-11 - The Redskins might be the only team where I put a three win buffer on their potential wins. The reason being is I am unsure with this team just as much as Philadelphia given Robert Griffin III's health plus there is always a possibility of regression.  

Charlie.