Washington Redskins:

Big Chief Gibbs looks to lead 'Skins to the Promised Land'

The Washington Redskins have enjoyed a great deal of success in their years in the National Football League. The team has won 5 Divisional championships, 5 NFC championships and 3 Super Bowls. The team also won two NFL championships before the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. The greatest Redskins coach of all time is hands down Joe Gibbs. Gibbs accumulated a 140-65 record over his 12 years with the Skins. In 1992 he retired due to health problems and no one would’ve ever thought he would return to the NFL to coach again. After the 2003 campaign the Redskins needed a change. Then head coach Steve Spurrier had run the franchise into the ground trying to incorporate his “Fun and Gun” offense into the NFL. Needless to say, it didn’t work over the two seasons he was leading the team, he only managed a 5-11 record, never won the NFC East or made the playoffs, gave a lot of people headaches in the Washington area and the demand for Redskins tickets were at an all time low. Owner Dan Snyder then fired the ol’ ball coach and brought back Joe Gibbs to breathe back the life into the franchise that was flowing while Gibbs won his three Super Bowls back, in ’82, ’87 and ’91.

Since Dan Snyder first bought the team the Redskins have yet to have a boring off-season, and this past off-season would be no different. They traded for seasoned Jaguars quarterback Mark Brunell to bring some stability and consistency under center for a third round pick. The team then turned around and pulled off the biggest trade in years and traded Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey and a second round pick for Denver running back Clinton Portis. The Redskins desperately needed a running back to inject some life into their running game and Portis will give them that and a great deal more. In free agency the ‘Skins picked up cornerback Shawn Springs, to fill Bailey’s spot, wide receiver James Thrash, and linebacker Marcus Washington to name a few.

In the draft, the Redskins new they would need to get a playmaker with the fifth pick in the draft. It came down to getting one of two Miami Hurricanes, safety Sean Taylor or tight end Kellen Winslow II. The team opted to go with hard-hitting free safety Sean Taylor. With the loss of Bailey the team felt it would need someone in the secondary that would strike fear into the heart of opponents like Bailey once did. The ‘Skins also strengthened their offensive line and picked up Utah State tight end Chris Cooley, and offensive tackles Mark Wilson and Jim Molinaro out of California and Notre Dame.

In 2003 the Redskins offense was just plain bad. They finished 22nd in rushing offense and 23rd in total offense. The team had very little balance and young quarterback Patrick Ramsey couldn’t stay on his feet because he wasn’t getting the play he should have out of his offensive line. Their lack of a premiere running back severely handicapped the Redskins running game that’s why coach Joe Gibbs went out and got a top five running back. He enjoys the running game and is not afraid to give it to a back 30 times in a game.
On the other side of the ball the Redskins proved to be just as inadequate last year. The team finished 23rd overall in team defense, although the defense did finish in a solid 13th against the pass. The defense is lead by multiple time Pro Bowl linebacker and ESPN Dream Job panelist LaVar Arrington who finished the 2003 season with 75 tackles six sacks and six forced fumbles.

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