1. Purple Pounder People
The Vikings made the playoffs - after being whipped by the Redskins in the final game of the year. The Redskins almost kept the Vikings alive with a fumble and a sad INT, but the Redskins won. The smack talk was flying freely, especially from Vikings QB Dante Culpepper. The Redskins defense sacked, hurried, harassed and hurt the feelings of Culpepper before the day was done. Even with the win, the Skins showed more need for improvement. The Vikings showed that they're just not good. It's good to beat any team in the NFL, but beating good teams is the goal. With nothing on the line but the game at hand, our Redskins showed the heart of a contender.
2. Snyder at His Best Daniel Snyder made an excellent move in bringing back Joe Gibbs. That one move may prove to be the thing he's remembered for most. Some people, especially the mass media-doofs, love to bash Snyder. But his willingness to get Joe Gibbs is going to pay dividends for all Redskin Fans for many years to come. One AP-story quoted a fan yelling at Joe Gibbs - "Go back to NASCAR!" Please, if you happen to hear this from the guy in front of you - elbow him in the back of his fat head, for me? Gibbs will correct the mistakes, improve the offensive play-calling and beat the teams in the NFC East. I'm not good at being patient - but I'm surely happy to see Joe Gibbs back at the helm! I'm ready for Camp '05!
3. MVP There will be lots of candidates for this season's Redskin MVP. Fred Smoot, Corny Griffin, Marcus Washington, should all get plenty of attention. But the MAN, the guy nobody drafted out of college; the guy that wasn't even considered a "starter"; the guy we almost lost to the Vikings before the season ever began - Antonio Pierce. Pierce stepped in at MLB, called the defenses, made plays and showed tremendous ability. Michael Barrow was signed in the off-season to fill the MLB spot. He's been on the IR all season, and should come to camp as Pierce's backup. Pierce should have been voted to the Pro Bowl, but most of the NFL hasn't heard of him yet... they will.
4. Welcome Back J.T.! James Thrash is a welcome addition, one of the 'core players' Joe Gibbs is happy to have on the roster. After leaving the Skins for a brief stint in Philly, Thrash returned to his original team. He can do anything asked of him. He plays WR, covers kicks and punts, returns kicks and punts - he'd even play at DB if he'd been asked. His versatility, team-first attitude and hustle make him move valuable than some might think. It's good to have him back - and he just may make others expendable.
5. Betts Gets Better Ladell Betts had a great day in the final game of the season. His 118 yards made a huge difference in the victory. Betts busted through holes, made holes when there weren't any and earned critical First Downs late in the game. An injury to Clinton Portis put Betts in the lineup, now he's made a case for staying there. At the very least, Betts will find his way onto the field more often in the future.
6. Playing in 2006 The Skins will be a much better football team in 2006. Yes, 2006. 2005 will be a good year for the Skins and earn the team the right to play in 2006. I'm talking PLAYOFFS! When you look at the teams that made the playoffs - I'm not stretching too far. The Vikings? The Seahawks? The Redskins need to prepare themselves to win the NFC East. The Eagles are good - but not unbeatable. In fact, there isn't a team in the NFL that the Skins don't have a chance to beat - a vast change from years past. Set the bar high boys!
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