The Washington Redskins have Lost Their Confidence

The Washington Redskins have been out-coached and outplayed the past two weeks. Sunday’s 21-13 loss against the Carolina Panthers apparently was enough for Mike Shanahan to throw in the towel on the season. “At the midway point when you’re 3-5, it’s going to be must-win to get in the hunt,” Shanahan said. “When you lose a game like that, now you’re playing to see who obviously is going to be on your football team for years to come. Now, we have a chance to evaluate players and see where we’re at.”

The Washington Redskins are now 3-6 heading into a bye week, and for Shanahan to seemingly put a fork in Washington’s season – that doesn’t boost the confidence of a ball club that already lacks fight. They’ve been smacked in the mouth the past two weeks but at mid-season, that’s simply not something players would appreciate their head coach proclaiming. It’s clear, however, that Shanahan is disappointed in this football team. In fact, he used the word disappointed – by my count – 10 times in his post game conference.

Mike Shanahan used that moment to put the entire football team on notice. Hopefully when he says the evaluation process has begun – the coaching staff will be on that evaluation list as well. Shanahan seems to be almost shocked by Washington’s results this season – is that an indictment on the personnel or the people in place to coach the personnel?

The team has lost their confidence and with the exception of a handful of players – they have no fight. They have lost their luster. There’s not an aspect of this football team that’s been tarnished more because of injuries than the team’s physicality. Not only did the Redskins lose key starters, but they lost their most physical football players.

Brian Orakpo was becoming an animated, vocal on-field leader for Washington’s defense. Without Orakpo, the Redskins’ front 7 hasn’t had any success rushing the opposing quarterback. Brandon Meriweather is expected to be a physical ball player for this defense, but the Redskins have yet to see him on the football field this season. Not to mention, on the offensive side of the football, Pierre Garcon and Fred Davis are two of the team’s most physical football players.

The Redskins haven’t played spirited football as of late, but the coaching staff is also not putting them in a position to win football games. On offense, the Redskins’ have dubbed their scheme with a cool nickname – “East coast offense” – yet they fail to consistently stick with what they do best. There hasn’t been a defense Washington has faced that’s stopped their read option offense. Those read option pass plays completely confuse defenses. Not to mention the play action game off Alfred Morris’ runs has been exceptional. In the red zone early this season, Washington would spread the field and give Robert Griffin III an option to pass or run. In Sunday’s match-up against the Carolina Panthers, the Redskins stopped spreading the field in the red zone. Instead, they called screens and designed runs with Griffin without an option to pass – which is simply ridiculous.

No words can explain how horrid the Redskins’ defense has been this season. They’re statistically one of the worst defenses against the pass in NFL history. They are failing Robert Griffin III. Washington’s defense was thought to be the team’s strength this season. We all knew the secondary would likely be the team’s Achilles heel, but now it’s clear that the Redskins are struggling in the front 7 - specifically the defensive line/5 technique position(s).

The Redskins were not expected to be a strong contender this season, but improvement needs to be seen. With Robert Griffin III, there is hope for the future. However, Mike Shanahan and staff needs to improve the team around Griffin in order for there to be a future for this team.