From Red to Gold: A Redskins CCM

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A quick note: After flipping through the forum one day, I came across KBLover's chronicle of his Oakland Raiders franchise, which can be found here. It inspired me to chronicle my own Redskins franchise, following his journalistic style of entries. This is mostly for my own enjoyment, but in the case of anyone actually reading this, I do have to give a shout out to MarketingWhiz for his incredible effort in developing the slider set that I am currently using. If anyone is interested, his sliders can be found here, and I do highly recommend them.

Currently, my 'Skins franchise is in season 4. I would have liked to begin my chronicle from season 1, but I've already invested a lot of time and effort into my franchise and I don't want to start over from scratch. Instead, I'll just give a brief recap of my earlier seasons and then jump right into my current season. So, without further preamble, here is

From Red to Gold: A Redskins CCM

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Season 1 - RGIII's Debut

2011 was another disappointing showing for the Washington Redskins as highly regarded head coach Mike Shanahan's team finished with an ugly 5-11 record. Two consecutive seasons in the division's basement have convinced the Redskins organization to look in a new direction as they hired young yet football savvy Eric Cartman to replace Shanahan as head coach. The new coach wasted little time in making his presence felt in the organization.

"This city and this fanbase deserve better than last place," said Cartman during his first press conference as head coach. "Changes need to be made to get this team to where it needs to be. No one is safe."

With the pressure of a demanding coach and the expectations of being the number 2 overall draft pick, all eyes turned to Shanahan's final legacy: Robert Griffin III. RGIII's debut raised many eyes around the league as he quickly proved his dual threat ability through the air and on the ground. By the end of the season, he had thrown for 3,733 yards and added another 476 yards rushing. His 27 passing touchdowns and 2 rushing scores were enough to earn him Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

Another star emerged in second year running back Roy Helu Jr. After injuries forced starting running back Tim Hightower onto injured reserve, Helu managed a very solid year, surpassing 1,100 yards rushing while adding 9 scores. His 4.1 yards per carry were far from the league best, but respectable nonetheless.

Despite the quality production of Griffin and Helu, however, the team only managed an unimpressive 6-10 record for the season, missing the playoffs for the fifth straight year. Injuries to the offensive line created an inconsistent line that allowed a frightening 40 sacks on the rookie QB. Poor secondary play allowed opponents to score far too easily and far too often. Run defense was solid, anchored by veteran LB London Fletcher, but tended to collapse in goal line situations.

With the 2012 season ending with the Redskins once again in last place of their division, coach Cartman was faced with the unpleasant prospect of being on the hotseat. "I apologize to our fans," he said in an end of the season press conference. "All I can say is that changes need to be made, and changes will be made. Wherever we go from here, this will be a very different team next year. This will be a winning team."

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Season 2 - Playoff Bound

After the disappointment of the 2012 season, second year head coach Eric Cartman made good on his promises of change. The biggest story of the offseason was the release of veteran LB London Fletcher. Fletcher led the team in tackles in 2012.

"I have great respect for him," Cartman said of Fletcher's release. "He's tough, he's talented, he's a great football player. This decision is nothing against London as a person or a player."

Speculation over his release is that the decision was based on salary cap issues and the need to get younger on defense. Fletcher is entering his fifteenth season in the NFL, and unless another team signs him as a free agent, he will likely be retiring soon.

The Redskins decision to release Fletcher was also likely aided by the addition of MLB Earnest Lewis through the draft. A third round pick, Lewis impressed scouts with his power and intelligence, and was expected to be an instant starter who could help contain the run, especially in short yardage and goal line situations.

Other notable additions during the offseason included offensive linemen Nathan Byndom and George Burton and running back Taiwan Dawkins, all through the draft. Steve Smith was also signed through free agency to replace Santana Moss, who retired after 12 seasons. Kicker Graham Gano was also released, replaced by second year Blair Walsh.

Early season troubles plagued the Redskin's beginning of 2013. After a solid year rushing in 2012, Roy Helu Jr. was sidelined in the second game of the season with a broken collarbone, forcing sixth rounder Taiwan Dawkins into a starting role. The speedy rookie quickly made an impact for the team, and eventually won the starting role from Helu. Dawkins would finish the season with 1,111 yards on 232 carries, a 4.8 yards per carry average, and 10 rushing touchdowns. Helu primarily filled the third down role, adding 657 yards and 4 touchdowns as well.

"Between Taiwan and Roy, we have an elite running game," said coach Cartman in an interview. "When you throw in Robert as well, it's downright scary."

Robert Griffin III continued his excellent play from his rookie season and avoided the traditional sophomore slump by setting new career highs in passing yards and touchdowns. He threw for 3,803 yards and 29 scores, while adding another 487 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground. Seven of his touchdown throws went to wideout Pierre Garcon, with wideout Steve Smith picking up another 6.

"[Rob's] a beast, man," said Smith of Griffin. "He just makes all the throws, makes it easy for us to go out and do our thing."

Griffin's job was made easier by the much improved play of the offensive line who allowed only 26 sacks compared to the 40 allowed in 2012. Increased awareness in the pocket and learning to throw the ball away also helped in keeping the sack count down.

On defense, Earnest Lewis proved to be a major contributor, recording 102 tackles and 2 sacks for the season. He also made a key goal line interception during one game, but failed to produce any fumbles. Secondary play still looked weak at times, but did seem much improved from the 2012 squad. Josh Wilson in particular was dominant, intercepting 4 passes and returning one of them for a touchdown.

The improvements to both offense and defense followed coach Cartman's promise of change. The Redskins would finish the 2013 season with a 10-6 record, good enough for a second place finish in the NFC East and a playoff berth. They would defeat the San Francisco 49ers to advance to the divisional round, where they fell to the Detroit Lions.

In his end of the season press conference, coach Cartman congratulated the Lions on their win, but warned them to look out for next year. "We're coming," he said. "We're a different team, and we're ready now. The Lions and the rest of the NFC, the rest of the NFL, they better know that we're going to be the team to beat next year."

[Gronk4M13]

Following as a Redskins real life fan. Interesting so far

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Quote: Originally Posted by Gronk4M13

Following as a Redskins real life fan. Interesting so far

Thanks man. Actually, this is kind of killing me because I don't want to play another game until I get caught up in recapping my franchise so far. My team is very different after four seasons than it was during the 2012 season.

At the same time, it's kind of cool because this is sort of like a journal. It's nice to be able to look back and remember the highlights and downs of each season.

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Season 3 - A New Look on Defense

Success breeds expectations, and expectations were high for the Washington Redskins heading into the 2014 season. Head coach Eric Cartman's bold statement following their aborted playoff run of last year set the tone for his team. "We're coming," he said. "We're going to be the team to beat."

Despite his claim, the 2014 NFL draft showed that Cartman felt his team still needed work. Another poor showing from the Redkin's secondary necessitated a focus on improving the pass defense, a need which Cartman addressed heavily. Washington spent its first two picks on FS Devon Erick and SS Jon'terrius "Jon" Black. NFL analysts noted the amazing athleticism both safeties displayed, but considered both to be "projects" due to their simply average coverage skills. Coach Cartman surprised everyone by announcing that both players would be starting over current starters Courtney Greene and Brandon Meriweather, though Meriweather still figured to play a role due his veteran leadership.

Washington further shored up its secondary by drafting late round cornerbacks Al Thomas and Idreis Bailey. Thomas was expected to fill a role behind DeAngelo Hall and Josh Wilson on the depth chart, while scouts were excited by Bailey's physical playmaking abilities. Concerns were raised over Bailey's lack of football "intelligence," but he brushed them off saying, "I know how to play ball, man."

DT Ben Arione was picked up in the third round to help an aging defensive line consisting of Barry Cofield and Shaun Smith, who was signed through free agency. Arione is a physical monster well suited to clogging up running lanes, if his technique can be improved.

Also through free agency, the Redskins signed their biggest name of the offseason in star wideout Brandon Marshall. Marshall's hands will go a long way to supplementing the talent of fellow wide recievers Steve Smith and Pierre Garcon. The speedy Brandon Banks was also resigned during the offseason to a two-year deal to retain his role as a return specialist. WR Josh Morgan was released to make room for undrafted free agent Xavier Di, who scouts described as a raw product with "incomparable speed," leaving the Redskins with one of the fastest recieving corps in the NFL. It seems apparent in his third year the direction in which coach Cartman is building his team.

With a revamped defense and a star studded offense featuring Marshall, Taiwan Dawkins, and of course, Robert Griffin III, the Redskins seemed poised to make another run deep into the playoffs. Their season began with a rough start, however, as they lost both their season and home openers.

After a rocky 0-2 beginning, things seemed to take an even worse turn as the Redskins lost both MLB Earnest Lewis and WR Steve Smith for an extended period of time. The inexperienced Perry Riley stepped in for Lewis at LB, but it was OLB Brian Orakpo who stepped up to anchor the run defense. Orakpo had been a quiet star in previous years, but seemed to finally crank it up a gear as he finished the season with 109 tackles and 6 sacks. Meanwhile, his counterpart at OLB, Ryan Kerrigan, would provide some quality production, adding 3 sacks of his own while forcing three fumbles and recovering two.

The secondary also showed some much improved play, led by the fledgling stars at safety. Erick and Black recorded 68 and 69 tackles respectively, while intercepting 3 passes each. Erick also recorded a fumble recovery while Black recorded a sack for a safety. CB Josh Wilson was truly dominant as he intercepted 6 passes on the year, earning Best Defensive Back of the Year honors. Fellow CB DeAngelo Hall unfortunately intercepted no passes and was routinely attacked in games.

As a whole, the defensive unit played exceptionally well through the season. Unfortunately, the team would finish the division in third place with a 9-7 record, largely because RGIII suffered his first setback of his young career. He finished with an 85.2 quarterback rating, throwing for 3,644 yards and 27 touchdowns, but also threw 12 interceptions and fumbled a league leading 10 times. The turnovers were an impact of another poor season by the offensive line who allowed an absolutely dreadful 41 sacks. Second year RT George Burton led the team in sacks allowed with 10.

"[George] and I have talked in private," said Cartman. "I have faith in him as a player, but he knows and I know that there has to be an improvement. He has all the physical assets he needs to be an outstanding tackle in this league. It's the experience and the know-how that he needs. Some of the blame has to fall on me for putting him in a situation that maybe he was not prepared for. I accept that, and we'll learn from this as we move forward."

RB Taiwan Dawkins surpassed 1,000 yards for the second straight time in his young career, as he rushed for 1,075 yards and 6 touchdowns. Backup RB Roy Helu Jr. added another 527 yards rushing and 3 scores.

Marshall proved to be an excellent addition by Cartman as he quickly turned into Griffin's favorite recieving target. Marshall reeled in 81 catches for the season, picking up 1,169 yards and nine touchdowns en route to a Pro Bowl season. With Smith's injury, Garcon moved into the number 2 position, but did not prove to be the downfield threat he was signed to be, as he caught only 29 passes for 403 yards and a single score. Undrafted pick up Xavier Di stepped up in his stead, astounding everybody in the league as he tied Marshall with a team-leading nine touchdown receptions. The highly underrated wideout scored on his first catch of the season, a 54 yard bomb, but didn't recieve more playing time until later in the season when he moved up the depth chart to take over Garcon's old number 3 three spot. His blazing speed allowed him to simply outrun defenders. Di finished with 35 receptions for 676 yards, and an outstanding 19.3 yards per catch average.

The major issue the team faced this season was simply finishing games. Several times they blew a large lead in the fourth quarter, and the offense was largely quiet at times. Griffin also looked inconsistent at times, playing elite for weeks before slumping for stretches. To his credit, he shouldered the responsibility like the caliber player he is.

"This is a team game, but there are individuals in it," he said after one disappointing loss. "As an individual, I need to step my game up, and help my team."

Despite missing the playoffs, the Redskins organization found many positives in their season. In his end of the season press conference, coach Cartman commented, "It wasn't what we wanted, but we found a lot of things to build on. We have weapons on offense that we need to find ways to take advantage of. Our defense found some solidarity this year, especially with our young guys like Devon and Jon. If we can progress these guys, teach them what they need to know, this team will be one of the greats. The pieces are here. We just need to use them."

Washington does indeed have a lot to look forward to. For the first time since the '96-'97 seasons, the Redskins have back to back winning seasons, echoing Cartman's words from last year: "We're coming."

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Season 4 - Bigger, Faster, Stronger

After back to back winning seasons in 2013 and 2014, the Washington Redskins look like a team returning to prominence in the NFL. Since coming into the league as rookies in 2012, head coach and quarterback tandem Eric Cartman and Robert Griffin III have achieved a 25-23 record (26-24 including the playoffs).

While their overall record may not be seen as particularly dominating, it does represent that crucial something that's been missing in Washington for so many years: a winning atmosphere. Griffin reflected their philosophy, saying, "We have just one goal here - to win."

Coach Cartman has spent the last three years trying to achive this goal by molding the team to fit the new standards of the NFL. "Bigger, faster, stronger," he said. "That's been the trend in the league for years now. I think our team epitomizes that more than anyone else right now."

While they may not be the biggest group of players in the league, there is no doubt that Washington boasts some of the fastest and strongest. The offensive unit is highlighted by some of the quickest players to ever play in the NFL. RB Taiwan Dawkins is a speedy back well suited to turning Washington's favored stretch runs into long gains. QB Griffin is well known for his speed and elusiveness in the pocket, already having amassed more than 1,200 yards rushing in his first three seasons. Wideouts Pierre Garcon and Xavier Di possess incredible speed and consistently make big plays down the field.

Bolstering the recieving corp is speedy wideout Torrey Smith, who was signed through free agency after being released from the Baltimore Ravens upon expiration of his rookie contract. WR Steve Smith was traded during the offseason for a fourth round draft pick from Buffalo, which was spent on TE Marcos Johnson. Johnson further improves the speed of the offensive unit as he has great quickness and size, though his hands need some improvement.

Where the offense epitomizes the essence of speed, the defense displays a focus on power. A linebacker corp featuring OLBs Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan, as well as MLB Earnest Lewis, was bolstered by first round pick Jordan Johnson. Johnson will play as backup to Lewis, whose season was cut short last year by injuries. All four linebackers are capable of delivering crushing blows to opposing offenses.

Of course, the greatest concern of the offseason was improving an offensive line that had allowed 41 sacks last year. The offensive line has been a major concern since Cartman took over as head coach. LT Trent Williams has been the only mainstay from previous coach Mike Shananhan's tenure, while LG Nathan Byndom has blossomed into a capable run blocker. The remaining line positions have been a different story. Despite the defense by Cartman last season, RT George Burton was released because of his poor play. Second round pick Ryan Weldon will take over his starting role. Late rounder Zachary Toscano provides depth at RG, playing back up to free agent pick up Howard Barbieri. Undrafted free agent Ryan Schlumbohm was signed to start at C.

Special teams play had been solid in previous years, but the Redskins were unable to reach a deal with P Sav Rocca following the 2014 season. P Nick Murphy was signed to replace him. Second year K Sergey Stout was also signed to a one year deal as team scouts were impressed by his incredible leg strength.

With offseason transactions completed and the team confident in themselves and their coach, the Washington Redskins headed into the 2015 season. Impressive preseason play by rookie MLB Jordan Johnson brought about some unexpected changes early into the season.

"We have some talented players, and we've been looking into ways to use them most effectively," said coach Cartman in an early season press conference. "In particular, with [Earnest] Lewis and [Jordan] Johnson, we need to get them both onto the field. These guys are playmakers. These are the guys we need to build our defense around. That's why we made the switch to a 3-4 defense."

The change in defensive schemes brought a rocky start, as the Redskins lost their season opener in what has become something of a tradition for them. The defense started to gel soon, though, with Johnson quickly becoming a leader of the team. He would finish the season with 111 tackles and was especially effective against opposing quarterbacks, recording 2 interceptions and 7 sacks. He also forced 3 fumbles and recovered 1. Fellow inside LB Lewis was not nearly as productive, recording only 38 tackles and a pair of sacks before another injury ended his season. Brian Orakpo once again stepped up as a defensive playmaker, recording 91 tackles and 8 sacks, with an interception and a forced fumble.

Second year safeties Devon Erick and JonTerrius Black continued to provide an excellent foundation for the secondary as they recorded 67 tackles and 86 tackles respectively, while intercepting 3 passes each. Both now have 6 interceptions in their careers. CB Josh Wilson wasn't as dominant as he has been in his previous two seasons as he only recorded 2 interceptions on the season. Free agent acquisition Roman Hill was able to intercept 3 passes in his rookie season, returning one of them for a touchdown.

Solid defensive play kept opposing teams off the field and helped pave the way for a productive offensive unit. Star QB RGIII finished with an 88.9 rating as he threw for a career high 4,025 yards. He also finished with 27 touchdowns to 16 interceptions, as well as 4 rushing touchdowns. Offensive line play improved this season, allowing only 34 sacks on Griffin compared to 41 from last year. The fumbling issue that Griffin showed last
season continued as he put the ball on the ground 8 times.

HB Taiwan Dawkins also had a career year, setting highs in carries and yards rushing. He surpassed 1,000 for the third straight year, gaining 1,145 yards on the ground to go along with 10 touchdowns. Meanwhile, backup RB Roy Helu Jr. added 727 yards with 5 scores.

WR Brandon Marshall was again productive as Griffin's favorite target, hauling in 83 receptions for 1,061 yards. His 5 touchdown receptions were a bit of a step back from last year's 9, however. Torrey Smith made up for it in his first year as a Redskin, though, pulling in 58 receptions for 835 yards and 7 scores. Second year wideout Xavier Di also added 50 receptions for 693 yards and 5 scores, while rookie TE, who replaced Fred Davis as the starter, brought in 56 catches for 769 yards and 6 touchdowns. Johnson proved to a dominant force against opposing linebackers.

The Redskins played excellent football on both sides of the field en route to earning an 11-5 record. They fell just short of winning the NFC East, losing to the Dallas Cowboys in the final game of the regular season to give the Cowboys a 12-4 record. Had the Redskins won, they would have owned the tiebreaker, giving them their first divisional victory since 1999. As it was, they settled for a wild card position in the playoffs, beating the Detroit Lions in the first round before falling to the Seattle Seahwaks in the divisional round.

The Redskins finished another solid season, convincing the organization to grant coach Cartman a 3 year extension in his contract. "I'm happy to be coming back here next year," said Cartman in his end of the season address. "This team has come so far, and I know we have what it takes to bring this city a Super Bowl."

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Interview With Coach Cartman

After four seasons under head coach Eric Cartman, the Washington Redskins have found success that they haven't seen in years. ESPN analyst Greg Broflovski had a chance to sit down with Cartman earlier this week in an exclusive interview.

Broflovski: Coach, you've brought this team back from obscurity. You've reached the playoffs twice in your first four years and have given the Redsins consecutive winning seasons for the first time in more than 15 years. To what do you attribute your success?

Cartman: Well, it's the players, really. We've got some of the greatest athletes in the world right here in Washington. You know, with Robert and Taiwan and Brandon and all these guys, they're all superstars. If these guys aren't here, I don't know that we win even half the games we've won.

Broflovski: But outside of the players, what is it that makes this team so successful? Is it a philosophy, a mentality that you've instilled?

Cartman: Well, growing up, I was always a big fan of the old ground and pound philosophy, you know? That's what the NFL was in the old days, and that's what I think it's missing now. That's what I've tried to bring here to Washington, with guys like Earnest Lewis and Jordan, guys who can just pound the other team until they just don't want to run anymore. It's a physical, and that's what I think Washington represents.

Broflovski: You talk about the physicality of the game, and you can definitely see it on the defensive side of the ball. But what about the offense, where you've got guys like Pierre Garcon and Taiwan Dawkins and Xavier Di, who maybe aren't the most physical players in the league?

Cartman: Oh they're physical alright. We've got a run first mentality, and I don't know that anyone is more physical than Taiwan. He's maybe not the big grinder like a Frank Gore type of guy, but you can't take the hits that Taiwan does and say that he's not physical. A lot of those runs to the outside, they end up not going anywhere, but that's the player he is. He'll take those short gains, and get up, and then all of a sudden bust out a 20 yarder.

Broflovski: You mentioned that you have a run first mentality, but how does that mesh with Robert Griffin III's play these last couple of years? He just set a career high in throwing last year with more than 4,000 yards.

Cartman: Well, that's what this team is about. It's that old, simple formula - run the ball to set up the play action. I don't think anyone can execute the play action better than Rob, and that's where Taiwan, and Roy, are so effective. They can make those explosive plays, so defenses always have to be aware of that, and that's when Robert chucks it 50 yards down the field to Brandon or Torrey or Xavier.

Broflovski: Talk about the offensive line for a minute. A lot of people are saying it's the weak link on this team.

Cartman: Well, we've tried to address it as an issue these past few years. Robert's our guy, and we know how important it is to keep him upright and healthy, so we need to hold our offensive line to a high standard. I have a lot of faith in our guys, we just need to work on techniques and awareness. But is it a weak link? No. I don't think there is a weak link on this team.

Broflovski: Alright, well thank you coach, and best of luck in 2016.

Cartman: Thanks.