Perspective.
“…That’s how it starts sir. The fever. The rage. The feeling of powerlessness. It turns good men…cruel”. – Alfred Penniworth (Batman vs Superman 2016)
Sunday was just like many Sundays I’ve experienced before; the Washington Redskins go into a game that NO one believes they can win, including most fans. They start the game hot, the defense is making all kinds of plays and holding Drew Brees (DREW FRIGGIN BREES!!!) and the high-powered New Orleans Saints offense to 16 points going into the final minutes of this critical game.
We might win this thing!
For Kirk Cousins, who has found some kind of way to make even the most cynical fan believe in him, this is it.
Phone calls are made.
Facebook Posts are flying from fans overflowing with joy.
And then…somehow…some way… they do the most Redskin thing and find a way to lose…again.
Jay Gruden sends in a few silly calls to Kirk Cousins, Cousins makes a costly throw, penalties at the wrong time and just like clockwork they implode like sadly…many of us have come to expect. Those posts boasting about how good the team have now flipped and collective blood pressures are sky high. Fans have sunk into their couches as if they just found out that the Red Rider BB Gun with a compass in the stock and this thing which tells time will shoot their eye out.
In his post-game press conference Head Coach Jay Gruden said, “It stings. It stings a lot of people. We’ll have to bounce back in a short week.” He’s absolutely correct because it does. See the great teams can find ways to overcome injuries, and somehow they find ways to get one last play to seal the win.
The defense finds a way to get one last stop and just in-case they don’t do their job, then QB1 is sure to get another score to win. When that doesn’t happen Redskins Nation grab our torches and march on Ashburn demanding answers and we will not leave until we have our blood sacrifice. There must be a sacrifice laid on the altar, we shall have our pound of flesh.
Get rid of the QB!
Get rid of the coach!
Blow this thing up, start over and lets get this thing set right!
See this is usually when someone lists all of their coaching credentials and tells me to stick to grilling or the band because I don’t know football.
I get it family.. but consider that three years ago today we were talking about Jay Gruden saying that former #2 Draft Pick and Savior of The Franchise and bonafide douchebag Robert Griffin III needed to worry about himself. He may have lost many fans with that statement and Robert but he won something more special, more important…the team. Since naming Cousins the starter, the Redskins would improve to 9-7 in 2015 and 8-7-1 in 2016. This team is in the works of laying a solid foundation finally.
Now I’m sure this isnt the best time to say something like this but it needs to be mentioned for the people in the back. I say it because this is something I say when discussing the team and their “direction” for lack of a better term.
Sundays loss is the type that begs for firings and heads to roll but I offer you another.
“Wait it out?!? Da hell you mean Bernard? Why wait? We have to move on NOW!!”
We want more.
We as fans deserve more.
We want to be a perennial playoff team and mentioned with the other great franchises in the sport such as New England, Green Bay and Pittsburgh but the fact of the matter is that we just aren’t there yet.
And honestly…that’s ok.
Cousins and Gruden have both grown together. Neither of the two are finished products, none of them are amongst the greats but they are giving us competent (yet idiotic at times) football to watch and the only thing to weed the dumb out is acquire more talent.
Its as simple as that. Talent matters.
The Redskins have been known to forgo the draft in lieu of expensive veteran free agents because those are sure things. However, that has not been the teams M.O. for the past half-decade or so. Sure they’ll sign a Josh Norman who happens to fall in their laps but the draft has become the lifeblood of the team and drafting my friends takes time unless you hit the PowerBall. If this team is able to find a legit running back, another receiver, and some more help on the defensive line this team can be dangerous next season.
For 26 seasons, this franchise has failed to win 11 games in a season, a mark that every team has hit atleast once during that span (yes, even the Cleveland Browns). Thats a sobering statistic to say the least. Yet, most of the people angry about that tidbit didn’t think the team would win eight games om 2017 so take it for what its worth.
They also will lay all the blame on Cousins for the loss on Sunday, which is fine but mostly incorrect. Many of them have checked out and are fans out of habit. If you’re still here, if still live and die with this team, if you step back and look at this thing objectively and think back to where this franchise was just 3 years ago you’ll see progress has been made. A foundation is being laid here, it will take time, but this is a part of the journey to greatness…but I agree… it still sucks.
Thanks for letting me share CiTLR!
Hail.
Bernard.
