2010 RECORD: 6-10-0
(4th in NFC East)
HEAD COACH: Mike Shanahan
Offense: Rex Grossman and John Beck are the two vying for the starting quarterback position in 2011 after Donovan McNabb departed to Minnesota.
Grossman played down the stretch last season and finished with 884 passing yards to go with seven touchdown passes and four interceptions.
The backfield has Tim Hightower (736 rushing yards, 4.6 ypc average, five touchdowns), who comes over from the Arizona Cardinals, along with Ryan Torain (742, 4.5, four TD) and fullbacks Mike Sellers and Darrel Young.
The wide receivers are led by veteran Santana Moss, who caught 93 passes last season for 1,115 yards and had six touchdowns. Tight End Chris Cooley made 77 grabs for 849 yards and scored three touchdowns.
The deep threat for the Redskins is Anthony Armstrong (44 catches, 871 yards, 19.8 ypc, three TD) and rookie Leonard Hankerson (Miami), who will be given a chance to show his skills.
The offensive line consists of center Will Montgomery, guards Chris Chester and Kory Lichtensteiger and tackles Trent Williams and Jammal Brown.
Washington averaged 336 yards per game in 2010, which was 18th overall in the NFL. The passing game finished eighth (244 yards) while the running attack must step up after a lowly 91 yards per game average in 2010, which ranked 30th overall.
Defense: The Redskins will look to get back to the kind of defense they displayed two years ago after finishing 31st in the league last season, allowing 389 yards per game.
The run defense as well as the pass defense (261 yards per game allowed) was bad, allowing 128 yards per game.
Head Coach Mike Shanahan knows the team can do better in this area and will have a 3-4 scheme led by Nose Tackle Anthony Bryant. The ends are Adam Carriker and Jarvis Jenkins, a rookie out of Clemson.
Providing backup on the defensive front will be Phillip Daniels, Ma'ake Kemoeatu, Kedric Golston and rookie Ryan Kerrigan, who will also see action at outside linebacker.
Kerrigan, from Purdue, will be on the outside along with Brian Orakpo, who was the Redskins' sacks leader last year with 8.5 take downs.
The inside linebackers are 13-year veteran London Fletcher and Perry Riley. Also in the mix for 2011 are Lorenzo Alexander, Rob Henson, Rob Jackson and H.B. Blades.
The secondary is led by DeAngelo Hall, who made six interceptions (one returned for touchdown) at cornerback along with Josh Wilson or Kevin Barnes at the other corner. The safeties are O.J. Atogwe and LaRon Landry.
Adding some depth to this unit are Byron Westbrook, Reed Doughty, Kareem Moore and Phillip Buchanon.
OUTLOOK: Playing in NFC East, where Dallas, Philadelphia and the New York Giants reside, the Redskins are looking to fly under the radar this season and sneak up on people.
In fact, quarterback Rex Grossman boldly stated the Redskins will win the division.
Only time will tell on that fearless forecast as the defense has much, much improvement to make in the 2011 season.
Grossman can do his part on offense to make the promise come true, but a lot depends on the men up front, as the 'Skins allowed 46 sacks last season.
With Hightower and Torain providing the leg work and the steady improvement in the passing game with some decent receivers and a quality tight end in Cooley, the Redskins' offense has potential to improve on the scoreboard.
In 2010, Washington scored just 302 points, which ranked 25th in the NFL. That has to improve in order for the team to contend in the division race.
The defense must also step up after giving up so much last year.
The addition of two rookies starting on the 'D' will most likely provide some growing pains, but the team showed they can step up defensively in year's past and must do so again this season if the team wants to improve from last season.
In all likelihood, the Redskins will repeat as cellar dwellers in the NFC East, going 5-11 as they look to the future and better days ahead.
TEAM SCHEDULE:
Week 1- vs. NY Giants
Week 2- vs. Arizona
Week 3- at Dallas
Week 4- at St. Louis
Week 5- BYE WEEK
Week 6- vs. Philadelphia
Week 7- at Carolina
Week 8- at Buffalo
Week 9- vs. San Francisco
Week 10- at Miami
Week 11- vs. Dallas
Week 12- at Seattle
Week 13- vs. NY Jets
Week 14- vs. New England
Week 15- at NY Giants
Week 16- vs. Minnesota
Week 17- at Philadelphia
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