Do we have an identity?

[bwparker]

I keep thinking about this. Do the Redskin's have an identity? When someone comes to play us, what are they thinking about? The best teams in the league have a player or style of play that you immediately think about when you look at them, something that other teams fear will simply bust out and become beyond control.

What do you do if Peyton Manning gets hot? or Carson Palmer or McNabb or Vick? What do you do when LT or SA are just having one of those days where the run over everyone?

If the Jags or the Steelers or Baltimore's defense wants to they can simply stop everything, get turnovers and win the game.

Do we have anything? What is our image? We have a QB who "won't lose the game". We have a very good, stout defense that never seems to get turnovers and seems to give up at least a couple big drives per game. I love Clinton Portis, but I think alot of people have written off our ability to run against the Jags because of their tackles. Would people do that to LT if the Chargers were playing the Jags at home? Moss is a speedster, but do teams come into games saying "we must shut that guy down or he will ruin us" like they do with Steve Smith or Chad Johhson or TO.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not bashing the team. I'm not saying we don't have our strengths, I'm just questioning if we have an identity. A single thing we do better than anyone else, that other teams fear. Its about image.

I know that we'd like to think that we have an aggressive defense and power running game, but the hallmark of those would be turnovers and a back that gets 30 carries a game and wears the defense down. Portis is a game breaker, not a grinder(He's really an all around back, but we all know which one he does better).

To be honest, right now, it seems like our identity is the screen play. Who runs it more or better than us?

Am I wrong that we feel a little lost? Am I just too close to the team that I can't see the forest for the trees?

[shally]

I keep thinking about this. Do the Redskin's have an identity? When someone comes to play us, what are they thinking about? The best teams in the league have a player or style of play that you immediately think about when you look at them, something that other teams fear will simply bust out and become beyond control.

What do you do if Peyton Manning gets hot? or Carson Palmer or McNabb or Vick? What do you do when LT or SA are just having one of those days where the run over everyone?

If the Jags or the Steelers or Baltimore's defense wants to they can simply stop everything, get turnovers and win the game.

Do we have anything? What is our image? We have a QB who "won't lose the game". We have a very good, stout defense that never seems to get turnovers and seems to give up at least a couple big drives per game. I love Clinton Portis, but I think alot of people have written off our ability to run against the Jags because of their tackles. Would people do that to LT if the Chargers were playing the Jags at home? Moss is a speedster, but do teams come into games saying "we must shut that guy down or he will ruin us" like they do with Steve Smith or Chad Johhson or TO.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not bashing the team. I'm not saying we don't have our strengths, I'm just questioning if we have an identity. A single thing we do better than anyone else, that other teams fear. Its about image.

I know that we'd like to think that we have an aggressive defense and power running game, but the hallmark of those would be turnovers and a back that gets 30 carries a game and wears the defense down. Portis is a game breaker, not a grinder(He's really an all around back, but we all know which one he does better).

To be honest, right now, it seems like our identity is the screen play. Who runs it more or better than us?

Am I wrong that we feel a little lost? Am I just too close to the team that I can't see the forest for the trees?


you are correct.. this team does not have an identity--either on offense or defense as of yet.. once portis gets cranking, that will be our identity-- a running team with the capacity to sting a team.
on defense? that will have to wait until we get springs back. but even now, we are a team that will slug your receivers in the secondary. but that has to spread throughout the entire defense

[BostonSkins]

I am pretty sure that the opposing wide receivers say to themselves before kick off

"If there's a ball accross the middle and it's a little bit high I don't know if I am going to go up for it"

That's a good identity to have.

[greatest2]

I am pretty sure that the opposing wide receivers say to themselves before kick off

"If there's a ball accross the middle and it's a little bit high I don't know if I am going to go up for it"

That's a good identity to have.

hahaha, thats great, but not a identity of a team, more like of a safety who will remain nameless...

cough cou Sean TAylor gh


anyway, we don't have an identity, but thats because portis wasn't here for the first 2 games. He was in the third, and we ran it 5 straight openin plays. I expect to see that alot more...

Portis and the ground game (maybe not power but yards per attempt, and soon to be, hopefully, play action and mid range pass)

defense, i don't know they play good, give up drives and big plays, but no big plays for as aggressive we play to match the other teams offensive big play. I see a good defense that misses a killer instinct, or is not oppurtunistic.

We will know as well as the league, or OFFENSIVE identity by week 6, if everyone is healthy. Defensively, we gotta capatilize when the ball hits us in the hands CARLOS, and when the ball is one the ground DLINE

[ryflan47]

I know other teams are horrifyed to give Randle El room to return some punts. That's not an identity, but they know they can't let him run wild back there.

[BostonSkins]

I know other teams are horrifyed to give Randle El room to return some punts. That's not an identity, but they know they can't let him run wild back there.


Yeah, it seems like we have more individual identities than team identities. Which I guess is the point of the original post.

I'd like to see our identity be:
OFFENSE: Will bust you in the mouth up the middle, but if the ball gets outside the hashes it's speed burner time.

DEFENSE: When you play us you will be hearing Tom Jackson say your name Monday night during Jacked Up

[SkinsfaninNJ]

There are some out there who would say our identity is a weak front office with a medelsome owner.

Of course, most here including me would disagree.

I think one thing the D has not gotten enough credit for in the past couple of years is being a run stopping D. I know there are times when backs have had big days against us, but when Corny and Joe and now the new guys are really working in there, it really allows Coach W. to apply pressure on third and longs.

[Meatsnack]

Our identity is 1-2. Good teams have an identity. 1-2 teams are searching for an identity.

[bwparker]

Our identity is 1-2. Good teams have an identity. 1-2 teams are searching for an identity.
Good point

[HailVictory]

Our identity is 1-2. Good teams have an identity. 1-2 teams are searching for an identity. Well put. All the new faces really makes it hard to have any sense of continuity early, but we usually see Gibbs teams come together eventually. Hopefully, we won't stray to far away from his philosophies. Maybe it takes whipping a dog team for everyone to buy in and get some identity created. Beating the Jags would be the next step in that direction.

[EberKain]

Our Identity could be created with this game. Portis is a stud and if he can make some big plays despite the Jags great defense then he could become 'our guy'.

For me, I didn't have that winning high this past week because I dont really know if we are improving or just that the texans were that bad.

[santanadasavior]

Portis and defense is our identity. We have yet to find that yet. Brunell will be very successful as will the recievers but they will not be the identity because everything on offense revolves around Portis.

[Ibleedburgundy]

We definitely had an identity at the end of last season. CP, Moss, Taylor, Marcus Washington, Dirtbags, Cooley, Grif and Salave'a, hell even Lavar was part of that identity. Brunell was the QB who didn't lose the game.

This year is different so far. The Defense needs Shawn Springs back and like Doc said, for Arch to get situated. The offense just needs to get rolling. Even though it was the porous Texans defense, I thought our guys showed improvment. When those things happen we will have a 2006 identity and our guys will be lovin life and having fun hitting people like they were at the end of 2005.

[silverspring]

I like this topic. My take on it is that deep down the redskins do have an identity but all the player turnover every year and change whether it is new coaches or a revamped offense strips this team of it's identity. For years now this team has to fall into absolute darkness before it wakes up and starts playing with some character and pride and as a team.

Two years ago was bad, after a big game 1 win our team didn't seem to be able to do anything for half the season. Meanwhile our defense seemed to just get better and better. Then all of the sudden even though we weren't winning all our games things were clicking and there was a positive vibe and this team seemed to have it's identity.

Last year rolled for a while with some initial momentum but then we went flat. Then in november we lost 3 games straight, finally in december when things seemed almost hopeless the team came together and played with heart and won 6 in a row.

It wasn't like this for just gibbs 2, for instance look at the shottenhiemer era, lavar's big coming out. The point is this team seems to like to go into a hole before it can find itself.

But I am optimistic this year, because we dug that hole in pre-season and the the first two games of regular season. Much earlier then in prior years. If we are now snapping to life, if this team has found it's heart then we are in good shape still to make a big run.

[redwolf1218]

i think we have a dink-and-dunk identity, but i think if they watch that film and bring guys up too close, we'll go deep. they are slow at corner, linebacker and free safety, with the only fast guy on their defense being their strong safety Darius Donovan. he could cause problems for Cooley or the screens and guys out of the backfield, or even in run support, but the outside and deep sould be open.

[Biggie]

Last year's team had an identity forged in the grind of a six-game run where Portis went crazy and the defense was stupid good. This year, on the other hand, we have a lot of good individuals players who are just that... individuals. It's going to take a while for this to be an actual team that's comfortable with the people around them. That goes for Carter, Archuleta, Lloyd, and Randle El.

[toolman24266]

I have to say two words


JOE GIBBS

that is who we are!!!!!!!!!!!

[Axegrinder]

We run the ball on offense and we hit on defense.

[PA Skins Girl]

I think we will develop our identity as the season progresses. We were 3-0 last year at this point and our identity was, "the worst 3-0 team in NFL history", if you recall.

[taylor21]

I know other teams are horrifyed to give Randle El room to return some punts. That's not an identity, but they know they can't let him run wild back there.
well with randle moss and portis we have alot of speed back there,i dont think we have a identity yet be if we can get and stay heathy we will have one!

[LATrueRedskin]

I think at the moment we don't have an indentity. As the year goes on, I think we'll develop one. Who knows what it'll be; it could be a number of things.

I loved the identity we had during last season. We were known around the league as a tough-as-nails team who came to fight and forced you to try your damndest to beat us. I hope we can get that image back.

[santanadasavior]

I think at the moment we don't have an indentity. As the year goes on, I think we'll develop one. Who knows what it'll be; it could be a number of things.

I loved the identity we had during last season. We were known around the league as a tough-as-nails team who came to fight and forced you to try your damndest to beat us. I hope we can get that image back.

That was a great image. We only had one game where we weren't in the game. I hope that we have already had that one this year.

[PA Skins Girl]

This weekend's game against Jacksonville will be very physical. Maybe we can start building some of that pop-you-in-the-mouth identity again.

[santanadasavior]

This weekend's game against Jacksonville will be very physical. Maybe we can start building some of that pop-you-in-the-mouth identity again.

I think that Taylor gives us that image even if we don't do it all that much. If we can just stop the run more and run the ball well again then we will get that identity. I want the tough guy image for this team again.

[LATrueRedskin]

That was a great image. We only had one game where we weren't in the game. I hope that we have already had that one this year.

That's true. But against the Giants there was something in the air after Mr. Mera died that would have prevented us from winning no matter how hard we tried.

[santanadasavior]

That's true. But against the Giants there was something in the air after Mr. Mera died that would have prevented us from winning no matter how hard we tried.

That makes it even better. We put the thought that the other team had to play mistake free football to beat us into their head. I think that effect the Eagles in the last game because of all of the stupid mistakes they made. It is all about the ora. If we come out and push around one of the most physical teams in the league then we will show everyone that we are a force to be reckoned with.

[LATrueRedskin]

That makes it even better. We put the thought that the other team had to play mistake free football to beat us into their head. I think that effect the Eagles in the last game because of all of the stupid mistakes they made. It is all about the ora. If we come out and push around one of the most physical teams in the league then we will show everyone that we are a force to be reckoned with.

Right on. And I definately haven't had that feeling about this team yet. I hope we can get it back.

[shally]

That makes it even better. We put the thought that the other team had to play mistake free football to beat us into their head. I think that effect the Eagles in the last game because of all of the stupid mistakes they made. It is all about the ora. If we come out and push around one of the most physical teams in the league then we will show everyone that we are a force to be reckoned with.

that last game against the eagles was against a mere shell of the team we will face this year.. now, the dallas game just before that was a whomping..

[santanadasavior]

Right on. And I definately haven't had that feeling about this team yet. I hope we can get it back.

I think if we can duplicate long scoring drives and effient offense with a defense, who we didn't talk about much but they did a really good job at stopping an offense that is acutally really good, if this defense can reproduce what they did against the Texans against a less talented offense then I think we could get that back. If we send a team packing that beat the former champs and played the Colts pretty well it will send a message to everybody. They will all fear the tribe.