Here We Go Again

Four months to go before we get to the preseason and already the Redskins are making big news. I waited a day or two to let the news sink in before writing but then I figured I might as well write something about the news that Donavan McNabb, the heretofore quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles and longtime nemesis of the Washington defensive line. After a few rumors about where he may end up, McNabb surprised many when he announced that he would be coming to Washington. Undergoing contract negotiations now, it is still not a certainty that he will be the starter or that he will even be kept on but if the past is any indicator of how the coming season will go, then we might as well cinch up our seat belts because the ride is likely to be very bumpy.

Now I don't mean to imply that McNabb isn't a good pick. On the contrary, I think he's a great quarterback and though he's not as good as he was a few years ago, I think he's still got the tools to be a good leader for the Redskins. After all, if Brett Farve (who is as creaky as they come when it comes to quarterbacks) can play so well then there's definitely hope for McNabb with the Skins. However, this isn't the first time the Skins have drafted a player starting on the downward part of their career. Again, that's not to imply that McNabb is lacking anything that could help him play effectively, but the difference is the team he is playing with. Contrasting Farve with McNabb we find that McNabb in Philly had a lot more targets (that too effective and relatively consistent ones) who helped him execute plays. Combine that with an agility that isn't to be found with very many QBs when flushed out of the pocket and you have a deadly weapon.

But now that he's a touch slower and the fact that Washington doesn't currently have quite as many targets as Philly (or all the teams that Farve has played on save for the Jets) means that it may be harder for him to play at the level that he is expected to play at. Perhaps I'm wrong (and I would certainly love to be wrong in this case) but I think what Washington needs is a bevy of players who can catch and who can run the ball when needed. And most of all they need an offensive line that will give the QB (whoever it is) enough time to execute the plan they have. It doesn't do anyone on the Skins any good if the QB is constantly sacked or rushed to make a play. McNabb has certainly made plays out of nothing when he's been forced to run but then by the same token, so has Jason Campbell (on those rare occasions when the stars align) but he still isn't up to that level. So then perhaps McNabb can help groom Campbell (if Campbell is kept on).

After all, after several losses in DC where Campbell has been booed, McNabb (who has been in that situation since he was drafted in Philly) would often seek Campbell out to offer him words of encouragement. Perhaps McNabb's presence in DC will be somewhat akin to how Darrell Green groomed and guided Champ Bailey (before he departed for Denver) and how he helped elevate his gain through his experience. It's well worth seeing if it comes true. All that I truly hope though is that we don't expect miraculous results right off the bat. We've changed our coaches, players and other personnel more often than NASCAR drivers refuel and it hasn't led to much. What I hope is that McNabb isn't pressured into becoming the one who all the team's hopes are pinned on. It is supposed to be a team so hopefully that philosophy will come through. The Skins certainly need it. I just don't want to see yet another season go by which starts of with tremendous hope and then ends with we fans looking forward to next August even before September is over.