Current Odds as provided by WagerWeb
Division +1200
Conference +3500
Super Bowl +8000
Win Total 6 (Over -110    Under -130)

Prior to the start of the 2010 season, the betting public was bullish on Washington’s chances to claim the NFC East title behind a Mike Shanahan-led team that had Albert Haynesworth anchoring the defense and quarterback Donovan McNabb leading the way on offense. The climb to get on the bandwagon was short lived as Haynesworth never even factored into the defensive scheme and McNabb’s early season success gave way to being sent to the bench by the season’s end. This year expectations have been kept a bit more in perspective as Shanahan goes back to the drawing board to try and turn things around.

Offense

Content with the quarterbacks he already had on his roster, Shanahan did nothing in the draft or in free agency to address the most pressing need on this side of the ball. Rex Grossman came in at the end of last season in relief of McNabb, but he did nothing to change anyone’s mind that he is best suited as a backup in this league, not a starter. Heading into training camp, it appeared that Shanahan was leaning toward John Beck as his starter. Beck has been in the league for four seasons and he started four games for Miami in 2007. With this juggernaut of talent at the most important position on the team (tongue firmly planted in cheek here, folks), it is easy to see why there are only two other teams with longer odds to win the NFC this season. Washington still has some decent receivers in Santana Moss and tight end Chris Cooley and a solid running back in Ryan Torain, but this is hardly enough to make up the void at QB.

Defense

With Haynesworth shipped off to New England, the Redskins can finally move forward with developing an effective 3-4 scheme with players committed to the system. They will need to basically go back to the drawing board after finishing the 2010 season ranked 31st in the NFL in total yards allowed and tied for 21st in points allowed. Given that the problems were across the board as they were 26th against the run and 31st against the pass, it’s little wonder that Shanahan used his first two picks in the draft to select defensive linemen Ryan Kerrigan in the first round and Jarvis Jenkins in the second. He also added a couple of defensive backs and two more linemen in the later rounds of the draft.

Personnel Moves

Along with trading Haynesworth, Washington traded McNabb to Minnesota. It had parted ways with RB Clinton Portis before the lockout in effort to unload some of the higher-priced veterans from the team. Shanahan was relatively quiet during the recent free agent frenzy, but he did pick up RB Tim Hightower, who was with Arizona, P Sav Rocca, who spent the past few seasons in Philadelphia, and DE Stephen Bowen, who started nine games for Dallas last season. One interesting pickup was QB Kellen Clemens, who was Mark Sanchez’s backup in New York. Do not be surprised he ends up figuring into the starting role somewhere along the line this season once the losses start to pile up.

Washington Redskins Schedule

This year’s schedule will provide no favors for Washington’s win total. Along with the usual perils of playing in the NFC East, the rotation has the AFC East on the slate this season. The only bright spot is the games against the Jets and the Patriots are at home, while they face the Bills and the Dolphins on the road. Other home games include Arizona and San Francisco from the West and Minnesota from the North. The Redskins will be on the road against Seattle and St.Louis to round out the NFC West and at Carolina as their only game against the NFC South.

2011 Washington Redskins Predictions

Allowing for one upset in the division and one win against the AFC East, Washington should be able to win three more games from the rest of the schedule for a 5-11 record overall and a last-place finish in the East.

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