Glad It's Pre-Season

Did you happen to watch any of the game the other night between Carolina and Washington? Yeah, the preseason one.

It featured much of what we've come to expect here of our team in the nation's capital. No passing attack. Sloppy play. A former Redskin player scoring. And oh yeah, a loss.

Since relocating to the DC area seven years ago, I gradually, and much against my will, found myself routing for the Redskins, a team I used to despise. My new-found loyalties have not worked out, however.

In reading a recent write up I discovered the Redskins went 6-10 last year. I had forgotten that. Were they really that Good, to have won six games? I'm looking for about three wins this year.

For the past several seasons the Redskins have been the winner of every off-season super bowl, attracting media attention with one high-priced signing or trade. Or a significant coaching hire. Then the team flops when the actual season comes around.

This off-season was different. Players identified by the coach as "core Redskins" took off for greener pastures. Fred Smoot to Minnesota, LB Pierce to the division rival Giants, and a wide receiver swap with the Jets that saw L. Coles go back to NYC and Santana Moss land here. And this was pretty much a straight up trade, receiver for receiver. You can buy drugs on the street and not get ripped off that bad.

True, Coles didn't do a lot here because no one could get him the ball. Which I suppose brings us to the quarterback. Seeing Saturday night's game convinced me Ramsey is done here. He doesn't look comfortable. For a team that lost a lot of talent this offseason, that ain't a good sign, especially since he's been around the joint for a couple of years now.

ESPN's Len Pasquarelli, who usually manages to keep to the old adage about saying something nice or not saying anything at all, ripped the Redskins in his camp review column. And he suggested--and this AFTER the hideous Ravens game and BEFORE the Panthers game--that the clock was ticking on Patrick Ramsey's future with the team. I don't doubt that that is true, and that rookie Jason Campbell will see action sooner rather than later.

At least there's the Gregg Williams' coached defense, which overcame injuries last year, and with some unsung fill-ins, did a pretty good job stopping people. Good thing, too, because the Redskins didn't cross the goal-line too often.

Anyway, there's nothing like low expectations to make an expected-tough season endurable.