Buttercup and Westley have just entered the Fire Swamp, and look around.
Westly: “It's not that bad.”
Buttercup stares at him in disbelief.
Westley: “Well, I’m not saying I’d like to build a summer home here, but the trees are qctually quite lovely.”
Every year I say I am not going to do it, and every year I do.
When the Redskins schedule comes out, I suspended my higher brain functions and play out the upcoming season in about a minute's time.
The first thing I always do is focus on the opener, because despite what the punditry will remind us over and over between now and then, it is not “just another game.” It is the game we will be focusing on, anticipating and building up for the next five months. It's also the game I will spend that time thinking about when envisioning the 2009 Redskins.
So yes, while technically it is “just one game,” in heart and mind it means a lot more from where we sit today than, say, a week thirteen game against the Raiders. So despite my better judgment (because as I said, I wasn’t going to do it this year) I lasered right in on the season opener with great expectation—gimme a 1 o’clock Sunday home against that Lions, baby—and ... erk.
The Giants. There. Again.
Loss.
Then I proceeded to do what I always do (and as I wager most every true fan does, even if he/she doesn’t admit it aloud)—I scanned down the list and tallied up projected wins and losses.
No doubt it's a silly exercise, given we have no real sense at this point what kind of team the 2009 Redskins will be, nor what kind of team each opponent will be the week the Redskins face them, what each teams' the injury report will say the day of each game, which opponents might be coming off a bye, or two straight losses and desperate, or three straight wins and cocky, or ... you get my drift.
So with all of that said ... memorialized here so I won’t be tempted to go back and hide from it later (not that I, you know, would), set out below is my first-blush projected regular season, based on nothing more than gut reaction.
I will plan to revisit both the schedule and projected season at least a couple of times before opening day; probably once right before training camp opens in July, and again in the week after the final preseason game.
At that point, of course, I will replace base instinct with at least a touch of brain function, and be able to incorporate considerable new data. But that won’t be as pure, and perhaps not nearly as much fun.
9/13 – @ NYG...L
9/20 – STL...W
9/27 – @ DET...W
10/4 – TB...W
10/11 – @ CAR...L
10/18 – KC...W
10/26 – PHI...W
11/8 – @ ATL...L
11/15 – DEN... W
11/22 – @ DAL...L
11/29 – @ PHI...L
12/6 – NO...W
12/13 – @ OAK...W
12/21 – NYG...W
12/27 – DAL...W
1/3 – @ SD...L
Reg. Season Record: 10-6
Which, as first reactions go, isn't that bad.
Hail.
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8 comments:
I see the Carolina, Atlanta, New Orleans, and maybe the San Diego games as ones that are kinda measuring sticks for our progress this season. I like that these games are all spread out throughout the season. Funny that you only have us winning one of them. I'd like to at least split these games as they could go a long way in determining our playoff chances in terms of tiebreakers.
The other things to look at are the Rams, Lions, Bucks, Chiefs, Denver, and Oakland games. These are games against teams with new head coaches. I'd like to see us go undefeated against these teams, but I think thats unlikely - the any given sunday rule. I have a feeling that we'll lose 2 of these games.
So that means that if we can split our division games, we wind up going at least 9-7.
Thats at least what I expect this year.
oh yeah, in Princess Bride, he says I'm NOT saying I'd like to build a summer home here.
8-0 at home seems like quite the split for a 2-6 road team, but ultimately, 10-6 is right about where this team is talent-wise.
Thought,
Clearly you've applied your screen name to an extent I have not at this point. I'll get around to actually thinking the schedule through at some point though. For now, just putting the quick-reaction on paper (as it were.)
And thanks for the correction on the quote--talk about changing the meaning ...
GTripp,
Hadn't even noticed the undefeated home record prediction. I'll be surprised if the revisited versions later this summer are *quite* as sanguine about the successful defense of FedEx Field.
Overall it's not bad. There are some brutal aspects to it, though.
Opening at the Meadowlands...'nuff said.
Two sets of back-to-back division games, the second of which is sandwiched between two West Coast trips culminating with Norv Bowl II. Awesome.
(In case anyone's keeping score it's coaches done wrong by Danny 3, Redskins 0.)
Oops. I meant people done wrong by Danny.
Brad Johnson was responsible for one of those wins (in our yard, naturally.)
I resisted ( I do not think you know what that means)
Ok, I took a quick glance prior to coming up with a 10-6 record as well.
What I do like about the schedule is the first half appears to be easier than the second half which I believe will benefit the Redskins who again can start 6-2 or 5-3 after the initial 8 games. And while still fresh, thoughts will turn to a 2-6 2nd half failure. This provides some added focus and incentive to perform; 4-4 or worse could easily occur during the 2nd half but the memory of 2008 should provide for at least 1 if not 2 wins the second half again which makes the team 10-6 or 11-5 Hail!
Ironically, I like the entire prediction except the first game. I think having 5 months to game plan against a Plaxico-less New York and having a healthy team makes that one much less intimidating than year's past.
And +1 for the Princess Bride reference. :)
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