Keys to the Season

Offered up for your consideration, here are my seven keys to a successful season.

1. A healthy, effective O-Line
Duh. Enough ink's been spilled on this topic already. For reference, I direct you to the comments of every local sports writer over the past four months.

2. Portis gets over 300 touches
If CP rushes significantly fewer than 300 times, it means he's hurt. That means we lose.


3. The two-TE formation gets going
Sleepy Davis had a great preseason. Chris Cooley is a Pro Bowler likely to make many more trips to Hawaii. Jim Zorn's West Coast offense is in its second year, and players have had much more time to learn it. I like those facts.

4. Malcolm Kelly inspires such comments as "Devin who?"
This guy is a shut-up-and-play beast. As Micah noticed, he never celebrates after making a great reception - he just hands the ball to the ref and trots back to the huddle. We don't know about the talent yet, but the temperment is Monkish.
5. Rak either learns to play in space, or gets moved to end on first and second downs
I'm glad he got so many reps at LB in the preseason, but James Farrior he's not. I just hope that Blache doesn't consider that experiment a season-long project. I think he can play, but if he gets beat bad by the Rams and Lions at LB, please put this incredible player back at the position that caused him to win all the major defensive trophies at Texas.

6. The Redskins draw fewer and less costly penalties than their opponents
This preseason has been scary, not only for the sheer number and terrible timing of the penalties, but also because of who has been making them. Starters with years of experience. Ill-timed facemasks and blocks in the back would be a horrible way to have a losing season.

7. Special teams doesn't lose games for the Skins
Special teams has not done much to make me feel confident that they won't be the leg-sized Achilles-heel of the Redskins. No one stepped up to take the punt return job. Lots of missed tackles and blown coverage on kicks. Alridge's fumble was just ridiculous.

Note: Jason Campbell's absence from this list is not accidental. He's one of the most solid players on the team. Barring a season-ending injury, there is nothing related to JC that would affect the outcome of the season.

You should feel confident when you see this man.