I too, begrudgingly give congrats to the Skins.
They certainly ruined our season......twice in one year...
Anyway, I think their success will be short-lived. Not only in the playoffs, but next season.
First of all, they stayed relatively healthy while the rest of the East got bit hard by the injury bug. Now, the Commanders the past two weeks have been getting bit.....but they were ok for most of the season....especially on offense.
They got all the NFC East teams at the right time: an Eagle team that was under turmoil the whole week before their game (they fortunately had them at home), a Giants team that had been beaten up and injured, and again, an Eagle team ravaged by injury.
Their two games with us I won't touch. We lost them....no excuses.
Secondly, their second-half schedule was very favorable...
Next, they are smoke and mirrors on defense. They remind me of our 2003 team. We had the NFL's number one defense, but it was a mirage. The Skins cannot put pressure on the passer without blitzing. I think we had them figured out in game one......but for some reason, we held back.
Lastly, their prospects for the future do not look too bright. They're very young in certain areas. But they're also very thin. If they suffer an injury to Moss or Brunell, they're in deep trouble. They have no first-round draft choice, and limited cap space. They'll have to make tough decisions on who to keep.
I may be wrong.......but I think they come down to Earth next season.
