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What If the Redskins Just Made Their Field Goals Against Dallas?
By Jamie Mottram | December 19, 2011
The NFC East standings are not pretty. Dallas is 8-6, which is about right. The Giants are 7-7, which is hilarious. Philly is 6-8, trying to salvage their “Dream Team” season. And the Skins are 5-9, erased from the playoff picture.
But what if, as JMU Sports Blog’s Todd Davis suggested in Redskins-Giants Predictions, Graham Gano had converted his field goals against the Cowboys? The Redskins lost the first Dallas game by two points, a game in which a 36-yard attempt was botched by a Sav Rocca muffed snap. And the Redskins lost the second Dallas game in OT by three points, a game in which Gano missed 49- and 52-yard attempts.
Let’s just pretend he makes those kicks, or at least two of those kicks, and all else remains equal. Here’s what the NFC East standings would look like:
1. Redskins (7-7 with the head-to-head tiebreaker over New York)
2. Giants (7-7)
3. Eagles (6-8 with the head-to head tiebreaker over Dallas)
4. Cowboys (6-8)
This is silly, I know, but it also illustrates the thin line between a division championship and infinite sadness. Plus it gives us another excuse to say, “Fire Danny Smith.”
Topics: Fire Danny Smith, Graham Gano, Redskins | 13 Comments »
December 19th, 2011 at 10:31 AM
Haha, this type of thinking will drive you mad Mottram! Surely we all play the “what if” games annually, and its a sad thing that we Skins fans get to pull our hair out with these ponderings even before Christmas is here.
I think we are about same team i anticipated at the start of the year. We have had some struggles with injuries, idiotic suspensions, and missed opportunities which has ensured us a losing season, again. But at the same time, I am starting to see progress with young players all over the roster, which was my biggest hope coming into this season.
As for Danny Smith, I am not sure if I want him gone. His coverage teams have consistently been tops in the league and he has worked with Gano for the entirety of Ganos young career, and I do have faith that Gano evens out and cuts some of these bonehead mistakes. The whole kickoffs out of bounds issue is more on Gano, IMHO.
December 19th, 2011 at 11:05 AM
If Gano makes his field goals against Dallas he misses others against the giants, the rams, seahawks and cards. You can’t play the what if game or else we would get stuck on what if Dan Snyder never bought the Redskins…
I do however agree with the reason for this posting. The fact that we know Danny smiths name as well as do is reason enough for him to get fired.
December 19th, 2011 at 11:15 AM
I’m not happy with myself for playing the what-if game, but Gano making his Dallas kicks has nothing to do with him missing his other kicks.
Overall, he has the lowest FG% in the NFL this season. Second worst? Shaun Suisham.
December 19th, 2011 at 11:19 AM
I don’t get the Fire Danny Smith thing. His coverage units are consistently the best in the league, and that’s coaching. Missed FGs are not his fault. Gano kicking out of bounds on kickoffs are not his fault.
Even if he were making the kicking personnel decisions – which I doubt he is – it’s not like he’s cutting Janikowski and replacing him with Gano. If you want to put the muffed snaps/holds on him, I guess that is reasonable, but not enough his fault to be a fireable offense when considering the whole, IMHO.
December 19th, 2011 at 11:33 AM
The Redskins’ overall special teams DVOA ranking is 21st this season:
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/teamst
As noted, they’re above-average on coverage, but below-average on returns and FG/XP.
They were 25th last year, 23rd the year before that, and 25th the year before that.
December 19th, 2011 at 11:43 AM
Innnnteresting. Well I shall have to reconsider my opinion.
December 19th, 2011 at 12:00 PM
This is the Internet, sir, where reconsideration of opinion is new ground.
December 19th, 2011 at 12:09 PM
I’m ok with the what-if game. Opportunities to win are a little hard to come by for our skins and if they take the few that they have and throw them away….
December 19th, 2011 at 12:13 PM
I guess I could go both ways on this. Sure, we’ve got solid special teamers (LoAx, Sellers, Little Westbrook) and you can’t blame coaching for everything that goes wrong, but I’m starting to see Danny as the common denominator in a special teams group that I find myself blaming more than applauding while he’s been coach.
This year, the Skins have the lowest FG percentage in the league (71.9%) AND lowest XP percentage in the league (95.2%). But that’s Gano, you say?
Here’s a stat that I’m pretty sure is correct but can’t back up at all: The Skins have more blocked kicks this year than any team has had over the last 4 years combined. You can tell me that’s not accurate, but it sure SOUNDS right, right?
Look, the guy can yell, which is a big plus in my book (love you, Buges), but beyond that, yeah, I’m over Danny Smith. PSGO. Any chance Haslett’s son is a special teams guru?
December 19th, 2011 at 12:17 PM
I don’t like the what if game either, but both of those Dallas games were very very winnable.
What grinds me gears are people talking about Dallas like they are about 5 tiers above of the Redskins.
Dallas has beaten exactly one team with a winning record this season (San Fran). Skins are not all that great this season, but neither is Dallas.
December 19th, 2011 at 1:07 PM
and if dallas had lost to san fran, they would still be 1st in the division. why couldn’t this be the year that most of the skin’s pieces fell into place? now that’s infinite sadness
December 19th, 2011 at 1:39 PM
With Danny Smith you get:
- excellent coverage (only prevents embarassing returns, which shouldn’t happen to a good ST unit under any coach)
- bad blocking (poor return yds, none broken for scores, and penalties negating many of the good returns)
- blocked FGs AND PATs
- directional kickoffs, which are stupid and go out of bounds and ARE partially on him not just Gano
That is absolutely grounds for firing a special teams coach.
December 19th, 2011 at 5:02 PM
Danny Smith should be fired for that stupid pre-onside kick routine vs the Jets. Trying to fake which side the kick is going? Ooooooooo Clever. Just line up and onside kick it.