Why the Skins' Preseason Isn't a Cause for Concern

How bad was the 41-0 rout to the New England Patriots? It was Washington's worst August loss since a 48-3 spanking to the Houston Oilers in 1974.

What does that mean for the outlook of the season? Only time will tell, but the Redskins aren't a team that folds easily. Last year they were 5-6 with only five games left in the season when they defied the odds and not only went to the playoffs, they even won a game before losing to the eventual Super Bowl runner-ups.

To predict the outcome of the regular season based off the preseason in the Redskins case would be a mistake. Sure the offense has looked like a Pop Warner team. And the defense got shredded by the Patriots. And the special teams look more like they were cursed. But the one variable that will separate these Redskins from the Redskins of the past and any other team in the league is the coaching staff. If it was Steve Spurrier's rookie staff, we would worry. Even if it was Norv Turner's team, a coach who has never truly succeeded in the league, we would worry. Marty? Well, he's been in the league forever and still hasn't earned a Lombardi Trophy.

But when you have a staff that has seen it all, you can maintain confidence that the Redskins will make a run for home field advantage during the playoffs. Joe Gibbs wears three Super Bowl rings and it's not because he's had the NFL's best talent, either. It's coaching.

Gibbs spoke Sunday night about the performance of the Patriots game, and it's evident there's a method to the madness. One of the things he mentioned was the Redskins played "straight up," not blitzing a lot, using misdirections or anything fancy. Just manning up.

At the expense of a confidence-shattering performance, it looks like the staff is going back to basics, looking at the foundation of the team, analyzing the players for their individual performances instead of the performance as a result of good play-calling, and sure enough, doing what great coaches do.

It may be taking a little longer than we hoped, but the coaching staff will have this team ready to play come the opening kickoff, and soon enough, this 41-0 thumping will be just a distant memory.