The Washington Redskins’ season came to a screeching halt after a strong start to the season. Beginning the season at 6-3, most fans of the team had playoff aspirations on their minds. In fact, they almost viewed it as a certainty.
Unfortunately, the season took a dark turn. The team’s top two signal callers broke their leg within two weeks of each other, spinning the organization into a free-fall.
As a result, the team ended the year losing six of seven, and out of the playoffs.
Although it is easy to dwell on the negatives, one must look at the positive events that occurred this season, and celebrate the small successes the team had in 2018.
Please enjoy a light-hearted attempt at humor, as we celebrate the Redskins’ end of the year superlatives.
End of the Year Awards
Class Clown: Derrius Guice
Our first award goes to Derrius Guice, who brought a youthful energy to the team. He always had a smile on his face, and was active on social media. Want to challenge him on Fortnite? Just shoot him a message on Twitter. Want to interact with him on live stream? Go on his Twitch Feed and check him out. He was a fan favorite at training camp and often stayed late to sign autographs.
Guice had positive energy all year, despite being lost for the season with a torn ACL. And that positivity made him this year’s class clown.
Most Likely to Succeed: Jonathan Allen
It was widely considered a steal when Allen fell to the ‘Skins 17th pick in 2017. He was known as a blue-chip prospect, but there were concerns of a chronic shoulder issue. However, we can worry about that down the road.
Allen started the Alabama movement in Ashburn and brought a sense of professionalism and pride to the organization. And, in his first full season on the team, he accumulated eight sacks for the year.
Only 23, he has a lot of football ahead of him. Don’t be surprised if he’s a team captain next year.
Most School-Spirited: Chris Thompson
Although Thompson was injured throughout most of the year, he was a positive presence in dark times. You can tell he is fully invested in the success of the team.
On several occasions, Thompson appeared visibly upset and emotional during losses, when teammates were injured, and when there was talk of coaching changes. He simply wants to contribute to this team and be successful.
Best of luck and health to him in 2020.
Most Athletic: Vernon Davis
At the age of 34, Davis reported to training camp with 3% body fat. This prompted Ryan Kerrigan to call him simply a “freak of nature”. It’s an impressive feat considering Davis is 6’4″ and 244 lbs.
Davis showed his athletic prowess as a spot duty tight end for Jordan Reed. His best play? A 53-yard breakaway score against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving.
Cutest Couple (that never was): DJ Swearinger and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
The Redskins acquired Clinton-Dix at the 11th hour of the trade deadline. This was a well-received, potentially team-changing trade that was designed to turn the defense from “good” to “great”.
When Clinton-Dix was acquired, the Redskins stood at 6-3, had shown promise as a defensive unit, and already was home to Pro Football Focus’ top-rated safety (Swearinger).
This “dynamic duo” never came to fruition as they struggled to mesh as a unit. Poor angles were taken and opposing teams found weaknesses in our scheme. This was seen by a 90-yard Amari Cooper touchdown against the Cowboys on national television.
Most Consistent: Tress Way
Early in the season, when things clicked, Way was a vital part of the team’s success. He flipped the field with his punts, and rarely wasted yards by allowing touchbacks. In fact he didn’t have a single one for the season.
Way had 41 punts that landed within the twenty yard-line, but zero of these kicks ended in the end-zone
(Honorable Mention): The Locker Room Ping-Pong Table
Whether it was a sunny day in fall, or a rainy day in December, you could consistently hear the “ping” of the ping-pong table in the locker room.
Crushing Redskins loss? “Yo, Who got next?”
Big Win? “Look at Tress Way slaying his opponents!!”
It’s time to get that thing out of there.
Defensive Player of the Year: Ryan Kerrigan
Kerrigan started the year off slow, and did not record a sack over the month of September. After that? There were only three games the rest of the season in which he didn’t take down the quarterback.
“The Heartbreak Kid” ended the season with 13 sacks on the year. Making it two consecutive seasons in which he did so. He is now within arm’s reach of Dexter Manley, the Redskins all-time leader in sacks.
Offensive Player of the Year: Adrian Peterson
The acquisition of Peterson was a controversial one. Almost to a man, people declared that he was over the hill, “done” or wouldn’t last ten games. AP sure showed them.
At the age of 33, Peterson ran for 1,042 yards and 7 touchdowns. Good for eighth in the league. It was also his eighth 1000 yard season as a pro.
The play of the year may in fact be his 90 yard scamper against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night football. He brought the team within one, shortly after Colt McCoy went down.
MVP: Adrian Peterson
In addition to producing on the field, Peterson did so off of it. He led by example in training habits, answered tough questions by the media, and provided powerful post-game speeches to maintain the confidence of a fairly young team.
It was an honor to have a future Hall-of-Fame player on my hometown team this season. If he wasn’t on it? Who knows how many games we would have won?
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