(AP Photo)

The Washington Redskins were one of the most exciting draws during the 2012 season. With mounds of hype surrounding quarterback Robert Griffin III and the unknown factor that was Alfred Morris, excitement abound was in our Nation’s Capital.

No. 10 quickly transcended from lead man at Baylor to superstar in the NFL in minutes. 12 minutes to be exact via wide receiver Pierre Garcon’s 88-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown with the cameo debut of Griffining as the cherry on top.

Despite the fact that the Burgundy and Gold entered the bye week at 3-6 and dwelling at the cellar of the NFC East there was hope with seven games remaining, five of which were against NFC East foes.

While the Redskins 31-6 smackdown of the Eagles after the bye week was certainly unforgettable thanks to Griffin III’s perfect 158.3 quarterback rating, everyone waited in eager anticipation for their Turkey Day matchup with the Cowboys.

Insert the 20^th best game of the 2012 season.

NFL.com’s Elliot Harrison has been rewinding footage from every game during the 2012 NFL season to recap the top-20 games from the year that was.

What better way to kick off the countdown than a Redskins victory over our biggest rivals—on national television too.

Dallas entered the game at 5-5 looking to go above .500 and within striking distance of the then first place Giants. Cowboys fans may have forgotten that Griffin III’s reign of terror began in the Lone Star State and the eventual AP Offensive Rookie of the Year was hungry to show off in his first homecoming.

Forget the first quarter of the game.

Yes Dallas would strike first but does anybody remember a three point quarter?

No, but they do remember a 28-point second quarter.

Robert Griffin III to Aldrick Robinson—touchdown. Alfred Morris comes in unnoticed with the Cowboys defense cemented to No. 10’s every move-touchdown. Robert Griffin III to Pierre Garcon-touchdown. And then just went you that you could catch a break in the onslaught and sneak out of the living room to grab a second serving of mashed potatoes-touchdown from the Cowboy killer himself, Santana Moss.

In total in took only 19 plays for the Redskins to blow open the floodgates in a one-sided quarter that was reminiscent of Super Bowl XXII were they tacked on 35 points in the second quarter.

Despite a 25 point halftime lead, the Cowboys did make it a game in the second half which is the sole reason why this game finds itself on Harrison’s list.

“Griffin put on a show for America that Thursday evening in November, and because of the huge national audience, there was a bit more oomph to his game in Dallas than the narrow loss to the Giants or the aforementioned win over Minnesota. But a strange thing happened during RG3’s national coming out party, and over-the-moon return to his home state of Texas. The Cowboys made a game of it.”

…Only to come up short.

Hail to the Redskins!

Since 2005 the Redskins have seen about as much change as any team in the league.

Mike Shanahan is the third head coach during that time, Robert Griffin III has taken over the reins of the offense and firmly entrenched himself as a franchise corner piece, and weapons Fred Davis, Pierre Garcon, and Josh Morgan have been added to spread the threat across the field.

While there has plethora of new faces, one man has remained a constant figure despite all the moving pieces—wide receiver Santana Moss.

After being acquired in trade with the New York Jets, Moss instantly became the Redskins number one receiving threat.

Moss would lull defensive backs to sleep before whizzing pass them with his blazing speed.

Just when it looked like Moss’ time as an elite receiver was reaching its deadline No. 89 recorded a team-high eight touchdowns.

This touchdown against the Eagles, however, may have been the crème de la crème.

Yesterday I analyzed Garcon’s 59-yard catch-and-run to the Redskins new best friend—the end zones of Cowboys Stadium. Garcon’s dash through the Dallas defense was named the No. 64 play of the 2012 NFL season.

Entering the bye week the Redskins were 3-6 and riding a three-game losing streak, sitting in last place with the Philadelphia Eagles. Most discredited the Redskins sniffing playoff contention.

That type of talk lite a fire under No. 89 and the rest of his Burgundy and Gold. Robert Griffin III came out and picked the Eagles defense apart. The completions started piling up and before you knew it No. 10 finished the day 14 of 15 with 200 yards and four touchdowns.

Oh by the way, he posted a perfect 158.3 quarterback rating.

Griffin III spread the wealth as nine different receivers recorded a reception. Moss, Aldrick Robinson, Logan Paulsen, and Darrel Young all recorded one reception—all of which were for touchdowns.

Moss’ catch, though, was the prettiest.

In a 17-6 game, Griffin III chucked the ball into the air with three possible destinations: the hands of Brandon Boykin, Kurt Coleman, or Moss.

Nice try Philly DBs.

To see more of Moss’ resurgent 2012 campaign, check out this gallery to relive his best moments from the NFC East title season.

Hail to the Redskins and congrats to Moss for earning the No. 64 play on NFL’s top-100 plays for 2012!

(AP Photo)

With the 85th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins focused on adding to their elite offense with the selection of Jordan Reed out of Florida.

For weeks, mock drafts predicted that the Redskins would zero in on the defensive side of the pigskin with their first few picks.

It did not matter if it was a corner,safety, or linebacker; it was just the trendy thing to do.

Well the trendy read-option attack that Washington ignited in 2012 has just added another weapon to the arsenal in the form of a 6’2″ 236 pound athlete that has the versatility that head coach Mike Shanahan will love. Reed could be a serious threat when quarterback Robert Griffin III is rolling out on play action.

According to his NFL.com draft profile, Reed can be used at multiple positions ranging from tight end to running back.

Awesome.

Check out this highlight package of the newest Redskin.

You see all those catches made in the middle of the field?

With Santana Moss, Josh Morgan and Pierre Garcon on the outside, Reed could see huge holes opened up for him in the middle of the field for the Burgundy and Gold.

His NFL.com profile lists his strengths as:

Used from a variety of spot along the formation: inline tight end, detached tight end, receiver, H-back, and even some running back. Adequate blocker when able to ride the shoulder and drive. Resets and gets after his assignment in the running game if missed the first time. Very smooth in breaks on outside breaking routes. Shines with the ball in hand, makes moves in space like a big running back with agility. Consistently makes oncoming defenders miss with hops, cuts, or speed. Flashes getting physical to earn the first down or extra yard at the end of runs. Good mix of hands catching and letting it into his body against tight coverage.

According to CBSsports.com:

 Reed is a fluid and flexible athlete with smooth body control and controlled balance. He flashes WR moves after the catch with quick, elusive feet and deceiving speed to run away from defenders.Reed shows smooth athleticism in his routes, creating separation with sharp footwork and quick body movements. He has reliable hands and does a nice job holding onto the ball after a big hit, proving his ability and toughness over the middle of the field. Reed shows a very good feel for his surroundings with a savvy ability to find open spots in coverage. He flashes some power with the ability to lower his pads through contact and pick up yards after contact.

You might recall another versatile tight end who played some H-back that was drafted in the third round by the Redskins–two-time Pro Bowler Chris Cooley.

Chime in to tell us your thoughts on Reed coming to the Nation’s Capital.

Hail to the Redskins!

Sean Taylor was one of the fastest rising stars in the NFL during his four-year career with the Burgundy and Gold, as the safety garnished a reputation as being one the hardest hitting safeties in the league.

His 2007 season may have been the best year for Taylor, before his life was tragically cut short. The former University of Miami Hurricane had five interceptions in just nine games, four of which came during Weeks 5 through 7.

To this day it is still hard to swallow the loss of No. 21 on and off the field. Teammates like Santana Moss and Clinton Portis were some of Taylor’s closest friends. To this day, Moss continues to honor Taylor with each touchdown catch he makes.

Today would have been Taylor’s 30th birthday and while we wish that Taylor was still gracing the confines of FedExField and teaming with record-setting quarterback Robert Griffin III and running back Alfred Morris, we want to look back on the time that Taylor was in the DMV.

With the fifth pick in the 2004 NFL draft, the Redskins selected Taylor and quickly became a force in the Redskins secondary. By Week 3, Taylor had impressed his teammates and coaches enough to get the starting nod against the Dallas Cowboys. In Week 6, Taylor recorded his first career interception against the Chicago Bears.

Week after week, Taylor would make highlight reel hits and leaving receivers literally scared to cross his path.

In the 2007 Pro Bowl, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne  ran a route down the middle of the field and found himself open for a possible touchdown. However, when Wayne caught Taylor gearing up to take him down, he stopped running his route mid-step and let the ball fall to the ground.

When you look back at Taylor’s numbers during his four-year career its easy to see why he was one of the most beloved players in franchise history. In 2012, Taylor was voted as one of the 80 greatest Redskins in franchise history.

While we will never truly know what could of been, we know that Taylor touched everyone he crossed paths with and on his 30th birthday, we continue to cherish each memory of his career.

To view more about Taylor, please visit his tribute page on the Redskins website.

.

.

.

(AP Photo)

On Wednesday, the Washington Redskins continued to mark off another box on their plan of winning back-to-back NFC East titles by signing one of the most important players on the 2012 team; right tackle Tyler Polumbus.

Robert Griffin III burst onto the season with an epic debut performance en route to AP Rookie of the Year. Alfred Morris went from unknown back from Florida Atlantic University to owner of the franchise’s rushing record. Santana Moss had a career resurgence, catching a team-high eight touchdown passes and showing that he still has untouchable speed that Redskins Nation has been so fortunate to see for eight years and counting.

The trio can thank Polumbus and the rest of the offensive line for helping them reach unprecedented success as they paved the way for the league’s top rushing attack and gave Griffin III ample amount of time to find open receivers down the field.

Find out just how happy Polumbus is to wear Burgundy and Gold again next season here:

Well Jacksonville was tempting…but I couldn't leave these Coaches and Teammates. 2 more years!
#HTTR #Redskins—
Tyler Polumbus (@Tyler_Polumbus) March 18, 2013

After appearing in five games in the other Washington for the Seahawks in 2011, Seattle waived the tackle from Colorado. Just a few week later, the Redskins called Polumbus requesting his services for the remainder of the season.

During training camp last summer Polumbus battled Maurice Hurt for the right to protect the 2011 Heisman winner and after impressing the coaching staff during the first three preseason games, was announced as the starting right tackle.

With Polumbus in the fold, the Redskins rushing attack reached marks that had been previously unheard of in the first 79 years of the franchise. Morris rushed for 1,613 yards and 13 touchdowns while Griffin III dazzled fans and opponents alike with 815 yards on the ground.

In a Week 6 interconference matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, Griffin III scored on one of the most beautiful plays in league history; a 76-yard touchdown scamper thanks in larger part to Polumbus preventing the Vikings rush from having any success at getting to his quarterback.

Keep an eye on number 74 during training camp in Richmond this summer as he will have stiff competition once again with newly signed tackles Jeremy Trueblood and Tony Pashos as in the fold.

Stay tuned to see how this one shakes out.

.

.

.

(AP Photo)

As the Washington Redskins prepare to defend their 2012 NFC East title, suggestions have become rampant as to what pieces can be added and adjustments made to help the Redskins not only get their second straight division title but their fourth Lombardi Trophy.

Over on SI.com is a 2013 offseason preview for the Redskins, highlighting several areas of success, concern, and modification that can help get Washington over the hump. Let’s just say some of them are creative.

During the 2012 season, Head Coach Mike Shanahan and Offensive Coordinator Kyle Shanahan conformed the offense to the strengths of rookies Robert Griffin III and Alfred Morris to unleash the Pistol offense on helpless defenses. The run game barreled over opponents to a league-high 169.3 yards per game on the ground.

With the running game appearing bound for success, many are exploring ways that the Redskins can incorporate a potent aerial attack to the already lethal ground game.

Sports Illustrated believes that the Redskins already have one piece that can be inserted into the slot to help the aerial assault  running back Evan Royster.

Royster, a third-year product out of Penn State, has appeared in 18 games with two starts. For his career, he has notched 79 carries for 416 yards and two touchdowns and has collected 24 catches for 177 yards.

In 2012, Royster showcased his duel-threat abilities, securing 15 catches for 109 yards. A majority of his catches came off of swing passes from Griffin III.

While a position change for Royster could improve his versatility and theoretically his playing time, he just doesn’t stack up well against incumbents Santana Moss, Aldrick Robinson, and Joshua Morgan at the third receiver spot.

Moss is a living Redskins legend. He was instant hit after the Redskins’ trade with New York in 2005, setting a new franchise-high in receiving yards with 1,483 yards–a record that still stands today.

For years, Moss was the Redskins g0-to receiver, frequently showing a penchant to make the “big play” when needed. After the 2011 season, the Redskins revamped their receiving core with the additions of Pierre Garcon and Morgan.

With the newest additions to the group, Moss flourished in the slot, leading the team with eight receiving touchdowns. After trimming down this past offseason, Moss torched opposing secondaries with his blazing speed that Redskins fans have grown to love.

Morgan was acquired through free agency last year and instantly flourished in his homecoming to DC. He split time between the outside and the slot, notching a team-high 48 receptions. He had seven games with at least 40 receiving yards and  his consistency to nab the pigskin could eventually move him to the slot full-time.

Robinson is entering his third year with the team after being drafted out of Southern Methodist University with the 178th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.

After spending the majority of his rookie season on the practice squad, Robinson made the active roster for the 2012 season. In his introduction to the league at New Orleans, he caught four passes for 52 yards and a touchdown. His debut, however, was just a glimpse of his big-play potential.

In crucial divisional matchups against the Eagles and Cowboys, Robinson showed his venomous striking ability, torching each for 49 and 68-yard scampers to paydirt.

Whether it’s Moss, Morgan, Robinson, or even Royster, the Redskins have an abundance of options that can pummel defenses from the slot position. Throw in the fact that Royster caught most of his receptions as a third-down running back out of the backfield, and you realize that he isn’t ideally suited to line up on the line.

Head coach Mike Shanahan has been unafraid to move players around to matchups that favor the Redskins, but I just don’t see this move happening in the long-term. The Redskins are too deep at slot receiver to justify a full-time move by their No. 2 running back.

(AP photo)

Last night, the Washington Redskins defeated the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants at home to extend their season-long winning streak to three games.

Tonight, several Redskins players were on hand to watch the struggling Washington Wizards take on the defending NBA champion Miami Heat in D.C.

Not many gave the Wizards a chance to pull off the upset; but, wouldn’t you know it — Washington was victorious once again.

The Wizards earned their second win of the season by hanging on to defeat the Eastern Division-leading Heat, 105-101, in front of a standing-room crowd at the Verizon Center.

Among those taking in the game from the Redskins were quarterback Robert Griffin III, outside linebacker Brian Orakpo, wide receivers Leonard Hankerson, Santana Moss and Joshua Morgan, tight end Fred Davis and long snapper Nick Sundberg.

Griffin III — who was sitting courtside next to the Wizards’ bench with his fiancée, Rebecca, to his right and Orakpo two seats to his left — tweeted this immediately after the game:

My first Wizard's Game? Was a great one!—
Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) December 05, 2012

Hankerson, meanwhile, is a devout Heat fan who went to the University of Miami, and tweeted this before the game:

#HeatNation vs Wizards 2nite, I'm in the building—
Leonard Hankerson (@HankTime85) December 04, 2012

Sundberg said he appreciated seeing the upset live:

Great win tonight #Wizards! So awesome seeing it live! What a game!—
Nick Sundberg (@NickSundberg) December 05, 2012

Back to Griffin III: as expected, the Wizards (and Heat) fans in attendance went bonkers when they put the sensational rookie quarterback’s image up on the video board during the game.

Griffin III talked to CSN Washington just moments after being introduced and indicated he was humbled by the experience.

“You’ve got to appreciate everything,” Griffin III said. “You don’t ever come somewhere expecting that everyone is going to love on you. You’ve got to earn it. Certainly we’ve earned it this year, and hopefully we’ll continue to do that.”

Griffin III also talked about Miami heat superstar LeBron James, who is a huge Dallas Cowboys fan.

Considering the Redskins defeated the Cowboys 38-31 on Thanksgiving Day — and James has thrown praise Griffin III’s way before — perhaps Griffin III can get the three-time NBA MVP on the good guys’ side?

“He is a big Cowboys fan,” Griffin III said of King James. “But hopefully we can convert him.”

James, by the way, embraced both Griffin III and Orakpo after the game before walking into the locker room.

Here’s the full video interview with Griffin III at tonight’s Wizards game, compliments of CSN Washington:

(Photo via @trey5 on Instagram)

Washington Redskins fans are ecstatic about the return of tight end Chris Cooley, who re-signed with the team Monday after starting tight end Fred Davis suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in last Sunday’s loss to the New York Giants.

Cooley, 30, is the franchise’s all-time leader in receptions by a tight end, and has become one of the more popular players in Redskins history since joining the team as a third-round selection in the 2004 NFL Draft.

So it’s no surprise at all that Cooley’s jersey is one of the Redskins’ best sellers.

Well, one particularly famous Redskins fan put on his own Cooley jersey and went to his Instagram account to welcome Captain Chaos back to his favorite team.

Kevin Durant, a D.C.-area native and superstar of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder, posted the above photo yesterday with the message, “Welcome back.”

We’ve written about Durant several times here on the Redskins Blog — such as the time that he released his Nike Zoom KD IIIs in burgundy and gold and a few months ago when Durant was talking about Redskins’ rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III and how he feels the team will fare in 2012.

So just consider this one more huge Redskins fan happy to see No. 47 back in action Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Santana Moss Appearance Today!

One of Durant’s other favorite Redskins veterans will be signing autographs and taking photos with fans tonight in Leesburg.

Meet wide receiver Santana Moss from 6 to 7 p.m. tonight at the AT&T Store, 1604 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg, VA 20175 (across from Wegmans).

Moss, a 12-year NFL veteran, has played the last eight seasons with the Redskins and has 658 receptions for 9,432 yards and 60 touchdowns in his illustrious career — and he isn’t showing any signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Moss caught three passes for 67 yards and two touchdowns in last Sunday’s game vs. the Giants. He has 19 receptions for 290 yards and four touchdowns through seven games already in 2012, tying his number of scores from a season ago.

He’s caught 488 passes for 6,726 yards and 37 touchdowns in his seven-year career with the Washington Redskins, but some believe veteran receiver Santana Moss could still slip under the radar and have a big year in 2012.

Moss, 33, came into the offseason program this year 15 pounds lighter and focused on getting past the 2011 season, which saw him produce his fewest number of receptions (46) and receiving yards (584) since arriving in Washington in 2005, the same season he was selected to the Pro Bowl after having 84 receptions for 1,483 yards and nine touchdowns.

ESPN.com NFC East blogger Dan Graziano — in a post for the site’s “Hidden Treasures Week” — is also on the Moss bandwagon.

Here’s what Graziano had to say about Moss’ chances in 2012:

“Now (the Redskins) went out and signed two young free agent wide receivers in Pierre Garçon and Josh Morgan. But Moss is a guy they think can help. The Redskins’ coaches called him in the offseason and said, ‘Look, that wasn’t you out there last year. If you want to be on this team, you’re going to have to lose some weight, get back in shape, get a little better focused.’ He got the message. He’s lost 15 pounds and he’s been a star in the offseason program. So, at age 33, don’t be surprised if Santana Moss leads that Washington Redskins’ wide receiving corps in catches this year.”

Of the other NFC East teams, Graziano also saw these players are possible “hidden treasures:”

Dallas Cowboys: Defensive end Jason Hatcher
New York Giants: Linebackers Mark Herzlich or Jacquian Williams
Philadelphia Eagles: Safety Nate Allen

Redskins’ veteran wide receiver Santana Moss Wednesday evening made an appearance on ESPN’s “NFL 32,” the network’s daily look at the ongoings of the National Football League’s 32 football teams.

Moss became the second Redskins player to make an appearance on the show in less than a week. Second year outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan called into the show May 31.

Wednesday night’s phone conversation with Moss — like most others this offseason since April’s NFL Draft — turned to Redskins’ rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III, and Moss talked about how Griffin III fits into the Redskins’ offense:

“This offense fits his skills, and he grew up watching the Denver Broncos offense when Coach Shanahan coached in it, and that was his favorite team,” Moss said. “I just feel that we have a lot of plays that should really benefit what he does best, and that’s rolling out of the pocket and just being able to find guys down the field with that arm he has. It’s a big arm, strong arm and accurate arm.”

Moss confirmed previous veterans’ assessments about Griffin III’s throwing ability, which has since garnered him the nickname “The Arm:”

“He’s been showing how accurate he’s been, and we know he can run, he can do a lot of things when it comes to just his athletic ability,” Moss said. “But when it’s time to throw the ball, man, he’s been amazing people with how fast he can get it out of his hand and how accurate he’s been.”

Click here for a link to the NFL32 interview with Moss on ESPN.com, which starts at the 1:25 mark.