NFL Betting Preview: Washington Redskins

Mike Shanahan and Donovan McNabb are part of the Redskins makeover.

After watching his team finish the 2009 season with a disappointing 4-12 record and miss the playoffs for the second straight season Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder decided to make yet another change at the top. He fired beleaguered Jim Zorn and hired Mike Shanahan as the team’s Executive Vice President and new head coach.

Shanahan wasted little time in putting his stamp on this team by pulling off a blockbuster trade to get QB Donovan McNabb from Philadelphia to run his offense. He also decided to switch to 3-4 scheme on defensive, much to the dismay of their top player on that side of the ball, DL Albert Haynesworth.

One thing is already clearly evident about this team; it will not be business as usual in Washington this season.

NFL oddsmakers currently list the Redskins as plus 500 to win the NFC East with Dallas being the favorite at plus 130. Washington has 13/1 odds to win the conference and 25/1 odds to win the Super Bowl. The 'over/under' on a projected win total is 7.5.

Given Shanahan’s past success and the fact they now have a veteran All-Pro quarterback leading the team, the Redskins could be the kind of team that pulls off a worst to first run in 2010.

McNabb is entering his 12th season in league after spending his first 11 in Philadelphia. In his tenure as the Eagles starting QB, he led the team to five NFC championship games and one Super Bowl. As a proven winner, the Redskins will look to McNabb to be a team leader both on and off the field.

While he will not have the same complement of weapons as he did in Philly, Santana Moss and Devin Thomas are a pair of capable receivers and TE Chris Cooley is one of the best in the league. The backfield is currently crowded with some Pro Bowl talent with RB’s Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson and Willie Parker. Do not be surprised if they decide to add McNabb’s former teammate Brian Westbrook before the season starts.

In another solid move, the Redskins used this year’s draft to protect their new QB by selecting OT Trent Williams from Oklahoma with the fourth overall pick. He should immediately be able to step in and improve an offensive line that gave up 46 sacks last season.

Defensively, Washington is not that far away from being one of the better teams in the league. In 2009 the Redskins defense ranked 10th overall. They were ninth against the pass, but 16th against the run giving up an average of 112.4 yards per game.

Shanahan’s switch to the 3-4 with Haynesworth clogging up the middle should help improve these numbers as long as the All-Pro lineman can properly adjust to the change.

Special teams is led by Rock Cartwright and Devin Thomas handling the return duties on kickoffs. In 2009 as a rookie, Graham Gano took over the placekicking duties the final four games of the season and went 4-for- on field goals and 6-for-7 on extra points. He is expected to remain the kicker for the 2010 season.

During a span of three games last season Washington lost to Dallas, Philadelphia and New Orleans by a combined seven points. While they faded down the stretch losing six out of their last seven, the Redskins played everybody tough and never gave up. With a proven head coach and veteran QB, this team is poised for a dramatic turnaround in 2010 making Washington very good NFL odds value at plus 500 to win the division and to go over their 7.5-win total projection.