Every week, Redskins.com chats with a Redskins coach about a hot topic. This week: associate head coach-offense Al Saunders discusses the Redskins' offense:
"I think we have good talent on offense. We have a young quarterback that's going to ascend. We've found a running back that, when given the opportunity, has played at a very consistent level. We have an offensive line that is playing very well now.
"We have wide receivers that have not been given the opportunity to be as productive as we know that they can be. We've tried to develop a much stronger running game and be more efficient and effective in that regard. As we grow and become a more total and complete offense, we need to be able to pass the ball and run the ball with equal effectiveness.
"That's part of the game that falls on our quarterback and his development. That's why we look forward to the offseason.
"Jason [Campbell] will need to work on his timing with receivers. That's one of the areas where it's hard to make up ground. When he became the starter in midseason, that was the first time he had an opportunity to get any timing with the veteran receivers.
"Here's a guy who has had six coaches, six offenses, six ways of doing things in six years. He doesn't have the luxury of having a solid foundation in a system and a solid foundation of things to fall back on in a time of stress."
"That's why there's such optimism about his growth and development, because what he's doing now is just his natural ability.
"I think consistency is really important for anything that you do. The next offseason--instead of it all being an introductory phase--will become a defining phase and a mental phase. I'd like to think we can keep as many guys as we possibly can and let them take the next step. I know what we have, I know what we are, and I know where we need to go. It's something we can build on and I'm real excited about that.
"We'll be at a much more advanced level next preseason. There are a lot of things that they know now that we can build on--getting players to play at a higher level of performance."
