NFL Futures Betting – Haynesworth A Welcome Distraction For Redskins

Do what now? Did I just say that Albert Haynesworth is a welcome distraction for the Washington Redskins? I sure did. The self-centered defensive tackle is absorbing all the press and media attention in our nation’s capital, and that’s a good thing for Washington.

Think about it for a second. How much have we learned about the Redskins over the summer? Not a whole lot since they dominated a whole day of media by landing Donavan McNabb.

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So let me just toss a few questions at you. See you if you have any answers. Just for fun.

1. How is McNabb fitting in with his new team? Hopefully you know the answer if you’re betting on him as the Regular Season MVP where he’s got 10-to-1 odds to win.

2. Who is the number-two receiver behind Santana Moss? It isn’t Terrell Owens, that’s for sure.

3. How healthy is Clinton Portis? How about Larry Johnson? What’s going on with Willie Parker?

I mean, I’m just getting started here with the questions. Usually, especially with NFL futures betting, we can make some safe assumptions. The oddsmakers don’t seem so confident doing so with the Redskins, since they’re +600 to win the NFC North.

Haynesworth has collected a terrifying laundry list of problems off the field before training camp. He no-showed the team after collecting a $21 million roster bonus, failed conditioning tests and has openly protested Shanahan’s decision to move to the 3-4 defense.

The distraction of Haynesworth’s antics aside, it’s obvious that the NFL betting community should be more concerned about the offense. The Redskins ranked 22nd with 312.4 yards per game and 26th with 16.6 points per game. McNabb has been treated like a savior, but how can anyone succeed with a team like the one that surrounds him?

To answer the second question listed above, the guys vying to be McNabb’s second option at receiver are Terrence Austin, Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly and Marques Hagans. None of those guys are big name receivers (yet) and the team won’t be a dominant offense with Moss as their only go-to guy. It also doesn’t help that Moss is dealing with an involvement in an HGH case, though all signs point to the idea that he won’t face a suspension.

Still, ask anyone that has drafted Moss as their number-one receiver in fantasy football and they’ll tell you he disappears for massive stretches in the season. He had just one game over 100 yards last season, and only scored three touchdowns. At 31-years old, Moss is losing a step and his speed is the only thing that differentiates him in this league.

Clinton Portis remains the best option at tailback, but everyone questions whether he still has the “it” factor. He’s already carried the ball 2,176 times in his career (28th all-time in the NFL) and has had an assortment of shoulder, head and leg injuries. It’s not like Larry Johnson has ever found what made him magical, and Willie Parker’s success was directly related to Alan Faneca’s presence in Pittsburgh. When Faneca left, Parker became mediocre at best.

The sad part is that I’m running out of words here before even broaching the issues I have with the defense. DeAngelo Hall is one of the highest paid players in the league, and earned only 4 interceptions in 2009. I still don’t know what to make of this linebacking corps, even though it’s anchored by London Fletcher, one of the best at what he does.

At this point, Haynesworth may be a handful, but he’s detracting any attention away from the questions we have about McNabb, the receiving corps, the running back situation or the rest of the defense.

Until any of these questions are answered, the Redskins are a deserved afterthought in the NFC East and the rest of the NFL Futures. Albert Haynesworth is not their only problem. It’s just the only one we’re paying attention to.

If you think Washington is a joke like I do, bet against them in the Week 1 Lines where they face Dallas as +3.5 underdogs at home!