Mike Shanahan Should Help Redskins Odds for 2010-2011

Written by :

Dan Shapiro

Published on :

6 January, 2010

It's never too early to start thinking about the 2011 Super Bowl and what could be now that major changes at the top of some once struggling teams are beginning to take shape. The most notable of which was an official announcement that Mike Shanahan is now the new Head Coach of the Washington Redskins.

With this announcement (and a few more personnel changes most certainly on the horizon), the Redskins become a legitimate competitor in the very tight NFC East division.

The division is sending two teams into the Playoffs: The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. They also have a New York Giants team that somehow fell off the cliff by season's end.

Make no mistake about it, the Redskins still have their problems with or without Shanahan.

Reporter Stefan Fatsis was asked by the Washington Post how Shanahan will handle a common complaint within the Redskins organization, that of players having "special access" to the owner.

"(In Denver) both players and staff knew that it was a bad idea to go over Mike's head. Mike had an very closer personal relationship with Pat Bowlen, the Broncos' owner. Bowlen once described it to me as a marriage. Bowlen entrusted Mike to run the organization, and Bowlen did not intrude. If there was a big decision to be made, Bowlen wanted to be and was consulted. But he almost always deferred to Mike's desire. Obviously, the circumstances in Washington will be different, and may be the key to Mike's happiness and success here."

But the tide could finally be turning in DC.

Mike Shanahan was given a $35 million, five-year contract to turn this franchise around as head coach and executive vice president.

General Manager Bruce Allen made it clear during a press conference introducing Shanahan: "Dan Snyder has directed us to please get this team back to the levels where it's been in the past," Allen said. "And I believe he's going to be our most supportive fan."

And Snyder, he was sitting in the audience...the first time he has never appeared on stage to introduce one of his new coaches. That could have significant meaning.

Shanahan was fired a little over a year ago in Denver, where he won two Super Bowls in the 1990s.

Here were your current 2010 Super Bowl odds as found at Sports Interaction.com:

Indianapolis Colts   +300  

San Diego Chargers   +400  

New Orleans Saints   +400  

Minnesota Vikings   +800  

New England Patriots   +900  

Dallas Cowboys   +900  

Philadelphia Eagles   +1400  

Arizona Cardinals   +1600  

Green Bay Packers   +2000  

Baltimore Ravens   +2500  