Rick Snider » Redskins lack resolve in loss to Panthers
By: Rick Snider
Examiner Sports Columnist
October 12, 2009
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| Writes columnist Rick Snider: If this loss doesn’t embolden owner Dan Snyder to replace coach Jim Zorn during the Nov. 1 bye, nothing will. (AP) |
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Washington Redskins need more offensive consultants. A special teams consultant. Definitely a rules consultant.
The Redskins blew a game to a winless opponent for the second time in three games. Carolina seemed the new Detroit, and the Panthers proved so in escaping the tag of the NFL’s worst team at Washington’s expense.
Paging Misters Shanahan, Cowher, Holmgren, Dungy and Gruden – Redskins conference call on line 1.
This was ground zero. Worse than losing to 0-19 Detroit because Washington led 17-2 before losing 20-17 on Sunday.
If this loss doesn’t embolden owner Dan Snyder to replace coach Jim Zorn during the Nov. 1 bye, nothing will. The Redskins showed no offensive muscle. Made a bad special teams play. Lacked the heart for a comeback as the offense with three-and-out and the defense that played so well all afternoon suddenly lacked a big stop.
“It hurts deeply,” Zorn said. “I feel sick myself. I’ve just got to discover within myself how to get this thing turned around.”
It all starts with the offense despite a bizarre special teams miscue costing the game. Washington needed two defensive turnovers to put the ball on the goal’s doorstep to score touchdowns. The offensive line played much of the game without tackle Chris Samuels and four starters overall from last season and it showed. It looked like football’s legal equivalent of Missum, Holden, Flagg and Blewitt that handles only lost cases.
It was awful even by the miserable offensive standards that caused Snyder to flame controversy by hiring a consultant whose recent playcalling was limited to B-12 and O-66. Clinton Portis ran straight ahead into nothing but misery while Jason Campbell’s five-step drops were at sprint speed. Zorn admitted he couldn’t call any “long-developing plays” because replacement left tackle Anthony Batiste was competing with right tackle Stephon Heyer over who was the bigger matador versus charging ends.
The losing play was truly Norv-wellian. It’s only fitting since this team looks like some of coach Norv Turner’s mid-1990s losers. Turner was the master of losing close games on freak plays and it doesn’t get any freakier over a fair catch being negated when Byron Westbrook is blocked into returner Antwaan Randle El and then having the ball hit Westbrook in the foot. Zorn admitted confusion over the rule. He said the officials practically invited his red flag by saying it was a reviewable play to take the pressure off the zebras by getting proof of what happened. Even Randle El shook his head in disbelief in the lockerroom.
The Redskins are indeed in a state of disbelief. Bad things are happening to turn them into a bad team.
“I don’t think we’re jinxed,” Zorn said.
Maybe not, but good luck isn’t heading their way, either.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more at TheRickSniderReport.com or e-mail rsnider@washingtonexaminer.com.
