The teams they needed to lose Sunday did just that, leaving the Redskins more optimistic about their postseason chances. Of course, they also must do one small thing to help: win their final three games.
Anything short of that and their playoff chances greatly diminish. Even then, New Orleans would beat Washington (6-7) in a tiebreaker if both win out.
“I really would like to stop talking about the playoffs,” Redskins linebacker London Fletcher said. “I’ve never been on a team where there’s so much talk about the playoffs. We should be talking about winning the next game.”
OK.
Still, the focus is on reaching the postseason. And here’s what they must do to get there:
» Run the ball better. Washington has averaged 73.2 yards the past four games and is averaging just 3.8 yards per run for the season, leaving them tied for 20th. In the last two games, both Buffalo’s and Chicago’s linebackers played closer to the line, preventing cutback lanes from being opened. And teams are slanting their linemen more as a way of defeating the inside zone runs.
“You’re expecting them to be here and you have a landmark,” center Casey Rabach said. “When they slant, you’re a step behind them.”
Ironically, the teams Washington is sandwiched between in the run stats are Indianapolis and New England. However, both have dynamic passing attacks, something the Redskins lack. And running well would open up play-action for the immobile Todd Collins.
» Increase the pressure. Considering the Redskins’ secondary has two young safeties and has been forced to use equally young corners at times, the front four has to generate more pass rush. They’ve accounted for 16 1/2 sacks, though some of Marcus Washington’s five sacks have come as a rush end. However, in the last four games, the Redskins have just six sacks and inconsistent pressure.
“We’ve got to get there faster,” Redskins end Andre Carter said. “We’ve got to help these guys in the backfield.”
» Revitalize the linebackers. It would help if the linebackers reverted to early-season form. Rocky McIntosh averaged 8.5 tackles per game in the first eight weeks, with three sacks, and only 3.8 in the last five, with no sacks. And Fletcher’s average tackles per game have dropped from 9.3 in the first eight games to 7.6 thereafter. Coaches are giving Fletcher, 32, more plays off in practice as the collisions during games have taken a toll on his 5-foot-9, 245-pound body. He needs to somehow stay fresh.
This can be a big-play bunch, but the big plays are missing. If the Redskins are to win out, they must return.
