Warning — the Redskins will spend this week saying they must win their last five games to make the playoffs just like they did in 2005.
Sorry, don’t believe the hype. This team burns more second chances than a surly teenager. They’ll win these final five games like I’ll be invited to a White House dinner seated between Jenna and Barbara.
“Who knows — I’m looking now where we get on an unbelievable roll,” coach Joe Gibbs said. “We’ll have to play the best football of our life.”
For a group that always plays its guts out, as Gibbs likes to say, they have no gut check in them. The Redskins knew they needed to beat Tampa Bay to maintain reasonable hopes for a wild card. Instead, they fumbled twice on the first three snaps to trail 10-0. Soon, it was four fumbles for a 16-0 deficit. The first half seemed like an endless loop of Redskins fumbles and Hyundai, “Simpsons” and “Family Guy” commercials.
“Starting the game off like that is hard to explain. … Put ourselves in such a mess with turnovers. … You can’t turn the ball over against a real good football team like that and expect to win the game,” said Gibbs, struggling for answers for repeated mistakes.
Miraculously, the Redskins nearly stole the game before falling 19-13. But, true to form, quarterback Jason Campbell threw two interceptions in the final four minutes. The second pickoff was headed to Santana Moss in the end zone for the game-winner before it was stolen. Washington was also stuffed on a fourth-and-inches run late in the third quarter.
The Redskins are close to being a good team, but keep beating themselves. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is, Washington will play hard and still get knocked out.
Tampa Bay gained 15 yards in the second half and won. The Buccaneers converted 1 of 12 third downs and still triumphed. What does that say about Washington?
The offensive playmakers were backbreakers. Clinton Portis fumbled twice. Campbell accounted for three turnovers. Moss was the Bermuda Triangle with two picks headed his way along with his own fumble, two drops and a penalty. When your leaders are the problem and reserve offensive linemen and receivers are the overachievers, winning is a long shot.
Oddly, the Redskins might need to only win four of five because 9-7 could earn a wild card. Washington must sweep mediocre Buffalo on Sunday and Chicago four days later at FedEx Field, though. What are the odds of that double play? Not real good given Washington has quietly lost three straight and four of five.
The late 5-0 run in 2005 was Gibbs’ finest moment since returning in 2004. Repeating such success is like getting blackjack five straight hands from a Las Vegas dealer. Let’s just say chances of going bust are a whole lot greater.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
