The Redskins’ locker room was a lonely place Monday. A few starters — four to be exact — trickled in; one or two spotted the media horde inside and turned around. Others congregated anywhere but a place where they might be forced to rehash a 45-point debacle.
Still, the Redskins (4-3) were forced to confront what Sunday’s 52-7 loss to New England meant.
“It would concern anybody,” Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said.
And how they must proceed after an embarrassing day.
“I don’t know what’s a good salve for something like that,” Redskins guard Pete Kendall said, “other than the chance to go play again and we have that chance. Shame on us if we let this thing carry over and we lose another game because we weren’t able to get over this one.”
The NFL has provided the salve: the 1-7 New York Jets are up next. However, the players know that nothing is guaranteed; even a game against a team that just benched its veteran quarterback. However, this game could be as big as any game the Redskins play, giving them a chance to erase the stench of this loss immediately.
The last time they lost a lopsided game like this under Joe Gibbs was two years ago, dropping a 36-0 game at the New York Giants. The Redskins – also 4-3 after that game — won the next game, beating Philadelphia.
“What’s done is done,” Redskins receiver Santana Moss said. “We played a great team that played great and showed us how great they [were]. We had nothing to answer for it. You can feel awful about it or you can say we experienced it, let’s not go that route again.”
Gibbs said he liked what he saw from his players on Monday. Gibbs normally opens his press conferences with a five to 10-minute review of Sunday’s game. This time, in his review, he spoke more about what went right in the 34-3 win over Detroit earlier this month as an example of what the Redskins can be.
Gibbs said he was encouraged by the players’ response today, talking to a few of them individually and watching them interact in meetings.
“You’re always [wrestling] with what you do and what to say,” Gibbs said. “You try to be frank and honest and tell [the players] what I see. … I feel like we match up with anybody. We certainly didn’t want that or expect that. [New England] is playing at a high level and we didn’t match that. We have to use that to motivate us.”
And winning Sunday is the bet way to respond.
“If you have more wins than losses, you’re doing something right,” Moss said. “That’s what it boils down to at the end of the year. I don’t care how you get it.”
