That may have been the dagger in the playoff dream.
The Redskins blew their third game of the season in losing 33-25 to Philadelphia Sunday. It was worse than the 24-17 loss to the New York Giants and 17-14 defeat to Green Bay when both victories appeared sealed. It might have been the worst late loss since Norv Turner led Oakland to a 16-13 win in 2005.
Playoff teams can’t blow more than one game because the NFL is too balanced. Redskins fans can dream of being 8-1 instead of 5-4 that would have created a showdown in Dallas on Sunday, but Washington continues to undermine itself.
“We gave away three games,” receiver Antwaan Randle El said. “That’s the way you’ve got to look at it. We had the Giants beat, Green Bay beat. Both games we flat out have given away.”
The loss sucks the life out of the locker room. It’s one thing to get flattened by New England. That happens to everyone. Giving away three wins means those other two losses weren’t a fluke, but an early trend.
The Redskins appeared 25-20 winners in the waning minutes only to let Eagles running back Brian Westbrook turn a short gainer into a 57-yard touchdown. Sure, safety Sean Taylor was out with a bruised knee and linebacker Marcus Washington didn’t play, but there’s no excuse for allowing a backbreaker through the middle.
How did the Redskins’ counter? By fumbling on their own 10 yard line. Washington let Philadelphia score on the first play to get the ball back with 2:13. Redskins fans showed no faith — heading to the exits in mass when there was still a chance to force overtime. At least they beat traffic.
“You’ve got to find a way to win, make a play,” coach Joe Gibbs said. “This is a big loss for us.”
Coaching seems to stutter at the worst times. After wrongly believing the clock would be stopped for a first-down measurement, the Redskins weren’t ready to kick a field goal with 9:18 remaining in the third quarter. No matter, the 23-yarder could have just been a 28-yarder by taking a delay of game penalty. Instead, Gibbs proved too cautious and called timeout to ensure the right personnel were on the field. He could have done that while the penalty was invoked, though. The gaffe left Redskins without any timeouts late in the game.
On the final scoring drive, the Redskins opted for a draw on third-and-goal at the seven. Naturally, it fell far short. Gibbs hoped to trick the Eagles. Instead, they settled for a field goal for 25-20 when it might have been 29-20. Given quarterback Jason Campbell already threw three touchdowns, it was a day to trust the young passer.
Fans didn’t even chant “We want Dallas” at the end. It seems there’s no heart left anywhere at FedEx Field.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
