Washington coach Joe Gibbs may downplay the Redskins’ Super Bowl chances, but the faithful turned a scrimmage into a kickoff rally.
This is aRedskins town.
The Nationals are a great distraction. But anyone wondering what team still rules this region should have seen 47,258 filling the lower two rings of FedEx Field on Saturday who didn’t come to catch a glimpse of reserves against the Baltimore Ravens, but the team they expect to be playing in Miami come February.
It wasn’t a preseason game. It was barely a practice. But you couldn’t tell by the rabid fans that raced to the best seats 90 minutes before stretching began. The wave encircled play so often it nearly caught itself. Tailgating came with breakfast.
“Hey, they’re Redskins fans, so no, I wasn’t surprised,” said tight end Mike Sellers of the crowd. “Anywhere else I wouldn’t have expected it. It makes us good to know people are coming to check us out.”
Said Gibbs: “I felt like our fans were in mid-year form. … Nobody has a fan base like this.”
The crowd cheered seven-on-seven drills when touchdowns by Chris Cooley and Santana Moss earned thunderous applause like it was a Dallas game. In fact, fans even chanted “Dallas sucks” at some foolish Cowboys backer in the stands — twice.
When quarterback Mark Brunell walked off the field after a solid passing drill, fans roundly applauded. When Sean Taylor leveled a Ravens runner, the crowd cheered three times when also watching two replays. And Marcus Washington looked like Darryl Grant in the 1983 NFC Championship when waltzing into the end zone with a 38-yard interception off Ravens quarterback Steve McNair. “Defense. Defense. Defense,” chanted the crowd.
Were they sun stroked? This outing meant nothing in the long-term and only something modest in the short term to players hoping to make the roster. But fans stood in the stands like it mattered.
Then again, everything that involves the Redskins matters in this town.
There were few Ravens fans in the crowd despite free admission. This was a Washington affair. Sort of like a spring game at a major college program where the home crowd shows its pride.
When running back Jesse Lumsden scored on a 12-yard run, the crowd sang “Hail to the Redskins.” After tight end Robert Johnson dropped two straight passes, one fan yelled “Pack your bags, you’re gone” to cheers around him.
Then again, Johnson’s 34-yard reception minutes later brought forgiveness from the stands. It makes you wonder what the fall will bring if the Redskins start quickly.
This is Gibbs’ third season back. He made the playoffs last year. Fans are smelling the title even if the coach urges restraint.
Go ahead and let the fans have their dream, Joe. With high gas prices, Middle East turmoil and Chesapeake Bay so polluted it’s dangerous to touch the water, life offers enough setbacks. The Redskins are supposed to be the relief in fans’ lives.
This year, they may get it in Miami come February.
Rick Snider has covered local sports for 28 years. Contact him at [email protected].
