Are the Washington Redskins already facing a must win? It seems preposterous given the team’s 2-1 start is better than many expected. Yet, falling at winless St. Louis on Sunday would mean a .500 mark entering the bye week when all sins are exaggerated.
Losing to an 0-3 team would deflate the Redskins. It guts all early momentum. The second guessers would refocus on coach Mike Shanahan and restart the quarterback controversy. Worst of all, it would prove, despite new faces, this franchise once more is an underperforming bunch that may never break its chains of calamity over two decades.
Win this game and all problems go away for the Redskins, at least for two weeks. Lose and the NFL laughs at Washington once again.
This is a classic trap game. It’s before the bye when players are thinking beach and bikinis. Meanwhile, losing to winless Detroit, St. Louis and Carolina trashed recent Washington seasons.
This is where the Redskins can prove the culture of past years has changed. They can become their own men and not follow predecessors’ blunders.
Or they can anger fans one more time with a bad loss.
Twitter may explode if Washington loses to St. Louis. The top-10 trending topics will list who’s leaving town.
No. 1 would be Rex Grossman. The Redskins’ passer has been fair overall in three starts, but his penchant for turnovers showed in the 18-16 loss to Dallas on Monday. Grossman threw one interception and should have had two more while fumbling once with another only an instant replay away.
Grossman is a streaky player whose best is usually only fair while his worst seals losses. If two passes end up leading to Rams points, fan will start beating on Shanahan to play John Beck, who lost the narrow preseason quarterback competition.
Shanahan doesn’t coach by polls, but a locker room so united this season can certainly smell a change. They’ll play for either so if one undermines a potential wild-card season, he’ll have as many loyal followers as a congressman texting naughty photos.
While there would be 12 more games to right a losing streak, the Redskins need to bank wins now. The season’s final weeks include the New York Jets, New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles. There aren’t many easy wins after Thanksgiving and few weak opponents like St. Louis after the bye.
If Washington has any chance at making the playoffs after a three-year absence, it must beat teams like St. Louis. Otherwise, the Redskins don’t deserve to go.
No pressure — just win, baby, and the world loves you. Lose and the next two weeks raise the miserability meter to Congressional budget cut levels.
Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more on Twitter @Snide_Remarks or email [email protected].
