Sometimes presents are refused despite the holiday season.
The Philadelphia Eagles essentially spotted the Washington Redskins a free touchdown at the start and a field goal late and blew their first touchdown in between. Yet the Redskins still couldn’t survive the waning minutes of the 27-24 loss on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
“It’s definitely frustrating,” said quarter Jason Campbell, whose scowl masked a brutal final snap when he literally was knocked out. “Just the way we lose.”
The Redskins are past frustrated. That was four games ago. This is staring straight past embarrassing and into historically bad. It might be the Redskins’ worst team to watch since 1993 when Joe Gibbs departed one year after winning his third Super Bowl and the remaining roster scraps finished 4-12. Even the 3-13 team in 1994 played better than today’s team.
Washington blew too many games to bad teams earlier this season and now they’re doing the same versus those heading to the playoffs. The Redskins might have saved coach Jim Zorn’s job along with a few of their own with several division victories over the season’s second half. Instead, owner Dan Snyder can freely pursue the next coach and start thinking about his next class of free agents.
Ironically, the NFC East is certainly not the best group in football as once believed. Each team is vulnerable, but Washington lacks that final punch, that lasting confidence it can emerge victorious.
“It’s a mindset,” defensive end Phillip Daniels said. “We have to put these games away.”
Forget any moral victory scenarios. They sell those on playgrounds. This was a letdown — one more reason why the Redskins are a bad team. Washington finally showed some offense over the last three weeks and still went 1-2 while only beating Denver when the Broncos quarterback was hurt.
Philadelphia thought so little of the visitors’ offense the Eagles opened with an onsides kick. At least Washington quickly used it for a 7-0 lead.
“We weren’t surprised, were we,” Zorn countered.
That slight should have fueled the Redskins into an angry beatdown mentality. The kind where nobody tries that again. Instead, Philadelphia countered with 10 points on its first two drives with only an Eagles penalty keeping it from being 14.
Washington should have been on its toes. Instead, the Redskins were on their heels.
Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb said, “We knew we could do it” about scoring the final 11 points to win. That says it all. The Redskins didn’t scare McNabb. They’re not scaring anyone.
Until they keep an opponent down to the end, no one will respect Washington.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more at TheRickSniderReport.com and Twitter @Snide_Remarks or e-mail [email protected].
