The Washington Redskins continue to torment even in victory.
Beating New Orleans 16-10 on Sunday at the Superdome exemplified just how good Washington could have been this season. The Saints clinched a division title, but the Redskins were clearly the better team.
This was the Super Bowl contender everyone expected. Too bad they showed up three months late. Bet training camp will be a killer next year instead of the Club Med of last summer.
Washington has defeated NFC East leader Dallas (9-5), NFC South champion New Orleans (9-5) and AFC wild card contender Jacksonville along with fading Carolina (6-7)and Houston (4-10). If it could have turned around four narrow losses, Washington might have won the division.
Really, where has this defense been all season? Is Shawn Springs finally healthy? Has Andre Carter learned the system? Did Carlos Rogers mature? Maybe Sean Taylor found inspiration?
The offense has playmakers once more. Jason Campbell is now working downfield. Ladell Betts is making everyone forget Clinton Portis. Chris Cooley is a midfield factor again.
And, the Redskins finally have a kicker with seven field goals in two games.
It all makes you want to restart the season. This team should have been a contender instead of 5-9.
Coach Joe Gibbs doesn’t plan to disassemble the roster over the offseason. He just figures this is a bad season that didn’t get any breaks. There’s a lot of truth to such thought. Bad starts in the NFL tend to doom teams and the Redskins fell into that black hole with gusto.
But for everyone demanding change over recent weeks, beating the Saints showed this coaching staff can still get the team ready when other squads might have quit. Do you still want Gibbs to retire or fire his top assistants?
And what about the offense? Campbell is providing some real optimism for 2007 with fewer mistakes and taking some shots downfield. Betts now gives the Redskins more reason to return to their running ways of the past when coupled with Portis.
The NFL is such a mercurial sport. Win and the world laughs with you. Lose and die a little each day until playing again. The Redskins are back on the upswing, at least for a week.
The holidays in Washington just got a little merrier. The boss is on holiday leave, someone spiked the egg nog and secret Santa provided rum cake instead of fruit cake.
Maybe the Redskins can finish with a few wins to create enough goodwill for regrouping over the offseason insteadof rebuilding. That, my friends, would really be a Christmas miracle.
Rick Snider has covered local sports for 28 years. Contact him at [email protected].
