It would be so easy for Washington to overlook winless Detroit today. The Lions are last in overall defense with an offense barely ranking better after recently trading their best player.
Then again, Washington suffered that ill fate two weeks ago when losing to winless St. Louis. After escaping the mediocre Cleveland Browns in between, the Redskins must show they’re not the NFL version of Maryland in beating the top teams and falling to the worst on their schedule.
“When we lost that [St. Louis] game, I couldn’t sleep for two or three nights,” quarterback Jason Campbell said. “St. Louis was down towards the end [of the rankings] so can’t look at it that way. You can’t look down on [the Lions.] They’re more dangerous than a team that’s undefeated or lost one game because when you feel like your back is against the wall you play as hard as you possibly can.”
The Redskins finish another streak in their schedule. After a surprising 4-1 start against five expected playoff teams with three road division games, the Redskins reach midseason with their third straight against awful teams.
Facing then 0-4 St. Louis, 2-3 Cleveland and 0-6 Detroit has taken a little edge off Washington, partly because they’re not NFC East teams or even playoff rivals. It’s easy to look past Detroit for the coming Monday nighter versus Pittsburgh on Nov. 3 and the following week’s bye before returning against a suddenly vulnerable Dallas on Nov. 16.
And that’s what scares Redskins coach Jim Zorn once more. With the New York Giants (5-1) looking worthy of being a defending Super Bowl champion, Washington can’t blow another winnable game and stay in the NFC East title chase. Finishing 6-2 at midseason practically ensures a wild card bid barring total collapse, but 5-3 is just another good record.
“This is the grind part of the season. This is where the good teams begin to separate from the teams who are frustrated,” Zorn said. “Every team will play us [hard] now because we’ve had a little success.”
Washington’s next four games following Detroit are as tough as the first five except three are at home. Pittsburgh, Dallas and the Giants — with a cross-country trip to nemesis Seattle — will likely define the season. The final month of Baltimore, Cincinnati, Philadelphia and San Francisco is soft even if Philadelphia is the only home game.
But Washington needs to bank the Detroit game. The losers of Chicago-Green Bay and Tampa Bay-Carolina races may be competing with Washington for two wild cards. Since the Redskins don’t play any of them, conference record is the first tie-breaker. The Lions are an NFC team so it’s doubly important to win.
“We’re not where we want to be,” Zorn said. “Some days it seems like we’re taking little baby steps and other days we’re taking big leaps.”
Beating Detroit is a baby step towards a big ending.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
