Fourth and one was not kind tothe Washington Redskins.
Coach Joe Gibbs twice chose long field goal attempts in short yardage situations yesterday. The first kick failed while helping Dallas discover its offense. The second succeeded but kept Washington from having the chance to tie the game with less than 10 minutes remaining. Aggressive fourth down calls might have made a difference. Instead, Gibbs’ increasingly-conservative style was self-defeating.
The Redskins proved they’re good enough to be contenders in the 28-23 loss. Washington was good enough to beat Dallas just like it was good enough to defeat Green Bay and New York. All three opponents seem headed for the playoffs while the Redskins shoulda, coulda, woulda act likely ends without a postseason bow.
It doesn’t help that the secondary couldn’t contain Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens. Injured safety Sean Taylor’s absence was glaring versus Owens, who scored four touchdowns effortlessly. The defense permitted too many third-and-long conversions. Jason Campbell’s bad interception with 1:38 remaining sealed the loss after throwing for a career-high 348 yards.
Those two fourth down decisions really cost Washington, though. The first needed a short yard and the Redskins were running effectively. With a 7-0 lead and a seven-minute drive nearing the middle of the second quarter, the Redskins had a chance to continue working the clock and a potential 14-0 lead.
The failed 50-yard attempt gave Dallas the ball on its own 40. The Cowboys found their rhythm on a short field, converting three third downs to tie the game. Washington wouldn’t have risked much in trying to convert its fourth down, but instead let Dallas gain momentum. The Cowboys entered halftime knowing how to beat the Redskins secondary in the second half — instead of second guessing themselves if blanked at intermission.
The second call came with Dallas leading 21-13. The Redskins were a yard short at the Cowboys 26 after tight end Chris Cooley dropped the third down throw. Gibbs opted for a 44-yard field goal for 21-16, but the Redskins were amidst a shootout. A touchdown and two-point conversion would have tied the game and forced the Cowboys to remain conservative. The last thing the Redskins needed was giving the NFL’s No. 2 offense freedom to make big plays.
A field goal was looking worthless given the Cowboys offense was rolling. The Redskins needed a bold strike to deadlock the game instead of still trailing. Sure enough, Dallas scored four plays later on Owens’ 52-yarder. Playing from behind to the NFC’s best team is not a high-percentage move. The Redskins scored again, but asking for two touchdowns was indeed too much.
“We really went after it,” Gibbs said. “It’s one of those things where we have to find a way to make a couple more plays.”
On fourth down.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
