Washington Redskins Shouldn’t Be Happy With Moral Victories
They coulda had that game. The Redskins were at least two dropped interceptions or several errant McNabb throws away from actually pulling out a victory from the jaws of defeat against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. They could have beaten the Colts and their record could’ve been at 4-2. They could have still been in first place in the NFC East, leading the division against the resurgent Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants.
Coulda, woulda, shoulda I guess.
Evidently, the Redskins’ culture of defeat will always win out in the long run.
These Redskins players are not used to any sort of continuous success and I wonder if the team just doesn’t shoot itself in the foot because of it. Maybe, and this is just me playing amateur psychologist, deep down inside, the team doesn’t think they are good enough and they subconsciously sabotage themselves when they have a chance at success.
Its become quite obvious that this team just doesn’t know how to react properly to winning, that much is for sure. This team has been in between “average” and “awful” for so long that losing permeates everything about the organization. They just cannot sustain winning and it is mind bogglingly annoying.
Mike Shanahan is trying to change the team’s mindset by coaching like he did when he won Super Bowls with Denver. Bruce Allen is trying to change it by reminding everyone that in the 1970s and 1980s the team was pretty awesome. But until they clear house of all the veterans that have been around this team for the last few years, I’m pretty sure the Redskins will not be able achieve any long term success. They will stop themselves every single time.
But, of course, you’ve heard that rallying cry before. No real news or shocking revelation there. Dump the old guys, bring in the new guys is the sad refrain that we’ve heard many times in the past few years and hopefully that will happen an offseason in the near future, but for now, this team cannot afford to throw away opportunities like they had against the Colts.
Yet, somehow, someway, these Redskins players will always do this. They figure out new and creative ways to keep throwing games and seasons away. Its in their nature and you the fan will have to just deal with it…at least until they bring in enough new players to change the mindset.
The could’ve won this week, they could’ve given themselves a better positioning for the playoffs, they could’ve been in first place, they could’ve banked a win now so that one later in the year doesn’t hurt as bad…they could’ve, but they didn’t.
Getting a moral victory here is of little solace, it means nothing at all, it is just another example of this team of losers losing yet again.
Tagged with: Indianapolis Colts • NFL • Sunday Night Football • Washington Redskins
Filed under: NFL • Washington Redskins
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You make some good points, and I tend to agree with your premise. They should’ve blown this team up when Gibbs left but Snyder is incapable of rebuilding. If I’m a diehard Skins fan, I’d sacrifice two years of 4-12 to build a strong foundation instead of 12 years of 6-10 mixed in with a few 9-7s. That being said…
Ok, I am probably going to expand this into a larger post, but let’s make something clear: the Redskins are not a good football team. They’re slightly better than average and that’s about it. If fans in DC are deluding themselves into thinking they are a few bad luck plays away from being 4-2 or 5-1 they’re f-ing nuts.
They have, at best, mediocre players at all of their skill positions. They also have no depth because Snyder and Co. treat draft picks like loose change. Even worse, the players they do have (aside from Orakpo) reached their ceilings talentwise years ago. There is no potential for Clinton Portis, Donovan McNabb, Carlos Rogers, Andre Carter, MeAngelo Hall, etc., to get better. This is the best their team is going to be. That sucks. There’s no potential for this team other than what they put out there on the field right now.
Oh, and Joseph Addai made a mockery of that defensive line last night. I bet they could have used a hulking NT who would have stuffed up the middle and sucked up doubleteams. Wonder where they might find a guy like that?
Oh i do agree, before this game, the Redskins could just as easily have been an 0-5 team as a 3-2 team. They won 3 games because the last play went their way, that isn’t a path to success or a sign of a dominant team.
Giving up 400+ yards a game isnt a good sign either. This team is a 5 game losing streak waiting to happen.