The
New England Patriots
squandered the majority of a seemingly comfortable lead last weekend, leaving an uneasy feeling even after their fourth straight
victory.

They left no such doubts the last time they faced the
Washington Redskins
.

The nation’s capital, however, remains the only NFL city where the Patriots have never won, a distinction that will disappear
Sunday unless the Redskins can pull off the upset and avenge a historic rout four years ago.

New England (9-3) charged to a 28-point lead against winless Indianapolis last Sunday, but was outgained 266-11 and outscored
21-0 in the final quarter, securing a 31-24 victory only after pouncing on an onside kick in the final minute.

Although the Patriots are tied for the AFC’s best record, the near-meltdown reinforced concerns about a patchwork defense
that ranks last in the NFL both overall (412.1 yards allowed per game) and against the pass (310.0).

New England’s starting safeties against the Colts were
Nate Jones
, who was making his Patriots debut, and
Matthew Slater
– typically a wide receiver.

“It’s disappointing. Go back to the drawing board and try to improve,” linebacker
Jerod Mayo
said. “We just have to learn how to put two halves together next week.”

The Patriots certainly did that against Washington during their perfect regular season in 2007, opening the game with 52 straight
points before a late Redskins touchdown made it a 52-7 final.

That remains Washington’s most lopsided loss since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.

Losing has become all too familiar for the Redskins in recent seasons. The Patriots have won eight division titles – they
would clinch another Sunday with a win and a
New York Jets
loss to Kansas City – since Washington last won the NFC East in 1999.

The Redskins (4-8) lost 34-19 to the Jets last weekend, falling to 0-4 in their last four home games, 0-3 against AFC foes
this season and 1-7 since their promising 3-1 start.

They got even more troubling news after the game, learning that tight end
Fred Davis
and left tackle
Trent Williams
would be suspended for four games – the rest of the regular season – by the NFL for repeated violations of the league’s substance
abuse policy.

“Am I disappointed in them? Big time, yeah,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “Because they affect not only themselves but this organization
and their teammates. That’s a bad decision, and they know they put us in a heck of a position.”

The Redskins selected Williams with the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2010, and Davis leads the team with 59 receptions and
796 receiving yards.

The Patriots have also used their tight ends as major weapons in the passing game – particularly
Rob Gronkowski
, who scored three more touchdowns last week. One went down as a rushing score because it was ruled a lateral by
Tom Brady
, leaving Gronkowski with 13 receiving TDs – tied with
Vernon Davis
(2009) and
Antonio Gates
(2004) for the single-season NFL record for tight ends.

“He is a tough kid and he knows how to run the routes,” Colts defensive back
Jerraud Powers
said of Gronkowski. “It also helps when you have one of the greatest quarterbacks.”

Brady may face a bit of a challenge against a Washington defense that has not allowed a 300-yard passer all season. The reigning
NFL MVP has averaged 303.3 passing yards during New England’s four-game winning streak, throwing 10 touchdowns and no interceptions
in that stretch.

Brady, though, struggled against Shanahan’s teams when the coach was in Denver. Including a postseason loss, he went 1-5 against
Shanahan’s Broncos, completing just 56.5 percent of his passes and posting a 78.1 passer rating.

Teammate
Andre Carter
played for Shanahan last season, his fifth year with the Redskins, but the defensive end didn’t fit in the 3-4 scheme. With
the Patriots moving largely to a 4-3 this year, the veteran has clicked, leading the team with nine sacks.

“He’s a very professional guy that’s smart, a well-conditioned athlete,” coach Bill Belichick said. “He really works hard
at football and things are really falling into place for him here.”

Two former Patriots –
Jabar Gaffney
and Donte’ Stallworth – are now wide receivers for the Redskins, but one player is notable in his absence from both rosters.
Each club has parted ways with
Albert Haynesworth
this year, with Washington trading the controversial defensive tackle to the Patriots, who waived him last month.

The Patriots, who’ve won at every other NFL franchise’s home venue, are favorites to defeat the Redskins on the road for the
first time. New England has only played two previous regular-season games at Washington, most recently losing 20-17 in 2003
– a game in which Brady threw three interceptions.

Redskins safety
LaRon Landry
will miss his second straight game Sunday because of a groin injury.

ASHBURN, Va. (AP)—It was apparently too much to ask. The Washington
Redskins just can’t seem to get through a season without a major off-the-field
distraction.

Players and coaches waited Monday for the NFL to formally announce that two
of Washington’s top offensive players—tight end Fred Davis(notes) and left tackle
Trent Williams(notes)—will be suspended for the rest of the season for violating the
league’s substance abuse policy, a blow to coach Mike Shanahan’s hopes to build
a team with a reputation for high-character players.

“It’s just something else that’s kind of added to the Redskins drama,”
linebacker Lorenzo Alexander(notes) said.

Shanahan said he expected to hear something from the league office “within
the next 24 hours” about Davis and Williams. He otherwise danced around many
questions about the topic, citing NFL confidentially rules.

Davis and Williams are expected to be suspended for the Redskins’ remaining
four games, two people with familiar with the decision told The Associated Press
on Sunday. The two people spoke on condition of anonymity because no official
announcement had been made.

One of the people told the AP that Davis and Williams were among 11 who
failed drug tests during a lockout-related grace period negotiated between the
NFL and the players’ union. The other nine players’ cases were dismissed because
they were first-time offenders; Davis and Williams each has tested positive more
than once, the person told the AP.

“It is disappointing,” Alexander said, “because everybody’s aware of the
rules and how the NFL carries out the drug policy.”

Shanahan said Davis and Williams reported as usual to the training facility
Monday and were watching film, presumably of Sunday’s 34-19 loss to the New York
Jets. Neither player appeared in the locker room during the period it was open
to reporters.

Near their corner lockers was a reminder of how hard it is for a player to
ignore the league’s drug policy. A notice written on bright green paper attached
to long snapper Nick Sundberg’s(notes) locker read: “You have been randomly selected
by the NFL drug testing program’s medical adviser to complete a urine doping
test today.” The word “today” was underlined.

“It’ll be tough. It’s two guys that we count on a lot in the offense,”
receiver Jabar Gaffney(notes) said. “It would be hard to replace those guys, but we
have to.”

The suspensions would have major ramifications for each player as well as
the team. Davis was becoming the offense’s most reliable playmaker with 59
catches for 796 yards—both team-highs. The 2008 second-round draft pick is due
to become a free agent at the end of the season. This mistake will undoubtedly
cost him millions because another positive test could cause him to be suspended
for one year, a chance many teams—including the Redskins—might not want to
take.

Tight end was Washington’s strongest position entering the season, but Chris
Cooley(notes) is done for the year with a left knee injury. Logan Paulsen(notes) has worked
his way up from third string by default and will likely start the upcoming game
against the New England Patriots.

Williams is an especially troubling case for Shanahan because the No. 4
overall pick in 2010 was the first player drafted by the coach in Washington.
Williams is very mobile for an offensive lineman, but he’s had growing pains
adjusting to the NFL game and has yet to come close to the multi-Pro Bowl level
one expects from a player chosen with such a lofty pick.

“They’re both great guys,” Alexander said. “Obviously this is going to
create a different perception of them off the field. But I know these guys
intimately, being in here every day with them. Both guys I love dearly, great
teammates, and they go out there bust their butt every time they’re on the
field.”

The Redskins (4-8) have lost seven of eight, but at least up to now they had
appeared relatively well-behaved. Players were happy to report early in the
season that they were becoming a boring team, a sharp contrast to the Donovan
McNabb(notes) and Albert Haynesworth(notes) distractions of 2010 and the many other sagas of
recent years. Cornerback DeAngelo Hall’s(notes) occasional outbursts and a highly
criticized defamation suit filed by owner Dan Snyder were among the few bits of
extra static in 2011.

While Shanahan wouldn’t discuss the details concerning Davis or Williams,
the coach reiterated his focus on finding and keeping high-character talent.

“We know to put your best football team together you need talented
players,” Shanahan said. “You also need players with high character. You can
get to the playoffs with a lot of talented players, but to get to the Super
Bowl, to be the top organization, you’ve got to have character.

“We’ll make mistakes along the way, and it doesn’t mean that we’re going to
just drop somebody because they make a mistake. But we’re going to make sure
they’re made of the right stuff.”

AP Pro Football Writer Howard Fendrich contributed to this report.

Joseph White can be reached at http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP

As the clock hit zero and the final score 20-9 flashed across the screen, I couldn’t help but feel confused and disappointed. This season has been the tale of two quarterbacks that no one else wanted but were the subject of great debate this offseason.

Redskins fans were just  happy to move past a season where conflicts between Mike Shanahan, Donovan McNabb and Albert Haynesworth made headlines week in and week out. With the lockout coming and going without canceling any parts of the season, the Redskins—and Grossman specifically—boasted of winning the NFC East, with several new young players hungry to contribute.  

By opening the season 3-1 against weak and injured competition, Grossman and the Skins were riding high atop the NFC East. The defense carried the team with Grossman doing just enough, throwing six touchdowns and five interceptions in the process. After horrible outings from Grossman against St. Louis and Philadelphia after the bye week, Shanahan turned over the reins to John Beck, who had never won a start in his entire NFL career.  

Beck’s inexperience was apparent, as he lost three consecutive games while never being able to establish the passing game down field. Against Buffalo, Shanahan suffered his first shutout of his 24-year career as a coach or coordinator in the NFL.

With the loss of several key players on the offensive line as well as the likes of Santana Moss, Tim Hightower and Chris Cooley, the team has spiraled back down to their usual dwellings at the bottom of the division.    

Grossman has the confidence needed to lead a team, but his stubborn nature and inability to realize when not to force the issue had resulted in his subpar outings. By forcing the issue often, he is tied for fourth-most in the league with 11 interceptions despite having about half the pass attempts as the other quarterbacks on the list. 

The game against Miami was a prime example, as Grossman moved the ball down the field several times but committed a crucial interception in the red zone when he tried to force the ball to a well-covered Leonard Hankerson, effectively sealing the loss for the Skins.

This quarterback carousel has caused uneasiness in fans and players alike, as no one is sure week to week who is going to be at the helm come game time. These two quarterbacks are very different in their executions of the offense, but no matter what, the result has been the same.

As the losing streak has now hit five games, talks of next season have already entered the conversation. With little left to play for other than pride and continued learning of the systems in place, Shanahan should just stick with a quarterback and remove the added stress and drama surrounding a new starter each week.   

While the personnel that plagued our team last year has moved on, the dysfunction and uncertainty lives on with Shanahan as the puppet-master. Teams are a reflection of the coaching in place, and transparency is crucial in running a smooth operation from the top down.

As the Redskins will most likely limp to another losing season, it begs the question: how much longer will Shanahan be allowed to right the ship before Dan Snyder stops sitting idly by and does something even more drastic?

To say the Washington Redskins have a quarterback controversy would be somewhat of an understatement. What they have is more like a quarterback conundrum.  

Head Coach Mike Shanahan has a choice. He can start a quarterback who possesses the mentality of a gunslinger but lacks the requisite talent, someone who can throw the ball down field and usually does so right before throwing the ball to the other team.

Or he can start a quarterback only capable of throwing check down after check down after check down, a player whose shaky pocket presence and boyish looks make you want to rub his head and give him juice box after a tough loss. 

It’s Rex Grossman or John Beck. Not since the days of Shuler or Frerotte has the Redskins quarterback situation been this compelling.  

At this point, it’s not likely but somewhat probable that the Redskins will lose all of their remaining games. They will face a murderous schedule down the home stretch and can’t seem to find the end zone regardless of who has his hands under center.  

On Sunday, conditions were ripe for the team to snap a four-game losing streak against the lowly Miami Dolphins, another franchise whose glory days seem long behind them.  

The Redskins defense forced two turnovers, rookie wide receiver Leonard Hankerson recorded a career day with eight catches for 106 yards, and the team received several very generous roughing the passer calls that extended drives and provided much needed yardage. 

Despite all these positives, Grossman found a way to give the game away in the fourth quarter. With the ball on the Miami 10-yard line, the Redskins trailing 9-12, Grossman dropped back and stared down wide receiver Jabar Gaffney. By the time he got around to releasing the ball, Miami linebacker Karlos Danby had put himself in perfect position to intercept the pass.    

Grossman’s second interception prevented Washington from kicking the tying field goal, much less scoring a go-ahead touchdown, and Miami promptly marched down the field against a Redskins defense that looks a little older and a little slower each week before sealing the win with a Reggie Bush touchdown.  

I’ve written before that Beck is not a legitimate NFL quarterback, and I stand by that assertion. But Grossman’s penchant for turning the ball over negates all the positive throws he makes and prevents the Redskins from having a chance to win the games in which he plays.  

The nickname Good Rex/Bad Rex used to refer to the way Grossman would follow a good game with an abominable one. Now it can be applied on a much smaller scale: He follows a great throw with an interception at least once a game.  

It’s clear that Grossman has some talent, and at some point the coaches responsible for designing the offense, Shanahan and his son, Kyle, have to shoulder some of the blame for putting their quarterback in a position where he can turn the ball over on a consistent basis.

I’m not excusing Grossman for his mistakes, but considering that in San Francisco Jim Harbaugh has turned Alex Smith from a joke to a solid quarterback illustrates how coaching plays an integral part in determining a quarterback’s success.  

Shanahan’s tenure in Washington has been defined by personnel problems. It started with the infamous Albert Haynesworth conflict, which was followed by a spat with Donovan McNabb, the quarterback Shanahan signed in 2010 offseason to run his offense. McNabb ended getting benched in favor of Grossman, and some people cried foul at Shanahan’s handling of the situation. 

This year the story in Washington has been the controversy at quarterback. Shanahan brought in Beck, a career journeyman deemed unworthy of a starting job by the league’s other 31 teams, to compete with Grossman. He boldly pronounced that either man would be good enough to lead the team. That statement has proven false, and now Shanahan can’t seem to make up his mind over who he wants to lead his team.  

Whether Shanahan decides to stick with Grossman or whether he continues to oscillate between the two will tell us more about the state of mind of this once great coach than it will about either quarterback. It’s clear neither player has the chops to be an NFL starter, but playing switcheroo with the most important position on the field only illustrates a lack of confidence on the part of the coaching staff.  

Changing head coaches can be a tiresome process. But if the Shanahans can’t catalyze any offensive improvement in the coming weeks, or at least decide on a starting quarterback, then owner Dan Snyder would be wise to cut them loose. 

Last season, Albert haynesworth’s unwillingness to participate robbed the Redskins 3-4 defense of a true playmaker at the scheme’s most important position.

One year on, Barry Cofield is quietly developing into the kind of elite nose tackle who can become the focal point of Washington’s defense.

The free agent acquisition of Cofield from the New York Giants was greeted with little fanfare.  It’s not that Cofield was deemed a poor signing.  It’s just that he didn’t posses the reputation of some of the more high profile defensive linemen available.

When many clamoured for the arrival of Aubrayo Franklin or Cullen Jenkins, Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen quietly moved in for Cofield.

“A solid pro” was usually the kind of phrase associated with Cofield and many doubted if the career 4-3 practitioner could successfully transition to anchoring a 3-4.

The former Giant is beginning to erase any such doubts.  Cofield started the season slowly, rotating with seventh-round rookie Chris Neild.

But in the Redskins’ last two games Cofield has been a disruptive presence over the center.  Taller than most traditional 3-4 nose tackles at 6’4″ Cofield is using his strength and intelligence to become an effective 2-gap plugger.

He was particularly impressive against the Philadelphia Eagles.  Cofield routinely pushed the pocket and attracted double teams.

He will need to do more of the same against the Carolina Panthers.  Cofield’s power and first step quickness can allow the Redskins to hold the middle of the line and keep rookie Cam Newton in the pocket.

Cofield’s experience in 1-gap 4-3 schemes has allowed him to provide a decent rush threat from his nose tackle position.

This pressure can serve to split the focus of blocking schemes and create more one on one matchups for edge rushers Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan.

One of the best run defenders in the league, Cofield is the ideal player for the Redskins to construct their run defense around.

As he continues to pressure the pocket and penetrate double teams, Washington’s rush defense will begin to show real improvement.

Cofield is slowly mastering the transition to 2-gap, 3-4 nose tackle and is on his way to becoming a legitimate playmaker for the Redskins’ improving defense.