EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — If the New York Giants miss the playoffs once again, they have only themselves and the Washington Redskins to blame.

Rex Grossman threw a touchdown pass and the Redskins put a major hurt on the Giants and their playoff hopes with a dominating 23-10 victory Sunday in a game in which New York showed little desire with much on the line.

“I’m very disappointed in how we played today,” coach Tom Coughlin said after the Giants (7-7) fell a game behind Dallas (8-6) in the NFC East with two games left in the regular season.

“I accept responsibility for it. But I expected to see more – quality execution – and we didn’t get that.”

Surprisingly, Washington (5-9) looked very much like a playoff team in winning for only the second time in 10 games and embarrassing the Giants for the second time this season.

Grossman and the offense held the ball for 35 minutes, while the defense picked off Eli Manning three times and didn’t allow a touchdown until the final minute.

“They had a lot at stake and obviously we didn’t and I’m pleased the way we played,” Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said.

Coming off an emotional win over Dallas on Sunday night in a game that gave them control of their own destiny, the Giants showed nothing after a couple of early interceptions.

“I didn’t see the passion in us today,” running back Brandon Jacobs said. “We didn’t play well. We disappointed each other and our fans, and we’ve just got to play better. I can’t tell you why.”

The Giants still control their destiny. If they beat the Jets and the Cowboys in their final two games, they will win the division.

The Cowboys play the Philadelphia Eagles next weekend and could wrap up the division if the Giants fall in their rivalry game with the Jets.

“I still have confidence,” Giants defensive captain Justin Tuck said. “We laid an egg today, but I’ve seen us rebound from things like this a lot of times. There’s no quit in our guys. This was kind of an eye-opener. We have to keep the intensity going the whole game, and we didn’t maintain it today.

Washington never trailed in spoiling what the Giants hoped would be another step in their run to the playoffs. The Redskins took the crowd out of the game early, opening a 17-0 lead and they were never threatened.

Grossman threw a 20-yard scoring pass to Santana Moss , Darrel Young scored on a 6-yard run after one of the Redskins’ interceptions and Graham Gano kicked three field goals.

Former Giant and current Redskins defensive tackle Barry Cofield enjoyed spoiling the party hopes of his former teammates.

“A party broke out for us. I’m proud of how we came out and played,” Cofield said, adding Washington has played well in recent weeks.

This loss was the fifth in six games for the Giants, who are in danger of missing the playoffs for the third straight year.

The scenario has been the same each season. New York starts the season quickly and then falters down the stretch, playing some unbelievably bad games with the postseason on the line.

This season it has been another collapse after a stunning win over New England left them at 6-2. They lost four in a row and then last week seemed to grab command again by rallying in the fourth quarter to beat the Cowboys in Dallas.

Again, with the playoffs in their grasp, they came out flat against the Redskins, who had already been eliminated from playoff contention.

Even a couple of gift interceptions by Grossman in the first quarter didn’t help.

Gano gave Washington the lead on its second series with a 36-yard field goal that was set up in part by a 19-yard pass from Donte’ Stallworth on a third-and-12 from the Giants 39.

Grossman, who finished 15 of 24 for 185 yards, pushed the lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter with his TD pass to a wide-open Moss on third-and-8.

If the touchdown had the fans muttering, there was no hiding their feelings minutes later after Oshiomogho Atogwe intercepted a pass that deflected off the hands of running back D.J. Ware and returned it 26 yards to the Giants 41. Nine plays later, Young scored and the fans let the team know it was sick of being let down.

Manning, who finished 23 of 40 for 257 yards, finally got the Giants on the board just before halftime, setting up Lawrence Tynes for a 40-yard field goal.

Instead of gaining momentum, the Giants gave the points right back. DeAngelo Hall made a one-handed interception on the second offensive play of the third quarter. His 26-yard return set up Gano’s 43-yard field goal for a 20-3 lead.

After Tynes missed a 44-yarder on the next series, Gano opened the fourth quarter with a 25-yarder to make it 23-3.

Ahmad Bradshaw scored on a 3-yard run with 33 seconds to play for the Giants’ touchdown.

The Giants were their own worst enemy. Hakeem Nicks dropped what might have been a 54-yard scoring play on their second series on a play in which he got behind the defense and had the pass hit off his facemask as he looked back into the sun.

That’s the way the day was for the Giants, who had only a few faithful fans in the stadium when they scored their touchdown.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — If the New York Giants miss the playoffs once again, they have only themselves and the Washington Redskins to blame.

Rex Grossman threw a touchdown pass and the Redskins put a major hurt on the Giants and their playoff hopes with a dominating 23-10 victory Sunday in a game in which New York showed little desire with much on the line.

“I’m very disappointed in how we played today,” coach Tom Coughlin said after the Giants (7-7) fell a game behind Dallas (8-6) in the NFC East with two games left in the regular season.

“I accept responsibility for it. But I expected to see more — quality execution — and we didn’t get that.”

Surprisingly, Washington (5-9) looked very much like a playoff team in winning for only the second time in 10 games and embarrassing the Giants for the second time this season.

Grossman and the offense held the ball for 35 minutes, while the defense picked off Eli Manning three times and didn’t allow a touchdown until the final minute.

“They had a lot at stake and obviously we didn’t and I’m pleased the way we played,” Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said.

Coming off an emotional win over Dallas on Sunday night in a game that gave them control of their own destiny, the Giants showed nothing after a couple of early interceptions.

“I didn’t see the passion in us today,” running back Brandon Jacobs said. “We didn’t play well. We disappointed each other and our fans, and we’ve just got to play better. I can’t tell you why.”

The Giants still control their destiny. If they beat the Jets and the Cowboys in their final two games, they will win the division.

The Cowboys play the Philadelphia Eagles next weekend and could wrap up the division if the Giants fall in their rivalry game with the Jets.

“I still have confidence,” Giants defensive captain Justin Tuck said. “We laid an egg today, but I’ve seen us rebound from things like this a lot of times. There’s no quit in our guys. This was kind of an eye-opener. We have to keep the intensity going the whole game, and we didn’t maintain it today.

Washington never trailed in spoiling what the Giants hoped would be another step in their run to the playoffs. The Redskins took the crowd out of the game early, opening a 17-0 lead and they were never threatened.

Grossman threw a 20-yard scoring pass to Santana Moss, Darrel Young scored on a 6-yard run after one of the Redskins’ interceptions and Graham Gano kicked three field goals.

Former Giant and current Redskins defensive tackle Barry Cofield enjoyed spoiling the party hopes of his former teammates.

“A party broke out for us. I’m proud of how we came out and played,” Cofield said, adding Washington has played well in recent weeks.

This loss was the fifth in six games for the Giants, who are in danger of missing the playoffs for the third straight year.

The scenario has been the same each season. New York starts the season quickly and then falters down the stretch, playing some unbelievably bad games with the postseason on the line.

This season it has been another collapse after a stunning win over New England left them at 6-2. They lost four in a row and then last week seemed to grab command again by rallying in the fourth quarter to beat the Cowboys in Dallas.

Again, with the playoffs in their grasp, they came out flat against the Redskins, who had already been eliminated from playoff contention.

Even a couple of gift interceptions by Grossman in the first quarter didn’t help.

Gano gave Washington the lead on its second series with a 36-yard field goal that was set up in part by a 19-yard pass from Donte’ Stallworth on a third-and-12 from the Giants 39.

Grossman, who finished 15 of 24 for 185 yards, pushed the lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter with his TD pass to a wide-open Moss on third-and-8.

If the touchdown had the fans muttering, there was no hiding their feelings minutes later after Oshiomogho Atogwe intercepted a pass that deflected off the hands of running back D.J. Ware and returned it 26 yards to the Giants 41. Nine plays later, Young scored and the fans let the team know it was sick of being let down.

Manning, who finished 23 of 40 for 257 yards, finally got the Giants on the board just before halftime, setting up Lawrence Tynes for a 40-yard field goal.

Instead of gaining momentum, the Giants gave the points right back. DeAngelo Hall made a one-handed interception on the second offensive play of the third quarter. His 26-yard return set up Gano’s 43-yard field goal for a 20-3 lead.

After Tynes missed a 44-yarder on the next series, Gano opened the fourth quarter with a 25-yarder to make it 23-3.

Ahmad Bradshaw scored on a 3-yard run with 33 seconds to play for the Giants’ touchdown.

The Giants were their own worst enemy. Hakeem Nicks dropped what might have been a 54-yard scoring play on their second series on a play in which he got behind the defense and had the pass hit off his facemask as he looked back into the sun.

That’s the way the day was for the Giants, who had only a few faithful fans in the stadium when they scored their touchdown.

NOTES: Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul followed his NFC defensive player of the week award with a 16-tackle performance that included a sack. …Giants DE Osi Umenyiora (knee) and C David Baas (neck) each missed their third straight game. …London Fletcher led the Skins with 12 tackles. …CB Josh Wilson had Washington’s other interception, picking off Manning in the end zone in the fourth quarter. …CB Corey Webster and S Kenny Phillips had the Giants interceptions.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — If the
New York Giants
miss the playoffs once again, they have only themselves and the
Washington Redskins
to blame.

Rex Grossman
threw a touchdown pass and the Redskins put a major hurt on the Giants and their playoff hopes with a dominating 23-10 victory
Sunday in a game in which New York showed little desire with much on the line.

“I’m very disappointed in how we played today,” coach Tom Coughlin said after the Giants (7-7) fell a game behind Dallas (8-6)
in the NFC East with two games left in the regular season.

“I accept responsibility for it. But I expected to see more – quality execution – and we didn’t get that.”

Surprisingly, Washington (5-9) looked very much like a playoff team in winning for only the second time in 10 games and embarrassing
the Giants for the second time this season.

Grossman and the offense held the ball for 35 minutes, while the defense picked off
Eli Manning
three times and didn’t allow a touchdown until the final minute.

“They had a lot at stake and obviously we didn’t and I’m pleased the way we played,” Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said.

Coming off an emotional win over Dallas on Sunday night in a game that gave them control of their own destiny, the Giants
showed nothing after a couple of early interceptions.

“I didn’t see the passion in us today,” running back
Brandon Jacobs
said. “We didn’t play well. We disappointed each other and our fans, and we’ve just got to play better. I can’t tell you why.”

The Giants still control their destiny. If they beat the Jets and the Cowboys in their final two games, they will win the
division.

The Cowboys play the
Philadelphia Eagles
next weekend and could wrap up the division if the Giants fall in their rivalry game with the Jets.

“I still have confidence,” Giants defensive captain
Justin Tuck
said. “We laid an egg today, but I’ve seen us rebound from things like this a lot of times. There’s no quit in our guys. This
was kind of an eye-opener. We have to keep the intensity going the whole game, and we didn’t maintain it today.

Washington never trailed in spoiling what the Giants hoped would be another step in their run to the playoffs. The Redskins
took the crowd out of the game early, opening a 17-0 lead and they were never threatened.

Grossman threw a 20-yard scoring pass to
Santana Moss
,
Darrel Young
scored on a 6-yard run after one of the Redskins’ interceptions and
Graham Gano
kicked three field goals.

Former Giant and current Redskins defensive tackle
Barry Cofield
enjoyed spoiling the party hopes of his former teammates.

“A party broke out for us. I’m proud of how we came out and played,” Cofield said, adding Washington has played well in recent
weeks.

This loss was the fifth in six games for the Giants, who are in danger of missing the playoffs for the third straight year.

The scenario has been the same each season. New York starts the season quickly and then falters down the stretch, playing
some unbelievably bad games with the postseason on the line.

This season it has been another collapse after a stunning win over New England left them at 6-2. They lost four in a row and
then last week seemed to grab command again by rallying in the fourth quarter to beat the Cowboys in Dallas.

Again, with the playoffs in their grasp, they came out flat against the Redskins, who had already been eliminated from playoff
contention.

Even a couple of gift interceptions by Grossman in the first quarter didn’t help.

Gano gave Washington the lead on its second series with a 36-yard field goal that was set up in part by a 19-yard pass from
Donte’ Stallworth on a third-and-12 from the Giants 39.

Grossman, who finished 15 of 24 for 185 yards, pushed the lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter with his TD pass to a wide-open
Moss on third-and-8.

If the touchdown had the fans muttering, there was no hiding their feelings minutes later after
Oshiomogho Atogwe
intercepted a pass that deflected off the hands of running back D.J. Ware and returned it 26 yards to the Giants 41. Nine
plays later, Young scored and the fans let the team know it was sick of being let down.

Manning, who finished 23 of 40 for 257 yards, finally got the Giants on the board just before halftime, setting up
Lawrence Tynes
for a 40-yard field goal.

Instead of gaining momentum, the Giants gave the points right back.
DeAngelo Hall
made a one-handed interception on the second offensive play of the third quarter. His 26-yard return set up Gano’s 43-yard
field goal for a 20-3 lead.

After Tynes missed a 44-yarder on the next series, Gano opened the fourth quarter with a 25-yarder to make it 23-3.

Ahmad Bradshaw
scored on a 3-yard run with 33 seconds to play for the Giants’ touchdown.

The Giants were their own worst enemy.
Hakeem Nicks
dropped what might have been a 54-yard scoring play on their second series on a play in which he got behind the defense and
had the pass hit off his facemask as he looked back into the sun.

That’s the way the day was for the Giants, who had only a few faithful fans in the stadium when they scored their touchdown.

NOTES: Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul followed his NFC defensive player of the week award with a 16-tackle performance that included
a sack. …Giants DE
Osi Umenyiora
(knee) and C
David Baas
(neck) each missed their third straight game. …
London Fletcher
led the Skins with 12 tackles. …CB
Josh Wilson
had Washington’s other interception, picking off Manning in the end zone in the fourth quarter. …CB
Corey Webster
and S
Kenny Phillips
had the Giants interceptions.

© 2011 STATS LLC

Credit: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

A quick glance at a stat sheet reveals a respectable Washington Redskins offense.

Rated 17th in the NFL in total offense, the Redskins boast the league’s 12th-ranked passing attack.

Rookie running back Roy Helu has rushed for at least 100 yards in each of the past three games. And the unit performed well last Sunday in a 34-27 loss to the New England Patriots.

Today, the Redskins (4-9) play at the New York Giants (7-6).

But there is a reason Redskins’ fans hold their breath every time they see the offense break from the huddle.

During a season full of shortcomings, the Redskins have been beset by turnovers.

Washington’s 30 turnovers trail only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ and Philadelphia Eagles’ 31 for the highest in the NFL. The Redskins’ minus-14 turnover ratio is worst in the league.

Redskins coach Mike Shanahan remains convinced his team’s record would be substantially better if it weren’t for its tendency to give the ball to the other team.

Shanahan pointed to four games as especially galling.

“You’re talking about the two Dallas games, you’re talking about the Jets game (and) talk about the game (against the Patriots),” Shanahan said. “All of a sudden, you’re 7-6 instead of where you’re at, and that’s the difference between winning and losing the games you just mentioned.”

Indeed, the Redskins’ hopes against the Patriots (10-3) were derailed by a costly late-game interception. On third and goal from the 9-yard line, quarterback Rex Grossman’s pass went off the hands of wide receiver Santana Moss and was caught by linebacker Jerod Mayo (Hampton) with 22 seconds left.

That sealed the Redskins’ eighth loss in their past nine games.

Mayo’s interception wasn’t the only critical turnover suffered by the Redskins last week. Facing third-and-9 from his 5-yard-line, Grossman dropped into the end zone, moved to his right and, as he cocked his arm to pass, was hit by defensive end Andre Carter, a former Redskins player. Grossman fumbled, and the Patriots recovered for a touchdown.

The Redskins have 27 straight games with a turnover, the longest active streak in the NFL. They have failed to win the turnover battle in every game this season.

Much of the blame goes to Grossman, whose 20 turnovers overshadow the 13 touchdowns he has produced this year. In 13 starts over two seasons with the Redskins, Grossman has turned over the ball 27 times, including a recent string of nine starts with an interception.

Only Tampa Bay’s Josh Freeman and San Diego’s Phillip Rivers have exceeded Grossman’s 16-interception mark this season.

Part of the problem has been lack of protection, which often prompts Grossman to hurry throws into coverage. In addition to 36 sacks, the Redskins’ offensive line has yielded 93 quarterback hits, a number surpassed by only two teams.

“We need to figure out a way to eliminate mistakes so we get a little bit of a cushion,” Grossman said. “You look at our record, (we) could very easily, just two or three plays, be a lot better. The reason those games are close is because of mistakes, and we need to eliminate those so we can not be five minutes left to go in the fourth quarter (and) the game can go either way.”

The Redskins’ offense will get a decent shot at stopping the self-inflicted bleeding today against a Giants defense that ranks 29th against the pass and 22nd against the run.

Grossman will need to be wary, though, of a pass rush coming off a three-sack performance last week against the Dallas Cowboys.

Protecting the football is a team goal, something that’s been drilled into the heads of every player this week.

“It’s unfortunate that we’ve had as many turnovers as we’ve had,” Redskins receiver Donté Stallworth said. “We obviously preach about it in the meetings and throughout the week. Hopefully, we can have a game where we don’t have any turnovers.”

A quick glance at a stat sheet reveals a respectable Washington Redskins offense. Rated 17th in the NFL in total offense, the Redskins boast the league’s 12th-ranked aerial attack. Their emerging rookie running back, Roy Helu, has rushed for at least 100 yards in each of the team’s past three games. And the unit put up 27 points last Sunday, a total almost high enough to take down the mighty New England Patriots.

But there’s a reason Redskins fans hold their breath every time they see that offense break from the huddle.

During a tumultuous season full of shortcomings, one ugly word in particular has loomed over the Redskins week after week: turnovers. Washington’s 30 turnovers trails only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ and Philadelphia Eagles‘ 31 for the highest in the NFL this season, and its minus-14 turnover ratio is the worst mark in the league.

Redskins coach Mike Shanahan remains convinced that his team’s record would be substantially better if it weren’t for its tendency to give the ball to the other team.

“Take a look at three games – you’re talking about the two Dallas games, you’re talking about the Jets game, talk about the game [against the Patriots],” Shanahan said. “All of a sudden,
you’re 7-6 instead of where you’re at and that’s the difference between winning and losing the games you just mentioned.”

Indeed, the Redskins had the 9-3 Patriots on the ropes last week, only to see their hopes derailed by a costly late-game turnover. Down by seven with under 30 seconds to go, quarterback Rex Grossman had steered the Redskins on a 75-yard drive that seemed destined for a dramatic game-tying touchdown. Grossman’s short pass on third-and-goal, however, slipped through the fingers of wide receiver Santana Moss and into the hands of Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo to seal the Redskins‘ eighth loss in its last nine games.

Mayo’s interception wasn’t the only critical turnover suffered by the Redskins Sunday. Facing third-and-long from his own 5-yard-line, Grossman sat in the pocket and absorbed a hit by former Redskin Andre Carter, who forced a fumble that was recovered in the end zone by the Patriots for the game’s first score.

That play ensured the Redskins of 27 straight games with a turnover, the longest active streak in the NFL. It’s a fitting streak for a team that has failed to win the turnover battle in each game this season.

Much of the blame can be heaped on Grossman, whose 20 turnovers overshadow the 13 touchdowns he has produced this season. In 13 starts with the Redskins, Grossman has turned the ball over 27 times, including a recent run of nine straight starts with an interception to his name. Only two quarterbacks in the NFL — Tampa Bay’s Josh Freeman and San Diego’s Phillip Rivers — have exceeded Grossman’s 16-interception mark this season.

Part of the problem has been a lack of protection, which often prompts Grossman to hurry throws into coverage. In addition to 36 sacks, the Redskins‘ offensive line has yielded 93 quarterback hits, a number surpassed by only two teams.

Whatever the cause, Grossman and company need to get to the bottom of the problem if they hope to turn things around any time soon.

“We need to figure out a way to eliminate mistakes so we get a little bit of a cushion,” Grossman said. “You look at our record, [we] could very easily, just two or three plays, be a lot better than it is. The reason those games are close is because of mistakes, and we need to eliminate those so we can not be five minutes left to go in the fourth quarter [and] the game can go either way.”

The Redskins‘ offense will get a decent shot at stopping the self-inflicted bleeding Sunday against a Giants defense that ranks 29th against the pass and 22nd against the run. Grossman will need to be wary, though, of a pass rush coming off a three-sack performance last week against the Dallas Cowboys.

Grossman won’t be the only player in the Redskins huddle seeking to end the team’s ignominious turnover streak, though. Protecting the football is a team-oriented goal, something that’s been drilled into the heads of every player this week in practice.

“It’s unfortunate that we’ve had as many turnovers as we’ve had,” Redskins receiver Donte Stallworth said. “We obviously preach about it in the meetings and throughout the week. Hopefully we can have a game where we don’t have any turnovers and we play a pretty damn good game.

So how could Shanahan have been so wrong about McNabb?

McNabb is perhaps looking at the end of his career, and the Vikings’ move would seem to validate Shanahan’s decision to bench McNabb near the end of last season and then trade him to Minnesota this past summer.

But it also reminds everyone of Shanahan’s decision to trade two draft picks to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2010 — his first major decision as the Redskins coach.

It was a trade that has set back the Redskins’ franchise for at least several years, if not longer.

McNabb’s release in Minnesota raises the questions that still haunt Redskins fans who put their faith in Shanahan as the franchise savior.

How could Shanahan — a supposed quarterback guru — been so wrong about McNabb when he brought him to Washington?

Much of this is hindsight, of course. Many were on board with the trade for McNabb, including myself, and praised the deal. But that praise came with the question of why the Eagles would trade McNabb to a division rival who they would have to face twice a season — unless they knew McNabb was finished?

We might have been stupid enough to ignore that question, but we should expect more from Shanahan, who as a result of the McNabb trade was left with the pathetic choice of Rex Grossman and John Beck as his starting quarterback options and still likely has to pick the future Redskins quarterback in next year’s draft.

Perhaps no one outside of Philadelphia could have foreseen such a dramatic fall. McNabb’s 11 seasons in Philadelphia were successful by most standards — perennial playoff appearances (eight) and impressive individual statistics (216 touchdown passes, with 22 of them coming in his final year in Philadelphia when he had with a 92.7 passer rating, the third highest of his career).

Certainly Vikings coach Leslie Frazier, who was with McNabb in Philadelphia in 1999 as the Eagles defensive backs coach, didn’t see it. Even with McNabb’s disappointing season in Washington, Frazier was willing to give up a sixth-round pick to bring McNabb to Minnesota and make him the starter.

At least Frazier had his quarterback-to-be already in place with Ponder. Shanahan’s Plan B after surrendering two draft picks for the McNabb failure was Grossman and Beck.

You have to figure that sooner or later, Shanahan, the quarterback guru, will finally get one right here in Washington. Until then, his failures will be tied to McNabb’s failures, wherever they may be.

Examiner columnist Thom Loverro is the co-host of “The Sports Fix” from noon to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday on ESPN980 and espn980.com. Contact him at tloverro@washingtonexaminer.com.

By Mike Prada

– Senior Editor

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Nov 21, 2011 – Oh sure, the Washington Redskins players are upset now. That’s always how it is when you suffer the kind of loss to a bitter rival the Redskins did on Sunday when they fell, 27-24, to the Dallas Cowboys. The faces and words were from a group of players who are tired of losing, fought their hearts out and came so close to tasting victory, only to end up having the game decided by a few feet on two kicks.

All of that is understandable for the players. For fans and others in the organization, though, Sunday was a good day. The pain of the loss may linger, but soon, the silver lining will be seen by all. Maybe it’ll happen on Wednesday, as quarterback Rex Grossman suggested. Maybe it won’t truly be seen until next spring. At the end of the day, though, something tells me those silver linings will eventually be realized by all.

First: the big picture. The Redskins played a competitive game against a very good team while using several players that will factor into their future. They did all of this without sacrificing position in the 2012 NFL Draft; in fact, thanks to a wins by the Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles, the Redskins actually improved their position. All this came one night after Baylor’s Robert Griffin III and USC’s Matt Barkley put on shows in huge wins over top-10 teams. That potential franchise quarterback in the 2012 Draft seems closer than ever.

Digging deeper, there were some very promising performances by key youngsters in the loss. Linebacker Perry Riley, finally receiving an opportunity to play, made some big plays in the run game and generally played well. Yes, he was beat on the go-ahead touchdown by Jason Witten. Yes, he’ll learn. Rookie safety DeJon Gomes also got the start and had his moments, especially in the run game. Rookie running back Roy Helu continues to impress when he receives the time. The patchwork offensive line, featuring a practice-squad left guard, did its job protecting Grossman. These are elements that helped make this game competitive.

In general, the Redskins’ 2011 draft class has shown plenty of promise. There’s very little to say about Ryan Kerrigan’s brilliance that hasn’t been said already, but Sunday’s performance cemented the reality that he’s already the best player on the defense, outside of maybe London Fletcher. Helu, the fourth-round pick, is already the best running back on the roster. Jarvis Jenkins and Leonard Hankerson, the second- and third-round picks, showed brief flashes of brilliance before suffering season-ending injuries. Fifth-round pick Niles Paul, now injured, is already the team’s second-best special teams player. Seventh-round pick Chris Neild had another sack on Sunday. Gomes, a fifth-round pick, is good insurance in case LaRon Landry’s contract demands are too high. Seventh-round pick Maurice Hurt has already filled in along the offensive line. That’s eight of 11 players who contributed this year.

And then there’s next year. Maybe the Redskins are out of the Andrew Luck sweepstakes, but as Saturday proved, Griffin and Barkley are more than just consolation prizes. The 2012 quarterback class looks like it will be far better than the 2011 class, one that Mike Shanahan ignored. As the losses kept piling up this season, that decision has come back to haunt Shanahan. But after what those two quarterbacks did what they did on Saturday night, you can see the logic in Shanahan’s decision to kick the can down the curb with the quarterback and try to address other parts of the roster. There’s a lot of pressure on Shanahan to find his quarterback in next year’s draft, but there certainly are options. (And yes, for many, many reasons, I prefer Griffin to Barkley. But that’s a subject for another time).

All these are baby steps, of course. Celebrating baby steps is the sign of being a fan of a losing team, and therefore this is all easy to mock by those high-horse fans of winning squads. But let’s face it: this has been a losing franchise over the last two decades. We’re used to giant steps backwards. If baby steps forward are made, I’m damn sure I’m going to note them.

Eventually, those baby steps need to become bigger, but that is not a discussion for today. As 106.7 The Fan radio host Danny Rouhier tweeted:

A-freakin-Men.

For more on the Redskins, please visit Hogs Haven, SB Nation’s Redskins blog. For more on the Cowboys, please visit SB Nation Dallas and Blogging the Boys, SB Nation’s Cowboys blog. For coverage of Sunday’s Redskins/Cowboys matchup, please visit this StoryStream.

Read More: London Fletcher (LB – WAS), Rex Grossman (QB – WAS), Jason Witten (TE – DAL), LaRon Landry (SS – WAS), Chris Neild (NT – WAS), Perry Riley (LB – WAS), Jarvis Jenkins (DE – WAS), Roy Helu (RB – WAS), Ryan Kerrigan (LB – WAS), Leonard Hankerson (WR – WAS), DeJon Gomes (DB – WAS), Niles Paul (WR – WAS), Maurice Hurt (G – WAS), Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins

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(c) 2011, The Washington Post
WASHINGTON — John Beck took over as starting quarterback for the Washington Redskins three weeks ago, but given his performance the last couple of games, is he on a shorter leash this week?
Possibly.
This week, Redskins coach Mike Shanahan and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan had Beck split first-team snaps with second-string quarterback Rex Grossman, who opened the season as the starter but was benched four games ago, according to three people with knowledge of the situation.
Grossman got the hook after throwing four interceptions in three quarters against the Philadelphia Eagles. In the first four games of the season, the Redskins’ offense averaged 19 points a game with Grossman at the helm. But the eighth-year pro had nine interceptions and a fumble to outweigh six touchdowns.
Beck came in for Grossman in the fourth quarter against Philadelphia and led Washington on two scoring drives, rushing for one touchdown and throwing for another, and did the same in his first start (a 33-20 loss to Carolina).
But in the next two games, the Redskins have mustered a total of 11 points with Beck at the helm.
Against Buffalo, Beck appeared indecisive and was sacked a record 10 times as Washington fell 23-0, the first shutout of Mike Shanahan’s coaching career. After the game, both Shanahans said Beck was responsible for some of those sacks by holding onto the ball too long.
Last week Beck got rid of the ball quickly, but 14 of his 30 completions went to running back Roy Helu on swing passes out of the backfield. None of Beck’s completions was for more than 17 yards. With his focus largely on getting rid of the ball quickly, Beck settled for those check-down passes and missed open receivers downfield several times.
Kyle Shanahan said that while he was pleased that Beck got rid of the ball more quickly, the quarterback needed to make better decisions and the offense needs to make more big plays.
Publicly, both Shanahans maintain that Beck, who until this year hadn’t played since 2007, can blossom into a franchise quarterback.
But privately, they know he must produce some wins soon.
Washington has lost four straight games. No team coached by Mike Shanahan has ever dropped five straight contests.
Grossman struggles to take care of the football, but he has a better feel for the system, and he has a strong rapport with tight end Fred Davis and receiver Jabar Gaffney, the team’s leading pass catchers.
Shanahan began giving Grossman more first-team snaps in practice last season before making the decision to bench Donovan McNabb for the final three games of the season.
The move to give Grossman first team snaps also could be intended to put more pressure on Beck. Mike Shanahan likes to create competition in practice to spark improvement.
— — —
The Washington Redskins have listed two of their injured starters, free safety O.J. Atogwe and right tackle Jammal Brown, as questionable for Sunday’s road game against the Miami Dolphins.
After sitting out Wednesday and Thursday practice sessions, both players took some snaps in a limited capacity Friday, coach Mike Shanahan said.
Atogwe has been hampered by knee and toe injuries, while Brown is suffering from a pulled groin.
RB Tashard Choice (hamstring) also was listed as questionable on the injury report.
Ruled out for Sunday’s game are linebacker Keyaron Fox (skin infection in his knee), wide receiver Santana Moss (broken hand) and receiver Niles Paul (turf toe).
For the Dolphins, cornerback Nolan Carroll (hamstring) is listed as questionable and cornerback Vontae Davis (hamstring) and receiver Clyde Gates (groin) are expected to play.
— — —
As the Redskins begin the second half of the season, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s unit remains very much a work in progress. Shanahan still is experimenting with tailoring the system to the strengths of quarterback John Beck.
Although the offense has managed only 31 points in the three games that Beck has started, Shanahan described himself as happy with the improvements he sees in the fifth-year pro, who hadn’t played since his rookie year.
“When quarterbacks don’t play a lot, you know they’re going to miss some stuff,” Shanahan said. “I’ve been happy with John. He has learned from his mistakes, stuff he’s struggled with each week. He’s done a good job of eliminating those the next week. Yeah, there definitely are some times that he missed some reads in the game. I think he’ll get better with that.”
As Beck becomes more comfortable with executing the system in game conditions, Shanahan’s trust and understanding of the quarterback has followed suit.
“I’m learning about him a lot,” Shanahan said. “I thought he played his best when he came in versus Philly. I thought he played his best at Carolina. I thought it was his worst at Buffalo and I thought he played better versus San Francisco than he did at Buffalo, but still not good enough.
“He’s been a little different in each game. There’s been some growing pains. But I think he can get better. He’s shown he can improve in areas, and I know John is a tough guy. The physicality of the game doesn’t bother him. He’ll hang in there. He can throw it, too. I know he’s smart enough to read the defenses. I think just give him some time and allow him to develop and I expect him to get better each week.”
— — —
Sunday at Sun Life Stadium, the Cook brothers will stand on opposite sidelines. Erik Cook is a reserve center for the Redskins, and his older brother, Ryan, is a reserve offensive lineman for the Dolphins.
“It’s definitely pretty cool I get to go against my brother,” Erik said.
The brothers attended Cibola High, in Albuquerque, N.M., and each starred at the University of New Mexico. Because Ryan is four years older than Erik, they never faced each other until they became pros. Last year, Ryan was with the Minnesota Vikings and Erik was a rookie in Washington.
The two brothers expect their family to fly in to watch as the backyard rivalry moves to an NFL stadium.
“He was strictly a one-sport guy. He always liked football and I was always doing other stuff. So I’d claim I was better than him at everything,” Erik Cook said, “and I think I still am.”

By Daniel Shiferaw

– Redskins Editor

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Oct 31, 2011 – After seeing the Washington Redskins get thoroughly defeated by the Buffalo Bills 23-0 Sunday, there’s plenty of blame to go around for the team’s putrid performance. Where do you start?

On defense, Washington was unable to contain the Bills explosive offense, allowing 390 yards of total offense and further cementing the magical seasons of quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and running back Fred Jackson. After each touchdown, it was clear the defense grew more and more frustrated, such as when captain London Fletcher was seen exchanging heated words on the sideline with strong safety LaRon Landry after a series of missed assignments.

But the defense isn’t the issue. The main culprit for Sunday’s loss was the fact that their counterparts on offense couldn’t make a dent on the scoreboard.

From the outset, every facet of the offense was in disarray. Receivers couldn’t get open, the offensive line couldn’t block and quarterback John Beck had a horrid day, posting a 53.6 passer rating. The Redskins offense made the Bills defense, who came in as one of the worst in the league, look like a top-tier unit. They allowed Buffalo to sack Beck nine times, which is particularly head-scratching considering that the Bills entered the game with four sacks total for the season.

In fact, the offense’s ineptitude Sunday was more than just unsightly, it was historic. Before Sunday, a Mike Shanahan coached team had never been shutout, a streak that lasted 267 games.

“I’ve never been in that situation before, college or pro,” Shanahan told reporters after the game. “It’s a tough one to take.”

I’ll say.

Trying to pin down how this group handed their head coach the dubious honor Sunday probably comes down to many things, but one that sticks out is this: the Redskins do not have offensive playmakers.

Sure, they have solid players who can make plays from time to time. Jabar Gaffney? A professional. Anthony Armstrong? A capable if unspectacular deep threat. Niles Paul, Terrence Austin and Leonard Hankerson? Young guys who clearly have their coaches’ support and have been given the chance to show what they can do, particularly due to the injuries at the receiver position.

But are any of these players scaring opposing defenses? Are teams gameplanning for any one specific player on the Redskins’ offense these days? The only player who seems to pose consistent matchup problems right now is tight end Fred Davis, who has shown that he’s too fast for linebackers and too strong for defensive backs to handle. While that’s a credit to Davis and how he’s carried a solid offseason into the regular season, the fact is if the Redskins are to be competitive, he can’t be alone.

Washington doesn’t have to look far to find the blueprint for what they’d like to be someday on offense. Plenty of playmakers reside in their division. In Philadelphia, the Eagles have the likes of Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy, Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson as their go-to guys. Dallas has Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, Jason Witten and Felix Jones. Even in New York, the Giants have Hakeem Nicks and Ahmad Bradshaw.

To make matters worse, the Redskins have been the victim of opposing teams showing off their offensive weapons the last three weeks. They were gashed by Vick and company a few weeks ago, were wowed by the talents of Cam Newton and Steve Smith last week and couldn’t corral Jackson Sunday, as the Bills running back ran to the tune of 194 total yards.

It sounds simple, but you either have playmakers on your team or you don’t. It’s been a common theme during the Redskins’ three-game losing streak. They don’t have a Calvin Johnson or Cam Newton-like player to call their own, and it’s costing them dearly when they go against explosive offensive teams.  

This past offseason, Shanahan made it clear that upgrading the defense was priority by the moves made in the draft and free agency. Based on what we’ve seen through seven games this season on offense, it looks like that unit could be due for the next makeover come the offseason.

The problem for Redskins and their fans is that they have to experience nine regular season games with this offense until they can truly fix it.  

For more on the Washington Redskins, visit Hogs Haven. For more on the Redskins vs. Bills game, visit this StoryStream. For more on the Bills, visit Buffalo Rumblings.

Read More: Michael Vick (QB – PHI), Jabar Gaffney (WR – WAS), London Fletcher (LB – WAS), Fred Jackson (RB – BUF), Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB – BUF), Miles Austin (WR – DAL), Jason Witten (TE – DAL), John Beck (QB – WAS), Ahmad Bradshaw (RB – NYG), LaRon Landry (SS – WAS), Calvin Johnson (WR – DET), DeSean Jackson (WR – PHI), Fred Davis (TE – WAS), Felix Jones (RB – DAL), Anthony Armstrong (WR – WAS), Hakeem Nicks (WR – NYG), Jeremy Maclin (WR – PHI), LeSean McCoy (RB – PHI), Dez Bryant (WR – DAL), Terrence Austin (WR – WAS), Leonard Hankerson (WR – WAS), Niles Paul (WR – WAS), Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, Washington Redskins

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Read More: John Beck (QB – WAS), Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers

The Washington Redskins have dropped two consecutive games and three of their past four after losing on the road to the Carolina Panthers, 33-20. Consequently, it should come as no surprise that Mike Shanahan’s squad is losing its luster in the eyes of fans and scribes. The Redskins dropped down every media outlets’ Week 8 Power Rankings, including CBS’s, compiled each week by Pete Prisco. Last week the Redskins dropped down to 14 after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles. The road loss to the Panthers dropped them even further down the board. Let’s take a look how far.

Washington Redskins

Rank: 18

Last Week: 14

Comment: It made little difference to start John Beck. The quarterback issues will plague this team all season.

It’s hard to dispute Pete Prisco’s short but to-the-point explanation of Washington’s primary flaw. The NFL is a quarterback’s league, and quite simply, it’s hard to survive without either solid play from your signal caller or an elite defense to pick up the slack. The Redskins are definitely trending in the right direction in terms of building a championship caliber defense. But the unit is not good enough yet to carry the team to victory on a consistent basis. 

The Redskins look to get back on track in Week 8 when they travel to Buffalo to take on the Bills. 

For more Redskins coverage and conversation, head on over to Hogs Haven.

The Washington Redskins announced that they have placed tight end Chris Cooley on the season-ending injured reserve list as the eight-year pro heals from finger and knee injuries. Along with Cooley, the Redskins have placed running back Tim Hightower on injured reserve after he tore his left ACL in Sunday’s loss to the Carolina Panthers.

Cooley, the most prolific tight end in Redskins history, broke his finger in Washington’s Week 6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He also was hampered all season long with an injured left knee that forced him to miss all of the preseason. Cooley last week had surgery that inserted pins into his index finger, and on Monday, he had his knee examined by team consultant Dr. James Andrews. It was not immediately clear if the knee, which repeatedly swelled up on Cooley and needed to be drained three weeks ago, will have his knee operated again. It’s the same knee that Cooley received arthroscopic surgery on at the end of the 2010 season.

Cooley this season had played behind Fred Davis because of his slowly healing knee, and he recorded just eight catches for 65 yards.

Hightower was Washington’s leading rusher with s 84 carries for and 321 yards and a touchdown.

They join starting left guard Kory Lichtensteiger (torn ACL) on the injured reserve list.

Read More: Santana Moss (WR – WAS), Tim Hightower (RB – WAS), Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers

Sunday, the Washington Redskins fell to the Carolina Panthers, 33-20, to drop to 3-3. That’s bad news in the short term, but the long-term outlook isn’t any better. Leading rusher Tim Hightower’s season-ending ACL tear, coupled with the broken left hand which will rule top wide receiver Santana Moss out for at least five weeks, can only worsen an already mediocre offense. Thus, former Baltimore Ravens coach and current FOX Sports analysts Brian Billick saw fit to drop Washington two spots in his NFL Power Rankings, to No. 21 overall. His comments:

Not sure that it matters whether John Beck or Rex Grossman is the QB right now. Tight end Fred Davis continues to be a factor in the passing game, but the Redskins have to run the ball to win and they have not done that the past two games. Defense was a little disappointing against the Panthers.

Davis leads all Redskins in receiving yards and will have to assume a larger offensive role due to Moss’ injury and Washington’s dearth of talent at wide receiver.

Incidentally, Billick ranks the Redskins lower than every other team in the NFC East. In addition to ranking higher than Washington, the New York Giants (No. 12), Philadelphia Eagles (No. 17), and Dallas Cowboys (No. 18) either improved or stayed the same this week. The Redskins are trending down, but the rest of the division is trending up.

For more NFL Power Rankings, visit SBNation.com.

By Mike Prada

– Senior Editor

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Oct 25, 2011 – Week 8 NFL Power Rankings will be released all across the interwebs on Tuesday, and for Washington Redskins fans, the big question is simple: how far will they fall? The Redskins were once as high as No. 8 on some people’s lists, but after losing three of their last four and suffering a multitide of injuries on offense, the Redskins are likely in for a big drop.

How big are we talking? Here’s our best guess at how power rankings will shake out.

1. Green Bay Packers (7-0): Without a doubt, the best team in football. In fact, the gap between them and everyone else is probably bigger than any other on this list.

2. New England Patriots (5-1): Pretty clear No. 2 team here, which they’ll continue to prove going forward.

3. New Orleans Saints (5-2): Still feel like their performance against the Colts was more a sign of Indianapolis’ ineptitude than New Orleans’ skill.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2): It never looks pretty, but there they are at 5-2 again with a really easy schedule the rest of the way.

5. San Francisco 49ers (5-1): As nuts as it sounds, this could be a 12-win team if you look at their schedule

6. Detroit Lions (5-2): Still think they deserve to be this high even after two losses to two pretty good teams, but it’s possible they aren’t as good as we thought they were.

7. Buffalo Bills (4-2): Calling it now: the Bills make the playoffs over the Ravens.

8. New York Giants (4-2): Still the best team in the NFC East.

9. New York Jets (4-3): Might be a bit high, but I can’t help but think that they turned a corner with the win over the Chargers last week. Seems like they play best when there’s chaos surrounding them.

10. San Diego Chargers (4-2): There’s a very legitimate chance they lose to Kansas City next Monday. Think about it: have they played one good football game this year?

11. Houston Texans (4-3): Dominated the only legitimate team in their division on Sunday, and they’ll soon get Andre Johnson back.

12. Baltimore Ravens (4-2): They get this big of a drop for setting the game of football back five years on Monday night.

13. Atlanta Falcons (4-3): A big win in Detroit shows what this team is capable of doing. I think they’ve worked out the kinks and will challenge for the playoffs.

14. Chicago Bears (4-3, LW: 17): They’re getting Matt Forte the ball more, and it’s leading to success.

15. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2): Still haven’t played anyone significant.

16. Dallas Cowboys (3-3): Feels like that missed opportunity in New England two weeks ago could really cost them.

17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3): Just when you think they’ve turned a corner, they lose to the Bears.

18. Oakland Raiders (4-3): Good trade, you guys.

19. Philadelphia Eagles (2-4): Got their bye week, and now, they need to make their move. I feel like they can do it.

20. Washington Redskins (3-3): I’m guessing most power rankings lists will have the Redskins around here. With all the injuries, can they win even three more games the rest of the year?

21. Kansas City Chiefs (3-3): Three in a row since getting destroyed early in the season, and now they play for a chance to lead the AFC West.

22. Tennessee Titans (3-3): Embarrassing performance on Sunday. Just awful.

23. Cleveland Browns (3-3): How is this team 3-3?

24. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5): Quietly, the Jaguars’ defense is doing some good things. Now, about that offense…

25. Carolina Panthers (2-5): Cam Newton: absolute truth.

26. Denver Broncos (2-4): Tim Tebow: not so absolute truth.

27. Seattle Seahawks (2-4): How do you lose a game 6-3?

28. Minnesota Vikings (1-6): Christian Ponder looked pretty good against a good Packers defense on Sunday. There are definitely signs of life here.

29. Arizona Cardinals (1-5): What happened to these guys? They looked close early on, but it’s been a disaster since, and now Beanie Wells is injured.

30. St. Louis Rams (0-6): Just awful, part 1

31. Miami Dolphins (0-6): What’s worse? Blowing a game to Tim Tebow, or giving up 62 points?

32. Indianapolis Colts (0-7): I’ll say the latter. My god.

For more NFL Power Rankings, visit SB Nation. For more on the Redskins, visit Hogs Haven.

Read More: Andre Johnson (WR – HOU), Matt Forte (RB – CHI), Beanie Wells (RB – ARI), Tim Tebow (QB – DEN), Christian Ponder (QB – MIN), Indianapolis Colts, Washington Redskins, Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers

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My father took my brother and I to many Redskins game at RFK when we were kids. In the 1980s the Washington Redskins were a force to be reckoned with. These days, and years, they have had more embarrassing moments than winning ones. Below are five examples of embarrassing moments for the Washington Redskins.

Me with coach Gibbs in 2002.
Julie Wimmer

5. Faked Field Goal, Monday December 21, 2009

In the second quarter, two seconds before the half, the Redskins decided to fake the field goal attempt and ended up throwing it to number 25 on the defense, New York Giants player Bruce Johnson.

This was said to set the tone for the rest of the game. Redskins QB Jason Campbell was sacked 5 times during the game. The Redskins lost 45-12.

(The next week they were shut out by the Dallas Cowboys 17-0)

Week 15 2009 Redskins vs. Giants

4. Embarrassing Loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Monday November 15, 2010

I am not sure what it is about Monday nights and the Redskins having bad luck, but they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 59-28! 59! Not a score we usually see. The game, however, was really over after the first quarter because the Eagles were up 28-0, and by the second quarter it was 35-0. Washington gave up 592 yards to the Philadelphia Eagles offense. Philadelphia QB Michael Vick threw 4 touchdowns in that game AND ran for two touchdowns. The Redskins were clueless in this game.

Week 10 2010 Redskins vs. Eagles

3. Losing Ugly in a Rivalry Game, Sunday November 22, 1970

Who knows if they were already defeated before the game started against the Cowboys? They did lose to the Giants the week before. Dallas and Washington have always been rivals, whether either team was good or bad, fans always looked forward to seeing these two teams play each other.

The embarrassing moment in this particular game was a snap. Redskin John Didion’s snap flew above punter Mike Bragg’s reach for the punt. Bragg chased it but could not get it until he reached his own 6 yard line. He tried to punt it from there, but unfortunately it only made it to the Redskins 42 yard line.

Dallas made only five plays and scored a touchdown. Final score: Dallas 45 Washington 21.

Week 10 1970 Redskins vs. Cowboys

2. Bringing Joe Gibbs Back in 2004

This was a play in a way, a play by the Redskins to bring back their favorite coach, Joe Gibbs. I thought it was a mistake from the start. If he did not do well, it would look bad for the Redskins and ulitmately look bad for him. And that’s what I think happened. Having him come back, when the Skins were already in turmoil over their already struggling offense. I feel like coming back, losing games, benching quarterbacks and losing key players tarnished Gibbs fantastic record: he helped the Washington Redskins get to 3 Super Bowl championships.

This was not going to happen again after 12 years.

2004 Season (and beyond) Washington Redskins

1. Worst (and most embarrassing) season for the Redskins, 1961

Well, they went 1-12-1, so right there, you know that stinks. I know I am using a season as opposed to a play, however, this season was REALLY bad! Of course, the year before they went 1-9-2, so they thought they could only improve. How wrong they were. They could blame RFK stadium (which was called DC Stadium then) since it was their first year there, but that would be ludicrous.

Their big blunder started before the season in the draft where they picked QB Norm Snead over Fran Tarkington. They lost their first game at home, in the new stadium, and it just got worse from there.

1961 Season Redskins

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