When Robert Griffin III, better known by the moniker RGIII, the No. 2 pick in this year’s NFL draft, was just four years old, the Washington Redskins drafted Heath Shuler with the No. 3 pick in the 1994 NFL Draft. Even though RGIII was too young to hold a football or contemplate playing in the NFL at that time, what happened next relates to him and the team he is set to join.

The 1994 draft marked the first time since 1961 that the Redskins selected a quarterback in the first round. Though the franchise was only two years removed from winning Super Bowl XXVI, rebuilding mode was in full effect. Joe Gibbs, the Hall of Fame coach who made the Redskins relevant in the 80s by leading them to three Super Bowl championships in 10 years, had retired, and his hand-picked successor, former defensive coordinator Richie Petitbon, had not panned out as a coach, leading the team to its worst record in 30 years during his one season at the helm. Franchise stalwarts Art Monk, Earnest Byner and Charles Mann were gone, relegated to the team’s ring of fame. Questions about the team’s future abounded.

The Shuler pick was supposed to herald a new era in Redskins football. Analysts and sports writers considered Shuler to be as close to a can’t-miss-prospect as possible. At the University of Tennessee he broke all of the school’s relevant passing records and finished second in voting for the 1993 Heisman Trophy. Even though the aging Redskins roster had myriad holes to fill and may have benefited from taking an offensive lineman or defensive stud, general manager Charlie Casserly believed that selecting Shuler so high in the draft would pay off because this young man from Appalachia, who had grown up listening to Redskins games on the radio, supposedly had the talent to sustain the success of the burgundy and gold over the next decade.

So on draft day, the Redskins called Shuler’s name in the first round, and Washington football fans believed their team had found a savior.

But then a curious thing happened. In the seventh round, Casserly and the Redskins selected another quarterback, Gus Frerotte from the University of Tulsa. It was an odd pick considering that the Redskins had already drafted their quarterback of the future; the team had personnel needs at other positions; and the team already had a capable backup quarterback, John Friesz, on the roster (in a somewhat ironic turn Friesz would end-up starting the first game of the 1994 NFL season).

Taking another competent quarterback in the same draft as Shuler was an odd move. It seemed to undermine the idea that Shuler was destined to start for the Redskins. It suggested that he would have to compete for the job with Frerotte, a premise that by its very nature implied Frerotte had a chance to end up as the team’s starter.

Of course taking Frerotte turned out to be a brilliant move, because as football fans know Shuler never came close to living up to his billing. He held out in training camp, inked an eight-year, $19.25 million contract, which at the time was the most lucrative contract ever given to a first year player and made Shuler the highest-paid Redskin in franchise history, and then promptly busted. He wasn’t just bad; he was terrible. He looked slow, lacked top-caliber arm strength and generally seemed confused. The most memorable play from his first pro game occurred when he turned the wrong way on a routine handoff. No one could have guessed it at the time but that play would end up being symbolic of Shuler’s professional career.

Frerotte, on the other hand, excelled for a brief period of time. He made the Pro Bowl in 1996 and looked like a young quarterback on the rise. But in November 1997, he head-butted a stadium wall after scoring a touchdown and to no one’s surprise spiraled into oblivion in the aftermath of what remains football’s most bizarre touchdown celebration of all time.

The 1994 draft and the ensuing quarterback competition that entranced football fans and casual sports page readers in the nation’s capital from 1994 to 95 set the tone for the quarterback controversies that have plagued the Redskins ever since that day. Since 1993 the Redskins have started 18 different quarterbacks, only of two of whom—Frerotte and Brad Johnson—made the Pro Bowl while wearing a Redskins uniform. And that is why the franchise has gone from one of the NFL’s best, a team that sportswriters used to frequently describe as “storied,” to a perennial joke. The lack of a steady hand under center is the primary reason why the Redskins continue to swim in the waters of mediocrity.

I mention the Shuler-Frerotte draft because this year the Redskins went through a similar exercise. As most people know, the Redskins traded two future draft picks to move up to the No. 2 slot so that they could select RGIII. He has been touted as the Redskins’ quarterback of the future and is the most prominent player drafted by the ‘Skins since Shuler.

But once again, the team drafted another quarterback a few rounds later. This year the ‘Skins took Kirk Cousins in the fourth round.

The Cousins pick is inexplicable. The Redskins already have a player, Rex Grossman, who could serve as a competent backup and even start a few games if need be. The roster has so many other holes that could have been filled with that pick. Why Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen chose Cousins, a competent quarterback in his own right, makes no sense. Redskins’ management once again set the stage for a quarterback controversy. If RGIII stumbles out of the gate, it might not be long until the fans at FedEx field start chanting Cousins’ name.

It also strikes me as somewhat unfair for management to undermine RGIII by selecting Cousins. Every job—whether you’re an actuary, a welder or a mid manager—comes with the tacit understanding that if you screw up, you risk getting canned. But imagine for a second that on the day you were hired, your employer had hired someone with your same background to wait in the wings in case you screwed up. Wouldn’t that weigh on your mind? Wouldn’t that distract you?

By all accounts, RGIII is a smart and accomplished young man. But he’s still only 22 years old and in addition to having to face all the pressure that comes with playing quarterback in the NFL, he now will have to worry about getting replaced, should his performance not make par.

Once again the Redskins management has shown a lack of decisiveness, one trait that all great franchises possess. Maybe it won’t matter. Maybe RGIII will play great from day one and never look back. Maybe he’ll stink and get replaced by Cousins, who will go on to have a wonderful NFL career. It’s impossible to predict.

But one thing is certain: The Redskins should not have spent a fourth-round draft pick on a quarterback in the same draft in which they traded up to get a franchise quarterback. It was a colossally foolish move and illustrates that for all intents and purposes the Redskins are still a somewhat dysfunctional organization.

The Redskins are one of the few teams that won’t be facing any tough decisions on the first day of the NFL Draft.

Washington’s first pick was decided a month ago when they traded multiple selections to the Rams for the number two overall pick. The Redskins made the deal with the intention of taking Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III.

They have been without a franchise quarterback since losing Joe Theismann in 1985. Griffin will replace the combination of Rex Grossman and John Beck that started last year for the worst team in the NFC East.

The Redskins certainly have plenty of weaknesses. They won just two of their final 12 games in 2011, and didn’t excel in any part of the game. Washington is hoping that the selection of Griffin will be the start of a new era, one that leads them to their first Super Bowl in over 20 years.

Without a second round pick, the Redskins will have to get creative after they select Griffin. Here are Washington’s biggest needs heading into the draft, as well as some players they might target.

Offensive Line

The Redskins top priority will be putting RG III in a position to succeed right away. In order for Griffin to find success early in his NFL career, Washington must be able to protect the young quarterback. Look for the Redskins to select an offensive lineman at number 69 overall, the team’s first pick after the first round.

Washington needs depth at offensive line since they have multiple question marks at the position. Right tackle Jammal Brown has missed 21 games over the past three seasons due to injury. Trent Williams is a good left tackle, but missed the last quarter of 2011 because of a drug suspension.

Donald Stephenson from Oklahoma is a candidate to go to Washington in the third round. Kelechi Osemele from Iowa State and Illinois’ Jeff Allen are also options for the Redskins at 69.

Linebacker

Washington had good starting linebackers in 2011. London Fletcher made it to another Pro Bowl, and Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan played well on the outside.

Despite the good play the Redskins received at the position, they have very little depth. They lack solid backups, and Fletcher is not getting any younger. He’s 37 years old, and Washington can’t expect him to play at an elite level for much longer.

If the Redskins decide to take a linebacker with their third round pick, James-Michael Johnson from Nevada could be their guy. If Washington waits until their third pick at 102, Terrell Manning from NC State or Keenan Robinson out of Texas is a more likely pick.

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Oh, what could have been were it not for Tim Tebow’s overtime pass. The ending to the Steelers’ 2011 campaign left a bitter taste in everyone’s mouth.  

That is unless, of course, you’re a Tim Tebow fan, in which case I hope you savored the moment because your favorite backup has peaked.  

While the team finished 12-4, they were swept by their bitter divisional rivals the Baltimore Ravens.

The two storied franchises have only played each other six times in the last quarter century and Washington is 2-4 against the Steelers.  

The last time the two teams faced off was in 2008 and don’t let the record books fool you. The schedule may have recorded the game as a home game for the ‘Skins but it was far from it. In the second half, the Redskins offense had to go into a silent snap count because of crowd noise.

Big Ben went down with an injury and D.C. native Byron Leftwich came in and put the game out of reach. The box score shows a final score of 23-6 but the game may as well have been a shutout. 

The league’s top-ranked defense, in a cruel twist of fate, would end up costing the Steelers a shot at the Super Bowl last year. But Pittsburgh’s offense, ranked 21st overall, was held back by a hobbled Ben Roethlisberger and uncharacteristically bad running attack.

For Washington, the Week 8 matchup is made worse by their prior week’s matchup against the Giants in New York. I wonder how much will be left in the tank when the Skins arrive in Pittsburgh. 

Former Washington Redskins quarterback Mark Rypien, winner of Super Bowl XXVI, is the lead plaintiff in the latest class-action lawsuit against the NFL that alleges long-term health damage from repeated head injuries.

The suit was filed March 23 in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, according to The Washington Post. Rypien is one of 127 former players in what is the latest in a rising number of concussion-related class-action suits against the league.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said repeatedly that his goal is to lower the risk of head injuries in the league. He has handed out hefty fines and suspended players for helmet-to-helmet hits over the last several seasons.

In addition to changing rules to further protect quarterbacks and wide receivers, the NFL last season moved kickoffs up to the 35-yard line, which led to more touchbacks and decreased the number of concussions by 40 percent, the league said this week.

Former Washington Redskins quarterback Mark Rypien is the lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit that seeks compensation and medical care from the NFL for “repeated traumatic injuries to his head” he incurred during his playing career.

Rypien, 49, was a college standout at Washington State and played for five teams in 11 NFL seasons.

According to the suit, Rypien had multiple concussions and head injuries during his pro career and suffers from “various neurological conditions and symptoms related to multiple head traumas.”

In the suit, which was filed March 23 in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Rypien and 126 other former pro players allege the league was aware of the dangers and risks of “repetitive traumatic brain injuries and concussions for decades, but deliberately ignored and actively concealed” the information, court documents say.

Theirs is the latest in a rising number of concussion- and head trauma-related class-action suits leveled against the NFL by former players. The league is facing about a half-dozen class-action suits and “many more” multiaction suits from an estimated 1,000 former players, according to Gene Locks of the Locks Law Firm in Philadelphia.

Locks’ firm is representing more than 600 former players, including Rypien, in class-action suits.

“We think the league delayed, didn’t do a competent job of monitoring, and in many cases disregarded what it knew about concussions,” Locks said in an interview Tuesday. “It’s a sad commentary.”

Owners approve

salary-cap reductions

PALM BEACH, Fla. — Team owners ratified the agreement between the league and players’ union that takes away $36 million in salary-cap space from Washington and $10 million from the Dallas Cowboys.

Other than Washington and Dallas, no team voted to oppose the agreement, which raised the salary cap for 2012 from about $113 million to $120.6 million. Washington and the Cowboys sought arbitration, which will be conducted by University of Pennsylvania professor Stephen Burbank.

Both teams were penalized for overloading contracts in the 2010 uncapped season despite league warnings not to do so. Each team must take at least half the reduction this year.

The Cowboys will play in the season opener Sept. 5, visiting the Super Bowl champion New York Giants. That game will be on a Wednesday night because President Obama is scheduled to address the Democratic National Convention on Sept. 6.

“Who cares who we are playing, hosting the game is all that’s important,” said a joking Giants owner John Mara, knowing well the champion hosts the kickoff to the next season. “It’s exciting. They’re one of our big rivals.”

Owners approved competition-committee recommendations for points of emphasis in the 2012 season, including blows to the head, horse-collar tackles and taunting.

Note

• The Minnesota Vikings re-signed linebacker Erin Henderson, 25, and signed ex-Chicago cornerback Zack Bowman, 27, both to one-year contracts.

For Peyton Manning, the best place to play in 2012 is with the Washington Redskins. There is no place he could go that would have a realistic chance to win.

This all comes on the heels of news that was broken on Tuesday by ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, saying that the Colts and Manning will reportedly go their separate ways on Wednesday. 

In light of that, Dan Graziano of ESPN wrote that the Redskins are an interested suitor, which they need to be.  

It [Manning] has been discussed among Redskins decision-makers and has not at all been ruled out. 

The show must go on for Manning, and no place makes more sense for that show to go on than in the nation’s capital with the Redskins. 

The Division Is Winnable

Let’s not get too caught up in the fact that the New York Giants won the Super Bowl or that the “Dream Team” Philadelphia Eagles will now have a full training camp to get their team in order. The fact of the matter is that this division was won with a 9-7 record by a team that the Redskins beat twice. 

As if that wasn’t enough, look at some of the losses that the Redskins (who finished 5-11) suffered in 2011:

One play (two if you count the PAT or two-point conversion) was all that separated those games from at least overtime. If you don’t think Manning could have made a difference in at least four of those games, I suggest you examine his resume, and then do a little research on the careers of Rex Grossman and John Beck. 

There Is Talent in Place

Given a full year with Tim Hightower and Roy Helu, the Redskins have a solid duo of running backs to take some of the heat off of Manning. 

On top of that, they have offensive players like Jabbar Gaffney and Santana Moss. Both are veterans, and even though Manning hasn’t worked with either in the past, it’s hard to imagine them having a problem stepping in to work well with No. 18.

While we’re on the subject of veteran talent, here is something else to think about…

This Is Peyton Manning

Okay, not terribly complicated here. Take a guy like Reggie Wayne, who’s also a free agent. It seems likely that he would be interested in going to play with the man who’s made him a star in the NFL. 

Even without Wayne, Manning is a Hall of Fame player. Veteran players with only a few years left would certainly be inclined to make a move to Washington and join him.

Yes, that all pure speculation. However, looking at Manning’s career and how tight windows are to win, it makes an awful lot of sense to think that Manning would not go to Washington alone. 

No. 6 Pick in the Draft

The Redskins will be able to bring in a rookie ready to make an immediate impact in the NFL. It most likely won’t be anyone like Trent Richardson or Justin Blackmon, but neither one is out of the question. 

Still, even without those guys, we’re talking about a rookie that will be ready to step in immediately. It wouldn’t have to be a project pick that Manning has to spend time grooming. 

It’s difficult to spin a 5-11 season as anything but a failure, and in our winner-takes-all sports culture, where regular season games—even those against hated rivals—are analyzed only in the context of playoff seedings and potential championship runs, abject failure may be the most appropriate descriptor.

Revival was the theme of NFL 2011. The Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers made the playoffs for the first time since God-knows-when-or-cares-to-remember. The city of Houston earned its first playoff game since the beloved Oilers relocated to the Bible Belt. Even the Miami Dolphins showed signs of life after briefly threatening to lay a goose egg in the wins column.

In Denver, a God-fearing quarterback and serious young man teamed up with a resourceful coaching staff to revive the read option offensive scheme, which hasn’t seen this much NFL action since before the NFL-AFL merger.

But in the feel-good culture of reinvigorated franchises and continued TV ratings dominance, not every team received an auspice of better things to come. The Washington Redskins and the Cleveland Browns, two of the most hapless franchises in all of professional sports, remain relegated to history, confined to NFL Films highlight reels that recall a time when meaningful games regularly took place off the banks of the Potomac and Cuyahoga Rivers.

Browns fans take the cake for most pained NFL fanbase since they have never experienced a Super Bowl win, and their current team can only be described as the pseudo-Browns, the original franchise having left almost two decades ago to take up residence in Baltimore. That doesn’t mean the men, women and children who commute an unfathomable distance to FedEx Field every Sunday to sing Hail to the Redskins are any less frustrated.

Washington and Cleveland are actually connected in more ways than one: Since Art Modell took his team and their talents to the city where everyone’s favorite meditation on the decay of urban America was set, the Ravens, not the Redskins, have been the class of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan area.

Twenty years ago, no one could have predicted that the beloved and uber-successful Redskins would one day be usurped as the best professional football team south of the Mason-Dixon Line, but such a transformation has happened, and now, no one can say with certainty if the Burgundy and Gold will ever regain their status as one of league’s elite franchises.

Bruce Allen hired Mike Shanahan to restore the glory, but the latter has since admitted that turning the Redskins around has been harder than he initially anticipated. Shanahan clearly did not understand all the baggage he was taking on when he signed Dan Snyder’s offer letter.

But even in a rain-cloud filled season, there are a few silver linings to be gleaned and more than a few lessons to be learned.

Professional football today is all about the audacity of hope, the illogical impulse to believe that your team will be the one out of the 32 (a three percent chance for the mathematically disinclined) to host a trophy at season’s end.

The Washington Redskins won’t be that team this year, but with a few tweaks, they may one day get back to where they once belonged. In the mean time, fans can take solace that the Redskins are still 100 times more competent than the no-account Washington Wizards.

The Washington Redskins need to make a committed effort to hiring Steve Spagnuolo as their new defensive coordinator.

Yesterday, NFL.com reported that current St. Louis Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo is readying to be relieved of his duties with the NFC West cellar-dwellers.

The report stated that Spagnuolo could be fired after the conclusion of the 2011 regular season if the Rams decide to make a serious move for former Tennessee Titans head man Jeff Fisher.

The Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants are already listed as the front runners for Spagnuolo’s services as defensive coordinator.

Spagnuolo has prominent ties to both teams. He served as secondary coach for the Eagles, while being mentored by the late great Jim Johnson.

He took what he learned from Johnson with him to the Giants, where he was appointed defensive coordinator in 2007.

Spagnuolo turned a languishing Big Blue defense into a sack-happy unit that propelled the Giants all the way to Super Bowl triumph.

But it is the Redskins who should make the biggest push for Spagnuolo. Despite its talent level, Washington’s defense has let the team down in critical moments this season.

The most recent collapse came at home against the lowly Minnesota Vikings. One criticism of Jim Haslett’s defense is that the unit simply fails to make enough big plays.

The Redskins’ turnover return is again paltry, and Haslett’s blitz packages are badly designed and poorly timed.

Spagnuolo is a master of the fire-zone blitz concepts that the Redskins are desperate to emulate. His blitzes are cleverly crafted and wide ranging.

Although he has been a 4-3 coach throughout his career, Spagnuolo would have no problem transferring his fire-zone packages to the Redskins’ 3-4 front.

He would have plenty of the right kind of talent to work with in Washington. Spagnuolo’s imaginative play-calling would better utilise the pass-rushing skills of Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan.

The duo would be moved around more, positioned to attack different gaps and rush from multiple angles.

Current nose tackle Barry Cofield worked with Spagnuolo in New York. He knows the system well and played his best football for Spagnuolo.

Spagnuolo’s schemes require an extension of the coach on the field. Usually this role is given to the middle linebacker.

Spagnuolo would inherit a natural quarterback for the defense in the form of superb veteran London Fletcher.

The 14-year pro’s intelligence and instincts would make him the perfect choice to call and audible Spagnuolo’s multiple schemes on the field.

Spagnuolo is also a tough, hard-nosed coach who may do a better job of keeping some of the bigger personalities on the Redskins defense in line.

His reputation as the architect of the New England Patriots’ defeat in Super Bowl XLII commands respect, and his varied and daring system is known to be a favorite among defensive players.

As a team, the Redskins need more big plays. The defense has performed well this season but is still nowhere near the dominant unit it could be.

Spagnuolo has the knowledge and ideas to give the Redskins the kind of aggressive, turnover-binging defense they had hope for when they made the switch to 3-4.

The Philadelphia Eagles will close their 2011 season with a home game against the Washington Redskins. With a win, the Eagles will finish with a 5-1 record against NFC East opponents. While that’s not good enough to win the division, it would be nice to finish the season on a high note. As an Eagles fan, I remember a lot of great games between these two tames. Here is a look back at the best Eagles home games against the Washington Redskins since 1980.

November 8, 1987 – Eagles 31, Redskins 27

The Redskins were 6-1 when they visited the Eagles in this game. In the second quarter, Washington took a 21-7 lead and seemed to be in complete control. At that point, Randall Cunningham took over. Cunningham had three touchdown passes to help the Eagles take control. Overall, Cunningham threw for 268 yards and added another 80 on the ground.

September 19, 1993 – Eagles 34, Redskins 31

This was an exciting early season game between the rivals. Fortunately, the Eagles offense was just a little better. Wide receiver Calvin Williams was the big star. He caught eight passes for 181 yards and three touchdowns. The biggest play he had was an 80 yard touchdown catch from Randall Cunningham. Cunningham threw for 360 yards and the Eagles scored 17 points to win the game in the final quarter.

October 8, 1995 – Eagles 37, Redskins 34

Both teams were 2-3 when this game began. The Eagles led 34-24 when the Redskins tied the game in the fourth quarter. The Eagles mounted one last drive and got a game winning field goal from Gary Anderson. The Eagles had two running backs cross the 100 yard mark. Charlie Garner ran for three touchdowns.

December 20, 1992 – Eagles 17, Redskins 13

This was a game between two 9-5 teams with a lot on the line. The Redskins were the defending Super Bowl champions and were looking for an easy path to repeat. Washington led 13-7 when Calvin Williams caught a big touchdown pass to put the Eagles up by one. The defense shut down Washington in the second half and the Eagles went on to take the 17-13 win.

November 12, 1990 – Eagles 28, Redskins 14

This game was all about little regarded Eagles running back Heath Sherman. He carried the day for the team, rushing 35 times for 124 yards. He kept the Eagles offense plugging along for the entire game. Meanwhile, Randall Cunningham and Keith Byars each had a touchdown pass to Sherman as well. This might be the most memorable game in Sherman’s Philadelphia career.

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The Redskins are improved at running back, defensive line, linebacker and special teams. The personnel on defense is better suited for the 3-4 scheme. Coach Mike Shanahan rid the roster of problems, two drug suspensions aside. Thanks to a strong 2011 draft, the depth helped counter persistent injuries.

The improvement has not been reflected in the win-loss record, though, and that’s the bottom line. Washington has fewer needs entering free agency and the draft. Unfortunately, they’re monster ones.

The Redskins’ need for a quarterback will dominate the offseason. The problem is they may not get one in the first round. A good quarterback can be found in the second round, but try selling that to the shrinking number of season-ticket holders.

The right side of the offensive line must improve, and the Redskins have to hope that injured left guard Kory Lichtensteiger and suspended left tackle Trent Williams return ready. Nobody lets solid offensive linemen become free agents, so Washington’s best chance is to draft one in the first three rounds. Depending on when the Redskins take a quarterback, they might have to wait until the third round for a lineman. Of course, guard Tre Johnson was a third-rounder, and he started 69 games for the Redskins.

A big, dominating receiver remains vital. That might come down to whether Leonard Hankerson returns healthy for his second season. The Redskins won’t draft a receiver, and there aren’t many top free agents willing to sign with a losing team that has a rookie quarterback. The elite seek Super Bowl rides.

The front seven on defense are fine, but both safeties could be in play, and improving at cornerback wouldn’t hurt. If safety LaRon Landry leaves as a free agent, which is less likely after two injury-shortened seasons, then the Redskins must sign one.

These are the pieces Shanahan must fill in his third year or he might not reach a fourth one. Those who preach patience often are the ones who don’t succeed.

Redskins fans have been more than patient, backing a team that has made only three playoff appearances in 20 years and now has a third straight 10-loss season for the second time since its last Super Bowl victory.

That patience is running out. If Washington doesn’t get much better in 2012, the franchise seriously risks inflicting a final blow to its diminishing supporters, who no longer come close to filling the stadium. Visiting fans sometimes own FedEx Field.

The Redskins are better, but they’re not nearly good enough. That’s the bottom line. The offseason either nets a new quarterback, some offensive linemen and a few more playmakers or the once inexhaustible hope of the fans will be spent.

Meanwhile, San Francisco doubled its six wins from a year ago to win the NFC West. It just proves five-year plans are not always needed.

Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more on Twitter @Snide_Remarks or email rsnider@washingtonexaminer.com.

ASHBURN, Va. – In the final dog days of another losing season, the Washington Redskins played the distraction game — by trotting out a reminder from the glory days.

Out came the three polished Super Bowl trophies. In walked owner Dan Snyder to rattle off some statistics from an era before he bought the team.

The guest of honour: Richie Petitbon, the defensive co-ordinator whose name is on all three of those trophies. Petitbon will be inducted in the Redskins’ “Ring of Fame” at halftime of the Christmas Eve game against the Minnesota Vikings, a ceremony that might motivate at least a few fans to show up for a matchup between teams whose combined record is currently 6-20.

“It hadn’t been fun,” said Petitbon, when asked what it’s been like to follow the Redskins for the past 20 years.

He went on to say that he thinks the Redskins are “really on the right track” despite a 4-9 record in the second year under coach Mike Shanahan.

At least he gave an opinion. The two people in the room whose thoughts truly matter — Snyder and general manager Bruce Allen — scooted out the side door in a manoeuvre that might have eluded even one of Petitbon’s best defences. Allen later agreed to speak as he was walking off the field after practice, but he evaded every question about the team.

How frustrating has this year been?

“Well, we’re going to play the Giants and looking forward to it,” Allen said.

Allen has been dodging such questions since April, the last time he spoke to reporters about the current team.

When challenged that, as the general manager of the Redskins, he should actually talk about the team from time to time, he responded: “I always will. That’s all I do talk about.”

Allen was reminded of his January 2010 comment that finishing last back-to-back years “is not Redskins football” — the reason he gave at the time for firing coach Jim Zorn. The Redskins are on the verge of repeating the dubious feat under Shanahan.

“We play the Giants,” Allen said, “so maybe after the season, ask me about that.”

As for Petitbon, there’s no dispute he deserves a place of honour in Redskins lore. He ran the defence from 1978-92, mostly under Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs. He was a part of all five Washington teams that have played in the Super Bowl, including one as a player in the early 1970s.

Petitbon took over as head coach after Gibbs quit, but his one season at the helm resulted in a 4-12 record that soured him from the game. He didn’t coach again — and wasn’t even tempted to return when Gibbs emerged from retirement in 2004.

“Once you lose the will to put in the time and prepare, you have to get out,” Petitbon said. “I lost that, and I just stayed out.”

Petitbon will become the 45th member of the Ring of Fame, which has a sort of second-banana status in Washington sports history.

The traditional list of the city’s sports greats is considered to be the Hall of Stars, which resides at RFK Stadium and Nationals Park. The Redskins started their own honour ring, which lists only people connected with the football team, after the team moved to the suburbs in 1997.

Allen seemed not to be interested in reconciliation.

“I don’t see it as duelling,” he said. “Richie’s contributions to the five Super Bowl teams is significant, and for our fans and for his legacy, it belongs where it is.”

ASHBURN, Va. (AP)—In the final dog days of another losing season, the
Washington Redskins played the distraction game—by trotting out a reminder
from the glory days.

Out came the three polished Super Bowl trophies. In walked owner Dan Snyder
to rattle off some statistics from an era before he bought the team.

The guest of honor: Richie Petitbon, the defensive coordinator whose name is
on all three of those trophies. Petitbon will be inducted in the Redskins’
“Ring of Fame” at halftime of the Christmas Eve game against the Minnesota
Vikings, a ceremony that might motivate at least a few fans to show up for a
matchup between teams whose combined record is currently 6-20.

“It hadn’t been fun,” said Petitbon, when asked what it’s been like to
follow the Redskins for the past 20 years.

He went on to say that he thinks the Redskins are “really on the right
track” despite a 4-9 record in the second year under coach Mike Shanahan.

At least he gave an opinion. The two people in the room whose thoughts truly
matter—Snyder and general manager Bruce Allen—scooted out the side door in a
maneuver that might have eluded even one of Petitbon’s best defenses. Allen
later agreed to speak as he was walking off the field after practice, but he
evaded every question about the team.

How frustrating has this year been?

“Well, we’re going to play the Giants and looking forward to it,” Allen
said.

Allen has been dodging such questions since April, the last time he spoke to
reporters about the current team.

When challenged that, as the general manager of the Redskins, he should
actually talk about the team from time to time, he responded: “I always will.
That’s all I do talk about.”

Allen was reminded of his January 2010 comment that finishing last
back-to-back years “is not Redskins football”—the reason he gave at the time
for firing coach Jim Zorn. The Redskins are on the verge of repeating the
dubious feat under Shanahan.

“We play the Giants,” Allen said, “so maybe after the season, ask me
about that.”

As for Petitbon, there’s no dispute he deserves a place of honor in Redskins
lore. He ran the defense from 1978-92, mostly under Hall of Fame coach Joe
Gibbs. He was a part of all five Washington teams that have played in the Super
Bowl, including one as a player in the early 1970s.

Petitbon took over as head coach after Gibbs quit, but his one season at the
helm resulted in a 4-12 record that soured him from the game. He didn’t coach
again—and wasn’t even tempted to return when Gibbs emerged from retirement in
2004.

“Once you lose the will to put in the time and prepare, you have to get
out,” Petitbon said. “I lost that, and I just stayed out.”

Petitbon will become the 45th member of the Ring of Fame, which has a sort
of second-banana status in Washington sports history.

The traditional list of the city’s sports greats is considered to be the
Hall of Stars, which resides at RFK Stadium and Nationals Park. The Redskins
started their own honor ring, which lists only people connected with the
football team, after the team moved to the suburbs in 1997.

Allen seemed not to be interested in reconciliation.

“I don’t see it as dueling,” he said. “Richie’s contributions to the five
Super Bowl teams is significant, and for our fans and for his legacy, it belongs
where it is.”

———

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

ASHBURN, Va. — Washington’s London Fletcher says it’s not difficult to name the best quarterback he’s ever faced: Tom Brady.

The Redskins linebacker is speaking from experience. He has never missed a game in 14 NFL seasons, has started two Super Bowls and played in two Pro Bowls. He has dueled top quarterbacks from Dan Marino to Aaron Rodgers.

“Tom Brady is better than all those guys,” Fletcher said of the New England Patriots’ three-time Super Bowl winner and two-time NFL MVP who visits FedEx Field for just the second time on Sunday. “Look at what he has done: three rings, all those wins. It doesn’t matter who his weapons are, he just keeps rolling.”

Redskins receiver Donte Stallworth was one of those weapons during New England’s perfect 16-0 regular season in 2007.

“It was always easy with him controlling everything,” Stallworth said. “He’s always the first one there early in the morning and he’s usually one of the last guys to leave. He’s very smart back there, very calm in the pocket. He makes a lot of plays.”

Fletcher and Stallworth weren’t the only Redskins with high praise for Brady.

Redskins nose tackle Barry Cofield started on the only team to beat Brady and the Patriots in a Super Bowl, the 2007 New York Giants, but he, too, raved about the man.

“You gotta hit him, you gotta harass him, you gotta bat balls, hopefully get an interception or two, maybe strip the ball,” Cofield said. “He’s a very tough guy. I’ve seen him take a lot of shots and he would pick himself up the next play and make a great throw on the very next play. The only way you can hurt Tom Brady is win.”

Fletcher has only beaten Brady twice in 13 meetings. Redskins defensive coordinator Jim Haslett and defensive end Stephen Bowen have yet to do so.

“The key is not letting him sit in the pocket,” said Bowen, part of a pass rush that’s tied for third in the league in sacks per attempt. “If he’s able to do that, he’s going to be able to tear us apart.”

Brady did that when he last faced the Redskins in 2007, directing a 52-7 dismantling of a defense that wound up ranked eighth and that led Washington to the playoffs.

“If he’s not the greatest, he’s gotta be in the top three,” Haslett said. “He’s poised, big, got an unbelievable arm, makes all the throws, can move enough to stay alive in the pocket, (his) leadership, understanding of the offense is outstanding. And he does it day-in and day-out.”

Redskins defensive end Adam Carriker said he’s looking forward to the challenge of facing one of the game’s best quarterbacks for the first time.

Outside linebacker Brian Orakpo is taking a more cautious approach to facing Brady.

“He’s a very smart quarterback,” Orakpo said. “All of a sudden, he’s calling out audibles. He’s great in preparation, great at attacking defenses. We have to be good with our pressure. We have to be tight in our coverages. Regardless if someone’s on a receiver, he’s throwing as if (the defender’s) not even there.”

Notes: Bowen is the Redskins’ winner of the Ed Block Courage Award. Bowen’s son Skyler died in July, 10 days after he and twin brother Stephen III were born four months premature. Last Sunday, less than nine hours before kickoff against the New York Jets, Bowen’s mother-in-law, Muriel Johnson, died at 59 of muscular dystrophy. Bowen, who had torn his left PCL the previous Sunday at Seattle, started as always, although he didn’t add to his career-high 4.5 sacks. . Strong safety LaRon Landry remained sidelined Thursday with the groin he injured at Seattle and is unlikely to play against New England. Newly signed defensive lineman Chris Baker also missed a second straight day with an injured quadriceps.