Thumbs Down: Redskins v. Panthers
Time to drop the Thumbs Up part. It would be easier to just say, I have no words. Perhaps that would be the simple, more accurate article. How do you lose to a 1-6 team, on your Alumni homecoming, at home, the week before a Bye Week? Simple, you call yourself the Washington Redskins.
Once again, thumbs down to the secondary. Again, receivers were uncovered and they were bitten by another play by the best receiver on the opposing team, Steve Smith. Oh, and that was Smith's first TD all season. Fitting. Very fitting.
Thumbs down to undisciplined football. The Redskins committed 13 penalties for 94 yards. Two penalties came at the end of the game on two separate TD passes. They both allowed more time to be eaten from the clock. Really pathetic display of football.
Have to give a Thumbs Down to Tyler Polumbus and Kory Litchensteiger. They were both awful today. With Litch, he gets a bad rap for a bad game. For Polumbus, it is becoming nothing short of a disturbing trend. You can thank Mike Shanahan led front office for that for relying on Jammal Brown to start at right tackle with a plethora of hip issues and Polumbus being the backup in waiting.
Ummm, a 1 yard screen pass to Brandon Banks with under 20 seconds left in the game? Really? One thing we got out of that is that we now know it is a great idea to put the ball in Banks hand to run the clock down. Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic.
In what Mike Shanahan himself titled a 'must win' game, the Redskins looked horribly flat. The has to fall on the shoulders of Shanahan. Although we all love the fact that Daniel Snyder has stepped out of the active role as an Owner/Manager, you have to wonder what that man must be thinking. You also have to wonder what if the shortened leash on Shanahan is becoming a choke collar. This game was ever so evident of a poorly coached game, from start to finish.
Now, post game, Shanahan says 'now we have a chance to evaluate players". Translation: Season over. But, what Mike Shanahan should be concerned about is whether evaluation will benefit him or if his tenure in Washington went down with the Redskins on the field today. No, I don't believe Snyder will replace Shanahan mid-season. However, after four seasons of Mike Shanahan, the team is faring no better than they were under Jim Zorn. That folks is the honest truth.
Mike Shanahan also said post game that HE has got to do a better job and takes full responsibility. The problem with that statement is the fact Shanahan is now in his third full season, not his first. Somehow, that excuse and acceptance of responsibility is simply not acceptable.
Wouldn't we (I consider myself a Redskins) have been better off keeping LaRon Landry and releasing Jammal Brown? Just asking.
