Interception stripped and returned for touchdown, punt bounce off the back, fumble in your own territory in overtime, and missed chip shot field goal. All these events are rare occurances for one team in the NFL in one season, yet all happened in one game with the Redskins. Again, the Redskins lose, this time to the New Orleans Saints, 33-30 in overtime. This was the hardest game to take as a loss because had any of those 4 things not occur, the Redskins basically had a victory.
Toward the end of the first half, Kareem Moore intercepts Drew Brees, only to get stripped of the ball by Robert Meachem who runs it in for a touchdown to tie it a halftime. A shanked punt by the Saints bounces off Barnes and into the arms of the Saints. Most egregious though were the missed field goal by Suisham and fumble by Sellers. The missed field goals occurred when the Redskins could have been up 33-23 with less than 2 minutes left in the game. Surely a 2 score lead with a minute plus holds 99% of the time. Yet Suisham again shows how much value he is to this team. There is no excuse for Mike Sellers. You have to hold on to the ball, especially in overtime. He simply let it go.
I heard this morning that this should be a "moral victory". Well this moral victory eliminated the little remaining shot the Redskins had at the playoffs (not that we were counting on that anyways). And it doesn't feel so good, when there were so many opportunites to win. Inexplicably, all facets of the team played well together for over 60 minutes. Offense worked well, defense is the great defense, and special teams were adequate. But 4 plays cost the game. Rarer even is that 3 of those mistakes could have been made and the game was still likely the Redskins to win.
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When you're losing you have to find some positives and strengths from the game to build on and work on the areas that need more improvement.
More interesting is something I came across as well as somethin you've probably heard before...the notion that losing is contagious.
Do you feel this is occuring? The team finds new and inventive ways to lose a game even though its fighting harder than earlier in the year with the pile of starters in injured reserve piling up. I don't see the spread of the "losing" appearing on the team.
I don't think losing is contagious with this team. They really seem to truly want to win. Sunday is prime example. Nobody expected them to put up much against the Saints. The Meacham TD right before half could have sunk most teams. Yet they come back again and again.