Wild Card Chances as Fall Back Option

SCRedskinsFan

Comfort level? Really? No such thing for Skins fans. Heck, a two score lead at the two minute mark gives us the willies! Comfort level?

Good to remember that an 8-8 year was an optimistic goal going into the season. And it still is.

Welcome to the Warpath.

Gtothearry

If we can go 4-1 the remainder I see us playing the falcons or packers based upon what the Giants do.

The Monday night game is of extreme importance. I can see us winning 4 out of 5 or 3 out of 5.

I think we get either a win from the Ravens or Giants and then lose to a team we shouldn't. Hopefully, this doesn't happen and we can get to 4-1. With other teams remaining schedules we would have a real chance.

I've got us at 9-7, Seattle at 9-7, TB 9-7, NO 8-8, Giants 9-7/10-6, GB 10-6, Chicago 13-3.

This team is so unpredictable. I feel like we have a shot to win in every game but I can never place an automatic W either.

KI Skins Fan

Yes, but we'll eliminate them in the final game of the season at Fedex, if necessary.

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CRedskinsRule

Between our win and NYG's win, Dallas is really out of the picture - . We aren't but definitely go 4-1 with at least one win between the NYG and Baltimore games.

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Dirtbag59, sending songs to oblivion 1 writer at a time.

FRPLG

We take care of business and we'll be fine. 9 is probably going to get that last spot...win out of division games and it'll come down to cle and balt.

KI Skins Fan

To me, the formula is very simple. We'll go as far as RGIII can take us.

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JoeRedskin

The Giant's game is just getting bigger and bigger. I bet it gets a ton of hype as the week goes on. Last time we called a game a must win we layed a big fat stinker. While I have faith in RGIII doing all he can do and giving us a chance to win. Not as sure that the O-line can handle the pressure or that our DB's can handle Cruz AND Nicks. Not optimistic but, at least with RGIII, anything is possible.

Look for lots of promo of it tonight as the MNF crew tries to find ways to keep folks tuned into tonights stinker. Go Panthers. I would love to dance on Philly's grave but, the last time I tried to do that, they had a resurgence and ruined my celebration.

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You aren't worth the water in my spit but, maybe, just maybe, you're worth the lead in my shotgun.

JoeRedskin

Personally, I don't think the Skins should even be thinking playoffs. As someone else said, I want to believe but I just have no faith that this team can go on the 5-0 or 4-1 run needed to even think about it. Too many holes, too many mental lapses.

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You aren't worth the water in my spit but, maybe, just maybe, you're worth the lead in my shotgun.

Chico23231

From Peter King and the playoff race this morning:

Now for the NFC. It's bizarro world. Here's how I handicap the six-team race:

1. Washington (5-6). The 'Skins and Bucs are playing the best among the contenders, and if Washington can win one of the next two (Giants Monday, Ravens to follow), the last three weeks (at Cleveland, at Philly, Dallas) are manageable. How great would it be to see Robert Griffin III in a Wild Card game at Soldier Field, getting chased through the snow by Urlacher and Briggs?

2. Tampa Bay (6-5). Watching the Bucs the last month, I keep thinking no one wants to play them. Greg Schiano's instilled a toughness in them, and offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan has obviously worked wonders with a rejuvenated Josh Freeman. The problem's the schedule. Bucs are at Denver, at New Orleans and at Atlanta in December. The only hope with that tough slate is maybe the Falcons have nothing to play for in Week 17, and Julio Jones and Matt Ryan sit.

3. Seattle (6-5). Seahawks have the tiebreaker right now, but that can disappear if Richard Sherman does. (See below.) Russell Wilson has been efficient in his rookie season. Now he'll need to be explosive, even more than in his last four weeks (nine touchdowns, one pick) to make up for what may be a yawning gap in the secondary.

4. New Orleans (5-6). The loss to San Francisco was logical, as well as disappointing. New Orleans now has to go 4-1, minimum, against a murderer's row slate (at Atlanta Thursday, at the Giants, Tampa Bay, at Dallas, Carolina) in the next month. All things are possible with Drew Brees, of course, but maybe not with a defense that just doesn't pressure the quarterback enough.

5. Minnesota (6-5). Can Adrian Peterson play quarterback? Green Bay twice, Houston on the road, and Chicago in the last month. I just don't see it.

6. Dallas (5-6). Schedule doesn't matter to me. The Cowboys haven't played well since September. Why start now?

So here's how I see the Wild Card round on the first weekend of January:

NFC (Byes: Atlanta and San Francisco): Green Bay at the Giants (Saturday night, NBC), Washington at Chicago (early Sunday, FOX).



Read More: Richard Sherman's suspension; Colin Kaepernick; playoff chase; more Week 12 thoughts - Peter King - SI.com

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Jose Fernandez

skinsguy

Well, if we go 4-1, I would rather see that one loss against the Ravens or the Browns. I just feel it hurts this team too much for it to be against an NFC opponent at this point in the season, especially it being against an NFC East opponent. I still feel the only way to ensure the 'skins getting into the playoffs is to win out, but I understand even going 4-1 the rest of the way is going to be a tough task to accomplish.

What us fans can hang our hats on right now is the fact that the Redskins seem to match up well against the Giants, the Ravens aren't really playing very good ball right now at all, the fact that the 'skins have already beaten the Eagles and the Cowboys once and can do it again, and that the Browns are definitely a beatable team as well. So, it's definitely not impossible to think the Redskins could at least go 4-1 the rest of the way, if not 5-0, but either task is going to take a flawless effort on both offense and defense.

In the end though, you can't be too disappointed if this team ends at 8-8. Sure, we want the 'skins to be 10-6 and in the playoffs. I don't want the Redskins to lose another game the rest of my life! However, to make it to 8-8 after being down 3-6 and losing several very key players is nothing to be upset about. That's a 5-2 record down the stretch without guys like Fred Davis, Brian Orakpo, Adam Carriker, and Brandon Merriweather. To me, if this team is 8-8, it tells me even losing some key players, this team improved and showed it in the win column. With those players healthy next year in addition to some new players, this team will hopefully continue to turn the corner and would be expected to make at least make the wild card round.

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Hdf561

As much as I want this to happen I do not think this is our year. Our defense while having played better still is pretty bad, they couldn't stop the Cowgirls the other night in the second half and almost gave the game away.

I would like to see us make a run, but we are just not quite ready for a stretch run like this or playoffs IMO. Sme of that has to do with players some of it has to do with coaching we got a big lead and got ultra conservative against the cowgirls, most of the playoff teams can beat you on D or by scoring a lot of points, the only way we are gonna beat these teams is going TD for TD with them and we haven't proven we can do that on a consistent basis yet, although we have seen flashes of it.

Again I just think while all this talk is good and exciting it just isn't gonna happen, but I hope that I am wrong and will gladly eat crow if I am.

TheMalcolmConnection

I think a lot of it was playing prevent defense against a team that can score in 2 minutes. Leave the prevent for when you're up by 20 in the 4th quarter, not the 3rd.

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FRPLG

We tend to go soft zone out of the quite rational fear that our defense can get burned in a split second. So I guess we're ok with getting scored on quickly...just not too quickly. I think, if it were me, I'd take my chances on getting burned on a big play and play base D and count on my guys doing their damn job. Maybe we give up a big play but to me that's better than getting run up and down the field for an entire half and giving up 3 TDs. I also would get a little more aggressive on offense around the 50 yard line. A lot of times we've got 4th and short we should be going for it. Punting it down inside the 10 just to have them back at midfield in 3 plays seems...pointless. Our best defense right now is our running game and keeping their offense off the field.