Perspective: A Few Things We Know

[12thMan]

If you ask ten different people what's wrong with the Redskins, you'll probably get ten different answers. You ask ten different Warpath members and that number shoots to twenty!

First of all, let's face it. There's no good way to lose, and no one is truly happy or satisified when their team loses - no one. I believe it was Malcolm who best summerized our frustrations with the Redskins this season, if it 'aint one thing, it's another. (paraphrase)

But if you break down this team individually, you really start to scratch your head. We have a middle linebacker who leads the NFL with 84 tackles (not a typo). A running back in Clinton Portis, who is now third in the NFL in rushing with 766 yds rushing, and might be breathing down Adrian Peterson's in a couple of weeks if he keeps this up. Speaking of which, I want to see if Peterson can respond to his recent injury in the same manner Portis has been doing all season. On top of all of that, we boast the baddest safety in the NFL - Sean Taylor. If Taylor doesn't leave the game early, you have to wonder if McNabb and Westbrooks rip down the middle of the field like they did Sunday.

Then there's Jason Campbell. Who, lately, has been making lemonade with a bunch of lemons. And doing so behind a makeshift offensive line that has yielded an impressive 14 sacks this year. Go look for yourself, it's one of the best totals in the NFL. Not too shabby if you ask me.

But let's get down to the brass tacks here. What do we really want to know? Can the Redskins make the playoffs and can they win once they're in? I believe that the answers are yes and yes.

I don't care if this team gets in by the hair of their chinny, chin, chin. Furthermore, if they do make it, I believe with all my heart they can be dangerous once there. Some might say, well, if you play poorly during the regular season, you play poorly in the playoffs too. Well, that might be sound reasoning, but what has been sound and reasonable about the Redskins this year? The only thing or things that have been constant,
I've already mentioned above. But there's more than meets the eye with Redskins, and it can't be underestimated. I believe two magical words will translate into a happy ending for Joe Gibbs' team: "playoff team". Those two words can validate one team and affirm who they were all along, while giving new life and identity to another. My gut tells me, the Skins fall into the latter category. This team desperately needs something they can now identify with; something more concrete to hang their hat on.

Could it be that this team stumbles, side steps, and zig-zags from now through December only to find themselves hosting a playoff game at FedEx? Could it be we have to suffer through several more weeks of roller coaster endings from the Redskins, only to wake up Monday morning to the latest "Fire Joe Gibbs" thread? How many more of those must we suffer through? It's quite possible that real Redskins won't show up until, God forbid, the playoffs? We'll see, but let's not write this team off just yet. If the Redskins go down to Dallas and snatch one from the high flying Cowboys, those two words won't seem so far fetched.