It's really a lot simpler than this
It is week 17, let us review the Redskins playoff scenario. As reported Sunday the Redskins needed five things to happen last weekend, they went 4-1 in those five things. Here they are in order and the results:
1. The Redskins needed to win this last game. Check. With a win over the Vikings Minnesota then falls to 8-7, the same record as the Redskins. If the Redskins and Vikings finish with the same record Washington will hold the head to head tiebreak over Minnesota.
2. The Saints needed to lose Sunday. Check. Donovan McNabb and the Eagles went into New Orleans and beat the Saints 38-23. Washington is now a game up on New Orleans.
3. The Cowboys needed to win Saturday night. Check. Dallas moves one step closer to clinching the top NFC playoff spot, and therefore having no need to play all starters by beating the Panthers 20-13.
4. The Packers needed to lose Sunday. Check. This was the longshot and the Bears paid off by beating the crap out of the Packers 35-7. This Green Bay loss clinched the top NFC playoff spot for the Cowboys and now hopefully many Dallas players will rest this weekend.
5. The Giants needed to lose yesterday. Nope. The Bills lost a two touchdown lead before falling to the Giants 38-21. Luckily this was the lowest priority requirement and was premised on the idea that if the Redskins won out and the Giants lost out the Redskins could still get the higher wildcard seed over the Giants. The Giants faced a must win this past weekend with the Patriots game coming, a game to be played for history and a game they are likely to lose.
Moving to this weekend the scenario is simple: win. The Redskins now control their own playoff destiny. Beat the Cowboys and the Redskins are in the playoffs. The Cowboys have nothing to play for but 'momentum' or 'reps' this Sunday before getting a week off to watch the other teams. Receiver Terrell Owens is out this week with a sprained ankle and cornerback Terence Newman is almost certainly out.
My guess is the team will play quarterback Tony Romo, tailback Marion Barber and the rest of the starters sparingly, expecially against a Redskins front seven that knows the stakes and will be out there Sunday doing its best to dirty up some jerseys.
There is also a scenario where the Redskins can lose this game and still get into the playoffs with Vikings and Saints losses. This is not necessarily out of the question since both those teams play on the road for the finale, the Vikings at an angry Broncos team that never got it together this season and the Saints at a Bears team trying to finish strong after dismantling the Packers Sunday.
That said I would not count on this reality, the Redskins need to win it on their own. I do not call this game Sunday, this latest installment in Dallas-Washington season finales, a gimme by any means. The Redskins will have to fight their hearts out, keep mistakes to a minimum and stay on balance.
I can't wait until Sunday.
If then scenario from here.
It is week 17, let us review the Redskins playoff scenario. As reported Sunday the Redskins needed five things to happen last weekend, they went 4-1 in those five things. Here they are in order and the results:
1. The Redskins needed to win this last game. Check. With a win over the Vikings Minnesota then falls to 8-7, the same record as the Redskins. If the Redskins and Vikings finish with the same record Washington will hold the head to head tiebreak over Minnesota.
2. The Saints needed to lose Sunday. Check. Donovan McNabb and the Eagles went into New Orleans and beat the Saints 38-23. Washington is now a game up on New Orleans.
3. The Cowboys needed to win Saturday night. Check. Dallas moves one step closer to clinching the top NFC playoff spot, and therefore having no need to play all starters by beating the Panthers 20-13.
4. The Packers needed to lose Sunday. Check. This was the longshot and the Bears paid off by beating the crap out of the Packers 35-7. This Green Bay loss clinched the top NFC playoff spot for the Cowboys and now hopefully many Dallas players will rest this weekend.
5. The Giants needed to lose yesterday. Nope. The Bills lost a two touchdown lead before falling to the Giants 38-21. Luckily this was the lowest priority requirement and was premised on the idea that if the Redskins won out and the Giants lost out the Redskins could still get the higher wildcard seed over the Giants. The Giants faced a must win this past weekend with the Patriots game coming, a game to be played for history and a game they are likely to lose.
Moving to this weekend the scenario is simple: win. The Redskins now control their own playoff destiny. Beat the Cowboys and the Redskins are in the playoffs. The Cowboys have nothing to play for but 'momentum' or 'reps' this Sunday before getting a week off to watch the other teams. Receiver Terrell Owens is out this week with a sprained ankle and cornerback Terence Newman is almost certainly out.
My guess is the team will play quarterback Tony Romo, tailback Marion Barber and the rest of the starters sparingly, expecially against a Redskins front seven that knows the stakes and will be out there Sunday doing its best to dirty up some jerseys.
There is also a scenario where the Redskins can lose this game and still get into the playoffs with Vikings and Saints losses. This is not necessarily out of the question since both those teams play on the road for the finale, the Vikings at an angry Broncos team that never got it together this season and the Saints at a Bears team trying to finish strong after dismantling the Packers Sunday.
That said I would not count on this reality, the Redskins need to win it on their own. I do not call this game Sunday, this latest installment in Dallas-Washington season finales, a gimme by any means. The Redskins will have to fight their hearts out, keep mistakes to a minimum and stay on balance.
I can't wait until Sunday.
If then scenario from here.
0 comments:
Post a Comment