Ten Points Almost Never Wins

Consolation prize

Takeaway drill: all for naught but that is not to say we did not enjoy it. The playoffs are out of the question but sweeping the Eagles never goes out of style. It is nonetheless curious that two playoff contenders could manage a total of thirteen points.

Curly R factoid: four times teams this season teams have won with ten points, twice with sixteen points total and twice with thirteen points total. Statistically based on this season's results, a team will win with ten points less than two percent of the time.

=====

Monday walkthrough: on a bitter frigging cold day into night the Redskins play small on offense, large on defense, beat the Philadelphia Eagles 10-3 for the season sweep to move to 8-7. The Redskins had been eliminated from the playoffs before kickoff but that did not stop Washington from being the better team.

The Redskins won the toss and elected to receive the ball to start the first quarter. Washington's first possession started with a six yard pass to tight end Chris Cooley, Ladell Betts caught and first down pass and did not fumble on third and four. But on third and eight Eagles defensive end Victor Abriamiri hit Jason's arm as he was winding up, Jason fumbled but it was recovered by center Casey Rabach and the Redskins punted. The Eagles' first drive began at their 35 yard line, rookie reciever DeSean Jackson scores a first down on third and two, a false start by tight end Greg Lewis helped the Redskins and it was three and out from there, after a third and sixteen Eagles punt. Washington's second possession started on their 20 and featured a seventeen yard catch by rookie receiver Devin Thomas and a nine yard run by Clinton Portis but only netted 26 yards, Redskins punt, a fifty yard beauty by Ryan Plackemeier. Philadelphia's second possession starts deep in their territory at their four, Brian Westbrook starts with a twelve yard run but ends five plays later, Eagles punt. Washington starts their third possession at their 37, Santana Moss, Clinton Portis and rookie tight end Fred Davis all figure when the quarter ends with the score tied at 0-0.

The second quarter starts with the Redskins still driving but on third and four, a negative yards catch by Santana does not help and the Redskins are facing fourth down at the Eagles 36. Shaun Suisham comes out to try a 54 yard field but the Redskins think twice and call a timeout. After the TO Washington still comes back and tries it and Shaun misses it badly, Eagles cornerback Will Demps returns it past midfield and the Redskins botch a coaching call. The Eagles third possession starts near midfield and Correll Buckhalter catches a first down pass. After that it is three and out the Eagles are punting. Washington's fourth possession starts on their fourteen and it is a looooong drive, sixteen plays covering 72 yards before Shaun Suisham acquits himself with a 33 yard field goal to put the Redskins up 3-0. This drive featured Santana Moss making a diving catch on third and four after Jason Campbell took a hit and a nine yard pass to Ladell Betts on third and four. The Eagles got the ball back for the fourth time at their 20 and three and ha-ha-houted. This drive featured a rare successful challenge by Jim Zorn to reverse a Philadelphia first down and the Eagles punted. Washington's fifth possession starts at their own 39 with good field position, Clinton Portis is back in the game and runs fourteen yards on second and ten but gives some back two plays later with a false start, Eagles defensive end Darren Howard gets through replacement right tackle Jason Fabini to sack Jason Campbell out of field goal range, there was nothing doing on third down and the Redskins punted. Philadelphia's fifth possession started with thirteen seconds left in the half, the Eagles ran two plays for eleven yards when the half ended with the Redskins leading 3-0.

The Eagles got the ball to start the third quarter, on the second play of their sixth possession LaRon Landry almost separated DeSean Jackson from his body. Philadelphia struggled for yards for another three plays when on third and three defensive end Jason Taylor poured through Jon Runyan and sacked Donovan McNabb, he fumbled and linebacker London Fletcher scooped it up and returned it twelve yards, Washington ball for the sixth time. Portis > Cooley > Portis > Portis > Portis > touchdown, Redskins go up 10-0. After a great kickoff be Shaun Suisham, the Eagles start their seventh possession on their 20, it was slow going for Philadelphia until Donovan McNabb went left for 47 yards to Brian Westbrook, DeAngelo Hall made the saving tackle. The Eagles could manage eight more yards before David Akers kicked a 22 yard field goal to make the game 10-3 Redskins. Washington got the ball back for the seventh time and Antwaan Randle El caught a first down pass on the first play. Jason Campbell ran nine yards on the next play, two plays later Clinton Portis ran eleven yards for a first, then Jason was sacked by Trent Cole. Three plays later the Redskins are punting and the quarter is over with the Redskins leading 10-3.

Philadelphia started the fourth quarter with their eighth possession with a delicious three and out, back over to the Redskins for the eight time, Santana Moss had a great punt return that was called back for a block in the back on Kareem Moore. On third and twelve Jason Campbell puts the game on his back and scrambles on a broken play for nineteen yards, the rookies Fred Davis and Devin Thomas cannot make plays and the Redskins are punting, Ryan Plackemeier pins the Eagles on their own three yard line with the Australian Rules dead ball kick to give the ball to the Eagles for the ninth time, three and out Philadelphia. Washington's ninth possession is also a three and out even though it starts at midfield. Philadelphia's tenth possession starts after another good Ryan Plackemeier punt, three incomplete passes and the Redskins have the ball for the tenth time, at midfield. Nothing doing and Clinton Portis gets dinged again and the Redskins are punting. The Eagles' eleventh possession starts with a loooong pass from Donovan McNabb to DeSean Jackson, DeSean is open but cannot haul it in. Nothing else and the Eagles are punting. Washington's eleventh possession is another three and out while trying to milk the clock. They punt and the ball is over to the Eagles for the twelfth and final time. Philadelphia puts together a brilliant late game drive albeit with no yards after catch on any completion, then the last play. On second and ten from the Redskins eighteen yard line, Donovan McNabb drops back to pass and throws to Reggie Brown, Reggie catches the ball inside the one yard line, Fred Smoot grabs hold and retards Reggie's forward progress, but be could still fight or lean in for the score. Then LaRon Landry rockets up from the end zone and places a perfect hit on Reggie and turns him around, ball short, no score, replay upholds the play, time has expired, game over and the Redskins win the game 10-3.

=====

Soapbox:

=====

Chattering class:

=====

Omnibus: uniform watch, again the Redskins are wearing the traditional road uniforms at home, burgundy jerseys and white pants meaning the Eagles get to wear their preferred home white on green uniforms, why do the Redskins do this?

The flags at Redskins Stadium were at half mast in recognition of the death of Sammy Baugh.

From the outset of this game it appeared as though the Redskins were working to limit Brian Westbrook. It worked, Brian finished with XXXXXX

Great play by LaRon Landry on the first play of the Eagles' second possession, Brian Westbrook was beaking left, LaRon came from the backside of the play to stop him.

Nice flip pass on first down in the first quarter Donovan, what the hell was that?

Nice sack by Jason Taylor two plays later, good to see Jason back in play.

Nice bumper from the Cincinnati game last week to end the first quarter, I was at that game and after I sobered up I agreed with Jim Zorn the he looked like the worst coach in America.

Are you fucking crazy? Zero-zero ties, fourteen minutes left in the half in a windy stadium. The 54 yard Shaun Suisham field goal attempt in the second quarter was a raging game management error, first the team wasted a timeout thinking about it, then went for it, even the Eagles knew it was a long shot, putting cornerback Will Demps in the end zone to field a possible return, Will caught it in the end zone and returned it to the Eagles 47. The turnover spot for a missed kick would have been the Eagles 44 yard line, so Will returned it three yards in Philadelphia's favor, it was basically wasted play and had the effect of giving the Eagles some needed momentum and better field position. That kick was a terrible coaching call.

While at the game we did not notice that Rock Cartwright got a carry in the second quarter while Clinton Portis was out with a banged up left hand, it was Rock's first carry in eight games and his fifth of the season.

After the Redskins field goal in the second quarter as Washington was setting up to kick off, the ball fell off the tee twice, it was that windy.

Irrational exuberance: with less than a minute left in the half, Jim Zorn rushed out to the field after the Eagles holding call on linebacker Stewart Bradley, coach Zorn was trying to was ensure that outcome of the penalty call was a Redskins first down, the line judge did not appreciate coach Zorn coming that far out onto the field and escorted him back to the sideline while listening to his argument.

On the second play of the second half Donovan McNabb dropped back to pass and threw left to DeSean Jackson, safety LaRon Landry his DeSean in midair and left DeSean crumpled, linebacker Marcus Washington almost caught the interception, it was an excellent defensive play. Two plays later, LaRon caught DeSean on a reverse and stopped the first down. LaRon is awsum.

Lorenzo Alexander tore his hamstring trying to cover Brian Westbrook on the 47 yard reception in the third quarter, he is lost for the season, I hope he can come back for 2009, Lorenzo aka Scarface charges the players around him.

Fourth quarter statistic, plays in opponents' territory: Redskins 36, Eagles 8.

Guys that had a great game for the Redskins: Jason Taylor, Shawn Springs, LaRon Landry, London Fletcher.

Less than 20 yards on 12 plays for the Eagles in the fourth quarter through 5:02 of the fourth quarter. Not good, and Donovan still thinks Philadelphia is the better team.

There were seven three and outs in this game, all in the fourth quarter.

The Eagles final drive was one run, two spikes and eleven passes. The closest they came was a 40 yard pass to DeSean Jackson in the end zone, it his DeSean on the hands and he could not haul it in.

Watching the final play at the stadium, the Donovan McNabb to Reggie Brown pass play stopped at the goal line by Fred Smoot and LaRon Landry, there was no way to tell from the 400s that it was not a touchdown, the initial play call was no score game over, the replay put us on edge and when it was called for the Redskins the stadium, or what was left of us, went nuts. Eliminated or not I love to see the Eagles take a beating, Hail to the Redskins!

=====

Zorn:

Shooter:

Coltrolled:

=====

Washington Post / AP recap, box score, play by play, photos. NFL recap, box score, full play by play, Gamebook (PDF), photos.

Other recaps:


Next up, the final game of the season, on the road against the San Francisco 49ers,






Clinton Portis: Reuters Pictures from here.