Redskins Newsletter

Volume 12 #14

December 17, 2007

Redskins beat Giants 22-10

Redskins remain in playoff hunt. Playoffs Remain a Possibility as the Team Gathers Momentum

After losing four straight, Washington is back in the hunt. The Redskins, who have blown leads in five of their seven losses, made sure that didn't happen this time, taking the opening kickoff of the second half and scoring a touchdown. Portis had a big game running for 126 yards (his third 100 yard game this year) and Todd Collins led the Redskins on five scoring drives in his first start in 10 years, in a 22-10 victory.

Portis scored on a 5-yard run, Ladell Betts got in from 14 yards out and Shaun Suisham kicked three field goals on a blustery evening. The weather was a major factor in how the game was played and swirling winds made life miserable for the offenses. "It was another game we had to get and we just have to keep it going. "We have a lot of strong will in this room." Portis said after the Redskins moved within a half-game of Minnesota for a wild-card berth. "We're thrilled," Coach Gibbs remarked. "I told our players that they were taking me for a ride."

Collins had one heck of a week. He led the Redskins to a win two days after his wife, Andrea, gave birth to their second child. The word of the impending birth reached Joe Gibbs. He in turn spoke to team owner Daniel Snyder, who gave Collins the use of his private jet. Collins was in Boston for the birth on Friday and flew to the game Sunday morning.

Collins who completed only 8 of 25 passes for 166 yards said of the game: "I definitely felt an electricity in the locker room before the game, like there was something special going on. The guys were really pumped up. I don't know if it was Sean or what, but it was not a surprise that we came out and played the way we did."

Clinton Portis commented about Collins play saying: "Jason would go out there trying not to make a mistake where Todd will take chances."

It hardly seems possible that two weeks ago the Redskins’ season was all but over, and now with a 7-7 record still have a chance of making the playoffs as a wild card.

Of the turn around linebacker London Fletcher commented: "For one thing, Sean's death brought us closer together. The Buffalo game (a loss six days after Taylor was shot in his Miami home) was too emotional. I wasn't sure how we were going to play that day after what happened. But after the funeral we were able to focus our minds."

Defensive end Phillip Daniels said: "We know he's out there every play. And at the same time he healed us and gave us composure."

The Vikings (7-6) will play the Chicago Bears on Monday night before meeting the Redskins next week in Minnesota. New Orleans also is 7-7 with two games to play.

The season once thought of as finished for the Redskins is very much alive again. And who would have ever thought that?

Two items of note: The Redskins are now 2-0 at Giants Stadium this year. They beat the Jets 23-20 in overtime on Nov. 4, and Sinorice Moss had a career-best five receptions for 53 yards. His brother Santana led the Redskins with three catches for 75 yards.

Trivia

Last week’s question was: After loosing his first 5 games and finishing with an 8-8 record, what did Coach Gibbs do the second year? Answer:

In 1982, the Redskins get off to a solid 2-0 start before the season was interrupted by a 2-month Player's strike. When the players returned the Redskins did not miss a beat winning 5 of their 6 remaining games to claim the top seed in the playoffs with a 7-1 record. In the Playoffs the Redskins continued down the warpath destroying the Detroit Lions 31-21 in the 1st Round, and beating the Minnesota Vikings 21-7 in the 2nd. The Redskins would go on to face the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game there John Riggins would grind out 140 yards to break the Cowboys spirits in a 31-17 win that earned the Redskins a trip to their 2nd Super Bowl.

This week’s question is: Who was the NFL MVP in 1982?

beganjrfl@comcast.net