Hogs Haven
When a team that is 2 games below .500 is on a 3-game losing streak and facing two games against a pair of conference foes, each with a 5-2 record, there’s really no silver lining, and “must win” no longer has much meaning. It’s usually too late; the team is a dead man walking.
If you’re the type to look at the schedule and decide that there’s really no reason to play the next two games because the games against Seattle and Detroit are automatic losses, then you’ve already got the Commanders at 3-7 as they head off to Madrid in Week 11 to face Miami. You’re already thinking of draft picks in April.
On the other hand, if you’ve got a tattoo on your bicep that reads, “Any Given Sunday”, then you may be thinking about Jayden Daniels returning to play 3 home games and a neutral field game over the next 4 weeks and smiling inwardly at the opportunity that provides. You might also look at 4 NFC East games in 4 weeks to close out the season and think of what that could mean if the Commanders were to win all 4 of them.
I absolutely belong to the latter group. I enjoy football — the time spent playing games is too short and the offseason too long to give up on the second half of a season just because I didn’t love how the first half went. It seems wasteful to me. I’ve never understood the desire to move on from a season any sooner than absolutely necessary.
I approach the kickoff of every game with the same anticipation and blend of confidence and worry. I never think, “Here we go again!” if my team falls behind on the scoreboard early.
I remember how disappointed I was at the end of the first quarter of Super Bowl XXII, when the Redskins were trailing the Broncos 10-0. Of course, Washington scored 35 points in the second quarter behind an MVP performance by Doug Williams. “Comeback” was the definition of his career.
Three times since the 2012 season, Washington has made the playoffs after starting a season 3-5 or worse. In 2012, the Redskins won their final 7 games — including a victory over the AFC North Champion Ravens, who finished 10-6 — to finish with 10 wins and the NFC East crown. In 2015, after starting 3-5, the Redskins won 6 of their final 8 games, including going undefeated in the final 4 games of the season, to reach 9-7 and again take the division title.
The mountain that would need to be climbed this season looks a lot steeper. Three of the remaining 5 non-division opponents currently have records of 5-2 or 6-2. All three division opponents are playing better football in October than they were in September.
All that means is that the Commanders have to play better than they have played so far.
That has to start on Sunday night vs the visiting Seahawks,...
