YEP. FANS ARE FRUSTRATED BUT IMAGINE HOW THE PLAYERS FEEL
For Redskins fans, this last defeat might feel as bad as the loss to the previously winless Kansas City Chiefs back in October 2009. Or, it could feel as bad as the loss that same year to the 0-2 Detroit Lions or the 0-3 Carolina Panthers.
I bet it doesn’t feel as bad to the fans as it does to the players though. Unfortunately, they’ve pretty much exhausted all explanations for – and what to do about – the continued losing; despite their best efforts during practice and on game day.
“I’m just pissed off, man… frustrated,” linebacker Brian Orakpo said after the game.
Asked whether it was the losing that frustrated him, he was incredulous.
“Of course, man,” he said, shaking his head. “You know, trying to hold your head up, it’s just frustrating… very disappointing. We just can’t get it together. It just feels like every team that we play, it’s like they already know they got a W against us because of the way we’re playing. It’s ridiculous, man. We’ve got to do something to turn this *$#!% around.”
It’s impossible to know the depth of disappointment these Redskins players are feeling but it’s definitely imaginable. Considering the depth of character and observing the guys in the locker room, I’d say it’s profound.
Consider a guy like London Fletcher. Here’s a man who is of unquestionable character. He shows up to play day after day, week after week, year after year. He is present in body and mind, practice after practice, game after game, season after season. He is a leader on the team who likely influences almost every player on that team whether on offense or defense or special teams and yet, still they lose..
“The first thing you have to do is to show up to work every day,” Fletcher said when asked how to continue to lead this team and get better. “Work to get better, be accountable with yourself; see how I can play better to help us win. Each man, if they take that approach, hopefully things will change for us. If you believe in your approach to a situation then you don’t change it just because you’re going through a rough time.”
Since we only see a small portion of the practices, we can only go on what we are told about how they go to know if the all of the players take the same approach as Fletcher. But I choose to believe them when they say they believe in the program and are trying hard.
It just doesn’t make the losing any less frustrating.
PLAYERS HAVE NO ANSWERS
Even after watching the game film, having good practices, and with their belief in the program; the Redskins are still losing games. There are more questions than answers at this point even in the locker room. At one point after the game, Orakpo was talking to the media about how to right this ship. He searched for words when asked how to fix what is wrong and ultimately could not answer the question.
“Oh man, I wish I had an answer for you,” he said on a sigh. “I mean, it’s frustrating. I don’t know… I don’t have an answer. We just have to dig deep. I mean, it’s cliché and we say… something… I’m running out of material. I don’t know what else to say. I’ve never been a part of something like this and we just gotta keep fighting.
“I know we’ve got a good team, I know we’ve got great character…” he started.
But then, re-thinking where he was going with his answer he said, “Forget the character,” Orakpo insisted. “I know we’ve got great players on this team, great play-makers and we’ve just got to put it together.”
These players are so frustrated. It’s maddening, I’m sure, to work so hard in practice and then coming up short on the scoreboard. As I’ve written before, many of these Redskins players have come recently from winning situations. To be confronted with the losing and everything that comes with it has to be the worst thing they’ve experienced in a long time.
Ever the optimist, in defeats like the ones the Redskins have experienced, the positives have to be built upon if this team has a chance of turning the season around.
Hail.