Two Years Later A Crossroad Game for Redskins

Ashburn, VA – Two years ago the Washington Redskins entered their wild card playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks with steam and momentum. They were coming off of a complete 360 turnaround in their season that saw them run off seven wins in row. They were the NFC East division champions for the first time since 1999 and had produced the NFL’s Rookie of the Year in quarterback Robert Griffin, III.

Everything was looking up in that playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks in front of 80,000 fans at Fedex Field. The Redskins would jump out to a quick 14-0 lead on the legs of Alfred Morris. The running back gashed Seattle’s defense for 49 yards on 8 carries in the first two drives that produced the lead for the Redskins.

After the two drives, his work load would be diminished as he touched the ball only eight more times the rest of the game. In what would be a much debated decision by then head coach Mike Shanahan, fans and the media wondered why Morris, who was effective against Seattle’s defense, didn’t have more opportunities as the game wore on.

Later in this game the fortunes of the Redskins would again become bleak as their “All-Everything” R.O.Y. quarterback would tear his ACL and LCL. The rest has been history.

A new head coach in Jay Gruden — with a different mindset on how to do things in Ashburn — has been brought in. Unfortunately, the same things that have plagued the team for at least the last decade or more have again resurfaced.

Special teams play has been spotty, injuries have besieged the team yet again, and high priced players who are expected to lead have not done so.

This has become the scouting report on the Redskins as an organization. Are they good enough in the building and on the field? Is this an organization that is committed to winning or committed to keeping fans committed to spending money? Will the good-ole-boy circuit that has run rampant through the front doors here at Redskins Park ever stop?

This upcoming Monday night game against the Seattle Seahawks has been almost two years in the making for the Washington Redskins. It is a rematch of that slug-fest-of-a-playoff-game against Seattle, but the two teams have become very different since.

Obviously Griffin is not where he was two years ago as he continues to attempt to develop into a pocket quarterback. He has had to learn two different systems over his first three years as a pro on top of battling injuries.

On the flip-side, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has become one of the games most feared and widely respected players on and off of the field. He has won a Super Bowl and makes his team a prohibitive favorite to do it again this year.

Seattle comes into the game having played Denver in a game in which they won 26-20 in overtime. That game was more than two weeks ago and they have just had their bye so they should be well rested. They have not played their best ball on defense so look for them to try to make a statement on prime-time television.

The Redskins are at critical juncture in their 2014 season. They have played well at times but cannot seem to sustain any success throughout a full game. Last week against the New York Giants was as bad a display of football in D.C. as fans have witnessed in a long time. This team has to overcome their shortcomings and erratic play on national TV and find a way to compete and win against the defending champion.

If the Redskins are to have any success this season it has to start now. There must be a sense of urgency on their part because the second quarter of the season is here. Fans are about to find out if this team is closer to the team that beat Jacksonville (41-10) or the team that got manhandled against the Giants (45-14) last Thursday night.

Whichever team steps foot onto the Fedex Field grass had better be aware that the team they are facing remembers that playoff game here two years ago and it will be charged up.  The names will be different on the Redskins side of the ball what with Gruden now roaming the sidelines as coach and Kirk Cousins calling the signals.  But the Redskins need to match the intensity of Seattle. If they can do this, perhaps they can finish off what they started two years ago.