Well, what did you expect? After fifteen games over sixteen weeks... the Skins lose a tight game in which they score under 20 points. You could have written half of the season with a mad-libs script. At 6-10 the franchise enters a third straight offseason as the NFC East cellar-dweller.
Close Calls-- another three point loss... five of the team's ten defeats in 2010 were by three points or less... but once again before you start printing 2011 NFC East banners, get this-- all six wins were by six points or less... meaning this team was closer to 3-13 than they were 11-5.
And they went winless against the division and conference after their mid-season bye.
Turnoverasaurus Rex-- 336 yards passing and two touchdowns for Mr. Grossman... but two fumbles and an interception remind one why he's not in Chicago anymore. After the game he remarked how there was a lot of talent on this team and they had a shot at the NFC East championship next fall.
Defense getting better!-- the D held five of their last seven opponents to less than 20 points... and avoid the last in the league distinction (thank you Denver for falling to the opportunity). After the game DeAngelo Hall stressed that the unit was still getting adjusted to the 3-4 and was improving each week... unfortunately the top-ten defense under Greg Blache didn't have the personnel to easily transform into Jim Haslett's vision.
Dissecting the Division-- Philadelphia despite a second straight loss sails into the playoffs while the Giants at 10-6 stay home. Dallas thanks to a 5-3 second half that handed the head coaching job to Jason Garrett take third place because of tiebreakers-- and the Skins after leading the division after opening weekend find themselves in a familiar place.
Playoff Road Rage-- three of the four visiting teams in Wildcard Weekend have better records than the home team... including 11-5 defending Super Bowl champ New Orleans at 7-9 (not a typo) Seattle. Even in the one game pitting teams with equal records-- Green Bay at Philadelphia-- the Packers own the tiebreaker having beaten the Eagles in week one. Don't be surprised if during the offseason the league tweaks wildcard weekend with true seeding-- aka better record gets the home game (if they did that this year, they'd just flip-flop home teams in each matchup).
Where do you go from here?-- after one year (and a two-win improvement) under coach Mike Shanahan, one would think the talent building will continue in the offseason with smart free agent decisions and quality/quantity drafting. You know, the exact opposite of the previous regime. Did they handle the Haynesworth/McNabb situations smartly? Not by a longshot. And that's why there has to be confidence in having a two-time Super Bowl winning coach in Ashburn, there has to be a nervous eye on any developments on and off the field.
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