Texans 30 - Skins 27 OT

I do not expect to post much this year. I am just writing to say that with a 17-point lead today late in the third quarter, the Redskins had about ten chances to make a single play that would have iced the game...victory Redskins. But, they went oh-for-ten.

Briefly:

• The False start on third and short from the Texans five-yard line late in the fourth quarter that almost certainly would have been a first and goal...which led to...

• ...the chip shot field goal that would have put the Redskins up by ten late in the fourth....BLOCKED

• A Texan third-and-long stopped short but the drive kept alive by an offsides penalty...which led to...

• ...The Texans had a fourth-and-ten on what would have been their last drive but Schaub was able to deliver a pass about 1/1000 of a second before he got leveled. That pass was a jump ball that went thirty-four yards to Andre Johnson. Reed Doughty was in because Laron Landry was hitting people so hard that he hurt himself and had to come out for that one. Doughty had good coverage and reached up on the jump ball and had his had between Johnson's two hands just as Johnson caught the ball. Doughty attempted to rip it out but Johnson moved the ball to the opposite hand while in midair...tying touchdown late in the fourth (See photo).

• In OT the Redskins kicked the game-winning 52-yard FG, but the snap of the ball was 1/1000 of a second after Kubiak called a time out. The second try missed.

But, the main reason I am writing is this: I know McNabb had a great day as far as quarterback statistics go; a great day. He deserves all of the accolades that I have been reading and hearing about after the game. But, four of the plays that I am referring to--plays that if made would have ended the game--had to do with wide-open Redskins receivers deep down the field. Receivers who had inexplicably gotten three-to-six yards behind the defensive backs late in the game...And McNabb overthrew every one of them. Very Frustrating. If he only hit one of those, the Skins would now be 2-0.

The Redskins have had great defenses since the first year that Joe Gibbs came back. If they have done one thing correctly these past six years it is that they have added outstanding defensive talent: Orakpo, Landry, Fletcher, McIntosh, Hall, Rogers (who held on to a pick today!! Okay, so it hit him in the hands chest high and it still took three attempts for him to finally catch it, but he caught it!), Carter, and yes, even Haynesworth, and of course Sean Taylor (RIP). These are/were outstanding players, and most of them were brought in by Gibbs. They have had top-ten defenses ever since.

The one thing they lacked was an offense that could score more than 20-points per game. Last year they scored an average 16.6 points per game. Their defense gave up fewer points than the Super Bowl Champion Saints last year and that is despite suffering blowouts in the last three games after they had given up. If they find a way to score 27-points per game this year, they will make the playoffs.