Washington Lets One Slip Through Their Hands in a Rain Plagued Game Against Tampa Bay

The Washington Redskins season has officially turned into a nightmare. With playoff hopes completely gone, Washington went out on a rainy Sunday afternoon and let another slip through their hands, losing to Tampa Bay 17-16. The Bucs improved to 8-5 on the season when the Redskins botched the extra point attempt to end the game.

The Redskins ran out the gate fast, when Ryan Torain broke free for 54 yards on their first offensive snap. Torain set the tone the entire first half as the Bucs seemed to have no answer for his powerful running on the muddy surface at FedEx Field. Torain finished the game with a career best 172 yards on 24 carries, with 158 of those yards coming in the first half. Washington seemed to go away from the running attack as the game progressed which was baffling due to the success it had in the first half.

For as much success the running game provided the Redskins with early on, the game seemed to be in their control. This was not the case, as the Redskins kept kicking themselves through awful special teams play. After Torian’s 54 yard opening play burst to Tampa Bay’s 35 yard line, Washington stumbled for 20 more yards as Graham Gano came on the field to attempt a 34 yard field goal. The kick would than bounce off the upright as the game remained scoreless.

The game would remain this way throughout the first quarter, but Washington was sustaining a drive as time expired in the quarter. Washington got another shot to get on the board by driving down to field, resulting in a first and goal from the Tampa Bay eight yard line. Washington was stopped on three consecutive plays and forced to attempt another field goal, this time from 24 yards out. Gano badly missed the attempt as boos started pouring from the stands harder than the rain.

Washington quickly caught a break, when Tampa running back Legarette Blount fumbled the ball four plays later. This time Washington would not let another chance slip away and drove down to the Tampa one yard line. Washington passed on taking another chance with Gano, as Quarterback Donovan McNabb tossed the ball to a wide open Logan Pauleson on fourth down. McNabb finished the game with 228 yards on 22 of 35 passes and two touchdowns.

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Tampa came out and responded immediately when quarterback Josh Freeman threw a bomb to rookie receiver Arrelious Benn, who badly beat the corner, for a 64 yard gain. Tampa would not be able to get any closer to the end zone though and were regulated to a 25 yard field goal, closing the gap to 7-3 with just over two minutes remaining in the first half. Washington got on the board when Gano finally hit one through the uprights before the end of the half to put the Redskins up 10-3 at halftime.

Washington was due to receive the ball to open the second half, and with a chance to add to their lead, Chris Wilson fumbled the kickoff, giving Tampa the ball on the Washington 34 yard line. Washington’s defense and two offensive penalties would than force another Conner Barth field goal cutting the lead back to four. After a three and out by the Redskins, Tampa would get the ball back and added another field goal to put them behind by a point, 10-9.

This score would hold into the fourth quarter, but Tampa was driving and got all the way down to Washington’s one yard line. The game seemed to be falling through the Redskins grasp, but Josh Freeman fumbled the ball and London Fletcher recovered it in the end zone. The Redskins would give the ball back to Tampa with just over seven minutes remaining in the game, when Freeman tossed a 41 yard touchdown to tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. to end a drive that would put the Bucs up 15-10. Tampa would convert the two point attempt on a run by Freeman, putting the Bucs up seven with under four minutes left in the game. Other than fumble on the goal line, Freeman had a solid day completing 15 of his 25 passes for 266 yards and the touchdown.

With Washington trailing, and the stadium all but empty, Donovan McNabb led the team down the field through a series of short passes. Washington crept up the field and ended up with a first and goal the Tampa two yard line. Washington struggled and needed fourth down to finally punch it in the end zone on a six yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss. The game seemed to be headed into overtime, as Graham Gano trotted back onto the field to tie the score at 17 with the point after attempt. The game than proved that no kicks can be taken for granted, when a high snap forced holder Hunter Smith to grab the slick ball out of the air, but couldn’t hold on. Gano didn’t even get the chance to kick the ball, as the game came to an end when Washington failed to get the ball back on the onside attempt.

This game may stick out like a thorn for Washington, as they rushed for 188 total yards, which was almost as much as the 211 yards the Redskins had amassed on the ground in the past three games combined. The special teams proved to be the difference, once again showing that good teams need to be successful in all three facets of the game. The season is all but over in terms of playoffs but a date with the Dallas Cowboys looms next Sunday to determine what most likely will be last place in the NFC East.

By Jason Stein
ProFootball-fans.com Washington Redskins Correspondent