Hail to the… offseason

Surprise! Surprise! Another NFL regular season comes to an end and the Washington Redskins failed to make the playoffs. A season that started off with a bang for the Redskins, like so many others that have come before it, ended yesterday with a fizzle at best.

Washington Head Coach Mike Shanahan struggled during his first season, to say the least. He struggled in his off-season approach with defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth, he erred in trading second and fourth-round draft picks to the Philadelphia Eagles for Donovan McNabb, and once traded for, he eventually benched the six time pro-bowler in place of Rex Grossman.

Rather than looking towards preparing for a playoff game, the Redskins will instead turn their attention towards revamping their roster in the off-season and answering as many of the glaring questions as possible. Who will play quarterback next year? What will happen to Albert Haynesworth and Donovan McNabb? Who will re-sign with the team? How will the Redskins use their seven draft picks in the 2011 draft? Which free agents will move on to play elsewhere?

Those are only a few of the questions that need immediate attention. The most obvious question right now may be bigger than the Redskins organization. Will their even be a season next year with an NFL lockout looming.

“Changes will occur, though, because we haven’t won around here in a long time,” outside LB Lorenzo Alexander said. “Who knows what will happen with free agency and the whole collective bargaining negotiations, but their could be a lot of guys out there.

Seeking quick fixes in free agency has not worked well during owner Daniel M. Snyder’s tenure. Washington has made many high-priced mistakes. Shanahan certainly has his work cut out for him after the Redskins’ third straight disappointing season.

As for the game itself, the Redskins played host yesterday to NFC East rival the New York Giants.The Giants were playing for a potential playoff spot depending on the outcome of the Packers and Bears match-up. The Redskins on the other hand, were playing for dignity, pride, and well…because they had to. The NFL requires teams to play 16 games.

The Redskins showed heart throughout the game against the Giants, in front of a crowd of a little more than 76,000 at FedEx field. The first quarter was a typical NFC East defensive slug-fest. The Giants scored first with 5:03 left in the quarter on a Lawerence Tynes 20-yard field goal.

The Redskins tried to answer back with an impressive drive behind the running of Ryan Torain who finished with 61 yards rushing on the day. However the drive stalled on the New York 12-yard line when kicker Graham Gano pushed his field goal wide left.

With 3:06 remaining in the 2nd quarter Brandon Jacobs rumbled into the end zone from two-yards out, capping off a 69-yard drive. Down 10, the Redskins responded with an 80-yard drive composed by Rex Grossman.

Grossman found Fred Davis on a play-action pass on the right side of the end zone for the score with 22-seconds remaining in the first half. Grossman finished the day completing 26 of 44 passes for 336 yards. He threw two touchdowns and 1 interception. One of three Washington turnovers on the afternoon. The Giants led at half 10-7.

In the second half the Giants drew first blood with 12:19 remaining in the third. Eli Manning floated a pass to WR Mario Manningham for a 92-yard touchdown over the outstretched hand of pro bowl CB DeAngelo Hall. The Giants took a 17-7 lead. Manning finished with 243 yards passing, completing 17 of 29 passes with a touchdown and interception.

In the second half the Washington offense struggled under the direction of Rex Grossman. His lone interception came in the third to Giants LB Keith Bulluck. Luckily for the Redskins, their defense held the Giants to a field goal attempt after the turnover which Tynes pushed wide right.

The Redskins would not lay down in the fourth as they continued to find a way to stay in the game. With a little under six minutes left in the game, Rex Grossman threw a bomb to WR Anthony Armstrong for a 64-yard touchdown that pulled the Redskins within three points, 17-14.

The Redskins forced a punt with a little over two minutes remaining. After picking up one first down, Grossman and the Redskins couldn’t move the ball. The final play of the season came on a pass to WR Terrence Austin that sailed over his head and bounced twice after hitting the ground.

The Washington Redskins have only made the playoffs twice in the past 11 seasons. With Sunday’s 17-14 defeat of the Redskins, the Giants have beaten Washington six straight times and nine out of the last ten. Sunday’s final play for the Redskins served as a microcosm for the entire season.

Like that final pass play, the expectations for the Redskins heading into the season were high as always, but unfortunately the reality of them making the playoffs sailed way over their head.

Photo courtesy Win McNamee of Getty Images North America