Rams ?, Redskins ? I don't even care, the game's not even over yet

%$#& you, Kyle. Heard of Chris Cooley, you &#@? Huh? And Haslett? You're a **&^&^&. Why don't you find a &^&* and &^%$^ until it **&* and you can't ^%$%^&^ it anymore. #@&!

OK, now I've calmed down a little bit, and I have to say that I think us Redskins fans are sick in the head. A 4-12 team with a new coach, new defense with the wrong players for it, new schemes--and we still believe that we are completely and totally superior to St. Louis. We beat ourselves up--oh, how could we possibly lose to a team that's lost 10,000 home games in a row? Well, that's because we've lost 9,000 road games in a row! We are BAD.

OK, Bye!

Redskins Cut Larry Johnson





Hey! Look at me! I've been on the bench all game so I'm gonna do something exciting! Oh, crap! No room. I'm gonna run backwards, Wheeeee!

Deep in the Heart of Washington: Houston 30, Redskins 27 OT

Had Jamaal Brown not jumped across the line on 3rd and 1 for a false start, that probably would have been sufficient.

Had Gano's field goal not been blocked after Sleepy Davis forgot to block his man, that probably would have been sufficient.

Had Donovan's McNabb's deep bomb down the middle to Joey Galloway been thrown a little higher/softer instead of just out of reach, that pretty much would have been sufficient.

Had LaRon Landry or Reed Doughty intercepted that throw across the middle instead of knocking each other out, that most likely would have been sufficient.

Had Philip Buchanon decided to remain covering the Texans' best player, Andre Johnson, on 4th and 10 with the game on the line instead of leaving Doughty all by himself on a jump ball, chances are that would have been sufficient.

And had that horrible time out freezing the kicker thing been outlawed like it should be, Graham Gano's 52 yard kick would have counted and he wouldn't have had to miss a second time--clearly that would have been sufficient.

But this ain't Dayeinu. Eelu hotzi, hotzi-anu ain't walking through the door.

This is the Washington Redskins. The game doesn't end after 38 enjoyable minutes like we wish it would.

Zero of these things happened, and the Redskins fell to 1-1 after giving up 20 straight unanswered points.

It was a pretty nice day for most of the day at Redskins Club. It was great to assemble our positions in the Great Room for the beginning of my 10th season pacing near the right side of TV cabinet thing. This year features a bigger, nicer tv, and a new member, Faryn

who was sworn in over blintzes at Morty's on Wisconsin Avenue on Saturday.

I think it was important for her to see how fun and enjoyable it can be when they're winning--how good the food tastes; the high-brow banter; the gentle light flowing into the Great Room.

But more importantly, to experience what Steve experiences--the predictable bitter despair and dark rage that usually occurs when when the fourth quarter ends. It is perhaps an important lesson learned.

McNabb was incredible, throwing for over 400 yards. Hitting Galloway, Sleepy Davis, and Cooley for long plays. The running game, however, was crap. Portis had very little daylight, and Larry Johnson thought running backwards for a 10 yard loss was good since at least that would get people talking about him again.

The Skins went up 27-10 after a double fake weak side thing, with McNabb hitting Cooley in stride. But on the very next drive, the Texans pulled within 10, on a short td pass from Schaub to Walter. So, yeah, we blew a 17 point lead, but its not like we were sitting on a 17 point lead for a quarter, got cocky and lazy, and gave it away. The Texans forced themselves back in the game by having arguably the best offense in the NFL right now.

And the defense, despite getting a lot of pressure with exciting blitzes, could not cover Andre Johnson or Kevin Walter. The pass defense is just terrible, or was overmatched. By a lot. Hopefully, Kareem Moore will be a big help because Doughty and Horton just aren't much right now.

Finally, this freeze the kicker with a timeout miliseconds before the snap is total bullshit. I don't care if Shanahan was the coach who started this phenomenon. Its unsportsmanlike, its cheap, its total bush-league.

Gimme That! Redskins 13, dallas 7

"Holding, Number 71."--The referee

"No, you're not allowed to tackle Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo as he's about to hit Romo on the deciding play of the game, even if you play for America's Self-Appointed Team."--Thomas Boswell

This game wasn't so much a game as much as it was a test of emotional endurance. From the freakish euphoria of watching DeAngelo Hall strip Tashard Choice and run the ball back for a touchdown on what should have been a kneel down play at the end of the first half, to taking points off the board due to a dropped field goal attempt snap, to losing on a last ditch scramble and toss touchdown, to having that loss removed due to Al Michaels' announcement of a yellow flag on the field a milisecond later--this was a cardiac event that lasted several hours.

First of all, how great are these uniforms. Bright gold pants with the racing stripes on the sides. The intricate striping on the socks, 70s style. I love it. I don't mind if this is the default home uniform from now on.

The Skins started on defense, showing their new 3-4 style of defense, which often looked weird due to having a whole bunch of former linemen now playing linebacker, standing at the line of scrimmage instead of down in a three point stance.

The Cowboys were able to set up a lot of third and short situations from runs and short passes, and this helped them rack up over 300 yards of offense, but because they had two backups starting on the o-line, they were clearly afraid to go down the field. And drive after drive ended with punts.

The Skins' first drive took a lot of time off the clock, thanks to completions to Moss and Cooley, and a scramble by McNabb. Portis looked quicker, but there was pretty much nothing going on with the running game. It wasn't until late in the game that he was able to get to the second level and run for more than a couple of yards. Larry Johnson came in for a bit, and was pretty much terrible--running out of bounds with 2:32 left in the game to give the Cowboys extra time.

Graham Gano kicked a field goal and it was 3-0. Then nothing much happened.

The Cowboys were trying to get a score late in the first half. They completed a pass to Witten around the 45 and called time out so they could try a hail mary. They were called for a holding penalty with 4 seconds left that the announcers said was declined by the Skins. But I screamed, that doesn't make any sense--its not like the Cowboys would get extra time on the clock by accepting the penalty!

Thankfully, the penalty was enforced. However, the idiot Cowboys didn't change the play call from hail mary to kneel down even though they were back on their thirty-something yard line. Romo went back to pass but got flushed from the pocket. He side-passed a lateral to Tashard Choice who could have ran out of bounds as he saw the 3-4 Skins defenders descend upon him.

DeAngelo Hall got to his right side, slowed him down, and as the other Skins joined the tackle--POP!--the ball bounced loose. Hall scooped it up and run down the sideline into the end zone as time expired.

The Skins had a chance to put Dallas away--they kicked a field goal, but Dallas jumped offsides. And we went ahead and took points off to continue the drive--which I totally approved of. However, with 3 plays inside the 10, it looked like Jim Zorn and Sherman Smith had abducted Kyle Shanahan for one more round of let's ruin everything and not score a touchdown.

McNabb threw 2 fade routes to Anthony Armstrong that were close, but fell incomplete. The second one may have been interference, but those are low percentage plays. They couldn't have done some crossing routes with big targets like Sleepy Davis or Idiot Thomas? Those were the best plays Shanahan could think of?

And then, like clockwork, holder Josh Bidwell dropped the snap on the FG attempt and we got 0 points. Holy %$*#.

The Cowboys didn't get on the board until new punter Josh Bidwell made a lousy punt, setting Dallas up at the 32 yard line. Romo threw to Miles I Don't Know Why I'm Good Austin for a short td catch.

The Skins had a nice drive late in the game in an attempt to run out the clock. A nice throw over the middle to Cooley, a 12 yard run by Portis. But they couldn't get any further then the 32. Instead of punt, with less than 2 minutes left, they brought in Gano, who kicked it perfectly, right down the middle. 13-7.

The Cowboys last drive shouldn't have been that exciting, but on third and long from midfield, the defense decided not to cover Miles My Leg Muscles Aren't as Big as Cris Collinsworth Thinks They Are Austin, who took the ball down to the 13. After a couple of incomplete passes, Dallas had one last try with 3 second left.

Romo went back to pass, no one was open. He stopped, moved up in the pocket, then slid to the right and lofted an easy pass to a wide open Roy Williams in the end zone. Touchdown. Marion Barber ran over to jump on his back in celebration. The Skins defenders looked lifeless. For a split second, that old sinking feeling....

But Wait--the miracle on ice voice, Al Michaels piped up, and said there is a flag down. Because, once again, Orakpo beat Alex Barron and Barron had to grab him by the neck in order to keep Romo upright.

So, the game was over, we won. And it was a crazy effing game. Scoring a freaky touchdown like that, and having a last second touchdown taken away due to a penalty? That kind of good fortune has evaded this team for a long time.

"Stupid doesn't live here anymore. He's moved to Dallas."--Boswell

And this one goes out to Alex Barron who deprived us of the chance to see Orakpo put Tony Romo on his ass as time expired:

So Hold

(Hold)

Me Tight

(Me Tight)

Tonight

(Tonight)

Tonight

(Tonight)

Its you-uuuuuu

You, You, youuuuuuu uuuuuu (Alex Barron!)--The Beatles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MqoOyaQ85w

Dallas Week

The final preseason game was pretty much a waste of fuel with the Skins flying way out to Arizona. I watched at the beach but watching starting QB's John Beck and Richard Bartel was not all that memorable. Willie Parker finally got to a chance to play but it was too little, too late, and he got released. I predicted that either he or Portis would get cut way back in April, and Portis looks like a new man.

This Sunday night Dallas comes to town, overrated like always, but still pretty strong, what with Romo, Witten, Barber, Jones, Austin, and DeMarcus. Their O-line is still huge even without Flozell Adams.

But its a new day and a new team and a new coach in Washington. McNabb is a professional QB who gets touchdowns and not field goals once he gets into the Red Zone. Shanahan will have the team prepared and will know how to manage critical game situations. Yeah, the brand new 3-4 defense could give some big running plays, but McNabb and Shanahan will give us a chance to win.

Dallas Week is also the week where DC's wretched, sewer dwelling, scum sucking Dallas Cowboys fans emerge from their muddy cocoons to place flags on their SUVs, throw on Romo jerseys, and strut around like ignorant peacocks.

There are several reasons for this shameful phenomenon, and trying to examine why non-Texas dwellers are fans adopted the Cowboys as their team is like trying to examine why anyone would be a fan of the Black Eyed Peas. The only thing that can be done is to beat these bastards on Sunday night, and send their rat followers back down into their holes.

Go Skins, Beat Dallas.