During a team meeting last Friday at Redskins Park, Coach Joe Gibbs mentioned to his players that the Washington Redskins were still officially in the playoff hunt. Washington's chances were so quixotic that Gibbs didn't give an extensive speech about the possibility. But after Sunday's 31-7 victory over the New York Giants at FedEx Field, Washington's flickering playoffs hopes remain alive.
The scenario seems incongruous for a 4-8 team, last in the NFC East, during a season full of disappointment. But the NFC is replete with so many mediocre teams that the Redskins find themselves only two games from the final wild-card berth.
Each conference has six playoff teams: four division winners plus two wild-card berths. And in the NFC 11 teams are competing for the two wild cards.
"The whole NFC is terrible this year," tight end Chris Cooley said yesterday after returning from Children's National Medical Center with a group of Redskins players who visited patients. "This week will be a big one [against the Philadelphia Eagles]. If we win, I think we'll have a good shot. We shouldn't be in it, not because we're a bad team, but record-wise, at 4-8, you should never be in the playoff hunt. But consider us lucky."
Washington's chances are unrealistic mainly because of its remaining schedule, including Sunday night's game against the Eagles (11-1) plus the season finale against the Minnesota Vikings. However, if the Redskins somehow win the rest of their games, an 8-8 record would likely put them in the playoffs.
"Earlier in the week I thought we were out of it," said linebacker LaVar Arrington (bone bruise), who will practice today to determine if his season continues. "This is extra incentive to come back. That would be crazy if we made it."
The Eagles have clinched the NFC East, the Atlanta Falcons (9-3) are atop the NFC South, the Green Bay Packers (7-5) lead the NFC North, and the St. Louis Rams (6-6) lead the NFC West (by virtue of a tiebreaker over the Seattle Seahawks.)
If the season ended today, the two wild-card teams would be the 7-5 Vikings and the 6-6 Seahawks.
Six teams are 5-7, including the Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears -- all of whom Washington has defeated, meaning the Redskins would win a tiebreaker. The Redskins have split two against the 5-7 Giants and lost one to the 5-7 Cowboys with a game in Dallas on Dec. 26. Washington also plays on the road against 1-11 San Francisco.
"I was just playing for pride and respect, saying I want to just win and go 8-8," said defensive end Renaldo Wynn. "But shoot, I guess it's a different outlook, just to have an opportunity. Eight and eight. I'll take it."
Gibbs played down thoughts of the postseason when asked about the chances following Sunday's victory to halt a three-game skid. But Gibbs reminded the media: "A lot of people said to me, 'Hey, it's over. We've got to start focusing on next year.' I said, 'No, it's not over.' "
Daniels Done for Season
The Redskins placed defensive lineman Phillip Daniels on the injured reserve list yesterday, ending his season because of a dislocated wrist suffered on Sunday. Daniels, who was plagued by groin injuries this season, played in only five games. The nine-year veteran is likely to have surgery on Thursday. . . . The Redskins brought in 14 players to work out yesterday, including three defensive ends: Melvin Williams of Kansas State, Charles Alston of Bowie State and Claude Harriot of Pittsburgh. The Redskins, who signed linebacker Billy Strother to the practice squad, are expected to sign a defensive end this week.
