Gibbs Soaks It Up

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Redskins Play the Wild Card

The Redskins dominate from start to finish and close out the rival Dallas Cowboys, 27-6, to earn an unlikely berth in the NFC playoffs with a fourth consecutive victory.

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In the last three games, against the Giants, Vikings and Cowboys, the Redskins have taken complete control. In Dallas's case, the Cowboys wanted to win a franchise-record 14th game. The Pokes played almost every healthy starter until midway in the third quarter when a 20-3 deficit made quarterback Tony Romo and other key Cowboys seek safety -- of body and psyche -- on the bench.

As this game ended, the Redskins gazed at the scoreboard and realized they'd won by 21 -- Taylor's number. "The players were all saying it," Gibbs said. "We don't think it was by accident we won by 21."

This day of vindication, however, extended beyond a team trying to pay tribute to a slain teammate or prove itself worthy of Gibbs's return. "People were bad-mouthing our coach," said Chris Samuels. "But we'll take him back."

The sense of restored dignity can be seen everywhere. A year ago, it seemed that the schemes of Gregg Williams, assistant head coach-defense, had been figured out. Now his unit has been the backbone of the season. His offensive counterpart, Al Saunders, has been teased for two seasons because his "700-page playbook" has produced few points and shown little imagination. Yet as soon as Jason Campbell was injured and replaced by Collins, who has spent seven seasons mastering Saunders's system, the offense suddenly began striking quickly, stretching the field both laterally and horizontally with crisply timed pass patterns.

However, no Redskin has seen his work justified and his faith in himself vindicated as Collins has. The 36-year-old, who went 10 years and two days between NFL starts, may have spent more time under lock and key than Jean Valjean and "The Prisoner of Zenda" combined. Now, he's free and raising a lovely ruckus. "Just a great performance. He's oblivious to the rush and very, very bright. . . . I know we appreciate him," Gibbs said. "His quarterback rating must have been phenomenal."

Oh, just his usual 104.8 (compared with Romo's 34.9), yet slightly below the 107 mark that Collins took into the game.

"It's been dreamlike. I feel like these guys are taking me for a ride. I don't feel like I'm the key," said Collins, who completed 22 of 31 for 244 yards and a touchdown and still hasn't thrown an interception since 1997. "But when my chance came I wanted to be ready. I think I was."

The Redskins' chance almost passed them by this season. No team in burgundy and gold has ever come closer to having the door close on its season, only to kick it open once more and enter January playing -- by far -- their best football. In a corner of the Redskins' locker room, one 300-pound veteran was asked if the Cowboys had given their best, played their hardest. "I'm keeping my mouth shut," he said. "We're going to see those guys again."

Surely, he meant to say the Redskins "might" meet the Cowboys in two weeks, if they should beat Seattle.

Or did he?