They're Sinking In Shallow Water

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Week 13: Giants 23, Redskins 7

The Giants win a key NFC East matchup at FedEx Field, building an early 13-0 lead and maintaining control throughout.

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"I just started whining at everything, believe me. I was on everybody. I was even on myself. . . . Today I wasn't cracking it light on anybody."

Just two months ago, the Redskins were beaming with a 4-1 record, wins on the road over Dallas and Philadelphia and an NFL record for committing only one turnover in their first five games. Then they made the mistake of acting human -- making a normal number of errors. Since then, the Redskins have had 11 turnovers, including two against the Giants, in seven weeks. Not bad. Below the NFL average. But for a team with an offense as lacking in big-play potency as the Redskins, near-perfection is necessary.

"There is still hope for us to get some wins here and get into the playoffs. It's almost like we have to win out. Or at least win three out of four," said Campbell, who was held without a touchdown pass on 23 of 38 completions for 232 yards, 59 of them irrelevant against a prevent defense in the closing minutes.

"Who's to say our season can't take off like the Giants' did last year? The light bulb just turned on for them," said Campbell. "Who's to say that can't happen to us?"

In theory it could, but in reality it probably won't. The reason, which now bedevils Zorn as it tormented Joe Gibbs, is that the Redskins, except for Moss and tight end Chris Cooley, have an extremely weak group of receivers.

Antwaan Randle El might be a positive as a third wide receiver, but as a No. 2 wideout he poses little danger to defenses. He's a dink-and-dunk guy. Veteran James Thrash scares nobody. As for the three receivers on whom the Redskins spent valuable second-round draft picks this season, someday Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly and tight end Fred Davis may develop. But so far, all three look like busts. Blame injuries, lack of work in training camp or whatever you like, the three have 15 catches for 101 yards.

Thomas had his season highlight with a 29-yard touchdown run on a reverse. But the rookie who was supposed to complement Moss didn't catch a pass. Kelly, who has seldom been healthy enough to get on the field, had a clean chance at a long pass but, as Zorn said, "Bless his heart, it hit him in the chest" and fell to the ground.

As Zorn noted, both Thomas and Kelly must still learn how to "adjust to game speed," rather than the relative sanity of practice. "It's what you want those guys to learn in preseason," he added, "not in a critical game in-season."

In a season of astronomical NFC scoring, especially with three and four wide-receiver formations, the Redskins often seem to be playing with only 10 men, especially in third-and-long situations where other teams flood the field with fine wideouts. Within the NFC East, the Giants, Cowboys and Eagles average 323 points this season, 115 more than the Redskins. That's a huge handicap to overcome.

Meanwhile, the Redskins look at other receivers, all taken in the second round, who are flourishing, including wideouts Donnie Avery (Rams), Eddie Royal (Broncos) and DeSean Jackson (Eagles) as well as tight ends John Carlson (Seahawks) and Martellus Bennett (Cowboys). Three of them have scored against the Redskins.

"We are good at short plays and intermediate plays but we haven't had the big plays that can separate a game," Campbell said. "We just have to come up with that."

Despite Clinton Portis's excellence and Cooley's versatility, the Redskins have no quick-strike players except Moss. Double-team him and the options dwindle. In their seven-game slump, they've averaged only 14.1 points. The Steelers' and Giants' defenses both bottled up Portis (who had 22 yards on 11 carries against New York) and made the Redskins' attack, which hasn't cracked 30 points all season, look hopeless. Next up, Ray Lewis and the Ravens in Bal'mer.

"We're not out of the playoffs. Back two weeks ago, everybody was crucifying the Cowboys. Now the Cowboys are America's greatest team again," Portis said. "I think we're in that same situation."

Who's to say that playoff light bulb can't still turn on? But right now, if you look candidly at the Redskins of the last seven weeks, getting dominated by elite teams and struggling to beat even weak ones, it's getting pretty dim.