One thing the Skins proved

[FrontSeven]

One thing the Redskins proved is that riding a player's death (or any other outside motivation) can only get you so far. It wasn't very far.

It's one thing to "believe" but it's another thing to act in a manner that is consistent with the belief. How many times have we seen beliefs, even spooky beliefs, that simply did not make sense when it was all said and done? If your belief that you will win it for the gipper doesn't translate into actions that you can do on the field, guess what?

Ray Perkins' spade is still sticking in the turf somewhere in NFL heaven but that did not make the Patriots beat the Packers. Everybody grows playoff beards. Everybody prays. Every Catholic makes the sign of the cross. Do all the beards and prayers and crosses help every player on every team?

I honestly don't think that the death of Shawn Taylor helped the Redskins at all. I think it hurt them badly. Bbut if it did help it wasn't as much as the acquisition of Todd Collins. They needed consistent play from the QB, not spooky beliefs about winning it all for the gipper.

They did not win it for the gipper. That whole spook thing just failed. There is a big lesson in that but I think NFL players and fans are pretty easy to spook, and they probably still don't get it even after seeing what happened to the Redskins.

To me the lesson is that if you want to be spooked you'd better pick an outcome for it that makes sense. The spooky thing should be the final piece of the puzzle, not something you invented to get you past your fatal flaws.

The Saints didn't win it all (after Katrina), and the next year the Redskins didn't win it all. I'd say that death is a pretty bad reason to believe that you are the chosen ones this year or any year. I wish we could let the dead rest now. Haven't they had enough problems to solve that have nothing to do with football?

 

[Bella*chick]

Down here in D.C., it has really been almost unbearable. On the radio, they had this dramatic voiceover for all Redskin commercials "They play.....for SEAN!" with a trumpet wailing mournfully in the background and then soundbites of Redskins players talking about how this is what Sean would have wanted. I'm talking every commercial break. And the local media were reverently reporting stories about how the Redskins actually believed Sean Taylor was the cause of gusts of wind that helped the ball bounce in their favor, etc. It was a little creepy at the end there.

Riding an "emotional wave" is just not a reliable way to get it done.

 

[CrazyDave]

They actually lost by 21 points, did'nt they?
What does that mean?

 

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

Honestly-I think the change at QB was the BIG difference. Before Campbell went down in the Chicago game(which started this big run), their O was stinking up the joint.

Todd Collins ain't no Joe Montana, but he doesn't make mistakes and knows how to fit his passes into tight spots et al, something Campbell lacks.

If they stick with Collins next year, they'll be contenders.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

They actually lost by 21 points, did'nt they?
What does that mean?

it means SEAN INDEED WAS WATCHING FROM ABOVE