An Icy Morning

Oh, Mike Shanahan, looketh what thou hast wrought.

The first time I ever saw a coach “ice” an opposing kicker, the Denver Broncos were doing it to the Raiders’ Sebastian Janikowski. A split second before the snap on a potentially-game winning field goal, Broncos coach Shanahan called a time out. Janikowski’s first kick went through. The kick that counted bounced off the upright.

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Dare We Admit? Snyder Got This Right

The important thing to note in the Redskins 13-7 victory last night is that it was the kind of game we’re not used to winning.  A game in which the Redskins were able to capitalize on their opponent’s mistakes and not commit too many of our own.  Yes, the punting in the second half was abysmal, and the offense didn’t actually score, but the bigger sins were committed by the Cowboys’ offense, and in the end that’s what made the difference.

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DON’T PANIC

Where are the large, friendly letters when you really need them?

After a decisive preseason victory over the pathetic Buffalo Bills, the Redskins fared significantly worse against a team with higher prospects, the Baltimore Ravens.  On the surface, there’s more than just the 23-3 score to panic over:  there was the utter lack of performance of Larry Johnson, just one of the three thirty-or-almost-thirty running backs on the roster.  There were the six dropped catches — on the offense alone.  And there were the injuries:  Kareem Moore, Mike Sellers, and even Stephen Strasburg all ended their nights with injuries.  Strasburg’s was particularly shocking given that it was in another sport, 130 miles away.

And then, as always, there’s the Albert Haynesworth saga, which is turning into a bizarre cross between a soap opera and an episode of “House.”  (Exactly what is the differential on failing a conditioning test, having a sore knee, dehydration, headaches, and being a general pain in the ass?)

But relax, it was only a preseason game, which means exactly nothing, except to the “lifelong” Ravens fans taunting you at work this morning.  Above all, DON’T PANIC.

(Well, maybe just a little.)