Redskins: The Bucs Stop Here.

After ten games, we know a few things about the 2005 Redskins.

• The defense is solid and disciplined, but are not "great." The Skins played highly entertaining away games at Denver, Kansas City and Tampa Bay that kept us on the edge of our seats until the last play. But they lost. Great defenses would take two of those three games. This defense does not get enough STOPS!!! They've given up a big play or two, or a key drive in every game since week two.
• Defensive starters are solid, but depth is suspect. Would Tampa have completed a 30 yard touchdown pass if the receiver were covered by Fred Smoot or Shaun Springs? Would Mike Alstott have scored through the middle for the two point conversion if Sean Taylor played? I think not. (Gawd, I hope he is found "not guilty")
• The offense is now better than the defense. They came from behind and scored 28 points on Tampa's number one defense. That should have been good enough to win.
• The Skins are not good enough on either side of the ball to overcome mistakes. It seems the 1980s Redskins could overcome their mistakes, not that they made that many. This team is getting close, but are not there yet!

There is a lot of controversy on whether or not Mike Alstott actually crossed the goal line on the two point conversion. The refs did not blow the call! To overturn a touchdown on the last play, the referee needed to see the ball on the video tape. We could see Alstott's body and could assume that Alstott had not cross the line. NO WAY were the refs going to overturn a score on an assumption/presumption/guess/probability. The tape was not conclusive enough.

The Skins lost because the defense allowed the Buccaneers to drive 60+ yards down field to score a TD in the last two minutes, even when they had no time outs. That should never have happened. Ideally, you want to have a touchdown lead in the last two minutes, then put the game in the defense's hands for the win. It was an ideal situation. The defense is the heart and soul of the Redskins. In week ten, they did not come through.

I haven't given up on this team, but 9-7 or 10-6 might not get a wild card. 2006 is the year. I still hope for the best for the team and will just enjoy the progress.