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WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Santa is coming to town in a couple of weeks, and the Redskins are still playing meaningful football games, starting with the New York Giants on Sunday night.
It is a beautiful time of year.
I played on my share of teams that did nothing important come December, counting down the days until the offseason starts. Vacation plans are set, disgruntled veterans start talking about what teams they want to play for next season and practice seems like a marathon. For a professional football player, it doesn’t get any lower than that. Coaches get tenser, players get chippy with one another and the idea of “team,” takes a major hit. For one reason or another, your team wasn’t good enough. Many players will either be replaced or cut, and you play as hard as you can so you still have a locker come mini-camp in the spring.
The National Football League is a business. More specifically, it is the business of winning — and winning means making the playoffs.
Don’t kid yourself. This isn’t college football. Programs don’t get a three- or four-year window to turn things around. You win now, and win often, or it is time to pack your bags and catch the first thing smoking out of town. This logic comes front and center every season in December. Teams start to pull away from one another and establish themselves as playoff teams. Games get tighter, penalties and missed tackles decide seasons and playoff dreams, and unknown players become new heroes.
This is the best time of the year in the NFL.
The Redskins are on the cusp of the playoffs, even after all they have endured: The countless injuries, an awful tragedy and a four-game losing streak. Most teams would have quit. However, this team found a way to pull out a win last Thursday, playing on emotion, teetering on exhaustion. Because of this, they have something to play for come Sunday. Forget about the previous 13 games, because what happens in the next three is all that will be remembered. Something tells me that it is going to be worth watching.
As a player, win and you still have some fight left in you. Lose, and it is time to start thinking about where you are going to be next year.
Former Redskins safety Matt Bowen, a seven-year NFL veteran, contributes a weekly column to The Examiner during the NFL season.
Comments from Examiner Readers
11:03 AM MST on Thu., Jan. 10, 2008 re: "Williams is the best choice for Redskins"
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10:02 AM MST on Thu., Jan. 10, 2008
re: "Williams is the best choice for Redskins"
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8:53 AM MST on Thu., Jan. 10, 2008
re: "No need to look outside, Williams is the best choice"
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8:08 AM MST on Thu., Jan. 10, 2008
re: "No need to look outside, Williams is the best choice"
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10:17 PM MST on Sat., Dec. 29, 2007
re: "Separating the ‘guy’ from the backup QB"
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7:40 AM MST on Fri., Dec. 28, 2007
re: "Separating the ‘guy’ from the backup QB"
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1:47 PM MST on Fri., Nov. 30, 2007
re: "Taylor’s death magnifies life"
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10:30 AM MST on Wed., Oct. 24, 2007
re: "Warner impressive, throbbing elbow and all"
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4:58 PM MST on Fri., Sep. 28, 2007
re: "Skins at home in Tampa Two"
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12:54 PM MST on Wed., Sep. 26, 2007
re: "Skins at home in Tampa Two"
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GAB said:
My crystal ball is analog and the world is digital now, so I'll go with my gut feelings. Snyder is going to hire Williams. He has to go through the motions, but I think he's actually beginning to learn how to run a football team, thanks to Gibbs' mentoring. Now, watch him hire Cowhers and prove me wrong!
105 agree | 89 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Yeh Danny, Williams is a good fit. DO NOT go out and try to change things around again. It didn't work in the past nor will it work now. Less of course you want to start losing your fans? The wheels are in motion, so let them continue to spin. If not for a few close loses last season, we would have hosted the Seahawks as opposed to going there. That should tell you something right there. Williams for HC position and bring in O cho Cinco to compliment Moss.
94 agree | 102 disagree
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Dan said:
Greg Williams is the best choice for the job of coaching the Washington Redskins. The team doesn't need to look any further.
124 agree | 111 disagree
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S.Bishop said:
I totally agree! I love Greg Williams and think he is absolutley the best fit!! Comment from a life long Redskin Fan
100 agree | 102 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Collins takes less risk in my opinion, and simply makes the smart choice with the ball. Good article!
103 agree | 91 disagree
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Gabe said:
Matt, I hope you know how many skins fans stop to read your columns. You are great and keep up the amazing, intelligent, and insightful work.
110 agree | 108 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Thank you Matt Bowen. It's good to hear insights from those who knew the man as opposed to the wild speculations and insinuations of those who garner attention by thoughtlessly rehashing dismissed accusations.
130 agree | 127 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I was glad to read Matt Bowen's column on the game performance by Curt Warner...he proved to be a competitive warrior and as I watched it seemed like a throw back to NFL "heart" of years ago not seen as frequently these days. I'm sure Cardinal players were motivated by his gutsy showing---maybe Russ Grimm can bring back such traits when he becomes a head coach. Between Vinny Testaverde and Curt Warner I see an add for AARP in the off season---these vets are showing true NFL grit.
163 agree | 155 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Matt Bowen - enjoyed watching you play. Also enjoyed your revealing article on Skins and the Tampa 2. I say 'revealing' because this summer I had read that the Skins would play Cover 1 and Cover 3 more than Cover 2. I assume Tampa 2 and Cover 2 are pretty much the same.
190 agree | 212 disagree
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Overpaid Al said:
This defense requires a strict discipline in coverage area and reaction. It is challenged by the same routes run by every team. Sunday, the Giants kept sending tight end Jeremy Shockey down the seam against Fletcher, and had receiver Plaxico Burress sit down in the holes vacated by defenders. Three major routes can beat the Tampa 2: the 7-route (hitch, corner), where they sneak in a corner route behind the corner and in front of the safety; four verticals where they put two seam routes on Fletcher, and the outside vertical stretch (flat-corner-go route), where they run off the safety and hit the 7-route over the corner. Ok if its so obvious to Bowen then why wasn't this the least bit apparent to a coaching staff grossing millions of dollars a season in income. Maybe Matt Bowen should be hired on to help Overpaid Al!!!
214 agree | 220 disagree
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