Is this the turning point for the Redskins?

October 23, 2:19 PMDC Sports ExaminerTravis Timmons

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This week is make or break. Why? Because the Redskins are at a turning point in their season. They’ve been slapped in the face not once, but twice. Most people hit up and pay attention after they’ve been slapped once. After all, you don’t want it to happen a second time. The first slap for the Skins this season was the Lions, who still haven’t beaten anyone except for the Redskins.

But to allow a second winless team to steal another one from the Redskins is unacceptable. We know it, and the players and coaches know it as well. This is defining moment in the season for the Redskins. Do they continue down the path of being one of the worst teams in the league, or do they finally play up to their potential? After all, they have some quality players (Santana Moss, Clinton Portis, Albert Haynesworth, and so on), but they can’t seem to win games.

At first it was kind of funny. The Redskins were the butt of a joke. Many people (including myself) predicted that the Lions would win the game. But now it’s just sad. It’s sad to watch professional athletes who are paid millions of dollars to play a game without any heart or desire.

Changing the play caller (Zorn is out) isn’t the problem. The problem is more internal than that. It’s something intangible, but it’s the same thing that makes a team a champion, or the doormat for the league. Skill will take you part of the way, but the will and desire to win no matter what is what will carry a team. In fact, teams can have less skill and beat teams who are stacked with.

If the Redskins want to save any kind of face whatsoever, they need to take those slaps seriously. They need to realize that they do in fact have the talent, but that just isn’t enough. They have proven that at times, they can play. Heck, they fought the Giants to a close decision.

At this point, it’s easy to blow off the Redskins and give up on the season, but this really is the turning point if there is one out there. If the Skins have any sort of fighting spirit, drive, or desire to win, they have the talent to turn it around. However, for this to occur, they need to execute. They need to play like professionals. And they need to play with pride.