For a football team climbing toward a playoff berth from the mushy middle of the conference standings, the way that ball bounces can make you or break you. Last week, after the win over Philadelphia, the fortunate bounces emerged as a talking point among the Redskins’ players—all of whom seemed keenly aware how important it was that they got to those loose balls whenever the need presented itself. Against Tampa Bay, however, the Skins caught the backhand of their previous luck and found the balance of those bounces going Tampa’s way, and the game along with it.

That’s not the way the story will be told, of course. Most will remember this as a game that went down to a late game two-point conversion attempt—the League’s most recent mini-trend after Dick Vermeil correctly calculated the odds of driving a couple yards for the win rather than risk it all on the vagaries of an overtime cointoss. Certainly, attention should be paid to the gutsy fourth quarter calls that both coaches made—for the neutral observer, it made for an epic climax to one of the year’s best games. But the unassailable fact is that this contest should have never been anywhere near a tie in the fourth quarter.

Right from the outset, the Redskins offense showed off the immense progress they’ve made over the past year, fearlessly running Clinton Portis into the teeth of what was considered to be the league’s best defense. Portis, who came dressed correctly this week, broke off heaping chunks of yardage, and had one of the types of games that most fans envisioned him having since the trade that brought him here. From the ineptitude that marred last year’s exploits, the Redskins have developed a trio of guys who are legit weapons in the Gibbs system–Portis, Santana Moss, and Chris Cooley—plus critical role players like Mike Sellers and Ladell Betts who seem to find a way to rise to the occasion when a critical run or catch is needed. And Mark Brunell has found a way to find these guys, especially on critical third downs.