It can’t be said that they didn’t get their shot. On the road against the rested and ready Seattle Seahawks and a hostile crowd lending decibels to the cause, the Redskins forced some timely turnovers, kept Seattle’s scoring down, and managed to send all-everything league MVP runner Shaun Alexander on an unscheduled bye week. But the opportunities they created went for naught as the Washington offense underwent a second week of anemia. With Seattle wideout Darrell Jackson leading the way with clutch catches, the Seahawks were just too much for the Skins to overcome as they fell out of the playoffs 20-10.

Over the past six games, Washington fans have become accustomed to home team ripping off wins with an almost uncommon dose of luck, so you are forgiven if the early stages of the game had you believing that fortune was smiling on the Skins again. The Seahawks opening drive sliced and diced its way to the redzone, only to come undone on an uncharacteristic Alexander fumble. Alexander himself was lost minutes later after receiving a concussion on what looked like a routine run. A muffed kick return ended up in the Redskins possession, resulting in a field goal and an early lead.

But the luck didn’t last. Beginning at the nine minute mark of the second quarter, the Seahawks mounted a twelve-play drive that ended in a Darrell Jackson touchdown. Jackson, who briefly left the game with a back injury, ended up catching nine passes for 143 yards. Over the middle part of the game, the Seahawks ran off seventeen unanswered points.