After the ‘Skins’ Week 17 win against the Dallas Cowboys, fans were excited to do something they’ve only been able to do only twice in the last decade: watch their team in the postseason. The ‘Skins took the NFC East division championship and would host a playoff game for the first time since 1999. Their star rookie quarterback, Robert Griffin III, was selected for the Pro Bowl, along with left tackle Trent Williams. It was hard to tell what made ‘Skins fans happier: making the playoffs, or sweeping the Cowboys for the first time since 2005.
The last two times the ‘Skins made the playoffs, they lost to the team they would host for this wild card game: the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks made the playoffs in part due to the “Seattle Screwjob,” when simultaneous and differing calls by replacement referees gave them a victory back in Week 3. They also made the playoffs thanks to the stellar play by their own rookie quarterback, Russell Wilson, and running back Marshawn Lynch, who had the third-most rushing yards for the season in the NFL. (He also rocks a grill that says Beast Mode.) The Seahawks’ defense allowed the fewest points per game for the season.
The FedEx Field crowd created a ruckus as they were treated to an opening drive by their home team that went for five minutes and was capped off by a touchdown pass by Griffin to running back Evan Royster, who hails from Fairfax. The Seahawks responded by going three-and-out after sack on third down. ‘Skins fans were given a return on the investment for the steep ticket price when their team’s second drive went down the field and finished off with another touchdown pass by Griffin, this time to tight end Logan Paulsen.
This play had dramatic repercussions for the rest of the game, though. Griffin sprained his right knee nearly a month ago against the Baltimore Ravens. This injury caused him to leave the game for the last few minutes and sit out the next week, while fellow rookie quarterback Kirk Cousins took the helm and performed admirably. Griffin had been wearing a brace ever since, and as his leg went to the ground during this touchdown pass, his knee appeared to buckle under the weight just a bit. A late hit by rookie defensive end Bruce Irvin followed a moment later and drew a penalty. Griffin was slow to get up, but he return to the game.
Still, the Redskins opened up a 14-0 lead by the end of the first quarter, and looked to have Seattle reeling. This first quarter success was parried by Seattle in the second quarter, however. The Seahawks went go for two field goal drives and a touchdown, while the ‘Skins stumbled with a three-and-out drive and another ending with an interception, ending the half with their lead pared to just one point.
The ‘Skins much-maligned defense retain this slim lead for another quarter. The Seahawks opened up with a drive to the ‘Skins one yard line, where the ‘Skins defense would force Lynch to fumble.
This game, much like this season, depended upon Griffin’s knee. He started the game with limited mobility, showing nothing close to the lightning-fast mobility he displayed earlier on this season. After that second touchdown drive, his health would visibly atrophy. He completed 10 of his 19 pass attempts for a mere 84 yards. He ran five times for 21 yards, and most of these were to the outside, trying to get just a few yards before going out of bounds. On Fox, announcers Joe Buck and Troy Aikman openly questioned whether Mike Shanahan should pull Griffin out of the game to preserve his health.
Early in the fourth quarter, Seattle scored and converted a two-point attempt to take a 21-14 lead. Griffin started the drive by getting sacked by Irvin. The next play started off in the shotgun formation, and a low snap by the center caused Griffin to reach down for the ball. In this act, his right knee finally gave in and Griffin buckled to the ground, writhing in pain as Seattle recovered the resulting fumble. The silenced crowd was left to watch for several minutes as their quarterback was attended to by medical personnel before going to the sideline.
Backup quarterback Kirk Cousins came in, but managed only three completions in 10 attempts, nothing like his past winning performances, as the ‘Skins went on to lose 24-14.
There will be much discussion going forward about who’s to blame for Griffin’s collapse. Some blame will go to Dr. James Andrews, a renowned orthopedic surgeon who admitted that he was a nervous wreck when he saw Griffin return to playing after his initial injury a few weeks ago. Andrews also told USA Today last week that despite Shanahan’s insistence otherwise, he never signed off on Griffin returning to the gridiron.
Some blame will go to the field conditions of FedEx Field. Seattle defensive end Chris Clemons tore his anterior cruciate ligament, for which his agent blamed the field’s “crappy conditions.” Griffin was asked about the field’s conditions after the game during the press conference, and called it part of their “home-field advantage.” Some advantage.
Most of the blame seems to be going toward Shanahan, though. Many question whether he was thinking about those “next 15 years,” or the immediacy of winning this one game.
Fans will be left to heap blame, and fans will be left to wonder about Griffin’s health going forward. But many fans will be thankful that they had one hell of a season.
