The Redskins schedule intimidated me. Sitting in the comfort of the offseason and basking in the glow of the Donovan McNabb trade, I didn’t feel uneasy until the schedule was released. This apprehensiveness wasn’t just because the NFL had created a broadcast holiday out of the mundane clerical task of scheduling, it was because the new schedule would challenge a playoff team, let alone the 4-12 Redskins. They have the 8th toughest schedule and face five playoff teams as well as several up-and-coming teams like Houston and Tennessee. If the Redskins were going to have a turn-around, back-to-glory season, they would need to run the gauntlet.
But, six games into the season the Redskins are 3-3 with wins against Dallas, Philadelphia, and Green Bay, and a very close loss against the AFC champion Colts. So, are the Redskins really coming into their own as a playoff team? The wins would suggest so, but the losses speak to something different. The whooping from the Rams and the 4th quarter meltdown against the Texans affirm what I’ve always known about the Redskins: they play to the level of their opponent.
For once, this infuriating tendency might actually work to the Redskins advantage. At the beginning of the season, I feared the tough schedule and what it meant for hopes of redemption. Now, I’m happy that we have quality opponents to play up to. If there is one thing you can say about the team, it is that they make every game interesting, even if it shouldn’t be.
This year, the Redskins will have to play at a higher level to have a shot at respectability and the playoffs. I think our schedule sets up nicely for that.
Robskins Review 