WASHINGTON — This NFL business is not easy: With Sunday’s 19-10 loss to the Giants, the Redskins still have not made consecutive playoff appearances since 1992.
The season-ending loss to the Giants was a cold slap in the face. Playing at home before a crowd that wanted to be energized, the Redskins fell flat. The Redskins had everything to play for, but they were outmatched by the Giants, who had nothing to play for.
It is of little consolation that at 8-7-1 the Redskins have a winning record for a second consecutive year for the first time since 1997. With last season’s NFC East title to build on, more was expected from the Redskins this season.
Instead the Redskins of 2016 were much like their record — average and incomplete. The team had the character and resilience to battle through injuries and inconsistency to be in contention for the playoffs on the final day of the season but lacked the skill and precision to be successful when it mattered most.
All season, the Redskins mostly relied on its offense to mask a defense that ranked near the bottom of the NFL. In the season finale the Redskins defense, although still too generous against the run, did its part, only to be let down by the offense.
The reality is there were problems on both sides of the ball. The Redskins were last in the NFL in third-down defense, giving up too many opportunities. On offense, the Redskins didn’t take advantage of their chances and were bottom-dwellers in red-zone scoring.
A few more touchdowns in the red zone and a few more stops on third down over the course of the season and the Redskins might be in the playoffs. Now there are questions to be answered, and bigger problems to solve than Kirk Cousins’ contract.
