They really aren't that good at all and I am pretty sure they are so emotionally spent that they couldnt summon the energy to hold off on that last drive.

...must have been spending to much time tracking Bob McDonnell's poll numbers instead of cheering on the team.

He needs to go back to NASCAR.  

Not since April 5, 1993, watching an NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship game, have I seen such a botched time-out called near the end of a game.

Chris Webber, a player on the University of Michigan team infamously called a time-out with 11 seconds left in the game when his team, down 73-71.  But, the team did not have any time-outs remaining, and the result turned into a technical foul that effectively clinched the game for North Carolina.

Washington Redskins highly paid Coach Joe Gibbs now goes down in history as the coach who botched an even bigger time-out call and ended the teams playoff chances.

Well, Gibbs did create another memory ... just like Chris Webber ... that I'll not soon forget.  

And it was the first thing that came to mind when Gibbs did it. (Guess we're old, huh?)

Small world story ... The head coach for Michigan in that game was an assistant coach of my high school team ... Steve Fisher (currently at San Diego State)

I agree the botching of the "strategery" by calling 2 TOs in a row was a blunder of epic proportions. But Lindell probably would have made that kick anyway -- he made the first 51 yarder right as they called the first TO.

No, the script was the same as it was against the Giants, Eagles, Cowboys, and Bucs -- get the lead in the first half, but kick too many field goals; and then slowly give it away in the second half, doing just enough to lose. I wouldn't even call it choking, because the team is just mediocre/bad in talent and anti-clutch in athletic/performance character.

The team is less than the sum of the parts, and in fact seems hindered by the coaching. It pains me to say it, because I am such a Skins fanatic mainly because of how excellent the 'Skins were when I was a kid during the Gibbs I era, but it's time for Gibbs, et al. to go.

I was writing while you were posting, but our thoughts and comments appear to be almost identical.  

I actually think that this team has pretty good talent -- and for me it's hard to discount the key injuries at key positions -- going back to the loss of a high end left tackle in Jon Jansen, and a pro-bowl guard in Randy Thomas.  Taylor's loss is one that is extremely hard to replace in the secondary (there are probably only two or three guys even in his ballpark in terms of talent right now -- Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu, and Bob Sanders).  But I would agree that the coaching -- especially on the offensive side of the ball -- has not capitalized on the talent that is available.  Yet another tough season to watch.  

The call by Gibbs of the 2nd timeout was simply the nail int he coffin.

I agree that the script was the same. There are some good players on this team but they need something else. And as much as I hate to say it, I think it might be time for Gibbs to leave.

Schottenheimer, Spurrier, Gibbs -- they've all flopped under Snyder's management.

n/t

with the exception of the Patriots game which was a legitimate blow-out loss to a substantially better team, and the Detroit game which was a legitimate blowout victory against a team with a franchise with a losing history.  

The Redskins have been a terrible second half team all season -- even in games where they ended up winning (Miami, Arizona, NYJ).  The offense has been ineffective, which puts the defense on its heels, which equals close games and losses where there should be blow-outs and victories.  This is even more ironic, because Gibbs made his reputation in the first go-around based on the strength of his half-time adjustments -- the ability of his teams to close out games.  In this go around he's been mostly awful.

Gibbs call with the timeouts was pretty boneheaded today -- not something I would have expected from a Hall of Fame coach -- but Linden still had the leg to make a 51 yarder in the rain -- as he demonstrated on the first kick.  The Skins also shouldn't have allowed the Bills to move the ball into field goal range with the final minutes of the 4th quarter winding down and no time outs left.  The Skins shouldn't have left points on the field by settling for field goals instead of converting TDs in the redzone.  It's been pretty much the same story all season.  

Except this one was an even more bitter pill to swallow in light of this week's past events -- and based on the fact that the Skins are going to need some help now in order to make the playoffs now.

The effort is there.  And the Skins have a pretty talented core of players -- although Taylor's absence has left a glaring absence in the secondary -- even in the weeks before this game.  But the players just don't appear to be in sync.  They aren't executing plays on offense in the second half of games.  They aren't finishing teams off.

The team needs to add a few players in the off-season (on the d-line and in the secondary -- as well as some depth on the o-line).  But beyond that, as much as it pains me to say this, I just don't see this team making it to the big show with Gibbs as the head coach, or Cerrato as the de facto GM.  I just hope this team can eventually turn the corner.  It's been a long, long drought since the early 90s.  

I wrote this in the other thread, but the only way this franchise is going to be able to pull it back together consistently is to get a GM like Scott Pioli and get a system to build around.

We have the QB (I think; the last few weeks are starting to make me doubt the kid a bit, but I still think JCam is the answer there); we have some good young D-linemen (need about 3 or 4 more), some good LBs, Landry, and some good nickelbacks. I worry about Thomas because he keeps getting hurt, but I like Kendall, Rabach, and the kid at right tackle, Heyer. It may be time to go younger at tackle. Of course we have Moss, Cooley, and Randle-El, but can we find another WR?

I agree with pretty much all of what you wrote. I think it's time to clean house with the coaching and bring in a personnel guy/team to run the show.  

I share your concerns about Thomas's long-term prospects.  Agreed on Pioli.

The verdict is still out on Heyer -- although he has done a great job this year coming into the league as an undrafted free agent.

I also think the Skins have made some good moves during the season in terms of adding Kendall (good deal for a 4th rounder).  Veteran receivers like McCardell and Caldwell have also contributed.  The addition of Smoot and Fletcher are hard to argue with.  

On the flip side, even after the disaster that was Snyder's 1999 fantasy team, we are still paying the price for having overpaid for more recent blunders like Archuleta, Lloyd, and Brunell.  The same is probably true even for Portis (even though I think Portis is an elite RB).  Giving up Bailey, who is arguably the best cover corner in the game AND a second round pick simply boggles my mind.  Bailey was ready to leave, but couldn't the Skins have gotten the deal done minus a draft pick, or with a conditional pick in the late to mid-rounds?  The TJ Duckett deal last year was yet another head scratcher.  Even trading up for Campbell was probably too much.  He's a starter in the league, but so are guys like Romo, Brady, Garrard, Anderson, Bulger, Warner, Kitna, Schaub, Edwards (maybe), and Brees who were either undrafted or picked in the mid to late rounds of previous drafts.

Another gripe: With the exception of Cooley it seems like the personnel department only scouts players at Miami and in the SEC.  I realize that Monte Coleman's aren't exactly falling off of trees, but this organization could probably learn a thing or too from teams like the Ravens, Patriots, and Green Bay who seem to find quality players with mid and late round picks every year from college football programs that aren't perennial contenders or top 25 programs.  

On defense the Skins have some capable players on the d-line, but no true impact player.  A couple weeks ago, I would have stated that this was THE priority in the off season.  Now, with Taylor gone, I think the priority probably shifts back to filling the glaring hole in the secondary to the extent that that we're able too.  

I really don't know what's going to happen with Gibbs.  I suspect if he says he wants to stay one more year that Snyder will accommodate him.  I think Snyder will let Gibbs's tenure continue or end on its own terms.  It's kind of hard to lose continuity, and given the Spurrier experience, I can even see an argument for Gibbs staying around at least one more year.  Cerrato on the other hand is an absolute head-scratcher.  This team desperately needs a seasoned professional at GM.

A lot of gripes.  

they made that decision in the first quarter to go for the field goal on 4th and inches instead of just picking up the yardage on a quarterback sneak.  There's such a thing as being too conservative.  As soon as I saw it I got a very bad feeling about the game.

Year 4 of Gibbs part deux...still waiting.

Obviously the coaching staff gets its share for the blown timeout.  Three former head coaches on staff and no one knows that rule?  I also thought it was a terrible decision to punt from the Buffalo 39 for what ended up being a 19 yard net.  Why not go for it there?

You can also blame the players.  Portis can't stay on the field for more than a play or two without needing rest.  And if Campbell doesn't mature soon, I don't know if he ever will.

But the lion's share of the blame, as it has for a decade now, needs to go to the front office.  When are they going to learn the strategy of paying a heavy price in salary and draft picks for the past performance of aging veterans is a loser?  Until this team gets a real general manager, it won't win.