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Not sure how many of you have noticed over the years, but the Washington Redskins always seem to make a QB look great at certain pivotal points in their career. Be it a rookie earning their first career win against us, giving a wayward veteran a platform to launch their resurgence, or simply perpetuate the myth for a QB to reach stratospheric heights of legend, there seems to be a propensity for the Redskins to be the team for said QB to shine. Monday night after we allowed Tony Romo to climb to the heavens in stature against us as he proved his gamesmanship, his grit, I have been thinking about how we seem to give opposing QB's the opportunity to either launch, relaunch or exaggerate their myth, or...perpetuate their legend.
I wanted to go back and check to see if I was imagining things, if this was a legitimate memory or if I was just being paranoid, like Serv tried to point out in chat the other night during the Dallas game when he reminded us that we were getting penalties called our way too..."the refs are making bad calls in our favor too, quit being paranoid!" Of course I am paraphrasing, but I am one of those who believe the football Gods are destined to keep the Redskins down! Although I will admit, I still believe the media goes out of their way to make us look bad, the results of my research remind me that we do a pretty good job of that ourselves. Maybe we aren't cursed, we just haven't been that good. Ugh! I shudder to think! It's easier to blame it on a curse, right?
Anyway, dating back to Donovan McNabb's first game against us in 1999 where he earned his 1st career victory, there have been a number of rookies who have earned their 1st victory at our expense.
The most recent and probably the most memorable example of creating a rookie legend was last year when Sam Bradford tore our defense apart like a super star veteran for his first victory as a professional quarterback. While his numbers were not overwhelming, his performance in that victory made him look like the seasoned veteran that Mike Shanahan thought he could be when he was willing to trade for him before the draft. The young QB stepped up to the line of scrimmage, scanned the defense and made precisions strikes against our defense on his way to victory. He was highly touted and given the recent success of rookies like Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco and Matthew Stafford, it looked like another legend was being created.
Just one year prior it happened with another young top draft pick who was slated to be the next great QB in the NFL, Matthew Stafford. Again, the statistics were nothing to shake a stick at, but the young rookie was able to garner his first career victory against a Redskins defense that was pretty solid, ending the longest losing streak the NFL had seen since the bumbling Bucs of the late 70's.
While Eli Manning's first career victory was against the Cowboys on the last game of his rookie year and he started the following season with a decent record of wins before he faced us for the first time that year, 2005, his first legendary win came at our expense the game after the death of the Giants beloved owner Wellington Mara in a 36-0 rout. Up to that game his name and recognition had been growing, but a 36-0 win against us brought him to a premature legendary status. I know this example may be stretching it, but this is my story so I am sticking to it! In his 1st season as a starter, he routed us!
Not sure how many of you remember the 2-point conversion game in Tampa? That game is etched in my memory for life since I was sitting in attendance that day. How many of you are aware that this was Chris Simms' first career victory as a starter? He started in a win against NO the year before, but did not finish that game. The kid exploded that day for 3 TD's against us. The odd thing about that game is that it was a 36-35 victory and both teams had top 5 defenses. While he never quite became a legend, this game was his first all-star performance and it was at our expense.
Carson Palmer anyone? It was not his first victory, it was not a memorable game, but in his 2nd season (1st season as a starter in the NFL) he beat us.
Joe Flacco? While I will not say that Flacco went out and began his legend at the expense of the Redskins, he had a solid victory against us in his rookie season as he took led his team to the AFC Championship in his rookie year. I know, I know...his defense was outstanding, but he was more than just solid and he was another QB who beat us in his rookie year.
Enough with the rookies, how about a few veterans?
On a national stage the Redskins faced a Pittsburgh team that would go on to win the Super Bowl in 2008. The Redskins played them tough, knocking Ben Rothlisberger out of the game. In comes a former NFL starter who grew up loving the Redskins, Byron Leftwich. He looked like an MVP that night! Byron Leftwich? Yup, he looked like a super star as he shredded our defense picking up crucial 3rd down conversions either through the air or with his ability to scramble. On a side note, it was disheartening watching the game in Florida, only to see a slew of Steelers fans take over FedEx Field that night.
I am using this only to support my assertion, but I truly believe it belongs here. Last season 2010, down by 4 points late in the 4th quarter we had Minnesota in a 3rd and and 8, if we stop them we get one more chance to win the game. If they get the first down, they can run out the clock out and we lose. A 41 yr old gimp behind center, Brett Favre, scrambles out of the pocket for a 14 yard scamper to get the 1st down and gash any hopes of a victory (I call it a scamper but it look like he rolled all 14 yards for the 1st down). In a season where Favre was going down as a QB that held on to his career too long, he proved he had at least one more "legendary" game in him against us.
Of course we all know about the Michael Vick legend! Upon his controversial return to the NFL he had been only solid at best until we faced him on Monday Night in front of the whole world! I will not delve into the memories too deeply, I had just returned from a Caribbean vacation that day and sat through 4 quarters of a cold rain as we were humiliated by a QB who is really only an average QB at best, even if he is a tremendous athlete. But, his legend exploded after that game! All the hype was perpetuated after that game.
And then there is the loss this past Monday Night. The Redskins were on the big stage against our bitter rivals as another legend grew. I will admit after that game that I can no longer call Tony Romo just another QB in the NFL. His choking nature notwithstanding, his last 2 games have proven that the man is a very good NFL QB. It wasn't about his broken ribs or a collapsed lung, it was the way he directed young players who would not have been on the field in the first place had there not been so many injuries. It was the way he avoided the rush to keep from getting crushed. It was his awareness that kept 4 bad snaps from being turnovers (Luck? Partly but he made his own luck). It was his ability, while being chased down, to launch a pass nearly 40 yards in the air giving only his receiver the chance to catch it on 3rd and 21 with the game on the line. We can argue all day about how poor the defensive play call was, how poor Hall's break to the ball was, but for the first time in my life, I will not minimize the gamesmanship of a Dallas Cowboys' QB. Tony Romo, Wolverine, super hero that he is, played a game for the ages on Monday Night. It was not a spectacular statistical performance, but legendary performances don't have to be. He perpetuated a legend and once again, that legend grew against our beloved Washington Redskins.
I know that this may be the ramblings of a fan who sees things with Burgundy and Gold glasses, I know that legends grow all the time in the NFL, but I swear, it seems like over the past 10 years, those legends seem to be created or perpetuated against the Redskins more than any other team. Ugh!
I wanted to go back and check to see if I was imagining things, if this was a legitimate memory or if I was just being paranoid, like Serv tried to point out in chat the other night during the Dallas game when he reminded us that we were getting penalties called our way too..."the refs are making bad calls in our favor too, quit being paranoid!" Of course I am paraphrasing, but I am one of those who believe the football Gods are destined to keep the Redskins down! Although I will admit, I still believe the media goes out of their way to make us look bad, the results of my research remind me that we do a pretty good job of that ourselves. Maybe we aren't cursed, we just haven't been that good. Ugh! I shudder to think! It's easier to blame it on a curse, right?
Anyway, dating back to Donovan McNabb's first game against us in 1999 where he earned his 1st career victory, there have been a number of rookies who have earned their 1st victory at our expense.
The most recent and probably the most memorable example of creating a rookie legend was last year when Sam Bradford tore our defense apart like a super star veteran for his first victory as a professional quarterback. While his numbers were not overwhelming, his performance in that victory made him look like the seasoned veteran that Mike Shanahan thought he could be when he was willing to trade for him before the draft. The young QB stepped up to the line of scrimmage, scanned the defense and made precisions strikes against our defense on his way to victory. He was highly touted and given the recent success of rookies like Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco and Matthew Stafford, it looked like another legend was being created.
Just one year prior it happened with another young top draft pick who was slated to be the next great QB in the NFL, Matthew Stafford. Again, the statistics were nothing to shake a stick at, but the young rookie was able to garner his first career victory against a Redskins defense that was pretty solid, ending the longest losing streak the NFL had seen since the bumbling Bucs of the late 70's.
While Eli Manning's first career victory was against the Cowboys on the last game of his rookie year and he started the following season with a decent record of wins before he faced us for the first time that year, 2005, his first legendary win came at our expense the game after the death of the Giants beloved owner Wellington Mara in a 36-0 rout. Up to that game his name and recognition had been growing, but a 36-0 win against us brought him to a premature legendary status. I know this example may be stretching it, but this is my story so I am sticking to it! In his 1st season as a starter, he routed us!
Not sure how many of you remember the 2-point conversion game in Tampa? That game is etched in my memory for life since I was sitting in attendance that day. How many of you are aware that this was Chris Simms' first career victory as a starter? He started in a win against NO the year before, but did not finish that game. The kid exploded that day for 3 TD's against us. The odd thing about that game is that it was a 36-35 victory and both teams had top 5 defenses. While he never quite became a legend, this game was his first all-star performance and it was at our expense.
Carson Palmer anyone? It was not his first victory, it was not a memorable game, but in his 2nd season (1st season as a starter in the NFL) he beat us.
Joe Flacco? While I will not say that Flacco went out and began his legend at the expense of the Redskins, he had a solid victory against us in his rookie season as he took led his team to the AFC Championship in his rookie year. I know, I know...his defense was outstanding, but he was more than just solid and he was another QB who beat us in his rookie year.
Enough with the rookies, how about a few veterans?
On a national stage the Redskins faced a Pittsburgh team that would go on to win the Super Bowl in 2008. The Redskins played them tough, knocking Ben Rothlisberger out of the game. In comes a former NFL starter who grew up loving the Redskins, Byron Leftwich. He looked like an MVP that night! Byron Leftwich? Yup, he looked like a super star as he shredded our defense picking up crucial 3rd down conversions either through the air or with his ability to scramble. On a side note, it was disheartening watching the game in Florida, only to see a slew of Steelers fans take over FedEx Field that night.
I am using this only to support my assertion, but I truly believe it belongs here. Last season 2010, down by 4 points late in the 4th quarter we had Minnesota in a 3rd and and 8, if we stop them we get one more chance to win the game. If they get the first down, they can run out the clock out and we lose. A 41 yr old gimp behind center, Brett Favre, scrambles out of the pocket for a 14 yard scamper to get the 1st down and gash any hopes of a victory (I call it a scamper but it look like he rolled all 14 yards for the 1st down). In a season where Favre was going down as a QB that held on to his career too long, he proved he had at least one more "legendary" game in him against us.
Of course we all know about the Michael Vick legend! Upon his controversial return to the NFL he had been only solid at best until we faced him on Monday Night in front of the whole world! I will not delve into the memories too deeply, I had just returned from a Caribbean vacation that day and sat through 4 quarters of a cold rain as we were humiliated by a QB who is really only an average QB at best, even if he is a tremendous athlete. But, his legend exploded after that game! All the hype was perpetuated after that game.
And then there is the loss this past Monday Night. The Redskins were on the big stage against our bitter rivals as another legend grew. I will admit after that game that I can no longer call Tony Romo just another QB in the NFL. His choking nature notwithstanding, his last 2 games have proven that the man is a very good NFL QB. It wasn't about his broken ribs or a collapsed lung, it was the way he directed young players who would not have been on the field in the first place had there not been so many injuries. It was the way he avoided the rush to keep from getting crushed. It was his awareness that kept 4 bad snaps from being turnovers (Luck? Partly but he made his own luck). It was his ability, while being chased down, to launch a pass nearly 40 yards in the air giving only his receiver the chance to catch it on 3rd and 21 with the game on the line. We can argue all day about how poor the defensive play call was, how poor Hall's break to the ball was, but for the first time in my life, I will not minimize the gamesmanship of a Dallas Cowboys' QB. Tony Romo, Wolverine, super hero that he is, played a game for the ages on Monday Night. It was not a spectacular statistical performance, but legendary performances don't have to be. He perpetuated a legend and once again, that legend grew against our beloved Washington Redskins.
I know that this may be the ramblings of a fan who sees things with Burgundy and Gold glasses, I know that legends grow all the time in the NFL, but I swear, it seems like over the past 10 years, those legends seem to be created or perpetuated against the Redskins more than any other team. Ugh!
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