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I first want to congratulate Robert Griffin III, Trent Williams and Lorenzo Alexander for their selection to the Pro Bowl. I'm not a fan of the actual game, but I do understand how being selected to the game can legitimize a player's season. RGIII's resume speaks for itself on why he should be going, but the selection of the other two brings with it tremendous joy.
Remember, it was just last season that Williams' season ended in disgrace with a four-game drug suspension. To watch him turn his career and life around has been nice. And then there is Alexander, who has played almost every position on the field for the Redskins. After years of doing one of the best jobs in the league at special teams and being the consummate professional with his charity work, it is nice to see him get the recognition he deserves. Mahalo, gentleman.
I'm sure all three of these players would like to give up their spot at the Pro Bowl on Jan. 27. That would mean that the Redskins would be in the Super Bowl the following week in New Orleans. To do that, the burgundy and gold must finish off the regular season with a win at home against the Dallas Cowboys. The stage is set and the previous six-game winning streak means nothing if they lose on Sunday night and let the Cowboys win the NFC East on their home field.
The other two times the Redskins went to the postseason in recent memory, they closed out the regular season with a win. In 2007, the year Sean Taylor died, it was at home against the Cowboys. But this one is for the division and a home playoff game the following weekend. The fact that the league moved the game from 1 p.m. to prime time is all that you need to see to know how big of a game this really is. The Cowboys can only get in with a win. The Redskins can get in via the wild card if they lose and the Bears and Vikings also lose earlier in the day. But even if they know they are in beforehand, there is something to be said for winning the first division title since 1999 and playing a game at home in the playoffs.
For RGIII, this is the stage that many expected him to perform on. I'm sure he is aware that the other two highly touted rookie quarterbacks from his draft class, Andrew Luck of Indianapolis and Russell Wilson of Seattle, are already in the postseason and ready to build their legacies. Hopefully, the competitor in him will carry this team and Redskins Nation into the postseason.
What a fun time to be a sports fan in this region. Both the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals made Major League Baseball's postseason just a couple months back. The Ravens are in for the NFL playoffs and now we wait to see if the Redskins will join the party.
