SB Nation DC - Panthers vs. Redskins: Washington offense falters in 21-13 loss to visiting Carolinahttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48897/dc-fave.png2012-11-07T11:31:06-05:00http://dc.sbnation.com/rss/stream/33455732012-11-07T11:31:06-05:002012-11-07T11:31:06-05:00Garcon may be out for season
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<figcaption>Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>Pierre Garcon may see his season come to a close before he could make an impression for the Redskins.</p> <p>The <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins">Washington Redskins</a> signed <span>Pierre Garcon</span> in the offseason with the hope that he could become the main playmaker for <span>Robert Griffin III</span>.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, things haven't worked out that way for Daniel Snyder and company.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins">Redskins</a>' wide receiver says that the plantar plate tear in his foot might require season-ending surgery sooner rather than later, <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/nov/6/redskins-pierre-garcon-foot-injury-surgery-sundber/#ixzz2BYHezbfP">according to the Washington Times</a>.</p>
<p>"We’re trying to avoid that at all possible costs," he said. "But at some time, you’ve got to be realistic and you’ve just got to have it and hopefully it’s a successful surgery and recover from it."</p>
<p>Garcon will continue to test out the foot as he rehabs the injury, but no timetable has been given on his return. With the season now approaching Week 10 and the Redskins sitting with a 3-6 record, it may not make sense to force the issue.</p>
<p>"We’re going to try to go after the bye, see how it feels," Garcon said. "But we’re still trying to get as much pain out of it as we can."</p>
<p>Garcon has played in three games this year for Washington, amassing eight receptions.</p>
<p><i>This story originally appeared at </i><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2012/11/7/3613386/pierre-garcon-injury-season-ending-surgery-redskins">SB Nation</a><i>.</i></p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/washington-redskins/2012/11/7/3613460/pierre-garcon-injury-redskinsSB Nation NFL2012-11-05T15:52:15-05:002012-11-05T15:52:15-05:00NFL says Panthers shouldn't have been given TD
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<figcaption>Patrick McDermott</figcaption>
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<p>The Carolina Panthers were incorrectly awarded a touchdown in Week 9's matchup against the Washington Redskins.</p> <p>The NFL <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/football-insider/wp/2012/11/05/nfl-acknowledges-officiating-mistake-on-panthers-touchdown/">acknowledged through a written statement on Monday</a> that the officiating crew calling the Week 9 meeting between the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins" class="sbn-auto-link">Washington Redskins</a> and <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Carolina Panthers</a> incorrectly awarded the Panthers a touchdown after one of the officials blew an inadvertent whistle.</p>
<p>With Carolina running back <span>DeAngelo Williams</span> rushing up the sideline in the first quarter, line judge Thomas Symonette blew his whistle and signaled for the clock to be stopped because he believed Williams stepped out of bounds. Williams kept running to the endzone while several other players on the field appeared to pull up, believing the play to be dead.</p>
<p>After a short meeting with the officiating crew, it was announced that the ruling on the field was a touchdown.</p>
<p>The NFL stated that instead of awarding the Panthers a touchdown, they should have allowed the Panthers to replay the down from the 30-yard-line or allowed them to play the ball from the spot where the whistle was blown.</p>
<p>Referee Carl Cheffers stated after the game that the officials decided Williams was in the endzone when the inadvertent whistle was blown.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/washington-redskins/2012/11/5/3606058/panthers-redskins-deangelo-williams-touchdown-run-nfl-errorMatt Brigidi2012-11-05T14:02:59-05:002012-11-05T14:02:59-05:00Shanahan says he's not giving up on 2012
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<figcaption>Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>Mike Shanahan clarified his postgame comments Monday, saying he certainly has not given up on the 2012 season and will not make changes to his coaching staff during the team's bye week.</p> <p><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins" class="sbn-auto-link">Washington Redskins</a> head coach Mike Shanahan clarified on Monday that his postgame comments from Sunday were not intended to mean he is giving up on the 2012 season. <a target="_blank" href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8596167/mike-shanahan-washington-redskins-not-giving-2012">In an interview with ESPN.com,</a> Shanahan said "To insinuate that I was giving up on the season is completely ridiculous."</p>
<p>The Redskins fell to 3-6 on the season with a 27-12 loss to the <a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pittsburgh Steelers</a> on Sunday. After the game, Shanahan's comments, particularly the quote, "When you lose a game like that, now you're playing to see who obviously is going to be on your football team for years to come," made many speculate that he was only thinking about the future as the team entered its bye week.</p>
<p>Despite being in last pace in the division, Washington still has five divisional games left on its schedule. "Any time you have division games, you have a great chance," Shanahan said in the article.</p>
<p>Another notable piece of information from the interview with Shanahan was that he does not plan on making any changes to his coaching staff during the team's Week 10 bye.</p>
<p>Shanahan addressed his postgame comments prior to the start of his regular Monday press conference. The video below is <a href="http://www.csnwashington.com/redskins/mike-shanahan-addresses-comments-and-media-attacking-him?awid=7265947591207171604-849">via CSN Washington</a>. </p>
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https://dc.sbnation.com/washington-redskins/2012/11/5/3605490/mike-shanahan-washington-redskins-carolina-panthers-jim-haslett-defensive-coordinatorJohn.Wilkinson2012-11-05T11:19:18-05:002012-11-05T11:19:18-05:00Griffin, Moss injured in loss to Carolina
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<figcaption>Patrick McDermott</figcaption>
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<p>Robert Griffin III and Santana Moss both were injured against the Carolina Panthers.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins">Washington Redskins</a> aren't feeling good today. Mike Shanahan's group dropped to 3-6 after losing an embarrassing 21-13 game to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Carolina Panthers</a> at FedEx Field on Sunday, causing many fans to wonder how the rest of the season will play out.</p>
<p>The injury front is also an issue, with <span>Robert Griffin III</span> and <span>Santana Moss</span> making their way on it.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.hogshaven.com/2012/11/4/3601434/robert-griffin-iii-injury-washington-redskins">Griffin complained after the game</a> about his ribs and was taken for x-rays. However, the Redskins received some good news when those test came back negative. For now, Griffin will just need to take care of his body before Washington's next game.</p>
<p>The Heisman Trophy winner will have some time to rest thanks to an opportune bye week, before playing the struggling <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Philadelphia Eagles</a>.</p>
<p>Moss was also hurt in the Carolina game, taking a wicked shot and staying down with a concussion in the fourth quarter. It's unknown if Moss will miss any time with the extra week to recover.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/2012/11/5/3603444/nfl-injury-report-redskins-week-9Matt Verderame2012-11-05T11:04:32-05:002012-11-05T11:04:32-05:00Redskins looking for answers after Carolina loss
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<figcaption>Patrick McDermott</figcaption>
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<p>Mike Shanahan billed Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers as a must win. After losing 21-13, what happens now?</p> <p>LANDOVER,MD - Surveying the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins">Washington Redskins</a> locker room after a 21-13 loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Carolina Panthers</a>, it's clear that a certain level of despair is abounding within Mike Shanahan's club right now.</p>
<p>In a decidedly somber (and mostly empty) dressing room, Redskins players spoke in low tones, expressing their frustrations while also trying to grasp onto some semblance of hope in a season that's suddenly gone awry.</p>
<p>All of which was a result of losing a game Shanahan billed as a "must-win" scenario. With the loss, not only did the Redskins drop their record to a harrowing 3-6 record, but even the coach himself is willing to change the narrative of the rest of the season.</p>
<p>"A must-win game is a game that gives you a chance to play for a playoff spot," Shanahan said. "When you lose a game like that, now you're playing to see who obviously is going to be on your football team for years to come."</p>
<p>Shanahan's statement was one that was viewed as a concession of the season, but highlighted a harsh truth: Barring a long winning streak, the Redskins may have to start thinking about 2013, a frustrating thought to players who say they aren't ready to throw in the towel just yet.</p>
<p>"I'm just not giving up," said left tackle <span>Trent Williams</span>. "I'm a competitor. I'm going to compete until they say it's no way that [we] can make the playoffs."</p>
<p>"Season ain't over yet," added fullback <span>Darrel Young</span>. "We're 3-6, but we start a new season when we come back from this bye week."</p>
<p>Though they can theoretically go on a run, the Redskins' myriad of issues still won't go away, and were again on display Sunday. They continued to struggle on defense, allowing Carolina to score on two drives of 90 or more yards. They continued their trend of being the NFL's most penalized team, amassing 13 for a total of 97 yards. And <span>Robert Griffin III</span> and the offense weren't able to cash in on opportunities as they once did earlier in the season.</p>
<p>But what's most concerning for this team is that the loss appeared to signal more than just one bad game, or even a potentially bad season. Performances like Sunday's raises concerns about the long-term outlook of Shanahan's coaching tenure in Washington, a program that has yet to show progress in the win column in its third year.</p>
<p>"[In a] third year of a program, third year of a head coach, you would like to see the team starting to settle," said defensive captain <span>London Fletcher</span>. "I think in our situation, this is the first year we have actually had a quarterback for the most part. That definitely makes a difference."</p>
<p>But while veterans understand the need for evaluation and development, they still have a difficult time conceding their desire to win now.</p>
<p>"We don't play this game to finish last every year," said Lorenzo Alexander. "It gets very disappointing and frustrating that you can't break out of that funk or whatever we have as an organization when we can't come out and compete. We have talent, it's just that we don't put it together consistently enough to go out and compete with teams and play at a high level."</p>
<p>In recent weeks, fans and media have debated among themselves as to whether the team's struggles begin with the coaching staff or with the on-field execution from the players. But after Sunday's loss, it seems the focus will shift squarely towards Shanahan, a coach who was hired to help rebuild the Redskins and return them to their championship pedigree of decades past.</p>
<p>Now, his coaching tenure has reached a critical point, one where fans are having a difficult time differentiating between typical growing pains and signs of perpetual mediocrity. With seven games left, Shanahan will have to prove that his vision of a championship contender in Washington is closer to reality than what Redskins fans have seen the last two and a half seasons.</p>
<p>"Obviously, I can do a better job because we didn't [play well] today," Shanahan said. "I take full responsibility for that."</p>
<p><i>For more Redskins coverage, follow Daniel on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/dshif"><b>@dshif</b></a> .Also, be sure to check out SB Nation's Redskins blog, <a href="http://hogshaven.com/"><b>Hogs Haven</b></a>, as well as </i><a href="http://sbnation.com/nfl"><b><i>SB Nation's NFL</i></b><b> </b></a><i>hub</i></p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/2012/11/5/3600382/redskins-vs-panthers-21-13-mike-shanahan-must-win-searching-for-answersDaniel Shiferaw2012-11-05T09:01:24-05:002012-11-05T09:01:24-05:00Redskins 'lay egg' in loss to Panthers
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<figcaption>Rob Carr</figcaption>
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<p>In a crucial game against the Carolina Panthers, the Washington Redskins didn't show up and fell, 21-13. </p> <p>The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins" class="sbn-auto-link">Washington Redskins</a> delivered a sloppy, uninspired performance in a 21-13 loss to the <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Carolina Panthers</a> on Sunday, in a game the Redskins pretty much needed to win to keep their fading playoff hopes alive.</p>
<p>Washington committed 13 penalties for 97 yards and was never able to get much going on offense in the loss. Defensively, the Redskins did not record a sack and did not force a single turnover.</p>
<p>The lethargic effort in such a crucial game was certainly a disappointment to Kevin Ewoldt of SB Nation's Redskins blog <a target="_blank" href="http://www.hogshaven.com/2012/11/4/3599744/redskins-lose-recap-must-win-game-vs-panthers">Hogs Haven</a>, as he described the performance as "laying an egg." And now with the Redskins at 3-6, Ewoldt delivered this sad statement:</p>
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<p>So, for the fourth straight year, the Redskins are irrelevant before Thanksgiving.</p>
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<p>Making things even worse is the fact that star rookie quarterback <span>Robert Griffin III</span> was a little banged up following the loss. Griffin's rib injury is not all that serious and there is a bye week to heal up, but it's something that should be monitored going forward.</p>
<p>Washington is obviously not mathematically eliminated from playoff contention yet, and they will try to right the ship in Week 11 when they take on the <a href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Philadelphia Eagles</a>.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/washington-redskins/2012/11/5/3601716/redskins-panthers-2012Jason Patt2012-11-04T19:37:00-05:002012-11-04T19:37:00-05:00Referee explains inadvertent whistle on TD
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<p>"We just felt when the whistle blew, that the player would have already scored a touchdown."</p> <p>During <a href="http://www.nfl.com/videos/auto/0ap2000000089613/Williams-30-yard-TD-run">this 30-yard touchdown run by DeAngelo Williams</a>, which gave the <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Panthers</a> a 7-3 lead late in the first quarter, everyone watching the FOX broadcast heard a whistle. One short blast, that was all it was. The commentators suspected that the whistle came from the crowd, which might have stood as a reasonable enough explanation had referee Carl Cheffers not conducted an interview following the game with Mike Jones of <i>The Washington Post</i>, acting as the Pro Football Writers of America pool reporter. We've posted the whole interview below, or at least the version that was emailed to us by <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins" class="sbn-auto-link">Redskins</a> PR.</p>
<p>Jones: "Was there an inadvertent whistle on the touchdown play for Carolina?"<br><br>Cheffers: "Yes. The line judge blew his whistle. We had a lot of discussion about it. <b>We just felt when the whistle blew, that the player would have already scored a touchdown.</b> [Ed. note: Emphasis ours. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2012/11/04/official-blew-whistle-early-on-williams-touchdown/">Also, no</a>.] So, we tried to piece together if we had to spot -- by rule, we would have to put him down when the whistle blew, and we tried to decide where that spot would be, and we felt that spot would be in the end zone. "<br><br>Jones: "That he was already way ahead?"<br><br>Cheffers: "Yep. That by the time the whistle blew, he had already crossed the goal line. That was our decision, and that's why I announced that the ruling on the field is touchdown."<br><br>Jones: "What's the normal procedure? Is that the norm, that you try to piece it together like that?"<br><br>Cheffers: "Yes. So, the options are he can either take the result of the play for the offense, or he could either go back and replay. And so, they're obviously going to want to take the result of the play as a long gainer. And the spot was going to be important, and that's why we were trying to piece together where that spot would be."<br><br>Jones: "Who could take the result? You said ‘he could take the result.'"<br><br>Cheffers: The offense has the choice during an inadvertent whistle to take the result of the play or replay the down.<br><br>Jones: "And the defense doesn't have any?"<br><br>Cheffers: "No. No."</p>
<p>Bring back the replacement refs!</p>
<p>(We kid. But seriously, that was a bad one.)</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/2012/11/4/3600784/panthers-vs-redskins-deangelo-williams-td-run-whistleSamuel Chamberlain2012-11-04T19:16:22-05:002012-11-04T19:16:22-05:00Williams rips Redskins' 'homecoming' celebration
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<figcaption>Patrick McDermott</figcaption>
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<p>The Panthers running back takes on the college mentality in firing himself up for Sunday's game. </p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins">Redskins</a> held what they called a homecoming on Sunday, bringing back as many alums as they could and recognizing the ten former players who were added to the franchise's current list of the 80 greatest players, coaches, and other personnel in the team's illustrious history. </p>
<p>All very innocuous, right? Not to DeAngelo Wiliams, who revealed in the postgame how he used the festivities as motivation to fire himself up. <a href="http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/11/04/redskins-postgame-audio-shanahan-rg3-many-more-2/">Via Sky Kerstein of 106.7 The Fan</a>. </p>
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<p>"I picked up the "Gameday" and I'm looking at the "Gameday" and it's customary and it says "homecoming" and I'm thinking to myself this is the National Football League are you serious? Homecoming? Homecoming and it's not like you tried to hide it," Williams said. "You blatantly put it on the front of the "Gameday" and you talk about somebody fired up today. I was pissed ... That was definitely motivating, you don't say you're going to have a homecoming in the National Football League.</p>
<p>Williams said he brought it up in the pregame speech and added, "You don't book a good team for homecoming."</p>
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<p>Whatever you need to get you going, man. </p>
<p>The full audio's <a href="http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/11/04/redskins-postgame-audio-shanahan-rg3-many-more-2/">here</a>, if you're so inclined. </p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/2012/11/4/3600692/panthers-vs-redskins-deangelo-williams-rips-redskins-homecomingSamuel Chamberlain