1. Six fumbles??!!?? SIX??? I mean, we have been doing it all year long, and it should stop being surprising, but these guys do get paid to play, right?
2. I understand many of you out there want to stick it to me for pumping up the chances of this team in 2010. Take your best shot, but just remember: predicting this team would stumble is like predicting the sun will rise. Congrats on your AMAZING prognosticating abilities. I choose to believe that what we are experiencing at the moment are hellacious growing pains. It is not "business as usual" for Shanahan and Allen just quite yet, though the douchebaggery on the field remains the same to us fans. The two points of reference for this regime for me are right now and somewhere around Halloween next season. Comparing them will tell me a lot about any real or perceived progress this regime gets credit for...is it too early to pencil me in for 10-6 in 2011?
3. Don't forget that if there is a work stoppage, our chances next year SKYROCKET. The Washington Redskins own shortened seasons related to labor/union strife. At least we got that going for us...which is nice.
4. Okay...so for the last month I have been suggesting that Don Burgundy was the best we could hope for in a one-year situation next season. After all, who in their right mind would invest the kind of money it takes to bring in a top rookie QB and stick him behind that line? Now I am not so sure we couldn't do better than #5 back there in 2011. He does not look great back there. I still want an offensive lineman in the 1st round (and 2nd if someone good is there), and I still think bringing back McNabb makes some sense, but I am not so sure we couldn't find someone to start challenging him for his job as early as next July. Not because there will be some crown jewel waiting for us to pluck him, but because it doesn't look like McNabb is setting the bar very high. At this point, I fully expect an open competition for the starting QB job next season.
5. Devin Thomas was a pretty decent special teams player for us, so I was not shocked he played well for the Giants on Sunday. When he can make that team as a wide receiver and beat us with catches and touchdowns, then I will lament our decision to cut him.
6. I understand that things look bleak for the home team. It sucks and it is no fun to watch. But we have to stick it out. Dan Snyder needs to stick it out. This is not a quick fix. Let's not check out on these guys all the way. That said...if they trade away their top picks in this year's draft or their top picks in the 2012 draft, I'll start handing out the pitchforks and torches.