Embarrassing MNF Loss to Panthers Signals Doom for Lifeless Redskins

Those who didn’t watch Monday night’s matchup between the Carolina Panthers and Washington Redskins will tell you the game shouldn’t have been close. They’ll state, rightly, that the Redskins were hosting a must-win affair against a depleted opponent limping to the 2016 finish line. Washington was a sizeable favorite for a reason.

And those who did watch Monday night’s game will also tell you that it shouldn’t have been close. They’ll note the plethora of chances the underdog Panthers had to pull away, the profusion of questionable calls that went Washington’s way and the game statistics which clearly favored Carolina.

The NFL is funny that way. The Redskins had no business losing to a fading 5-8 opponent at home, and yet they were extremely lucky merely to lose by 11 points. The Panthers won 26-15, but for all intents and purposes this was a blowout.

Which for the Redskins is embarrassing.

With their playoff hopes dangling, the ‘Skins mustered 29 total rushing yards, committed three turnovers and converted just two of 12 third downs in an effort that was strangely uninspired. They only remained within reaching distance into the fourth quarter because the banged-up Panthers also lacked chemistry for much of the night on offense, and because Washington benefited from several botched calls.

This game might not have been close had the officials called Redskins linebacker Trent Murphy for a fairly obvious hit to the head on a sliding Cam Newton in the second quarter. That would have set Carolina up with a first down inside the red zone, but instead Newton was flagged for a frivolous taunting penalty and the Panthers were forced to punt. That was a potential seven-point swing in a game Carolina led by 10.

Later, Washington was helped on a scoring drive by a 15-yard penalty against Carolina’s Kawann Short, who was called for a late hit despite the fact his hit wasn’t late. And in the fourth quarter the Panthers were probably robbed of more points when a defensive pass interference flag was picked up because a pass to tight end Greg Olsen was ruled uncatchable. It certainly appeared …

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