Ceci Ferrara
December 11, 2017
Sports Writer
Sports Insider Weekly
The Washington Redskins’ season continued its downward skid on Sunday with a 13-30 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The blowout was the latest in a list of bitter losses. Washington has dropped four of their last five, their last victory coming against an embattled New York Giants team on Thanksgiving Day. Sunday’s rout was the straw that broke the camel’s back for cornerback Josh Norman, who voiced his frustrations not only about this season, but his team.
“I came here to win a championship,” the former all-pro corner said after the blowout loss. “If we’re not doing that, what are we doing? Why are we here?”
Norman signed a five-year, $75 million contract with the Redskins in April 2016, two days after his release from the Panthers. Fresh off a Super Bowl appearance, Norman expected his new team to be a strong competitor for not only division titles, but playoff berths and postseason runs. Unfortunately, he’s only been met with disappointment.
The Chargers held the Redskins to just six points for most of the game, taking a three possession lead into the final frame. Chargers backup quarterback Kellen Clemmens was picked off with two minutes remaining, and Bashaud Breeland returned it for 96 yards for the touchdown, bringing the score 30-13. By then, Washington was so far behind, there wasn’t much reason to celebrate.
With the loss, the Redskins dropped to 5-8 on the season, officially eliminated from playoff contention for the second straight season. For Norman, that realization wasn’t just disappointing–it was devastating.”
“And I’m not here to point any fingers or throw any blame at anybody because I take everything upon my shoulders. I’m the guy that you look toward when something goes wrong or if something goes good. I take it as well as I give it. So, for me, this hurts. It really does, man. It hurts when you can see more out of what you want to do in yourself, and you don’t get that. It’s just devastating to me. So I’ll sit on this. We’ll see how it affects others in a different way. It’s emotional. When you see things that you can’t do, it hurts.”
Wizards
The Washington Wizards fell to the Los Angeles Clippers 113-112 on Saturday–though some will say they actually won the game.
Washington trailed 113-112 with 1.2 seconds left and inbounded the ball to Bradley Beal on the sideline–who made the shot–but after the buzzer sounded. However, the clock started early, with Beal feeling the basket should have counted due to the error.
After review, instead of counting the basket the officials gave the Wizards back the ball in the corner with 1.1 seconds left. In a tougher position with less time, Washington didn’t score. Beal was not pleased with the way the game was decided.
“To me, it didn’t’ really make sense because you take a basket away. You go back and he says we get the same amount of time, but we didn’t get the same amount of time and then we get the ball in the corner….I don’t understand it. I don’t get it. We ran a great play and now that you take that away, we’ve gotta set up with a different play and they get a chance to set up and change some things. Now we’ve gotta do a different play with the ball in the corner.”
The referees maintained that they were following the NBA rules, and the Wizards got a fair shot.
Washington will return to Capital One Arena on Wednesday for the first time since they embarked on their 5-game road trip on Dec. 3. John Wall, who has been out with an injury but traveling with the team, also seems poised to return soon and has been going through his pre-game routine the past few games.
Beal has stepped in to be Washington’s lead scorer in Wall’s absence, and hopes to maintain his aggressive style even when his teammate returns.
“The ball will probably be in his hands a little bit more because he’s the point guard,” Beal said about Wall, “but I can still be this same aggressive guy, and I plan on doing that. It’s not going to change. I’m going to continue to find my shots, continue to find my teammates and be confident in everything that I do.”
