Portis says Redskins must go 5-1

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Running back Clinton Portis took a hard look at the Washington Redskins' big picture yesterday and evaluated it this way: "We need to come out of these last six games at least 5-1 if we want any shot at the playoffs."

Following narrow losses to Tampa Bay and Oakland, the 5-5 Redskins find their playoff hopes on life support. It's a big difference from the optimism that swept Redskin Park after the team beat NFC East defending champion Philadelphia two weeks ago.

"We're sitting here with sad faces," said Portis, who lost two fumbles against the Raiders. "We're 2-5 in our last seven games, and we should have won at least three of them"

Linebacker LaVar Arrington described the Redskins' current state much the same way.

"It's sad to see the same things happen over and over again," he said. "The time for talking is over. Either we're going to turn this thing around or it's going to turn out like it always does. ... We still have the opportunity to make a run at the playoffs. It would be a shame to let this opportunity get away."

The opportunity started to slip away when the Redskins couldn't hold a seven-point lead in Tampa Bay and lost 36-35 to the Bucs on a disputed two-point conversion in the final minutes.

Oakland used a 13-0 second half to hand the Redskins their first home loss. Couple those results with Dallas' three-game winning streak and the Giants' recent 4-1 stretch, and the Redskins' road to the playoffs has turned sharply uphill.

Quarterback Mark Brunell called Sunday's home game against San Diego "a must win for us to keep our hopes alive. Hope is not lost. If we can get some momentum, we can get in."

Ten victories probably will be necessary to collect the NFC East title or one of the two wild-card spots. The Redskins would have to go 5-1 and get some help. Dallas, the Giants, Carolina and Tampa Bay each is 7-3, and Atlanta is 6-4.

Dallas still has two division road games, and the Giants have two West Coast trips and two division road games remaining. The Redskins play host to the Cowboys on Dec. 18 and the Giants on Dec. 24.