In trying season, Redskins press forward

For all but one year during his decade with the Indianapolis Colts, Hunter Smith entered December knowing his team was playoff-bound.

Through 11 games from 1999 to 2008, the Colts had a losing record just once and were usually in control of their division.

Contrast that to the Washington Redskins’ current predicament - 3-8 and in last place in the NFC East.

“It’s very different,” said Smith, in his first year as the Redskins’ punter. “It’s new territory, a new experience and a new adventure.”

New? Yes. Fun? No.

The Redskins’ adventure may get worse because of the schedule (four games against playoff locks or contenders), the continued injuries (running back Clinton Portis is out Sunday against New Orleans, and Chris Cooley was placed on injured reserve to end his season) and the inability to finish games (2-3 when holding a fourth-quarter lead).

The Redskins’ record through 11 games is tied for the worst of owner Dan Snyder’s 11-season tenure, and only a 2-3 finish will avoid the worst overall season.

“It’s awful, it really is,” coach Jim Zorn said Monday at Redskin Park. “I try not to lose heart myself. I try to stay positive. Our players inspire me and our coaching staff inspires me because we’re working hard to try and make good decisions and sound decisions.

“I try to face what’s before me and not give up and go, ’Woe is me’ and sink back into a hole. I’ll be a better coach because of what I’m going through.”

But…

“It’s hard to go through it,” Zorn concluded. “I am certainly accountable for our football season, and I’ll be accountable.”

As Zorn’s clock continues to tick until a likely coaching change, he said he can’t play games in his mind about what if the Redskins had beaten Detroit and Kansas City, what if they had held on to fourth-quarter leads at Carolina, Dallas and Philadelphia and what if fewer players went on injured reserve.

Green Bay and the Eagles (both 7-4) hold the final NFC playoff spots, so the opportunities for the Redskins to be competitive despite their injuries and lack of depth in some departments did present itself.

“That’s good maybe around the lunch table, but it’s not very good in the planning stage,” Zorn said. “There’s not enough time to lament on what could have been. … The what-ifs, we don’t spend a lot of time on that.”

Said safety Reed Doughty: “There’s a lot of ifs. There have been a lot of close games - we gave the Carolina game away. There were a lot of teams we could have and should have beat and close games that we played against good teams. That’s the NFL. A lot of close games, and unfortunately we haven’t been able to win those yet.”

While the offense didn’t carry its weight in the 7-6 loss to Dallas, running only one play (a field goal) in the red zone, the defense was on the spot in Philadelphia. The Redskins led 24-16 but allowed a 90-yard touchdown drive that tied the game.

In the past two weeks, the Redskins have allowed fourth-quarter scoring drives of 60, 90 and 66 yards.

“We had Philadelphia up eight on the 10-yard line before they got the tying touchdown - can’t allow that,” linebacker London Fletcher said. “That’s when you have to dig down deeper, give a little bit more, expect a little bit more, focus a little bit more - really say, ’We’re not going to allow this team to score on us.’ ”

Fletcher posted 11 unassisted tackles, and his play and attitude will serve as the guiding light for the Redskins.

While Smith has been in a losing situation just once (6-10 with the Colts in 2001) and won a Super Bowl, Fletcher has been at both spectrums. He has a Super Bowl ring and seasons of 13-3 and 14-2 with St. Louis on his resume but will have missed the playoffs in seven of the past eight years.

“Leadership is the most important in these situations,” Smith said. “You watch the way London played [Sunday] - it’s a remarkable and an inspiring level of play. I don’t think that can do anything but inspire the young guys to give full effort. … One thing we’ve all marveled at is the character of the guys so far as continuing to work, continuing to give all they have and be professional.”

The last time the Redskins played out the string was 2006. They were 4-7 and finished 5-11, but the last six weeks of the season centered on quarterback Jason Campbell’s first NFL games. This time, there’s no young quarterback waiting to debut, leaving the players to talk about creating momentum for 2010 and Zorn to stay on-message.

“My call to them is to dig down deep,” he said. “We’re not trying to create any fantasy that’s not there. We know what the real situation is. … It’s not the type of thing where we take showers and just leave [after a loss]. It hurts. It hurts the coaches. It hurts the ownership, the fans. There’s nothing good about the end result. The only thing I can say, what we’re pushing toward is that pride in doing a good job and being pros.”