In the late hours of "Monday Night Football" against the Carolina Panthers Dec. 19, Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden looked weary. Not mad or disappointed, but tired. Lost seasons do that.
The Redskins surrendered control of their playoff destiny with two games remaining by, once again, looking awful on "Monday Night Football." The Panthers bullied the Redskins up and down the field from their opening drive to the final minutes, when only a few hundred visiting fans remained at FedEx Field.
Coaches often blame themselves for losses, but Gruden wasn't being clichéd when taking the hit. Despite winning two challenges during the 26-15 loss, it was evident Redskins coaches did a poor job readying the team for a crucial game.
