Redskins Actions Should Speak Louder Than Words

There was a lot of trash talk leading up to the game in the Meadowlands on Sunday, but the one team who had the right to trash talk, showed why as they were the victor.

The Washington Redskins are still a very young team on both sides of the ball, and have a lot more experience to gain before they can attempt to be the big bad dog. While Robert Griffin III has been simply amazing this season, he only plays one position, and doesn’t make up for the rest.

Though Griffin has been able to win a lot of games for the Redskins with his mobility and strong arm, just about all of those games could have easily been lost, and Sunday was a fine reminder of that.

After hitting Santana Moss for a 30 yard touchdown with 1:37 left, Eli Manning, the king of fourth quarter comebacks hit a wide open Victor Cruz for a 77 yard touchdown which ultimately sealed the deal with 1:23 to go in the game.

The Redskins did have a comeback opportunity, but Santana Moss who had been sensational all game coughed up the ball allowing the Giants to squeak away with a win.

While the Redskins did almost pull out a win in New York, it was just another fine example that the Redskins still aren’t there just yet, and that the trash talking should be used as a way to motivate themselves, rather than finding ways to retaliate.

Obviously the team believes in Robert Griffin III, but as mentioned earlier, he doesn’t play the positions that are void, nor does he make up for the players who have been lost for the season due to injuries.

During the 80’s when the Redskins were dominate; they would focus all their attention on trash talking as a way to motivate themselves. Remember the 1982 Championship game against the Dallas Cowboys who gave no recognition to the Redskins?

Dexter Manley was quoted in saying, “They made comments as if we couldn’t park their cars.” Joe Gibbs mentioned how, “They brought everything with them because they were headed to the Super Bowl.”

How did the Redskins respond? They knocked starting quarterback Danny White out of the game on their way to a 31-17 win to take them to the teams second Super Bowl, and first Super Bowl Championship.

There were other various times throughout Redskins history where teams had talked down on the Redskins. Such as the Minnesota Vikings that same year (1982) who said they were going to butcher the Hogs. The media not showing up to the Redskins press conference for the 92 Super Bowl because they didn’t feel the Redskins stood a chance – and even most recently with the New York Giants in 2011, when they said they could beat the Redskins 99/100 times.

The Redskins didn’t respond vocally to those, but rather with their play on the field.

Every time, or so it seems, that the Redskins talk trash or respond to comments made by another teams media or players, the team finds a way to lose the game. Remember DeAngelo Hall talking about how he was going to put his shoulder into Felix Jones’ shoulder, or his helmet into Romo’s ribs? Not once was he able to do either, and the Cowboys won.

Unfortunately the Washington Redskins are at a point where they can’t trash talk or even respond to trash talk with some of their own. Instead they should focus on it as they did last year by showing up on the field. Last year the defense was the strong side of the ball, this year it’s the offense, so the Redskins are not in uncharted territory.

I understand you don’t want anyone to talk down on you, your friends, or you entire organization, but what’s the better way to respond? Talk trash and lose? Or use the trash talking as motivation and win?

Redskins history proves that using trash talk as motivation has worked out in the Redskins favor far more than it has by returning it.

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