At this time last season, the Patriots were chewing on a loss similar to the one suffered Sunday against the Skins.
They had gone to San Diego for a showdown of 3-0 teams. They went up and down the field on the Chargers, racking up 25 first downs to San Diego's 14, outgaining the Chargers by 98 yards (440 to 342).
All that and they were tied at halftime, 14-14. They eventually lost, 21-14.
The story on Monday a year ago said, "two interceptions, a fumble, a missed field goal attempt and a failed fourth-and-1 sabotaged their day." Left unmentioned was a bird-brained third-down draw play in the fourth quarter.
The similarities between Sunday's loss to the Redskins and last year's loss to the Chargers are amazing. Tom Brady got picked off when Chargers corner Ryan McNeil ranged over and picked off a pass intended for Donald Hayes at the Chargers' 12 in the third quarter. Then Brady got picked off at the Chargers' goal line on a horrible throw that would have had to pass through three Chargers to get to Hayes, who probably would have dropped it anyway.
"There are tight throws and then there are stupid throws," Brady said then. "I think that was bordering on stupid throws. I don't think I could have fit either of those in. Maybe 1 in 10. It's just something I never try to do."
Sound familiar?
Sunday in Washington, there were three interceptions, a fumble, a missed field goal attempt and a failed fourth-and-5. They even ran the requisite bird-brained draw.
Two of the interceptions were point-erasers -- just like in San Diego. And after the game, Brady lamented.
"We had chances in this game, too," Brady said when asked about the unpleasant déja vu. "They were unforced errors. Me throwing the ball to the safety in the end zone? That just shouldn't happen, I don't expect to make plays like that and I'm going to get it corrected."
Last year, of course, they went from that 3-0 record to 3-4. Their dirty little secret -- bad run defense -- was exposed before the league and New England paid the price and missed the playoffs.
Now, four weeks into 2003, saddled with a self-inflicted road loss, where do the Patriots go next?
The first answer is down. Healthy, they would have a tough time handling Tennessee. Beat up as they are and with Tennessee playing as well as it is, to think the home-dog Pats will win is foolishness. After Tennessee, they face the Giants at home, Miami on the road and Cleveland at home.
All four are going to be difficult games, but so far this team's Achilles' heel has yet to be found. Even if they struggle, they can definitely emerge from this upcoming four-game stretch in decent position at the midway point.
Because even as yesterday's loss is dissected and second-guessed, the fact remains that the Pats are tied with Buffalo at 2-2, a half-game behind the 2-1 Dolphins, two games ahead of the winless Jets.
If you were told a month ago that Lawyer Milloy, Ted Washington, Mike Compton, Mike Vrabel and Rosevelt Colvin would be gone for the year and that -- in 30 days -- Damien Woody, David Patten, Fred McCrary and Adrian Klemm would be significantly injured, you'd have thought the season would be shot.
But, stunningly, it isn't at all. The Pats need to win at least seven more games to have a reasonable shot at the playoffs. Even going 1-3 in the next four games won't preclude that. It would mean they'd be 3-5 and in need of six wins in their final eight games. By then, they'll start getting some of their injured players back. They'll need them, because November has trips to Denver, Houston and Indianapolis, and a home game with Dallas.
A split of those games would leave them at 5-7. Then they'd need a sweep of December, which is a kind month, schedule-wise, with Miami, Jacksonville and Buffalo at home and just a trip to New York to negotiate. A tough challenge, but doable.
Undeniably, this team is in a bad way entering an eight-game stretch that's going to be grueling. They needed yesterday's win. Badly. Now that they didn't get it, they'll need to compensate by getting one they aren't expected to.
What Sunday did show is that this team may be able to ride out its injuries. It can't afford any more, but it may be able to make a go of it with the players they have healthy. What they cannot afford to do is give away another game this season. Sunday, they gave one away. The season's not lost -- and given the schedule, it will get worse before it gets better. But the one big thing that this team is incapable of doing or handling still hasn't been found. The longer they can keep their deficiencies covered up -- whatever they may be -- the better the chance that this wounded team can stick around a while.
And right now, that's all anyone can hope for.
