Seattle doesn’t evoke fond memories for Washington

By JOSEPH WHITE | The Associated Press • Published November 21, 2008

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ASHBURN, Va. — Jim Zorn has warm and fuzzy memories of Seattle, a place he called home for decades.

For most of his Washington players, thoughts of the city include a couple of playoff nightmares.

— Jan. 14, 2006: Seahawks 20, Washington 10, second round.

— Jan. 5, 2008: Seahawks 35, Washington 14, first round.

“They have had our number,” cornerback Carlos Rogers said.

Washington (6-4) hopes to exorcise a demon or two when they return to the Emerald City on Sunday to face the Seahawks (2-8). There’s no wearing blinders for this one — those two stinging losses are still too raw.

“This’ll be a new game,” defensive coordinator Greg Blache said. “But at the same time we feel like we have to go in and finish.”

Finish what they didn’t do the last two times. Specifically, that means hold on to a lead.

The loss in 2006 included one of the most-discussed plays in Washington lore in recent years. It was the second quarter, and John Hall had just given Washington a 3-0 lead with a 26-yard field goal. On Seattle’s next drive, Rogers dropped an easy interception with an open field in front of him. It was a sure touchdown that would have made the score 10-0, and a foreshadowing of the problems Rogers has had catching the ball ever since.

In the 2008 game, Washington scored two quick touchdowns to turn a 13-0 deficit into a 14-13 lead early in the fourth quarter. The Seahawks misfielded the ensuing kickoff, and Anthony Mix recovered for Washington at the 14-yard line.

Not only did Washington fail to convert the break into a touchdown, but Shaun Suisham missed a 30-yard field goal to give the momentum back to Seattle. The Seahawks reeled off three touchdowns in the waning minutes.

“We’ve been ahead in each situation,” Blache said. “One year we had a chance to make an interception and run it in for a touchdown and put it away, last time we had a kickoff that we recovered. We’ve have the opportunities, and we’ve let it slip away.”

Both teams have turned a page or two since then. Joe Gibbs coached both of those games for the Redskins; Zorn is now in charge. Washington starting quarterback Jason Campbell didn’t play in either game. The Seahawks have had a terrible, injury-marred year and won’t be around to threaten the Redskins — or anyone else — come playoff time.