Fred Bowen's "The Score" column,
Friday, January 6, 2006, Washington Post

Playoffs: The Best Is Yet to Come

The Washington Redskins play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers tomorrow in the first round of the National Football League playoffs. It's the first time the Skins have made the playoffs in six years. That means lots of KidsPost readers don't know what it's like for the hometown team to have a chance to go to the Super Bowl.

The NFL playoffs are different from the regular season. First, all the bad teams are gone. Every team in the playoffs won at least 10 games and is very good. It's important to check the regular season record of each team against teams with winning records. Forget the games they won against the hapless Houston Texans or the sorry San Francisco 49ers. Those losers are home watching the games.

When the two teams met in the regular season, the Redskins and Clinton Portis lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 36-35. (By Toni L. Sandys -- The Washington Post)
The Redskins earned their place in the playoffs. They played 10 games against teams with winning records, more than any other playoff team, including the six teams in the American Football Conference. The Skins played well against the good teams, winning half of those games. The Redskins have a real chance to beat any of the NFC teams.

Want to know the playoff team with the best record against winning teams? The Denver Broncos in the AFC, with a terrific 7-2 mark.

It is also very important for a team to be healthy for the playoffs. It's tough to beat the best teams if your important players are hurt. And remember, one loss and you are out. This is where the Skins might be in trouble. Quarterback Mark Brunell, who had a terrific comeback season, is limping with a bad knee. And the Skins' best cornerback, Shawn Springs, might not be able to play because of an injury. Who will cover the Bucs' speedy wide receiver Joey Galloway?

So which team is going to win the big playoff game tomorrow: the Redskins or the Buccaneers?

I have not been very good with my Redskins predictions. At the beginning of the season, I said the Redskins were "headed for another losing season." The Skins had a winning season with a 10-6 record.

Later, I said that the Skins were going to "finish on the down side" and miss the playoffs. Well, the Redskins won five games in a row to make the playoffs.

My prediction for tomorrow's playoff game: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will beat the Redskins, 20-17. That should guarantee a Redskins victory!