redskins not ready for primetime

(photo by Brian Murphy)

“You’re the only game on. At least on Sunday you’ve got 10 other games, so you might not get seen doing that bad.” – Washington Redskins receiver Malcolm Kelly, after the team’s humiliating 45-12 loss on Monday Night Football.

That quote, which Kelly provided to the talented Grant Paulsen in the post-game locker room, speaks volumes. For a guy who has only been with the Redskins for less than two seasons, Kelly clearly has a sense of what the Redskins subject their fanbase to seemingly every time they’re scheduled to play a primetime game.

In fact, the team has been so porous when the country is watching, that the Redskins really should consider petitioning the league office to flex them out of their upcoming Sunday night matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. As it stands now, the chances of the ‘Skins actually winning this game are even slimmer than their 4-10 record already suggests.

The more we thought of it, the more we realized just how pitiful the Redskins are in big games. Since we’re a glutton for punishment, we went back and researched the Redskins’ record during primetime games since 2000. The numbers are damning, to say the least:

Monday Night Football record: 3-10

Dec. 21, 2009: Redskins lose vs. New York Giants, 45-12
Oct. 26, 2009: Redskins lose vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 27-17
Nov. 3, 2008: Redskins lose vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 23-6
Sept. 17, 2007: Redskins win at Philadelphia Eagles, 20-12
Sept. 11, 2006: Redskins lose vs. Minnesota Vikings, 19-16
Sept. 19, 2005 Redskins win at Dallas Cowboys, 14-13
Sept. 27, 2004: Redskins lose vs. Dallas Cowboys, 21-18
Sept. 16, 2002: Redskins lose vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 37-7
Oct. 15, 2001: Redskins lose at Dallas Cowboys, 9-7
Sept. 24, 2001: Redskins lose at Green Bay Packers, 37-0
Nov. 20, 2000: Redskins win at St. Louis Rams, 33-20
Oct. 30, 2000: Redskins lose vs. Tennessee Titans, 27-21
Sept. 18, 2000: Redskins lose vs. Dallas Cowboys, 27-21

Sunday Night Football: 6-6

Dec. 7, 2008: Redskins lose at Baltimore Ravens, 24-10
Nov. 16, 2008: Redskins lose vs. Dallas Cowboys, 14-10
Dec. 23, 2007: Redskins win at Minnesota Vikings, 32-21
Dec. 16, 2007: Redskins win at New York Giants, 22-10
Sept. 17, 2006: Redskins lose at Dallas Cowboys, 27-10
Nov. 6, 2005: Redskins win vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 17-10
Dec. 12, 2004: Redskins lose vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 17-14
Oct. 10, 2004: Redskins lose vs. Baltimore Ravens, 17-10
Nov. 23, 2003: Redskins lose at Miami Dolphins, 24-23
Oct. 27, 2002: Redskins win vs. Indianapolis Colts, 26-21
Dec. 30, 2001: Redskins win vs. New Orleans Saints, 40-10
Sept. 24, 2000: Redskins win at New York Giants, 16-6

Thursday Games: 2-2

Sept. 4, 2008: Redskins lose at New York Giants, 16-7
Dec. 6, 2007: Redskins win vs. Chicago Bears, 24-16
Sept. 4, 2003: Redskins win vs. New York Jets, 16-13
Nov. 28, 2002: Redskins lose at Dallas Cowboys, 27-20

Quick math puts the Redskins at 11-18 in primetime games this decade. More recently, Washington is 0-6 in primetime games over the last two seasons, while being outscored 149-62.

Their three wins on Monday Night Football have one thing in common – they all came on the road. Sadly, the Redskins are 0-8 at home this decade on Monday night.

Sunday nights have been kinder to the team, but those numbers are skewed because the Redskins went 3-0 in Sunday night contests between 2000-02.

Over the last decade, the Redskins and Cowboys have squared off in front of a national audience seven times. The Redskins are 1-6, and have been outscored 138-100. So basically, if you’re looking to win some easy money during the holiday season, you might want to consider betting on Dallas to win by a score of 20-14. History says you’ll be good to go.