Washington Informer

Tony Gonzalez broke down in tears. Matt Bryant pumped his fist in jubilation. Matt Ryan breathed a sigh of relief.

The Atlanta Falcons finally proved they could win a postseason game.

Following a fourth quarter meltdown, the Falcons pulled off a comeback that the city of Atlanta won't soon forget. Ryan completed two long passes and Bryant boomed a 49-yard field goal with eight seconds left, raising the NFC's No. 1 seed to a shocking 30-28 victory over Russell Wilson and the gritty Seattle Seahawks in a divisional playoff game Sunday.

Atlanta (14-3) blew a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter, allowing Seattle to take the lead for the first time all day when Marshawn Lynch scored on a 2-yard run with 31 seconds left and Ryan Longwell converted on the extra point for a 28-27 lead.

No team has ever lost a playoff game with that type of lead in the fourth quarter.

Ryan, playing through his struggles in three prior playoff losses and two interceptions against the Seahawks, connected with Harry Douglas on a 29-yard pass in front of the Falcons bench, and Atlanta Coach Mike Smith quickly called a timeout. Then Ryan hooked up with his favorite target, Tony Gonzalez, an all but guaranteed Hall of Famer playing in what could have been his last game.

The All-Pro tight end grabbed the 19-yard pass, and Smith called his final timeout with 13 seconds left. Rather than risk another play and have the clock expire, he sent Bryant into the game for the field goal attempt.

Just before the ball was snapped, the Seahawks called a timeout and Bryant's kick drifted right of the upright. The kick turned out to be a practice attempt. The next one split the uprights as Bryant ran in the opposite direction, until he was ultimately mobbed by his teammates.

Bryant made his third game-winning kick of the season. But this one was by far the most important, with so much at stake.

Wilson passed for two touchdowns and ran for another, doing everything he possibly could to pull off the most unlikely of comebacks for the Seahawks (12-6). But Seattle's defense, which is one of the league's best and had totally dominated the Falcons in the fourth quarter, went to a softer coverage which allowed Atlanta to move into field goal range.

Atlanta had just enough time to stage a comeback of its own.

Lamont Peterson will return to the ring on February 22, to defend his International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior welterweight title against Kendall Holt on ESPN Friday Night Fights. The fight will take place in the District, at the D.C. Armory.

Peterson (30-1-1, 15 KO) has not fought since scoring the biggest win of his career in December 2011, when he upset Amir Khan in a controversial fight that became even more infamous after the final bell had rang and the scores were read. The two were scheduled to fight in a rematch in May 2012, but Peterson failed a Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) drug test, and admitted to using synthetic testosterone prior to his bout with Khan, causing many to discredit his win.

The IBF champion, who will turn 29 later this month, was stripped of the World Boxing Association (WBA) title after that (not because the WBA is upstanding , but so they could get the title back on Khan in time for a sanctioning fee for Khan's fight with Danny Garcia), but kept the IBF belt he won that night.

Peterson has not served a suspension for his positive drug test, but it also wasn't administered by a state commission, so it's a question of what can be done by anybody. Promoters who have talked about Peterson fighting again – including Top Rank, when he was considered to square off against Timothy Bradley recently – have not expressed any concern that he won't be licensed.

Originally, Zab Judah was the mandatory challenger for Peterson, but he has opted instead to fight Danny Garcia. Peterson and Holt had their bout go to purse bid, which Holt's promoter Gary Shaw won for a mere $50,000, the same minimum bid that Peterson-Judah had gone for previously.

Holt (28-5, 16 KO) last fought in March 2012, crushing Tim Coleman in two rounds. The 31-year-old native of Paterson, New Jersey, is a former world champion, having held the World Boxing Organization (WBO) title at 140 pounds in 2008.

Broncos 38, Chiefs 3

Peyton Manning passed for 304 yards and three touchdowns Sunday to lead Denver to a 38-3 victory over Kansas City that clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs for the Broncos.

Manning ended the season with 4,659 yards, just 41 short of his career high. He had 37 touchdown passes.

Denver (13-3) won its 11th consecutive game and jumped over Houston for the top seed after the Texans lost to Indianapolis 28-16 earlier in the day.

The Chiefs gained just 119 yards in the game and finished their season 2-14. They will get the No. 1 pick in April's draft.

Seahawks 20, Rams 13

Russell Wilson's 1-yard touchdown run with 1:39 remaining gave Seattle a victory over St. Louis and an 8-0 home mark. He tied Peyton Manning's record for most touchdown passes by a rookie with 26.

Seattle (11-5) began the day with hopes of capturing the NFC West and landing a home playoff game, but those dreams didn't come to fruition as San Francisco beat Arizona 27-13 to clinch the division. Seattle will be the No. 5 seed in the NFC and face the NFC East champion Washington Redskins in the opening round of the playoffs next weekend.

Seattle finished the season as the only undefeated team at home in the league.

Bucs 22, Falcons 17

Doug Martin ran for 141 yards, Josh Freeman connected with Mike Williams on a touchdown pass and Tampa Bay beat Atlanta. Entering the game, the Falcons had planned to gain momentum for the playoffs with a victory over the Bucs, but Tampa Bay stymied those efforts.

The Falcons (13-3) didn't have much to play for as they already have home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. Coach Mike Smith said he wanted to "finish the regular season the right way," and he played his starters through the game.

49ers 27, Cardinals 13

San Francisco won its second consecutive NFC West title with a win over Arizona. Michael Crabtree caught touchdown passes of 49 and 7 yards and finished with a career-high 172 yards.

Colin Kaepernick fought through a slow start to pass for a career-high 276 yards and two touchdowns as the 49ers (11-4-1) did their part to manage the postseason picture. With Minnesota's win over Green Bay, the 49ers captured the NFC's No. 2 seed.

Frank Gore reached his franchise-best 51st rushing touchdown on a two-yard run early in the fourth quarter.

Many sports fans feel that 2012 was the year that put D.C. sports teams back on the map.

If that's the case, 2013 could be the year the District evolves into one of the best sports cities in the country. We've already witnessed what Robert Griffin III can do, and he's staying put. While the Redskins are at the forefront, and the Capitals may not have a season this year, here's some others that could grab their share of the limelight in 2013.

As long as they can remain healthy, the Nationals should contend in 2013. Nearly their entire roster will return, with the possible exception of Adam LaRoche. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman had offseason shoulder surgery, but should be fine for the season. The Nats will also get a full season from Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg. Washington also added center fielder Denard Span in a trade. It should be another exciting summer in the District.

Georgetown and Syracuse will play their final game as Big East rivals on March 9, but three weeks later, Verizon Center will serve as one of the host sites for the second week of the NCAA tournament. The last time the District hosted the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, George Mason shocked Connecticut. Perhaps Maryland could be this year's Cinderella.

Speaking of Maryland basketball, sophomore center Alex Len has moved up on NBA draft boards. Irrespective of how Maryland performs this season, the Ukrainian 7-footer will be a player to keep an eye on once March Madness ends. It seems unlikely that Len will ever play against Georgetown sophomore forward Otto Porter Jr. because of the schools' ongoing silly feud, but they both could be serious prospects to watch in June's NBA Draft. Incidentally, it appears that the Wizards have a real good shot at securing a lottery pick.

Let's not forget, Tiger Woods will once again bring the PGA Tour to Congressional, and D.C. United could be one of the favorites to win the MLS with Dwayne De Rosario. If the District doesn't get the opportunity to host a U.S. World Cup qualifying match, the payoff could be a rumored friendly match in June against Germany to celebrate the U.S. Soccer Federation's 100th anniversary. Throw in the possible announcement of a new D.C. United stadium, and Southwest Washington could be the local hot spot for sports in the District.

In spite of San Jose State losing its coach before the Military Bowl, quarterback David Fales led his team to victory. Fales made up for one miscue and an absent coach with a record setting afternoon for the Military Bowl's first ranked participant.

Passing with pinpoint accuracy, the junior began the game strong and finished strong in the cold and wind at RFK Stadium. Fales, who led the country in completion percentage during the regular season, went 33 of 43 for 395 yards and a two touchdowns Thursday in the No. 24 Spartans' 29-20 win over Bowling Green.

Fales completed passes of 15 yards or more to Noel Grigsby (nine catches, 184 yards), Ryan Otten and Tyler Ervin on the drive that set up Austin Lopez's 27-yard field goal with 4:43 left. De'Leon Eskridge's 1-yard run with 2:43 remaining gave them ample cushion for the win. Fales opened the scoring with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Nunn, and his only blemish occurred when he fumbled the ball on a blind-side sack by Charlie Walker on the Spartans' first possession of the third quarter.

For the first time since 1975, San Jose State (11-2) is in the national rankings and ended the season on a seven-game winning streak for its first eleven-win season since 1940, an extraordinary turnaround for a program that went 1-12 only two years ago in coach Mike MacIntyre's first season. But earlier this month MacIntyre was lured to Colorado by a larger payday, turning the team over to defensive coordinator Kent Baer for the bowl. Baer expressed interest in the position fulltime, but the school instead hired San Diego's Ron Caragher, who attended the game as an observer.

Under coach Dave Clawson, Bowling Green (8-5) had a similar turnaround, improving from 2-10 in 2010. Their defense allowed just 15.8 points per game in the regular season (ninth best among FBS schools) and did a pretty good job against a San Diego State squad that was averaging 35.3 points.

The Military Bowl had intended to have Army play against an ACC team, but Army isn't bowl-eligible and the ACC didn't have enough bowl-eligible schools to fulfill its bowl tie-ins. As a result, there wasn't very much enthusiasm for the game in the Washington area. The upper level of RFK Stadium was nearly empty during the second half of the MAC-WAC matchup, and attendance was announced at only 17,835.

Josh Brown booted a 43-yard field goal with four seconds left to propel Cincinnati over Pittsburgh, qualifying the Bengals for the playoffs for the second year in a row.

Earlier in the quarter, Brown missed a 56-yarder but got a second chance when Reggie Nelson intercepted a Ben Roethlisberger pass and returned it to the Pittsburgh 46 with 14 seconds left. Andy Dalton connected with A.J. Green for 21 yards on the next play, setting up Brown's game-winner.

Dalton went 24 of 41 for 278 yards and two interceptions for the Bengals (9-6), who ended a five-game losing skid to Pittsburgh (7-8).

Bears 28, Cardinals 13

Chicago's defense scored two touchdowns, and the Bears defeated Arizona to maintain their playoff hopes.

Charles Tillman brought back an interception for a touchdown, the third pick he has returned for a score this season and the eighth overall by the Bears, one short of the league record. In addition, Zack Bowman returned a fumble 1 yard for another score.

Brandon Marshall had six receptions for 68 yards and a TD, and in the process he broke the Bears franchise record for receiving yards in a season.

Patriots 23, Jaguars 16

Tom Brady fought through a shaky start by throwing two touchdown passes, and the Patriots held on to beat the Jaguars.

In the first quarter, Brady threw two interceptions, the second one helping Jacksonville (2-13) build a 10-0 lead.

For the fourth straight week, the Jaguars faded in the third quarter, leading to their 11th loss in the last 12 games and established a franchise record for losses in a season.

Brady played a significant role in the Jaguars latest defeat. After a rough start, he found his rhythm and picked apart Jacksonville's defense.

Broncos 34, Browns 12

The Broncos won its 10th consecutive game as Peyton Manning passed for three touchdowns for the 72nd time in his career in a win over the Browns.

Houston was beaten by Minnesota, which means Denver (12-3) is now tied with the Texans for first place in the AFC.

Manning finished the game 30-for-43 for 339 yards, Von Miller had two sacks for the Broncos, the second of which knocked Cleveland quarterback Brandon Weeden out of the game with a right shoulder injury. On the season, Miller has 17 and a half sacks, breaking Elvis Dumervil's franchise record.

The Eagles had a real late-game opportunity to beat the Redskins. All Eagles quarterback Nick Foles had to do was make a good throw. The receiver was in the clear, in the open area of the zone. He was in back of the cornerback and in front of the safety. It was there for Foles. But the play unfolded the same way the past six weeks have for the Redskins. No one can seem to explain it, but once again, things broke in favor of the Redskins.

With 18 seconds remaining, Foles’ pass landed a yard in front of wide receiver Jeremy Maclin. Just two plays later, tight end Evan Moore simply dropped a slant pass near the goal line. And on the next play, Foles was called for intentional grounding, ending the contest.

The Redskins winning streak has now reached six with a 27-20 win over the Eagles. A team that was in the habit of losing, is now in the habit of winning. But their playoff fate remains unchanged.

The Redskins are 9-6 and will capture the NFC East division with a win over Dallas on Sunday night in a game that was flexed by NBC. On the other hand, the Cowboys will win the division if they win. If the Redskins lose, then they would need losses by both Chicago (9-6) and Minnesota (9-6) to grab a wild-card spot.

Washington had to work hard to beat Philadelphia (4-11), who have dropped 10 of their last 11 games. Robert Griffin III’s return from a knee injury made a difference as he went 16 of 24 for 198 yards and two touchdowns. Alfred Morris had 91 more rushing yards, giving him 1,413 yards on the season and 104 from establishing a new single-season franchise rushing record.

The much-maligned Redskins defense, once again made timely plays. It had two first-half takeaways that the offense converted into 10 points. It sacked Foles five times, assisted by a secondary that confused the rookie quarterback with different looks, causing him to be uncertain regarding his reads. Yet the defense gave up 411 yards. And once again, down the stretch, the opposition had a legitimate chance to win.

If Sunday’s game had been played last season, the Redskins would have probably found a way to lose. Instead, they left the field focusing on next week. Now they not only have an opportunity to make the playoffs, but they have a chance to host a playoff game.

The collision flipped him over, from an attempted slide on his backside to a face-down sprawl on the turf. His chin was bloodied, his helmet was rattled, and his mind was clouded. The Washington Redskins' medical staff sat him down and asked him basic concussion-test questions, Robert Griffin III couldn't tell them what quarter it was or what the score was.

The crushing blow, a shoulder-to-helmet slobber-knocker delivered by Atlanta Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon in the third quarter of the Redskins 24-17 loss, left Griffin with a "mild" concussion, according to Coach Mike Shanahan. How on earth can a concussion be labeled as "mild". A chicken wing from Popeye's can be considered "mild."  A 65-degree day in the District can be labeled as "mild."  Folks, listen to me, when your brain is negatively impacted by a violent blow, it should not be considered mild. "Mild" concussion is an oxymoron if there ever was one.

Once Griffin was led off the field slowly and eventually sent home, football fans from across the country asked the same question: "Is RGIII okay?" The reason they were asking is because in that cross-your-fingers moment which followed that brutal collision, they realized this naked truth: Without RGIII It's Over.

For the Washington Redskins, Griffin represents hope, optimism, and all the positive things the organization can be. As long as he is healthy and playing, that hope and sense of optimism can exist. Without Griffin on the field, that hope will last about as long as it takes Usain Bolt to run 100 meters. Simply put, Griffin represents the difference between legitimacy and irrelevance as an NFL franchise.

The Redskins' coaching staff has already modified much of the offense because of Griffin's maturity, arm strength, and speed. He took a beat down in a Week three loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Since then, the coaching staff has limited his exposure by design. Officially, Griffin only had one run for seven yards against Atlanta. But unless they want to pull Griffin from games, which isn't a viable option unless you want to insight a fan riot at FedEx Field, the coaching staff can't prevent him from taking chances during the game.

Griffin has already become essential to the team's success. As soon as he took the hit, the season hung in the balance, all depending on the health of a 22-year-old won the Heisman Trophy earlier this year. Until Griffin comes back healthy, Redskins fans will be walking on eggshells.

Immediately after the injury, a hush came over the stadium crowd and in came back-up quarterback Kirk Cousins. No knock on Cousins, but he pales in comparison to RGIII. It would be the virtual equivalent of having Jordin Sparks substitute for Patti Labelle. If Cousins starts against Minnesota on Sunday, he will be the Redskins' rookie quarterback, but he won't be that Redskins' rookie quarterback.

What Sunday's hit made crystal clear is the danger that exists whenever Griffin decides to take off down field. He has to be healthy and play, otherwise, it's over.

If RGIII goes down, the master plan to rebuild this franchise comes to a screeching halt. Not only will his health be on the line, but the team's chance for a winning season and a playoff berth will be at risk. The future viability of this franchise rests in the hands of Griffin.

So, come on RGIII, members of Redskins Nation need you to pull it together and keep it together. Without you, my brother, it's over.

Unnecessary Roughness

Washington Redskin free agent receivers are frustrating the fans and the team. Their lack of focus and discipline is beyond comprehension.

Kicker Billy Cundiff's 42-yard field goal saved the Redskins' hide on Sunday. The team rallied for a 24-22 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It didn't have to be that close.

Redskins' receiver Pierre Garcon committed a cheap shot penalty that ignited a late Tampa Bay rally. Only two games earlier, fellow free agent receiver Joshua Morgan committed an unsportsmanlike penalty that ended Washington's chances in a loss at St. Louis.

Garcon and Morgan were the Redskins' top free agent acquisitions because the NFL salary cap sanctions prohibited them from addressing other needs. At this point, their on-field behavior is proving more costly than their paychecks.

The Redskins were leading 21-6, and in control of the game in the third quarter until Garcon's gaffe. The Buccaneers offense was still on the bus. But five plays after Garcon's pass-interference blunder, he was flagged again for a hit after the whistle and away from the ball. The penalty on Garcon was indefensible. He was obviously trying to pay back Tampa Bay's secondary, which had held him to one catch.

Prior to Garcon's escapade, the Bucs resembled Redskins teams of years past with ill-timed penalties, scattershot incompletions and a costly turnover. However, the penalty for the hit after the whistle energized Tampa Bay and deflated Washington, which suddenly began making its own mistakes.

The Bucs soon completed a 66-yard pass that set up its first touchdown, which sliced the lead to 21-13. The following possession had 54- and 22-yard pass plays as the Bucs came within 21-19 of their rivals. Washington was able to stop the two-point conversion to prevent a tie, but its offense had stalled. With 1:47 remaining, the Bucs finally took the lead 22-21 on a 47-yard field goal.

After giving up 101 points in the 1-2 start, the defense had its best performance of the year in spite of safety Brandon Meriweather's absence. Meriweather – who was scheduled to make his first appearance this season – and receiver Aldrick Robinson were injured in a freak collision during warm-ups. Only this injury-plagued Redskin squad could lose two players before the game even started.

Early in the game, the defense didn't need Meriweather. Cornerback DeAngelo Hall had an interception that set up a touchdown. And Washington's defensive pressure, led by linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, gave Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman a serious case of "happy feet." The happier his feet became, the less accurate his passes were.

Of course, that's until the Bucs late-game resurgence. Freeman suddenly caught fire and finished 24-for-39 for 299 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.

Meanwhile, Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III continued his outstanding play this season. After his fumble on the Tampa Bay 1-yard line during a keeper was recovered for a touchdown by Garcon, Griffin scored on the same call later for a 14-3 lead. Griffin took several hard hits but far less than in the previous week's loss to Cincinnati, when the Bengals players hit him approximately 29 times.

Griffin was excellent on the final drive to set up Cundiff, but the offensive leader now needs to persuade his receivers to stop being the problem and become a part of the solution.

NFL games have become 60-minute melees and the rules have been tossed out of the window. We're witnessing absolute lawlessness. It hasn't quite reached the level of the Hatfields vs. McCoys, but we're getting dangerously close.

Quite simply, the league's replacement referees have lost control. The players have little to no respect for the officials and they certainly don't fear them. Every other series of downs looks like a local tough man competition. A couple of Monday Night games ago, the refs were at risk when they found themselves in the middle of a brawl between Denver and Atlanta.

Who would have ever thought that NFL fans would be begging for regular officials to return? It's like a guy's first date after breaking up with his girlfriend. About 30 minutes into it, he realizes that his ex-girlfriend wasn't that bad – it just feels strange.

The contract dispute between the NFL and the NFL Referees Association shouldn't drag into October or November, and certainly not into December. It must to be settled now. NFL owners are showing total disregard for their fans and for their product by allowing amateurs to officiate professional games. If anyone thinks this won't have a negative impact on the teams' finances, just give it another month or so, when fans lose confidence and choose to stop watching.

Fans have no interest in the details of the dispute. But they know that one year after owners beat the players in a lockout, the billionaires are once again seeking more money.

The NFL can't ensure the quality of these officials. A side judge who openly admitted his allegiance to the New Orleans Saints almost officiated a Saints' game. On the morning of the game, ESPN contacted the NFL about the ref's partisanship support and the official was yanked hours before kickoff. A field judge who called the Arizona Cardinals vs. Seattle Seahawks game was paid by the Seahawks over the past three years for officiating the team's practices. One player even said that a referee encouraged him to play harder because the player himself was on the ref's fantasy football team.

It's obvious that the refs are intimidated and influenced by players. The national spotlight is far too daunting, and quite frankly, they don't know the rules. None of them should be calling an NFL game, much less calling one collectively.

It's bad enough that the league has found itself in this situation. The two sides did meet on Sept. 23, however, no substantive issues were resolved. There are no further scheduled negotiation talks at this time.

The NFL represents America's most popular sport. However, when you stop to consider how the league has disrespected its fans and the game over the years, one has to wonder whether it's deserved. Currently, this standoff remains unresolved. And we've neither seen nor heard anything that would suggest a quick resolution.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell must resolve this matter immediately. If not, perhaps we should consider a replacement commissioner. Now that might be a replacement that the fans could all appreciate.