(My Sportsbook) - During a tumultuous second half of the season that has featured particular turmoil over the past week, the Washington Redskins have to be thankful that their next opponent is the hapless Cincinnati Bengals.

The Redskins will travel to meet the one-win Bengals as a desperate team trying to repair postseason hopes that have begun to collapse considerably during a 1-4 stretch of football.

Since finishing the first half of the season at a surprising 6-2, Washington (7-6) has slid out of postseason position, with the struggles of a flagging offense ranking as the most obvious problem for Jim Zorn's team.

In its four most recent losses - to the Steelers (23-6), Cowboys (14-10), Giants (23-7), and Ravens (24-10) - Washington has scored a total of 33 points, with last week's frustrating offensive display in Baltimore leading at least one member of the team to question his offensive role publicly.

Running back Clinton Portis, once on a short list of NFL MVP candidates, has combined for just 54 yards on 22 carries in the past two weeks and found himself on the sideline for an extended portion of last Sunday night's loss.

Portis subsequently went on local radio and expressed frustration with that status, saying sarcastically of Zorn, "We got a genius for a head coach, I don't know, I'm sure he on top of things. He's got everything figured out. Hey, that's up to him. All I can do is when he calls a play is go out and try to execute to the best of my ability."

Portis backed off of the comments on Wednesday, when both he and Zorn said that the fence between coach and player had been mended, but the fact remains, with the Redskins a game out of the final playoff slot and trying to salvage a once-promising season, that the team needs a win in the worst way, and soon.

Enter the Bengals, who fell to 1-11-1 with a horrid 35-3 loss at Indianapolis last season, a defeat that kept Cincinnati within reach of its worst season in franchise history. The organization has never suffered through a one-win campaign, with its worst showing coming in the 2-14 season of 2002, and will need to beat the Redskins, Browns (12/21) or Chiefs (12/28) to avoid finding new depths in that regard.

The man trying to put the team in the win column for the second time this year will be quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who is just 1-7-1 in place of the injured Carson Palmer and has presided over an attack that ranks last in the league in total offense (233.9 yards per game) and scoring offense (11.8 points per game).

Sunday could mark Fitzpatrick's last chance to lead Cincinnati to victory, as earlier this week it was revealed that Palmer could return for one of the club's final two games.

Palmer has been sidelined since Week 5 with a partially torn ulna collateral ligament in his throwing elbow, and has consulted numerous specialists in the interim while trying to assess the best approach to handling the injury. It had long been believed that Palmer would be placed on season-ending injured reserve with the ailment, but specialists have determined that the USC product's elbow will not require surgery, and he has been rehabbing the injury with an eye toward a possible return this year.

SERIES HISTORY

Washington holds a 4-3 advantage in its all-time series with Cincinnati, but was a 17-10 home loser in the most recent meeting, in 2004. The Redskins won the previous matchup, a 34-27 affair at Riverfront Stadium in 1991. Cincinnati's most recent home win over Washington occurred in 1988.

Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis is 1-0 in his career against the Redskins, for whom he served as defensive coordinator in 2002, while Washington's Zorn will be meeting both Lewis and Cincinnati for the first time as a head coach.

WHEN THE REDSKINS HAVE THE BALL

Clearly, if the Redskins wish to make a late postseason push, they'll have to fix an offense that has dropped into a tie for 28th in scoring (16.8 points per game) and has had particular trouble capitalizing in the red-zone. Getting Portis (1260 rushing yards, 7 TD, 26 receptions) on track will likely be the most important goal for the attack on Sunday, but Jason Campbell (2778 passing yards, 11 TD, 6 INT) and the recently deficient passing game will need to make some strides as well. After looking like a Pro Bowl candidate during the first half of the season, Campbell has now thrown just three touchdown passes versus six interceptions during the team's 1-4 stretch, and has not shown as much chemistry with top wideouts Santana Moss (61 receptions, 5 TD) and Antwaan Randle El (48 receptions, 3 TD) or tight end Chris Cooley (67 receptions, 1 TD). Randle El had a game-high five catches for 47 yards and the team's only touchdown in Baltimore last week, while Moss grew closer to his first 1,000- yard season since 2005 with 48 yards worth of receptions. Campbell has been sacked 34 times on the year, a total that is sure to grow with left tackle Chris Samuels (triceps) out for the year and his right-side opposite, Jon Jansen (knee), doubtful for Sunday with a knee problem.

Defense has not been Cincinnati's highest-profile problem this season, but for a team that ranks 24th in total defense (348.2 yards per game), 22nd against the pass (222.3 yards per game), 23rd against the run (125.8 yards per game) and 31st in sacks (13), it has hardly been a credit either. A battered coverage group that retains only cornerback Leon Hall (59 tackles) from its opening day secondary didn't have much of a chance against Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning last week, as the future Hall-of-Famer shredded them for 277 yards on 26-of-32 passing with three touchdowns and nary an interception nor a sack. No active member of the Cincinnati defense has more than two sacks on the season, and no Bengal has any more than one interception all year. The run-stopping effort has been slightly better, with veteran middle linebacker Dhani Jones (95 tackles, 1 INT), outside LB Rashad Jeanty (85 tackles), and promising rookie tackle Pat Sims (28 tackles, 1 sack) all having their moments. Jones had a game-high nine tackles in Indianapolis last week.

WHEN THE BENGALS HAVE THE BALL

Though Fitzpatrick (1512 passing yards, 6 TD, 9 INT) has offered Cincinnati something of a spark with his ability to run (236 rushing yards, 1 TD), there is no disputing that he is a far cry from Palmer in his ability to throw the football downfield. The Harvard product has just a 66.9 passer rating in relief of Palmer, and Cincinnati's once-proud aerial attack has dropped to 30th (155.5 yards per game) with Fitzpatrick at the helm. Part of the problem is the dismal work of an offensive line that has surrendered a bloated 48 sacks on the year, and another is the occasional disinterest shown by top receivers T.J. Houshmandzadeh (89 receptions, 4 TD) and especially former Pro Bowler Chad Johnson (50 receptions, 4 TD). Houshmandzadeh ranks among NFL leaders in catches, and had eight grabs totaling 75 yards in Indianapolis last week, but a great number of his numerous catches have had little impact on Cincinnati's results. The running game, which has a league low four rushing touchdowns on the year, hasn't added much value either. Cedric Benson (392 rushing yards, 1 TD, 15 receptions) has been the team's top rusher for most of the season, but is averaging just 3.0 yards per carry and has found the end zone only once all year.

Fitzpatrick and the offense could have some trouble showing improvement on Sunday while going up against a Washington "D" that ranks fifth in the league as Week 15 begins (282.8 yards per game), including 10th against the run (95.2 yards per game) and seventh versus the pass (187.7 yards per game). Houshmandzadeh and Johnson could have an opportunity to make some plays downfield, however against a Redskins defense that lists cornerback Shawn Springs (22 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) and strong safety Chris Horton (65 tackles, 3 INT, 1 sack) as questionable for Sunday with a calf and shoulder issue, respectively. Cornerbacks Carlos Rogers (50 tackles, 1 INT) and DeAngelo Hall (9 tackles, 2 INT) figure to have some of the responsibility for slowing the Cincinnati wideout corps, with LaRon Landry (56 tackles, 2 INT) and Mike Green (13 tackles) helping out over the top. The Redskins have one of the least productive pass rushes in the league, having notched just 19 sacks on the year including one from perennial Pro Bowl end Jason Taylor (22 tackles). Unheralded Demetric Evans (25 tackles, 3.5 sacks) is the Skins' leader in sacks. The front seven has done a nice job against the run, with middle linebacker London Fletcher (112 tackles) and outside man Rocky McIntosh (79 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT) ranking as the team's top tacklers and Cornelius Griffin (24 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) making a regular impact from his defensive tackle spot.

FANTASY FOCUS

Owners of Portis have to be thrilled that the opponent is the defensively- challenged Bengals, and it does not appear that the running back's minor rift with his head coach will have an adverse affect on his opportunities. Start him, and also consider using Campbell, depending on who your other quarterback is. Cooley has had his quiet weeks this year but will probably get some chances here, and the same goes for Moss. The Redskins defense isn't a big playmaking group but has held many opponents to a low total, and another stifling performance is a distinct possibility here. Washington kicker Shaun Suisham is average at best as a fantasy option.

Apart from Houshmandzadeh, stay far, far away from any Bengals this week. The wideout always seems to get his numbers, but it's unlikely that any other Cincinnati player will have a huge day.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

The Redskins have struggled mightily on offense of late, but a major reason for the sputtering has been the quality of the defenses the team has faced. Washington will move the ball with more consistency against Cincinnati, which doesn't rush the passer or stop the run in the manner that the Ravens, Giants, or Steelers did. Get the Redskins defense a couple of touchdowns, and this one will be all but over. The Bengals attack hasn't gotten out of its own way in some time, and it doesn't appear that that will change against a Washington defense that remains stout.

My Sportsbook Predicted Outcome: Redskins 21, Bengals 10