CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -At this rate you'd expect the Redskins' next opponent will be a directional school, or maybe even a Championship Subdivision team.
In a stretch that would make even cupcake-collecting college coaches blush, Washington (2-2) visits Carolina (0-3) on Sunday set to become the first NFL team in 55 years to play a winless teams in each of the first five weeks of the season.
Granted, the opener was a loss to the still unbeaten New York Giants. Since then the Redskins eked past struggling St. Louis, became the first team in 20 games to lose to Detroit and barely edged woeful Tampa Bay.
According to STATS LLC, the last team to face five winless opponents in a row was the 1954 Giants. No team has faced six straight teams without a victory, and 0-4 Kansas City sparkles on the schedule next week like a homecoming opponent.
``Oh, wow,'' Redskins running back and captain Rock Cartwright said when told of matching the 55-year-old mark. ``I mean, if that's the case, then we probably should be 4-0. But that's not the case.''
Their offense is struggling so much against the weak competition that longtime assistant Sherman Lewis was brought in this week to be an ``extra set of eyes.''
Team officials downplayed talk that's a bad sign for embattled coach Jim Zorn, whose task is to keep desperate Carolina winless.
``The hardest teams to beat are the ones that are searching for a win right now,'' Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell said. ``The reason for it is because teams feel like they are back against a wall and they tend to play with a lot more urgency and a lot harder.''
The Panthers are in that position. They've gone from NFC South champions to disarray thanks to injuries, a disappointing defense and Jake Delhomme's bushel of turnovers. They had a bye last weekend and were forced to ponder the statistic that only three teams since 1990 have made the playoffs after starting 0-3.
``As a coach and as a player in the National Football League, you're going to get beat physically sometimes,'' Panthers coach John Fox said. ``That team practices and gets paid, too. But it's when you don't execute that it drives you crazy, and we've got to get it fixed.''
It's easy to see why both teams are in such predicaments. They can't score or hold onto the ball.
The Panthers' minus-8 turnover margin is the worst in the league, with Delhomme committing 15 in his last 15 quarters dating to January's playoff loss to Arizona. The Panthers, who haven't had the dominating run game of a year ago, are averaging 12.3 points a game, 29th in the league.
Campbell threw a career-high three interceptions last week and has fumbled a league-high seven times. Washington is averaging 14 points a game, 27th in the NFL.
So maybe it's not a surprise the Panthers, despite being outscored 87-37 this season, are favored.
``We've got a lot of 0-fers that we've been playing against this year so far, but that's just part of it,'' Redskins receiver Antwaan Randle El said. ``Mark it as an underdog? Great! Keep marking us as an underdog. We'll just come out and again and focus on us and worry about us and go down and take of our business.''
The Redskins, 7-1 against the Panthers, may try to get running back Clinton Portis going against the league's worst rushing defense. Hollis Thomas, released by the winless Rams last week, is expected to become the latest to start in injured tackle Maake Kemoeatu's spot on Carolina's defensive line.
The Panthers, yielding 182.7 yards rushing a game, could get safety Chris Harris (knee) and linebacker Na'il Diggs (ribs) back Sunday in their first home game since Delhomme was booed off the field in a season-opening 38-10 loss to Philadelphia.
``It's time to reset and get ready to go,'' Delhomme said, a common theme in the locker room following the bye. ``We've got one this week and another the following and they don't stop.''
While the Redskins know they're in the soft portion of their schedule, the Panthers are entering a similar three-game stretch. After Washington they visit the Tampa Bay (0-4) and host Buffalo (1-3).
``I think if we play to our capability we should be back to .500 by then,'' said fullback Brad Hoover, expected to return after missing the Dallas loss in Week 3 with back spasms.
``I'm sure they are looking at it the same way. Anytime you see a teams that is 0-fer, you see teams that are licking their chops and wanting to kick you more while you're down.''
The Redskins have faced that scenario every week, a stretch no team has enjoyed since Eisenhower was in the White House.
``We're 2-2, so it's great to have the opportunity looking at our schedule to end up with the thought, 'Oh, they've played the easiest schedule,''' Portis said. ``I really wouldn't say our schedule was easy. But we put ourselves in this position, now we've got to dig ourselves out.''Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
