Redskins: 7-1 to No Playoffs

The Washington Redskins’ playoff hopes, which once seemed so solid, disappeared in the desert Sunday when Arizona’s Kevin Butler kicked a 28-yard field goal as time expired to give the Cardinals a 27-26 victory in front of 34,260 at Sun Devil Stadium.

The Redskins’ fourth straight loss and sixth in the past seven games eliminated them from playoff contention and gave NFC wild-card berths to the Minnesota Vikings, who defeated Tampa Bay on Sunday, and the Philadelphia Eagles, who defeated the New York Jets on Saturday.

The Redskins (8-7) can finish no better than tied with Minnesota (9-6) and Philadelphia (9-6), and they would lose the tiebreaker because their conference record is the worst of the three teams.

The Redskins, who were 7-1 halfway through the season, finish it against the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday in the last scheduled game at RFK Stadium. The Redskins’ only motivation is the chance for their first winning record since 1992--and pride.

But Sunday was all about disappointment and mistakes.

A fumbled snap by Redskin quarterback Gus Frerotte was returned for a disputed Arizona touchdown in the first half. The Cardinals took a 24-23 lead early in the fourth quarter after a controversial call on a Washington punt attempt that was ruled a fumble.

After the Redskins regained the lead, 26-24, with 7:14 left in the fourth quarter, a face-mask penalty on third and 16 against Redskin defensive tackle Romeo Bandison kept alive Arizona’s game-winning drive.

“I have absolutely, positively no idea what happened to us today as well as in the second half of the season,” Redskin linebacker Marvcus Patton said. “It’s unbelievable. It is so unbelievable. At one point, we were sitting 7-1 and could have back-pedaled into the playoffs. The next minute, we’re 8-7. I just don’t understand how we let it slip away, but we did--obviously.”

Ironically, this was the first time all season that the Redskins’ 30th-ranked defense held an opponent to fewer than 100 yards rushing. Leeland McElroy led Arizona with 59 yards on 18 carries. Quarterback Kent Graham completed 20 of 46 passes for 232 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Arizona (7-8) was eliminated from playoff contention Saturday.

For the second week in a row in a crucial loss, Frerotte had season highs for completions (22) and attempts (40) for the third-highest yardage total (258). Frerotte had no interceptions, but also no touchdown passes. If the Redskins had converted even one of Scott Blanton’s four field goals into a touchdown, they might be preparing for a meaningful season finale.

“We had opportunities in all three phases, but we didn’t quite get it done,” Coach Norv Turner said.

In the fourth quarter, Tommy Bennett got through the Redskin punt protection and arrived as punter Matt Turk swung his leg to kick the ball. Bennett hit Turk’s leg and the ball bounced away. Redskin James Jenkins picked up the ball and ran 30 yards for an apparent first down. But the officials ruled that Turk never struck the ball, and thus it qualified as a fumble.

A fumble by the offense on fourth down only can be advanced by the player who fumbles. The Redskins contended that because Arizona’s Ron McKinnon appeared to touch the loose ball, Jenkins’ recovery and run should stand. Turk said afterward that he couldn’t be sure if his foot touched the ball.

“It was bouncing around there and I don’t know, thinking back, if a Cardinal player ever touched it,” referee Dale Hamer told a pool reporter. “The only way the Washington player would have been allowed to advance it is if a Cardinal player would have picked it up and if he had fumbled it. But it will be a fumble until possessed but it was never possessed by anybody other than the Washington player.”

The ruling gave Arizona the ball at the Redskins 37. Three plays later, Graham had all day to find Frank Sanders for a 21-yard score and a 24-23 Arizona lead.

The Cardinals took advantage of a blown call to take a 14-3 lead in the second quarter. Frerotte, thinking too much about Arizona’s blitz, pulled away from center Jeff Uhlenhake and fumbled. Defensive tackle Eric Swann recovered and, though replays showed both his knees were down, pitched the ball to Jamir Miller, who ran the final 26 yards for a touchdown.