A blast from the past

While I've spent the last two days covering debates around affordable housing and health care, I've missed out on important things, like going over and over how the Redskins lost on Sunday.

Well, the clock just hit Wednesday so I guess I have to look ahead to Arizona. Washington opened as a 6-point favorite and the line has already moved to 8 or 9 along the strip.

Guess thirds-string QB Tim Rattay isn't striking fear in the hearts of America's football gamblers. And hey 'skins fans? Guess who will back in town to back-up Rattay? It appears the Cards are clearing a roster spot to sign Tim Hasselbeck.

You may remember him from such Steve Spurrier-era disasters as a 27-0 loss to Dallas in which he finished with a passer rating of 0.0 and a 31-7 home loss to the Eagles.

Speaking of 2003, like this year, the Redskins started 3-1. Then they lost a close road game (at Philly 27-25 after they failed to convert a two-point conversion) before the season unraveled and they finished 5-11.

Not that I expect them follow that pattern this year, but I'm a little worried about the state of the offensive line, and in turn, what that does to the rest of the offense. They are not running the ball like they did last year, particularly in the second half of games.

Team officials expect the line to be in dire straits again this weekend, Jason La Canforna writes in Tuesday's Post. Expect updates later this week.

--Nate Sandstrom

NFL QB Revenge Weekend

Three NFL quarterbacks will have a chance to get back at the teams that got rid of them this weekend.

None will likely be more motivated than Daunte Culpepper in his return to Miami. Billed as the answer and then the problem in his one season with the 'Phins, it was kind of convenient that McCown got injured before this game to elevate Daunte as the starter. Should be an interesting game, partly because both teams' highly-touted D's have played so poorly. I wouldn't want to touch a line of Miami -4. Pick: Miami 27 Oakland 21.

In Atlanta, fans are wishing that Vick's idiot cousin or whoever it was had been popped for selling drugs a few weeks earlier. Despite his bad rep, Harrington has a passer rating of 90.6 this season.

But Schaub is over 100, and Texans fans for the first time can dream of the playoffs.

Atlanta outyardaged the Panthers by more than 100 last weekend but still lost. This still strikes me as a good spot for Atlanta, but in this matchup, I'll take Houston. Pick: Houston 20 Atlanta 16

Finally, the Browns' Derek Anderson gets another shot at the team who drafted him, even though Jamal Lewis is the one really fired up to get back at the Ravens. The Ravens should have lost on this trip last year. Pick: Cleveland 27 Baltimore 23


Bonus revenge comes in the Pittsburgh-Arizona game. Former Steelers coaches Ken Whisenhunt and the snubbed Russ Grimm will have their Cardinals ready for the Steelers, who have run over all comers thus far. Before the year I marked this down as a Cards win, but I'm less confident now. Hines Ward was listed as doubtful today. Pick: Arizona 23 Pittsburgh 19

--Nate Sandstrom

Worst to First

One of my great childhood sports memories is the 1991 worst-to-first World Series between the Minnesota Twins and Atlanta Braves.

It's not such a special thing in the NFL, especially in the typically putrid NFC.

Each NFC team that finished last in their division last season has started this year in the thick of things.

The Bucs, 'skins and Lions are each 2-1, while Arizona is 1-2, but both their losses are by just three points.

Since the NFC went from three to four divisons in 2002, six teams have gone from last to first the following season -- a rate of 37.5%. Even more interesting, it has happened in the NFC South each year. Atlanta and New Orleans will really be racing for the bottom.

That trend may continue. Of the four teams that finished last in their divisions in 2006, I think the Bucs, who may have their best defense since the Dungy years, have the best chance to win in 2007. I think the others could make a run, but I consider Dallas, Green Bay and Seattle far ahead of them.

--Nate Sandstrom