It's Still Too Early to Judge the Redskins

DID I MISS the memo that said the football season had been canceled in the nation's capital?

Never has excitement been so muted entering the second week of the season in Redskins Nation.

It's like all the air was let out of the balloon in the first quarter of last week's loss to the Giants.

Now there is a silent acceptance that Jason Campbell is somehow a bad fit for the West Coast offense and this is a lost year.

To anyone who feels this way: The Redskins are only 0-1. Relax. Not all is lost.

We don't know anything about this team yet.

I suspect that Washington — which last year made the playoffs only through extraordinary circumstances after the death of Sean Taylor — is not a very good team, but any regular reader of this column knows how often I've been wrong.

Here's what I know: Based on a coach's first game in D.C., Richie Petitbon would be in the Hall of Fame. Remember how a thrilling victory over Dallas turned into a 4-12 season?

An aging offensive line and powerless defensive line may do more to undermine the Redskins' fortunes than Jim Zorn's time-management issues. We just don't know yet.

A win Sunday against the New Orleans Saints would make all right with the world at Redskins Park.

There's plenty of time for gloom and doom if Dan Snyder really made the wrong pick with Zorn. For now, though, take a deep breath and wait for the season to play out.

Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post