Redskins

The Redskins and Vikings have one of the higher-scoring rivalries in the NFL these days. In their last three regular-season meetings, the two teams have scored a total of 181 points. The average final score was 34-26, Redskins. So what happened yesterday? What caused 17-10, Redskins? "We've had some high-scoring games against them in the past," Minnesota quarterback Wade Wilson said. "But when you get to the championship game, the defenses always rise to the occasion.

AFTER LAST WEEK, so much for my resolution not to get all hand-wringy over what ought to be easy games. Going into yesterday's action, I was doing a way better job picking outcomes for the rest of the league than I was with the Eagles, which is kind of disturbing, since I spend all week around the Eagles and about 10 minutes on sorting out all the other games. Perhaps a little knowledge really is a dangerous thing. Or maybe this team is really, really confounding. There is much here to beware.

Neshaminy's Anthony Paino was named the outstanding wrestler and Pennsbury's Chuck Connor remained unbeaten in winning the 112-pound crown in last night's championship round of the PIAA District 1 North tournament at Quakertown. Paino, who had been battling problems with his left shoulder for the better part of three seasons, shook off another painful episode to get a technical fall over Upper Merion's Larry Mazzerle in 4 minutes, 22 seconds for the 103- pound title. The Redskins, getting other individual titles from Mike Brown (125 pounds)

What distractions? Most teams would panic if they had to deal with what Downingtown West went through in the last couple of days. Standout forward Chris Harmon suffered an ankle injury during Friday's practice. The senior was unable to play in yesterday's much-anticipated boys' soccer game at Neshaminy. If losing Harmon weren't bad enough, the Whippets almost didn't make it to the game. The team bus driver got lost twice en route to Langhorne, and what should have been a 55-minute drive took them an hour and 35 minutes.

Neshaminy field hockey coach Lisa Pennington knew there was no way her team was going to lose yesterday's big Suburban One League National Conference game with Pennsbury. Even when it went into overtime, Pennington had faith. Although the Redskins' record in overtime games is not good this season - three losses and a tie - they had a couple of things going for them - playing at home for the first time this year, and junior Marlaine Schneider. Schneider backhanded a standing ball into the goal cage 1 minute, 25 seconds into the overtime period as Neshaminy defeated Pennsbury, 1-0. "Chelsea [Rota]

The Washington Redskins left open the door for waived quarterback Mark Rypien to return at a $2 million salary cut. But Rypien slammed the door shut late last night. The Redskins, in turn, today are expected to sign free-agent quarterback John Friesz, from the San Diego Chargers. "Let the Redskins go with Friesz," said Rypien's agent, Ken Staninger. "I think that's what they wanted to do all along. I talked to Mark tonight, and we wish the Redskins the best of luck. " Rypien, who was scheduled to make $3 million in 1994, requested, and was given, his release Wednesday after general manager Charley Casserly asked him to play for $1 million with no incentives.

Two things Neshaminy likes to do best are throw the football and roll out and throw the football. Saturday, at William Tennent, Neshaminy encountered something hazardous to aerial attacks - a brisk, swirling wind that made passing treacherous. Just ask Redskins quarterback David Welsh. He threw four interceptions during a 20-8 loss to the Panthers. "Sure, there was wind, but we didn't throw well," said Redskins coach John Chaump. "We made some poor choices on receivers.

Senior tailback Rob Latronica rushed for 178 yards and senior quarterback James Franklin threw for 178 as Neshaminy shut out host Truman, 28-0, Saturday in Suburban One National play. "We haven't changed our plan from the beginning of the year," said Redskins' coach John Chaump. "We like that balance between the run and pass. " Latronica, a strong 5-foot-6, 160-pounder, needed 184 yards in the game to reach the 1,000-yard mark for the season. That goal looked easily within his reach after he picked up 136 yards on 13 carries in the first half.

Although Neshaminy and Central Bucks South are no longer in the same conference of the Suburban One League - thanks to realignment - their coaches wanted to continue playing because of the usually competitive nature of their games. Yesterday, both teams left the field disappointed after battling to a 1-1 overtime tie at South. The C.B. South Titans (9-2-1) said they missed a big opportunity to knock the Redskins (11-0-1), The Inquirer's top team, from the ranks of the unbeaten.

AN ARBITRATOR upheld the NFL's salary cap reductions on the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins for this season and next. Stephen Burbank ruled Tuesday in favor of the league and dismissed the grievances by both teams. The Redskins lost $36 million over 2 years. The Cowboys lost $10 million for overloading contracts during the uncapped 2010 season despite league warnings about such maneuvering. The Cowboys and Redskins, who filed their grievances against the league and players' association, said in a joint statement they would "abide by the arbitrator's decision to dismiss.

AFTER GOING undrafted, Syracuse safety Phillip Thomas signed with the Eagles. Then people started asking him about signing with the Redskins. Reporters who covered the Eagles were queried by fans who were sure Thomas was signing in Washington. Eagles officials insisted they had signed him. At Eagles rookie camp this weekend, Thomas definitely was on the field, wearing a white No. 45 jersey. It didn't seem likely he also was finding time to participate in Washington workouts.

IF ANYONE cares, Donovan McNabb says the Redskins shouldn't select quarterback Robert Griffin III with the No. 2 pick in next month's NFL draft. "I say that because a lot of times ego gets too involved when it comes to being in Washington," McNabb told ESPN's First Take on Thursday. "Here's a guy coming out who's very talented, mobile, strong arm, we've already heard he's intelligent - football mind. Are you going to cater the offense around his talents and what he's able to do?

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - As they would prefer, the Eagles arrived at the NFL owners meetings under the radar while two NFC East rivals filed a grievance to have a combined $46 million in salary cap penalties overturned. Earlier this month, the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys were fined by the league for front-loading contracts during the uncapped 2010 season. The Redskins were hit with a $36 million penalty, and the Cowboys took a $10 million blow. The penalties will be split evenly over the next two seasons.

DENVER - With TV cameras tracking the airplane, then the silver SUV, that carried Peyton Manning to Denver Broncos headquarters Friday, the league's only four-time MVP opened his free-agency tour of NFL suitors. About 48 hours after being released by the Indianapolis Colts, Manning met with another Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Broncos vice president of football operations John Elway, and coach John Fox. The three chatted while taking a tour of the team's practice field and heading to the weight room.

Now that the NFL has uncovered a big-money bounty program for players in New Orleans, it likely will zero in on other teams Gregg Williams worked for. That means the Titans, Redskins, Jaguars, and Bills probably should all expect to hear from the league soon. Williams has admitted and apologized for running a bounty pool of up to $50,000 over the last three seasons that rewarded players with thousand-dollar payoffs for knocking targeted opponents out of games while he was the Saints' defensive coordinator.

When Paul Romanczuk woke up, with Archbishop Carroll fresh off a 28-point drubbing of Monsignor Bonner on Friday night, he wasn't sure what would get his team going Saturday morning. The turnaround, after all, was quick. When the games were initially scheduled, Romanczuk thought his Patriots would play back-to-back night games. Instead, because of a weather-induced scheduling change, the Pats were forced into a 12:45 p.m. tipoff at Lower Merion. Two games in 17 hours. "It's difficult," said Romanczuk, Carroll's head coach.

Andy Reid didn't sound like a coach on his way out. Not that he's gone there. "I'll think about it," Reid said of his future, "when I want to think about it. " And following a 34-10 whipping of the Washington Redskins before a crowd that filled only three fourths of Lincoln Financial Field, Reid decided that now was not the time to think about it. But it's a question that has been asked with increasing furor since the Eagles...

Maybe 2012 will be better. The Eagles and Redskins both hope so. Neither made progress toward their goals in 2011. The Eagles, coming off a 10-6 season and NFC East title, enter the final week of this campaign with just seven wins and no chance at the playoffs. The Redskins have five victories to show for 2011. The best they can do this season is match the six wins they had the year before. They will again finish at the bottom of the division. Andy Reid's team has at least shown some life, winning three straight games for the first time all season.