Brian McNally

Redskins trying to find motivation for final game of a trying season

Within 48 hours of the final contest ending, the Redskins could have moved on from Mike Shanahan and his coaching staff and turned in a new direction. Again. Players will have packed their gear and most will have headed back to their offseason homes to lick their wounds. The question between now and then: How do you get through that final game when there is nothing at stake.

December 26, 2013

Kirk Cousins steps into ‘tough job,’ gets mixed results

Maybe Cousins plays well enough these last three weeks to boost his own trade value in a league desperate for competent quarterbacks, let alone stars at that position. But it's doubtful that's happened with these two recent performances.

December 23, 2013

Redskins notes: London Fletcher bids farewell to home fans

Fletcher was the last man off the field. Playing in what is almost certainly his final home game at FedEx Field, it was a fitting exit even if the result on the field was another blow to a proud veteran.

December 22, 2013

Tony Romo flips the script to stun Redskins

"I know he's much maligned in some of the things he's done in the past that probably cost them ballgames," said Redskins linebacker London Fletcher. "But today he made plays to win the ballgame."

December 22, 2013

Capitals rookie Tom Wilson working his way along NHL learning curve

Suddenly, playing junior hockey for the Plymouth Whalers in the Ontario Hockey League seems like a long time ago. Wilson is 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds — "a 19-year-old kid in a 40-year-old man's body," said teammate Joel Ward — and the competition in the OHL was no match for him. But for now his role with Caps is intentionally simple.

December 19, 2013

Kirk Cousins playing for more than just Redskins down the stretch

While he insists the Redskins remain Robert Griffin III's team, now and in the future, Cousins has two more opportunities this season to prove to teams around the NFL that he isn't far away from a starting job. Even Mike Shanahan, his own coach, openly acknowledges that a strong finish from Cousins could net the organization a first-round pick in a trade.

December 18, 2013

London Fletcher ‘more than likely’ retiring after season

Fletcher, 38, is in his seventh season with the Redskins and has led the team in tackles each year since his arrival in 2007. He has been selected to the Pro Bowl after each of the last four seasons, was named an All-Pro in 2011 and 2012 and led the NFL with 166 tackles in 2011.

December 18, 2013

Turnovers pile up as Redskins set season high in NFL with seven

Turnovers often spell the difference in the NFL, where parity keeps the talent level between most teams relatively even. But Washington pushed its luck on Sunday in an eventual 27-26 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

December 15, 2013

Redskins notes: Pierre Garcon continues to be a bright spot in a dismal season

Redskins wide receiver Pierre Garcon has been one of the few bright spots in a difficult season. That trend continued on Sunday in a 27-26 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Garcon finished with seven receptions on 10 targets for 129 yards. That included a 53-yard touchdown reception that pulled the Redskins within 17-14 after falling behind by two scores early.

December 15, 2013

Redskins, Falcons share record, little else

They were both division champions last season, playoff teams that figured bigger things were in store for 2013. Instead, when the Redskins and the Atlanta Falcons meet on Sunday afternoon at the Georgia Dome, the wreckage of a lost season will haunt them both.

December 14, 2013

With most of Nationals’ needs met, only in-house decisions remain this winter

Maybe the key decision for the Nats will be whether to sign starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann to a long-term contract extension. Shortstop Ian Desmond is in line for one, as well. Both players will be free agents after the 2015 season.

December 12, 2013

At MLB winter meetings, seamheads can see and be seen

Part job fair, part executive gathering, part frat party, the four-day winter meetings have it all. Thousands of baseball people, from minor-league job seekers to equipment managers, converge every December. Almost none of them leave the hotel, this year Disney's Swan and Dolphin Resort just outside Orlando.

December 11, 2013

Matt Williams doing all he can to immerse himself in Nationals organization

When the players step onto the field in Viera, Fla., for spring training in late February, it will be Williams' show. But his job this week at baseball's winter meetings is to blend into an organization that hasn't changed all that much from recent seasons.

December 10, 2013

2013 MLB winter meetings: What to watch for in Orlando

Major League Baseball's offseason often crests with its annual winter meetings, held this year in Orlando, Fla., next Monday-Thursday. With all of the sport's key executives and agents in one location, signings and trades come fast and furious. So what can we expect next week?

December 5, 2013

RG3’s relationship with Shanahans a work in progress

Mike Shanahan, Kyle Shanahan and Robert Griffin III continue to field questions about their commitment and trust in each other. It has been a theme that has dogged the Redskins since late last season when Griffin first injured his right knee.

December 4, 2013

Doug Fister addition lets Nationals rest easy with rotation

Washington has its top four starters on board for the next two seasons, a luxury few teams in the majors can boast. And with prices for even competent free-agent pitchers sky-high, that affords the Nats a nice weapon: financial flexibility.

December 3, 2013

Redskins notes: Tight end Jordan Reed suffers concussion setback

All signs pointed to Redskins tight end Jordan Reed playing on Sunday night against the New York Giants. But a pregame headache knocked Reed from the lineup, his second missed game in a row.

December 2, 2013

RG3 starts fast, but Redskins’ offense fades in loss

There is little left for Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III to say now. The playoffs long ago fell out of reach for his team. There is nothing left to play for now besides pride and teammates. Not even Griffin's best first half of the season, a 16-for-17 passing performance where almost everything he threw was on target, could take away the sting of yet another loss, this time 24-17 to the New York Giants.

December 2, 2013

Washington Redskins vs. New York Giants: 5 Questions

Five questions Washington Times writer Brian McNally has heading into Washington's Sunday night game against the New York Giants

November 28, 2013

RG3 says he’s still concentrating on the present, not the future

There are still five games left in a miserable 2013 season and it would be easy for Robert Griffin III to start planning for the offseason work that he missed last year recovering from major knee surgery. He won't give in to the temptation.

November 27, 2013