Rivera becomes rallying cry

FROM WHERE I’M SITTING

PLUCKY PLAYCALLING

You can question whether coach Ron Rivera’s gutsy fourth and 1 call was really that daring, but it certainly put faith and encouragement in his young, inexperienced team.

In 2007, the then-Washington Redskins were limping along at 5-6 after 11 games in Joe Gibbs’ fourth season of his second stint as coach. You wouldn’t have bet a stick of gum on their chances of making the playoffs.

And then something unthinkable happened.

On November 26, star safety and team leader Sean Taylor, recovering from a mild knee injury that kept him from playing, was shot in his Florida home during a burglary attempt. He died the following day.

As scheduled, on December 2, the Redskins, reeling and in understandable shock, hosted Buffalo. Five field goals and safety gave the Bills a 17-16 victory in a game Washington led, 16-8, in the fourth quarter.

Yet from there Washington rattled off four wins in a row, not losing until a seemingly lopsided 35-14 playoff verdict that frankly turned on a dropped sure pick-six interception by Carlos Rogers with the Redskins ahead by a point.