The Redskins were two different teams in 2007. They were the team that followed an ugly 5-11 season in 2006 by losing four in a row to drop to 5-7 and the verge of elimination from the playoff race when they faced the Chicago Bears on Dec. 6, just four days after Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs committed a timeout gaffe in the final seconds of a loss to the Buffalo Bills and just three days after the funeral of murdered star safety Sean Taylor.
Quarterback Jason Campbell, who had made 20 straight starts, suffered a season-ending dislocated kneecap against the Bears.
And yet, against all odds, the Redskins rallied behind backup quarterback Todd Collins, who shook off a decade of rust to lead convincing victories over the Bears, the eventual Super Bowl champion Giants,...