The lights went out in Landover, Md, at Fed Ex Field, at the home stadium of the Washington Redskins. The season is over to the relief of the fans. The weekly communal suffering has stopped for now. The 'Skins finished 6-10, below expectations. No serious persons, other than very loyal 'Skins fans, expected a division title, but at the beginning of the season, even the cold nosed predictors and the knowers of all thing football were calling for the 'Skins to have eight wins

Yesterday's game belonged to the New York Giants. They needed it. They got it, though the win didn't put them in the playoff, because another team, Green Bay, won its game yesterday, finishing the season with a slightly better record, and taking the last wild card berth in the NFC.

'Skins quarterback Rex Grossman, no relations? no close resemblance to the Tom Cruise fictional character Lex Grossman  -- stats yesterday weren't that bad, but weren't good enough for the win. 26 for 44 for 336 yards, two touchdown, but one interception, and he lost two fumbles. Would Donovan McNabb have done better? Well, Mike Shanahan is not among my list of good coaches. The benching of Donovan McNabb does not put a shine on his apple.

How bad was the season? It was so bad that only one player DeAngelo Hall was selected for the Pro Bowl. It was so bad that the 'Skin coach, Mike Shanahan, ranks more than a little bit below the Dallas coach, and way below terrorists in the affection of many 'Skins fans.

The 'Skin's finished the season with a 2-6 at home,  a record that is the worst in sixteen years.