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PRO FOOTBALL BILLS 17, REDSKINS 16 result doubles sense of loss
Redskins vs. Bills
Date published: 12/3/2007
BY ADAM HIMMELSBACH
LANDOVER, Md.--The Redskins' defense took the field, and Sean Taylor was everywhere.
His face was on hand-made signs. His number was on thousands of white towels that were waved by thousands of fans. His name was on a makeshift memorial that sprouted outside FedEx Field.
And then the Redskins honored their former teammate silently.
The players ran to their positions, and as the Buffalo Bills' offense took its first snap, Taylor's free safety spot remained empty. It was a moment almost lost amid all the others.
"I think it was important for us to know that Sean was with us one last time," said Taylor's replacement, Reed Doughty, who stood on the sideline for the opening play. "He'll always be with us."
For the rest of that drive, cornerback Fred Smoot stole glances toward Taylor's old position. Then he started crying, the tears hidden behind his facemask.
During timeouts, defensive end Phillip Daniels looked into the crowd to read signs held by fans wearing No. 21 jerseys. He choked back tears.
Taylor, 24, died last Tuesday, one day after he was shot during an attempted burglary at his Miami-area home.
On Wednesday, Taylor's father, Pedro, went to Redskins Park and told the players to win their next five games for his son.
And for a time yesterday, it looked like Washington would take the first step. But the Bills would not allow a storybook ending.
Buffalo trailed by two points when kicker Ryan Lindell lined up for a 51-yard field goal with eight seconds left. Redskins coach Joe Gibbs called a timeout to ice the kicker. Then he called another, which is against the rules.
The resulting 15-yard penalty gave Lindell a 36-yard try, and with a cold and steady rain falling, he popped it through the uprights, giving Buffalo a 17-16 victory.
"It was like your heart dropped all the way to your feet," quarterback Jason Campbell said.
The fans rolled up their signs and posters and shuffled quietly toward the exits and into the cold night. Some of the players gathered near midfield for a prayer.
For the Redskins (5-7), there was a sense that while the loss hurt, it was nothing compared to the last six days.
Date published: 12/3/2007
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