Defense propels Redskins

TAMPA, Fla. - Joe Gibbs' teams always had a knack for peaking at the right time, and these Washington Redskins are no different.

With the Hall of Fame coach back in the playoffs for the first time in 13 years, the Redskins - at least on defense - looked like a Super Bowl contender again in beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 17-10, in the NFC wild card round Saturday.

The victory was the sixth in a row for the Redskins, who won despite gaining only 120 yards on offense - the lowest total for a winning team in a postseason game since the Baltimore Ravens had 134 yards in a 24-10 victory at Tennessee on Jan. 7, 2001, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

"It's been a tough fight these last six weeks," said linebacker Marcus Washington, who recovered a fumble and had a fourth-quarter interception. "We ain't ready to go home yet, so we're going to keep sawing wood."

LaVar Arrington's interception set up Clinton Portis' 6-yard touchdown run, and Sean Taylor returned a fumble 51 yards for another first-quarter score for the Redskins, who rebounded from a three-game losing streak to win five in a row to get into the playoffs.

Taylor was later ejected for spitting in the face of the Buccaneers' Michael Pittman, further depleting an injury-riddled defense that held off two Tampa Bay scoring threats in the closing minutes, including a near catch in the end zone by Edell Shepherd that could have tied the game with just less than 3 minutes to go.

John Raoux/associated pressTampa Bay's Edell Shepherd almost caught the game-tying touchdown vs. Washington's Carlos Rogers, but it was ruled that he dropped it.