It has been a magical ride

FROM WHERE I’M SITTING

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Calling this a magical season for the Washington Football Team would be ESPN-style overhyping. But no matter what happens until the end of this virus-infected campaign, 2020 will go down as perhaps the most engaging in recent team history.

You think not? Consider the Team’s 23-17 win over the previously unbeaten Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 7. Washington trailed, 14-0, to a team that rarely loses when ahead by six points or more at the half – 62-2-1 to be exact.

But a suddenly stout defense, an offense that retained, or regained, its poise, and performances by a couple of understudies in tight end Logan Thomas and receiver Cam Sims, allowed Washington to pull an upset that kept it tied for the NFC East lead with a 5-7 mark. (Yeah, we’re aware the division has, um, shortcomings.)

Then there’s 36-year-old Alex Smith, he of the shattered leg, 17 surgeries, two-year recovery and, against Pittsburgh, a bloody foot suffered when spiked by his own man. Last summer, there was much hand-wringing over why the veteran quarterback was still on the roster. Can Smith even walk after all those surgeries? Run away from NFL defensive linemen? Regain any semblance of his passing skills?