LANDOVER, Md. -- All of a sudden the Washington Redskins need help to return to the playoffs.With their focus turning to a visit to Chicago after a 26-15 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Monday night, the Redskins know full well they need to get back on track and hope for the best. They need the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers to slip to have any chance of making the postseason.We put ourselves in this position, so we cant sit here and feel sorry for ourselves, left tackle Trent Williams said. Obviously were not in the drivers seat anymore and were going to need some help, but that all doesnt matter if we dont take care of our business.A 2-of-12 showing on third down, two turnovers and a running game coach Jay Gruden deemed atrocious cost the Redskins (7-6-1) control of their playoff destiny. Games remain at the Bears (3-11) and home against the New York Giants, but theyll be scoreboard-watching plenty.The 8-6 Packers host Minnesota and visit Detroit, and the 8-6 Buccaneers visit New Orleans and host Carolina.I hate being in this position where you got to wait for teams to win, this team needs to lose, defensive end Ricky Jean Francois said. I hate being in that position because (Monday night) we could have controlled our own destiny now we need help from another team and I hate being in that position but we put ourselves in that hole and now we have to dig ourselves out.Some other things we learned from the Panthers victory over the Redskins:STEWART SOARS: Jonathan Stewart ripped through the Redskins for a career-high 132 yards rushing on 25 carries. It was a performance the Panthers had been waiting for all season, and it came with the veteran at less than 100 percent.Stew was just typical Stew, quarterback Cam Newton said. He did an unbelievable job this week. He came in and wasnt in his best health. He had some kind of contusion in his leg. The trainers did an unbelievable job of getting him back on the field.For him to perform like that, thats the type of play were going to need from him moving forward. Hes a professional. That type of run game kind of sets the tone.COUSINS STRUGGLES: Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins had one of his worst games of the season, going 32 of 47 for 315 yards with an interception and a fumble.I thought he had good time to throw it for the most part, Gruden said. I think he was having trouble seeing some of the coverage and when he did see them I dont know if he just didnt have clear throws at them.LITTLE AND NONE: The Panthers (6-8) know their odds of making the postseason are, well, hardly ideal.Without a doubt its minuscule, coach Ron Rivera said, but it can happen.At this point, the best Carolina can do is finish at .500 and see if thats good enough.Our objective is to go undefeated all the way to the end of the season, defensive end Wes Horton said. Playoffs aside, we are playing for pride.NORMAN LOSES BATTLE: While Carolinas defense looked almost vintage Super Bowl caliber, former Panthers cornerback Josh Norman wanted some more action. Mostly he didnt like Newton not throwing at him.He threw that long ball to Teddy (Ginn Jr. and) he came down with it, Norman said. After that I didnt see any more of him all night. I think (offensive coordinator Mike) Shula got in his ear. 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BOSTON -- Louisville will eventually need some help to get back into the College Football Playoff conversation.In the meantime, the fifth-ranked Cardinals (7-1, 5-1 ACC) would help themselves out a lot by showing the committee they are still the dominant offense they were earlier this season.Saturdays matchup with Boston College (4-4, 1-4), which has the conferences top-ranked defense, would go a long way toward that.Despite needing a late touchdown to avoid an upset at Virginia last week, Louisville still has the nations top-ranked offense, scoring 50 points per game. Heisman Trophy candidate Lamar Jackson is also showing no signs of slacking off, with 38 total touchdowns on the season.But running back Brandon Radcliff said one thing last week taught them is that no team is going to lay down for them.We hear a lot of defenses they say are aggressive or whatnot, but we take everybody the same, he said. We cant take one opponent lightly because we could be in a dogfight in a minute.The Cardinals have won the last three meetings with the Eagles, but have split the four meetings at BCs Alumni Stadium. A Cardinals victory would mark the first time Louisville has started 8-1 since 2013.In last years meeting, which Louisville won 17-14, Boston Colleges defense was able to hold Jackson to just 15 yards on 14 carries and one rushing touchdown. It was the Cardinals defense that came up big, scoring off a 45-yard fumble return.Boston College coach Steve Addazio said he expects Jackson to be a lot more difficult to contain this year, but his team cant just focus on containing the quarterback.I think thats the problem for everybody right now, Addazio said. You have to have your focus on him, but when you do that, youre in trouuble all over the field.ddddddddddddHere are some other things to watch for on Saturday:FINDING CONFIDENCEAddazio said the biggest thing that came out Boston College breaking its ACC drought at N.C. State last week -- the Eagles first conference win since 2014 -- was that his young team gained some much-needed confidence.Its been hard and frustrating as we develop this team, but I love this team and believe in this team completely, Addazio said. While thats one game, and while we know what we have ahead of us here, we also know that what we see is real and it validates.LANDRYS WORLDThe Eagles will need a big effort from defensive end Harold Landry if they are going to slow down the Cardinals attack. Last weeks co-ACC defensive player of the week is putting up some of the best numbers of his career this season. He currently is tied for the national lead for sacks with nine, and also is tied for the NCAA lead with five forced fumbles. He has recorded 29 tackles on the year and 11 tackles for a loss.MILESTONE WATCHJackson enters the game with 3,520 yards of total offense on the season to go with 38 total touchdowns (22 passing, 16 rushing). He is 4 yards short of becoming the first quarterback in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.NUMBERS GAMEThe Cardinals have scored at least 50 points five times in 2016. BCs defense has been stout, but has let a few games get away. The Eagles lost 49-0 at Virginia Tech in September and 56-10 to Clemson last month.---More AP college football: http://collegefootball.ap.org---Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/khightower ' ' '
