Scoring in the red zone against an NFL defense can be difficult. It can be much more difficult when your tight end earns a 15-yard penalty and an ejection for punching an opponent. Washington's Jordan Reed learned that lesson the hard way when he was tossed from Monday night's game for taking a quick swing at Panthers safety Kurt Coleman. The personal foul cost his team a golden opportunity at the end zone, and they ended up settling for a field goal in what turned out to be a devastating 26-15 loss.Reed hasn't received much playing time since separating his shoulder on Thanksgiving against the Cowboys. He didn't appear in the locker room after the game. Head coach Jay Gruden said he didn't see what happened and refused any further comment.Coleman gave his take on the punch: "If I knew it was coming, I would've protected myself," he said. "I didn't know. Tempers flare. Things happen in the midst of a game, which as a player you have to have the mind-set and the control to not take it to that level."It was the Panthers who played with the proper mind-set and self-control, despite the fact that they were eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday. Washington had a golden opportunity to cement a wild card spot with Tampa Bay losing the night before, but generally crapped all over their home turf against a team with nothing to play for. They now trail the Buccaneers and Packers by a half game in the race for the the NFC's sixth seed.[The Washington Post]
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