Stanford Falls to Washington, 17-13

It's nights like these that I miss VHS tapes. While I never experienced it myself, I imagine one could get great pleasure from throwing, bashing or burning a VHS tape that he wished to destroy -- a type of pleasure that selecting "Delete" on the DVR somehow fails to replicate.

I had planned to re-watch tonight's game -- a 17-13 defeat at Washington -- after returning from the bar where I gathered with a bunch of other Stanford fans to celebrate what we all hoped -- expected? -- would be an improbable 4-0 start to the season, but I can't do it. I won't do it.

Where to start?

Josh Nunes looked as if he was throwing a K-ball for much of the game, completing 18-of-37 passes for 170 yards and an interception. I know some fans were clamoring for David Shaw to put Brett Nottingham in the game in the second half, but I'm glad he stuck with his guy. As awful as he looked for much of the night, Nunes, who was making his first road start, made enough quality throws to win the game. (Why Shaw would ask his inaccurate quarterback to make a low-percentage throw on 4th and 10 with the game on the line is beyond me, but it shouldn't have come to that.) Ty Montgomery played like the offensive equivalent of Carlos Rogers, but the Redskins-version of Carlos Rogers -- the Carlos Rogers who had hooves for hands. Drops really, really hurt the Cardinal tonight.

The #partyinthebackfield was raging for most of the game, but the Stanford defense couldn't quite close the deal without its wingman, the Cardinal offense. Trent Murphy scored Stanford's only touchdown of the night on a beautiful interception and return that was probably a walk in the park compared to wrestling a steer. Jordan Williamson did his part by nailing his only two field goal attempts of the night.

Hats off to the Washington defense, which played a hell of a game and limited Stepfan Taylor to 75 yards on 21 carries. Credit should also go to UW running back Bishop Sankey, who ran for only 16 yards on 8 carries against LSU, but torched the Cardinal for 144 yards, including a 61-yard TD run on 4th and 1. The Huskies' Kasen Williams had 10 catches for 129 yards and a touchdown.

So where does the Cardinal go from here? Was this a minor hiccup, or a sign of trouble ahead? Is it time to make a change at quarterback? (I'm still thinking no, but that's subject to change if I have nightmares of Nunes passes tonight.)

Please share your miserable thoughts from this miserable game in the comments. I'm going to look for some VHS tapes to destroy.