tranny woes

It sounds like a shifter adjustment to me. If you are in between 2nd and 3rd it will act just like that slowing the car down. I bet your car is not all the way in Reverse. I would move the shift adjustment no more than 1/8 of an inch…. Probably less would do it…. If that is what the problem is.

If that is not it. Your front clutch pack is toast.