John Matthews
WMAL.com
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ — (WMAL) Sooner or later – hopefully sooner – the Redskins are going to have to convert their Red Zone opportunities into touchdowns.
But for now, that vision of Heaven can wait.
In a game marked by two incredible long touchdown passes, four game-ending injuries to starting players, a fake punt, five Dustin Hopkins field goals and two well-timed interceptions – including one to effectively put the game on ice – the Redskins walked out of Metlife Stadium with their first win there in five years – a gritty 29-27 survival of the New York Giants.
The game was in so many ways reminiscent of the games that won the Redskins the NFC East title in 2015 – falling behind early, only to bear down and fight their way back.
“What I learned today,” cornerback Josh Norman said, “was that we got fight in us. We are fighters.”
By the time the Redskins had spotted the Giants a 21-9 first half lead, they had already lost defensive backs Bashaud Breeland and DeAngelo Hall to leg injuries, but Kirk Cousins and the offense kept the Skins in the game with a 44-yard targeted bomb to DeSean Jackson to bring Washington to within 5 points at 21-16.
Washington had a chance to pull even closer before the half, but their greed did them in. Rather than take a chip shot field goal into halftime, coach Jay Gruden called for the Skins to make one last attempt for a touchdown with six seconds left. That plan failed when Kirk Cousins fumbled on a strip sack and the clock ran out.
The second half turned into an exchange of body blows for both teams, starting with a Cousins-to-Jamison Crowder dump pass on 3rd and 15 that Crowder turned into a 55-yard gem – threading through the Giants defense to give Washington its first lead of the afternoon at 23 – 21 with 9:45 left in the third quarter.
From there, the kickers took over, with the lead changing hands four more times on field goals.
The Redskins were helped by the Giants, who provided several untimely penalties to extend Washington drives, but the Skins also helped themselves with a fine piece of trickery.
Facing fourth and 12 near midfield, the Redskins lined up for a punt, but Tress Way had other ideas. The punter floated a 31-yard pass down the left sideline into the waiting arms of cornerback Quentin Dunbar, extending a drive that ended with the Redskins’ penultimate score.
But despite the penalties and an Eli Manning interception to Dunbar in the end zone, the Giants refused to go away, even as the Redskins scored the go-ahead field goal with 1:51 to play.
Armed with two time outs and the ball at the 25-yard line, the G-Men marched the ball to the 40 before Manning, a quarterback with 28 fourth-quarter winning comebacks under his belt, threw his final pass of the day – a four-yard floater nabbed by Redskins rookie linebacker, Su’a Cravens, to effectively end the game.
“I didn’t think Eli was going to throw,” Cravens said after the game. “He looked at me and I was like, ‘Ok, I got him locked up and he still threw it. I was like ‘Alright.’ Just tried to make a play on it.”
“I don’t think it will save the season, but it’s a good start to get back on the right track,” Redskins end Chris Baker said. “We told each other, we’re not leaving New York without a victory.”
Nearly lost amid the game drama were the two story lines that had dominated the week – the showdown between Giants wideout Odell Beckham, Jr. and Redskins cornerback Josh Norman.
Beckham did manage a big day statistically, catching 7 balls for 121 yards, but Norman won the war, keeping Beckham out of the end zone. Beckham was so frustrated, he was seen taking it out on the sideline, giving himself a bruise when he swing his helmet into the kicking net, and banging the net into his forehead.
The other big story was the non-collapse of Kirk Cousins. After throwing three interceptions in the Redskins two losses, Cousins was much better Sunday, avoiding interceptions and moving the Skins down the field with ease. Cousins again had troubles with the Red Zone, but on a day when he lost Center Kory Lichtensteiger and Guard Shawn Lauvao to injuries, the Redskins signal-caller was poised and in rhythm in a victory to grow on.
The Redskins’ medical staff will have a busy week tending to injuries, but the team should have decent momentum heading into Sunday’s matchup against Cleveland. The winless Browns fell Sunday in overtime to the Dolphins in Miami, 30 – 24.
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