HYATTSVILLE, Md— .It was a playoff rematch billed for prime-time television. Almost 11 months ago, the Washington Redskins crumbled through 60 minutes at the hands of the Green Bay Packers in the first round to end their surprising 2015 season. Just 10 weeks ago, the Redskins couldn’t handle the national stage in a season-opening blowout loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On Sunday night, the Redskins grew up on the national stage. They received contributions from both sides of the ball to produce their most resounding win of the season, defeating the Packers, 42-24, at FedEx Field.
Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers traded haymakers in the fourth quarter, accumulating 34 combined points in the final 15 minutes. Green Bay cut into Washington’s 12-point lead, 22-10, on the first play of the final quarter when Rodgers connected with running back James Starks, who sneaked out of the backfield on a delayed route and went untouched on a 31-yard touchdown reception. Cousins responded on the ensuing drive with a 70-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Pierre Garcon just 26 seconds later.
Rodgers followed a six-play, 75-yard touchdown drive with an eight-play, 82-yard drive that ended with the same result. He fired a six-yard pass to tight end Jared Cook, who beat safety Will Blackmon in one-on-one coverage on the slant, for his third touchdown pass.
That set up Washington’s 11-play drive to seal its sixth win in eight games. Redskins Coach Jay Gruden opted to go for it on fourth and one at Washington’s 41, and Cousins gained two yards on the sneak to extend the drive. He threw another pass to wide receiver Jamison Crowder, who was open in the middle of the field for a 53-yard gain. Kelley ended the drive on a one-yard touchdown, one of three scores for the undrafted rookie. He scored another touchdown, from four yards out with less than three minutes left, to put the game away. Kelley gained 137 rushing yards on 24 carries, averaging 5.7 yards per attempt.
Cousins finished 21 of 30 for 375 yards with three touchdowns and a 145.8 passer rating in one of the best performances in his career. He matched the efforts from Rodgers, who finished 26 of 41 for 351 yards with three touchdowns and a 115 passer rating. Neither quarterback threw an interception.
The Redskins led 13-10 at halftime following Kelley’s 10-yard touchdown run with 39 seconds left in the first half. Chris Thompson failed to convert on the two-point attempt, as Washington opted to run a play instead of attempting the extra point to seek a four-point lead. The Redskins dealt with windy conditions in the east end zone and a new long snapper, Rick Lovato, that would’ve made for a more challenging point after touchdown on a day in which an NFL-record 11 extra points were missed. Packers place kicker Mason Crosby later missed a 36-yard field goal wide left towards the east end zone during the third quarter, and Hopkins missed an extra point late in the fourth quarter to justify Gruden’s decision.
The touchdown drive gave Washington the lead in a second quarter that felt strikingly similar to the first-round playoff matchup last year up until that point. The Redskins dominated the first quarter, like they did in the playoffs, before giving away the lead. They forced Rodgers into three straight three-and-outs to start the game for the first time in his career, according to NFL Research. Green Bay gained just nine yards on its first nine plays, and that resulted in three punts as Washington’s defensive line controlled the trenches in the opening quarter.
Cousins struck first on a 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who was listed as questionable because of a shoulder injury. The score capped an eight-play, 55-yard drive in which Cousins was 5 of 6 for 48 yards.
The Packers responded with 10 unanswered points in the second quarter. They tied the game at 7 on a 17-play, 75-yard drive that ended on Rodgers’s 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jordy Nelson, who lost control of the ball once cornerback Josh Norman poked it out. It was still ruled a touchdown after review. Crosby later drilled a 36-yard field goal to give Green Bay its first lead with less than four minutes left before halftime.
Washington’s defense couldn’t maintain its first-quarter performance, allowing 424 total yards in the victory, but it came through with two turnovers late in the game to avoid a late collapse. Norman stripped Cook on a six-yard reception, and linebacker Will Compton recovered the loose ball with about three minutes left to set up Kelley’s third touchdown. Martrell Spaight added an interception with 1:31 left.
The Redskins will now have a quick turnaround to prepare for their Thanksgiving contest against the Dallas Cowboys, who sit atop the NFC East at 9-1 after beating the Baltimore Ravens. Washington won’t practice this week as a result of the difficult stretch and instead will opt for two walkthroughs before taking off for Dallas on Wednesday.
