LANDOVER, Md. — Missing their biggest offensive target and facing one of the NFL’s top defenses, the Washington Redskins looked as in command as they’ve been all season.
Kirk Cousins threw for 263 yards and two touchdowns, the three-headed running attack of Matt Jones, Robert Kelley and Chris Thompson combined for 231 yards and a touchdown and the Redskins ran past the Philadelphia Eagles in a 27-20 victory on Sunday.
The Redskins (4-2) put up 493 offensive yards against the Eagles (3-2), who came in allowing of 266.8 yards and 12.6 points as the league’s second-best defense.
“In spurts today I think we showed what we’re capable of. The challenge will always be to do it from the first whistle to the last,” said Cousins, who was 18 of 34. “But it was a good offensive showing because so many guys contributed and made a difference.”
Cousins rebounded when Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins intercepted him and returned it 64 yards for a touchdown, and Washington showed restraint and balance offensively without tight end Jordan Reed, who was out with a concussion. After starting the season 0-2, the Redskins have their best record through six games since 2008.
Cousins connected with Jamison Crowder on a 16-yard touchdown and with Vernon Davis on a 13-yard touchdown. Jones ran for a 1-yard touchdown and sealed the victory with a 57-yard run on third down with 1:27 left as part of his 135-yard day.
The Redskins defense made things difficult for rookie quarterback Carson Wentz, sacking him five times. Wentz was 11 of 22 for 179 yards, and the Eagles finished with 239 total yards.
“I’ve got to be better, especially late in the game,” Wentz said. “You’ve got to learn from it. It’s all about how you react and respond to losses.”
Philadelphia got its points on an 86-yard kickoff return touchdown by Wendell Smallwood, Jenkins’ interception return and two field goals by Caleb Sturgis. The Eagles opened the season with three victories before losing two consecutive.
After his touchdown, Davis mimicked a jump shot and treated the football like a basketball. He was flagged for excessive celebration, setting Washington back 15 yards on the ensuing kickoff.
Redskins Coach Jay Gruden showed players video of illegal celebrations, but that wasn’t on the film.
“I don’t think that’s taunting. You’re just celebrating, right?” Davis said. “All I can do is correct it next time and not shoot.”
That had a major impact as Smallwood caught the ball at the 14 and returned it 86 yards for a touchdown to get the Eagles their first points.
SEAHAWKS 26, FALCONS 24 Steven Hauschka’s 44-yard field goal with 1:57 remaining capped the 20th career fourth quarter or overtime comeback for Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson and the host Seahawks. After watching Matt Ryan blitz the Seahawks for 21 third-quarter points, it was Wilson’s turn in the fourth quarter. He led a 70-yard drive that was capped by Christine Michael’s 1-yard run with 4:47 left, but a blocked extra point by Ra’Shede Hageman still had Seattle trailing 24-23. Seattle then got a needed big play from its defense. Ryan’s pass slipped through Julio Jones’ hands, was tipped in the air by Richard Sherman and eventually landed in the arms of Earl Thomas, giving Seattle possession at midfield with 3:48 remaining. It was the first time in the game that Jones was targeted and didn’t make the catch. This time Hauschka was perfect after missing a 29-yard attempt earlier in the fourth quarter, the result of a bad snap.
DOLPHINS 30, STEELERS 15 Ben Roethlisberger missed one series because of a left knee injury and was held to 189 yards passing for visiting Pittsburgh. Jay Ajayi rushed for 204 yards and 2 scores on 25 carries for the Dolphins. The Steelers had scored 74 points in their previous two games, but were outgained 474-297. Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown, the NFL’s leading receiver, was held to four receptions for 39 yards. Teammate Sammie Coates, playing with a hand injury, didn’t have a catch. Roethlisberger had only 83 yards passing with five minutes left before he drove the Steelers 97 yards for a touchdown.
BILLS 45, 49ERS 16 LeSean McCoy scored three times and the host Bills extended their winning streak to four. McCoy had 140 yards rushing and shook off an injury to his right knee late in the second quarter. Tyrod Taylor threw two touchdown passes in helping Buffalo win four consecutive for the first time since the start of the 2008 season. Colin Kaepernick provided the 49ers a spark in his first start in nearly a year, finishing 13 of 29 for 187 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown pass to Torrey Smith.
PATRIOTS 35, BENGALS 17 Playing in his first game in Foxborough since the end of his Deflategate suspension, Tom Brady had three touchdown passes and went over 5,000 completions for his career. Brady finished 29 for 35 for 376 yards. Tight end Rob Gronkowski had seven receptions for a career-high 162 yards and a touchdown. Cincinnati dropped to 2-4 for the first time since 2010, when it finished 4-12 — its worst season under coach Marvin Lewis.
GIANTS 27, RAVENS 23 A bangedup Odell Beckham Jr. turned a short fourth-and-1 pass into a winning 66-yard catch and run with 1:24 to play as the host Giants snapped a three-game losing streak. The victory was the 700th in franchise history. Beckham gave it to the Giants with a career day despite going to the locker room with a hip pointer in the second quarter. Beckham returned before the half and made the Giants a winner with a spectacular second half. It featured a 75-yard touchdown catch and a 43-yard reception that set up one of Josh Brown’s two field goals.
LIONS 31, RAMS 28 Matt Prater made a tiebreaking, 34-yard field goal with 1:29 left and Rafael Bush followed with a victory-sealing interception two plays later. The host Lions have won two consecutive games with Prater making the winning kick and a defensive back following up with an interception on the ensuing possession.
TITANS 28, BROWNS 26 Marcus Mariota threw for 284 yards and 3 touchdowns, and the host Titans got their second victory in a row — the first time they’ve won consecutive games since the end of the 2013 season. The Titans matched their victory total for all of last season when they went 3-13 and wound up with the No. 1 draft pick overall.
JAGUARS 17, BEARS 16 Blake Bortles threw for 271 yards and hit a slipping Arrelious Benn for a 51-yard touchdown in the closing minutes for visiting Jacksonville. The Jaguars wiped out a 13-0 deficit in the fourth quarter in a matchup of last-place teams.
TEXANS 26, COLTS 23, OT Nick Novak made a 33-yard field goal in overtime to give the Houston Texans a home comeback victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Brock Osweiler threw a 36-yard pass to Jaelen Strong to get Houston to the 12 and Novak’s field goal came two plays later. Indianapolis got the ball first in overtime, but Benardrick McKinney sacked Andrew Luck on third down to force a punt. Osweiler shook off a tough start to throw two touchdown passes in less than two minutes in the fourth quarter as Houston erased a 14-point deficit to tie it at 23-23 with 54 seconds left. He found Lamar Miller on a 10-yard catch-and-run TD with 2:47 remaining and, after a stop by the defense, connected with C.J. Fiedorowicz on a 26-yarder that tied it.
Sports on 10/17/2016