The Sports Xchange
Nov 29, 2015
WASHINGTON -- Quarterback Kirk Cousins passed to wide receiver DeSean Jackson for one touchdown and sneaked in for another, and the Washington Redskins held on to defeat the New York Giants 20-14 on Sunday to pull into a first-place tie atop the NFC East.
The Redskins led 20-0 early in the fourth quarter before Giants quarterback Eli Manning threw two touchdown passes.
Cousins completed 20 of 29 passes for 302 yards for the Redskins (5-6), who avenged a Week 3 loss to the Giants (5-6). Cousins wasn't sacked and didn't throw an interception.
The Redskins snapped a five-game losing streak to the Giants and won their fifth straight home game.
Manning connected with wide receiver Rueben Randle for a 40-yard touchdown pass with 10:10 left to play.
Following a Redskins punt, Manning marched New York 77 yards in 2:23 and wide receiver Odell Beckham finished it off with a circus catch for a 21-yard touchdown to make it 20-14 with 4:57 left.
Running down the left sideline, Beckham left his feet at about the two and made a diving one-handed grab as he landed in the end zone.
On third-and-5 with just over three minutes left, Cousins found tight end Jordan Reed for a 20-yard completion and the Redskins were able to kill all but the final 19 seconds.
Manning finished 26 of 51 for 321 yards, two touchdowns and a season-high three interceptions.
Nine of his completions went to wide receiver Odell Beckham for 142 yards.
New York, coming off its bye week, had 169 total yards, including 33 rushing, through three quarters.
Trailing 17-0, the Giants drove inside the Washington 10 on their first possession of the second half, but on third-and-goal from the 4, Manning's throw to Randle in the end zone was picked off by rookie cornerback Quinton Dunbar.
A Dustin Hopkins 33-yard field goal made it 20-0 with 11:36 left.
Manning saw deflected passes intercepted on New York's first two drives of the game, but Washington couldn't capitalize.
Starting at the Giants' 26 following the second turnover, Washington settled for a 51-yard Hopkins field-goal attempt that was blocked.
Thanks to a successful replay challenge on a punt that was originally ruled down at the 1, the Redskins started their next drive at the 20. They drove to the Giants' 24 and Hopkins kicked a field goal.
Already missing starters left guard Justin Pugh (concussion) and center Weston Richburg (high ankle sprain), the Giants offense lost right guard Geoff Schwartz (fractured lower leg) in the second quarter.
Following a New York punt, the Redskins started on their 37. On first down Jackson got behind two defenders, Cousins hit him at the 15 and Jackson, after four or five strides across the field at the 1, backed into the end zone for the touchdown with 10:18 left in the half.
Later, on first-and-10 at their own 20, Cousins threw a screen to running back Matt Jones, who went 45 yards down the right sideline.
Eight plays later, on fourth-and-goal, Cousins managed to just break the plane on a keeper and Washington led 17-0 at halftime.
NOTES: WR Hakeem Nicks, re-signed by the Giants during the bye week, caught one pass for 4 yards. ... Washington LB Ryan Kerrigan (two sacks) moved ahead of Monte Coleman for third place for most sacks in franchise history with 44.5. ... QB Kirk Cousins became the first Redskins quarterback with four 300-yard passing games in a season since Brad Johnson had four in 1999. ... Giants CB Prince Amukamara (pectoral) returned after missing five games and LB J.T. Thomas (ankle) was back after missing three.