The Sports Xchange
Nov 21, 2016
LANDOVER, Md. -- Kirk Cousins passed for 375 yards and three touchdowns, Robert Kelley rushed for 137 yards and three scores, and the Washington Redskins defeated the Green Bay Packers 42-24 on Sunday night at FedEx Field.
Pierre Garcon caught six passes for 116 yards and one touchdown, and Jamison Crowder had 102 yards and a touchdown on three catches for Washington (6-3-1), which has won six-of-eight after opening with two losses.
The Redskins play at East Division-leading Dallas (9-1) on Thanksgiving.
Slumping Green Bay (4-6) has lost four straight -- allowing 153 points -- and sits two games behind Minnesota and Detroit in the NFC North.
Aaron Rodgers passed for 351 yards and three touchdowns on what seemed like a November night at Lambeau Field with a game-time temperature of 37 degrees that felt like 27 with the wind. Jared Cook caught six passes for 105 yards and a touchdown.
Leading 29-24, Cousins (21 of 30, no interceptions) found Crowder for 53 yards to the Green Bay 1-yard line with 4:20 left, and Kelley bulled in to ice it as Washington got a small measure of revenge for last season's 35-18 home loss to Green Bay in a wild-card playoff game.
In the span of three second-half plays, Cousins threw two long touchdown passes against Green Bay's banged-up secondary.
Washington faced a third-and-11 from the Green Bay 44 late in the third quarter when Cousins found Crowder behind cornerback Quinten Rollins for the touchdown. The two-point conversion failed and the Redskins led 22-10 after three.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Rodgers dumped a pass off to the right to James Starks, and with no Redskins on that side of the field, Starks rambled 31 yards, pulling Green Bay to within 22-17.
It took Cousins just two plays to get it back. On second-and-5 from the 30, he found Garcon behind LaDarius Gunter at the Packers 30 and Garcon covered the rest for a 70-yard score.
Rodgers' 6-yard touchdown pass to Jared Cook made it 29-24 Redskins with 10:04 left.
After Green Bay's third straight three-and-out to start the game, the Redskins went 55 yards in eight plays. Cousins was 5 of 6 for 51 yards on the drive and capped it with a 17-yard scoring pass to DeSean Jackson, back after sitting out one game with a shoulder injury.
Green Bay responded with a 17-play, 75-yard drive to tie it. Rodgers completed nine passes and Washington provided an assist. On fourth-and-7 at the Redskins 38, Rodgers' pass was incomplete, but Bashaud Breeland was called for a hands-to-the-face penalty, giving the Packers a fresh set of downs.
On third-and-goal from the 13, Rodgers found Jordy Nelson in the back of the end zone. Nelson caught the ball and it was knocked free by Josh Norman. The play was ruled a touchdown on the field and upheld after a review, giving Nelson his ninth touchdown catch.
After Mason Crosby's field goal made it 10-7 Green Bay, Cousins drove the Redskins 75 yards in 2:58 and Kelley's 10-yard run with 39 seconds left in the half gave Washington the lead. Facing a strong wind, the Redskins tried for a two-point conversion but failed.
NOTES: Packers LB Clay Matthews (hamstring) returned after missing three games and TE Jared Cook (ankle) saw his first action since Week 3. ... Redskins WR DeSean Jackson (shoulder) was back after missing one game. ... With his second-quarter sack, Washington's Ryan Kerrigan joined Jared Allen, Derrick Thomas, DeMarcus Ware and Reggie White as the only players to register at least 7.5 sacks in each of his first six NFL seasons. ... Jordy Nelson (58) moved into sole possession of third place on the Packers' all-time touchdown receptions list.