Cousins, Redskins overcome miscues, Giants
LANDOVER, Md. — Kirk Cousins threw two touchdown passes to compensate for a pick6, and the Washington Redskins beat the New York Giants 20-10 on Thursday on a drab field in a drab game between two injury-depleted teams that did not look ready for prime time.
The two NFC East rivals combined for more punts (nine) than points (six) in the first half, which ended 3-all on two short field goals — from 30 yards by New York’s Aldrick Rosas and 28 by Washington’s Nick Rose.
The big play on Washington’s lone scoring “drive” of the half? A 37-yard flag for pass interference on New York cornerback Ross Cockrell; the entire possession covered 38 yards.
But Cousins led Washington (56) on two TD drives in the second half, connecting with Jamison Crowder on a 15-yarder in the third quarter that broke a 3-all tie and with Josh Doctson on a 14-yarder with 3½ minutes left.
In between, cornerback Janoris Jenkins intercepted Cousins’ pass and returned the ball 53 yards to make it 10-all.
That one play involved more yardage than Eli Manning and the Giants (2-9) generated in the entire second half. They gained 47 yards and one first down. One possession end with an interception by Manning, four ended with punts, and another dissolved when they turned the ball over on downs.
This was the first time the Redskins had hosted a game on Thanksgiving, and they and the Giants didn’t treat the national TV audience to a thriller.
Given the ugliness, perhaps it was fitting that it was contested on a terrible-looking field. A large swath of brown ran down the middle, all the way from one end zone to the other.
1977 — Miami Dolphins quarterback Bob Griese sets a franchise record with six touchdown passes on the way to a 55-14 drubbing of the St. Louis Cardinals. Dan Marino equals the mark nine years later.
1994 — Detroit Lions quarterback Dave Krieg becomes the third player in league history to post more than one perfect passer rating in his career. Krieg goes 20-for-25 for 351 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-21 win over the Buffalo Bills.
1994 — Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sterling Sharpe equals a career and franchise best with four touchdown catches in a 42-31 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Sharpe finishes with nine catches for 122 yards.
1996 — Toronto Argonauts quarterback Doug Flutie throws for 302 yards and runs for 98 more in a 43-37 win over the Edmonton Eskimos in the 84th Grey Cup in Hamilton, Ontario. Flutie is named MVP of the Canadian Football League championship game to go along with his regularseason Most Outstanding Player award.
2002 — Priest Holmes racks up a career-best 307 yards from scrimmage in the Kansas City Chiefs’ 39-32 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Holmes finishes with 197 yards rushing and another 110 through the air.