Here is what you need to know on this Monday, December 10, six days before the Redskins take on the Browns in Cleveland.
More firsts
We’ve gotten used to seeing things that have never been done before with Robert Griffin III on the field for the Redskins. Now we can add a couple involving Kirk Cousins.
Trailing by eight with 29 seconds left, the Redskins scored on an 11-yard pass from Cousins to Pierre Garçon. Cousins then got the two-point conversion on a quarterback draw to tie the game at 28.
The two-point conversion has been in the NFL since 1994. Before yesterday, the Redskins had never put together an eight-point play to tie a game in the last two minutes.
They scored touchdowns in the last two minutes to pull within two twice, in Denver in 2005 with Mark Brunell at quarterback and in 2003 at Philadelphia with Patrick Ramsey at the helm. But they didn’t punch in the two-pointer in either case.
Since 1999 the latest in the game the Redskins scored six plus two to tie the game was with 7:44 left in a 2010 game in Dallas. Rex Grossman threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Chris Cooley and then Mike Sellers got the two on a pass from Grossman. That tied the game at 30-30 but the Redskins ended up losing the game 33-30
We also have this nugget from the Elias Sports Bureau. Cousins and Griffin were first pair of rookie QBs with TD passes for same team in same game since 1966.
Put into a tough spot
Cousins came into the game twice, once after Griffin first injured his knee and then again five snaps later when Griffin came out for good.
He was in a tough spot in both of those instances. The first time it was third and six at the Washington 40. Cousins went to Garçon just past the line to gain for a first down. The pass was incomplete but cornerback Chris Johnson was called for pass interference.
Griffin was flagged for intentional grounding on the play prior to Cousins’ second entrance so it was second and 20 at the Ravens’ 26. And, oh yeah, the game—and the Redskins’ season—were on the line. The Ravens, by the way, are the best team in the league when it comes to keeping teams from scoring touchdowns in the red zone.
The rookie deserves kudos not only for what he was able to do but the circumstances under which he did it.
Today’s schedule
2:30—Conference call with players TBD
3:00—Mike Shanahan news conference
The Shanahan news conference will be carried live on Comcast SportsNet and if you can’t get to a TV catch the live blog of it right here.
In case you missed it
Redskins overcome RG3 injury, beat Ravens on OT
Notebook: Morris extends rookie record but are fumbles an issue?
Days until: Redskins @ Browns 6; Redskins @ Eagles 13; Cowboys vs. Redskins at FedEx Field 20; 1st round of NFL playoffs 26
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