Many news stories will point out that four of the Washington Redskins first five games have been decided on the game’s final play, and you really don’t know who will win the game. Today you just knew the Redskins weren’t going to blow this one, even though the tackles on the closing drive were Artis Hicks on the right-side and Stephon Heyer on the left-side. This one ended with a Graham Gano 33-yard field goal with 6:54 left in overtime, giving the Washington Redskins a 16-13 comeback victory over the Green Bay Packers. Gano’s kick was set up by LaRon Landry’s diving interception at the Packers 39, two penalties, and two QB sneaks by Donovan McNabb after the running game became bogged down once again.
Before Packers kicker Mason Crosby missed what would have been the game winning FG, by hitting the left upright from 53 yards out with just one second left in the game the Redskins had to overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit. The Redskins tied the game on a Graham Gano 44-yard field goal with 1:07 to play.
TOP PERFORMANCES:
Safety Kareem Moore recorded his third turnover since returning to the starting lineup, when he recovered a fumble forced by a LaRon Landry hit on TE Donald Lee in the first quarter.
Safety Laron Landry had a team high 13 tackles, a forced fumble and the interception that gave the Redskins the ball in field goal range during the overtime period.
The Washington Redskins second-half offense had been outscored by 39 points (52-13), they closed the gap by 10 points by outscoring the Packers 13-3.
Wide Receiver Anthony Amrstrong had his best game as a Redskin with three catches for 84 yards, the one to remember is either the 48 yard touchdown pass that cut the Packers lead to three or the third-down play in the fourth quarter, when McNabb’s pass to Keiland Williams was deflected in the air and Armstrong made a diving catch, then rolled for the first down.
Quarterback Donovan McNabb was sacked five time but still had a noteworthy day completing 26 of 49 attempts for 357 yards behind a line that had both starting tackles go down, a starting guard that played had to stand in at center and tackle (mainly because the guy he beat out was in-active for today’s game). On the play that he rolled out before completing a 52 yarder to Santana Moss near the end of the first half marked the fourth straight game McNabb has completed a pass for 50 plus yards.
The Redskins special teams was above average today but fail to make the list of top performers because of the damage that was done to WR Brandon Banks stats. Banks first kickoff return went for 62 yards but was called back due to a Chris Horton penalty, his final punt return of the day Banks gave the Redskins excellent field position after a 20 yard return to Green Bay’s 40 yard line but again the return was called back, this time Roydell Williams was called for a bad block. Banks wasn’t the only teamer to come through today, newly returning “Hunter the Punter” (Hunter Smith) was called on a total of eight times with the lack of a running game yet averaged a respectable 35.3 yards per punt in his first action of the season. What may go unnoticed is more than half (five) were inside the twenty. His longest was a 52 yarder in which he out kicked the coverage resulting in a 52 yard return .
MISSING IN ACTION:
The offensive line started a man short with G Derrick Dockery was placed on the in-active list prior to the start of the game, and were hit with a few in game injuries. The Redskins rushing game never showed up today. Green Bays Brandon Jackson doubled the output of the Redskins ground attack yet he only gained 115 yards on ten carries with the bulk of his yardage coming on a 71 yard dash early in the game. Starting running back Ryan Torain was held to 40 yards on sixteen carries and McNabb ran four times for ten yards. The offensive line allowed 5 sacks and McNabb ran for his live most of the game.
The Redskins and Donovan McNabb surely missed the blitz pickups that injured RB Clinton Portis seemed to supply every Sunday.
OTHER GAME NOTES:
Outside Linebacker Lorenzo Alexander had perfect coverage on the fourth down play from the 1 yard line, he knocked the ball away when Aaron Rodgers tried to toss the ball to tight end Donald Lee on a roll out in the second quarter.
The Redskins punted on seven of their first eight possessions, while the Packers’ last seven possessions ended with four punts, two missed field goals and an interception.
Today’s victory marks the first time since Weeks 7-8 of the 2008 season that the Washington Redskins have won back-to-back games
The Redskins have played in half of the NFL’s overtime games in the 2010 season.
Donovan McNabb’s 357 passing yards today marks his 29th career 300-yard game.
Today’s overtime victory is the Washington Redskins first home win over the Green Bay Packers at home since a 38-21 victory at RFK Stadium in 1979.
THE LINKS:
Game Recaps can be found around the web but here’s a good list to start with.
Cut and paste the link below into your browser address bar for NFL.com’s GameCenter
http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2010101003/2010/REG5/packers@redskins/recap#tab:recap/analyze-channels:cat-post-boxscore
Cut and paste the link below into your browser address bar for ESPN’s Wrap up
http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/19730/wrap-up-redskins-16-packers-13-ot
Cut and paste the link below into your browser address bar for ESPN’s Recap
http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=301010028
Cut and paste the link below into your browser address bar for Comcast Sports Net Instant Analysis
http://www.csnwashington.com/10/10/10/Packers-Redskins-Instant-Analysis/landing.html?blockID=328510&feedID=6355
Cut and paste the link below into your browser address bar for NFL.com’s Video Recap
http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2010101003/2010/REG5/packers@redskins/recap#tab:watch
Edit: This blog was archived in May of 2016 from our original articles database.It was originally posted by Bernie Marshall