Redskins 31, Ravens 28, OT
LANDOVER, Md. -- The Washington Redskins lost sensational rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III late to a sprained right knee in the fourth quarter but still rallied to beat the Baltimore Ravens 31-28 in overtime on Sunday at FedEx Field.
Washington, which has won four straight for the first time in four years, improved to 7-6 while dealing Baltimore (9-4) a second straight loss for the first time in three years.
Rookie Richard Crawford's 64-yard punt return set up Kai Forbath's 34-yard field goal three plays later 3:23 into overtime.
Griffin was hurt when tackled by Haloti Ngata. He missed a play and returned for four before being relieved for good by Kirk Cousins. He tied the game on an 11-yard touchdown pass to receiver Pierre Garcon on third-and-5 with 29 seconds left. Cousins then forced overtime with a 2-point conversion run.
Washington struck first as Griffin's 4-yard toss to receiver Josh Morgan finished a 10-play, 80-yard march on which rookie running back Alfred Morris carried five times for 46 yards and Garcon caught two balls for 37 yards.
Rice responded with three runs for 63 yards. Two plays later, receiver Anquan Boldin got behind Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall and safety Madieu Williams for a 19-yard touchdown throw from Joe Flacco.
Santana Moss jump-started Washington's ensuing possession with a 31-yard catch-and-run. Fellow receiver Leonard Hankerson got free over the middle three plays later for a 29-yard grab that happened two plays before Morgan bulled 21 yards to the Baltimore 1. Morris scored on the next play.
After an exchange of punts, Baltimore faced third-and-13 at its 20. A pair of encroachment penalties on the Redskins helped dig the Ravens out of the hole and Flacco finished the series with a 31-yard touchdown to Boldin against Hall, who was playing on an injured right ankle.
Two plays later, Morris fumbled when hit by former Redskins nose tackle Ma'ake Kemoeautu. Outside linebacker Paul Kruger recovered at the Washington 23 and returned the fumble nine yards. Three plays later, under no pass rush, Flacco found tight end Dennis Pitta behind linebacker Perry Riley for a 21-14 Ravens lead with 8:39 left in the second quarter.
Outside linebacker Rob Jackson stripped Flacco and recovered the ball at the Baltimore 46 just 3:08 into the third quarter. Morris ran three times for 26 yards to set up Forbath's 48-yard field goal.
The beleaguered Redskins defense forced a turnover on its next series, too, as outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan pressured Flacco into a weak throw which nose tackle Barry Cofield tipped into outside linebacker London Fletcher's arms at the Washington 13. A pass of 17 yards to Hankerson and a similarly long run by Morris put Forbath in position for a 49-yarder which drew Washington with 21-20 with 1:21 to go in the third quarter.
Boldin's 28-yard catch and run set up Rice's touchdown with 4:47 left that stretched Baltimore's advantage to 28-20.
Notes: Baltimore's Terrell Suggs couldn't overcome the torn biceps he suffered last week against Pittsburgh. It was the first game of his 10-year career with Baltimore that Suggs and injured fellow perennial Pro Bowl linebacker Ray Lewis both missed. ... Ineffective return specialist Brandon Banks was inactive for Washington and was replaced by Niles Paul on kickoffs and Richard Crawford on punts. ... The Redskins' 186 yards in the first quarter were the most by any team in the opening quarter this year and their most in the first quarter since they had 189 at Chicago in Week 10 of 1997. ... Flacco's three touchdown passes were one shy of his career-high.
