There were a lot of different ways the Washington Redskins could have lost to the Denver Broncos Sunday. The way that it actually worked out might have been the unkindest of all. The huge underdog Redskins built a 21-7 third quarter lead before completely imploding, left to watch Denver score 38 unanswered second half points en route to a 45-21 defeat as demoralizing as they come.
The loss drops the Redskins to 2-5.
To complicate matters, Robert Griffin III left the game with over four minutes to play after being clobbered by Denver’s Terrance Knighton as he delivered the ball — which was intercepted by Rahim Moore. Griffin’s left knee — the one he did not recently have surgery on — buckled underneath him and though he tried to re-enter the game later, the coaching staff held him out.
According to reports, Mike Shanahan said after the game Griffin could have played but was held out due to the score at that point.
Denver took the opening kickoff and marched down the field, using nine plays to go 77 yards, culminating in Wes Welker’s 6-yard touchdown. The Skins defense didn’t seem to provide much resistance at all. But as it turned out, that was the offensive highlight of the half for Peyton Manning and the Broncos, who were held to under 10 points int he first half for the first time this season.
They more than made up for that in the second half.
The Skins evened thing up right before halftime, going on a 16-play, 95 yard drive that took 7:03 to complete. The Redskins used a balanced mix of passes and runs to walk up the field, but the drive stalled at the 12 yards line, where the Skins lined up for a field goal attempt. But the Broncos had too many men on the field, giving the Skins a first down.
On the next play, Griffin found Leonard Hankerson settled in a soft spot in the zone for a 7-yard touchdown.
On Denver’s first possession of the third quarter, Ryan Kerrigan stripped Manning of the ball and Brian Orakpo fell on the loose ball, giving Washington the ball at the Denver 19. Three Alfred Morris runs netted the Skins second TD of the day, as Morris bounced in from one yard out.
With Denver’s very next play, Manning tried to his Demaryius Thomas on a slant, but Thomas fell and DeAngelo Hall picked off the pass and went 26 yards the other way to put the Redskins up 21-7.
That was the end of the highlights for the Skins.
Denver came roaring back, going 75 yards on 11 plays with Montee Ball carrying the last four into the end zone to make it a one-score game. On the Broncos next possession, they went 83 yards on 16 plays and finished with Manning’s 1-yard strike to backup tight end Joel Dreessen.
The Redskins went three-and-out and Sav Rocca shanked his punt, netting just 15 yards, giving Denver the ball on the Skins 35-yard line. Manning hit Knowshon Moreno with a middle screen, and the running back took it to the house, breaking several tackles along the way, to make it 28-21.
Washington picked up a first down on the next possession, but the following play Griffin was sacked and fumbled, turning the ball over on their own 34. Five plays later, Matt Prater booted a 19-yard field goal that made it 31-21.
The teams traded punts, but the Skins weren’t done turning the ball over. After Morris lost four yards on a pitch-sweep, Griffin dropped back in the shotgun, was hit as he threw, and was picked off by Chris Harris at the Redskins 26-yard line. It took Manning just two plays to score as he found Thomas on the left flank and he took it 35 yards to make it 38-21.
It was on the Skins’ next possession that Griffin was hit and hurt, and Shanahan turned to backup Kurt Cousins. Unfortunately, both of Cousins’ possessions ended in interceptions, the first of which was returned by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie 25 yards for Denver’s final touchdown.