The Redskins spurred hope of a strong finish, albeit in a tough season, with a strong road win at New York. They followed it up with a reminder that they still are far from being a good team.
Minnesota lost its starting quarterback and top running back in the third quarter yet never flinched — playing on the road on Christmas Eve no less. The Vikings beat the Redskins 33-26 on Saturday in front of 68,370 fans at FedEx Field — the smallest home crowd since Dan Snyder bought the team in 1999.
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The Redskins (5-10) had hoped to parlay their 13-point road win vs. the Giants last week into a strong finish and momentum for 2012. Instead, the Redskins stumbled badly.
Minnesota (3-12) had played nine games decided by a touchdown or less this season but had won only one. This time, it was the Redskins who found a way to lose. The final crusher was the usual scene: a Rex Grossman interception.
Trailing by a touchdown, Grossman threw high to an open Santana Moss. Safety Mistral Raymond intercepted — the Vikings’ first pick in 10 games — and returned it 31 yards, setting up a Ryan Longwell 23-yard field goal for a 10-point lead late in the game. Graham Gano’s 47-yarder made it 33-26 with 1:25 remaining, but after forcing a punt, the Redskins ran out of time.
The Redskins lost their last six games at home. The only bit of good news for Washington was the running of rookie Evan Royster in his first start (19 carries, 132 yards) and receiver Jabar Gaffney (six catches, 77 yards, one touchdown).
But other than that, it was old foes who did them in: big plays allowed by the defense and turnovers by the offense. Grossman, who has 24 turnovers in 12 starts, lost a fumble in the first quarter that Minnesota turned into a field goal and 3-0 lead.
Minnesota’s go-ahead touchdown was an 8-yard pass from Joe Webb to Percy Harvin. A 59-yard touchdown by Redskins receiver Brandon Banks was nullified by a Darrel Young holding penalty.
Big plays enabled both teams to have a good third quarter, starting with Minnesota. The Vikings lost both running back Adrian Peterson and quarterback Christian Ponder in the third quarter. On the next series, however, backup running back Toby Gerhart rushed for 67 yards on the first play. Then backup quarterback Joe Webb scored on a 9-yard option run to the right.
Webb capped Minnesota’s next drive with a 17-yard scoring pass to the right corner of the end zone to tight end Kyle Rudolph, who easily beat linebacker Perry Riley on the route. That play was set up by a 31-yard reverse by receiver Percy Harvin.
But the Redskins matched the big plays. A 20-yard catch by Gaffney on third-and-9 to the Minnesota 22 kept alive a third-quarter possession. Gaffney ended the drive with a one-handed grab in the back of the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown and 20-17 lead.
One series later, Gaffney caught a 29-yard pass to the Minnesota 27, helping to set up Gano’s 25-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.
