Monday 26 September 2016 06:17, UK
Washington Redskins won their first game of the 2016 season by edging out NFC East divisional rivals New York Giants 29-27 in a thriller at MetLife Stadium.
A highly-strung Odell Beckham Jr hauled in 121 yards on seven receptions for the Giants in his highly anticipated re-match with cornerback Josh Norman, though his emotions got the better of him during a hotly-contested fourth quarter.
The lead changed hands five times in a second half that see-sawed after Washington rallied from a 21-9 deficit thanks to Kirk Cousins' touchdown passes of 44 yards to DeSean Jackson and 55 to Jamison Crowder.
By contrast, Giants quarterback Eli Manning was intercepted twice, with Su'a Cravens ending the Giants' final drive and the game with Manning's second pick.
In 140 characters...
Redskins triumph by one point over the Giants in fiery battle of fake punts, punched nets, interceptions, and TDs aplenty.
MVP
Cousins. After a couple of shaky efforts in the opening two weeks, Cousins looked more like the Redskins QB that fired them to the division title last year with a 296-yard and two touchdown display off 21 completions from 35 attempts.
Game-changer
Although it only resulted in one of the Redskins' five field goals, the gutsy third quarter call on a fourth-and-12 to fake punt by the Redskins confirmed a growing momentum shift in the contest following the Giants' early strong showing. Cousins was sacked by Olivier Vernon on third-and-four at around midfield but then Redskins punter Tress Way had the Giants fooled, throwing a perfect 31-yard strike down the deep left sideline to Quinton Dunbar for a first down, helping the Redskins ultimately re-take the lead.
Stat of the Night
128 - yards called on 11 Giants penalties in an undisciplined effort by New York. A prime example being the unnecessary roughness call on Andrew Adams that cancelled out a blocked punt that would have given the Giants brilliant field position in the Redskins half in the fourth quarter.
The Game
Shane Vereen opened the scoring in the contest on a one-yard run after a muffed punt by the Redskins, while Manning extended that lead further with a 23-yard TD to Sterling Shepard later in the first quarter.
The Redskins, by contrast, were struggling to convert in the red zone - failing to score a touchdown in any of their four red zone possessions in the game.
With their opponents dealing exclusively in field goals, Orleans Darkwa emphasised the Giants' early dominance even further by scoring on a two-yard run.
But the Redskins offence finally sparked into life a mere couple of plays later when Cousins connected with Jackson deep downfield, and Washington come out a rejuvenated outfit in the second half.
Jamison Crowder reeled off a 50-yard punt return, before too going in for a touchdown, while Way's fake punt also added to the Redskins' growing momentum.
Meanwhile, the Giants were losing their discipline, with Beckham's sideline antics and the penalty against Adams that called back a blocked punt, prime examples.
The Giants still had a chance to re-take the lead with just under two minutes left on the clock and trailing by only two, but Manning's second interception killed their hopes and they slipped to their first loss on the season.