Sunday 30 October 2016 21:56, UK
The NFL is rarely home to a draw but Washington and Cincinnati played out the second in as many weeks in a thrilling contest at London's Wembley Stadium, finishing 27-27 after overtime.
For the first time since 1997, the NFL saw drawn games in back-to-back weeks and it is Washington who will feel the most hard done by having seen Kirk Cousins throw for a career best 458 yards, and most importantly miss a crucial 34-yard field goal.
Dustin Hopkins was the man to miss in the final minutes of overtime, a crucial time out called by the Bengals as Hopkins was just about to kick. That effort sailed over but when he returned for when it mattered he pulled his effort wide of the upright.
Seattle and Arizona played out a 6-6 all draw that had defences on top last week but it was offence to the fore as Wembley and London played host to its final game of the 2016 season.
In 140 characters - Redskins and Bengals all square in London as Cousins puts up 458 yards, Dustin Hopkins misses 34-yard field goal for a Washington OT victory
MVP - Kirk Cousins. The Redskins quarterback started the season slowly but with an array of offensive weapons he has found top form in recent weeks and, with 458 yards, surpassed the previous best of his career (427).
Game-changer - Rather than Hopkins miss, let's give Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis the credit for 'icing' the Redskins kicker. The minute he called for the time-out in Hopkins' run-up the pressure was on and Hopkins missed his effort.
Stat of the afternoon - 100. Jamison Crowder scored his fourth receiving touchdown of the season, however it was the 100th to be scored in London matches.
The Game
London's third and final game of the 2016 International Series was an enthralling contest as Washington were punished for not capitalising on their first-half dominance.
Cincinnati fought back strongly in the second half before an edge-of-the-seat overtime saw Hopkins handed the perfect chance to win the game but his 34-yard field goal attempt was wide and the game ended all square.
Washington began on the front foot and dominated the opening two quarters but had just one touchdown and a field goal for their efforts - Rob Kelley marking his first Redskins start with the opening score of the game.
With little in the way of possession the Bengals responded on their very first drive, Alex Erickson returning the kick-off from Washington's TD for 65-yards, the most ever in a London game, to set up Andy Dalton in the Redskins half.
The play ended with Giovani Bernard running in from a yard to level the scores.
More dominance from Washington went unrewarded as a Hopkins field goal was the best they could manage, before the teams traded missed 3-point efforts from long range.
The Bengals offence woke up in the second period as AJ Green began to get into the game and show why he is the leading receiver in the game but it was the combination of Dalton and tight end Tyler Eifert which combined early in the third quarter to give Cincinnati the lead.
And when Dalton rushed over himself from just a yard out on the Bengals next position it was the designated home team who had daylight for the first time with a 20-10 lead.
Back came Washington through the returning Jordan Reed, who got on the end of Cousins' 23-yard throw to dive for the end zone and bring Jay Gruden's team to within a score.
The fourth quarter began with what looked like being the crucial play, Dalton intercepted for the first time in five games, Will Compton doing the damage which set up a Cousins drive that ended with Jamison Crowder in the endzone to give the Redskins a 24-20 lead.
The see-saw nature of the contest continued with Jeremy Hill running in from a yard to put the Bengals back in front before Hopkins held his nerve from 40 yards to level the scores.
With the game in overtime both teams saw chances go begging, first Cincinnati made their way into field goal range before the Redskins defence came up with their biggest play of the game.
Sacking Dalton and forcing the Bengals to punt on fourth down wasn't to be the last of the drama as Hopkins missed his chance to be the hero late in the day.
There was still time for the Redskins to force one final turnover but with the seconds ticking away, Cousins' attempted 'Hail Mary' drifted out of play and the game ended all square.
