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Lions
top
Redskins
20-17 on
Stafford's
TD pass
to
Boldin
By
LARRY
LAGE
ap.org
DETROIT
-
Matthew
Stafford
dropped
back and
delivered
a
strike,
threading
a sharp
pass
between
a
lunging
linebacker
and a
blanketing
cornerback.
Stafford's
go-ahead,
18-yard
touchdown
pass to
Anquan
Boldin
with 16
seconds
left
lifted
the
Detroit
Lions to
a 20-17
win over
the
Washington
Redskins
on
Sunday.
"I cut
it loose
and I
kind
thought
to
myself,
'We're
going
either
win the
game or
lose the
game on
this
one,'"
Stafford
said.
"It was
a tight
window."
The
Lions
(4-3)
have won
three
straight
thanks
in large
part to
Stafford
making
clutch
throws
in the
final
minutes,
giving
him 24
career
wins
with
game-winning
drives
in the
fourth
quarter
or
overtime.
"He does
not back
down
from
tough
situations,"
Detroit
coach
Jim
Caldwell
said.
"He
relishes
in
them."
Stafford,
who set
up
game-winning
kicks in
the
previous
two
games,
was 18
of 29
for 266
yards
with one
TD and
no
turnovers
in the
100th
game of
his
career.
"With
Stafford,
it's
never in
the bag
if it's
close,"
Redskins
safety
Will
Blackmon
said. "I
call him
(Brett)
Farve
Jr.
because
those
are the
kind of
attributes
and
intangibles
he has."
The
Redskins
(4-3)
had won
four
straight
and
looked
like
they
were
going to
extend
their
winning
streak
when
Kirk
Cousins
scored a
go-ahead
TD on a
19-yard
run with
1:05
left.
Washington,
though,
failed
to stop
Stafford
from
throwing
or
running
on his
last
possession
and
could
not
overcome
mistakes
that
included
turnovers,
a missed
field
goal and
penalties.
Redskins
coach
Jay
Gruden
lamented
the
scheme
his team
used to
on
Stafford's
last
snap.
"We
should
have
blitzed
seven or
eight,"
Gruden
said.
"But we
were
playing
coverage
that
we've
been
playing
for a
long
time and
guys
were
comfortable
with.
(Linebacker)
Will
Compton
missed
it by a
fraction
of a
hair."
COUSINS'
CHANCE:
Cousins
tried to
make up
for a
lost
fumble
in the
third
quarter
when he
put
Washington
ahead.
He faked
a
handoff
to Chris
Thompson,
tucked
the ball
away and
ran to
the
right
around
the
outside
to score
against
a
defense
that
didn't
expect
him to
be
carrying
the ball
in a
critical
situation.
Cousins
finished
30 of 39
for 301
yards
with a
TD and a
fumble.
"We
moved
the
football,"
he said.
"We were
productive
in that
sense
for much
of the
game and
then you
have to
finish.
Every
play
matters."
INJURY
REPORT
Both
teams
lost
their
top
cornerback
to an
injury
during
the
game.
Washington's
Josh
Norman
was
knocked
out of
the game
with a
concussion,
landing
hard on
his left
shoulder
after
giving
up a
52-yard
pass to
Marvin
Jones in
the
third
quarter.
Detroit's
Darius
Slay
left the
game
with a
hamstring
injury
in the
second
quarter.
The
Redskins
were
without
standout
TE
Jordan
Reed for
a second
straight
game
because
of a
concussion.
Vernon
Davis
replaced
him in
the
lineup
and had
season
highs
with six
receptions
and 79
yards.
Redskins
OT Trent
Williams
had a
knee
sprain
and is
scheduled
for an
MRI on
Monday.
Detroit's
banged-up
backfield,
which is
missing
Dwayne
Washington
(ankle)
and Theo
Riddick
(ankle),
created
an
opportunity
for
Justin
Forsett
to play
a larger
role in
his
second
game
with the
team.
Forsett
was
given
the ball
on four
straight
plays at
one
point
and
finished
with
eight
carries
for 33
yards
and two
receptions
for 15
yards.
COSTLY
FUMBLES
Detroit
made
field
goals
after
each of
Washington's
lost
fumbles,
including
Matt
Jones'
into the
Lions
end zone
early in
the
game.
Jones
appeared
to move
down on
the
depth
chart
after
the
turnover
as
Thompson
and
Robert
Kelley
got more
carries,
but
Gruden
insisted
the
starter
wasn't
benched.
"I'm not
going to
give up
on him
for
fumbling,"
Gruden
said.
STREAK
STOPPED
Detroit's
Zach
Zenner
scored
on a
1-yard
run
midway
through
the
third
quarter
against
a
defense
that
hadn't
given up
a TD in
nine
quarters,
giving
Detroit
a 10-3
lead.
LUCKY
BOUNCE
Stafford
completed
a
16-yard
pass to
Golden
Tate in
the
first
quarter
that
bounced
off the
back of
Bashaud
Breeland.
UP NEXT
The
Redskins
play
Cincinnati
in
London.
Detroit
hits the
road to
face
Houston
after
being at
home for
three
straight
games. |
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