By Mark Bacon
"That's a long way to go to kiss your sister" - Bengals radio broadcaster Dave Lapham
While many of the NFL’s previous 17 regular season games in London have been damp squibs, Sunday’s contest was a bloody thrill, warts (22 combined penalties, dreadful kicking, turnovers), tie and all. One minute you’re about to give the Redskins credit for a terrific rally; the next minute you’re looking at all the wasted chances because there were many. What the Redskins don’t want is to look back on the season and feel the same way, but that’s where they’re headed.
The Skins traded blows with the Bengals but neither team could deliver the final blow in a 27-27 tie on Sunday. Washington had three of the five total possessions in the 15-minute overtime, but neither team could score, and the game became the NFL’s second tie this week.
Place kicker Dustin Hopkins missed a 34-yard field goal with 2 minutes 9 seconds left in overtime that would’ve given the Redskins the victory. Bengals Coach Marvin Lewis successfully iced the kicker, as Hopkins drilled his first attempt after the timeout was called, but hooked his second attempt wide left. The Bengals never came close to attempting a field goal in overtime, as their three possessions ended with a punt and a turnover when defensive end Anthony Lanier recovered quarterback Andy Dalton’s fumble with 1:02 left.
The Redskins overcame a 10-point deficit in the second half to grab the lead on two drives longer than 80 yards. Cousins connected with tight end Jordan Reed, who reversed field after the play to dive into the end zone on a 23-yard touchdown. Then he found wide receiver Jamison Crowder, who was wide open for a 33-yard score, to give Washington a 24-20 lead with nine and a half minutes left in regulation. The Redskins gained a combined 173 yards on those drives as Cousins was effective on intermediate throws against the Bengals.
Jeremy Hill helped Cincinnati retake the lead, 27-24, with 6:54 left, and Hopkins made a 40-yard field goal with 2:08 left to tie the game at 27.
The Redskins led 10-7 at halftime, but they had opportunities to head into the locker room with a larger advantage. The offense was able to move the ball, outgaining Cincinnati 226-82, but Washington scored just one touchdown on three trips to the red zone. After an impressive 15-play drive to start the game that ended on a four-yard touchdown run from Rob Kelley, the Redskins offense on the ensuing two possessions failed to convert on fourth and one at the 18 and settled for a field goal two yards away from the end zone.
While Cincinnati finished with 415 total yards, it had just 82 in the first half. The Bengals scored their only first-half touchdown on their first possession following a 65-yard kick return from Alex Erickson. Bengals running back Giovani Bernard scored on an eight-yard touchdown seven plays later. Cincinnati finished with 152 rushing yards.
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