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| Robert Griffin III returns, but Redskins come up short in 29-26 loss to the Vikings | Robert Griffin III returns, but Redskins come up short in 29-26 loss to the Vikings |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Vikings spoiled the return of Robert Griffin III, outlasting the Washington Redskins in a seesaw battle, 29-26, after scoring 22 second-half points and coming up with a defensive stand with just more than a minute left. | MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Vikings spoiled the return of Robert Griffin III, outlasting the Washington Redskins in a seesaw battle, 29-26, after scoring 22 second-half points and coming up with a defensive stand with just more than a minute left. |
| After showing signs of promise throughout his first game back since dislocating his left ankle in Week 2, Griffin found himself in position to save the day. | After showing signs of promise throughout his first game back since dislocating his left ankle in Week 2, Griffin found himself in position to save the day. |
| With 3 minutes 27 seconds left, and his team down by three, Griffin needed to orchestrate an 80-yard, game-winning drive. | With 3 minutes 27 seconds left, and his team down by three, Griffin needed to orchestrate an 80-yard, game-winning drive. |
| The offense moved the ball in minimal increments as time ticked off the clock, and with 1:09 left and facing fourth and six from his own 43-yard line, Griffin took the shotgun snap, slid to his left and tried to get a pass off to Pierre Garcon on a crossing pattern. But the quarterback didn’t have time to set his feet, and the pass sailed low, killing the drive. | The offense moved the ball in minimal increments as time ticked off the clock, and with 1:09 left and facing fourth and six from his own 43-yard line, Griffin took the shotgun snap, slid to his left and tried to get a pass off to Pierre Garcon on a crossing pattern. But the quarterback didn’t have time to set his feet, and the pass sailed low, killing the drive. |
| Then, with one last prayer left after getting the ball back with 10 seconds on the clock, Griffin rolled out and heaved the ball upfield in the direction of DeSean Jackson. But that pass also missed its mark, sailing out of bounds, giving the Vikings the victory. | Then, with one last prayer left after getting the ball back with 10 seconds on the clock, Griffin rolled out and heaved the ball upfield in the direction of DeSean Jackson. But that pass also missed its mark, sailing out of bounds, giving the Vikings the victory. |
| Washington fell to 3-6 on the season after having a two-game win streak snapped, and now heads toward a bye week. | Washington fell to 3-6 on the season after having a two-game win streak snapped, and now heads toward a bye week. |
| Griffin completed 18 of 28 passes for 251 yards and a touchdown in his return. He also threw and interception and was sacked five times. Running back Alfred Morris added two touchdown runs — his first multi-touchdown game since Week 2 — but it was not enough. | Griffin completed 18 of 28 passes for 251 yards and a touchdown in his return. He also threw and interception and was sacked five times. Running back Alfred Morris added two touchdown runs — his first multi-touchdown game since Week 2 — but it was not enough. |
| Meanwhile, Washington’s defense — six days after carrying the team to a win at Dallas — wilted in the second half, allowing Matt Asiata to rush for three touchdowns to lead the Vikings to victory. | Meanwhile, Washington’s defense — six days after carrying the team to a win at Dallas — wilted in the second half, allowing Matt Asiata to rush for three touchdowns to lead the Vikings to victory. |
| The day couldn’t have started in less favorable circumstances for Washington. | The day couldn’t have started in less favorable circumstances for Washington. |
| Roughly three hours before game time, two team buses transporting the first wave of coaches and players (including Coach Jay Gruden and his son, Jack) from the hotel to the stadium got in a wreck when the police cruiser escort missed the exit ramp and lost control. The first bus swerved and stopped to avoid the cruiser, but the second bus rear-ended the first, driving it up and over an embankment and leaving passengers shaken and some of them with bruises. | Roughly three hours before game time, two team buses transporting the first wave of coaches and players (including Coach Jay Gruden and his son, Jack) from the hotel to the stadium got in a wreck when the police cruiser escort missed the exit ramp and lost control. The first bus swerved and stopped to avoid the cruiser, but the second bus rear-ended the first, driving it up and over an embankment and leaving passengers shaken and some of them with bruises. |
| Around the same time, rumors popped up on ESPN’s game-day broadcast that the decision to start Griffin on Sunday may have come down from team owner Daniel Snyder and general manager Bruce Allen, against Gruden’s wishes. People within the organization, both publicly and privately, maintained all week long that the decision had come from Gruden | |
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| And if that wasn’t enough, in the hours leading up to the game, a crowd that police numbered at 3,200 gathered to march to and around the stadium in protest of the Redskins’ nickname. | And if that wasn’t enough, in the hours leading up to the game, a crowd that police numbered at 3,200 gathered to march to and around the stadium in protest of the Redskins’ nickname. |
| Gruden and some of his assistants, as well as a number of players, shook their heads in disbelief at all of the extracurricular activities that swirled around the team. | Gruden and some of his assistants, as well as a number of players, shook their heads in disbelief at all of the extracurricular activities that swirled around the team. |
| But once all quieted down and the game got underway, Griffin didn’t exhibit the rust that would have stemmed from his seven-week layoff, completing his first six passes, and also receiving a couple of designed runs early. | But once all quieted down and the game got underway, Griffin didn’t exhibit the rust that would have stemmed from his seven-week layoff, completing his first six passes, and also receiving a couple of designed runs early. |
| Griffin’s best display of mobility – and the health of his ankle – came on the opening possession, when faced with third and seven from the Washington 49, Griffin slipped free of the grasp of linebacker Chad Greenway and defensive end Everson Griffen, scrambled to his left and tossed the ball to running back Roy Helu Jr., who gained 24 yards. | Griffin’s best display of mobility – and the health of his ankle – came on the opening possession, when faced with third and seven from the Washington 49, Griffin slipped free of the grasp of linebacker Chad Greenway and defensive end Everson Griffen, scrambled to his left and tossed the ball to running back Roy Helu Jr., who gained 24 yards. |
| The Redskins settled for a field goal, but on their next possession, Griffin and the Redskins marched 91 yards in six plays (the first a 46-yard completion to DeSean Jackson) and scored on a 14-yard run by Alfred Morris. | The Redskins settled for a field goal, but on their next possession, Griffin and the Redskins marched 91 yards in six plays (the first a 46-yard completion to DeSean Jackson) and scored on a 14-yard run by Alfred Morris. |
| Appearing to dust off a game plan from Kyle Shanahan’s 2012 offense, Gruden and offensive coordinator Sean McVay went with a variety of pistol formations, zone-read runs and the play-action attack to keep the Vikings off balance during the 10-0 start to the game. | Appearing to dust off a game plan from Kyle Shanahan’s 2012 offense, Gruden and offensive coordinator Sean McVay went with a variety of pistol formations, zone-read runs and the play-action attack to keep the Vikings off balance during the 10-0 start to the game. |
| Meanwhile, the defense sacked Teddy Bridgewater twice in the first half and forced five consecutive punts. | Meanwhile, the defense sacked Teddy Bridgewater twice in the first half and forced five consecutive punts. |
| But Washington’s offense fizzled midway through the second quarter. Then, with 1:04 left in the half, Griffin had his first blatantly poor throw of the day, a softly lobbed ball to cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, who played the ball to the inside and made the catch while Andre Roberts appeared to be running an out route. | But Washington’s offense fizzled midway through the second quarter. Then, with 1:04 left in the half, Griffin had his first blatantly poor throw of the day, a softly lobbed ball to cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, who played the ball to the inside and made the catch while Andre Roberts appeared to be running an out route. |
| The first turnover of the game breathed life into Vikings. Bridgewater completed a 22-yard pass to Greg Jennings, a four-yard dump-off to running back Matt Asiata, and found tight end Chase Ford in the corner of the end zone for a 20-yard completion that cut the lead 10-7 at halftime. | The first turnover of the game breathed life into Vikings. Bridgewater completed a 22-yard pass to Greg Jennings, a four-yard dump-off to running back Matt Asiata, and found tight end Chase Ford in the corner of the end zone for a 20-yard completion that cut the lead 10-7 at halftime. |
| Things further unraveled for the Redskins as the third quarter began. Back-to-back sacks killed the first possession, and Minnesota needed just six plays to score, taking a 14-10 lead on a one-yard Asiata run. | Things further unraveled for the Redskins as the third quarter began. Back-to-back sacks killed the first possession, and Minnesota needed just six plays to score, taking a 14-10 lead on a one-yard Asiata run. |
| But the Redskins answered in seven plays – the last a 13-yard strike from Griffin to Jackson (the quarterback’s first passing touchdown of the season) with 7:28 left in the third. Two minutes later, Washington used a Kai Forbath field goal to extend the lead to 20-14. | But the Redskins answered in seven plays – the last a 13-yard strike from Griffin to Jackson (the quarterback’s first passing touchdown of the season) with 7:28 left in the third. Two minutes later, Washington used a Kai Forbath field goal to extend the lead to 20-14. |
| But the defense | |
| failed to provide the stops when needed most. Minnesota re-took the lead on a seven-yard run by Asiata (capping a 10-play, 76-yard drive) with 13:04 left in the game. | |
| The seesaw battle continued when the Redskins went 80 yards in eight plays, with Morris finding the end zone on a two-yard run. The touchdown put the visitors up 26-21, and so Gruden went for two. But the Viking pass rush swallowed Griffin up, keeping it at a five-point game. | The seesaw battle continued when the Redskins went 80 yards in eight plays, with Morris finding the end zone on a two-yard run. The touchdown put the visitors up 26-21, and so Gruden went for two. But the Viking pass rush swallowed Griffin up, keeping it at a five-point game. |
| Minnesota took the lead for good on a 12-play, 73-yard drive capped by another Asiata one-yard touchdown run, and Asiata ran for the two-point conversion to make it 29-26. | Minnesota took the lead for good on a 12-play, 73-yard drive capped by another Asiata one-yard touchdown run, and Asiata ran for the two-point conversion to make it 29-26. |