Redskins keep rhythm in easy win over Cowboys
Washington coach Jay Gruden came into Sunday wanting to rest key players while maintaining the Redskins’ edge going into the playoffs.
Good on both counts.
The Redskins achieved that delicate balancing act by running away from the Cowboys early in a 34-23 win at AT&T Stadium.
“I’m very proud of the way the team handled the situation that we were in,” Gruden said. “Everybody is talking about who is going to sit, who’s going to rest and all that stuff. Nobody really blinked. They came to practice and worked. They handled the substitution pattern.”
The first quarter was basically all the Redskins needed to subdue their NFC East rivals. Kirk Cousins passed for three touchdowns and the defense had two takeaways before the game was 15 minutes old.
Washington (9-7) heads into the playoffs on a four-game winning streak, the club’s longest in three years. The Redskins are hosting the wild-card round next weekend with momentum on their side.
I’m very proud of the way the team handled the situation that we were in. Everybody is talking about who is going to sit, who’s going to rest and all that stuff. Nobody really blinked. They came to practice and worked.
Redskins coach Jay Gruden
“It’s worth something,” Gruden said. “I’d rather do that than lose a couple of big games. Regardless of your winning streak or losing streak, come Saturday or Sunday next week, we’re going to have to come together and play a great football game against a quality team.”
It’s quite a turnaround for the Redskins, who finished last in the division in six of the previous seven years.
Cousins did his damage quickly, connecting with receivers Pierre Garcon, Jamison Crowder and Ryan Grant on touchdowns as Washington raced out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter.
Winning the game was part of the plan.
“It was important — 9-7 sounds a lot better than 8-8,” Cousins said. “In addition to that, we felt like it was important to go into the playoffs with momentum and rhythm. We obviously felt good about the last three weeks winning three straight. We didn’t want to go into the playoffs having broken that streak, so to put together now four straight in the fourth quarter of the season is important.”
Cousins, who completed 12 of 15 passes for 176 yards, was replaced by backup quarterback Colt McCoy after one series in the second quarter. Cousins set the franchise record for passing yards in a season (4,166) before departing with a 24-0 lead.
It was important — 9-7 sounds a lot better than 8-8. In addition to that, we felt like it was important to go into the playoffs with momentum and rhythm.
Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins
He felt that it was time to come out of the game in the second quarter after a Cowboys defensive lineman was close to rolling up on his legs.
“You kind of sense in the moment the possible risk of injury the way he rolled up into me, so I thought we’ve got to be smart here,” Cousins said. “While you want to get a rhythm, you don’t want to do anything that might jeopardize your team. I felt like at that point it was time to come out.”
Cousins had been one of four quarterbacks to take every offensive snap for his team this season.
Gruden substituted liberally, making sure banged-up starters such as Jordan Reed, DeSean Jackson and Morgan Moses took it easy, while Matt Jones and Trent Williams were among the inactives.
Phillips injured
Reserve Redskins cornerback Dashaun Phillips, from Duncanville, was carted off the field in the second quarter and transported to a local hospital for further evaluation of a neck injury.
The team reported that Phillips had movement in his extremities.
The Cowboys originally signed Phillips as an undrafted free agent from Tarleton State in May 2014. He was waived that August.
During the injury timeout, the fans decided to do the wave.
The Redskins took note.
“I understand what they did. That’s cool,” defensive end Ricky Jean Francois said. “But at the same time, you saw all the players, from Dallas’ team and our team, come on the field and make sure our man was OK.”
Linebacker Will Compton also took notice.
“I noticed it a little bit, the wave. I was just trying to figure out what was wrong with our guy. Who knows?” Compton said. “That is the fans. I didn’t really think too much about it.”
Cousins’ TD streak
Cousins is the first Washington quarterback to throw a touchdown pass in all 16 games in one season, the second longest streak in team history. Sonny Jurgensen owns the franchise record at 23 consecutive games.
This story was originally published January 3, 2016 at 6:21 PM with the headline "Redskins keep rhythm in easy win over Cowboys."