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’Skins’ backup QB torches Browns
Photo
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Travis Benjamin (80) catches a pass in front of Washington Redskins cornerback DJ Johnson (30) and goes 69 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a game on Sunday in Cleveland. The Browns fell to the Redskins, 38-21.
Associated Press
CLEVELAND
The Redskins decided one game without Robert Griffin III couldn’t hurt.
RG III disagreed, but after Kirk Cousins kept Washington’s winning streak and playoff hopes intact, Griffin understood.
First place has him feeling better.
Cousins threw for 329 yards and two touchdowns filling in for an injured Griffin, leading Washington to its fifth straight win, 38-21 over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
Cousins connected with Leonard Hankerson for both TDs in his first career start, and the Redskins (8-6) barely missed a beat without the talented and multidimensional Griffin, who sat out with a sprained right knee and wasn’t happy about having to stand on the sideline and watch his teammates play.
“I was not happy with the decision,” said Griffin, who was informed Saturday night of the plan to start Cousins. “That’s the decision they went with and I respect that. It doesn’t mean I have to necessarily like it. I feel like I could have played this week, next week, the week after. But that’s not my decision.”
Turns out, the Redskins (8-6) have more than one rookie QB who can win.
Cleveland Coach Pat Shurmur said Griffin’s absence didn’t change Washington’s attack.
“They would have been doing all the same things, with the addition of the option if RG III was in the game,” Shurmur said.
“That looked like the Redskins offense. I’d like to credit Kirk. He did a nice job.”
Rookie Trent Richardson had a pair of TD runs for the Browns (5-9), who had their winning streak stopped at three and faint playoff hopes snuffed out. Shurmur’s fate may have rested on the Browns winning out, but that won’t happen and his days in Cleveland could be dwindling quickly.
Browns rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden struggled from the outset. He went 21 of 35 for 244 yards and had two picks, both leading to Washington TDs.
Cousins’ second TD pass to Hankerson gave the Redskins a 24-14 lead. As Cousins came to the sideline, Griffin gave him a fist bump and then sat on the bench with his backup, who for the past two weeks has shown he too can lead the Redskins.
Before the game, Griffin gave Cousins some advice.
“I talked to him about being cool, calm and collected and not to freak out,” Griffin said. “He did a good job of staying poised and staying confident in there.”
Washington went ahead 31-14 on Evan Royster’s 4-yard run.
Weeden came back with a 69-yard scoring strike to speedy rookie Travis Benjamin to pull the Browns within 10, but Cousins calmly took the Redskins down the field with Morris scoring to make it 38-21.
Richardson’s second TD run gave the Browns a 14-10 lead with 1:11 left before halftime.
Earlier, he broke Hall of Famer Jim Brown’s 55-year-old team rookie record for rushing TDs.