The dream season turned into a nightmare for the Washington Redskins during their first home playoff game since 1999. Rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III, after leading the team to a swift 14-0 lead, re-injured his heavily-braced right leg in the first quarter and was never the same.
He tried to be a warrior and rally the team to victory but had to finally surrender to his injuries and hobble off the field late in the fourth quarter. With the Redskin offense limping and ineffective with a wounded field general, Seattle scored 24 straight points and walked away with a 24-14 Wild Card Playoff victory at FedEx Field.
Griffin was 10-19 for only 84 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The loss, their first in eight games, brought a magical season to an end. The team and players set countless records and finished the season winning seven of eight games and ended the year with an unexpected winning record of 10-7. This was their first playoff appearance since 2007 and Seattle was fortunate that RGIII’s body betrayed him because Washington played their best quarter of the year to begin the game.
The defining moment of the game occurred with 6:19 to play in the fourth quarter and RGIII lying motionless on the ground while a stunned and silent FedEx Field crowd looked on. He was finally hurt enough to come out of the game when he tried to pick up a low snap but in the process twisted his right leg awkwardly and fell to the ground. He was so hurt that he made no effort to pick up the fumble and Seattle was able to recover the ball and start on offense at the Redskin 5-yard line. They came away with a 22-yard field goal and a 24-14 lead.
Backup quarterback Kirk Cousins went into the game and tried to rally the team but a 4th and 14 pass fell incomplete and allowed Seattle to get the ball back in Washington territory. Seattle then was able to run off enough of the clock to render any Washington comeback useless. There would be no Cousins Comeback on this day. Fans were left wondering if Cousins should have been put in sooner because Griffin was limping badly during the first quarter and Seattle knew he was hurt and not the same player that burned them earlier in the game.
The first half was a game of quarters. Washington won the first quarter and Seattle won the second quarter.
Everything started well for the Redskins. They received the opening kickoff and immediately moved down the field and scored to take a 7-0 lead. A mixture of Alfred Morris runs and Pierre Garcon catches moved the ball quickly toward the end zone and culminated in a Redskin early lead. 80 yards, in nine efficient plays in less than five minutes. A four-yard touchdown pass to Evan Royster signaled mission accomplished.
The Redskins scored their second and final touchdown with 2:26 left in the first quarter. 11 plays carved out 54 yards and ended with another four-yard scoring pass. This time Logan Paulsen was the recipient of the football and the drive took just under six minutes.
This was also the beginning of the end for Washington as RGIII aggravated his hurt right leg attempting a touchdown pass to Garcon on the previous play. He threw the pass and fell awkwardly out of bounds.
Once he hit the ground he immediately threw off his helmet. Everyone watching knew something was wrong. Griffin limped back onto the field but should have walked toward the sidelines. On one leg, RGIII was able to comeback and somehow throw the TD pass. The saying “where there is a will, there is a way” did not come true on this day and the reality of the injury played out in front of the home fans and rendered the offense hurting and completely ineffective. RGIII played into the fourth quarter on one leg and it would take two legs to win this playoff game.
The quarter ended with Seattle stunned and behind 14-0 with a total of seven plays and nine net yards in the quarter. But they had hope because an injured RGIII was now their opponent. Fortunately for the Seahawks, the rest of the game meant no Washington offense and a bunch of RGIII and out. Rookie running back Alfred Morris did his part and gained 80 yards on 16 carries.
Seattle showed their mettle and responded with an offensive quarter of their own. They sandwiched a touchdown pass in between two field goals to make the second quarter score 14-13. Rookie quarterback sensation Russell Wilson threw his own four-yard scoring pass to Michael Robinson with 4:38 left in the quarter. Seattle had a net 179 yards in the quarter and held the ball for more than 11 minutes and turned the tables on Washington.
The difference in the rest of the game was one team had a healthy rookie quarterback sensation and the other team did not. While RGIII did nothing after the first quarter scoring binge, Wilson methodically kept his team in the game and churned out a win.
The third quarter produced no points and the score was 14-13 with the Redskins ahead going into the final 15 minutes. As Washington fans wondered why Coach Shanahan would leave a wounded Griffin in the game, Seattle used a 27-yard Marshawn Lynch TD run and two-point conversion to take a 21-14 lead.
Washington got the ball back with 5:32 left in the game. A year’s worth of miracles danced in the heads of Washington fans who in their hearts knew their man could rally the team, but their heads and eyes prevailed and the inevitable ending occurred when the only man playing the game on one leg finally took a defenseless sack which backed him up into his own end zone facing a third and long.
Then, the bad snap revealed the bad leg and the comeback was not to be. RGIII finally took himself out of the game and when he limped to the sidelines and waved to the crowd— it signaled the end of a glorious season of football in Washington D.C.
