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Beckham stars as Giants down Redskins
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. caught three touchdown passes as the New York Giants wrapped up third place in the NFC East with a 24-13 win over the Redskins at MetLife Stadium that guaranteed Washington finishes last in the division for the sixth time in seven years.
Beckham did not enter the lineup until Week 5 because of a hamstring injury, but the Giants’ first-round pick has become a superstar in short order. He finished the game with 12 receptions for 143 yards and the three touchdowns, his NFL-record seventh straight game with at least 90 receiving yards.
“The young man is having outstanding success,” Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said. “I think anytime he gets (the ball), he can run the football, he can throw the football, so we try to create a lot of situations. But he does have the talent to exploit the defense in a lot of different ways.”
Beckham had scores of 6, 10 and 35 yards, giving the Giants leads of 7-3, 17-13 and finally capping the scoring 24-13 with 4:41 left in the game.
The plays he didnt make were the ones that stuck with Beckham.
“I think there was a third down (play) early in the game where I didn’t get both feet in bounds,” he said. “The throw in the corner of the end zone — I felt like I should have caught it. There was another one that I should have caught. Whenever I get a chance to make a play, I feel like it should be made,” he added.
Speaking of making plays, the Redskins had a golden opportunity on the final play of the first half to take control of the game.
Quarterback Robert Griffin III, who entered when starter Colt McCoy left the game after the first series with a neck injury, took off for the end zone and initially appeared to have crossed the goal line for the touchdown.
Replays showed that Griffin didn’t have control of the ball. Officials ruled the play was a seven-yard gain and a fumble out of the back of the end zone for a touchback.
“I thought it was good, to be honest,” said Giants cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. “To have it taken off was definitely a relief and now you go in just 10-7 and not (17)-7.”
Rodgers-Cromartie wasn’t alone in thinking the Redskins had scored.
“That’s a touchdown; that’s how we all felt, everyone in the locker room, coaches included,” said Griffin. “It’s a touchdown in every game I’ve ever seen, but (the officials) decided that it wasn’t today.”
The call enraged Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss, who drew and unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and was ejected. The flag put the kickoff 30 yards closer to the endzone, and enticed an onside kick from kicker Josh Brown.
With the ball on the Redskins’ 35-yard line, the Giants recovered the kick and converted the four-play drive into a 32-yard field goal by Brown to tie the game 10-10.
A 61-yard completion from Griffin to wide receiver Andre Roberts, the result of busted coverage by Giants safety Antrel Rolle, and the ensuing 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty called against Rolle for hitting the receiver out of bounds, set up a 38-yard field goal by Kai Forbath to give Washington the lead for the last time in the game.
Griffin finished his day 18 of 27 for 236 yards. He was sacked seven times by the Giants, but did not throw any interceptions.
“He played okay based on what I saw on the field,” said Washington head coach Jay Gruden of Griffin. “Obviously I have to check out the film — the second half was unfortunately [filled with] protection issues, but I thought he came in and competed and that’s half the battle right there.”
The Giants (5-9) won their third game at MetLife Stadium this season. They will close out their 2014 road game schedule next week at St. Louis.
The Redskins (3-11) close out their season with home games against Philadelphia and Dallas.
NOTES: The Giants swept the regular-season series with Washington for the second consecutive season. New York has outscored the Redskins 133-50 in those four games. … The Redskins’ loss marks their third straight against the Giants on the road. The last time Washington defeated the Giants on the road was Dec. 18, 2011, a 23-10 decision. Washington has also lost 14 of their last 18 meetings against the Giants. … WR Odell Beckham’s second touchdown, a 35-yard catch over the middle, broke a Giants team record for most receiving yards by a rookie, previously set by tight end Jeremy Shockey (894 yards) in 2002.
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