National Football League

Redskins edge Packers 16-13 in OT to get to 3-2

Published Oct. 11, 2010 6:41 a.m. ET

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There are plenty of places to point when trying to figure out why the Washington Redskins are 3-2.

There's stability provided by new quarterback Donovan McNabb. There's the turnover-producing and suddenly points-stingy defense, led by safety LaRon Landry. There's also been help from injuries to opponents' key players.

In the home locker room after Washington's 16-13 overtime victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, the Redskins uniformly pointed to one significant explanation for their success so far in 2010: coach Mike Shanahan.

''A year ago, and years past, we definitely wouldn't have been able to stay in that ballgame the way we did today,'' linebacker London Fletcher said. ''That's just really the maturation of this football team. It starts with Coach Shanahan.''

For the fourth time in five weeks, Washington's game came down to the final play. On Sunday, it was Graham Gano's 33-yard field goal 6:54 into the extra period that made the difference, set up by Landry's diving interception of Aaron Rodgers at Green Bay's 39-yard line.

Rodgers sustained a concussion, the Packers said after the game, and it appeared to happen on that last play for their offense.

The Redskins trailed 13-3 entering the fourth quarter. They were outgained 209 yards to 24 in the first quarter. Seven of their first eight possessions ended in punts. Even once they made it 13-all on Gano's 45-yard kick with 1:07 left in regulation, the Redskins had to weather a Packers drive that ended with Mason Crosby hitting the left upright from 53 yards with 1 second left.

Under Shanahan's predecessor as head coach - Jim Zorn - and with McNabb's predecessor at starting quarterback - Jason Campbell - the Redskins went 4-12 last season.

Two of Washington's games this season have gone to overtime - including a 30-27 loss to Houston in Week 2 - and two ended on passes thrown into the end zone by the opponent on the last play of regulation - including a 17-12 victory at Philadelphia last weekend.

''You wish you could do something different, man,'' Redskins receiver Santana Moss said, shaking his head. ''But I'll take 'em. As long as they're Ws out there, I'll take 'em.''

The Packers (3-2), meanwhile, are dealing with Ls they weren't expecting and a long list of injuries.

By game's end, linebacker Clay Matthews was on the sideline, wearing a green Packers wool cap instead of a helmet, ice strapped to his injured left hamstring. Tight end Jermichael Finley was leaning on a pair of metal crutches, keeping weight off his hurt knee.

Green Bay also had tight end Donald Lee (shoulder), defensive lineman Ryan Pickett (ankle), and safety Derrick Martin (knee) leave.

''It's one of them seasons, man, where everybody is getting hit, and we just got to bounce back,'' said Finley, hurt on Green Bay's second play on offense. ''Hopefully at the end of the season it could be a story, you know, about us still being in the Super Bowl. I still got faith in this team.''

The Packers stumbled on one big sequence early: Already ahead 7-0 early in the second quarter, they had second-and-goal at Washington's 1 and came away with nothing. Rodgers' fourth-down pass to tight end Andrew Quarless was broken up in the end zone.

Later, Washington's defense - a 3-4 scheme that ranks last in the NFL in yards allowed - was stuffing the Packers repeatedly. Green Bay's last seven possessions resulted in four punts, two missed field goals and Rodgers' interception.

''Yards don't mean anything,'' Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said. ''It's about points.''

As has been the case before for this team, it also was about penalties. The Packers were flagged nine times for 63 yards; two crucial calls came on the winning drive.

After Landry's pick - he also forced a fumble on Green Bay's opening drive - a holding penalty on linebacker Brady Poppinga and a pass interference call against Charles Woodson helped get Gano in easy range.

''Offensively, (we) couldn't get anything going. We couldn't get any momentum going, but we hung in there,'' Shanahan said. ''Unless you have a lot of character on your team, usually you don't win games like that.''

McNabb finished 26 for 49 for 357 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Moss caught seven passes for 118 yards. Rodgers was 27 of 46 for 293 yards, surpassing 10,000 yards for his career, and he threw one touchdown pass. That score was set up by a 71-yard run by Brandon Jackson, who ran for a career-high 115 yards on 10 carries.

But Washington pulled out the victory.

''We just keep hearing the whispers: `We can't beat this team.' `We can't beat that team.' `We're not playing great.' `We're not doing this,''' Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall said. ''We're just going out there, taking care of business.''

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