Redskins fall in early hole; lose 27-10 to Patriots
FOXBOROUGH, Mass - (AP) -- The Washington Redskins posted a franchise record comeback in their last game. They immediately found themselves in another big hole against New England Sunday, and this time they stayed down.
Washington fell behind 14-0 just 10 1/2 minutes into the game before falling to the Patriots 27-10.
"When you're playing a team like New England, historically they've been great at home, you've got to play your best," Washington coach Jay Gruden said. "We weren't able to do that."
The Redskins (3-5) won the opening toss and deferred. New England (8-0) took the ball and marched 84 yards in 13 plays for a touchdown.
After the Patriots recovered an onside kick, Washington defensive back Will Blackmon forced and recovered Julian Edelman's fumble before an interception on the next play gave the ball right back to New England.
Six plays later it was 14-0.
Ballgame.
"I just felt like we never had the ball in the first quarter," Gruden said. "They had the long drive and got the onside kick, then we had the turnover. We had the ball the first play and it bounced off our hands for an interception. I just never felt like we got in a rhythm."
The rest of the day turned out to be nothing like two weeks ago when quarterback Kirk Cousins led them back from a 24-0 first-half deficit for a 31-30 victory over Tampa Bay.
"You never want to be in a hole," Cousins said. "We know this team is a great football team and they've earned it for a long time. When you give them turnovers and play football that has some errors and mistakes, you're giving a good team a chance to put you away."
And that's what happened.
"When you come and play these types of games, you've got to be near perfect, and we weren't today," Washington running back Alfred Morris said. "We made a lot of mistakes and dropped a lot of balls. We didn't get our run game going. We didn't play a good game today. That's what it takes to beat the defending Super Bowl champs that are still undefeated."
Edelman and LeGarrette Blount scored touchdowns for New England before the Redskins ran their second play.
Cousins was 22 for 40 for 217 yards, but he was hurt early by seven dropped passes. Washington managed only a second-quarter field goal before Cousins hit Jordan Reed for a 3-yard touchdown with 25 seconds left.
At least it wasn't as bad as the Redskins' last visit to Foxborough: New England won 52-7 in 2007, the last time the Patriots started a season 8-0. They won all 16 regular-season games and then two more in the playoffs that year before losing to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl.
Washington managed just 15 total yards in the first quarter, and the Patriots continued to pull away.
Tom Brady completed 26 of 39 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns, including an 8-yard TD to Edelman on the opening drive.
Blount carried 29 times for 129 yards for New England, which won easily even though Brady threw his second interception of the season. The Patriots also lost a fumble at home for the first time since 2013.
New England also lost tackle Sebastian Vollmer from an already depleted offensive line, and running back Dion Lewis on what appeared to be a serious knee injury.
After the Patriots' first touchdown, they lined up for what seemed like a routine kickoff, but Stephen Gostkowski pulled back and dribbled it to the right, where it bounced off Washington's Ryan Grant and was recovered by Johnathan Freeny.
The Patriots were moving again when Edelman fumbled. But on Washington's first play from scrimmage - already more than 8 minutes into the game - Ryan intercepted a deflected pass off receiver Pierre Garcon at the Washington 28.
Notes: Washington has not won consecutive games in a year. ... Washington has also not allowed a 300-yard passer this season, but Blackmon said there was no consolation. "Nope. Not at all. Not going to go there." . It was the Redskins' seventh straight loss against and AFC East team.
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