The Washington Redskins on Thursday scored two touchdowns on their 20-17 preseason debut win over the Cleveland Browns. Check out highlights of the Redskins' scores.*
One came with a little trickeration. The other came with pure power.
The Washington Redskins on Thursday opened up their 2015 preseason slate of games with a matchup against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium, giving the team its first opportunity to see where it stands in its development against another real, live opponent.
Sure, the Redskins conducted joint practices against the Houston Texans last week at the Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center in Richmond, Va., but the in-game situations – with real tackling, real speed – are what head coach Jay Gruden said would be important to judge how far his team has come along (and how far it needs to go).
When all was said and done, the Redskins scored two touchdowns Thursday night, both on the ground, in their 20-17 victory over the Browns.
For a full recap of those scoring plays, let's take a look back at the action as it happened:
No. 1: Cousins With The Keeper
The Redskins' first-team offense almost certainly could've laid claim to the first touchdown of the night early in the action, when quarterback Robert Griffin III heaved a deep pass down the left side of the field to a wide open Pierre Garçon.
But Garçon was unable to handle the throw around the Cleveland 15-yard line, and it fell harmlessly to the grass for an incompletion.
So after two drives by the No. 1 offense, backup quarterback Kirk Cousins took over at the 11:10 mark in the second quarter with his team trailing 14-3.
Seven plays and less than five minutes later, Cousins and the Redskins were set up with a 1st and Goal from the Cleveland 4-yard line. With big rookie running back Matt Jones – all 6-foot-2 and 231 pounds of him – in the backfield, almost everyone in the stadium assumed Cousins would simply hand it off and let the Florida product do his thing.
But Cousins had other plans. Lined up in the pistol formation with Jones behind him to his left, Cousins took the snap and faked the handoff to Jones, who was stood up around the line of scrimmage.
But you can imagine the chagrin of the Browns defense when they realized Cousins – and not Jones – still had the ball, took off to his left and ran into the end zone untouched for the score.
It was Cousins' first NFL rushing touchdown – preseason or otherwise.
No. 2: Williams Cashes In
The Redskins needed to overcome their first turnover of the preseason midway through the third quarter, when running back Silas Redd Jr. lost a fumble on a play in which he had to be carted off with a potentially serious knee injury.
Taking his place in the lineup was undrafted rookie running back Trey Williams, who at 5-foot-7, 195 pounds certainly packs a little punch, but has also displayed the quickness needed to thrive at the NFL level so far through offseason workouts and training camp.
Sharing duties on the drive with fellow running back Chris Thompson, Williams had already ran two times for five yards when Cousins found wide receiver Reggie Bell for a 18-yard reception that set the Washington offense up with a 1st and Goal from the 3-yard line.
On first down, Cousins handed off to Williams, who got to the 1-yard line with a run off the left guard. On 2nd and Goal from the 1, Cousins attempted a quick pass to the left to Rashad Ross, which fell incomplete.
So on 3rd and Goal from the 1, Cousins lined up under center with Williams the lone back behind him. The Texas A&M product took the handoff, slid a little to his right and found an opening, busting through the Cleveland defensive front to earn his first NFL touchdown.
He finished his day with seven carries for 15 yards, but with Redd Jr. likely to miss significant time with his knee injury, look for Williams' role to grow even more in the coming days and weeks.
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