In today's Rewarding Moments In Washington History presented by Maryland Lottery My Lottery Rewards, we look back to 2017 when Washington hosted its first Thanksgiving game against the New York Giants.
Washington is no stranger to playing on Thanksgiving Day. After having limited success on the road in previous Thanksgiving matchups, Washington was looking to buck that trend when it hosted its first Thanksgiving game at FedExField.
After a short week of preparation, the 2017 primetime game was a divisional matchup between Washington and the New York Giants. The game had a slow start with the score only being 3-3 at halftime. Halfway through the third, Washington regained the lead with a 15-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kirk Cousins to wide receiver Jamison Crowder, his first of the season. By the end of the game, Crowder had a game-high seven catches for 141 yards.
On Washington's next possession, Cousins threw a a short pass intended for Byron Marshall that was picked off by Giants' cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who returned the ball for a 53-yard touchdown to tie the game at 10.
The back-and-forth game continued as both teams had multiple three-and-outs. At this point, Cousins and his offense kicked into high gear as they were able to drive the ball down to New York's 14-yard line. After a 14-yard pass from Cousins to Josh Doctson, Washington was able to regain and hold onto the lead.
As time was winding down, an interception from Kendall Fuller ended the five-year drought on Turkey day. Washington came out on top, 20-10, to start a new Thanksgiving trend of winning at home.
