The Washington Redskins knocked off the Oakland Raiders in a hard-fought Week 4 battle that yielded the Redskins their first victory of the season.
After the game, praise in the locker room was widespread for a number of individuals that played key roles in sealing the win.
Top receiver Pierre Garcon caught the go-ahead touchdown, but reasoned that the late surge on offense was protected by reserve running back Roy Helu Jr.
"I think Helu Jr. really stepped up when Alfred [Morris] got hurt and then he had that two-play drive where he gave effort," Garcon told the media. "I think that closed the coffin, really. I think Helu Jr. gets it."
Starting defensive end Barry Cofield credited the man directly next to him, nose tackle Barry Cofield, for his two-sack, fumble-recovery performance.
"Barry Cofield, I'd give it to Barry," he said without hesitation. "[He's the] best nose [tackle] in the NFL."
Redskins fans disagreed in an amongst themselves, choosing rookie cornerback David Amerson (tackle, interception, touchdown) for his breakout performance in the Redskins.com MVR.
Amerson held 60 percent of the vote, compared to Garcon's 30 percent and Cofield's 10.
Then in the postgame fan poll on Redskins.com, outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan (four tackles, two sacks, forced fumble) won from a four-person pool, taking home 42 percent of the vote against Garcon, Cofield and Amerson.
So who was the team's most valuable player? Head coach Mike Shanahan argued it was actually the team's work as a whole that won the day.
"I was pleased with our guys," Shanahan said, citing the composure after early adversity. "We kept on fighting through it. You look at somebody, and sometimes it's a dropped ball or whatever it may be.
"A lot of the times the team starts going in the opposite direction, but our guys stayed in there.
"When it doesn't happen you've got to keep your composure and keep on fighting through it. That's why it takes everybody."
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