The Washington Redskins just blew the NFC East race wide open with a 17-16 win over the New York Giants on Monday night at FedEx Field.
Robert Griffin III didn't have his best statistical game, but he received help from his running game and a defense that refused to break. The Giants seemed to have the ball all night, but they found the end zone only once. First-half drives of 11 plays and 13 plays produced just three points.
The Redskins took the lead with 6:38 to play in the fourth quarter on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Griffin to Pierre Garcon, who is healthy and playing like the premier receiver Washington paid him to be. That's when the defense stepped up, forcing the Giants to punt on each of their next two possessions.
After the second punt, the Redskins took over with 3:51 to play and ran out the clock, thanks to three huge first downs. Alfred Morris, who ran for 124 yards and now is over 1,000 for the season, sealed the game with a hard 6-yard gain on third-and-3.
The NFC East now is a legitimate three-horse race. The Giants still pace the division at 7-5, but the Redskins and Dallas Cowboys are right behind at 6-6. The Giants still should be considered the favorites, but something special could be brewing in D.C.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.
