Falcons cornerback Robert Alford's pick-six of Kirk Cousins in overtime sealed Atlanta's 25-19 win over the Washington Redskins in Week 5. Here's what you need to know:
- Despite the loss, Joe Barry's Redskins defense played a gutsy game. It starts with a much-improved Washington secondary that shut out star wideout Julio Jones (5/67) over the first two quarters while coaxing Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan into a pair of first-half turnovers. The 'Skins kept Atlanta out of the end zone until midway through the final period. Ryan finished with just 218 yards on the day, but he was fantastic when it mattered most: His late-game heroics during a 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive put the Falcons up by three with less than a minute to go. The Redskins, however, weren't done ...
- I'm a bigger Kirk Cousins fan than some. He makes his share of mistakes, but the Redskins quarterback showed masterful comprehension of the offense and made the most of his weapons in guiding Washington back from the dead into OT. Cousins threw an ugly interception in the first half -- and ended the game with his pick-six in overtime -- but his late-game chemistry with fourth-rounder Jamison Crowder (8/86) was something we haven't seen from Robert Griffin III in years. Still, the turnovers were a killer, and something that keeps Cousins from the upper echelon of Gregg Rosenthal's QB Index.
- Falcons rookie runner Tevin Coleman returned to action, but this remains Devonta Freeman's backfield. Leading the way with an outrageous 153 yards off 27 carries, Freeman showed off the quick feet and savvy vision that make him a major headache on a weekly basis. His fourth-quarter score marked Freeman's eighth touchdown on the year. Coleman saw just two carries and isn't a threat to steal snaps away from Freeman any time soon.
- The 'Skins lead the NFL in time of possession and drives of 10-plus plays because of better blocking up front and the ability to attack teams in multiple ways out of the backfield. We saw little of that against Dan Quinn's Falcons defense. Alfred Morris and rookie Matt Jones "headlined" a ground game held to just 2.1 yards per carry. We dig third-down weapon Chris Thompson, but he can't do it alone.
- The Falcons haven't had a difference-making tight end since Tony Gonzalez retired, but Jacob Tamme repeatedly showed up as a pass-catcher on Sunday. Ryan targeted Tamme 10 times, connecting on eight of those attempts for 94 yards.
- NFL Media's Brian Billick argued Sunday that "kickers aren't football players."Matt Bryant would argue differently, but the normally reliable Falcons kicker doesn't have much to boast about after missing a pair of field goals -- from 38 and 48 yards -- to close the second quarter and open the third. Washington's Dustin Hopkins missed a field goal of his own, but also sent the game into overtime with a clutch, 52-yard gem.
