Bears kicker Robbie Gould missed a potential game-tying field goal in the final minutes as the Washington Redskins held on for a 24-21 win at Soldier Field over Chicago (5-8). It was the Redskins' first road victory of the season. Here is what you need to know:
- Jordan Reed dominated all game. The Redskins' best player Sunday caught every target thrown his way, was too quick for Bears linebackers to cover and ran over secondary defenders after the catch. When the tight end is right, he's a monster for the Redskins, especially in the red zone. Sunday was the most determined we've seen him run with the ball all season, plowing over defenders for nine catches on nine targets for 120 yards and a touchdown. It was Reed's third career 100-yard game.
- The Redskins' running back rotation chewed up yards against a Pernell McPhee-less Bears defensive front. Alfred Morris got going early and scored his first touchdown of the season on the opening drive, but Matt Jones did most of the heavy lifting late (18 carries, 62 yards). The Redskins combined for 99 total yards on the ground. Despite some shakiness with the ball, it is clear Jones is the battering ram Jay Gruden prefers down the stretch of close games.
- The most accurate kicker in Bears history has a case of the yips. For the second consecutive week, Robbie Gould missed a huge field goal -- this one to potentially force overtime. Gould has now missed six field goal attempts on the season, including three the past two weeks. The previous five he had pulled left. Sunday looked like a classic overcompensation as he pushed it right.
- The Bears' offense looked out of sync much of the game. The Redskins' defensive line discombobulated Jay Cutler, sacking him three times and forcing a fumble. Cutler was at his best on the move, pushing the ball down the field to Alshon Jeffery. Beside some playground-type plays, it wasn't a solid game from Adam Gase and the Chicago offense as neither Matt Forte nor Jeremy Langford found sustained success out of the backfield.
- Kirk Cousins completed one of the dumbest throws of the season. Leading late, the Redskins quarterback was flushed from the pocket, scrambled right, threw a lollipop across his body over the middle of the field in the midst of four players. The ball popped up in the air off a defender and landed in Matt Jones' hands for the first down, allowing the Redskins to milk some more time off the clock.
To make the play more ridiculous, Jones didn't realize he wasn't contacted down when he corralled it. The running back flipped the pigskin away, leading to a loose-ball situation. Luckily for Jones, the ball popped right back to him, keeping his face off the blooper reels for years to come. The football gods were on Washington's side on that play.
- The Bears' second level got picked apart, but the front seven continues to apply pressure on quarterbacks, even without McPhee. Willie Young was consistently in the backfield earning three tackles for loss and a sack and Lamar Houston added nine tackles and a sack. Chicago's personnel needs upgrades, but the production we are seeing from the front as the season wanes is positive for Vic Fangio's defense in 2016.
- DeSean Jackson banged up his left knee. The wideout wasn't forced from the game, but it was clearly bothering him -- especially evident on a third-and-4 out route on which he couldn't get out of his break. It's something to monitor this week.
- Washington moved to 6-7 to remain tied atop the NFC East. They finish the season at home against Buffalo and with trips to Philadelphia and Dallas, where the woeful division could be decided.
