Redskins rally to beat Seahawks, 23-17

SEATTLE — Rex Grossman finally came up with a game-winning pass to help the Washington Redskins end their six-game losing streak.

Grossman threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Armstrong on third-and-19 midway through the fourth quarter to cap Washington’s rally from 10 points down as the Redskins stunned the Seattle Seahawks 23-17 on Sunday.

Grossman was brilliant early, shaky in the middle and then great again in the fourth quarter for Washington (4-7).

The loss all but ended what little hopes the Seahawks (4-7) had of getting back into the NFC playoff picture.

Grossman threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Fred Davis as part of Washington’s nearly perfect first quarter, threw a pair of interceptions in the second and third quarters, then led two touchdown drives in the fourth after Seattle took a 17-7 lead.

Grossman finished 26 of 35 for 314 yards. He was 7 of 9 in the fourth quarter with no throw bigger than his long pass for Armstrong, who out maneuvered Seattle cornerback Brandon Browner in the corner of the end zone.

The touchdown came one play after Grossman was called for intentional grounding while getting driven to the turf. Grossman stepped up in the pocket to avoid the pass rush, then unloaded his toss for Armstrong.

Washington’s defense then held Seattle twice in the final 6 minutes, the last time when Seattle QB Tarvaris Jackson failed to get rid of the ball against a blitz on fourth-and-5 at his 23 with 2:07 left.

The Redskins ended their longest skid since losing the first seven games of the 1998 season.

Rookie running back Roy Helu added a highlight-reel 28-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter — his first NFL rushing touchdown — and finished with 108 yards on 23 carries.

Graham Gano added a 25-yard field goal with 1:06 left after having a 23-yarder blocked earlier in the game.

Marshawn Lynch rushed for 111 yards and caught a 20-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, but Seattle saw its chance at the first three-game win streak under coach Pete Carroll crumble under too many mistakes.

Jackson was 14 of 30 for 144 yards and was intercepted in the final minute by DeAngelo Hall. Seattle also committed nine penalties.

For a while, it looked as if the Redskins would match that losing mark from 13 years ago. Seattle took a 17-7 lead early in the fourth quarter when Jackson found Golden Tate on a 15-yard touchdown. But that 10-point lead was short-lived.

Washington quickly went down the field finally showing some of the offensive pop missing since the first quarter. Grossman was 4 of 5 passing on the drive, before Helu’s first rushing touchdown.

On third-and-3 at the Seattle 28, Helu took a quick pitch out of the shotgun, sprinted into an opening, hurdled over Seattle defensive back Roy Lewis and through the tackle attempt of safety Kam Chancellor on his way to the touchdown run.

Washington immediately forced a three-and-out with LaRon Landry and Brian Orakpo arriving to sandwich Jackson for a painful third-down sack and Washington was at its own 44 with 7:55 left following the punt.

The Redskins got to the Seattle 38 but Grossman was flagged for intentional grounding on second-and-7, before making his toss to Armstrong. The extra point was blocked.

Washington had 172 yards in the first quarter and scored a touchdown on its opening drive for the first time all season when Fred Davis caught a 2-yard pass from Grossman for a 7-0 lead.

It was just the Redskins’ second first-quarter touchdown of the season and a drive kept alive by a third-down defensive holding penalty on Browner away from the play early in the possession.

Browner and Richard Sherman later intercepted Grossman, with Browner’s pick leading to Lynch’s touchdown catch on a swing pass. Steven Hauschka also made a 36-yard field goal to give Seattle a 10-7 lead in the third quarter.

REDSKINS 23, SEAHAWKS 17

Washington 7 0 0 16–23

Seattle 0 7 3 7–17

First Quarter

Was–Davis 2 pass from Grossman (Gano kick), 7:11. Drive: 14 plays, 80 yards, 7:49. Key Plays: Browner 5-yard defensive holding penalty on 3rd-and-11; Grossman 20 pass to Davis; Grossman 8 pass to Moss on 3rd-and-6; Grossman 31 pass to Davis. Washington 7, Seattle 0.

Second Quarter

Sea–Lynch 20 pass from Jackson (Hauschka kick), 11:01. Drive: 1 play, 20 yards, 0:07. Key Play: Browner 16 interception return to Washington 20. Washington 7, Seattle 7.

Third Quarter

Sea–FG Hauschka 36, 5:58. Drive: 4 plays, 47 yards, 1:37. Key Play: Wilson 44-yard defensive pass interference penalty. Seattle 10, Washington 7.

Fourth Quarter

Sea–Tate 15 pass from Jackson (Hauschka kick), 12:45. Drive: 12 plays, 88 yards, 5:43. Key Plays: Lynch 12 run; Jackson 11 pass to Obomanu; Jackson 24 pass to Baldwin on 3rd-and-6; Lynch 3 run on 3rd-and-2. Seattle 17, Washington 7.

Was–Helu 28 run (Gano kick), 9:51. Drive: 6 plays, 70 yards, 2:54. Key Plays: Grossman 13 pass to Moss; Grossman 17 pass to Gaffney. Seattle 17, Washington 14.

Was–Armstrong 50 pass from Grossman (kick blocked), 6:18. Drive: 4 plays, 56 yards, 1:37. Key Play: Grossman 15 pass to Sellers. Washington 20, Seattle 17.

Was–FG Gano 25, 1:06. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 1:01. Key Play: Gained possession on downs at Seattle 14. Washington 23, Seattle 17.

A–66,007.

Was Sea

FIRST DOWNS 22 15

Rushing 4 6

Passing 15 8

Penalty 3 1

THIRD DOWN EFF 3-10 6-16

FOURTH DOWN EFF 0-0 0-1

TOTAL NET YARDS 416 250

Total Plays 65 62

Avg Gain 6.4 4.0

NET YARDS RUSHING 110 124

Rushes 29 30

Avg per rush 3.8 4.1

NET YARDS PASSING 306 126

Sacked-Yds lost 1-8 2-18

Gross-Yds passing 314 144

Completed-Att. 26-35 14-30

Had Intercepted 2 1

Yards-Pass Play 8.5 3.9

KICKOFFS-EndZone-TB 5-4-2 4-2-2

PUNTS-Avg. 4-44.5 6-44.5

Punts blocked 0 0

FGs-PATs blocked 1-1 0-0

TOTAL RETURN YARDAGE 44 110

Punt Returns 3-7 2-1

Kickoff Returns 2-34 2-86

Interceptions 1-3 2-23

PENALTIES-Yds 10-115 9-91

FUMBLES-Lost 1-0 0-0

TIME OF POSSESSION 33:20 26:40

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING–Washington, Helu 23-108, Royster 1-3, Grossman 5-(minus 1). Seattle, Lynch 24-111, Washington 4-9, Rice 1-3, Forsett 1-1.

PASSING–Washington, Grossman 26-35-2-314. Seattle, Jackson 14-30-1-144.

RECEIVING–Washington, Helu 7-54, Gaffney 5-72, Davis 4-58, Moss 4-29, Young 2-22, Paulsen 2-14, Armstrong 1-50, Sellers 1-15. Seattle, Baldwin 5-60, Obomanu 3-26, Lynch 1-20, Tate 1-15, A.McCoy 1-13, Robinson 1-7, Miller 1-2, Forsett 1-1.

PUNT RETURNS–Washington, Banks 3-7. Seattle, Washington 2-1.

KICKOFF RETURNS–Washington, Banks 1-19, Sellers 1-15. Seattle, Washington 2-86.

TACKLES-ASSISTS-SACKS–Washington, Riley 6-8-0, Fletcher 4-7-0, Hall 3-2-0, Landry 3-1-1, Orakpo 3-1-0 1/2 , Kerrigan 2-2-0, Bowen 1-5-0 1/2 , Carriker 1-3-0, Wilson 1-2-0, Atogwe 1-1-0, Doughty 1-1-0, Hurt 1-0-0, Moss 1-0-0, Westbrook 1-0-0, Alexander 0-1-0, Austin 0-1-0, Cofield 0-1-0, Neild 0-1-0, Scott 0-1-0. Seattle, Hill 6-2-0, Hawthorne 5-2-0, Sherman 5-2-0, Browner 5-0-0, Mebane 5-0-0, Thomas 4-2-0, Chancellor 3-1-0, McDonald 3-1-0, Wright 2-3-0, Maragos 2-1-0, Bigby 2-0-0, Bryant 1-1-0, Clemons 1-1-0, Hargrove 1-0-1, Brock 1-0-0, Levingston 1-0-0, Tate 1-0-0, Smith 0-1-0.

INTERCEPTIONS–Washington, Hall 1-3. Seattle, Browner 1-16, Sherman 1-7.

MISSED FIELD GOALS–Washington, Gano 23 (BK). Seattle, Hauschka 51 (WR).

OFFICIALS–Referee Clete Blakeman, Ump Garth DeFelice, HL Tony Veteri, LJ Jeff Seeman, FJ Buddy Horton, SJ Greg Meyer, BJ Terrence Miles, Replay Dick Creed.

Time: 3:19.