Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins proving his worth

The Redskins defeated the Packe.

Cousins also had a key run to extend a scoring drive in the fourth quarter, as the quarterback rushed for two yards on a gutsy 4-and-1 call in Washington territory.

McCarthy acknowledges he can’t control what happens with injuries – the Packers had four players leave Sunday’s game – but he feels it’s up to them to protect the football and cultivate ways to turn over the ball on defense. As the Redskins look to make the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in a quarter-century.

And while Dallas is enjoying its lofty perch atop the league standings, the Cowboys are quite aware of what awaits Thanksgiving against longtime rival Washington at AT&T Stadium.

Looking ahead on their schedule, the Packers go to Philly to play the Eagles the first Monday Night Game after Thanksgiving.

DeSean Jackson stopped short of calling Sunday a breakout performance for the offense.

“Obviously coming in here, we knew we needed this game”, McCarthy said. The defense may not be the team’s strong point, but it comes up big when it needs to.

Running off the field after throwing for 375 yards and three touchdowns in the Washington Redskins victory over the Green Bay Packers, quarterback Kirk Cousins stopped and yelled right into the ear of general manager Scot McCloughan.

“For us to keep pace in the division and have a chance at the division title”, Gruden said, “we’ve got to play our best game Thursday”.

For its part, Dallas had an afternoon game at home against Baltimore on Sunday giving it roughly an eight-hour head start on Washington, which hosted Green Bay that night. “QB rating 145? So we need him to play like that a lot more”. Redskins cornerback Josh Norman knocked the ball out of Nelson’s hands in the end zone and thought it was an incomplete pass, but officials ruled it a touchdown on the field and replay confirmed it. “We’re in a tough stretch”. That made the game a close one because he had to match up to Cousins, who threw for 364 yards in the game.

It is time for any naysayers to put all the negative-Kirk Cousins talk to bed.

His Packers beat the Redskins in the playoffs last season and are perennially seen as a title contender, but are now 4-6 and in third place in the NFC North, two games behind both the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings. That has led to much speculation on his future with the Redskins and whether they will meet his asking price for a long-term deal. “We have video of us doing it”.

“It’s a positive thing they would say that, but at the same time, I know people are itching to say the opposite if I don’t play well Thursday”, Cousins said.

Clemson is No. 4, and No. 5 Wisconsin gives the Big Ten three of the first five for the first time since November 7, 1960, when Minnesota was No. 1, Ohio State was No. 3 and Iowa was No. 5.