Blaine Gabbert Keeps Titans' Hopes Alive, Beating Redskins 25-16
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Blaine Gabbert threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to MyCole Pruitt with 4:30 left and the Tennessee Titans kept their playoff hopes alive by rallying to beat the Washington Redskins 25-16 on Saturday.
Gabbert came off the bench for the third time this season after the Redskins knocked Marcus Mariota out of the game late in the first half with a stinger. Gabbert hit Taywan Taylor for 35 yards to jump-start the winning drive, Derrick Henry ran four times for 33 yards, his last an 18-yarder to the 2. Gabbert then hit Pruitt at the back of the end zone.
The Titans (9-6) now must beat Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts and have either Baltimore or Pittsburgh lose once to earn the AFC’s second wild-card spot for a second consecutive playoff berth.
Safety Kevin Byard intercepted Josh Johnson’s pass on third-and-3 with 1:17 left. Then Malcolm Butler picked off a pass as time expired and ran 56 yards for an emphatic TD.
The Redskins (7-8) have lost five of six.
Mariota had thrown for 110 yards when sacked with 48 seconds left in the first half by defensive end Jonathan Allen. His right, throwing shoulder and arm were examined, then he walked to the locker room and was replaced by Gabbert.
The Titans said Mariota suffered a stinger, the same injury that knocked him out of Tennessee’s loss Nov. 18 at Indianapolis. He also was knocked out of the season opener with an elbow injury that cost him a start.
Gabbert threw for 101 yards, and Henry finished with 84 yards and a TD on 21 carries.
Adrian Peterson ran for 119 yards for Washington. That put him over 1,000 yards for the season for the first time since 2015 and made him the 12th player in NFL history with eight or more seasons with 1,000 yards rushing.
Johnson threw for 153 yards and a TD. Dustin Hopkins kicked field goals of 50, 40 and 46 yards, and Washington finished with three sacks.
The fourth quarterback to start this season for Washington this season, Johnson drove the Redskins on the NFL’s second-longest drive this season, taking the ball with 26 seconds left in the first quarter and then eating up 10:58 off the clock, going 98 yards over 17 plays. Johnson capped the drive with a 7-yard TD pass to Michael Floyd for a 10-6 lead.
INJURIES
With Washington already thin at guard, guard Zac Kerin hurt a knee on the Redskins’ second drive of the game but was able to return. Redskins defensive end Matt Ioannidis hurt a hamstring.
Titans Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jurrell Casey aggravated a knee that kept him out of practice all week with 4:21 left.
UP NEXT
Redskins: Host Philadelphia.
Titans: Host the Colts.
