Heinicke, Hopkins combine to give WFT win as time expires originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Through two games, the Washington Football Team has a lot of issues. Fortunately, thanks to a necessary — if a bit uninspiring, sometimes straight-up unpleasant and, at the end, absurdly wild — Thursday night win over the Giants, they don’t have an 0-2 record, which was their primary objective in Week 2.
So much about the Burgundy and Gold’s effort was frustrating. The penalties were aplenty, the defense largely couldn’t stop New York on third downs (or first and second downs, either) and Daniel Jones once again enjoyed his time at FedEx Field.
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However, Taylor Heinicke, who entered the matchup as a fan favorite, exited it as a certified legend thanks to a magnificent last-minute drive. Dustin Hopkins, meanwhile, who many fans thought should’ve been cut in the summer due to a lackluster camp and preseason, drilled the game-winning kick from 43 yards away.
That conversion, by the way, came after an offsides penalty wiped out a 48-yard miss.
1-1 has never, ever felt so good.
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The contest’s final frame is where things got chaotic. Heinicke and Ricky Seals-Jones — yes, RICKY SEALS-JONES — connected for a ridiculous 19-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown to take a 27-26 lead. And that highlight came after Heinicke picked out JD McKissic for a 56-yard sideline field-flipper.
A truly baffling interception from Heinicke came on the home side’s next possession, though, and Graham Gano’s fifth field goal was enough for the visitors to go back up top again, 29-27. Everything about that sequence — from the call to the attempt — was dreadful.
Luckily for Heinicke, that three-pointer lent him one last opportunity for redemption, and somehow, he managed to come through. With just one timeout, the backup-turned-starter navigated the offense into range for Hopkins, and Gano’s counterpart put one through the uprights for the biggest boot of the evening once he was granted his own second chance.
Heinicke’s stat line was marvelous: 33-of-46 for 246 yards and two touchdowns. In the end, his ghastly turnover only led to more drama. And that drama led to an unforgettable victory.
