Sports

Sounds of silence can’t stop RG3, ’Skins

Down a point and needing a field goal to win, Robert Griffin III held his poise and kept making plays. Even when the headset in his helmet failed.

The second overall pick in the NFL draft marched Washington down the field in the final minute yesterday in Tampa, giving Billy Cundiff a chance to redeem himself for a horrible day kicking with a 41-yard field goal that enabled the Redskins to snap a two-game skid with a 24-22 victory over the Buccaneers.

“The whole drive was a little complicated,” said Griffin, who completed 26 of 35 passes for 323 yards without an interception.

“In practice every week, we always practice me calling the plays in two-minute, acting as if the headset goes out. The funny thing was the headset did go out on that drive. That’s why I was having to run back and forth to the sideline. It was very neat how that practice situation, that practice scenario, actually played out in the game.”

Cundiff missed three earlier attempts, including a 31-yarder that would have put the Redskins (2-2) up by two scores early in the fourth quarter. He also missed first-half tries of 41 and 57 yards, but was on the money after Griffin completed four passes and scrambled for a 15-yard gain to put the Redskins into a position to win.

Falcons 30, Panthers 28

Matt Ryan took an awful beating, but another win for the Falcons will make the pain a lot easier to take.

Shaking off a career-high seven sacks, Ryan completed a 59-yard pass to Roddy White with about a minute remaining, setting up Matt Bryant’s 40-yard field goal that kept the host Falcons perfect.

The Falcons (4-0) are off to their best start since 2004, when they reached the NFC championship.

Rams 19, Seahawks 13

In St. Louis, rookie Greg Zuerlein kicked four field goals, setting a club record with a 58-yarder and then topping it with a 60-yarder, and helped the Rams beat the Seahawks. He’s 12 for 12 on the year.

“Right now, our kicker is the MVP of the season,” Steven Jackson said.

Chargers 37, Chiefs 20

In Kansas City, Philip Rivers threw for 209 yards and two touchdowns, and the Chargers capitalized on six turnovers by the Chiefs.