Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins tossed two touchdowns and ran for another, but also had an interception in a subpar day against the San Francisco 49ers and his former mentor, Kyle Shanahan, in a 26-24 victory Sunday.
It didn’t come without a little excitement, though, as the decimated Redskins (3-2), which had five players on defense go down to injury, blew a 17-point lead before barely holding on.
Cousins completed 25 of 37 passes for 330 yards. Running back Chris Thompson compiled 138 total yards on 19 touches.
Once the 49ers fell behind by two scores, Shanahan decided to bench starting quarterback Brian Hoyer for rookie C.J. Beathard, who threw for 245 yards, a touchdown and an interception and nearly put the Redskins under .500 with the NFC East Eagles looming on Monday Night Football next week.
Beathard, a third-round pick out of Iowa and grandson of former Redskins general manager Bobby Beathard, took over for Hoyer with about six and a half minutes left in the first half and the 49ers down 14-0. After Hoyer was 4 of 11 for 34 yards, Beathard went 19 of 36 in his first NFL action.
With the 49ers down by two in the final minute, Beathard led them toward field goal range before Good Counsel alum Kendall Fuller sealed the win with an interception on fourth down.
A fumble by Redskins tight end Vernon Davis yielded a 49ers touchdown, when Carlos Hyde (two touchdowns) ran for a 1-yard touchdown on the next play to tie the game.
Davis made up for that mistake by catching a pass from Cousins at the Washington 45 and running 33 more yards to the San Francisco 22, which set up a Cousins touchdown pass.
INJURIES: (49ers) DE Arik Armstead left with a hand injury, DE Aaron Lynch left with a calf injury, rookie LB Reuben Foster missed his fifth consecutive game with an ankle injury. (Redskins) CB Bashaud Breeland suffered a left knee injury when he was on the receiving end of a low block, rookie DL Jonathan Allen left with a foot injury in the fourth quarter, S Stefan McClure suffered left knee and ankle injuries, S D.J. Swearinger was evaluated for a stinger and returned, S Montae Nicholson was evaluated for a concussion and shoulder injury and returned after being cleared … RB Rob Kelley (ankle) and CB Josh Norman (rib) were inactive.
