Redskins Insider

Sunday's game wasn't the only big loss for the Packers. Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered a concussion late in the contest, and his status for next week is uncertain.

Details were scarce following the game. Rodgers was not made available to reporters. Of the injury, Packers Coach Mike McCarthy said only, "I think it was the one at the end of the game."

The Packers' final offensive play came less than three minutes into the overtime period. Rodgers threw an interception to LaRon Landry. On the play, Redskins' defensive end Jeremy Jarmon appeared to apply the pressure up the middle and might have bumped heads with Rodgers.

When the ball was snapped, Brian Orakpo was gone.

Before Green Bay Packers left tackle Chad Clifton even had a chance to react, Orakpo was in the backfield, and as quarterback Aaron Rodgers surveyed the field early in the overtime period, Orakpo slammed into him from the blind side.

It was the second sack of the night for Orakpo, who continued to be a dominant force for the Redskins defense. The play came at a crucial time.

With defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth inactive following the death of his half-brother last week, second-year defensive end Jeremy Jarmon was active for the first time this season.

Jarmon played in 11 games a year ago before tearing his right anterior cruciate ligament Nov. 29 at Philadelphia, an injury that hampered him throughout the offseason. He then toggled between outside linebacker and defensive end, losing and then gaining weight to fit each position.

"You come off an injury like that, it's not only the knee itself, but it's the surrounding muscles and things like that," Jarmon said. "I have to get it as strong as the muscles on my left side. It's one of the big things I've been working on and using the extra time as I've been [inactive] those first few weekends."

Jarmon appeared only briefly Sunday, and was not credited with a tackle. He does, though, feel like it was a positive step in his return.

"It's definitely had its ups and downs and going through camp and things like that was tough," Jarmon said. "But I felt like Coach Shanahan and his staff did a great job of taking care of me through camp and gave me an opportunity."

On Saturday, Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan made the decision to release third-year receiver Devin Thomas. On Sunday, following the Redskins' 16-13 overtime win, Shanahan explained his reasoning.

"I sat down and talked to Devin many times and told him what he needed to do to be a pro football player," Shanahan said, "both on and off of the football field. And if he does do that, both on and off of the football field, he'll have a chance to play in the National Football League. But until he does that -- he's got the talent. He sure does. But he's going to have to commit to being a pro."

Shanahan did not elaborate on how Thomas wasn't conducting himself as a pro.

Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post

With wide receiver Devin Thomas's release on Saturday, rookie Brandon Banks inherited the kickoff-returning duties to go along with his responsibilities on punt returns. The results for the Redskins were encouraging.

Banks returned three punts for an average of 15.7 yards - including a 30-yarder that set up the Redskins' only touchdown. He also had a 62-yard return that was called back because safety Chris Horton committed an illegal block penalty. Banks's two kickoff returns were for an average of 16.5 yards, but he felt the entire day helped his progression.

"Everything started to click," Banks said. "Like [veteran receiver] Santana [Moss] told me, I kind of grew up out there. I feel good. I feel like every time I touch the ball, I can go the distance."

Banks clearly left the Packers feeling that way, and they appeared to try to kick away from him as the game wore on. The 5-foot-7, 150-pounder, an undrafted free agent out of Kansas State, was relegated to the practice squad after training camp but signed to the 53-man roster before the Oct. 3 game at Philadelphia. He is now averaging 18.7 yards on six punt returns.

"I was just trying to make big plays, and get good field position for the offense," Banks said. "I had fun out there."

Hunter Smith punted only once last week -- Friday in practice -- but said he felt good in his season debut.

"I thought it was a real strong first game back," said Smith, who re-joined the Redskins on Thursday. "Not surprising to me because I've been working like I was still playing."

Smith had a busy game on Sunday. He punted eight times, averaging 44.6 yards per punt. More important, he put five of those punts inside the 20-yard line. For the sake of comparison, Josh Bidwell, who went on the injured reserve list on Thursday, averaged 41.7 yards a punt and placed only three of his 15 punts inside the 20.

Though Smith hadn't punted in a game -- or even an NFL practice -- since the Redskins' 2009 season-finale at San Diego, he said he felt no rust on Sunday.

"I've been getting ready for this," he said. "Even when training camp started, I told a bunch of guys that I worked out with, 'Well, guys, training camp starts today.' And I kind of went to my own camp."

Smith was also the holder for field goals against the Packers, which means he played a pretty important role in Graham Gano's 33-yard game-winner in overtime. Missing the first four weeks of the season apparently didn't affect Smith.

"After a while, you can kind of rely on your muscle memory and your experience," he said.

Updated 4:44 p.m.

Overtime

With a timely interception by safety LaRon Landry, the Washington Redskins completed a late-game comeback and defeated the Green Bay Packers 16-13 in overtime Sunday.

After both teams failed to score on their first drives of the overtime period, Green Bay took over on its own 19 yard line. QB Aaron Rodgers hit Brandon Jackson for five yards on first down, but on second down as he rolled out he was pressured by defensive tackle Jeremy Jarmon.

Landry made a sliding interception of Rodgers' pass. The replay review upheld the interception though it nullified Landry's 23-yard return.

Washington took over on the 39-yard line and picked its way downfield.

QB Donovan McNabb hit Galloway for five yards, then found Cooley for four more. A defensive holding call on Brady Poppinga on third and 1 gave Washington a first down. A five yard loss and a pass interference call on Charles Woodson on second down set the Redskins up with another first down on the 22 yard line.

McNabb ran for gains of five and two yards on the next two plays before Graham Gano nailed the game-winning 35-yard field goal to give Washington the 16-13 win.

Updated: 4:15 p.m.

Fourth quarter

Despite not showing much life throughout the contest, the Redskins' offense was revived in the fourth quarter. A long touchdown early in the quarter and a late field goal were enough to send the game to overtime tied at 13.

The Redskins went for it on fourth down just two plays into the fourth quarter but could not convert, and Green Bay took over on its own 42-yard line.

The Redskins defense continued its strong play and forced another punt, and rookie Brandon Banks returned the kick 30 yards to set Washington up with prime field position at its own 40-yard line.

It took just two plays for the Redskins to capitalize.

McNabb hit Joey Galloway for 12 yards on first down, then found Anthony Armstrong down the middle from the Packers' 48. Armstrong leaped and made a great catch with Green Bay safety Charlie Peprah trying to break it up, and the Redskins pulled within 13-10 with 11 minutes 44 seconds remaining.

The Redskins' defense again held on the next possession despite giving up a 25-yard pass early in the possession. On third and two, Vonnie Holliday dropped back out of the nickel package and tipped Rodgers's pass, forcing the Packers to punt.

Banks again came up with a solid return, and the Redskins started on their own 25-yard line. McNabb hit Armstrong on the first play for 23 yards to move Washington to the 48-yard line.

An illegal-contact penalty turned a third down into a first, and McNabb hit Armstrong again for 13 yards on third down -- a great play in which Armstrong caught a deflection off the hands of Keiland Williams.

The drive stalled there, however, and Graham Gano missed a 51-yard field goal that would have tied the game.

Green Bay took over on its own 41-yard line, but the Redskins defense again stepped up -- a sack by Lorenzo Alexander and London Fletcher keyed yet another four and out -- and the Redskins took over on their 20 following another Packers punt.

McNabb hit Galloway for 11 yards on first down and after a four-yard run by Torain, McNabb hit Cooley for 30 yards on a play in which Cooley broke three tackles.

McNabb hit Cooley again for six yards and Torain rushed for two more. An incompletion on third and two set up a 45-yard field goal for Gano and this time, he nailed it to tie the game with 1 minute 7 seconds remaining.

The Packers were able to drive into field-goal territory in the final 67 seconds, with Rodgers finding Andrew Quarless for nine yards, then rushing for 14 yards and finding Quarless again for 21 yards.

Crosby's 53-yard field-goal attempt had plenty of distance and appeared to be the game winner, but it clanked off the left upright with one second remaining.

The Redskins tried a Hail Mary that was intercepted by Tramon Williams and returned deep into Washington territory before he was finally tackled. Rookie left tackle Trent Williams appeared to injure his left knee on the play and stayed on the ground until well after the overtime coin flip.

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Derrick Dockery continued to plummet on the Redskins' depth chart Sunday. The veteran guard was inactive for the first time in his eight-year career.

Washington's coaching staff determined in the preseason that Dockery, 30, was a bad fit for the team's zone blocking scheme. In the first two games, Dockery split time with Kory Lichtensteiger, 25, who was out of football during the 2009 season.

Lichtensteiger started at left guard in Week 3 against St. Louis, ending Dockery's string of 111 consecutive starts. Dockery's role has continued to decrease since the Redskins lost to the Rams.

"I think it's tough," said center Casey Rabach, who has played alongside Dockery for years. "But the guy never shows it. The guy's always smiling. The guy's always upbeat. The guy's always saying, 'I'll be all right. I'll be all right.'"

Derrick Dockery had played in every game of his career, a string of 116 consecutive regular season games. But after starting the Redskins' first two games of the season, Dockery is on the inactive list for Sunday's game against the Packers.

Dockery had started 111 games before losing his starting job to Kory Lichtensteiger in Week 3.

Trent Williams, who has missed the past two games with knee and toe injuries, is active and expected to start at left tackle.

Also, second-year defensive lineman Jeremy Jarmon is slated to see his first action of the season Sunday, and the Redskins apparently are comfortable going with just one nose tackle against Green Bay.