London's Calling

International journey draws rare tie

- Zac Boyer

LONDON — After their weary bodies and tired minds traveled more than 3,500 miles for their first international regular-season game, the Washington Redskins turned around and headed home with a particularly English souvenir.

A tie. The 27-27 stalemate with the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 30 brought to an end a whirlwind four-day odyssey for the Redskins, who were among the last teams to play in the United Kingdom since the NFL adopted the London series a decade ago.

Washington was looking to punctuate the first half of its season with an overseas victory. Instead, players struggled to come to terms with the outcome after the game had ended with the mood in the locker room resembling disappointment more than jubilation.

“We came up with some big plays late and we just fell a little short today,” defensive end Chris Baker said. “I kind of don’t know how to feel — but at least we didn’t lose, I guess.”

The Redskins had not fought to a stalemate in nearly 20 years, which was also the last time two games ended in a draw in the same season.

Baker was among those on the Redskins who had watched the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks play to a tie the previous week. So, too, was coach Jay Gruden, whose tongue in-cheek remarks afterward spoke to the difficulty of achieving such an outcome.

“I didn’t think it was possible to tie,” Gruden said. “I know there was a tie last week in Arizona, but I was like, ‘How the heck did they tie?’ Now we know.”

Even a crowd accustomed to unsatisfactory finishes was left wanting more once the game ended. Confused murmurs reverberated around Wembley Stadium with the crowd of more than 84,000 perplexed by the sudden finish once the overtime session had ended.