Washington fell behind 24-7 late in the second quarter before scoring 17

Washington fell behind 24-7 late in the second quarter before scoring 17 straight points to tie the score. The Redskins then gave up two quick touchdowns in the fourth quarter before a two-yard touchdown run by Griffin with 3 minutes 38 seconds left to play pulled them within seven.

On the ensuing onside kick, Washingtontouched the ball just before it traveled the required 10 yards, giving the ball to Cincinnati. But the defense held, and the Redskins got the ball back on their own 2-yard line with just 1:47 left and no timeouts. Still they were able to drive to the Bengals' 19 before a sack and penalties drove them backward 40 yards, ending their hopes.

"It's always frustrating," said Griffin, who was sacked six times for 53 yards and also fumbled while getting hit during a pitch. "But one thing we're not going to ever do is stop fighting. I think it showed a lot of heart of the team, but the bottom line is we've got to come away with those victories."

The league's investigation found that Saints coaches and players

"Whether the commissioner tries to readdress the situation or not is his call," said Peter Ginsberg, Vilma's attorney. "We are certainly hoping the appeals board has made it clear the commissioner tried to grab jurisdiction and impose penalties over an area he does not have oversight. ... The factual record in the court makes it clear he has acted in a biased and inappropriate manner."

In a memo sent to all 32 NFL teams after the ruling and obtained by AP, NFL legal counsel Jeff Pash emphasized that "nothing in today's decision contradicts any of the facts found in the investigation into this matter, or absolves any player of responsibility for conduct detrimental. Nor does the decision in any way suggest what discipline would be appropriate for conduct that lies within the authority of the Commissioner."

The league's investigation found that Saints coaches and players, led by former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, ran a program from 2009-11 that offered cash payouts for hits that injured opponents. It said specific bounties were placed on quarterbacks Kurt Warner and Brett Favre in the 2009-10 playoffs.