"They made plays," McCarthy said. "They took the shots one-on-one and they converted them. That's what this league is all about."

In the process, Washington QB Alex Smith was on his way to 220 yards and a 110.4 passer rating, with 130 of the yards coming on three completions, including a 46-yard TD to Paul Richardson to open the game.

Running back Adrian Peterson also broke off a 41-yard run as part of his 19-carry, 120-yard, two-touchdown day.

After the Packers scored on a 2-yard TD pass to Davante Adams (seven catches, 52 yards) to open the second half, they were within 28-17. The defense stiffened, allowing just one first down in a span of four possessions.

But the offense continued to sputter due to penalties and drops, and a comeback never materialized.

"The penalty imbalance was heavy against us," McCarthy said, as the Packers were flagged for 11 infractions for 115 yards compared to just six for 66 for Washington.

"Way too many holding calls. A lot of long down-and-distances. We had a lot of opportunities in the second half to get the game back to one score and didn't get it done."