It was mostly a good day on Sunday against the Giants for Robert Griffin III, but four turnovers by the Redskins offense -- three fumbles and one interception -- and a late touchdown strike from Eli Manning to Victor Cruz made for an unhappy ending. (US Presswire)

The Washington Redskins (3-4) had a chance for a Miracle at the Meadowlands type of game on Sunday, led by their rookie star. But after Robert Griffin III’s heroics produced a go-ahead score, the defense faltered again and the Giants pulled out a 27-23 win. It’s the pattern of the season, Griffin compensating for the flaws on the other side of the ball. The Redskins are under .500, but it has nothing to do with playing a rookie QB.

Offense: B

Everything was worthy of an A+. The Redskins gained 480 yards, converted 46 percent of their third downs, drove downfield for a go-ahead score late in the game. RG3 was fantastic. So why a B? Because the Redskins turned the ball over four times -- three fumbles and an interception. It ruined an otherwise great day. Griffin finished with a combined 347 total yards, rookie RB Alfred Morris rushed for 120 yards on 22 carries. The offense was zero for 2 in the red zone as well. Previous game’s grade: B+

Defense: C

For a lot of the game, the Redskins were OK. It helped that the offense won the time of possession 32:43 to 27:17, keeping this struggling unit off the field. But they continue to put little pressure on the quarterback, and they allowed a 77-yard completion fromEli Manning to Victor Cruz for the game-winning touchdown with 1:13 to play when FS Madieu Williams provided no safety help to CB Josh Wilson. It was a colossal breakdown at a bad time. The defense did intercept two passes but also allowed 67 percent of third downs to be converted. Previous game’s grade: A-

Special teams: B

PK Kai Forbath is off to a good start. He made all three of his field goals Sunday and now has made all four this season. Forbath made kicks from 20, 43 and 45 yards and shows plenty of leg. His kickoffs are inconsistent. Some have hangtime of 4.2 seconds, others only 3.5. P Sav Rocca punted just once, for 33 yards, but he had great hangtime. He nearly didn’t punt because of a bad right knee. The kick-return game was neutralized by touchbacks. Previous game’s grade: B-

Coaching: B

You can’t pin this loss on the coaches. Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett called for two receivers to be doubled on the 77-yard TD, including Cruz. But it was poorly executed. Very poorly. The offensive play-calling was terrific, and if not for all the turnovers the Redskins could have surpassed 500 yards. Coach Mike Shanahan was aggressive, going for it on fourth down three times (and succeeding each time). The Redskins have defensive flaws that are tough to overcome. But the coaches continue to use Griffin in a creative fashion, keeping defenses way off-balance. Previous game’s grade: A-

John Keim covers the Redskins for the Washington Examiner. Follow him on Twitter @CBSRedskins or @John_Keim.