All posts in football

With roughly three minutes remaining in regulation, the Washington Commanders held a two-point lead and a nearly 80 percent chance of victory over the Chicago Bears. With the game in the balance, the burgundy and gold were unable to run down the clock and see out the win.

On third and one from the Chicago 40-yard line, a fumbled exchange between quarterback Jayden Daniels and rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt opened the door for a Bears comeback. Quarterback Caleb Williams promptly led Chicago on a nine-play, 36-yard drive before kicker Jake Moody drilled a 38-yard field goal as time expired to complete an improbable 25-24 win over the Commanders.

The Commanders and Bears continue to find exciting new ways to conclude a game. Last season’s thrilling Hail Mary affair was arguably the most shocking ending to an NFL game all season. This time around, Chicago players were the ones celebrating as the clock hit zero.

“I just lost the ball. Completely my fault,” said Daniels, after the loss. “Didn’t give Bill a chance. It’s my fault.”

For the fourth time in just six games, Washington fell behind by double digits — thanks in large part to two first-half turnovers. The Bears jumped out to a 13-0 lead and Commanders fans worried the game would turn into a blowout before the offense ever got going. Daniels completed 19 of 26 attempts for 211 yards, with three touchdowns and an interception in the loss, while Williams completed 17 of 29 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown for Chicago.

Dating back to college, Daniels and Williams have been linked repeatedly. They were easily the two best quarterbacks of their draft class. Daniels won the Heisman Trophy, while Williams was the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Daniels defeated Williams and the Bears via the most dramatic of circumstances in Year 1 and Williams now earned some revenge in Year 2. If every matchup between these two is this epic, it’s safe to assume the NFL script writers are already salivating at what the third installment might produce.

A week ago, the Washington Commanders got knocked down (metaphorically) on primetime television in Green Bay. Ten days later, without the services of franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels (knee sprain), they dusted themselves off and got back into the fight.

Against the Las Vegas Raiders, Commanders head coach Dan Quinn got knocked down (literally) during a play just before halftime. The 55-year-old was flattened by friendly fire during the final seconds of the first half when quarterback Marcus Mariota scrambled to get out of bounds and plowed into him accidentally.

Taking a page from his own players, Quinn popped right back up, bloodied from the collision, and immediately returned his focus to the matter at hand. Only after the Commanders had successfully converted a 56-yard field goal attempt and everyone headed to the locker room, did Quinn finally allow the medical staff to check on him.

“He’s everything that he preaches to us,” said linebacker Bobby Wagner. “We feel like we saw that in the moment. You got knocked down, got hit pretty hard. You got no pads on, nothing.

“It was kind of like a movie,” Wagner added.

Following their head coach’s example, the Commanders aggressively attacked the Raiders in a lopsided 41-24 affair, which Washington led 34-10 before letting off the gas and allowing the visiting Raiders to score a pair of meaningless fourth quarter touchdowns.

In his first start since 2023, Mariota completed 15 of 21 attempts (71.4 percent) for 207 yards with one touchdown, no interceptions and a 118.6 QB rating while leading Washington’s offense to six scoring drives and more than 400 yards of total offense.

But before Mariota even stepped on the field against his former team, wideout Deebo Samuel set the tone with a 69-yard return, the longest of his career, on the opening kickoff that provide excellent field position for Washington’s first drive. Four plays later, the veteran quarterback dove into the end zone for a 7-0 lead.

Rookie receiver Jaylin Lane became Washington’s first player to return a punt for a touchdown since Jamison Crowder in 2016, and the franchise’s first rookie to do so since Desmond Howard in 1992. In total, Washington’s special teams unit contributed with 245 total return yards.

With Mariota and friends supplying sufficient offense and the special teams unit having a day to remember, the Commanders defense was given the green light to rachet up the pressure on Raiders quarterback Geno Smith, who was pressured on 64.7 percent of his dropbacks, despite Washington blitzing just 11.8 percent of the time, per TruMedia. The Commanders finished the day with five sacks, but could have had several more had Smith not been able to slip through the hands of a would-be tacklers on multiple occasions.

Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty, the sixth pick in the draft, ran 17 times for just 63 yards. Brock Bowers, arguably the best tight end in football today, caught just four passes for 38 yards.

On second and five at the Washington 40-yard line late in the second quarter, unheralded running back Jeremy McNichols was handed the ball and immediately met with multiple defenders. For reasons that remain unclear, none of those four defenders actually did much defending. Four broken tackles later the 29-year-old veteran turned what should have been a three-yard gain into a 60-yard touchdown — the longest run of his career and Washington’s longest touchdown run since Adrian Peterson in 2018.

For the day, Washington rushed 32 times for 201 yards and three touchdowns (an average of 6.3 yards per carry). Seventh-round pick Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who was selected six rounds and 239 picks later than Jeanty, is arguably off to a better start this season than his higher profile contemporary.

The Washington Commanders traveled to Wisconsin to face the Green Bay Packers in an early-season showdown. So how did Washington fare in such a marquee matchup between two of the league’s most exciting teams?

Welp. It’s probably not your day when the injury cart has more consistent drives than your team’s offense.

Unfortunately for the visitors, defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. (right quad) and running back Austin Ekeler (Achilles) each required the cart after suffering potential long-term injuries. Compounding matters, receiver Noah Brown and tight end John Bates both exited the game early with groin injuries. And, most concerning, franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels was clearly hobbling on the field during the fourth quarter after taking a hit to the knee. Safe to say the training room will be a popular destination between now and Week 3.

The coaching staff will be equally busy over the next 10 days, desperately dissecting how things went so severely sideways on both sides of the ball during Thursday Night Football. The Packers cruised to a thorough 27-18 victory that wasn’t as close as the final score suggests. The cheeseheads were the aggressors from the jump, playing faster and more physical while dominating the line of scrimmage on both offense and defense.

Receiver Deebo Samuel had a solid showing in the loss, as did rookie cornerback Trey Amos. But too many of their teammates were overmatched passengers. The offense, as a whole, did not appear ready for prime time — amassing just 230 total yards. That represents the lowest output since Jayden Daniels became the franchise’s starting quarterback. Clearly the Micah Parsons-led defense neutralized whatever game plan offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury planned to implement.

Daniels was pressured on an alarming 25 of 51 dropbacks (49 percent), the most of his career. And it wasn’t as if the Packers were sending exotic blitzes all night long. Commanders rookie right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. allowed two sacks and nine pressures. Right guard Nick Allegretti wasn’t much better, allowing five pressures. When the entire right side of your offensive line appears overmatched, it’s obviously difficult to dictate play to your opponent.

Packers quarterback Jordan Love connected with his pass catchers seemingly at will. There were way too many missed assignments and blown coverages. Green Bay’s tight ends were so wide open, it’s fair to wonder if the defense knew they were allowed to cover Tucker Kraft (six catches for 124 yards and a touchdown).

No fourth quarter heroics or miracle finishes. Just a slew of wounded athletes and questions for the coaching staff.

More than a few fans were nervous heading into the Washington Commanders’ season opener, thanks to contract drama and injuries that prevented receivers Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown from getting valuable practice reps with the offense. Add in several moving parts along a retooled offensive line, the exile of running back Brian Robinson Jr., and franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels playing just four total snaps during the preseason and it was foolish to believe the offense would be a well-oiled machine during Week 1.

Fortunately, the New York Giants appear ready and willing to stink once again, so none of that mattered too much. The Commanders dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball in a convincing 21-6 victory over the Giants in front of a vocal sellout crowd at Northwest Stadium.

The offense wasn’t as sharp as usual, but Daniels connected with one of his favorite red zone targets, veteran tight end Zach Ertz, to open the scoring for Washington. Later in the first half, Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt became the franchise’s first rookie to rush for a touchdown in his debut since Alfred Morris in 2012. The fan favorite known simply as “Bill,” led the team with 10 carries for 82 rushing yards.

During the second half, Commanders receiver Deebo Samuel impressively dove to the pylon on a 19-yard jet sweep to earn his first touchdown in the burgundy and gold. Samuel capped his debut with a team-high 77 receiving yards on seven receptions. While McLaurin and Brown seem to be working back into their normal rhythm within the offense, Samuel appears to have capitalized on the extra reps he received throughout the summer.

Daniels kicked off his sophomore campaign by completing 19-of-30 passes for 233 yards, with one touchdown and no interceptions. The 24-year-old also had eight carries for 71 yards. Led by seventh-round pick Croskey-Merritt, Washington’s ground game finished the day with 32 carries for 220 yards. On a more efficient day, Washington’s offense could have easily scored 30 points or more, but a few errant passes, drops and untimely penalties kept the game closer than it should have been.

For the visitors, Giants quarterback Russell Wilson had a forgettable debut, completing just 17 of 37 attempts for 168 yards. Facing pressure on nearly 50 percent of his passes, Wilson never looked comfortable or confident behind a shaky New York offensive line.

Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne was an absolute nuisance, with one sack, two batted passes and seven quarterback hits. As a unit, the front seven — led by Payne and defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw — flustered the Giants passing game, limited the ground game and registered seven tackles for loss. Defensive end Dorance Armstrong led Washington’s aggressive front with nine pressures.

After finishing last season 30th in rushing yards allowed, Washington’s defense held Giants running backs to 30 yards on 15 carries. How much credit goes to the Commanders versus how much blame should be assigned to New York is up for debate. New York had seven plays from the 3-yard line or closer and could only muster a field goal. The Giants also converted just four of 16 third downs on the day.

The Giants have now lost their last three opening games under head coach Brian Daboll by a combined score of 89-12. Coupled with the toughest schedule in football and a coaching staff and front office on the hottest of seats, this was clearly not the sort of a performance the Giants were hoping for. Washington, meanwhile, will hope to build on the win as they travel to Green Bay for Thursday Night Football.

Last season, the Washington Commanders shocked the Cincinnati Bengals 38-33 in a riveting primetime matchup that propelled both franchises in opposite directions. The loss dropped the Bengals to 0-3 for the first time in the Joe Burrow era, while the thrilling fourth-quarter comeback represented an arrival for the NFL’s eventual rookie of the year.

During the second episode of “Quarterback,” the popular Netflix documentary series, Cincinnati’s franchise quarterback called that Week 3 matchup a coming-out party for Washington’s Jayden Daniels. He’s not wrong. The dynamic Daniels was excellent that night and went on to have a historic debut season that is arguably the best rookie season ever.

The two LSU Heisman Trophy winners shared the field again, albeit this time during a preseason friendly in which Cincinnati defeated Washington during Monday Night Football, 31-17. The Bengals earned their first preseason victory since 2022, snapping a streak of seven consecutive exhibition games without a win, while Washington dropped to 0-2 this preseason.

While Burrow played extensively during the first half, leading Cincinnati’s first three drives, Daniels was barely able to break a sweat during his limited playing time. To recap:

Washington’s opening drive started with a 19-yard jet sweep by receiver Deebo Samuel followed by a 40-yard gain off tackle by running back Chris Rodriguez. Rodriguez’s second rushing attempt gained one yard before Daniels finally dropped back to pass the ball. But with no one open, the franchise quarterback improvised, scrambling for a 14-yard touchdown. After the four-play scoring drive, head coach Dan Quinn informed Daniels his night had concluded. After just one minute and 51 seconds, they had seen more than enough, and the 24-year-old’s second preseason was officially in the books.

The other highlight of the night was a 27-yard touchdown run by rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt. With news that running back Brian Robinson Jr. will likely be playing elsewhere soon, the Commanders’ seventh-round rookie affectionately known as “Bill” is clearly trying to make a name for himself. In Washington’s two preseason games, Croskey-Merritt has amassed 18 times for 70 yards and a touchdown.

Those two scoring drives were encouraging for the burgundy and gold, especially since they were without the services of right guard Sam Cosmi, left guard Brandon Coleman and/or left tackle Laremy Tunsil, as well as receiver Terry McLaurin.

The league’s hottest team, riding a seven-game winning streak and boasting the only two road wins of the NFL’s postseason, rolled into the hostile confines of Lincoln Financial Field with a chance to punch an improbable ticket to the Super Bowl. To get there though, they had to upset their division rivals, who arguably possess the deepest collection of talent on either side of the ball in the league.

With the entire football loving world tuned in, the Washington Commanders suffered from a series of self-inflicted errors that killed any hope of victory against a talented and aggressive opponent. Four turnovers and a porous run defense were too much to overcome, as Jayden Daniels and friends lost 55-23 to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.

The game started with some promise for the underdogs. An 18-play, 54-yard opening drive — Washington’s longest of the season — took more than seven minutes off the board … but only resulted in three points. The Eagles responded by scoring a touchdown on one play — a 60-yard run by Saquon Barkley that clearly signaled trouble for a Commanders defense incapable of stopping the run all season long.

When one team requires 18 plays to produce a field goal and the other scores a touchdown in a single play, that’s a pretty strong indication of which squad held an advantage in explosiveness. Earlier in the season, Washington had little trouble producing these sorts of high-impact moments, but down the stretch they occurred far less frequently.

During two regular season encounters, Barkley amassed 296 rushing yards and four touchdowns. On this day, the league’s best back amassed 118 yards and three touchdowns on just 15 carries. Compounding matters, quarterback Jalen Hurts also rushed for three touchdowns. And Philly’s third-string running back Will Shipley gained 77 yards and a touchdown on just four carries. In short, anyone remotely interested in scoring a rushing touchdown against Washington’s defense did so on this day.

Coming into the NFC Championship Game, Daniels led 11 scoring drives on 16 postseason possessions, excluding kneel downs. Punter Tress Way was called into action just once and the Commanders didn’t commit a turnover against either Tampa or Detroit. After successfully converting 20-of-23 fourth downs during the regular season, the Commanders went 10-of-15 during the playoffs. But none of that matters when your defense is unable to stop whoever carries the ball.

As the Commanders head into the offseason (significantly later than anyone reasonably expected), let’s take a moment to acknowledge this incredible ride. Washington’s offense scored touchdowns in the last 30 seconds or overtime of six different games this season. The franchise posted its first winning season since 2016, earned its first playoff win since the 2005 season and competed in its first NFC Championship Game since the 1991 campaign. All of this, of course, became possibly thanks to Daniels, who put together the best rookie season the NFL has ever witnessed.

The 24-year-old amassed the most total touchdowns by a rookie in NFL history, as well as the most total touchdowns in a season by any quarterback in franchise history. Daniels had 12 touchdown passes in the fourth quarter or overtime, which tied the NFL rookie record. He also became just the fourth rookie quarterback in league history to win multiple playoff games.

The Commanders’ dream season might be over, but it’s safe to say this is just the beginning of a new era for the burgundy and gold. After decades of despair, words like “poise” and “clutch” are now often associated with the burgundy and gold. After becoming all but irrelevant, they’re now capable of defeating anybody, anywhere, anytime. Who saw that coming a year ago?

For the first time in nearly two decades, the Washington Commanders have won a playoff game. In a sentence that seemed completely impossible just 12 months ago, the franchise is moving on to the second round of the postseason, after defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers via a last-second field goal, 23-20.

Tampa Bay blitzed quarterback Jayden Daniels early and often during the Heisman Trophy winner’s debut. As a result, Washington’s offense struggled to find any sort of rhythm in their season opener. But here’s the thing about Daniels — he rarely plays like a rookie. 

Case in point: Washington went 1-3 against Tampa, Philadelphia, Dallas and the New York Giants the first time they faced them. But in the rematch, the Commanders went 4-0. Daniels, with the help of Washington’s stellar coaching staff, learns and adapts to what defenses throw at him.

On a day when Commanders running backs were a non-factor and the defense struggled to create impact plays, the fate of the franchise rested on the shoulders of a 24-year-old quarterback making his first postseason appearance. As odd as it might sound, Washington’s best defense was keeping the defense off the field. To win, Daniels and the offense needed to consistently stay on the field for lengthy, time-consuming drives.

Terry McLaurin’s magical season continued, who secured his first career postseason touchdown came on the same play the Commanders ran in the final seconds against Philadelphia, when Jamison Crowder caught the game-winning touchdown. Same play, different target. And now McLaurin has 11 red zone touchdowns this season, which matches his production during his first five years in the league.

Against Tampa, Daniels accounted for a ridiculous 87 percent of Washington’s total offense. Just as impressively, the 24-year-old has now led the team to five game-winning drives this season. And for the third time this season, Washington didn’t punt or turn the ball over in a game, a feat which no other rookie quarterback has ever accomplished.

During the deciding drive, Daniels once again rose to the occasion — making defensive tackle Calijah Kancey miss on third-and-2 from Tampa’s 19-yard line with less than a minute remaining. When the play ended, Kancey was left standing there, holding Daniels’ towel, wondering how the elusive rookie had evaded him on what looked like a certain tackle for a loss in the backfield.

With three seconds remaining, kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a 37-yard field goal to secure Washington its first playoff victory in 6,945 days. That 17-10 win over the Buccaneers seems like a lifetime ago, especially consider Daniels was only 6 when Sean Taylor, Lavar Arrington and friends stole the win in Tampa back in January of 2006.

Since 1991, 35 different quarterbacks started a game for the franchise. After completing arguably the best season ever by a rookie quarterback, it’s safe to say Washington has finally found the answer at the game’s most vital position.