Last week, the Washington Commanders made less mistakes than the New York Giants and won the first game of their season. A win’s a win. But on Monday Night Football, neither team–the Commanders nor the Cincinnati Bengals–made any major mistakes other than perhaps a missed 48-yard field goal by Bengals kicker Evan McPherson. And for this Commanders team, the second win of the season is more than a win. It is a statement for the offense.
Every week of the NFL season is different and by late November or early December, the third game of the season is long forgotten. However, Jayden Daniels introduced himself to a national audience and it was a big “wow” factor even for Commanders fans who were already familiar with the dazzling rookie quarterback.
For three weeks in a row, the offense had no turnovers. For two weeks in a row, the offense couldn’t be stopped and this week, the offense consistently scored from the red zone. For the first time this season, Daniels and Terry McLaurin connected on big plays–twice. One to set up an early touchdown and the other for the winning touchdown.
And while McPherson missed a 48-yard kick wide left earlier in the game, his counterpart Austin Seibert split the uprights on a clutch 42-yard field in the fourth quarter to make it a two score game, 31-20. Bengals QB Joe Burrows responded with a 31-yard TD to Ja’Marr Chase and it once again came down to making plays late in the fourth quarter.
On 3rd and 7 with 2:15 remaining in the game, the Commanders were up by 5, 31-26, and a field goal would put the Commanders up by one touchdown and a two-point conversion. But Daniels threw up a 27-yard TD pass for Terry McLaurin getting hit by a blitzing Bengal at the same time he released the ball. McLaurin ran under the ball, made the catch and kept both feet in the end zone. Pure talent in that one-two punch from both players gave the Commanders a two-score lead, 38-26. It was a metaphorical dagger in the heart to the Bengals that put the game away.
The Bengals scored again but it was always about the onsides kick and when it was over, the Commanders recovered the kick, Daniels knelt down, ran out the clock and the Commanders improved their record to 2-1. The Bengals dropped to 0-3.
It’s still early and much is to be learned for the rookie Daniels but talent is talent and chemistry is infectious.
That chemistry needs to spread to the defensive line and secondary or it’s a short-lived statement replaced with a footnote that any offensive mistakes can translate into likely losses.
At 2-1, there is still an extremely thin margin for error with the Commanders. At least on Monday night, any errors were few and far between Commanders touchdowns.
Monday night’s victory can be a turning point for a once proud franchise turning more than 20 years of mediocrity into a new foundation for hope. And at the cornerstone of that foundation is Daniels who is slowly beginning to learn to run out of bounds and slide. He’ll need to do more of that because the future for the Commanders is in the here and now.
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