The Washington Commanders (4-10) finally figured out a way to win a football game. Play a team that’s even worse than you are.
In the end, Washington survived 29-21 to beat the New York Giants at Met Life Stadium in a game neither deserved to win.
Washington spent most of the game leading by between ten and 15 points, yet committed mistake after mistake, including two fumbles in teh fourth quarter and letting a tight end beat a defensive back on a long pass, giving the Giants a chance to tie the game and force overtime.
The Burgundy and Gold took a 3-0 lead on the opening drive when Jake Moody connected on a 46 yard field goal.
The Commanders then got an assist from its much maligned defense at the end of the first quarter as the unit stuffed the New York offense on its own 18 yard line, forcing a punt, and giving Washington the ball on the Giants 47. It took the offense just four plays to find the end zone as Bill Croskey-Merritt scored on a 16-yard run to stretch the lead to 10-0.
After another Moody field goal, New York got on the board as Tyrone Tracy scored on a 12 yard run, capping a 10 play, 65 yard drive.
The Giants appeared to grab the momentum towards the end of the second quarter but rookie wide receiver Jaylen Lane provided a key play as he returned a punt 63 yards for a touchdown with 1:05 left before halftime. The extra point was no good, pushing the lead to 19-7.
Then Giants rookie quarterback Jackson Dart gave the Commanders a gift.
With 55 seconds left before halftime, Dart threw an errant pass over the middle that was intercepted and returned 55 yards to the Giants 24 yard line. Moody made a 42 yard field goal to make the score 22-7 at the half.
New York immediately showed life in the 3rd quarter. Dart found Tracy on a 22 yard touchdown pass to cut the elad to 22-14. Tracy ran a wheel route ad easily beat linebacker Bobby Wagner to the end zone.
It looked like the the game might spiral out of control, the Giants dominated the third quarter but after a Younghoe Koo missed field goal, Mariota found Terry McLaurin open over the middle on a 51 yard throw, McLaurin broke two tackles and scored to make the score 29-14.
The Giants came back on the next drive, highlighted by a 42 yard completion from Dart to tight end Theo Johnson that took the ball to the Washington nine yard line. New York had a first and goal on the Commanders one, but could not score. Dart was stopped on first down and left the game for the medical tent for two plays. On fourth down his pass in the end zone fell incomplete, broken up by safety Quan Martin.
But as one would expect with a three win team, Washington let the Giants back into the game. On 3rd and 12 from their own 42 yard line, Mariota was sacked by Dane Belton and fumbled the ball. Brian Burns picked it up and returned it to the Washington 21. Four plays later, on 4th and 5, Dart his a diving Wan’Dale Robinson in the end zone for a touchdown, cutting the lead to 29-21.
Then the offense made another inexcusable mistake. Jeremy McNichols fumbled near midfield with two and a half minutes to go, Abdul Carter recovered and New York was once again alive.
The Giants were able to get to the Washington 38 yard line but a last second miracle was thwarted as New York turned the ball over on downs.
It wasn’t pretty and not deserved, but the losing streak is over. Now to finish the season.
Bob Matthews is a 33 year veteran broadcast journalist, spending the last 29 years of his career in Virginia. Bob has covered both news and sports stories and for the last three seasons, the Washington Commanders. He looks forward to continuing to provide coverage to Sportsjourney.com both on the website and through his podcast, The Bob Matthews Show.
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