Jayden Daniels’ Hail Mary pass gives Commanders final touchdown to beat Bears 18-15

LANDOVER, Md. – Jayden Daniels had a few quite simple ideas going by means of his head with the Washington Commanders needing to make a long-distance throw to beat the Chicago Bears.

“Purchase a while and don’t throw the ball out of bounds,” Daniels stated.

Daniels scrambled around for nearly 13 seconds and heaved the ball from the Washington 35-yard line with no time on the clock. The go tipped off the arms of Zach Ertz in need of the aim line and into the ready arms of Noah Brown, who was standing alone ultimately zone, for a 52-yard Hail Mary touchdown that gave the Commanders an inconceivable 18-15 victory on Sunday and despatched gamers, coaches and followers right into a frenzy.

The rookie quarterback by no means even noticed Brown make the catch.

“I simply heard folks screaming and our sideline dashing the sector. That’s how I knew,” stated Daniels, whose standing was unsure till hours earlier than kickoff due to a rib damage. “That’s form of like a once-in-a-lifetime expertise. Not too many individuals get to expertise stuff like that.”

Daniels’ heroics got here after the Commanders (6-2) fell behind with 25 seconds left on a TD run by Roschon Johnson after a pass-interference penalty put the ball on the 1-yard line. There have been simply 19 seconds left after a kickoff return to the 24.

Three completions later, Daniels added his greatest spotlight but to a season that has made him the favourite to be AP Offensive Rookie of the 12 months and one of many NFL’s most electrical gamers.

“We’re blessed to have ‘5’ main this crew: The issues he can do is particular,” Brown stated. “I wouldn’t wish to play with some other quarterback.”

READ MORE: Commanders QB Jayden Daniels lively and anticipated to play in opposition to Bears

Offensive lineman Sam Cosmi stated it was “like a film.”

“Entrance-row seats to one thing wonderful,” Cosmi stated. “That was simply loopy. It will at all times stick in my head eternally. What a second.”

Within the NFL’s sixth matchup of rookie quarterbacks taken with the highest two picks within the draft, Daniels threw for 326 yards and ran for 52. Caleb Williams, taken first by the Bears (4-3), accomplished 4 of his first 16 passes and completed 10 of 24 for 131 yards.

Chicago, which had its successful streak snapped at three, had simply 172 yards of offense earlier than the fourth quarter began and didn’t get on the board till D’Andre Swift’s 56-yard TD run late within the third.

“That’s simply us capturing ourselves within the foot and that comes from particulars and focus within the sport, all through the week,” stated Williams, a Washington-area native who was enjoying again residence for the primary time as a professional. “That comes from myself. I’m included in that for certain. Undoubtedly missed a couple of passes that I don’t miss usually so, powerful, however very encouraging as a result of we stayed in it.”

Daniels was not himself at occasions and regarded a bit off due to the rib damage, which knocked him out of final week’s win over Carolina and stored him from working towards Wednesday and Thursday. He took a number of hits after letting go of the ball however was at his greatest when it mattered.

“We knew he had it in him,” operating again Brian Robinson Jr. stated. “He simply confirmed us in the present day what he’s able to and the way powerful he’s.”

Scoring Seibert

Austin Seibert kicked 4 area targets for the Commanders for his or her solely factors till the Hail Mary.

Signing Seibert after a kicking debacle within the season opener has turned out to be large for Washington. Even with one fewer sport, he handed Mark Moseley throughout his All-Professional season in 1982 for essentially the most area targets made and most factors scored by means of Week 8 in franchise historical past.

Accidents

Bears: After dropping left deal with Braxton Jones within the first half with a knee damage, guards Teven Jenkins (knee) and Invoice Murray (chest) have been knocked out within the fourth.