Commanders Beat Falcons in Overtime to Reach Playoffs for 1st Time Since 2020

Quarterback Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders is showing everyone why he was Washington’s top draft pick and #2 overall in the 2024 draft. The rookie from LSU passed for 227 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 127 yards to lead the Commanders to a come from behind victory over the Atlanta Falcons 30-24 in overtime. The win earned Washington (11-5) its first playoff berth since 2020, and is a massive turnaround from last season’s 4-13 record. It’s also the first year the Commanders will finish with a winning record since 2016 (they were 7-9 in 2020, winning the mediocre NFC East).

Washington trailed Atlanta by 10 at the half, but scored in the third quarter with a Daniels to Zach Ertz touchdown pass that made it 17-14 Atlanta. In the fourth quarter, the Commanders scored a touchdown on a Chris Rodriguez 2 yard run, and followed that with a field goal to make it 24-17 with 4:32 remaining. But the Falcons came back to tie it at 24-24 on a 13 yard TD pass from Michael Penix, Jr. to Kyle Pitts with 1:19 left, and that’s where things stood at the end of regulation. Washington got the ball in overtime, and Daniels led a 70 yard drive (including 42 rushing yards by the QB himself) that ended with a another touchdown pass to Zach Ertz for the win.

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Washington is currently the seventh seed in the NFC playoff picture, and will play at Dallas on January 5th to close out the regular season. The Cowboys won their first meeting this season. If the Commanders win or the Green Bay Packers lose to the Chicago Bears, Washington will move up to the sixth seed. If Green Bay beats the Bears and Washington loses to Dallas, the Packers will be the sixth seed and the Commanders will be seventh.