The Washington Commanders rallied from a ten-point deficit to beat the Atlanta Falcons in overtime 30-24 on Sunday Night Football. With that victory, the Commanders secured their first playoff berth since 2020.
Commanders rookie QB and second-overall draft pick Jayden Daniels followed up his five-touchdown game in Week 16 with 354 total yards and three touchdowns. His third touchdown of the contest – a two-yarder to tight end Zach Ertz – won the game in overtime and clinched the Commanders a playoff spot. In the game, Daniels also passed former Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III for the NFL’s rookie season quarterback rushing record.
On Washington’s first drive, Jayden Daniels went four for five passing for 35 yards and a seven-yard touchdown to wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus on a 4th and 2 for a 7-0 lead. After having zero touchdowns through the first 15 weeks of the season, Zaccheaus now has three TDs in his last two games. He also had a team-leading 85 receiving yards.
HELLO, WILD CARD ROUND!!!!!!#WASvsDAL: TBD next week pic.twitter.com/8uPbCJC3fo
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) December 30, 2024
Atlanta bounced back from an early interception by orchestrating two scoring drives capped off with rushing touchdowns by star running back Bijan Robinson to take a 14-7 lead. That brought Robinson’s ground total to 12 TDs on the year.
The 17-7 halftime deficit was Washington’s largest of the season. They wouldn’t falter though, driving 84 yards to score a touchdown and cut the lead to 17-14.
The Commanders were a perfect 3/3 on fourth-down attempts. Their fourth down conversion late in the third quarter led to a touchdown by running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. to give Washington a 21-17 advantage in the fourth quarter.
Atlanta struggled on third down with its first conversion coming in the fourth quarter. Prior to that, the Falcons were 0/5 on third-down attempts. Their woes continued on the next third down when Atlanta rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. took an untimely sack, his second of the night.
Washington answered with a five-and-a-half-minute field goal drive to extend their lead to 24-17 with 4:32 left in the game.
That’s when Michael Penix Jr. came to life. Faced with a 4th and 1 at the 50 yard line, Penix completed a 31-yard pass to wide receiver Drake London to set the Falcons up at the 19 yard line. On a 4th and goal from the 13, Penix threw his first career touchdown pass to tight end Kyle Pitts to tie things up 24-24 with 1:19 left in the fourth quarter. Penix finished the game with 223 passing yards, an interception, and a touchdown.
Penix to KP!!!!!! What?!?!
NBC | NFL+ pic.twitter.com/TdAGEbmeUt
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) December 30, 2024
After a three-and-out, Atlanta had a chance to win the game.
The Commanders were penalized for pass interference with two seconds left in the game, giving Atlanta a chance to kick a game-winning 56-yard field goal. That attempt came up short, bringing us to overtime.
Jayden Daniels dominated OT, racking up 74 total yards on the Commanders’ 75-yard game-winning touchdown drive. Zach Ertz, who caught the game-winning TD, finished the day with 72 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
The Atlanta Falcons now need help to get into the playoffs. They not only need to beat the Carolina Panthers in Week 18, but they’ll also need the lowly New Orleans Saints to take down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
