Hogs Haven
A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders
The Washington Commanders stunned the Chicago Bears, 18-15, on Sunday after Daniels lofted a 52-yard Hail Mary that sent the stadium into a pandemonium. The Commanders’ sideline rushed to midfield, the crowd roared, and Daniels, in obvious discomfort after taking several hits to his already injured rib, suddenly appeared painless as he screamed and flexed in celebration.
Daniels finished 21 for 38 (55.3 percent) for 326 yards, one touchdown and a 92.7 passer rating. He also had 52 rushing yards on eight attempts, each time leaving the crowd eerily quiet as it waited to see if he would slide or quickly get down to avoid a big hit.
Bears counterpart Caleb Williams, the D.C.-area native and No. 1 draft pick making his return, went 10 for 24 for 131 yards and a 59.5 rating behind an offensive line that often sent him on the run to avoid pressure.
The quarterback duel many expected was instead a mistake-filled game that came down to the final minutes, thanks to penalties (Commanders), bizarre play calls (Bears) and a Washington defense that set the tone early.
“Not too many people get to experience stuff like that,” Daniels said. “That was my first time, so obviously I was juiced up — the whole stadium, team, sideline, everybody.”
[P]acked into the madness of the final two seconds was an awful lot of why this team is 6-2.
Consider, first, the time from the snap at Washington’s 48-yard line from center Tyler Biadasz to the time the ball left Daniels’ hands. From snap to throw was 13 seconds. That not only meant Daniels had to run around and buy time, but his offensive linemen, who are built for power and not for speed — and certainly not to hold blocks for 13 seconds — had to hit anything in a road uniform that moved without missing. This celebrated scramble and completion from Donovan McNabb in 2004 against the Dallas Cowboys lasted 14 seconds, for reference.
Chicago rushed three linemen, with linebacker T.J. Edwards acting as a spy on Daniels. At the snap, running back Austin Ekeler, who stayed in the backfield, helped backup tackle Trent Scott — who was in for the injured Cornelius Lucas, who was in for the injured Brandon Coleman — double-team defensive end DeMarcus Walker. Yes, that means the Commanders were down to their third-string left tackle on the last play of the game. Biadasz took Bears lineman Gervon Dexter Sr. on his own.
Daniels doubled back to his left, which he could do only because Cosmi had shoved Walker out of the pursuit. Biadasz had held Dexter to a standstill...
