Talk Commanders

After a miraculous 86 yard touchdown pass from Jayden Daniels to Terry McLaurin with 0:33 left on the clock made the score 27-26, and the PAT was all that was remaining to tie the game — and most likely push the game to overtime. The extra-point that would have tied the game for the Washington Commanders was wide left. It wasn’t meant to be, and placekicker Austin Seibert made no excuses after the game including the hip injury that had sidelined him for the prior two games.

Be honest: Before the season did you think, even for a moment, that on Week #12 the WFT would be the playoff-eligible squad versus a suffering Dallas team? It’s OK to say, “No way.” That’s how unpredictable the juxtaposition has been. Last season the Cowboys rode a wave of home victories to a 12-5 record. That matched the 12-5 record the year before…which matched the 12-5 record the year before that. Every home game in 2023 was a victory. That is, until the playoffs. Green Bay came into town and destroyed the silver and blue. Dallas got some late points to make the score look more respectable. But, they got boat raced. How bad has the Dallas season been? They misspelled legendary coach Tom Landry‘s name on the video board during a salute to his military service.

Fast forward to now and the team has not won a single home game. Whatever poison was let loose on the team in that playoff game has not been metabolized. The same scenario has played out time and again: The opposition goes up big early. Then Dak Prescott would get hot late to make the score respectable. Then Dak suffered a season-ending injury. Without him Dallas has not been able to make the final score less unsavory. On the other hand Washington has flushed the stench of the previous owner. The reinvigorated team has done quite well all things considered. Who would have thunk it?

The late Washington sports radio personality Ken Beatrice was fond of saying, “More NFL games are lost than won.” This past Sunday only reiterated the point. Washington had every chance to win that game. But, they failed to do so. The drops were horrifying. Perhaps the biggest was when Jayden Daniels threw from the End Zone hitting normally reliable Zack Ertz in stride and in the hands out near the 20-yard line with room to run. This coming after the Defense manufactured a fumble from Pittsburgh on the way in for a score. That drop kept Washington backed up allowing the Steelers to continue applying pressure. There were others. And, there were other mistakes aplenty. Still, the game was there to take. Alas. Time to laser focus on Philadelphia on Thursday Night.

The Washington Commanders came up short by inches on a 4th and 9 pass to Zach Ertz that would have set Jayden Daniels and his offense up at the Steelers’ 41-yard line with a first down. From there, the Commanders were a long field goal from winning. In the end, it was all for naught in a 28-27 loss.

The refs were emphatic that Ertz was short of the line to gain, and the Commanders turned over the ball on downs to the Steelers, and never got the ball back. There were other mistakes in the game, and one very costly turnover.

The next eleven days will help define the trajectory of the Washington football franchise this year. It’s Mid-term exam time. And, there will not be a grading curve. First up are the always disciplined Steelers. This one promises to be a challenge. Coach Mike Tomlin is bringing his team to a game after a Bye week for the 18th time. His record is 13-4 with the last 7 games all being wins. Then the team gets the dubious honor of being a road team for the Thursday night offering. Road teams on the Thursday night games are 4-5 for the season. But, the last three weeks have all been home team wins. Recovery takes longer as the season progresses. Philadelphia has been under-achieving for nearly a year. They have had some good games. But, they’ve had even more that were marginal. Last week they struggled against a reeling Jacksonville team. And, their Head Coach is a bit of a strange act, to say the least. A split of these two games would be a fine outcome. Losing both will likely put Washington a win behind Philly for the Division. But, winning both…ah, now that would be something.

Be honest: How many times have you watched IT? Dozens? Hundreds? Have you memorized, however involuntarily Jim Nance‘s call? “It comes down to one last play. And, it’s going to be…getting longer by the second. All the way back to the 30-yard line. Now you can step into it. Here comes the Hail Mary with the game on the line…AND THE BALL IS CAUGHT! IT’S A MIRACLE! Noah Brown. OH MY GOODNESS! AND, THIS TOWN IS GOING CRAZY! Just a madhouse in Landover, Maryland.” Tony Romo then added, “He did it!” It’s a great call of a remarkable moment. The entire football world was watching. Choose whatever moniker you want to give this play: Candidates include, The Raise Hail Mary, Hail Maryland, and many others. The Chicago radio team called it, “The gut punch of gut punches.” Sure was fun, eh? Not to be a killjoy, but to slightly alter a baseball phrase; you don’t win this week’s games with last week’s highlights.

The great ones have that “It Factor” that goes beyond what the other players have in tangible tools. We knew that Tom Brady had it. We know that Patrick Mahomes has it. In a different sport, Derek Jeter had it. They have that “clutch gene” that allows them to step up in the biggest spots and highest leverage moments. They are leaders on their team. And they lead to victory. Right now, you have to be thinking that Jayden Daniels has that gene.