LANDOVER, Md. Jayden Daniels did almost everything right in his return Sunday. Still, the final 12 seconds of overtime are what people will talk about all week.
The Washington Commanders and New York Giants played to a 27-27 tie at Northwest Stadium. Washington had the ball at the Giants’ 24-yard line with no timeouts left. Then the Commanders called a pass on the final snap. Daniels held the ball and went down for no gain. As a result, the clock hit zero before Washington could run another play.
How the Commanders Giants tie happened
Head coach Dan Quinn did not put the ending on his quarterback. Instead, Quinn said the final sequence “does not fall on” Daniels. He also took responsibility for both the play call and the clock management.
Even so, the finish stung. After all, the Commanders had worked hard to get into position. In fact, the defense made the last chance possible.
With New York in field goal range in overtime, Daron Payne stripped running back Cam Skattebo. Washington came up with the ball. As a result, the Giants left without a winning kick.
Daniels looks like himself again
Meanwhile, Daniels gave the offense a real lift. He was playing for the first time since dislocating his left elbow in the Week 2 loss at Dallas.
First, he was sharp through the air. He completed 17 of 25 passes for 199 yards. On top of that, he ran nine times for 103 yards and two touchdowns. In short, he looked like the dual threat this offense has missed.
What the tie means for Washington
The tie leaves Washington at 1-3-1. For now, that puts the Commanders fourth in the NFC East. By contrast, the Giants move to 3-1-1 and sit alone atop the division.
Next, Washington heads west. The Commanders face the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night, Oct. 19. So they have one week to prove that Sunday’s ending was a lesson learned, not a sign of things to come.
