LANDOVER, Md. — Jayden Daniels threw a 52-yard Hail Mary pass to Noah Brown on the final play of the game and the Washington Commanders beat the Chicago Bears 18-15 on Sunday.
Roschon Johnson had scored on the ground from 1 yard out with 25 seconds left in regulation, and the Bears (4-3) made good on the ensuing two-point conversion to take a 15-12 lead after trailing 12-0 earlier in the contest. That left just enough time for the Commanders (6-2) to return the kickoff to their own 24 and complete two short passes to set up the game-winning heave that deflected off a crowd of players and went into Brown’s hands in the end zone as time expired.
The game matched rookie quarterbacks Caleb Williams of Chicago, selected first overall out of Southern California in this year’s draft, and Daniels, taken No. 2 out of LSU.
Daniels was a game-time decision on Sunday after sustaining a rib injury in a home victory against the Carolina Panthers a week prior. Daniels, who did not practice until Friday, was 21-of-38 passing for 326 yards and the score. He also ran eight times for 52 yards.
Washington’s Terry McLaurin had five catches for 125 yards.
It was a homecoming for Williams, who was raised in the Washington area. He completed 10 of 24 passes for 131 yards. D’Andre Swift ran for 129 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.
The Commanders led 12-0 late in the third quarter when Swift ran left, cut upfield and raced 56 yards down the sideline for the Bears’ first score to make it 12-7.
On Washington’s next drive, Austin Seibert missed a 51-yard field-goal attempt after making four earlier kicks, the first of which came from 27 yards out and gave the Commanders a 3-0 lead with 8:51 to go in the first quarter.
When Washington had the ball back, Daniels ran 9 yards on third-and-8 from the Commanders 11 and, three plays later, found McLaurin in stride along the sideline for a 61-yard gain. Again, the Bears’ defense stiffened, and Seibert made it 6-0 with 1:04 left in the first quarter.
Seibert booted a 28-yarder with 5:24 left in the first half to put Washington up 9-0.
In the third quarter, Daniels’ 32-yard touchdown pass to Olamide Zaccheaus was nullified by a penalty, and the Commanders settled for Seibert’s 47-yard field goal for a 12-0 advantage with 5:48 left in the frame.
–Harvey Valentine, Field Level Media
