Commanders get by Falcons in OT for long-awaited playoff berth

Field Level Media|published: Mon 30th December, 24:22 2024

Dec 29, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) prepares to throw the ball against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Jayden Daniels hit Zach Ertz for a 2-yard touchdown with 2:42 left in overtime as the Washington Commanders beat the Atlanta Falcons 30-24 on Sunday night in Landover, Md., to secure their first playoff berth since the 2020 season.

The Commanders (11-5) clinched a wild-card berth with their fourth straight win and could finish as high as the sixth seed in the NFC.

In the NFC South, Atlanta (8-8) sits behind the first-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7), who can clinch the division by defeating the New Orleans Saints in Week 18.

Washington took the opening kickoff of the extra session, and Daniels later ran for 16 yards on third-and-2 at midfield, then passed to Chris Rodriguez Jr. two plays later for a 12-yard gain and another first down. Daniels eventually added a pair of 6-yard runs that got him in position to find Ertz for the game-winning points.

Daniels completed 24 of 36 passes for 227 yards, three touchdowns and one interception and ran for 127 yards on 16 attempts. Ertz caught two touchdown passes, and Olamide Zaccheaus had eight catches for 85 yards and a score.

Bijan Robinson ran for two touchdowns for the second straight game for Atlanta, and he finished with 90 yards on the ground. Michael Penix Jr. was 19-of-35 passing for 223 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and Drake London had seven catches for 106 yards.

Atlanta's Riley Patterson came up short on a 56-yard field-goal attempt as time expired in regulation.

With the Falcons trailing 24-17 and facing fourth-and-11 at the 50 with 2:39 remaining, Penix found London all alone for a 31-yard catch-and-run, but two plays later at the Washington 5, a bad snap on a wildcat play resulted in a 21-yard loss. Later, on fourth-and-goal from the 13, Penix rifled a pass to Kyle Pitts in the end zone to tie the game with 1:19 to go.

The Commanders had built their 24-17 lead thanks to a strong fourth quarter, where they got a 2-yard TD run from Rodriguez and a 31-yard field goal from Zane Gonzalez.

Robinson had a pair of 1-yard rushing scores in the first half to help Atlanta take a 17-7 lead into the break, but the Commanders drew within 17-14 with 7:13 left in the third quarter when Daniels and Ertz hooked up for a 10-yard touchdown.

--Field Level Media

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