LANDOVER, Md. — Joy returned to Mudville.
Angst entered the chat amid the Washington Commanders’ three-game losing streak. Narratives for the dip emerged, particularly an offense hounded by charges of regression.
Before playing a final game ahead of the needed bye, a midweek pep talk by a veteran signed for these moments became a “catalyst” for the needed revival. Then, with Jayden Daniels in control and Kliff Kingsbury dialing up winning plays, the offense got off to an exhilarating start — touchdowns on the first four possessions — against one of the league’s better defenses. ChatGPT could not have scripted it better.
The concluding story, Washington’s 42-19 win over the Tennessee Titans, was also successful. This was Washington’s first December home victory since 2017.
“The guys really dug in on a good plan,” coach Dan Quinn said. “And No. 5 (Daniels) felt electric tonight.”
Scoring 21 points in the first quarter and racing to a 28-0 lead before the animated crowd at Northwest Stadium, with contributions from their scoring stars, alleviated stress and brought back a missing element for the now 8-5 Commanders: fun.
“It was great to win,” Daniels said after his first career three-touchdown passing game. “Winning helps a lot. It was great to go out there and have fun … and score touchdowns.”
Some frets over Washington’s drop were credible. Freakouts over the offense’s decline, a supposed standard occurrence under Kingsbury, lacked context. Regardless, something was amiss.
Daniels lacked the same spark he flashed during the team’s 7-2 start. The running game faded without a frequently injured Brian Robinson Jr. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin’s Pro Bowl-worthy campaign quieted in recent games, perhaps because he lacked early targets and his positioning on the left side of the formation became static.
Washington placed third-leading rusher and receiver Austin Ekeler on injured reserve this week and played without right tackle Andrew Wylie. Like Ekeler, Wylie is fighting through a concussion.
No such issues against the Titans (3-9). Robinson scored on the team’s opening possession with a 40-yard run. Daniels matched the production with a crafty 3-yard touchdown scamper before throwing two touchdowns to McLaurin. All occurred in the opening 19:01.
GOOD AFTERNOON
📺 #TENvsWAS CBS pic.twitter.com/ycmkOYTdWP
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) December 1, 2024
Washington finished 9-of-14 on third downs against the league’s top defense in those spots, rushed for 267 yards and outgained Tennessee 463 to 245. The Titans showed some fight in the middle portions of the game. By then, the Commanders had already scored the knockout blow.
“That felt amazing, honestly,” McLaurin said of the offensive explosion that matched the team’s scoring high of the season. “The way we ran the ball at the line of scrimmage, the way we made plays on the perimeter, the way Jayden extended plays with his legs … that’s the standard that we have to live up to.”
After more intense scrutiny of offenses fading over the second half of seasons under the former Texas Tech and Arizona Cardinals coach, Kingsbury’s plan felt like the X’s and O’s version of a middle finger directed at the noise. The first play, a 10-yard completion, went to McLaurin on the right side. That’s also where Washington’s top receiver began his route before Daniels found him to the left for a 16-yard touchdown with 24 seconds remaining in the opening period. Quinn credited Kingsbury’s vision for the turnaround.
Daniels finished 25-of-30 for 206 yards, three touchdowns and one interception off a deflection. He added 34 yards and another touchdown on the ground. McLaurin caught all eight targets from Daniels for 73 yards while setting an individual record with nine touchdown receptions. Tight end Zach Ertz’s 4-yard touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter ended Tennessee’s comeback hopes. The play was another moment harking back to Daniels’ highly efficient start.
“It’s beautiful,” Robinson said of Daniels’ showing. “Seeing how locked in he is makes me want to go harder.”
The win and Arizona’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings made Washington’s playoff path easier. The Commanders increased their lead on the third and final wild-card spot to 1 1/2 games over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams.
Robinson only had five rushing attempts against the Dallas Cowboys after suffering a potentially nasty ankle injury. Having already dealt with knee and hamstring issues, Robinson couldn’t shake the latest ailment and loss. “It just sat with me the rest of that night and throughout the week,” he said.
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After the Titans’ opening possession flamed out thanks to a pair of false start penalties, the power back recognized daylight on an expertly blocked play, leading to the longest touchdown of his career.
The tone-setting also came from the defensive side. Cornerback Mike Sainristil forced and recovered a fumble, and he led Washington with seven tackles, continuing his improved play as the Commanders wait for the injured Marshon Lattimore’s debut. Energetic linebacker Frankie Luvu had a sack, tackle for loss and two quarterback hits.
“I loved the way guys started,” Quinn said. “And I felt that from Brian. Man, he is a difference-maker.”
Quinn also gave that label to linebacker Bobby Wagner for a needed message to teammates this week.
The losing streak began with losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles, who are Super Bowl contenders. Last week’s bizarre 34-26 loss to the undermanned Cowboys was far more inexplicable. Numerous special teams gaffes and defensive issues contributed, along with an offense that scored only one touchdown over the opening 56 minutes. Suddenly, a game against one of the league’s worst teams veered into must-win territory.
“It takes a lot when you’re in those tough, dark couple of weeks,” Quinn said. “You know there’s something good on the other side of that really hard s— that you keep pushing through.”
Wagner recognized the scent of uncertainty. Quinn sought out his former player from Seattle’s Super Bowl-winning days in the offseason. He wanted the nine-time Pro Bowler to help reshape the mindset of a franchise saddled with a losing culture.
The 13-year veteran typically leads by example. Against Tennessee, Wagner joined former Washington linebacker London Fletcher as the only players this century to reach 100 tackles in at least 13 consecutive seasons. This week, the future Hall of Famer felt the time to speak up had arrived.
Thank you god, I am grateful. Appreciate you all 🙏🏾🤞🏾 https://t.co/gExjNM0uq8
— Bobby Wagner (@Bwagz) December 1, 2024
Quinn credited the speech for emphasizing the sacrifice required from each player as the catalyst for Sunday’s energy and execution. Wagner humbly explained his action.
“Sometimes you got to trust your gut and trust your instincts,” Wagner said. “That’s really what it was about.”
Daniels and others took in the meaning behind Wagner’s words. The effort and scoreboard showed as much.
“Losing sucks. Losing is never fun,” Daniels said. “The talk that we had — be able to sacrifice something for the betterment of the team. What are we willing to give up, because we have something special in that locker room.”
(Photo of Jayden Daniels: Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images)
