How Jayden Daniels and the Commanders beat the buzzer

LANDOVER, MD. – Jayden Daniels’ Hail Mary pass to Noah Brown, who gave the Washington Commanders a play. victory with a score of 18-15 Sunday’s victory over the Chicago Bears was one of the most memorable finishes to an NFL game in recent history. It appeared to be a 52-yard drive with time running out, but in reality it was a much longer throw and the result of hours of preparation.

Here’s how it all happened.

Situation

After failing to score a touchdown throughout the game and going 0-for-3 in the red zone, the Commanders fell behind with 25 seconds left on Roschon Johnson’s 1-yard run, which came after a pass interference penalty on Benjamin St. Juste and the subsequent 2 throws. -pointed conversation, which resulted in 15-12 bears.

Bears linebacker TJ Edwards: “The offense did an amazing job scoring the goal and putting us ahead.”

CO running back Brian Robinson: “We knew we shouldn’t have gone down. The whole locker room knew it. We knew we had another opportunity.”

Austin Ekeler’s 24-yard kickoff return had just 19 seconds left on the clock.

Commanders coach Dan Quinn: “You don’t have timeouts. Obviously we’ve used one before.

The incomplete pass was followed by Daniels, who found Ertz for 11 yards and Terry McLaurin for 13 to reach near midfield.

Commanders center Tyler Biadas: “Those plays leading up to the Hail Mary are huge plays.”

McLaurin: “We just wanted to give ourselves a chance to put him in a position where Jaden could throw the ball there.”

Bears coach Matt Eberflus: “You defend a touchdown and they throw the ball 13 yards or 10 yards, whatever it is, it doesn’t really matter.”

Quinn: “I thought we had a chance if we could get on the field a little bit. And that’s what I was trying to achieve.”

Preparation

McLaurin: “We know we have plenty of time left. We literally practice this several times a week in situations where it is necessary.”

Commander right back Sam Cosmi: “If you don’t practice it, it won’t get results. If you practice this, you will be ready for this moment.”

Commanders tight end Zach Ertz: “We’re running the game. We never like repetitions at full speed. Obviously, you’re not going to just burn through 70-meter sprints in training. But we are talking about it. essentially, and then you have a receiver in the front and a receiver in the back.

Commanders midfielder Frankie Luwu: “I just walked and told the guys, ‘Get up man, it’s not over.’

There were 2 seconds left on the clock.

Daniels: “Get some time and don’t throw the ball out of bounds. Try to give your guys an opportunity.”

Brown: “We are a team full of fighters. We don’t give up until the final whistle.”

Fight

The Bears sent three pass rushers with the other eight defenders in coverage. Cornerback Tyreek Stevenson stood with his back to the line of scrimmage and teased fans when the ball was hit.

Eberflus: “We decided to play three. I think he had the ball for over 12 seconds and I’m not sure what happened there in terms of blocking and chasing the quarterback.”

Commanders left guard Nick Allegretti: “It’s chaos. You’re just trying to hit someone in a different color shirt, give Jayden a chance to get the ball.”

Cosmi: “Two of them went here, came back, turned left. Nick cleaned someone’s watch.

McLaurin: “Guys are throwing guys to the ground. We know it’s a physical game and you have a chance to make a play and change the game.”

Edwards “He’s fast, right? He does a good job of keeping the play alive. It’s high time our guys covered things like this.”

Quinn: “Jayden did a fantastic job of gaining time on the right wing. I don’t know how long the play lasted. … Thirteen seconds? Yes, I felt every bit of them.

Commanders center Tyler Biadas: “We just wanted to give him time. Jay did a great job of scrambling around like he was doing it to stop. Having all the corners and tight ends is the most important part of this type of game.”

Brown: “Try to get down there as quickly as possible, box out, stay in good position and hope Jayden can get the ball there. He did a phenomenal job keeping the play alive.”

Throw

Daniels, playing through a rib injurypicked up the ball from the Washington 35-yard line.

Bears guard Caleb Williams: “I thought it was going to be a little short.”

Daniels: “Let the guys go down there, line up like that, fill the ball with air and let them make the play.”

McLaurin: “He has an incredible arm.”

Daniels: “Just throw the ball, give my guys a shot. I have not seen anything”.

Cosmi: “I just saw him throw it. I’m just sitting there.”

Catch

Allegretti: “What’s the percentage on them? Not tall. And it was like the perfect clue, and then there was just one guy standing there.”

McLaurin: “Zach gave an incredible tip. Everything went as we practiced.”

Eberflus: “The guy we fought was McLaurin, so it all depended on where he was.”

Allegretti: “I looked at the screen and saw the ball turn over.”

Ertz: “I don’t think I actually touched the ball. I don’t know what the movie is really about. But, of course, I will take on the hockey assistant role. I know I impacted the game and Noah ended up scoring a touchdown and that’s why we won the game and that’s all that matters.”

Brown: “It just so happened that it was my assignment for the Hail Mary.” We have one guy up front and two guys behind us and we tried to throw it to a jumper and Zach did a great job of intercepting the ball and letting it come back to me and we made the play.”

McLaurin: “To be honest, it felt like everything was happening in slow motion. This ball fell straight into Noah’s hands. I don’t think I’ve seen a Hail Mary fall off the tip of a drill so perfectly.”

Biadas: “You need a little bit of luck. Coach always says the ball finds energy and we were in the right places at the right time and it’s an amazing moment that you can’t forget.”

Cosmi: “I see the ball fall into Noah’s hands. I just couldn’t believe it. I thought, “Is that a black tank top?” And then he just ran 60 yards.”

Allegretti: “I had a Charlie horse, so I was wandering around while the ball was in the air, and I looked up and thought, ‘Let’s see what happens.’

Daniels: “I just heard people screaming and our sideline rushing down the field. That’s how I found out.”

Consequences

Quinn: “I felt, rest in peace, a little like (late NC State basketball coach) Jim Valvano, who was just running around not knowing what to do or where to go.”

Robinson: “I was walking around and jumping in the stands and everyone was just excited.”

McLaurin: “In important moments you need to help your team. We just told each other, “It’s not over until it’s over.”

Daniels: “Of course I was excited. I’m excited because it’s kind of a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Not many people experience things like this. It was my first time.”

Allegretti: “I couldn’t believe it. It was disbelief.”

McLaurin: “We did it. It wasn’t just one guy. But for us to convert this game, it doesn’t happen often, I haven’t been involved in a win like that in the league.”

Quinn: “I feel like I’m 6 inches off the ground when I’m being hugged tightly.”

Bears tight end Cole Kmet: “The Hail Mary is a Hail Mary.” This is prayer. You are simply saying a prayer. … When you talk about losing a game to a Hail Mary and trying to fix it, that’s not really a game you want to focus on. This is a Hail Mary. It is what it is. The ball literally just fell in their path.”

Eberflus: “At the very end we did everything we could and we just need to do better.”

Biadas: “Every victory cannot be taken for granted, no matter how it happens.”

Cosmi: “Honestly, it was like a movie. To be a part of this is like, “Oh, front row seats to something amazing.”

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