The 2024 season has been a memorable one for the Washington Commanders. From game-winning drives to Hail Mary miracles, the Burgundy & Gold have put together a unit that has put up record-setting numbers, both in team and league history.
It would be almost impossible to sort through and rank all the best moments from Washington's offense through 13 games, but here are five of our favorites as the Commanders prepare for the final stretch, and hopefully a playoff push.
Jayden Daniels sealed the win over Cincinnati with a touchdown pass to Terry.
The Commanders' offense has been viewed as one of the best in the league for most of the season with Daniels' skill set fueling the unit. That reputation can be traced back to Week 3 on Monday Night Football -- Daniels' first primetime NFL game -- when the Commanders matched the Cincinnati Bengals' blow-for-blow but emerged victorious thanks to a sensational fourth-quarter touchdown pass.
The Commanders, clinging to a five-point lead against Joe Burrow and the Bengals after Ja'Marr Chase broke loose for a 31-yard score, had the ball at the Bengals' 27-yard line and were facing a third-and-7. Moments before that play, Terry McLaurin suggested to offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury that he line up on the right because the player who would be covering him, Geno Stone, hadn't played against him much that night.
The play worked to perfection. McLaurin made a move at the 20-yard line to make a bit of room between him and Stone. Daniels took a shot on the play but still managed to get the pass off and send it flying to the end zone. McLaurin had to slow up for a split second before making the grab and keeping both feet in bounds for the touchdown, giving the Commanders a 38-26 lead and effectively ending the game.
The best part about the throw, besides how it capped off a 254-yard, two-touchdown night for Daniels, was its level of difficulty. It had a completion probability of 10.3%, making it the most improbable completion by the Commanders since Next Gen Stats began in 2016.
Brian Robinson slips through New York's defense for a 40-yard run.
Brian Robinson had moments where he showed he could be a feature back in his previous two seasons but didn't get many opportunities to prove it until this season. His coming out party this season began in Week 2, when he rushed for a career-high 133 yards on 17 carries, and one play showed exactly why he's so valuable to Washington's offense.
This situation was third-and-1 in the third quarter against the New York Giants. The Commanders needed to pick up some momentum in a tied 12-12 ball game, so they called on Robinson to at least pick up the first down. At first, Robinson was lost from view in the pile of bodies at the line of scrimmage, but Robinson kept moving his feet and pushing through defenders. One second later, Robinson managed to break free and sprinted up the middle of the Giants' defense.
Robinson was brought down short of the goal line at the Giants' 21, but the play led to a field goal that gave Washington the lead. Daniels is the most important player on the field for the Washington offense but plays like that are why Robinson can be just as vital to Washington's success.
Jayden Daniels drops a dime to Dyami Brown against the Browns.
As good as Daniels and the Commanders' offense had looked in the previous three weeks, there were still some lingering questions about how he would fare against a defense like that of the Cleveland Browns, who had a solid unit led by Myle Garrett and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. It turned out that the rookie did just fine, and his throw with 36 seconds left before halftime helped seal the victory.
Fresh off a 10-play, 74-yard touchdown drive, Daniels and the Commanders were on the move again. Daniels scrambled right for a three-yard gain to the Browns' 41-yard line, but before he jogged back to the huddle, he asked Kingsbury for a play that allowed him to take a shot downfield. Kingsbury granted the request.
Daniels stood in the pocket for a second to let Dyami Brown get open on a "go" route down the right sideline before unloading a 41-yard shot to the end zone. Brown, who hadn't been targeted all afternoon prior to the play, felt no opposition from the Browns cornerback and caught the ball in stride, making the score 24-3.
It might not have been the most exciting play for the Commanders, but it was just another example of how dynamic Daniels has been for the team's offense.
Brian Robinson goes untouched for 40 yards on the Titans.
There's so much to like about Robinson's 40-yard touchdown on his first carry against the Tennessee Titans, so let's break it all down.
For starters, as Robinson said after the 42-19 win, the play was blocked to near perfection. Tyler Biadasz, Sam Cosmi and Cornelius Lucas all blocked down to cover up the Titans' defensive tackles and a blitzing linebacker; John Bates, lined up to Lucas' right, worked up to the second level of the Titans' defense and blocked the weak side linebacker; Nick Allegretti pulled right to kick out the defensive end; and Brandon Coleman, also pulling to the right, slipped through to block the safety.
Robinson sprinted through the running lane caused by all this action and ran untouched to the end zone. It set the tone for the ground game, which accounted for 267 yards and three touchdowns on 45 carries, and Robinson himself, who had 103 yards on 16 carries.
It had been a long time -- five years, in fact -- since the Commanders had seen a rushing touchdown of that length. It was the longest rushing touchdown since Steven Sims' 65-yard run against the New England Patriots in 2019.
Commanders pull off a miracle against the Bears with a Hail Mary.
People know the details of this play by now, but we're going to go over them again.
The Commanders, down by three against the Chicago Bears, were in need of a miracle to pull out a win. Daniels, starting out at the Commanders' 48-yard line, scrambled to his right before moving back to his left. That gave his receivers enough time to get into the end zone. He fired his shot, and a group of Commanders and Bears players formed near the goal line. Tyrique Stevenson, who was jawing at Commanders fans while the play was unfolding, ran into the pile late and got a hand on the ball. Unfortunately for him, the ball floated backwards and into the hands of Noah Brown for the game-winning score.
That description doesn't do the play nearly enough justice, so why don't you just watch it again? You know you want to.