The Washington Commanders ended the 2024 regular season with a 23-19 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Here are five takeaways from the matchup.

1. Marcus Mariota delivers in the second half.

The Commanders kept rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels on the sideline in the second half with what head coach Dan Quinn described as "leg soreness," which meant that Marcus Mariota would need to spark the team's offense. The veteran backup certainly accomplished that.

Mariota was efficient, accurate and dynamic through two quarters, completing 15-of-18 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns. He completed all five of his pass attempts on his first drive, hitting Olamide Zaccheaus for a 29-yard gain and Zach Ertz for a five-yard touchdown that gave Washington the lead. He also supplied the dime to Terry McLaurin that ended up winning the game.

But Mariota was also productive as a runner, leading the team with 56 yards on five carries. Most of that came on a fourth-and-1 play that the Commanders needed in the fourth quarter, taking a read-option play and slipping past a tackle for a 33-yard gain. He did something similar earlier in the game, as he broke a tackle in the backfield and dove across the goal line for a score.

Mariota has been a critical piece of the Commanders' success this season, even though he hasn't been on the field much. He's provided Daniels with guidance and offered support to the offense behind the scenes. It's still more ideal for Daniels to be on the field more often, but Mariota has shown multiple times this season that he can operate the offense just fine.

2. The defense kept Washington in the game.

The Commanders' offense was stuck in the mud for the entire first half, as the unit could only muster three points that came in the second quarter. It would have been a disastrous turn of events for the Burgundy & Gold, had it not been for the defense coming up with several clutch plays.

Though the Cowboys' 378 total yards and 23 first downs are not ideal, the Commanders kept forcing them to settle for field goals. What's more, the unit spent a lot of time in their own territory in the second quarter after a muffed punt from Jamison Crowder set up the Cowboys at Washington's 22-yard line. The Cowboys were quickly off the field after that turnover, though, thanks in part to an eight-yard sack from Jeremy Chinn.

The Cowboys had another chance to go up two scores in the last five minutes of the first half. They got inside the Commanders 10-yard line after a two-yard run by Rico Dowdle, but Lance's passes on third and fourth down were both off their intended marks.

There were still plenty of things for Washington's defense to work on, specifically when it comes to the 150 yards they gave up on the ground, but the unit made plays when it mattered most.

3. Terry McLaurin ices the game and sets a franchise record.

McLaurin had a quiet night against the Falcons last week, recording just one reception for five yards. It might have taken the better part of three quarters for him to be active against the Cowboys, but his contribution played a pivotal role in Washington pulling out the win.

The brunt of McLaurin's work came in the fourth quarter, particularly on the Commanders' game-winning drive. Mariota targeted McLaurin five times during that three-minute span, and McLaurin caught four of them. He converted a third-and-4 with a six-yard pickup and got the offense out of a tough spot with a 13-yard catch on second-and-15.

And of course, there's the game-winning touchdown that gave McLaurin 13 scores for the year and set the single-season franchise record for the most receiving touchdowns in a season. He became the only player in franchise history to record 75-plus receptions, 1,000-plus receiving yards and 10-plus touchdown receptions in a single season.

McLaurin has more than enough evidence to suggest that he is one of the best playmakers playing in the NFL right now, but consider this: following his eight receptions for 62 yards, he joined Travis Kelce as the only active players to record 75-plus receptions and 1,000-plus receiving yards in five consecutive seasons.

4. Mike Sainristil balled out.

Teams continue to test Mike Sainristil, and the rookie keeps showing them why that isn't the best idea.

Sainristil was all over the field, and the stat sheet, against the Cowboys. He finished the day with 10 tackles, second only to Chinn, to go with three pass breakups. One of his best plays came in the closing seconds of the second quarter, when he provided tight coverage on Brandin Cooks in the end zone to force a turnover on downs.

Sainristil has quickly proven himself as one of the team's best defenders, despite his lack of experience. His versatility and physicality have made him an asset, as he has moved from his original position of playing in the slot to the outside.

That hasn't stopped teams from trying to put their best players on him, and while he has had lapses, they haven't come often. He is the first Washington rookie to record 14-plus passes defensed in a single season since Bashaud Breeland in 2014.

5. One magical season ends, another begins.

Try to imagine where the Commanders were a year ago today. They were two days away from finishing the season with a 4-13 record and beginning their search for a new head coach. Now, the team has won 12 games for the first time since 1991 with hopes of making a deep postseason run. That marks the best improvement from one season to the next in the NFL since the San Francisco 49ers had a +9-win total improvement from 2018-19.

It's been a special season for the Commanders -- one that provides confidence for the franchise's future. But the team has a chance to make a statement now, starting with a road game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Washington started the season with a loss to the Buccaneers, but things are different for the team after four months of record-setting performances from Daniels and the offense. The defense is also a top 10 unit, and assuming Marshon Lattimore is able to play, much more equipped to match up against the Buccaneers' dynamic offense.

As memorable as the first season has been, the Commanders will need to put it behind them. A new season is about to begin, and the stakes are much higher. So are the rewards, though.