The Washington Commanders are back in the win column after beating the Tennessee Titans, 42-19, in a Week 13 matchup at Northwest Stadium. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin, quarterback Jayden Daniels, running back Brian Robinson Jr. and linebacker Frankie Luvu played significant roles in securing the Burgundy & Gold's eighth win of the season.
Terry McLaurin
Washington's number one wide receiver saw his work start quickly against the Titans as he collected a pass from Daniels for 10 yards on the offense's very first play of the game. That early action was a sign of things to come.
With under a minute left to play in an electrifying first quarter for the Commanders, McLaurin, starting on the right side, ran left across the field and into the end zone where Daniels was able to find him for the third touchdown of the game. The wideout delivered more of the same in the second quarter, doing well to haul in a dart of a three-yard pass in a tight window from Daniels. He finished with eight passes for 73 yards and two touchdowns.
Lining up on both sides, picking up a couple yards or larger chunks, McLaurin's dynamic featuring continuously posed problems for the Titans defense and his reliable hands all over the field had fans cheering his name throughout a record-breaking afternoon. Yesterday's win gave McLaurin a career-high nine touchdowns and moved him into sole possession of No. 9 in franchise history in touchdown possessions.
Brian Robinson Jr.
In Week 13, the Commanders offense got underway with a 10-yard completion, then a nine-yard one, and it seemed an ember was flickering. Then, Robinson poured on some gasoline.
That fuel for the offensive fire came in the form of a 40-yard touchdown run. The back found an opening after picking up the ball from Daniels, and the Titans defense was left helpless as he scampered home for six points.
"Man is he a difference maker in terms of being downhill," head coach Dan Quinn said after the game. "It was [important], I think it created some energy for the team."
The touchdown run was the longest of Robinson's career and the longest by a Washington player since 2019. That was only the beginning of his wearing down of Tennessee's defense as he amassed 103 yards on 16 rushing attempts. Eighty-five of those came in the first half, which ranks fifth for the most by a running back since 2014.
Though he has struggled with some injuries this season, Robinson has proven to be one of the most resilient players out there and demonstrated yet again that he can make the plays when his team needs them most.
Jayden Daniels
The rookie signal-caller was back to his accurate, smooth and creative ways against the Titans, as he completed 25 of his 30 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns.
After Robinson's 40-yard touchdown run, Daniels was the next to find the end zone. He finished off an 11-play, 80-yard drive with an ankle-breaking scramble to give Washington a 14-0 lead. The Commanders' next three touchdowns came from three Daniels' arm -- the first time he has passed for three touchdowns in his young career. One was the deep-left 16-yarder to McLaurin. The next was the remarkable needle-threading effort for 3 yards to No. 17. The last was a pass short middle to Zach Ertz in the fourth quarter.
Having overcome some adversity in the last month, Daniels shined in Week 13 and made others shine around him.
"No. 5 [Daniels] felt electric tonight," Quinn said. "In terms of connecting, making plays, being decisive and to do all those things when it all comes together. It's a big deal."
Frankie Luvu
The energizer bunny of Washington's front seven this year, Luvu had another outstanding game harassing the opposing offense with his relentless and fierce style of play.
The linebacker was all over Titans quarterback Will Levis from the first whistle. He had a hit on the quarterback on the visitors' opening drive and then on the second drive tipped a third-down pass for an incomplete. In the second quarter, Luvu hunted down Levis for a sack as the quarterback looked to take the ball himself. That sack brought Luvu's season total to eight, a career high. In addition to the takedown, the linebacker recorded three tackles and two tackles for loss.
It is not every day that you see a free agent pickup have as impactful of a season as Luvu is having in his first year in Washington. Adam Peters and Quinn saw that Luvu epitomized who they wanted these new-look Commanders to be, and the linebacker's been modeling that archetype week in and week out.
