Down by three points to the Chicago Bears with two seconds left on the clock, the Washington Commanders' offense lined up at their own 48-yard line for a must-catch Hail Mary attempt, and linebacker Bobby Wagner had a front row seat to the action from the sideline.

The veteran has been a part of failed Hail Mary attempts with past teams, most notably his rookie year with the Seahawks for the infamous "Fail Mary" play that resulted in their controversial 2012 Week 3 loss to the Packers.

But when Wagner saw the way wide receiver Noah Brown was positioned behind the pack and away from everybody else, he could sense this wouldn't be another "Fail Mary." It reminded him of the way he's coached as a defender on a tipped ball drill -- watch, wait and catch.

"When he threw the ball up, you saw everybody was converging on where the ball was at, but nobody was behind the play," Wagner said. "And as a defender, we coach that. There's always going to be a guy sitting behind and sitting in front and so they're waiting for the tip and you gotta make sure you go get it."

As quarterback Jayden Daniels launched the ball with no time left on the clock, the pass bounced off the hands of a few different players before settling into the waiting arms of Brown, who was camped out in the end zone waiting for the tipped ball.

"Honestly, that ball fell right into Noah's arms," said wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who was on the field for the play. "I don't think I've seen a Hail Mary fall that perfectly off of the tip drill. And we always talk about defense tips and overthrows, we gotta get those, but offense tips and overthrows, we need those too. So to come out with that win as a team after we didn't play our best offensively, but a win is a win and we're gonna move forward and get better."

The improbable 18-15 victory over the Bears caused Northwest Stadium to erupt in pandemonium, sending players, coaches and fans into a frenzy. Daniels' game-winning pass traveled 65.9 yards in the air, making it the third-longest touchdown pass by air distance since, 2016 according to ESPN.

"Man, I knew Jayden had the arm and all he had to do was just give him a chance," Wagner said. "He gave the guys a chance to make a great play and just watch him catch the ball and it was just excitement."

Along with Wagner, coach Dan Quinn sprinted onto the field from the sideline. He tossed his headset into the air as he hugged and celebrated with his team.

"I felt, rest in peace, a little like [Former NC State Head Coach] Jim Valvano just running around, not sure what to do and where to go," Quinn said of the on-field celebration. "A lot of the big guys beat the hell out of me, so it's a wonder why they play in the NFL, and I never did. Yelling at me and hugging and I feel like I'm six inches off the ground with a big hug. So, honestly it was just a wild moment."

One of those "big guys" Quinn references is left guard Nick Allegretti, who was blocking for Daniels during the last-minute attempt to win the game.

"I couldn't believe it," Allegretti said. "I've been part of some Hail Mary's, and the percentage of them is not high. It was the perfect tip and there was just one guy standing there. It was unbelievable. I don't know the reaction, it was crazy."

Allegretti was so focused on protecting Daniels and giving him time to throw that he actually missed the play in real time.

"I saw it on the screen," Allegretti said. "I didn't know who caught it until three minutes later. Awesome."

Despite fans dubbing the Hail Mary, "The Miracle in Landover," Brian Robinson Jr. has a simpler name for the play: a winning moment.

"That was our winning moment," Robinson said. "When you go back and rewatch the play, everyone was working their ass off, doing everything they needed to do for that last play, just to get that ball up and see what happens."

No matter what the play is ultimately called, it signals a new era for Washington. Fans and players alike aren't used to clutch wins. ​​"Stuff usually does not come out on top for us, so just being able to be the ones that come out happy and celebrate with the guys felt good," Defensive tackle Daron Payne said.

The successful Hail Mary marks an important shift in mindset; it proves that Washington is capable of playing scrappy, winning football to come out on top. Sunday's victory marked the franchise's first 4-0 start at home since 2005 and allowed the Commanders to hold the top spot in the NFC East with a 6-2 record. The team has a real shot at making their first appearance in the playoffs since 2020, although it won't come easy.

"We have a team full of fighters," Brown said. "I'm not surprised at all by this happening because I know we don't give up until the final whistle. It's just phenomenal effort on all sides."