The Washington Commanders bounced back after three consecutive losses, including two to division teams, to dismantle the Tennessee Titans early at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md.
In a 42-19 win, the Commanders scored 21 points in the first quarter, the most points in the first quarter since 2015. The team had their highest point total of the season, tying 42 points against the Arizona Cardinals in week 4. And, the Commanders had the most rushing yards in a game, 267, since 2012 when the then Washington Redskins beat the Dallas Cowboys in the final game of the season to advance to the playoffs.
This season’s Washington team can consider itself on a playoff run heading into the bye week with an 8-5 record. It’s the most wins after 13 games for a Washington football team since 1996.
When the Commanders return from the bye week, the team will be visiting the New Orleans Saints, then back home against the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons and then visiting Dallas in a rematch of last week’s game against the Cowboys.
It’s not difficult to see how the Commanders stand in the NFC prior to their final four games. They can play with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles but it’s unlikely they win without getting a few breaks and mistakes from their opponents. They could beat Dallas in a spirited rivalry game but they’ll need to play better than they did in last week’s 35-26 loss at Northwest Stadium.
Against teams like the Titans, the Commanders have excelled but so have all but three other teams this season. Several miscues by the Titans included poor throws, dropped passes, miscommunications, penalties and two fumbles in Commanders territory all contributing to the Commanders win. But the Commanders also ran the ball well during the game and that opened the passing game. Jayden Daniels was back in better form with three TD passes—two to Terry McLaurin and one to Zach Ertz—as well as a TD run.
Credit Brian Robinson, Jr., whose 103 yards rushing for the day included a 40-yard touchdown run on the first drive of the game and a 7-0 lead for the Commanders. Daniels ran into the end zone for a 3-yard touchdown to make the score 14-0 and then he connected with McLaurin on a 16-yard pass for one of the receiver’s two touchdowns and a 21-0 lead by the end of the first quarter.
Meantime, the defense for the Commanders held off the Titans running game. A 28-0 lead late in the second quarter and holding former Cowboys running back Tony Pollard to 35 yards on 8 carries for the day contributed to forcing Titans quarterback Will Levis to keep passing for most of the game. Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu pressured Levis all day. Luvu had a sack and four tackles—one tackle for a loss–while another veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner had four tackles and one assist.
In the second quarter, at 14-0, cornerback Mike Sainristil grabbed the ball away from Pollard at the Tennessee 24-yard line prior to McLaurin’s touchdown catch to make the score 21-0. On the following kickoff, Jha’Quan Jackson fielded the ball at the Tennessee 17-yard line and then fumbled it away at the Titans 30-yard line. Mykal Walker recovered the ball at the 34.
Starting the second quarter deep in Titans territory, it took the Commanders nine plays before McLaurin ran a 3-yard slant and caught a touchdown pass fired by Daniels for a 28-0 lead. No scoring took place for most of the quarter until the Commanders moved the ball to the Tennessee 36-yard line. A field goal try by Zaye Gonzalez drifted wide right.
With less then two minutes remaining in the half, Levis made enough good plays for the Titans to lead the Titans offense to a third and six at the 27 yard line. Levis dropped back and lofted a pass to over Sainristil and into the hands of Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for a touchdown. At the half, the Titans were down 28-7 and came to within 15 after two Nick Folk field goals during the third quarter.
But the Commanders’ offense took to the ground again. With the score 28-13 in the fourth quarter at their own 32, Robinson ran for 4 yards, Daniels hit McLaurin for 5 yards and then Robinson rambled for an 8-yard gain, followed by a 6-yard run before Daniels opened it up with a 25-yard pass to Ertz who took the ball to the Tennessee 24-yard line. Four plays later, Daniels hit Ertz in the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown pass and a 35-13 lead.
Chris Rodriguez, Jr., took over running duties from Robinson. After a late Tennessee touchdown and a missed two-point conversion, the Commanders drove to the 7 yard line and Rodriguez took the ball into the end zone for the final touchdown.
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