It was spectacular. It was miraculous. It typified the special feeling that is currently building around the Washington Commanders under the new regime.
After leading their Week 8 game against the Chicago Bears for almost its entirety, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams drove the football downfield and the NFC North outfit went ahead with 25 seconds remaining. It was a gut punch for Dan Quinn's men, who seemed comfortable enough despite failing to convert their red-zone opportunities into touchdowns.
However, as Commanders fans are already aware, nothing is out of reach with Jayden Daniels under center.
Now, the entire NFL knows it too.
The No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft made a couple of nice throws to give him a slim chance at the death. Daniels, despite dealing with a rib issue that left him out of practice for almost the entire week, had enough left in the tank for one last Hail Mary.
After scrambling around in the pocket, Daniels took his shot. A fortunate deflection sent the football straight into the grateful hands of wide receiver Noah Brown to send Northwest Stadium into a state of delirium.
A;FK;JD;KJF;LAKEJFLKJVAL;KEJL;JF;EFJ;LFAKJ
— NFL (@NFL) October 27, 2024
JAYDEN DANIELS HAIL MARY! @COMMANDERS WIN! pic.twitter.com/BsQ0Z84Rko
Just incredible. There are no words that could do the moment justice. And after so much misery and abject failure for this storied franchise, luck was on their side at long last.
It's a message to the league. No matter the circumstances. No matter the situation. The Commanders can always find a way by any means necessary.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn lauds fighting spirit after Week 8 miracle
Quinn was beside himself after seeing his team snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. He'd barely calmed down during his post-game presser, citing Washington's never-say-die spirit as the reason why they'll always have a chance.
"Man that was wild. That was so much fun. And what I love about the team is that we are never out of the fight. All week we talked about how the ball would decide the game. I don't know how long the play was, but it took a long ass time."Dan Quinn
The Commanders are now at 6-2 atop the NFC East. This is a fairytale start for the new era in Washington. Fans genuinely believe they're on the right track. And it's been a long time since this sleeping giant had anything legitimate to cheer.
Building on it is crucial. It wasn't the perfect game. There were mistakes and it wasn't pretty. But the Commanders - by hook or by crook - got over the line.
Fans will savor this moment. But for Quinn and his players, it's onto the New York Giants in Week 9.