The Washington Commanders behind a record-setting night from their rookie quarterback beat the Cincinnati Bengals 38-33 before a primetime national television audience and a stunned and silenced 66,207 at Paycor Stadium.
Their No. 2 overall draft pick Jayden Daniels completed 21 of 23 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns which set an NFL rookie completion percentage record of 91.3%. As a dual threat he also rushed for a team leading 39 yards on 12 carries and one touchdown.
With him under center the Commanders scored on every possession except for his intentionally taking a knee. They have also not kicked a punt or had a turnover in their last two games.
Both teams finished the game without a turnover or a punt a first of its kind in the Super Bowl era.
His favorite target was speedy Terry McLaurin who caught four passes for 100 yards and one touchdown. He caught a beautiful 55-yard bomb from Daniels which set up a touchdown.
Running back Austin Ekeler racked up 35 yards on three carries with one touchdown. He also had a 62-yard kickoff return.
His running mate Brian Robinson Jr. had a tough night running for 33 yards on 16 carries, but he did manage to score a touchdown.
Daniels was as his best under heavy pressure and the game on the line.
With the score 31-26 he drove his team 70 yards on 12 plays ending with a 27-yard laser of a pass to McLaurin in the right side of the endzone placed where McLaurin could stay in bounds and win the battle for the touchdown catch.
The jaw-dropping completion made the score 38-26 in favor of Washington with 2:10 to play in the game.
The Bengals scored a touchdown with 1:30 to go in the game making the score 38-33.
The Commanders recovered the onside kick and could finally celebrate their amazing upset win before a nationally televised audience. Daniels and the Commanders made quite a statement with this victory.
The Bengals began the game well with a 41-yard scoring pass from Joe Burrow to Ja’Marr Chase making the score 7-0 with 11:37 to go in the first half.
Washington responded with a one-yard scoring run from Robinson Jr. making the score 7-7 with 5:25 to go in the first quarter.
In the second quarter Ekeler had a 24-yard scoring dash giving Washington the lead 14-7. Cincinnati responded with a 28-yard field goal and the Commanders countered with a Daniels four-yard scoring run making the score 21-10 with 2:04 to go before halftime.
The Bengals managed a 31-yard field goal to end the half with the score 21-13.
Washington had some fun with the next touchdown as lineman-eligible Trent Scott caught a short scoring pass from Daniels making the score 28-13 before a bewildered Bengals home crowd who saw their team favored by 7.5 points down 15 with 9:54 to go in the third quarter.
With the score now 31-20 the game got really interesting when Chase snagged his second touchdown pass from Burrow making the score 31-26 with 9:42 to play in the game setting up the exciting Washington finish.
The Bengals won the total yards, running and passing yards, but the Commanders won the only statistic that mattered. The score.
Cincinnati was led in passing by Burrow who completed 29 of 38 passes for 324 and three touchdowns. Chase led the team in receiving with six catches for 118 and two touchdowns. Chase Brown led the team in rushing with 62 yards on seven carries for the (0-3) Bengals.
