A pass straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster: Jayden Daniels has the Washington Commanders in the NFL a dramatic 18:15 victory over the Chicago Bears. And thus the embarrassing action of an opponent is severely punished – but more on that later.
First, a look at a crazy final phase: With only 19 seconds on the clock, Washington’s last drive began at its own 24-yard line. Daniels threw an 11-yard pass to Zach Ertz, setting up the game-winning Hail Mary throw. “We just wanted to give ourselves a chance for Jayden to be able to throw the ball down the field,” Terry McLaurin said.
But there was absolutely nothing easy about the last move when the clock was up. Daniels ran first to one side, then the other – his eyes always directed toward the end zone. He held onto the ball for a full 12.79 seconds and covered 40.7 yards. Then he let the toy sail through the air.
Daniels realizes the touchdown miracle belatedly
It finally ended up in the end zone after a failed catch attempt by Bears defender Tyrique Stevenson on Noah Brown. 52 yards, touchdown, win. Daniels was later asked what was going through his mind on the final snap: “Buy time and don’t throw the ball out,” he said casually.
He almost indirectly noticed that the pass had reached a Washington star. “I just heard people screaming and our sideline storming the field. That’s when I knew it,” said Daniels, whose status with a rib injury was uncertain until hours before kickoff. “You only experience something like this once in your life. There aren’t many people who experience something like that.”
While the Commanders shouted their joy into the evening sky, the Bears were in deep dismay. Particularly in focus: the aforementioned Stevenson. This not only ensured that the ball actually landed at Brown – it also excited the fans’ minds shortly beforehand.
During the final snap, Stevenson looked toward the fans, gesturing and waving cheerfully to the crowd. With his back to Daniels, who was looking for a pass receiver. The scene caused an uproar on social media, and Stevenson apologized to his team in a post.
“I apologize to Chicago and my teammates for my inattention and lack of concentration,” he wrote there: “The game is not over until there are zeros on the clock. I can’t take anything for granted. Notes taken, improvement will happen.”
Classic case of: He who laughs last laughs best – that’s also absolutely Hollywood style.
