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Commanders HC Dan Quinn’s reaction to nearly blowing massive lead vs. Giants
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- Commanders HC Dan Quinn’s reaction to nearly blowing massive lead vs. Giants
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The Washington Commanders finally ended a demoralizing eight-game losing streak with a 29-21 road win versus the New York Giants in Week 15. The win, Washington's first since October 5, also completed a season sweep over the struggling New York, who now sits at 2-12 and has lost eight straight games. It was a morale-boosting win, but the Commanders nearly let the Giants back in because of their ongoing troubles with turnovers and closing out leads.
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Head coach Dan Quinn admitted after the game that the team made victory more difficult than necessary , noting:
"We made it a lot harder than it needed to be."
Quarterback Marcus Mariota , starting in place of the injured Jayden Daniels , completed 10 of 19 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown, though he also fumbled once. Running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt led the ground attack with 96 rushing yards on 18 carries, scoring a 16-yard touchdown in the second quarter. That touchdown made Croskey-Merritt the first Washington rookie running back since Antonio Gibson in 2020 to record at least five rushing touchdowns in a single season. Fellow rookie Jaylin Lane took a punt 63 yards to the house for his second touchdown of the season, turning the game in their favor before the half.
Wide receiver Terry McLaurin broke free for a 51-yard score early in the fourth quarter, giving the Commanders a 29-14 lead with 13:40 to go. Mariota and McNichols, however, each fumbled in the fourth quarter, opening the door for New York to mount a rally. The Giants scored two late touchdowns, closing in on Washington at 29-21 with less than four minutes remaining. The Commanders' defense, though, held firm on a turnover on downs at midfield, allowing them to run out the clock.
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Up front for Washington, Von Miller recorded a sack on New York quarterback Jaxson Dart , moving to 12th on the NFL's all-time sack list with 136½ career sacks. Rookie cornerback Mike Sainristil intercepted Dart in the closing seconds of the first half, returning it 55 yards to set up a 42-yard Jake Moody field goal, which gave the Commanders a 22-7 halftime lead.
At 4-10, the playoffs are off the table, leaving Washington to focus on the roster and next year's draft.
Related: Commanders' Robert Griffin III makes '100%' declaration on Jayden Daniels' injury woes
Related: Commanders' Von Miller passes Jared Allen on all-time sacks list
