You can call it the Maryland Miracle.
Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels helped the Washington Commanders make the impossible possible Sunday, connecting on a 52-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass to Noah Brown as time expired to beat the Chicago Bears 18-15.
Brown was wide-open in the end zone to make the spectacular catch after the pass was tipped.
“I just threw the ball up and gave my guys a chance,” Daniels said of the play, according to ESPN’s John Keim.
Daniels held onto the ball for 12.79 seconds, making it the first touchdown pass with a time-to-throw of over 10 seconds in the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016).
It’s also the second-longest game-winning TD as time expired by a rookie QB in NFL history, behind only Tim Couch’s 56-yard score to Kevin Johnson in 1999, per the NFL’s Dante Koplowitz-Fleming.
“I just heard people screaming and the sideline rush the field,” Daniels added.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn couldn’t believe what his team accomplished.
Sunday’s game marked the first meeting between Caleb Williams and Daniels, the top two picks in the 2024 draft.
Both offenses struggled to find the end zone, but Chicago had seemingly clinched a victory after Roschon Johnson scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to grab a 15-12 lead with 23 seconds left.
However, Daniels – the Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite – orchestrated a four-play drive with just one timeout that ended with Washington’s walk-off touchdown. The rookie sensation’s status for Week 8 was uncertain as he battled a rib injury that limited him at practice.
Daniels finished the contest with 21 completions on 38 attempts for 326 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for 52 yards to help the Commanders improve to 6-2.
Meanwhile, Williams was only 10-for-24 passing for 131 yards and no touchdowns. With the heartbreaking loss, Chicago falls to 4-3.
