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Falcons vs. Commanders score, takeaways: Washington punches postseason ticket with overtime win

Posted on December 30, 2024 - 9:09 am by

Jayden Daniels scored three touchdowns in the win

The Washington Commanders are back in the playoffs. Despite an inspired performance by Falcons rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr., Washington prevailed in overtime after their rookie quarterback, Jayden Daniels, hit tight end Zach Ertz for the game-winning score in the extra session. 

Washington (11-5) has clinched its first playoff berth since 2020 with Sunday night’s 30-24 win. The Commanders also clinched a playoff berth for the Los Angeles Rams. Conversely, Atlanta (8-8) lost control of its own playoff destiny. 

The Commanders scored 17 unanswered points after trailing 17-7 at halftime, but Atlanta forced overtime after Penix hit Kyle Pitts on a 13-yard touchdown pass with 1:19 left in regulation. The Falcons could have won it in regulation, but Riley Patterson’s 56-yard field goal try at the buzzer was short. 



In overtime, Daniels led the Commanders on a 12-play, 70-yard drive that was punctuated by his third touchdown pass of the night. Daniels also led both teams with 127 yards on 16 carries. Penix threw for 223 yards with a touchdown and a pick in a losing effort. 

Here’s a closer look at how Washington punched its playoff ticket. 

Why the Commanders won 

Without taking anything away from Atlanta, Washington’s win was largely the result of Dan Quinn’s team not getting in its own way as much in the second half and in overtime after committing several costly errors in the first half. One of those mistakes was a special teams penalty on a Falcons punt that extended the drive and ultimately led to a touchdown for the visiting team. 

The Commanders were flagged a whopping 13 times for 108 yards, but Daniels largely overcame the sloppy play with breathtaking plays. Daniels’ night also included some history; he broke former Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III’s rookie record for rushing yards by a quarterback. 



With A.J. Terrell following Terry McLaurin’s every move, Commanders wideout Olamide Zaccheaus stepped up with eight grabs for 85 yards that included his 7-yard touchdown catch on Washington’s first drive. 

Defensively, the Commanders set up the game’s first score after picking off Penix on the game’s fifth play. In the second half, Washington was able to get Atlanta’s offense off the field on its first two possessions. The Falcons had run just nine plays prior to their game-tying touchdown drive in the final moments of regulation. 

Why the Falcons lost 

The Falcons sacked Daniels five times, but they weren’t able to bring him down when it mattered most. They also were unable to come up with a fourth-down stop, as the Commanders converted on all three of their fourth-down tries. 

While the loss surely hurts, Falcons fans should take solace in Penix’s performance. After a shaky opening drive, Penix quickly found his rhythm, leading the Falcons on three scoring drives in the first half. Two of those drives ended with touchdowns by running back Bijan Robinson, who rushed or 82 yards on 13 carries in the game’s first 30 minutes. 



Penix then led an improbable, game-tying drive near the end of regulation that included a 31-yard completion to Drake London (who caught seven passes for 106 yards) on a fourth-and-11 play. His touchdown pass to Pitts was on a fourth-and-13 play. 

Speaking of Robinson, his lack of involvement in the second half loomed large in the loss. He had just eight yards on four carries in the second half after being an integral part of the Falcons’ success in the first half. 

Turning point 

One of Washington’s most important plays of the night took place on a fourth-and-5 on the Falcons’ 39-yard line late in the third quarter. On the play, Daniels threw a short pass to running back Jeremy McNichols, who was initially short of the first-down market before fighting for the necessary yardage. The 6-yard gain helped set up the Commanders’ go-ahead touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter. 



Play of the game 

Daniels’ game-winning touchdown pass was a dart that corralled by Ertz, who caught six passes for 72 yards and two scores. 

Quotable 

“I like our teams’ chances against anyone.” — Daniels with NBC Sports afterward when asked about Washington’s playoff prospects 

What’s next 

Atlanta will play host to the Panthers in their regular-season finale. The Falcons need to win and have the Buccaneers lose to the Saints in order to capture the NFC South division title and the playoff berth that comes with it. 

The Commanders will wrap up the regular season in Dallas against the rival Cowboys. 



Washington clinches the playoff spot and right now is the No. 6 seed ahead of the Packers due to the conference record tiebreaker. That’ll be settled next week.

Atlanta now needs the Buccaneers to lose next week in order to win the NFC South.

Daniels does it again

For the second week in a row, Jayden Daniels leads a game-winning, walk-off drive. This time, he sends the Commanders to the playoffs with a strike to Zach Ertz over the middle of the field. That drive was basically all Daniels the whole way. What a performance: 24 of 36 for 227 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception, plus 16 (SIXTEEN) carries for 127 yards. WOW.