Commander Country

Commanders Come Back Down 18, Survive Hail Mary Scare vs. Broncos

The Washington Commanders struggled at the beginning against the Denver Broncos, but they were able to finish strong and pull out a win.

Jeremy Brener

In this story:

The Washington Commanders (2-0) are heading home happy after a 35-33 win against the Denver Broncos (0-2) on Sunday afternoon at Empower Field at Mile High.

The Commanders looked like they had the game wrapped up, but a wild 50-yard Hail Mary attempt from Russell Wilson to receiver Brandon Johnson gave the Broncos one last prayer. However, the Broncos couldn't connect on the two-point conversion and the Commanders pulled out a win.

The win didn't seem likely at the beginning of the game when the Broncos raced out to a big lead. After Joey Slye missed the field goal on the opening drive, it appeared like it would be a long day for the Commanders.

That long day turned even longer when the Broncos scored touchdowns on each of their first three drives, while Washington managed just a field goal. Midway through the second quarter, it was a 21-3 lead for the Broncos.

However, the Commanders slowly began to chip away.

Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) looks to pass in the second quarter against the Washington Commanders at Empower Field at Mile High.
Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) looks to pass in the second quarter against the Washington Commanders at Empower Field at Mile High / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Inside the two-minute warning at the end of the first half, the Commanders managed to score a touchdown from Logan Thomas (who left the game with a concussion), a two-point conversion from Brian Robinson Jr. and a 49-yard field goal from Slye as time expired to cut the deficit to a touchdown.

In the second half, Sam Howell and the offense started out hot and tied the game on their first possession with a 30-yard touchdown to receiver Terry McLaurin.

After Denver knocked down a field goal, Washington took its first lead of the game on a Robinson 2-yard touchdown. Robinson would double his touchdown total on the next drive with another score that gave the Commanders an 11-point lead, one that Washington would hold on until the end.

The Commanders hope to stay perfect next week when they visit the Buffalo Bills (1-1). Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Published
Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

Home/News