Commanders Overcame 'Out of Rhythm' First Half to Comeback Against Falcons

The Washington Commanders did it the hard way, but at the end of it, they still came away with a Week 17 win.

Dec 29, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz (86) celebrates after scoring the game winning touchdown in front of Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dee Alford (20) during overtime at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images / Amber Searls-Imagn Images

LANDOVER, Md. -- Two weeks ago, the Washington Commanders had zero wins against teams with winning records.

Now, they have one, that one coming against the Philadelphia Eagles. But when you consider that the Commanders themselves knocked the Atlanta Falcons from the ranks of winning-record teams on Sunday night, perhaps we can give them credit for that one, too.

Coming into the game 8-7, the Falcons now stand at 8-8 and on the verge of playoff elimination, while Washington improved to 11-5 and clinched its postseason ticket, currently holding the sixth seat in the NFC.

Dec 29, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz (86) celebrates after scoring the game winning touchdown in front of Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dee Alford (20) during overtime at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images / Amber Searls-Imagn Images

It was yet another 'tale of two halves' as Commanders coach Dan Quinn called it after the game, and one where the team struggled to find it's footing, but took off in a dead sprint once it did.

"I thought it was certainly a tale of two halves," Quinn said after the game. "When we stay on schedule, offensively that's when we're at our best. And so, to overcome some of the penalties, those make it the most difficult. But what we did do, I thought in the second half defensively, much improved in the run game. I think they were at a hundred yards or more going in."

To be exact, Atlanta had 101 yards rushing entering halftime, and finished with 126. That's quite the dramatic drop in production.

Of course, some of that is going to lay at the feet of offensive coordinator Zac Robinson and Falcons head coach Raheem Morris who inexplicably went away from running back Bijan Robinson for much of the second half. After entering halftime with 82 yards on 13 carries, he somehow finished with 90 yards on 17 carries.

Perhaps that shift in approach entering the second half contributed to the Commanders' defense suddenly stabilizing, or maybe it was the impact of the latter impacting the first. Whatever it was, it knocked Atlanta off course and allowed Washington the time it needed to get on one.

"It just feels like we had no rhythm in the first half and we're at our best when we're able to find a little rhythm and play fast, be the aggressor," tight end Zach Ertz said after the big win. "And when you're in second and thirties like we were a few times, you just, I don't care if you're the greatest show on turf with the Rams, with [Former NFL QB] Kurt Warner and all those guys, you're not going to be successful in this league. So, for us it's just about positive plays, eliminating negative plays, and if we're able to do that when we got a guy like (Commanders quarterback) Jayden (Daniels) back there, we feel like we're going to be able to put up points but it's impossible when we're just shooting ourselves in the foot every drive.”

Quinn has mentioned the value of learning how to learn ugly games, and also the need to beat heavy-hitters if you're going to become one yourself.

Well, while the NFC South Division isn't considered the heaviest of heavyweight divisions these days the Falcons were at the top of it before Sunday night. Just like they were among the group of teams boasting a winning record beofre Washington dropped them to .500.

And despite those two factors perhaps offering an immediate dimming to the shine that comes with this win, we think there is some value to it, as the Commanders head back to the drawing board to try and fix some of their problems before the real 'win or go home' part of the season begins in two weeks.

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