Commander Country

Commanders WATCH: TE John Bates Scores 1st TD of Season; Washington Retakes Lead vs. Atlanta

Unlikely hero John Bates helps the Washington Commanders take the lead. Can they hold on against the Atlanta Falcons?

Jeremy Brener

Commanders WATCH: TE John Bates Scores 1st TD of Season; Washington Retakes Lead vs. Atlanta
Commanders WATCH: TE John Bates Scores 1st TD of Season; Washington Retakes Lead vs. Atlanta /

Washington Commanders tight end John Bates only has 12 catches in as many games this season, but none were as important as his touchdown grab against the Atlanta Falcons in the third quarter.

The touchdown pass from Taylor Heinicke - his second of the day - helped put the Commanders back in front against the Falcons to break a 10-10 tie.

Here's a look at the touchdown ...

Bates, a second-year pro out of Boise State, was a fourth-round selection last season. Primarily a blocking tight end, Bates doesn't get involved all that much as a receiver, but when he does, it adds more depth and versatility to the Commanders offense.

The touchdown marked Bates' first of the season. The last time he scored - his first NFL touchdown - came in Week 16 last season in a blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

A pretty significant development happened after the touchdown, as kicker Joey Slye missed the extra point in the rain. That means the Commanders hold just a six-point lead and open the door for the Falcons to take a lead with a touchdown and extra point.

On the ensuing drive, Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo nailed a 48-yard field goal to cut the Atlanta deficit in half.

The Commanders hold a 16-13 lead late in the third quarter.

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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.

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