Washington Commanders Come Back, Save Season in Win vs. New England Patriots

The New England Patriots held the lead after the first half, but the Washington Commanders found a way to win.

Jeremy Brener | Nov 5, 2023

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Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders are breathing a sigh of relief after pulling out a 20-17 win against the New England Patriots on Sunday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

The Commanders started off strong, scoring 10 points off the bat with a 37-yard field goal from Joey Slye and a 9-yard touchdown run from Brian Robinson Jr.

However, the Patriots pulled back into it with a quick touchdown pass from quarterback Mac Jones to tight end Hunter Henry from 14 yards out. Then, the Patriots took the lead when running back Rhamondre Stevenson torched the Commanders defense for a 64-yard touchdown to grab the lead.

Washington had a chance to retake the lead when the offense drove inside the red zone late in the first half, but quarterback Sam Howell threw an interception in the end zone to safety Kyle Dugger.

Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell (14) runs the ball between New England Patriots safety Adrian Phillips (21) and cornerback Myles Bryant (27) during the first half at Gillette Stadium. — Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell (14) runs the ball between New England Patriots safety Adrian Phillips (21) and cornerback Myles Bryant (27) during the first half at Gillette Stadium / Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

In the second half, the Commanders tied things up on their first offensive possession when Howell threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Jahan Dotson. Then, Washington took the lead on its next possession with a 30-yard field goal.

After the Commanders took the lead, the two teams traded six consecutive punts leading down to the two-minute warning, where the Pats had a chance to tie or win the game. However, second-round rookie Quan Martin intercepted Jones in the game's final seconds to ice the win for the Commanders.

The win puts the Commanders at 4-5, holding on to any possible hope at making the playoffs.

The Commanders are back in action next week when they visit the Seattle Seahawks. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET.

Published Nov 5, 2023

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.