Washington Commanders Notebook: 3 Takeaways From Thrilling Win

The Washington Commanders hung on late to beat the Atlanta Falcons 24-16.

It wasn't for the faint of heart, but the Washington Commanders stood up when it mattered most in their 24-16 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to snap their three-game losing streak. 

The Commanders' defense put together their best performance of the season with three interceptions and forced two turnovers on downs. Offensively, Washington (3-3) was opportunistic, capitalizing on multiple mistakes by Falcons (3-3) quarterback Desmond Ridder, which led to two of its touchdowns. 

Here are three takeaways from Washington's win. 

Defense Stands Tall:

The Washington defense struggled over the last four weeks, allowing an average of 36 points per game.

They rebounded in a big way against Atlanta. On multiple occasions in the fourth quarter, the Commanders' defense found themselves in a tough spot with the Falcons deep in their territory. 

Outside of a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, the Commanders' defense had interceptions from cornerback Benjamin St-Juste in the end zone and linebacker Jamin Davis to ice the game. 

Jasmin Davis after his game-sealing interception / USA Today

Kendall Fuller also had an interception in the third quarter, which led to a Commanders touchdown to give them a 24-10 lead. The defense also forced two turnovers on downs. The first led to a touchdown with 5:24 left in the second quarter, and the other came with 2:30 left in the game.

After a brutal four-week stretch, it was pivotal for Washington's defense to get back on track. Its performance on Sunday was a pivotal step in the right direction and a promising sign for the rest of the season. 

Offense Capitalizes:

It wasn't the prettiest performance, but Washington's offense made the most of its opportunities throughout the day. 

Two of their touchdowns came off of turnovers, but that was more than enough for the Commanders. Howell finished the way 14 of 23 for 151 yards and three touchdowns with no turnovers. 

Terry McLaurin carried a bulk of the load in the receiving game with six catches for 81 yards. Brian Robinson, Curtis Samuel and Antonio Gibson each had receiving touchdowns. 

If the Commanders' defense can play as they did on Sunday, the offense will be perfectly fine if they can continue to capitalize on the opposing team's mistakes. 

Commanders Prove Their Mettle:

After three straight losses, things could have easily gone sideways for Washington when Atlanta was trying to claw back into the game in the second half. 

Instead, the Commanders hunkered down and prevented themselves from falling further behind in the NFC. 

Now at 3-3 and with an upcoming matchup against the New York Giants (1-4), Washington will have a chance to get above .500 and find itself right back in the thick of the playoff picture.