Commander Country

TOUCHDOWN! Commanders' Sam Howell, Terry McLaurin Make 'Great Play' vs. Broncos

“That was a play coming in that we knew we wanted to get called to give Terry [McLaurin] that opportunity," Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell said postgame.

Jeremy Brener

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Washington Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin and quarterback Sam Howell are both celebrating after a big 35-33 win against the Denver Broncos on the road Sunday afternoon.

The Washington Commanders quarterback-receiver combo was able to tie the game at 21-21 midway through the third quarter after a big 31-yard touchdown. Here's a look at the play ...

The touchdown capped off a 5-play, 57-yard drive to tie the game after trailing 21-3 early in the second quarter.

“That was a play coming in that we knew we wanted to get called to give Terry [McLaurin] that opportunity," Howell said postgame. "They were in a coverage where we knew we would have a chance to get the ball downfield. Luckily, we bought enough time to get Terry behind the safeties. I just tried to throw it over their head and let Terry have a chance to make a play on it. He made a great play. We have to continue to do that. We have to continue to get him the ball and give him those chances downfield because usually when you do good things happen.”

Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell (14) and receiver Terry McLaurin (17) celebrate a play in Week 18.
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (17) celebrates with Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell (14) after connecting on a long pass against the Dallas Cowboys during the fourth quarter at FedExField / Geoff Burke, USA Today

The timing on Howell's throw to McLaurin couldn't have been much better. McLaurin's talents as a receiver allow Howell to make those throws even if they are against multiple defenders.

“I’ve been wanting to play down the field for a while, and I just wanted to stay patient," McLaurin said. "I knew we were going to get the look and to be honest, it was actually a different one than we anticipated in practice. I trusted that Sam and I were going to connect on that play. I just wanted to keep the ball at bay or keep my route over the top of the safety. Trust my speed to the outside cornering the safety. Sam threw an unbelievable ball, just high enough for me to go up and highpoint it. That’s what we read and honestly, I just want to let him know how big of a play that was, and I hope that continues to build his confidence.”

If the trust between the two can continue, McLaurin and Howell should combine for many more touchdowns in the future.

Howell and McLaurin will now prepare to face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at 1 p.m. inside Highmark Stadium.

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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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