Commanders Collapse in Second Half, But Recover For Win Over Jaguars
The Washington Commanders are collectively breathing a sigh of relief after beating the Jacksonville Jaguars 28-22 at FedEx Field Sunday.
The Commanders looked like they were about to cruise to victory after leading 14-3 at halftime, but the offense began to sputter in the second half as they fumbled the lead.
Quarterback Carson Wentz looked strong at the beginning, throwing for touchdowns on each of the team's first two drives, but in the second half, he couldn't get a first down in the third quarter and threw interceptions on back-to-back plays in the fourth quarter. The Jaguars were able to score 10 points off of Wentz's turnovers to take a 22-14 lead early in the fourth quarter, but Washington wasn't ready to throw in the towel.
The Commanders responded on the next drive with Wentz's best throw of the day, a beautiful dart to wide receiver Terry McLaurin on the sideline that went 49 yards for a touchdown. Washington couldn't convert the two-point conversion, which kept the team trailing by two points.
The Commanders generated a stop on the ensuing drive, giving Wentz and the offense a chance to redeem themselves. Wentz led a 15-play, 90-yard drive that ended in a touchdown from rookie wide receiver Jahan Dotson.
Dotson showed out in his NFL debut, catching three passes for 40 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Dotson's second touchdown came with 1:46 remaining in the fourth quarter, meaning the Jaguars had one last chance to steal a win, but safety Darrick Forrest (who started for the injured Kam Curl) intercepted Trevor Lawrence to clinch the victory.
The Commanders travel to the Motor City next week to face the Detroit Lions. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. next Sunday.
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Commanders? Click Here.
Follow Commander Country on Twitter.