Commanders Score 27 Straight Points in Victory Over Chargers (10-5-25)
By: Jaden Golding
Headline Photo Credit: WVEC
LOS ANGELES, CA— Star quarterback Jayden Daniels returned to the field after missing the previous two contests with a knee injury in his homecoming game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
After safety Quan Martin forced a fumble on Chargers (3-2) receiver Quentin Johnson in the second quarter, Daniels and the Commanders’ (3-2) offense took off. They didn’t look back, pouring in 27 unanswered points in a big-time 27-10 road victory.
Daniels finished 15-of-26, throwing for 231 passing yards and one passing touchdown. He also had eight carries for 39 yards on the ground.
When Fox’s Erin Andrews asked Daniels how his knee was feeling postgame, he said, “It’s feeling great. Everyone can stop talking on social media about the brace and everything. I am good, and I feel great.”
Despite Daniels’ return to his hometown, he wasn’t the star of the show for Washington. Rookie running back Jacory Corskey-Merritt had his breakout performance of the season, carrying the ball 14 times with 111 yards, 7.9 yards per carry, and two rushing touchdowns.
Merritt was a force out of the backfield, gashing the Chargers’ defense in between and outside the sticks for positive gainage on what felt like nearly every carry. He was powerful when carrying the ball, bouncing off defenders, and moving swiftly through the tackles.
The Chargers got off to a fast start, controlling the clock and flow of the game and taking an early 10-0 lead. A couple of minutes into the second quarter, LA was on the Washington side of the field. Quarterback Justin Herbert found Johnson for a 19-yard pass across the middle before Martin hit Johnson, jarring the ball loose, which cornerback Marshon Lattimore recovered.
From then on, all Washington responded immediately with a nine-play 74-yard drive capped off by a 15-yard touchdown run by Bill. After forcing a punt, the Commanders tied things up 10-10 right before halftime. In the third quarter, Washington’s defensive line continued to suffocate Los Angeles, holding them scoreless the rest of the way, including a key interception at the one-yard line by Mike Sainristil after Jer’Zahn Newton tipped the ball at the line.
The Commanders capped off the victory with a 13-play 99-yard drive, which finished with Daniels finding Deebo Samuel in the right corner on 4th-and-7 from the LA eight-yard line.
Dorrance Armstrong’s Strong Season Continues
Armstrong has arguably been the Commanders’ best and consistent defensive player of the year. Sunday was no different for him; he sacked Herbert twice, had three tackles (two solo), two tackles for loss, and two QB hits. He also finished with a 79.5 PPF grade yesterday, ranking as the fifth-highest player for Washington. He’s already tied last season’s total sacks and looks to have a career season at the rate he’s going.
Wide Receivers Step Up
Deebo Samuel continues to show why Adam Peters was right for trading a fifth-round pick for him in the offseason. Samuel led the wide receiver corps with eight receptions, 96 yards, and a score. Luke McCaffery continues to make plays for the third-straight week, coming up with a beautiful 50-yard grab in the second, where he made the catch with a defender draped on him, bringing it in with one hand and into his chest while going to the ground. Jayline Lane caught a pass for 16 yards, Tay Martin and John Bates each had a nine-yard reception.
Up Next
Washington returns home for a Monday Night rematch with the Chicago Bears after the “Hail Mary Miracle” last season.
The Chargers head to Miami on Sunday.
