“When they last met” is an ongoing series during the NFL season, recalling the preceding game between Washington and the next opponent on the Washington Commanders’ schedule.
Washington 18, Chicago 15 Week 8, Oct. 27, 2024
Jayden Daniels’ 52-yard pass as time expired was tipped and fell into the hands of Noah Brown in the end zone, providing the Washington Commanders with an unbelievable 18-15 win over the Chicago Bears at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.
With only five seconds remaining in the game, the Commanders were at their own 35-yard line. The Bears dropped back, anticipating a ‘Hail Mary’. Seeing this, Terry McLaurin ran a quick out to the left sideline and was uncontested. So Daniels got him the ball for a 13-yard gain to the Washington 48—time for one more play.
On the game’s final play, the Bears again dropped back deep; however, it was later learned that Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson had jeered Commanders fans as the ball was being snapped. Stevenson then ran over to the group of players awaiting the ball at the goal line. He leaped, and instead of knocking the ball down, he ended up tipping the ball directly to Brown, who was left all alone in the end zone.
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JAYDEN DANIELS HAIL MARY! @COMMANDERS WIN! pic.twitter.com/BsQ0Z84Rko
— NFL (@NFL) October 27, 2024
Stevenson became the brunt of much criticism on local and national television as well as social media. It was criticism he earned and deserved. In fact, Bears fans were very upset and blamed Stevenson for the loss. One year later, Stevenson recently admitted, “Even when my son grows up, I’ve got to explain that to him.”
Making matters worse for the Bears was how, after being down 12-0 late in the third quarter, they entirely outplayed the Commanders the rest of the way, taking a 15-12 lead with a 56-yard DeAndre Swift touchdown run and a Roschon Johnson 1-yard run completing a 62-yard 10-play drive.
What effect did the ‘Hail Mary’ loss have on the Bears? The Bears then proceeded to implode, losing 10 straight games. They entered the Washington game with a 4-2 record but finished the season with a 5-12 record. Washington, meanwhile, had entered the game at 5-2 and finished 12-5, winning road playoff games in Tampa and Detroit.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: What happened the last time they met the Bears?
