The Washington Commanders were in must-win mode on Thursday night against the New York Giants.
And despite a rocky performance, particularly in the fourth quarter, they managed to edge out a 24-21 victory. The win improved their record to 3-5-1 and closed the gap to two games for first place in the NFC East.
Star quarterback Jayden Daniels was at the center of both the highs and lows in the fourth quarter.
He threw interceptions on back-to-back drives while the team trailed 21-17. Yet, he never flinched. When he got the ball back with roughly 1:46 remaining and one timeout, Daniels led the offense down the field and connected with wide receiver Stefon Diggs on a go-ahead 32-yard touchdown.
Daniels Makes Honest Statement After Commanders Win
Following the game, Daniels made it clear that he didn’t want to let his team down when he got the ball back with one last chance to take the lead.
“When I had the opportunity to go out there and win the game, take a deep breath, go out there and just capitalize on the moment,” Daniels said. “I didn’t want to let my team down.”
Daniels completed 23-of-33 passes for 249 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed 11 times for 28 yards.
“I’m starting to get into that rhythm,” he added. “It shows the more games you play consistently, the more reps you get, the more flow in the rhythm that you can [find]. And it was tough last year being in and out of the lineup and trying to catch a rhythm.”
“When I had the opportunity to go out there and win the game, take a deep breath, go out there and just capitalize on the moment.”
Jayden Daniels and the #Commanders reflect on their biggest win of the season: https://t.co/K0MYOr040B
https://t.co/K0MYOr040B
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 13, 2026
Looking at the Commanders
It’s been far from a perfect season for the Commanders, but through nine games, they still have everything in front of them.
They’re 3-5-1 overall, while the Giants are now 5-3-1 after the two teams tied earlier this season.
With Thursday night’s victory, Washington not only sits two games back but also holds the tiebreaker over New York if both teams finish the season with the same record.
As for the rest of the NFC East, the Dallas Cowboys are 4-5, while the Philadelphia Eagles are 2-7.
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels Makes Honest Statement After Giants Win