The Washington Commanders appeared to be heading toward a disappointing defeat against the Chicago Bears in a Week 8 battle between the 2024 NFL Draft’s top two picks, Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels.
Neither quarterback was able to find a rhythm Sunday afternoon, but Williams (131 passing yards on 10 of 24 passing; 41 rushing yards on 10 carries) was able to lead Chicago on a 10-play scoring drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Roschon Johnson. That gave the Bears a 15-12 edge with 25 seconds left to play, and Washington had just one timeout left.
The odds were certainly not in Daniels and Co.’s favor, but they did reach their own 48 with two seconds left to play, setting up a shot at a Hail Mary. After the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner scrambled around, he uncorked a heave toward the end zone. The football hung in the air for what felt like five Mississippi before it hit a sea of hands just in front of the goal line. Commanders veteran wide receiver Noah Brown had a bright idea in a pressure-packed moment, as he backed up to stand right behind the scrum of bodies jumping for the football. That allowed him to catch Daniels’ Hail Mary all by his lonesome in the end zone to complete the 52-yard miracle heave. Daniels finished with 326 passing yards and the game-winning touchdown pass on 21 of 38 passing. He also rushed for 52 yards on eight carries.
“Nothing but God,” Daniels told CBS Sports’ Tracy Wolfson when asked to describe the game-winning, 52-yard Hail Mary.
With his standout effort, Daniels became just the fifth rookie in NFL history to register over 325 passing yards and over 50 rushing yards in a game, per CBS Sports Research. He joined Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (twice in 2020), Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (2020), then-Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson (2017) and then-Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (2011) in that exclusive club.
