In a remarkable finish dubbed the “Maryland Miracle,” rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels led the Washington Commanders to an improbable victory over the Chicago Bears with a 52-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass to Noah Brown as time expired, securing an 18-15 win on Sunday.
Brown made the decisive catch in the end zone after the pass was tipped, showcasing a crucial moment in the game. Daniels held onto the ball for 12.79 seconds, marking the first touchdown pass in the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016) with a time-to-throw exceeding 10 seconds.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn expressed disbelief at the team’s accomplishment on the field. This game also featured a matchup between Caleb Williams and Daniels, the top two picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Both offenses struggled to score throughout the game, but Chicago appeared to have secured the win when Roschon Johnson rushed for a 1-yard touchdown, giving the Bears a 15-12 lead with 23 seconds remaining.
However, Daniels orchestrated a four-play drive, using one timeout, that culminated in Washington’s walk-off touchdown. Despite battling a rib injury that limited him in practice, Daniels demonstrated resilience, completing 21 of 38 passes for 326 yards and one touchdown while rushing for 52 yards. This victory improved the Commanders’ record to 6-2, while the Bears fell to 4-3.
