Washington, MD – In a dramatic home opener at FedExField, the Washington Commanders rallied to defeat the Seattle Seahawks 33-31, ending the Seahawks’ 12‑game winning streak that began in the previous season’s playoffs. Marcus Mariota, stepping in for the injured Jayden Daniels, threw three touchdown passes and helped secure the win with a crucial late‑game drive.
Key moments
Mariota completed 19 of 31 passes for 183 yards without an interception. He connected with Terry McLaurin, who hauled in six catches for 77 yards and a touchdown. The decisive play came when safety Kain Medrano intercepted Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold’s check‑down pass and returned it 50 yards for a score with 3:57 left, putting Washington ahead 33-24.
Seattle answered with a quick touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp, narrowing the gap to 33-31. However, Washington’s Rachaad White rushed for a first down on third down, and Mariota secured another first down on the next play, allowing the Commanders to run out the clock.
Other NFL highlights
Detroit Lions vs. New York Jets – Jahmyr Gibbs starred for the Lions, scoring three touchdowns and amassing 164 total yards. Detroit held off a late Jets rally, winning 31-24.
Buffalo Bills vs. Los Angeles Chargers – Josh Allen rushed for two one‑yard touchdowns, including the go‑ahead score, and threw for 204 yards. Buffalo improved to 3-0, defeating the Chargers 24-16 at the new $2 billion stadium in Orchard Park.
Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans – Spencer Shrader nailed four field goals, highlighted by a 53‑yard kick with 16 seconds left, sealing a 19-17 win for the Colts and snapping a five‑game losing streak against their AFC South rival.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New England Patriots – Trevor Lawrence threw three touchdowns, leading Jacksonville to a 35-6 rout. The Jaguars extended their home winning streak to six games.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals – Chris Boswell’s 33‑yard field goal with 2:15 left gave Pittsburgh a 30-27 victory after a back‑and‑forth battle that featured a strip‑sack by Derrick Harmon on Joe Burrow.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Miami Dolphins – Patrick Mahomes threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns, while Kenneth Walker III added a rushing and receiving score. The Chiefs prevailed 24-10 in Miami Gardens.
Cleveland Browns vs. Carolina Panthers – Deshaun Watson returned from injury to guide Cleveland to a 21-18 win, delivering a late touchdown pass to Harold Fannin Jr. and a successful two‑point conversion.
New York Giants vs. Tennessee Titans – Dominic Zvada’s four field goals helped the Giants secure a 12-7 win, with the defense limiting the Titans to a single first down in the first half.
These results round out a busy week of NFL action, showcasing emerging talent and veteran leadership across the league.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
