bill-in-bangkokMon, December 1, 2025 at 5:03 AM UTC·24 min readFirst Quarter
The Commanders new kicker Jake Moody kicked off to open the game. The Broncos started their first drive at the 26-yard line. The crowd noise made it clear that a lot of Broncos fans were in the stands.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWith a long run and a good pass, the Broncos were quickly at midfield, but after an incomplete pass and a throwaway by Bo Nix under heavy pressure, Denver faced 3rd & 10, which they converted on a simple checkdown in the middle of the field.
A 17-yard completion to a wide-open Troy Franklin moved Denver to the WAS 20-yard line with just over 11 minutes left in the quarter.
On 3rd & 5 from the 15-yard line, the pass was broken up by Noah Igbinohene, and Sean Payton sent kicker Will Lutz out to kick a 33-yard field goal. With 10:28 on the clock, the Broncos lead 3-0.
The defense, similarly to last week vs the Dolphins, bent but didn’t break. Let’s hope the offense can put the ball in the end zone more effectively than they did a week ago.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAn illegal formation penalty against the Broncos on the kickoff helped Washington out after Deebo managed to only return it to the 10-yard line. On the re-kick, Jeremy McNichols returned the ball to the 21, where Mariota and the offense took over for the first drive of the game.
Rodriguez was stuffed on the first play; after a completion to John Bates on 2nd down, Mariota found Deebo on the right sideline for 4-yards and a first down.
On 2nd & 5, Rodriguez was hit at the line of scrmmage, but broke the tackle and rumbled for 12 yards.
A pass to Ertz got the ball across midfield. A defensive penalty gave Washington a 1st down at the DEN 41-yard line. Mariota has completed his first 5 passes of the game while CRod has 2 carries.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDeebo lost a yard on a run to force 3rd & 8. On the 3rd down play, Mariota went deep to inside the15-yard line, where Jaylin Lane got his hand on the ball but couldn’t hold onto it when he was tackled.
Tress Way punted to the 11-yard line with about 5 minutes left in the quarter.
The Broncos got nothing on an incompletion and a run; on 3rd & 9, they earned 5 yards on a checkdown to the running back. The Broncos punt was fair caught by Jaylin Lane at the WAS 42-yard line with about 3 minutes on the clock. Good defense by the Commanders!
The first easy run of the day for the Commanders came on 1st down when CRod burst through on the right side for a 9-yard gain. He wasn’t touched until he was 8 yards downfield. Mariota picked up the 1st down on a called QB run to the right side.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementErtz went 11 yards to the Denver 36-yard line on the next play, but Rodriguez wss tackled for a 2-yard loss on the subsequent 1st down run. The Broncos D is not making it easy to run the ball.
On 3rd & 12 at the 38-yard line, Jeremy McNichols was contacted near the line of scrimmage, but he spun through the tackle an burst forward for a beautiful 16-yard run and a first down to bring the quarter to an end.
Second Quarter
Washington opened the 2nd quarter with a 1st & 10 at the DEN 23-yard line.
On 2nd & 6, Mariota simply had a meltdown when he tried to do far too much. He dropped back deep, scrambled around, ran toward the line of scrimmage and then threw a jump pass that was intercepted inside the 10-yard line and returned by Dre Greenlaw to the 34-yard line. It was an incredibly bad decision my Mariota to kill a good offensive drive!
A few plays later, Denver faced 3rd & 5 just across midfield. They came up about a yard short, and Sean Payton decided to go for it.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOn 4th & 1, Bo Nix found his tight end Trautman, who turned the catch & run on the left sideline into a 22-yard gain.
It took 2 plays to get another 1st down at the 13-yard line, but then Daron Payne took RJ Harvey down for a 4-yard loss.
On 3rd & 8, a wild play ensued when Bo Nix escaped pressure but couldn’t make anything happen when he threw the ball into Frankie Luvu’s body under intense pressure for what went down as a simple incomplete pass. I wish I could find a Twitter clip to show it to you, but I can’t.
The defense held the Broncos to their 2nd field goal, a 28-yarder that made the score 6-0 with about 8 minutes left in the half.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBill has come into the game at running back and ran for a tough 5 yards to open the drive, then burst for 13 yards on 2nd down.
On the next play, Mariota, in an attempt to avoid a sack, tried to get the ball to John Bates who was standing behind him. The ball hit the ground — a fumble on a lateral — and Bates struggled to recover it. Mariota, again, was trying to do too much.
He made up for it on 3rd & 12 by scrambling for a first down to the DEN 43-yard line.
Two plays later, he hit Zach Erts on a lovely 21-yard pass completion.
Another 2 plays later, it was a quick completion to Terry McLaurin on a crossing pattern, with a run after catch for 11 yards. The offense is humming; the ball is inside the 11-yard line.
An illegal formation penalty made it 1st & 15 at the 16-yard line.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMariota gained nothing on a bad QB run right up the middle, a post-play personal foul penalty against Nick Bonito made it 1st & goal at the 8-yard line.
Chris Rodriquez went right up the middle and into the end zone!
Jake Moody gave Washington the 7-6 lead with 2:21 left in the half. Denver will get the ball with one time out and time to re-take the lead unless the Commanders defense can step up again.
Following the kickoff, the Broncos had the ball at their own 35-yard line after a pretty good return. They got a 7-yard pass play to RB RJ Harvey in ahead of the 2-minute warning.
After an incompletion, on 3rd & 3 at the 42-yard line, Nix found Mims for an easy 6-yard completion in the middle of the field.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNix avoided a sack on a throw away on 1st down, then got the ball to the WAS 26-yard line with a pair of pass completions.
Evan Engram got the ball to the 18 yard line on pitch and catch for 8 yards. Washington called time out to give the D a breather with 39 seconds left. It didn’t seem to help. Engram gained another 7 yards to the right sideline.
Mikey got a big hit in on the next play:
On 2nd & 10, it appeared as if Nix was sacked, but he managed to sling the ball to the end zone for a wild touchdown!
After the PAT, the Broncos took the 13-7 lead with just 23 seconds left in the half.
Washington’s offense has had 3 drives in the half; number 4 is unlikely to yield much if anything.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDeebo returned the ball to the 36-yard line. The ball hit the grass at the end of the play, but it was covered by Jeremy McNichols to retain possession with 16 seconds left. DQ decided to have Mariota take a knee and head to the locker room for the half.
Washington will get the ball again to open the 2nd half.
Halftime Stats
Statistics via ESPNThird Quarter
This has been a good game with both teams playing good offense and defense. It may be the best game Washington has played since the Chargers game in Week 5. The big difference in this game is probably the bad intereception thrown by Marcus Mariota in the red zone on Washington’s 2nd offensive drive. In a game of limited possessions — 3 drives for WAS, 4 for DEN (excluding kneel down) — points will likely be at a premium. Scoring touchdowns instead of field goals will be important.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWashington opens the 2nd half with the ball at the 28-yard line with CRod behind Mariota in the backfield.
On 2nd & 4, Mariota hit Ertz on another big pass play — this for 18 yards.
That was followed by another 12-yard completion to Ertz and a 19-yard run by Mariota to push the ball inside the DEN 20-yard line. The offense has exploded down the field in 3 plays!
The next two plays were stuffed; on 3rd & 9 at the 16-yard line, Mariota completed a pass to Terry McLaurin, who went to the ground at the 4-yard line to put the Commanders in good scoring position.
Kliff Kingsbury called the 2nd or 3rd wildcat play of the day, and once again it didn’t work, with Deebo tackled for a loss.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMarita couldn’t complete the 2nd down pass to McLaurin in the back of the end zone.
On 3rd & goal from the 5 yard line, Trey Burks went up for a one-handed catch on a fade pass to the right corner of the end zone. The ball appeared to be overthrown, but Burks pulled it in for a highlight-reel touchdown!!
Moody made the PAT to put Washington back in the lead 14-13 with about 10 minutes left in the 3rd quarter.
The Broncos took the field for their 5th offensive drive at the 28-yard-line.
On 3rd & 8 at the 30-yard line, Nix scrambled up the middle for a 1st down at the 40-yard line. D’oh!
Two plays later, on 3rd & 1 at the 49-yard line, Nix rolled right under heavy pressure and threw back to the middle of the field for what looked like a 1st down completion, but the play was negated by an offensive holding call to force 3rd & 11 from inside their own 40.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOn the 3rd down play, the Commanders got no pressure. Nix had all day and found Courtland Sutton all alone at the Washington 29 yard line for an easy completion. This play might’ve been different with any pass rush at all.
On 3rd & 5 at the 24-yard line, Nix hit Pat Bryant in-stride for a 21-yard catch & run to the 3-yard line — first & goal.
RJ Harvey scored an easy touchdown on a 1-yard run to the left on 2nd down.
After the PAT, the score was 20-14 with just 4 minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter.
Washington’s offense will need to make every possession count. They started their next drive at the 31-yard line.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementA 14-yard pass to Terry on 2nd & 10 shows the crisp route running and easy connection the Commanders have been missing with Terry out injured.
On the next play, Jeremy McNichols turned chicken shit into chicken salad with a broken tackle and a 5-yard gain around the left side.
After another 1-yard run, on 3rd & 4 at the DEN 49-yard line, Tunsil was flagged for a false start — his first penalty since the Bears game.
On 3rd & 9, Mariota, under pressure, thew up a prayer that fell harmlessly to the grass around the 30-yard line.
Tress Way put the ball down at the 14-yard line, where the Broncos start their next drive with 44 seconds left in the 3rd quarter. The defense needs to kill this drive in its infancy.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNix had another completion running to his right under pressure on 2nd & 10 to gain 15 yards to end the quarter.
Fourth Quarter
Denver opened the final quarter with 1st & 10 at their own 31-yard line with a 6-point lead.
Two plays later, on 3rd & 8, Nix under pressure from Jacob Martin, threw the ball directly to Bobby Wagner, who has improved his pass defense credentials over the past two games.
Washington’s offense has the ball at the Denver 36. Mariota wastes no time, hitting TE Colson Yankoff for his 2nd career reception — a 14-yarder to the DEN 22.
Two plays later, on 3rd & 8 at the 20-yard line, Mariota overthrew Terry McLaurin in the end zone.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJake Moody’s first field goal attempt as a Commander was not a thing of beauty, but the 38-yard kick was good. The score moved to 20-17 with about 12 1/2 minutes left in the game.
Broncos start at the 29-yard line.
Two plays later, after a good tackle by Jonathan Jones on a short completion, on 3rd & 3, Nix danced in the pocket under some pressure, waited too long, and Frankie Luvu finally got home for the sack to kill the drive in its infancy as was required.
After the punt, Washington’s offense re-took the field with the ball a the 27-yard line with just over 10 minutes on the clock and a chance to re-take the lead.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAfter another limited gain on a called QB run on 2nd down, the Commander faced 3rd & 2.
On the 3rd down play, Mariota missed Deebo on the left sideline against good coverage. Three & out.
After the punt, Denver had the ball at their own 20-yard-line with 8:42 on the clock and a 3-point lead.
They opened the drive with a big tough run by Jaleel McLaughlin for 14 yards.
Washington got pressure on 1st down — incompletion — then stuffed the run on 2nd down.
On 3rd & 8 at the 36, Nix found the fullback on a checkdown that earned the 1st down at the 47-yard-line. I can hear “Let’s go Broncos” on the broadcast audio.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAnother run stuff, another incompletion under pressure brings up 3rd & 10. On the 3rd down play, Nix found Evan Engram short for a 6-yard gain to the WAS 47-yard line.
Denver punted and appeared to down the ball at the 1-yard line, but it was quickly ruled a touchback.
Bullet dodged; Washington ball at the 20-yard line with 4:42 on the clock and a chance to take the lead or tie the game.
From heavy formation, Mariota rolled out on a play action pass and hit Terry for 16 yards on 1st down. Terry fell down on the play, but got back up and completed the route.
On 2nd & 9, it appeared that Mariota was sacked, but it was ruled that no one touched him, he got up and ran for a 7-yard gain. The officials then changed the call to down by contact, but failed to make penalize the tripping that should have been penalized for 15 yards.
On 3rd & 21, Marioa launched a ball to Zach Ertz that looked like a great play until Alex Singleton punched it out of the tight end’s hands to force the incompletion.
After the punt, the Broncos had the ball at the 29-yard-line with 3:31 on the clock and a chance to ice the game.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAfter two plays and two time outs, the Broncos faced 3rd & 4 with 3:12 on the clock. Denver showed a spread formation with a fullback, didn’t like what they saw and called a time out to re-thing things.
On the 3rd down play that followed the time out, from an empty shotgun set, Nix threw incomplete against a 3-man rush and zone coverage.
After the punt, Marcus Mariota and the offense got the ball at the 15-yard line with exactly 3 minutes on the clock and a final chance to win or tie the ball game.
Marita scrambled for 11 yards on 2nd & 10.
Incomplete to Burks on the right sideline on 1st down; incomplete deep to Terry McLaurin on 2nd down.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOn 3rd & 10, Mariota found Zach Ertz for 9 1/2 yards — the offense ran to the line and handed the ball to Jeremy McNichols while the Denver defense was still in disarray. He got 2 yards to keep the drive alive as we reach the two minute warning.
Following the time out, Zach Ertz caught a ball for 14 yards at midfield.
A false start flag on McLaurin made it 1st & 15 at the WAS 45-yard line. Replay made it appear to be a bad call by the officials. The zebras screwed up too many things tonight.
On the next play, Mariota threw a ball away and was flagged for intentional grounding, which TV ref Terry McLaurin said was the wrong call.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAnother replay showed for the 5th or 6th time tonight, that the players — McLaurin in particular — are sliding all over the field on the newly laid turf.
It’s now 2nd & 25 based on a pair of bad penalties.
Mariota threw the ball 25 yards, hitting Terry in the hands, but the pass was broken up by Riley Moss.
On 3rd down, Mariota scrambled under pressure and then completed a huge pass to Terry at the numbers on the right side of the feild for 20 yards.
Terry was hurt and off the field for 4th down ,but it didn’t matter — Mariota hit Zach Ertz for 8 yards and a 1st down!!
On the following play, Deebo caught a pass for an 11 yard gain to move the ball to the 27-yard line with 26 seconds on the clock (which stopped for a penalty against Denver that was declined).
After a 7-yard gain on a pass to Deebo, DQ called his final time out with 23 ticks left on the clock.
A scramble by Mariota on 3rd & 3 earned a 1st down and stopped the clock with the ball at the 14-yard line. It was a heart-stopping run because Marcus looked like he wasn’t gonna get out of bounds — but he did.
1st & goal – Mariota threw the ball out of the back of the end zone; 7 seconds left
2nd & goal – incomplete out of bounds (throw away)
Moody came on for a -yard attempt to tie the game and send it to overtime for the 2nd week in a row.
Kick GOOD!! Tie game. Overtime!! Again!!
Overtime
Washington won the toss and chose to kick the ball to the Broncos.
Denver took the field at the 24-yard line after a good special teams tackle by Antonio Hamilton.
They earned a quick first down on a checkdown to the RB on the 1st play. They did it again on a checkdown to the TE on the 2nd play getting the ball to the 48-yard line.
On the 3rd play, Evan Engrm caught a pass for about 8 yards and then rumbled to the Washington 11-yard line on a 41-yard catch & run.
Two plays later, RJ Harvey went into the end zone for an easy 5-yard touchdown run. The drive covered 76-yards in 5 plays.
Washington will need to score a touchdown to keep hope alive.
They start at the 35-yard line following the touchback.
1st down gain of 20 yards on a pass to McLaurin in the middle of the field. Good pass protection.
Mariota overthrew Burks near the goal line on the next play when it looked like Denver was offsides — no flag thrown.
After a Mariota 4-yard scramble, on 3rd & 6, Mariota threw a dangerous pass in the middle of the field. Incomplete — 4th down & 6.
The 4th down play was wild. Mariota, under pressure, broke a couple of tackles, finally threw the ball, it was tipped in the air and looked like an interception ended the game — but NO!! Defensive pass interference (clear and unquestioned) gave Washington the ball 1st & 10 at the DEN 36-yard line.
On 3rd & 4, it appeared that Washington scored a touchdown on a pass to McaLaurin, but right tackle Josh Conerly got flagged for holding, negating the score.
On 3rd & 14, Mariota hit Deebo Samuel, who caught the ball at the 15-yard line and was tackled at the 1-yard line — 1st & goal!!
1st down – CRod stuffed for a 1-yard loss
2nd down – Mariota rolls right, misses McLaurin in the back of the end zone
3rd down – Ertz has the ball on his hands in the back of the end zone, but can’t hold on as he bobbles it for an incomletion
Final play — DQ calls time out, then Mariota finds an open Terry McLaurin for the TD!!! (No flag on the pick)
OF course, DQ decided to go for the 2-point conversion and the win.
On the final snap of the game, McNichols was in the backfield.
Nick Bonito, on a good rush, batted Mariota’s pass out of the air on a play that would have been an easy score for McNichols had the defender not stopped it.
Commanders lose their 7th straight game by 1 point!
Full Game Stats
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