LANDOVER, Md. — Jayden Daniels connected with Zach Ertz in overtime for his third touchdown pass of the game to get the Washington Commanders into the playoffs by beating the Atlanta Falcons 30-24 Sunday night in a back-and-forth prime-time showdown between highly drafted rookie quarterbacks.
Daniels ran for a season-high 127 yards and completed 24 of 36 passes for 227 yards. He threw two TD passes to Ertz and another to Olamide Zaccheaus to make the playoffs in his rookie year.
In his latest comeback performance in a season full of them, the No. 2 overall pick in the draft in April shook off an interception and a 10-point halftime deficit. He led the winning drive in overtime, capped with the 2-yard pass to Ertz.
The Commanders (11-5) would be the sixth seed in the NFC and set up a wild-card game at Tampa Bay or the Los Angeles Rams if they win their regular-season finale at Dallas next weekend. They otherwise would be the seventh seed and visit division rival Philadelphia unless Green Bay loses to Chicago.
The Falcons (8-8) lost control of their chances of winning the NFC South and ensuring a home playoff game. They now need to beat Carolina and for the Buccaneers to lose to New Orleans to qualify.
Atlanta was in control for the first half of the game, gashing Washington’s defense with the running game until abandoning it. Bijan Robinson had 82 yards and two touchdown runs on 13 carries until a minute was left in the second quarter — but had just 8 yards the rest of the way.
Penix did his best to try to carry the Falcons back after they fell behind 24-17 late. The eighth pick in the draft made his second pro start and finished a 12-play, 68-yard drive with a fourth-down touchdown pass to Kyle Pitts to tie it with 1:19 left.
A throw from Penix to Drake London drew a pass-interference penalty with 2 seconds left in regulation and gave Riley Patterson a chance at a go-ahead field goal. But Patterson’s 56-yard attempt fell short as time expired, and Atlanta never got the ball back.
Penix finished 19 of 35 for 223 yards.
Milestones
Daniels has 30 combined touchdowns. That tied Russell Wilson for the third-most by a rookie QB and passed Robert Griffin III for the most yards rushing with 864. … Ertz became the ninth tight end in league history to eclipse 8,000 yards receiving. … London had seven catches for 106 yards to reach 1,000 in a season for the first time in his career.
Injuries
Washington lost starting center Tyler Biadasz to a left ankle injury when he was rolled up on during a running play late in the second quarter that was negated by a holding penalty on left tackle Brandon Coleman. … Commanders right tackle Cornelius Lucas, filling in for injured starter Andrew Wylie — inactive because of a groin injury — also left with a groin injury.
Up next
Commanders: Visit the Cowboys before a playoff road game.
Falcons: Host the Panthers while scoreboard-watching New Orleans’ game at Tampa Bay.