The Washington Commanders have clinched a playoff berth, as they picked up a victory on Sunday Night Football against the Atlanta Falcons. This game will go down as an overtime battle between two rookie quarterbacks, Michael Penix Jr. and Jayden Daniels. It has been a surprising season for the Commanders due to many people projecting them to not even make the playoffs. Between the play of rookie star Jayden Daniels and a mid-season slump they came across, it has been a crazy season for this team. Their matchup against the Falcons was crazy in many different ways. However, their offense continues to connect and a part of this is due to Zach Ertz who stepped up in an overtime victory.
Zach Ertz Stepped Up in an Overtime Victory
Zach Ertz’s Stellar Game
Zach Ertz has gone through an up-and-down season with the Washington Commanders. There is a three-week span during this season that stands out for Ertz. Ertz had a receiving touchdown in three straight games against the Eagles, Cowboys, and Titans. A solid performance occurred again in week eight. Against the Chicago Bears, Ertz brought in seven catches for 77 yards. The veteran tight end played a huge role in securing the win against the Falcons in week 17. He put up big numbers in this one as he had six catches for 72 touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns. It was the first time this season that Ertz had two touchdowns in one game. The performance of their star wide receiver led to Ertz having a huge role on offense. Terry McLaurin only brought in one catch for five yards in this NFC matchup.
Jayden Daniels (31) to Zach Ertz (9)
Washington Commanders
2 yards
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A Similar Game
The week 11 game against the Philadelphia Eagles is very similar to the week 17 game against the Atlanta Falcons. Ertz and McLaurin both had a big impact on the Washington offense. Ertz came through with an excellent performance on offense against both teams while McLaurin struggled in both. McLaurin even had just one catch in these two games. These matchups against two NFC teams showed the importance that Zach Ertz played on offense. When a star player is not having his best game, Ertz does whatever he can to help the offense. While the Commanders only won one of these games, the offense kept these games close to the very end.
End Of The Season
The Washington Commanders now look ahead to the playoffs as they have to wait and see who they will face in the first round. They wrap up their season in week 18 against the Dallas Cowboys. There is a good chance the Commanders come across the Eagles again in the first round of the playoffs. Zach Ertz would love the opportunity to be reunited with the team that drafted him. Since he spent many years playing for the Philadelphia Eagles, it is always an emotional game when the Commanders and the Eagles face off. The Commanders are hoping to keep their offense rolling into the playoffs with their star playmakers and their veteran tight end.
Main Image: Geoff Burke – USA Today Sports
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