Jayden Daniels threw two touchdown passes to Terry McLaurin and the visiting Washington Commanders held on to defeat the New Orleans Saints 20-19 on Sunday afternoon.
Daniels completed 25-of-31 passes for 226 yards without an interception and rushed 11 times for 66 yards, but was sacked eight times. McLaurin finished with seven catches for 73 yards, and the Commanders (9-5) held on when a Saints two-point conversion pass failed with no time left.
Second-year quarterback Jake Haener made his first NFL start in place of injured Derek Carr and completed 4-of-10 passes for 49 yards with an interception in one half for the Saints (5-9).
Rookie Spencer Rattler, who was 0-3 while starting place of Carr due to a different injury earlier in the season, relieved Haener to start the second half and completed 7-of-16 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown.
Rattler threw a 1-yard TD to Foster Moreau as time expired, but his ensuing conversion pass failed.
The Commanders received the second-half kickoff and drove to the New Orleans 1, but on third and goal, Daniels was sacked by Cameron Jordan. Greg Joseph kicked a 23-yard field goal that gave Washington a 17-0 lead.
Rattler replaced Haener on the ensuing possession and completed 2-of-4 passes for 51 yards. Wide receiver Cedrick Wilson threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Alvin Kamara, trimming the deficit to 17-7 at the end of the quarter.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Joseph kicked a 41-yard field goal to push the lead to 20-7. Blake Grupe kicked a 41-yard field goal then a 51-yarder to cut the lead to 20-13 with 6:57 left.
Joseph missed a 54-yarder, giving the Saints the ball at their 44 with 1:56 remaining, and Rattler drove them to the final touchdown.
On Washington’s first possession, Daniels threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to McLaurin for a 7-0 lead that held up through the end of the first quarter.
Daniels and McLaurin hooked up for a 3-yard scoring toss in the second quarter to take a 14-0 halftime lead.