Marcus Mariota threw three touchdown passes, Kain Medrano returned an interception 50 yards for a score late in the fourth quarter and the Washington Commanders held on to shock the defending champion Seattle Seahawks 33-31 Sunday in Landover, Md.
Mariota, starting in place of the injured Jayden Daniels (elbow), was 19-of-31 passing for 183 yards and no interceptions. Terry McLaurin had six catches for 77 yards and a score for the Commanders (1-2) in their home opener.
Sam Darnold, injured in the first quarter of Seattle’s opener, was 31 of 45 for 379 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions in his return. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 10 catches for 128 yards and two scores.
Medrano picked off Darnold’s check-down pass over the middle and scored to make it 33-24 with 3:57 remaining. The extra point attempt failed after a sideline celebration penalty.
Darnold completed five straight passes, the last a 7-yard TD to Cooper Kupp with 2:51 remaining, and it was 33-31. But Rachaad White ran for 19 yards on third down and Mariota ran for another first down to ice it.
Seattle (2-1) had won 12 straight games, including playoffs, beginning with Week 12 of last season. The Seahawks, who allowed 17 points over their first two games, did not have a takeaway and turned the ball over three times.
With the Commanders leading 17-10 early in the third quarter, Darnold’s pass deflected off a defensive lineman and was picked off by Sonny Styles. Three plays later, Mariota hit McLaurin for a 30-yard touchdown and Washington led 24-10.
Seattle started at its own 40 after the kickoff went out of bounds. Eight plays later, Darnold pulled Seattle within 24-17 when he connected with Eric Saubert for a 13-yard touchdown.
Early in the fourth quarter, a Seahawks drive that included a 16-yard pass from Smith-Njigba to George Holani was capped by an 11-yard Darnold touchdown pass to Smith-Njigba, his sixth TD of the year.
The Commanders started at their own 40. On fourth-and-1, Mariota hit McLaurin for six yards and then found Stefon Diggs for 10. Drew Stevens converted a field goal from 36 yards to give Washington a 27-24 lead with 4:34 remaining.
Washington recovered a fumble on the Seattle 21 early in the game. The Commanders capitalized four plays later when Mariota passed 6 yards to White for a touchdown.
Late in the quarter, Seattle marched 90 yards in nine plays. Tight end AJ Barner rumbled 32 yards with a screen pass and Darnold found Smith-Njigba for the tying touchdown with 13:27 left in the half.
The Commanders answered as Jaylin Lane’s 21-yard catch and run got them to the 12 and Mariota passed 11 yards to Treylon Burks to give Washington a 14-7 lead at the 6:47 mark.
Darnold drove the Seahawks to a first-and-goal at the 5, but his fourth-down pass was incomplete.
Seattle’s Jason Myers and Stevens traded 57-yard field goals in the final minute.
Washington linebacker Leo Chenal was taken off on the cart in the second quarter with a neck injury.
–Field Level Media
