“It was awesome; it was awesome.”
That’s how Commanders’ quarterback Marcus Mariota began his postgame interaction with the media following the Commanders’ exciting 23-19 last-second win.
“We got a great group of guys and it was just fun to be out there in the play. Obviously, getting the win is huge, but our guys are unbelievable.”
After a Dallas punt, Washington began its final opportunity at its own 9-yard line, some 91 yards away from a winning touchdown, with 3:25 remaining on the game clock.
During the drive, Washington faced a fourth-and-1 at the Dallas 49 with only 33 seconds remaining. Mariota ran a zone read to his left. The unblocked defensive end came forward, but Mariota found room and darted up the field. He was not caught until he had gained 33 yards to the Dallas 16.
“I really should have scored honestly (smiling), I mean, maybe a few years ago. They did a good job all game trying to contain the zone-read stuff. I just felt like I had an opportunity there; our guys did a great job blocking it, and I just made a play.”
Mariota found out at halftime that he would be taking over for Jayden Daniels in the second half. He said next week didn’t matter yet: “I think Coach Q does a great job keeping our guys focused on the present and finding ways to get better.”
He credited Dan Quinn and the other men on the staff for getting players to buy in. “I think when you have that type of mentality and that type of culture, guys just kind of fall into place, and you just focus on taking it one day at a time.”
The former second overall pick in 2015 (Oregon) said that, though it was late in the season, nothing was different, and the players were very confident.
Sunday, Mariota exhibited he still has enough in the tank as a player, leading Washington to second-half scoring drives of 70, 70, and 91 yards.
Mariota’s play in the second half was “awesome, it was awesome.”