Commanders Let Overtime Clock Expire in 27-27 Tie With Giants

The Washington Commanders and New York Giants finished Sunday’s game in Landover, Maryland, with a 27-27 tie after the Commanders failed to stop the clock in the final seconds of overtime. The Commanders Giants tie left Washington without a win it badly needed against its division-leading rival.

Daniels Runs Instead of Spiking

With 13 seconds left in overtime, the Commanders had the ball 26 yards from the end zone. Quarterback Jayden Daniels was instructed to either throw the ball out of bounds or spike it to stop the clock. Instead, under defensive pressure, he improvised a run.

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Daniels got back to the line of scrimmage with 8 seconds remaining. He then lay on the turf for about two seconds. Players scrambled, and an official was blocked from spotting the ball. Washington had no timeouts left. The clock ran out before the Commanders could attempt a game-winning field goal.

Daniels Returns, Commanders Build Lead

Daniels was playing for the first time in three weeks after an elbow injury. He scored on a 38-yard run in the third quarter and added a 26-yard touchdown run in the fourth. The Commanders led 19-6 in the third quarter and 27-13 with 11 minutes left in regulation.

From that point, Washington ran only seven more offensive plays in regulation. The Giants scored two touchdowns to force overtime.

Postgame Responsibility

After the game, Daniels said the team must stop the clock and that while it starts top down, the failure ultimately falls on him. Head coach Dan Quinn said leaving with a tie feels like a loss, and that the sequencing does not fall on Daniels. Quinn added that an outside throw or a clock spike were options, that the blame is on him, and that he could have called a spike earlier. He also said the team did not need more yards and that he is gutted for the team.

Magic Johnson Criticizes Clock Management

Commanders minority owner Magic Johnson posted on X criticizing the poor clock management. Broadcaster Chris Myers noted the Commanders had no timeout and asked what they were doing, calling the final sequence a comedy of errors. Ravens coach John Harbaugh said he was surprised.

Recent NFL Finishes Provide Context

Quinn’s decision-making may have been influenced by recent late-game finishes. Hours earlier Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles kicked a go-ahead field goal against the Jacksonville Jaguars with 8 seconds left, but the Jaguars returned the kickoff to set up a game-winning field goal. Two weeks earlier, the Baltimore Ravens got the ball with 7 seconds left against the Dallas Cowboys and won on a field goal.

The Commanders needed only a spike to secure the win. Instead, the clock expired, and the game ended in a tie.