The Commanders were cruising on Sunday in New Orleans, up 17-0 in the third quarter. But after the Saints made a quarterback change, things shifted and after the home side scored a touchdown as time expired, they had a two-point conversion attempt for the win. But it failed and Washington escaped with their ninth win of the season and a 20-19 victory.
"It was just another example of we allowed them to hang around too much," running back Brian Robinson said during his weekly appearance Tuesday with 106.7 The Fan's The Sports Junkies, which is presented exclusively by our partners at MainStreet Bank — Cheer Local. Bank Local. Put Our Team in Your Office. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.
"We didn't pull away when we had the opportunity to and we allowed them to gain that confidence to just make the comeback that they made," he told the Junks. "They rallied off the quarterback that they subbed in, which I definitely think he came in and made an immediate impact, and we just allowed them to stick around for too long and they definitely made an interesting for us at the end of the game.
"I definitely feel like we just gotta pull away early and just go ahead. And just kill their confidence where they don't feel like they can just be one or two scores away from tying or winning the game."
On the final drive of the game, the Saints got the benefit of a referee's mistake when he called for the clock to stop after New Orleans converted a first down with under fifteen seconds to play. The brief stoppage – it appeared to be for just two seconds – may have been the difference in the game as it allowed the Saints to spike the ball to stop the clock before scoring a touchdown as time expired. That set up the two-point conversion attempt to decide the game.
Robinson said the official's blunder was something that didn't go unnoticed on the sideline and he said he was "just shocked that they didn't do anything about it."
"It was pretty obvious, but I can't contol that," he said.
Referee Shawn Hochuli told the pool reporter after the game the official made a mistake and, unfortunately for Washington and Robinson, the play is not something that can be reviewed. In the end, it didn't cost Washington the game and that's what matters as they improved to 9-5 to stay entrenched in the playoff hunt.
In the game, it was tough sledding for the back coming off the bye week: He tallied just 65 yards on 21 (3.1 yards per attempt) with 20 yards coming on a single run. He did add 22 yards through the air on three catches from three targets.
"I think we didn't get off on our best foot in our run game," Robinson told the Junks. "We started off very, very slow and allowed their front to gain confidence, as well. And they played very – hats off to Saints front and how they played – they played hard, they played tough. They had a lot of gap discipline, they did the things that they were supposed to do to have success and we didn't do the things that we needed to do to have great success."
But on a few occasions, it appeared the run game – which did include 66 yards on 11 carries from quarterback Jayden Daniels – was close to breaking out.
"That's how our run game is," Robinson said about being close. "We are always one block, one step away from just springing bigger runs. But, we just gotta be on top of all our details so that we can just make our plays come to life."
With three games remaining, Robinson is under 300 yards rushing away from cracking the 1,000-yard mark. And, on a personal level, reaching that milestone is something he would like to do.
"Well, I can tell you right now, any ball player – any receiver, running back, anybody – they wanna go for 1,000 yards in a season," he said. "Obviously, it's been tough missing five games and in the midst of playing very well, I'm still pushing. And I never put anything past myself. I know I can do it, I just gotta do it. I'm right where I need to be to do everything I want to do. And it's right there on me to do everything personally."
Robinson added that it is just about controlling what he can control and playing the game as it comes, and that "winning is always more important and maturing is realizing that."
"After coming off a 4-13 season, winning is definetly the standard," he said. "But if I can also accomplish all the things that I set out for myself personally, that would definetly be a plus, but winning will always come first."
Speaking of Daniels, the rookie has shown a great deal of poise throughout the season and he appears to have a lot of fun on the field. Robinson said the QB is the "same way" in and around the huddle even in the heat of the moment.
"It's the same energy, positive, going to play the next play, he's always positive and that's good, regardless of anything that happens in the game, it doesn't really matter," he said of Daniels. "I like the fact that he shakes it off and continues to stay positive cause as our quarterback, as our leader, it starts with his energy and what he brings to the field. And we all just gotta get on page."
On the other side of the ball, Washington got to see Marshon Lattimore in action for the first time since the cornerback arrived in a trade deadline deal. And against his old team, Lattimore went untested the entire game with New Orleans not targeting his man once.
"That gives a great example of what type of player he is," Robinson said. "He keeps the side of the field quiet. So you don't really have to see him have much [press break ups] or get too much involved all the time in the game because they're not gonna target him. ... Resepect to him."
The task doesn't get any more difficult next week as the Philadelphia Eagles come to town with receivers AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith to contend with and a solid defense, too.
But that's a challenge Robinson is very ready to undertake.