Marcus Mariota made the most of his chance, and the Washington Commanders made it count.
With Jayden Daniels out because of an elbow injury, Mariota stepped in and threw three touchdown passes as Washington stunned the defending champion Seattle Seahawks 33-31 on Sunday in Landover, Md. Kain Medrano’s 50-yard interception return late in the fourth quarter proved decisive, helping the Commanders survive a furious Seattle rally.
Mariota finished 19 of 31 for 183 yards with no interceptions. Terry McLaurin led Washington’s passing game with six catches for 77 yards and a touchdown, while Stefon Diggs also played a key role in the closing stretch. The Commanders improved to 1-2 in their home opener.
Seattle got a huge day from Sam Darnold in his return after being injured in the first quarter of the opener. He went 31 of 45 for 379 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was the top target, catching 10 passes for 128 yards and two scores.
The game swung on Medrano’s pick late. Darnold tried a check-down over the middle, Medrano intercepted it and raced 50 yards to the end zone, making it 33-24 with 3:57 left. The extra point was no good after a sideline celebration penalty.
Seattle still had one more push. Darnold completed five straight passes, finishing the sequence with a 7-yard touchdown to Cooper Kupp with 2:51 remaining to pull the Seahawks within 33-31. But Washington answered when Rachaad White picked up 19 yards on third down and Mariota added another first down to help close it out.
The loss ended Seattle’s 12-game winning streak, including playoffs, which had stretched back to Week 12 of last season. The Seahawks came in having allowed just 17 points across their first two games, but they left without a takeaway and with three turnovers.
Washington had jumped in front early after recovering a fumble at the Seattle 21. Four plays later, Mariota found White for a 6-yard touchdown.
Seattle answered on its next long march, going 90 yards in nine plays. AJ Barner’s 32-yard screen catch set it up, and Darnold tied it with a touchdown pass to Smith-Njigba with 13:27 left in the half.
The Commanders responded again. Jaylin Lane’s 21-yard catch and run moved the ball to the 12, and Mariota hit Treylon Burks for an 11-yard score to put Washington ahead 14-7 with 6:47 left in the second quarter.
Seattle had a chance to tighten things up before halftime, driving to first-and-goal at the 5, but Darnold’s fourth-down pass fell incomplete. The teams then traded 57-yard field goals in the final minute, one from Jason Myers and one from Drew Stevens.
Washington kept control early in the third quarter after Seattle had cut it to 17-10. Darnold’s pass was deflected off a defensive lineman and intercepted by Sonny Styles, and three plays later Mariota connected with McLaurin on a 30-yard touchdown to make it 24-10.
Seattle answered quickly after a kickoff went out of bounds and the Seahawks started at their own 40. Eight plays later, Darnold hit Eric Saubert for a 13-yard touchdown to trim the margin to 24-17. Early in the fourth quarter, a drive that included a 16-yard pass from Smith-Njigba to George Holani ended with an 11-yard Darnold touchdown to Smith-Njigba, his sixth touchdown catch.
Washington then answered with a critical march of its own. Starting at its own 40, Mariota converted on fourth-and-1 by finding McLaurin for six yards, then connected with Diggs for 11. Stevens capped the drive with a 36-yard field goal to put the Commanders up 27-24 with 4:34 left.
Washington linebacker Leo Chenal was taken off on the cart in the second quarter with a neck injury.
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