Commanders’ aggressive fourth-down call goes horribly wrong

Decidedly not how they drew it up.

The Commanders are going to have to play a near-perfect game to usurp the Lions in Detroit on Saturday night and punch a ticket to the NFC championship game.

How exactly journeyman quarterback Marcus Mariota fits into that plan remains to be seen.

And yet, there the former Titans signal-caller was, trotting out onto the field on a critical fourth-and-1 at the Lions’ 48-yard line hardly four minutes into the game. 

“He’s going to take the snap,” Kevin Burkhardt, who was on the call with Tom Brady for Fox, said incredulously as Mariota lowered down under center. 

The Lions defensive line dug in as soon as the ball was snapped and Mariota had absolutely nowhere to go. 

The quarterback turned around before he was wrestled down to the turf, and it appeared as though he was looking to hitch the ball backward to rookie starting quarterback, Jayden Daniels, who was lined up in the backfield.

Except, no such hitch was possible because running back Brian Robinson Jr. had lowered his shoulder and was pushing into Mariota’s back, trying to force the ball carrier over the line to gain.

A number of NFL fans took to social media to clown the monstrosity while others debated what exactly the plan was.

“Feels like Marcus Mariota probably isn’t necessary on 4th & 1 when you have Jayden Daniels,” DraftKings captioned a video of the play posted to X.

“Feels like you may not know football if you think the QB was the one who f–ked up that play,” wrote another.

“4th down, let’s call a stupid trick play we practiced twice all week….happens way too much…,” commented a third.

Whether the fourth-down abomination was a failed “tush push” or trick play is beside the point.

The Lions took over on downs and promptly drove 71 yards down the field on six plays, a drive running back Jahmyr Gibbs capped with a one-yard touchdown run to put the game’s first points up on the scoreboard.

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn would get something close to vindication several drives later when he dialed up a brazen passing play on a fourth-down from the Lions’ nine-yard line.

Wisely, Quinn kept the ball in Daniels’ hands this time around and the quarterback hooked up with Zach Ertz over the middle, picking up seven yards and moving the ball down to the two-yard line. 

Washington found the end zone for its first time on the evening five plays later when Robinson Jr. ran the ball in to give the Commanders a 10-7 lead. 

True vindication will come if the Commanders can escape Ford Field with their lives.

Dan Quinn and company took a 31-21 lead into halftime after an overall impressive first half.